Cloud computing
What is Cloud computing?
Cloud computing is the on-demand delivery of IT resources, including servers, storage, databases, and software, over the Internet from a cloud provider’s data centers, enabling organizations to access technology services without owning physical infrastructure.
Unlike Digital transformation, which represents the broader strategic overhaul of business operations and culture through technology adoption, cloud computing provides the specific underlying infrastructure and platform capabilities that enable such modernization efforts.
Why does Cloud computing matter?
Cloud computing matters because it provides the foundational infrastructure required for comprehensive digital transformation, enabling organizations to move beyond simple automation to fundamental business model shifts. By leveraging the scalability and flexibility of cloud environments, enterprises can modernize applications and integrate advanced CRM and ERP systems, ensuring they meet the seamless digital experience standards now expected by B2B customers.
Beyond operational agility, cloud platforms facilitate critical capabilities such as Enterprise search, allowing organizations to unify data access across disparate systems. This centralized access supports the high security and cost-effective management of data, applications, and processes, ensuring that digitalization efforts translate into measurable efficiency and customer-centric outcomes.
How does Cloud computing work?
Cloud computing operates by delivering computing services—including servers, storage, databases, networking, and software—over the Internet, allowing organizations to access resources on-demand without maintaining physical infrastructure. This model shifts IT management from capital-intensive hardware ownership to a flexible operational expense structure, enabling businesses to scale resources up or down based on real-time demand. By abstracting the underlying hardware, cloud platforms provide the foundational elasticity required for modern digital transformation initiatives, ensuring that applications remain responsive and available regardless of user load.
Beyond basic infrastructure, cloud environments now integrate advanced processing capabilities to handle complex data workloads. Organizations leverage these environments to run sophisticated analytics and machine learning models, often incorporating Artificial intelligence to automate decision-making and derive insights from large datasets. This integration allows enterprises to move beyond simple data storage, utilizing the cloud's computational power to drive innovation, optimize workflows, and enhance customer experiences through proactive, data-driven interactions.
Which platforms deliver Cloud computing?
| Platform | Fits when | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|
| Sitecore CDP | Unifying omnichannel customer data for real-time, personalized engagement across ecosystems. | Limited when needing broad infrastructure services beyond customer data management. |
| Sitecore Content Hub | Managing full content lifecycles with integrated digital asset management and web-to-print. | Less suitable for general cloud infrastructure or raw compute scaling needs. |
| Amazon Web Services | Migrating to cloud with cost-effective, scalable infrastructure and vast service range. | Requires more configuration for specific customer data unification and content workflows. |
| Sitecore | Delivering comprehensive customer experience suites with integrated content and data capabilities. | Higher complexity and cost compared to specialized single-purpose cloud tools. |
| Does your organisation use a Responsible AI? | Ensuring ethical governance and compliance when deploying intelligent data processing systems. | Not a technical platform, but a policy framework for AI usage. |
How ACTUM implements Cloud computing
Actum Digital implements cloud computing by leveraging expertise across Microsoft Azure, Amazon Web Services (AWS), and Google Cloud Platform, allowing organizations to select an environment that balances cost, speed, and existing infrastructure. Azure is often selected for tighter integration with Microsoft ecosystem tools, while AWS is chosen for its broad global infrastructure capabilities. This flexibility ensures that businesses can migrate to the cloud and improve operational aspects regardless of their current technology stack, particularly when adopting Cloud Applications that require scalable backend support.
A practical example of this implementation is evident in our work with Christie's, where the auction house rebuilt its website using Sitecore XM Cloud and Azure PaaS. This digital transformation created a scalable platform capable of handling high traffic during online and live auctions, focusing on engaging global audiences and providing a seamless experience for exploring lots. The project demonstrates how cloud-native architecture supports high-demand digital interactions and integrates modern Cloud Applications for enhanced user engagement.
Beyond specific client projects, Actum offers expertise in all three major cloud platforms to help organizations migrate and optimize their infrastructure. By integrating robust CRM systems and defining clear digital strategy architectures, businesses can leverage advanced capabilities such as Azure cognitive services ai to ensure applications remain intelligent and responsive. This approach supports the broader goals of digital transformation by ensuring cost-effectiveness, minimal maintenance, and compliance with accessibility standards while utilizing Cloud Applications.
What results do companies get from Cloud computing?
Organizations leveraging cloud infrastructure gain rapid scalability and cost efficiency, as demonstrated by the Adecco Group's use of Microsoft Azure to decrease time to market. By adopting a shared team delivery model and gradual onboarding framework, the company achieved enterprise agility and maintained complete control over its data and applications during the transition. This approach allowed for the seamless integration of Sitecore XP and SXA while managing the complexities of upgrading to the newest versions.
Beyond immediate infrastructure benefits, cloud adoption supports broader digital transformation by enabling application modernization and hybrid architectures. Our work with All developers aboard! highlights how flexible, scalable teams can ensure smooth cooperation from day one, progressively replacing external developers with internal staff. This strategy, supported by technical account collaboration, ensures that organizations can balance high security with increased flexibility, ultimately delivering a cost-effective and innovative digital environment.
Frequently asked questions
What is Cloud computing?
Cloud computing delivers IT resources like servers and storage over the Internet, allowing organizations to access technology services without owning physical infrastructure. This model shifts IT management from capital-intensive hardware ownership to a flexible operational expense structure, enabling businesses to scale resources up or down based on real-time demand.
Why does Cloud computing matter?
Cloud computing provides the foundational infrastructure required for comprehensive digital transformation, enabling organizations to move beyond simple automation to fundamental business model shifts. By leveraging the scalability and flexibility of cloud environments, enterprises can modernize applications and integrate advanced CRM and ERP systems, ensuring they meet the seamless digital experience standards now expected by B2B customers.
How does Cloud computing work?
Cloud computing operates by delivering computing services—including servers, storage, databases, networking, and software—over the Internet, allowing organizations to access resources on-demand without maintaining physical infrastructure. By abstracting the underlying hardware, cloud platforms provide the foundational elasticity required for modern digital transformation initiatives, ensuring that application performance remains consistent regardless of user location.
Which platforms deliver Cloud computing?
Major cloud providers include Amazon Web Services, Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud Platform, which offer vast catalogs of compute, storage, and networking services. These platforms enable organizations to access technology services without owning physical infrastructure, providing the foundational elasticity required for modern digital transformation initiatives and supporting critical capabilities such as Enterprise search.
How ACTUM implements Cloud computing
ACTUM implements cloud computing by leveraging the scalability and flexibility of cloud environments to modernize applications and integrate advanced CRM and ERP systems. This approach ensures organizations meet the seamless digital experience standards now expected by B2B customers, while facilitating critical capabilities such as Enterprise search to unify data access across disparate systems.
What results do companies get from Cloud computing?
Companies achieve measurable efficiency and customer-centric outcomes through cloud computing, which supports high security and cost-effective management of data, applications, and processes. This centralized access supports the high security and cost-effective management of data, applications, and processes, ensuring that digitalization efforts translate into measurable efficiency and customer-centric outcomes.
How is Cloud computing different from the adjacent category?
Unlike Digital transformation, which represents the broader strategic overhaul of business operations and culture through technology adoption, cloud computing provides the specific underlying infrastructure and platform capabilities that enable such modernization efforts. This distinction highlights that cloud computing provides the specific underlying infrastructure and platform capabilities that enable such modernization efforts, rather than the strategic overhaul itself.