How Netflix used cloud computing’s scalability to expand business

A business expecting to grow may consider the benefits of expanding their data infrastructure internally by purchasing additional network space. However, this investment could prove premature if the company fails to expand as quickly as anticipated.

On the other hand, businesses also need to ensure that their information management systems can successfully adapt to larger data inputs when growth does occur.

Considering the flexibility needed for a company’s network servers, one of the most compelling characteristics of deploying cloud computing services is the idea of scalability. In other words, a smart company should consider the major benefits of an information system that can increase and decrease in size depending on how a company is currently performing.

In fact, according to a recent survey by the IBM Institute for Business Value on how the cloud powers business innovation, one-third of polled respondents perceived business scalability to be a “top cloud benefit.”

Moreover, the survey reports that internet media streaming service Netflix, used cloud scalability to effectively adapt to the company’s increasingly large data surges. Netflix was experiencing such huge data rushes at peak hours of on-demand media streaming that its data centers could no longer accommodate all its users.

As such, “the company made a decision to migrate its web site and streaming service from a
traditional data center implementation to a cloud environment,” the survey indicated. “This move allowed the company to grow and expand its customer base without having to build and support a data center footprint to meet its growth requirements.”

Considering the flexibility remotely stored data affords a company, business owners should consider consulting with a provider of VoIP telephony systems that also offer cloud computing solutions. Experienced consultants can explain how a managed IT service could accommodate the personalized data needs of a business so that whether a company is expanding or downsizing, its cloud servers can maximize data efficiencies.

Considering the flexibility remotely stored data affords a company, business owners should consider consulting with a provider of VoIP telephony systems that also offer cloud computing solutions.