Common Issues When Using The Cloud To Collaborate

The Cloud is one of the most useful modern innovations to digital technology for a whole host of reasons. One of those is that it has never been easier for people to collaborate, regardless of where they are based. People can use the Cloud to share resources, share tools and apps, work together on digital projects, and much more. However, when you’re trying to collaborate, there are often difficulties that have to be ironed out along the way. Here, we’re going to look at some of the common conundrums people face when sharing through the Cloud.

Migrating to the Cloud without the proper help

The Cloud can seem deceptively simple. It might look like all you have to do is choose a service provider and start migrating data there. However, if you’re not structuring your approach to the Cloud, you can end up having issues controlling access levels, server performance, and how easy it is to use the Cloud for new applications. Cloud infrastructure is worth taking seriously, and with the help of the right managed IT servers, you can make sure that you have the right expert on your side to help you migrate to the Cloud in a way that is not just easy now, but makes it more manageable in the future, as well.

Letting people with unsecured devices access the Cloud

If you’re serious about protecting your data, then there’s a good chance that you have already done your research and attempted to select a secure Cloud storage provider. However, the security of any network can easily be compromised if the one accessing it is not secured, themselves. Every worker should have it made clear that they should only access the Cloud on a device that has good anti-virus software and a private online connection.

You’re not working with those who aren’t buying in

Adjusting to new ways of working can be a headache for your team, especially for those who might not be as digitally literate as others. Some people get used to working with the methods and tools they have relied on for years and can be resistant to change. This can mean that your Cloud setup is lacking the cooperation of someone who might be vital to it, and can slow collaboration while wasting resources. You should make sure that you’re reaching out to those who aren’t comfortable using the Cloud and offer training to help onboard them so they don’t get left behind.

Users are accessing it without the right authentication

Just as you should make sure that everyone who accesses your Cloud server does so from a secured network connection and device, you should also make sure that you have set up the right standards for what kind of authentication you require of anyone looking to sign in. Password security is lax across the board, and you as a leader or business owner have to make up for that fact. Ensuring that your team members have to use two-factor authentication when logging into the Cloud can make sure that you have a little more reassurance that the right people are gaining access to the company’s data.

Not using formats that everyone can easily work with

Aside from how you structure and organize data and documents shared on the Cloud, you should think about the types and formats of files that are being shared, as well as the tools that your team are most comfortable working with. For instance, when it comes to sharing and working together on documents, a lot of people prefer one of the word document types, like a .doc or .rtf, but there are some who might prefer .pdf for the level of visual editing that it allows.

However, many users might experience problems like how Preview won’t let you edit pdf files, which can lead to a lot of frustrations and back and forth about which format is best and how others can access the means to work with it. It’s best to have a top-down ruling on which formats are best for certain types of documents, as well as which tools can be used to work on them. You need to make those tools more available to the team as well, of course.

Not setting up some file organization

As with any other digital device, you want to make sure there is some sense to how files are organized and stored on the Cloud. When people can freely save files anywhere they like, it’s easy for a workstation used by one person alone to quickly become disorganized, making it more difficult to find the files that you want. Now imagine the case if a dozen people were doing the same thing or several dozen. You should set up a shared structure and file hierarchy for any files that are saved onto the Cloud server. This can be split by different teams, by projects, or by the types of common file types regularly saved. It might be a good idea to establish some naming formats for files so that it becomes a lot easier for people to search and find the files they’re looking for, too.

Giving out admin privileges too freely

There are a lot of little road bumps that can appear for your workers when they’re trying to use the Cloud, only to find that they lack the privileges to continue working without some third-party intervention. It might seem quick and convenient to simply grant them admin privileges so they can keep up with their work. 

The more people that you have with the ability to adjust admin settings, be it file structure right down to vital security settings, the more potential there is for your system to get pretty badly messed up. Only entrust admin settings to those that are going to have some level of authority over the Cloud and can be trusted with it.

The Cloud can be an incredibly helpful tool for collaboration and cooperation, but you have to make sure that it’s done to a set of standardized and shared practices to avoid too much friction along the way.