Smart Ways to Improve Your Cloud Strategy

When moving to the cloud, make sure you have a foolproof strategy. Read on for tips that can help you develop one!

Are you planning to move your business to the cloud?

Although this may help your business in several ways, it is more important that you have a practical cloud strategy in place. If you already have one, you can take disaster recovery services to improve it.

Here are ways to strengthen you cloud strategy:

1. Align Your Business and IT

It is important that your business strategy incorporates cloud computing also. Here, you should keep in mind that your cloud computing strategy is not solely for the IT department. Involve your entire organization in order to generate more creativity and innovation. 

2. Know What to Move and What Not

No organization can move everything to the cloud. So, find out how much of your unique business can be shifted.

It won’t make sense to renew a contract if you have an obsolete package that is complicated and expensive to maintain. Carrying the same contracts forward might prove to be highly negative for your business.

3. Customize the Cloud for Your Unique Requirements

Your ultimate goal should be achieving improved safety, high availability of data and information and maximum uptime. Review your disaster recovery services and policies from the standpoint of ensuring optimal data integrity and cost-effectiveness. Make sure you give equal importance to data security and backup.

4. Re-Scrutinize Your Business Process

You should make the most of every opportunity offered by the cloud. Revise and update your business process regularly. For example, when you move to Google Apps, don’t keep sticking to your old, outdated processes with Google. Your purpose is to collaborate crucial documents rather than move them back and forth. 

Questions to Ask When Selecting a Cloud Service Provider

With an ever-increasing number of cloud service providers, choosing the right one has become a tough job. When in dilemma, consider asking the following questions to make an informed decision!

Shifting your enterprise to the cloud has lots of benefits, but it is important that you are able to find the right cloud service provider. After all, you need a professional who can handle everything from safety and maintenance to support and backup!

Ask the following questions to choose the right cloud computing company:

1. What’s the Range of Services that You Cover? 

Taking professional cloud computing services is important, but the real name of the game is to know your business requirements. Once you know what you want, you’ll be able to ask your selected company completely relevant questions. For example, if your type of business requires more than data storage, ask if they can provide the same.

2. What’s Your Costs Structure Like?

It is important that you pay only for what you are using. Make sure there are no heavy upfront costs, for a reputed cloud provider will never have then as a norm. Ask your provider to provide you with a detailed estimate of fees and all other charges well beforehand. Also, ask whether they charge monthly or annually or hourly.

3. What Will Be Offered in Terms of Security?

Ask what they will do to ensure complete safety of your stored data and how. Ask what safety measures they have in place and if they are updated regularly or not. For example, make sure your provider follows all data security and privacy standards.

4. What Happens If Data Is Lost?

Try to find out what your provider will do in case they lose or delete your important data. Ask what provisions they have in their SLA agreement that is meant to address data loss.  

Most Common Myths about Hybrid Cloud

Although the hybrid cloud may boost your business up, make sure you adopt it with your eyes wide open. Read on for common hybrid cloud myths busted!

While it is true that taking your business into the hybrid cloud is a great option, you can’t expect to make the most of it unless you are fully aware of what it is and how it works. In case if you are misinformed about the hybrid cloud, nothing other than real-world facts can help you out.

Here are some common hybrid cloud myths and practical facts to disapprove them:

1. Hybrid Cloud is an Appendix of Converged Infrastructure

This assumption is almost completely baseless because it overlooks automation, an unavoidable element of cloud deployment. Plus there is a lot of difference between infrastructure and cloud management!

Practically, a business can get most benefits of the cloud only by minimizing the management burden.

Hybrid cloud allows you to create a runbook of the entire process of burden reduction and respond with synopsis of policy enforcement tools and capacity planning.

2. Hybrid Cloud is for Enterprises 

In reality, it is a very flexible tool that anyone can use. It can even be run by small business units or individuals looking for agility, especially it is an SLA-indifferent model.

3. A Hybrid Cloud can be Created Using a Specific Homogeneous Standard

Technically, there is no specific environment for the creation of hybrid cloud. Different resources such as Azure, VMware and AWS use different formats, bandwidth and management tools.

4. Hybrid Cloud Doesn't Affect Operations

When it comes to having a simple and stable system that can boost production, private cloud is the best option. Likewise, public cloud is the best for complex and transient operations. The efficiency and impact of a hybrid cloud depends upon how you merge the two cloud types and execute them.  

Ensuring Maximum Security in Cloud, Big Data and Mobile

Today when the risk of cyber attacks and other disasters is higher than ever, Cloud computing is a boon for businesses. Read on to know why digital security is critical and how you can ensure it using the cloud, big data and mobile!  

One common concern that comes along with technological advancements is security!

It is true that digital security can make or break organizations in this age of cloud computing. So, it is important that you have a foolproof plan to proceed ahead as a business!

Here is how you can make the most of innovations such as big data, the cloud and mobile for maximum security:

Grab Cloud and Mobile Computing

All aware businessmen today have learnt or are learning to use different handy options available with the cloud and mobile for improved security. They can help you create opportunities to have a built-in security system for your unique business right from the beginning.

Using crowd-sourced threat intelligence to stay ahead of potential disasters and cyber attacks is the best example.

Make the Most of Analytic to Grow Smarter at Defense

No matter how much time and money you invest, there will always be security holes, small or big. However, it can be of great help to protect your confidential data by regularly keeping an eye on who’s accessing it and from where. Gather your team members, make coordinated plans, and respond to any attacks employing the right tools.

Expand with an Integrated Approach

You would never want to be an organization having a lethargic approach to security. Learn to cultivate a disciplined culture of watchfulness within your company. Ask for help from outside experts if the need be. More importantly, keep assessing your efficiency vs. industry standards! 

Practical Tips on Keeping Business Data Safe in the Cloud

Practically, you can never be sure that the business data stored in a cloud is completely safe. However, if you protect the data through privacy protection, such risk gets eliminated to a significant extent.        

Although, cloud computing solutions are designed to protect and store your important data efficiently, chances of unexpected errors are always there.

As a precautionary measure, follow these tips below and recognize safety standards before keeping business data safe in cloud.    

Maintain Proper Security  

Before storing all important information about your business in the cloud, ensure that the network IT Support provides maintains appropriate security standards. Research well and identify the reputation and policies of the company.

Store Only Vital Data

Most cloud companies charge according the size of data you store. Therefore, make sure that you save only a realistic amount of important data that reduces the size and proceeding price with it.

Encrypting Data on Cloud

When uploading or downloading your business data through cloud, make sure that the browser requires encrypted connection.

The data, which goes on cloud without encrypting can be accessed by someone with higher level of accessibility. That’s why sensitive personal information should never be stored on the cloud.

Understanding Access with Cloud Folder

With cloud, you can share files and data with other users. But, you should know how the whole thing works.

Understand whether other users can only read or even change your data.

What If You Lose Stored Data?

What do you do if data is lost mistakenly or your account in hacked? Before this happens, understand the terms and conditions of the cloud contract. Sign with a service provider who assures safety. 

Small Business Wireless Network Setup Mistakes to Avoid

Wireless networks constitute as an important element for small business. It helps in effective establishing of networks globally and also supports the business with reduced operating costs.

Setting up wireless networks for small business isn't as easy as most entrepreneurs believe.

In order to establish a fast, reliable and accessible wireless, it’s important that one avoids the following mistakes. Here’s what IT Support companies suggest:

Never Overload the Wireless Router

With growing business and addition of new systems or appliances, businesses tend to overload the wireless router without realizing the consequences.                   

Every wireless router has specific running and works effectively well under restricted procedures. But if, a single router lugs with overloads of heavy usage it is bound to experience slowness.

As an alternative, setup a standalone network or try offloading heavy access points to reduce the network burden.

Don’t Just Dependent on One Access Point

Even when the work load is mounting, small businesses usually rely on just one access point. With different wireless gadgets at your workplace, chances that an access point will show sluggishness is inevitable.

Therefore, try installing several access points so that the productivity of your business doesn’t go reducing with restricted access.

Proper placement of Wi-Fi’s access point   

Locating a Wi-Fi device at a manageable position is critically important. Don’t locate the device where it gets blocked by too many physical obstructions like walls or furniture.

Locate the device in an open space, from where every user has a direct access to it.

Don’t Expect Promised Data Speed

Don’t expect your router to show unmatched data speed as shown on its pack. However, in practical usage, a router will just inherit about 60-70% to what the device promises.       

Remote Help Desk Support – Key Benefits

Seeking IT solutions through remote help desk ensures effective and secure support for the business. The support helps in solving critical IT issues without you waiting for a technician to arrive. Technicians use software to access your systems remotely to repair problems to saves your time and money for quick and improved results.

Basically, Remote Help Desk Support acts as an online expert platform that helps in resolving IT issues with your businesses IT network more securely and quickly. 

Whether, you own a small or a big business, remote service support is beneficial for all and this is how:

Cuts Surplus Billable Amount

Most customer support technicians charge a big price for coming over to solve the smallest issues with your network. And if the visits are very frequent, this service fee amount can go up by leaps and bounds.

However, with remote desk support, these rates can be reduced significantly. Besides, you get the service done quickly as you save your valuable time and money.

Work Efficiently

Don’t you hate siting and spending hours while the loading or installation bar just crawls towards completion? However, with remote help desk support, you can easily find the cause of delay and fix it within minutes.

Your business will not lose any precious time because of defects in the network.

No Geographical Boundaries

Like servicemen, technicians also have restricted service areas. Even if they cross their limits, the service will cost you heavy amounts and you won’t get the service quick.

However, with remote help desk service, you can have best solution for your company accessible 24 hours a day. No technician has to come physically, but delivers his services sitting in his own office. 

How to Evaluate Cloud Computing Services

The need for evaluation of cloud computing services is being felt by all and sundry. After using them for so long, isn’t it high time that they were clubbed and evaluated in detail.

There can be two ways to approach this issue. Either each and every service can be evaluated as a standalone or all can be clubbed together as an aggregate. At the end of day one can either be a cloud opponent or a believer.

Find a few tips to help make the evaluation process simpler –

1. Mobile Computing

The whole world is gong mobile and people who still choose to ignore mobile computing can only be termed as retards. During the evaluation, a provider that has an App and offers solutions through cloud is way ahead of someone who doesn’t.

2. Offering Real Time Solutions

The world has shifted to instant gratification. We don’t need to wait for the newspaper, for the news keeps popping via notifications in our devices. In the same way a cloud computing service should offer a business instant access to updated data in order to make snap decisions, even while on the move.

3. No Specification Of Hardware

We are discussing cloud computing service for a global platform here. There are certain services that brag about catering only to Apple users. A reliable cloud computing service should be able to cater to all data systems and all kinds of hardware. The evaluation criterion is not just that it works for all, but that it allows a user friendly interface too.

4. Expansion and Scalability

A good cloud service should be able to offer the same quality and superior service irrespective of the size of the business. They should also have scope for growth and be flexible enough to accommodate any expansion. 

Interesting Facts about Cloud Computing

Cloud computing has become the buzz word in the last decade. It has loads of advantages but a few limitations too.

Cloud technology has huge benefits and potential. In the near future we can expect all companies to shift to it in order to cut costs and secure their data.

We have collected some interesting facts about cloud computing and they should be an eye opener for some –

1. Cloud computing and software as a service are two different things, although they can be used interchangeably.
2. The first company to embrace the cloud network was Amazon Elastic Compute
3. The infrastructure in the form of a service is actually the provision of hardware that is virtually hosting and telecommunicating.
4. The service as a platform is the provision for development of a specific tool kit in the virtual sense. On the basis of this service other applications can be built.
5. The software when termed as a service has provision to host hardware for telecommunications. And it does not necessarily need to be virtualized.
6. Tim Berners Lee is credited with the development of World Wide Web in early 90’s.
7. The idea and concept of cloud computing was conceived in the 60’s, but was more accepted when internet became popular.
8. Almost 70% businesses are either using an older version of cloud computing or looking for an updated one.
9. 90% of Microsoft’s budget is spent on making new computing strategies and products related to it.
10. Almost 80% companies have shown tremendous growth in just six months of switching to cloud.
11. In the US alone 2% of the total electricity consumption is by data centers.
12. On inspecting the speed by which companies are shifting to cloud computing, almost 45 new plans of coal will be required to power data centers, by 2015.
13. For every 600 smart phones or 120 tablets a new server is added for cloud computing. 

Hybrid Cloud—Why Choose It?

Hybrid clouds are similar to private clouds which work exclusively for a company and offer greater security than a public cloud.

Companies that have understood the exact benefits of cloud computing are using a strategic combination of public and private clouds to store their data. Companies worldwide are storing their sensitive data on hybrid clouds and shielding it with security measures.

Let’s look at the advantages of hybrid computing –

1. Can Be Custom Designed

Since hybrid clouds are designed for a specific company, their design can be developed to meet the specific needs of the company. Standard processes can be put in place that create harmony between different types of clouds.

2. Save the Server Cost

Hybrid clouds are perfect for heavy projects, those that an in house server may not be able to handle. Since the heavy data is uploaded on a hybrid cloud, the company saves the money it would have spent on investing in hardware like servers.

3. Easy Access from Anywhere

Hybrid clouds can be operated upon from any location and at any time. This enables the businesses to reach out to customers globally, without any restrictions. It is also convenient in case there is an outage in a particular region.

4. Cheaper Than a Hosting Provider That Is Managed Externally

When the cost of set up of a hybrid cloud is compared with that of an outsourced managed hosting service, it will be seen that the former is much cheaper in comparison.

5.  Very Little Scope for Errors

Worldwide companies are shifting to hybrid clouds in order to tap their potential and acquire maximum gains. The most impressive feature of a hybrid cloud is the fact that there is very little scope for errors and unmatched efficiency.