Any company that uses mobile devices or the internet in any way—which is virtually every business on the planet—should be concerned with backing up their data in the event of a crash or security breach. Selecting the right cloud managed service for your needs though can be challenging, and there’s a lot to consider when shopping for a service that fits your unique needs.
Selecting a Cloud Server to Handle Data
As businesses grow, so do their data needs. One of the biggest challenges that companies face is accommodating that growth. Most businesses utilize the cloud for more than just backup; cloud managed services are an intricate part of MDM solutions as well. In essence, a lot of data is involved with a backup plan. One of the biggest challenges that any company faces, regardless of if it’s a small business or large corporation, is the massive amount of data involved in a comprehensive backup plan. Selecting the right cloud service for your company’s needs may be easier to do by using a business technology company or cloud consulting service.
Keeping Your Backup Safe
Perhaps one of the biggest challenges that companies face with creating an effective backup plan is security. Any information transmitted digitally is vulnerable to a security breach. Unfortunately that is just a fact of life in today’s digital world however, in today’s competitive market most cloud managed services prioritize network security above all else. A company specializing in cloud consulting services can best advise your company on how to keep your data safe from cyber criminals. But, one of the ways they will do that is through top notch encryption. To make your data safe, client side encryption is an option. You can encrypt your data before it even goes to the cloud however, at the cloud, it’ll also be encrypted. Many reputable cloud servers will provide the encryption key to their clients exclusively. They won’t even have access to it. When selecting a cloud service company, it is best to look at companies that have been ISO 27001 and 9001 certified.
Still, some legislation goes as far as to prevent companies from story data outside of geographical borders. It is important for a company to consider legislation in their country before considering cloud managed services. Aside from legislation, it’s also important to realize that some companies will not ship physical drives to your company’s location in the event of a catastrophic crash that requires a large restore at short notice.
Making Sure Your Backup Is Available
Ensuring that your data is available 24/7 is important for almost every company that utilizes the cloud. Companies big and small invest in having cloud managed services available at all times not only for connectivity within the company, but for backups in the event of a crash. If that system is experiencing downtime during a backup or at a time when a company needs to restore part or all of their services, this could be detrimental to the company.
It is best to ‘shop around’ for a cloud service provider that has a reputation for little to no downtime, or who reimburses customers for the time they are unavailable. Consulting with existing customers can provide insight into the quality of services that a company gets from any one particular cloud managed service provider. Some questions that you or your IT support can ask would be about a company’s track record with downtime, how resilient their data servers are and the availability of their own IT support staff.
Alternatively, hiring a cloud consulting company can save a lot of man power or time when it comes to finding a cloud managed service that best fits your company’s needs.
Moving to a New Cloud Server
Much like a typical brick and mortar location, sometimes a company outgrows its current cloud server. It’s important consider when and if this happens as some cloud managed services do not have a service platform that facilitates moving your business easily. In some cases, a cloud service provider may actually restrict a customer’s ability to move to another service. It is not only reasonable, but responsible to question a cloud managed services provider concerning their policies on transitioning a client to another company.
It’s best to choose a cloud managed service that can provide company data on a physical backup. A physical drive containing your company’s data can make moving to another service easier, but many companies are unwilling or unable to do this. When considering a cloud server it’s important to ask about their contract period and policies on cancellation before signing a legally binding contract.
Affordability
Perhaps one of the biggest challenges, at least for small businesses, is an affordable backup plan. Most cloud services base pricing on the amount of data being stored so, for larger companies, this can become costly if it isn’t carefully managed. Many companies prefer to outsource backup services due to the OPEX business model and thanks to a competitive market it is often easy to find cloud servers that offer attractive features at a reasonable rate for storage.
Another factor when considering the price of a cloud server are their fees. Before signing any contracts it is important to ask what additional fees they charge for restores, maintenance, setup and what their charge is per license. Also, it’s important to know what kind of IT support the company provides in the event of a crash and if it comes at an additional cost.
There are many factors that go into considering a backup plan for your business. For some businesses cost may be the biggest challenge, but it is important to ensure that your data is available in the event of a crash, not to mention safe from cyber criminals. Selecting the right service can be a daunting, overwhelming task so it may be wise, and ultimately cost saving, to hire a cloud consulting company to help in selecting the right services for your company. Ultimately you need to be certain that in the event of a crash, you can restore your data and get your company up and going again quickly.
A mobile device management system is a method of managing the mobile devices within a company. Very simply it manages connectivity between everything from a VOIP phone in an office to a laptop being used in the field. In today’s workforce it’s very possible that more work is done in front of a smart phone or tablet than what’s done at a desk. Because of this it is important that a system be in place that can update smart devices with essential apps, firmware security updates, and even backup the progress of an employees’ work. There are a lot of benefits to investing in a MDM system. This list is just a few of the bigger ones that can help your company be a more productive, efficient enterprise.
Bring Your Own Device Capabilities
Up until recently companies issued devices for their employees rather than allowing them to use their own for company business. With a mobile device management system that’s certainly still an option, but an unnecessary and expensive one. Bring your own device (BYOD) means that the company can cut down on equipment cost and because of the advancements of network security with MDM systems, company information is still safe. Though it is necessary to make sure that safety isn’t sacrificed for efficiency, this allows employees to work on an operating system they are comfortable with while saving the company the added expense of new equipment, warranties and software.
Legal compliance
Most, if not all companies, have to adhere to laws designed to protect the privacy of their information as well as the clients they serve. A great example of this is HIPPA; the HIPPA Security Rule establishes the standards in which doctors handle the privacy of their patients using electronic devices. With more than 40% of providers using devices to send prescriptions or access records, it’s essential that they remain up to date on these rules. A good mobile device management system allows a health provider to do this because along with IT support, compliance can be monitored and if necessary, updated system wide.
Segregated Networks and Controlled Access
One big benefit of MDM systems is network segregation. Network segregation is nothing more than splitting your network into smaller sub-networks. There are many benefits to this, including enhanced performance. It also allows for a more secure connection as each sub-network can have a purpose. Each sub-network is a room in a house and you need a key to get into some rooms. Without network segregation, the whole house is just a single room that’s open to anyone who can get on the network. Though it does require specialized IT support and a little extra effort, a segregated network is another example of how a mobile device management system can help make your company safer from cyber criminals.
Enterprise Application Store and Application Management
One of the biggest benefits to a MDM system is application management. When your employees are using either company devices or their own approved device, it’s necessary that the apps installed on it be safe and compliant with any legal restrictions the company has to adhere to. The best way to do that and remain efficient is through your own enterprise app catalog. Essentially, your company creates its own play store with only certain apps available for download. This allows users to install apps necessary to do their job rather than counting on IT support to be available to do it for them. This also allows for automatic updates as new editions are unveiled and patches are created to fix security issues.
Remote Access and Management
Most IT departments have had instances where it is necessary to remotely control a PC in order to fix a problem. A mobile device management system allows for IT support to remotely control a mobile device to either assist in fixing a difficult problem or, in the case of a security breach, to lock a device and wipe it of sensitive, critical information. Remote IT support can also assist with updates and ensure that security protocols are being observed on the device.
Mobile Management and Reports
A mobile device management system can create some discomfort for employees that spend more time on social media than the company would like. A MDM system allows IT support and network administrators to audit a device, or create automated reports to be available when needed. Information such as what apps are installed on the device and usage can be made available along with any security concerns.
Data Backup and Recovery
As companies utilize the cloud, the internet of things and a large variety of devices, it is imperative that a system be in place to backup data collected by these many different sources. Having a device connected via a mobile device management system allows for that information to be safe in the event of a security breach or other unforeseen accident involving the device. A MDM system can also restore lost or corrupt data in the event of a system crash. Though it can be a little more challenging to setup your mobile device management system for data backup and recovery, it is essential to prevent data loss in the event of device failure.
Almost every time another study is published about a company’s work environment it supports the necessity of a more mobile work space. Most employees don’t work best within the walls of a cubicle (or simply can’t), but rather on the treadmill or at home. So, it’s essential that companies be prepared to accommodate this change of productivity. The best way to do that is to use a system that’s designed to keep mobile devices working efficiently and productively while also secure. With a mobile device management system a company can not only have employees working more efficiently away from the office, but IT support can also ensure that that device remains secure. For any company, it’s important to keep your company secure, save money and help your employees be as efficient, and happy with their work, as possible. A MDM system can help with all of these goals and be a key factor in the success of your company.
It isn’t always obvious that it’s time to update your office hardware. Or perhaps it seems like an unnecessary expense and it’s easier, not to mention cheaper, to just have your IT services find a way around an issue until some other time. Unfortunately that very often isn’t the case; it’s not really cheaper to divert your IT support from important tasks to repair a computer that can’t actually do the task your undoubtedly frustrated staff needs to do. The cost comes in the form of overtime for your IT support and time lost by your employee, not to mention the disruption of their productivity thanks to the irritation and stress of out of date hardware.
There are many, many indications that it’s time to retire your overworked hardware and consult with an information technology consulting company about updating your IT hardware, but listed below are just four of the major ones.
Your IT Staff spends most of their time Fixing Your Machines
One of the most obvious signs that it’s time to do an upgrade is when your current hardware keeps breaking down. It is essential for a company, any company, to maintain their hardware. Most large companies have an IT support department that makes sure that equipment continues to perform at its best. Even smaller companies have an IT support manager that shares the same responsibilities. When they are working overtime to ensure that your IT hardware continues to keep going, it’s time to upgrade.
Fortunately, there’s help with that. An IT system company can help your IT department identify ways to upgrade and improve on your IT hardware. As new software and new technologies come out, it causes more work for your company’s hardware so whether it’s a new office phone that can utilize VOIP features or a new wireless printer, IT tech services are a necessity in helping your business stay on the cutting edge.
None or Few of Your Machines Match
When it comes to company hardware, it shouldn’t look like a patchwork quilt. That is to say, office equipment should be uniform rather than a variety of brands purchased over the span of many years. Aside from the fact that it makes office tours a little embarrassing, it creates issues when it comes to sharing information in the office, not to mention it causes enormous strain on your IT support. Computers have very few interchangeable parts beyond the mouse, keyboard and some of the cords. When a piece of hardware requires repair and none of your computers are the same, your IT support likely doesn’t have that part on standby just on the off chance that one specific machine out of 50 will malfunction and need one specific part. The part will have to be ordered from the manufacturer or, more than likely, a company online that has outdated hardware for purchase. The part may or may not be inexpensive, but it’ll certainly take time to get it to you. In that time, that machine, and possibly that employee as well, isn’t making you money.
The best solution to this is to use an IT managed services provider who can upgrade all of your machines to a single model so, when something does actually go wrong, parts are on hand to have it fixed the same day.
The Software Will no longer Update or You Can’t Install New Software
Software updates are essential to your IT infrastructure for the same reasons it’s important for your home computer or smart phone. It fixes bugs that have previously gone undetected as well as updating security protocols to prevent things like identity theft or other cyber criminals. When your system can no longer update, or is too old to install new software, then it is imperative for the security of your company to upgrade. Out of date software will slow down your productivity as it cannot properly communicate with new technologies and hardware, but the biggest reason is security. Updates include security patches that protect your customers as well as ways to help your software work more efficiently. If your software cannot update, or even if you need to use a handful of applications to do one thing, it is time to consult with an IT company to upgrade your IT hardware.
Your Computers Can’t Talk to Tablets, Office Equipment, Etc.
As technology evolves, so does the need for connectivity. It is essential that office workstations be able to communicate with not only each other, but also the equipment that helps your office run more efficiently. When a desktop or laptop cannot communicate with the meeting room projector, the printer or even send files wirelessly to a tablet then it’s time to look at ways to upgrade the office hardware. Though there are inexpensive ways around this temporarily—you can buy USB Bluetooth adapters to use with desktops and laptops—ultimately it’s best to just go ahead and consult with an IT services company that can advise you on the best products to meet all of your office needs.
Many new machines feature built in Bluetooth and can communicate with any smart device it recognizes as well as other wireless equipment. Desktop support can help connect new machines to these devices making office productivity that much better.
Software and hardware is constantly evolving with no end in sight. In today’s world there are few areas of our lives that don’t feature computers and smart devices, and the workplace is no different. When computers are out of date or mismatched and your IT support spends all of their time fixing a dying system, it’s a drain on your company’s time, finances, productivity and the patience of your staff. It is essential to the success of a business that every piece of that hardware is up to date and working efficiently and with the help of IT tech services, that isn’t a problem.
By investing in an IT managed services contract or even just consulting with an IT services company for updates, you can help your company be more productive and profitable.
VOIP stands for ‘Voice over IP’ and it isn’t new. As a matter of fact, VOIP technology has been around for the past 20 years but in recent years, it has rapidly grown in popularity. It is basically making a telephone call using the internet. As the internet grew beyond sending data over a dedicated landline, so did the possibility of how we communicate. In today’s world, using traditional landlines at all is rapidly becoming a thing of the past as businesses and even residential homes are making the switch to VOIP phone and for good reason. Not only do you get the same thing for cheaper, you get so much more.
There are an estimated 128 million subscribers using telephone-to-telephone VOIP alone. This doesn’t include computer-to-computer or the many other methods used by VOIP to connect people and companies. That number is expected to grow every year as VOIP becomes more popular for both residential clients and businesses alike. That alone is a persuasive number to make the switch to VOIP phone but, unlike a traditional landline, IT services can help your company utilize VOIP to stay connected. Because of the nature of VOIP, companies can do a lot more when it comes to sharing information. eFaxing, for example, is far less of a hassle than using a traditional fax and fax line. Not only is there an absence of hardware, but you don’t have to have wires and a landline to send important documents. With VOIP all you need is the internet. And, thanks to features like call forwarding, your company can provide customer support to your clients, or computer support internally, all the time.
As mentioned above, there are millions of VOIP users. As other businesses realize the convenience of it, they’ll be making the switch. But even without other companies or clients using VOIP, there are a lot of benefits within your own company. Those same benefits like efax or 24/7 customer support benefit the internal communications of any company as well. Follow Me and Find Me call routing means that you and your employees can reach one another much easier in the event of an urgent situation. This feature, when enabled, will ring a phone and if it isn’t picked up after a few rings, it will automatically go to another device and so on. It can be setup to go to voice mail or transfer to another office. Your IT support or a business technology company can help setup this handy feature. When using voice mail, many VOIP providers offer a voicemail transcribing service that’ll convert the audio message into text. This means that even if you are in the middle of a meeting, an important or urgent voicemail can be forwarded to another team member that can handle it. Another great feature for your company is coaching. Barge and whisper allows you to alert an employee during a phone call or, provide non-obtrusive tips and advice while an employee is interacting with a client that will make training easier. Conferences, even video conferences, are made easier and are a feature that can allow a conference with many different employees—all of who may have many different, strong opinions—to interact in a straight forward, organized fashion.
Though most residential users are likely more grateful for this feature than your company may be, but call screening is a big bonus with VOIP phone. Telemarketers are the bane of many homeowners’ existence but companies also deal with automated calling systems, prank callers, and various other intrusive call ins. Call screening can be a useful feature for many small businesses that do not necessarily have the staff to field unnecessary, unwanted phone calls during the day. And, those companies also can enjoy the perks of interactive menus. Most, if not all telephone users are already familiar with these systems as they are directed to dial or say certain things in order to be directed to the correct person. This isn’t a new technology, but it is invaluable for any company with several moving parts.
Coke, for example, utilizes the features listed above and have done away with voicemail all together.
Ultimately the biggest motivator for switching your company to VOIP is likely cost. With a traditional landline setup and hardware for each user it adds up very quickly, and it can continue to be costly as employees move onto other opportunities in other companies or to the corner office. IT support has to work to make these changes internally as well as counting on your service provider to do their part. Plus there are the ongoing expenses of making long distance phone calls or having dedicated fax lines and the equipment needed for that. Overall, VOIP can save a company between 40% and 75% annually on the phone bill. As VOIP technology continues to experience wide use and software companies create new ways to use VOIP (8×8 can integrate Microsoft Outlook with VOIP so that you can call a contact from the computer), companies will continue to experience benefits for a fraction of the cost of a traditional landline.
Even at 20 years old, VOIP is still a young technology, and it is still at the beginning of a new era. In 1876 Alexander Graham Bell got the patent for the first telephone. Almost 150 years later much of the world is still using that technology but, as VOIP phone gains popularity and with the internet available virtually everywhere, the era of Bell’s creation is coming to an end and being replaced with a system that can do the same job and more. And the trend isn’t a fad; it’s expected to explode in the coming years, as evidenced by this report published by QY Research, ‘VoIP Software Market Size, Application Analysis, Regional Outlook, Competitive Strategies, and Forecasts 2018 -2025’.
The sooner your company makes the jump to VOIP, the better. The world is changing and connecting in ways that we’ve never seen before, and at an affordable rate that any business can afford. The question is: Why not switch to VOIP?
In the last several years cloud technology has become the rage, and for good reason. There are a lot of great reasons to utilize the cloud whether you’re a soldier overseas looking at pictures of your kids or an international corporation that needs to be able to share information instantly across the globe. Information is accessible and provided at speeds that are important to running a business with very few drawbacks. Still, no system is perfect and even the convenience of the cloud has to deal with issues like technical difficulties and network security. Check out some of the great reasons to invest in a cloud managed service as an asset in managing a company.
(Pros)
Accessibility
Companies, particularly ones that work outside of a typical brick and mortar building, know the importance of accessibility. With the cloud, employees can access vital information to their job from anywhere. Cloud software allows users to access files and other media using laptops, tablets and smart phones as well, making it easier than ever before to stay connected and be productive anywhere. Another huge benefit to that accessibility is backup and recovery. Technical disasters happen, having a contingency plan for data backup when that happens involves having everything backed up and ready to go on the cloud.
Cost effective
It is incredibly expensive to manage desktop software in-house. Licensing per user alone is huge, add in capacity and other factors and it simply isn’t a cost effective option. With the cloud a company gets virtually unlimited storage, tech support that specializes in data backup isn’t necessary, and there are with several different attractive and affordable options for companies of all sizes. In addition to the different subscriptions, companies also have to choose appropriate bandwidth however, even with that expense it is still a more cost effective solution than to create a cloud infrastructure within the company.
Storage
The cloud isn’t a single location, but rather lives in the internet. And with the internet, storage isn’t a problem. With virtually unlimited storage the cloud is ideal for businesses that deal in large amounts of software, information or who has a large infrastructure that requires a lot of space. Most users are familiar with the cloud in their personal life thanks to entities like the iCloud and Google Drive. These free services are often enough for individuals, but with a monthly subscription companies (or those individuals who need more), storage isn’t an issue.
Speed
Having the convenience of the cloud doesn’t mean much if it’s too slow. One of the biggest benefits of the cloud, specifically certain cloud service providers, is the download and upload speeds. When a company invests in a good cloud plan, information can instantly be available. For example, an audio recording from a lecture hall in London, England can instantly be available to students in the United States when a customer chooses the right subscription plan. Of course a company or individual’s internet provider can impact how quickly information can be obtained, but most cloud servers are constantly improving how information is stored and retrieved for their clients.
Software Upgrades
Because of the connectivity of the cloud, desktop software updates, updates to apps and software patches are available to clients instantaneously. Customers see this when a smart phone automatically updates and makes software changes to the phone so that it can function better or improve network security. Employees get the benefit of this in much the same way as company devices are updated with company-specific that allows employees to do their jobs more efficiently than ever before.
(Cons)
Connectivity
The cloud exists on the internet. If you can get on the internet, then you have access to the cloud. This should be a very simple matter but as anyone who lives in a region with poor cell service can attest, having access to the internet isn’t always an option. Many places, such as the Appalachian Mountains in the eastern United States, have spotty cell service and unreliable access to the internet. For companies that rely on access to the cloud to conduct their business, this can be a huge strike against the convenience of the cloud.
Security
In recent years, there have been very public information breaches and cloud companies have worked hard to ensure that their customers can safely use their services. Still, once something is in the cloud, it is vulnerable. There are several security protection options to make information safer, such as encryption on the client’s side before it goes to the cloud, but ultimately there’s still a degree of vulnerability there. With numerous advancements in encryption, companies and individuals can have a reasonable expectation of privacy and safety, but the fact remains that the cloud is a room with a door, and the key can still fall into the wrong hands.
Technical issues
When information is hosted in-house and something goes wrong, there’s a group of employees prepared to get to work immediately to fix the situation. The same applies to cloud services, of course, but they don’t answer to the client whose information is now unavailable. The cloud is massive with many functioning parts that keeps information stored by clients at their fingertips. Even the best cloud services experience outages and technical difficulties occasionally. And, when that happens, those who use that cloud server are now at the mercy of a tech support team that is under no obligation to report repair times or progress.
As with any form of sharing information, the cloud isn’t perfect. The convenience of being able to share information instantly within the company, or recover from technical catastrophe client side, is undeniable. But, the same concerns exist today that were there a few years ago. How safe is that information? And, what happens when the cloud experiences difficulties? Is it going to be available when needed? Many companies find these concerns acceptable in light of the many benefits of having a subscription to a cloud server. As many people spend enormous amounts of time taking pictures and using social media, cloud technology has become an invaluable part of the modern world.
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