Infinity Cloud: c-Systems without the back-room server

What cloud means, in plain words

Cloud means the system runs on the vendor's computers, and you reach it through the internet. No server in your back room, no server to maintain, no updates to install yourself. c-Systems lists Infinity Cloud on its current site as its cloud option.

Why a dealer cares

A back-room server is a thing that can break on a Saturday in May. Cloud moves that worry to the vendor. It also means your team can work from anywhere with a browser: the yard, the counter, the kitchen table. The trade-off is that you depend on your internet connection and on the vendor's uptime.

What to ask about the cloud option

• Is every feature the same in cloud and installed versions?
• What happens to our data if we ever leave?
• What is the uptime promise, in writing?
• How are backups handled?
• What internet speed do we need at the store?

Worked example

A dealer's old server dies on a Friday night. On an installed system, that is a weekend of panic and a repair bill. On a cloud system, the store opens Saturday on any laptop with a browser. The server problem became the vendor's problem.

Honest limit

Public pages list Infinity Cloud but do not detail uptime promises or data export terms. Get both in writing before you sign. Your data is your business. You should be able to take it with you.

A worked task: the internet speed reality check

A cloud system is only as good as your connection. Suggested exercise: run a speed test at the counter, in the shop, and in the yard, at your busiest hour. Inputs: your store's real internet. Expected output: three numbers you can hand the vendor with a straight question: is this enough? The exception to settle in writing: what happens when the internet drops mid-sale. Ask whether anything works offline, and get the uptime promise and data-export terms in the contract, not in a call.

Do this week

Ask your internet provider what your actual uptime has been. Cloud moves the server problem to the vendor, but it makes the connection problem yours.