Data Storage

3 Things You May Not Know About Managed Cloud Services

July 18, 2017

Keeping up with the technical side of business these days is a challenge that many company owners are ill prepared for. Marketing can be a tricky endeavor if you are not up to date on the most recent technological advances in reaching audiences and customers of all kinds. With the development of the Internet at one’s fingertips, there are open opportunities for companies to advertise and promote their services. Unfortunately, many companies fall short because they do not have the ability or strategy to make sure their efforts pay off, and wind up collapsing under the pressure of the competitive market. Furthermore, security breaches can be costly and difficult to repair without the proper manpower, knowledge, and skill. It is important that business owners become more familiar with the services tout there that have recently been developed to address these typical issues that companies face worldwide. One of the most helpful developments is the initiation of managed cloud services. Cloud services have become a standard for many businesses to store and access their data and company information at any given moment, from any given location. While this may seem like a red flag for business security, it has proven to be quite the opposite thus far. Here are some other things you may not know about managed cloud services.

It’s not just about storage & accessibility

Firstly, cloud services do not just manage the storage and accessibility of company information. They also offer other services such as supplying companies with software via the web that are tailored to that specific company’s needs. There are neat and clean payment options that come with cloud services; sometimes it is based on a flat rate, other times it is based on the software and services that you utilize most. You should be sure to look into whatever cloud services you will use the most and how the company charges for the services. Furthermore, business owners don’t have to worry about updating their software regularly or staying on top of business security; cloud services routinely update and build your security by backing up your information on a regular basis, without need for your prompt or involvement.

Company data is omnipresent

A second thing you may not know about managed cloud services is that company employees are able to collaborate and consult from any location. You can link the company data to any employee’s technical devices and it routinely syncs the information on its own so you don’t have to worry about saving documents, it simply does it for you with each revision or modification. Sharing theses capabilities in real-time is one of the most incredible developments in technology in recent years, and businesses are taking advantage of the perks. For instance, employees across the country do not need to be flown in for business meetings, going over spread sheets, or making changes to business plans—they can simply all modify and view the same document at the same time.

It saves business money

Thirdly, and lastly, cloud services help businesses become and stay financially efficient. This can be particularly useful for smaller businesses that cannot afford to pay for many employees. Managing the IT side of businesses is complex and difficult to navigate for individuals who are not well versed in technological jargon and software applications, which is precisely why it requires skill and knowledge to successfully run this side of companies. Cloud services eliminate the need to hire an IT staff to manage software updates and security, or even analyze company data to ensure efficiency. Cloud services are excellent for people who need technology to be simplified for them. In the end, it saves businesses ample amounts of money in staff alone.

Final words

Cloud services are the wave of the future. Without cloud services, hard copies of files are still being used worldwide. Not only do cloud services eliminate a huge amount of paperwork, helping the environment and saving our wrists from turmoil, but also they eliminate a lot of guesswork that could potentially be devastating to a business. Staying current with marketing is critical to businesses nowadays, especially if they wish to expand in the future. Cloud services are helpful for business fluency, expansion, and cost-effectiveness; it takes businesses from average to competitive with the click of a mouse.

Virtual Threat and the Effect of Data Loss on Your Business

July 1, 2017

Every business owner faces the new technological era with skepticism and an abundance of caution. While the recent developments in technology have afforded businesses the luxury of reaching more customers worldwide and the opportunity to expand, there are also safety concerns that come along with it. If you are a business owner who feels out-of-the-loop when it comes to technological advances, you are not alone. In fact, many business owners rely heavily on managed service providers (MSPs) to help manage the complex technological side of their business that can be confusing to navigate without the proper skills and knowledge. Unfortunately, if you do not hire the adequate staff to help manage this side of business, then you may be at a significantly higher potential for risk. Although technology has given us power to run businesses more efficiently, it also gives others the ability to compromise that power through viral or virtual threats. Often the byproduct of such threats is a harmful impact to the business, and likely significant data loss. Data loss puts your business at risk for several reasons, and the effects of data loss can be incredibly damaging if you do not take adequate steps to protect your company’s sensitive information.

Data loss can be devastating

There are several things that can happen when virtual threats aimed at your business are followed through. Generally the risks that are associated with data loss are due to a heavy dependency on technological management techniques for a company’s information and data. While technology comes with incredible benefits, the more it is relied upon for a business, the more opportunity for damage to be done when your data becomes compromised. When data is lost, it is possible that it may never be restored or recovered. This can be devastating to companies who rely heavily on technological data storage. In this instance, if you are the business owner, you will have wished that you kept hard copies of all your business’s data, or at least backed up all of the information to a safe place.

MSPs ensure safety of your data

Managed service providers are hired with the intent of more effectively managing a businesses data collection, as well as other facets related to the technological side of things. One of the benefits of having a managed service provider is that they are also hired to make sure that proper safety precautions are taken to ensure the security of your company’s data. This means that MSPs are constantly working to make sure that your business does not suffer a complete data loss, and that steps are taken to minimize virtual threats and prevent security breaches. Another benefit of having a managed service provider is that they have the technological wherewithal to recover any lost data if they are able.

Hire a knowledgeable team of experts

When your company loses data because of a virtual attack, it feels like a violation of privacy, and it raises red flags to the people who fund or support your business. While it is difficult to eliminate all potential for virtual attacks, there are things you can do to keep risks to your business at a minimum. You may have seen businesses in the news that have become technologically compromised issue apologies and responses to their customers regarding the concern for security of their own personal financial information (i.e. credit card information). This is an embarrassing task for companies to deal with, and regardless, the damage control must ensue. When you hire a knowledgeable team of experts who can help with the technological side of your business, you are lowering the risk of potential threat.

Final words

Data loss is a huge difficulty that technologically-based companies struggle with daily. Preventive measures, interventions, and solutions to breaches of security are at the forefront of every business owner’s concern these days, and it is best to avoid the harmful effects of data loss all together. It can result in loss of sales, lawsuits, fines, identity theft, and other disastrous effects that are harmful to businesses as well as their patrons. It is critical that business owners take the necessary steps to protect their data and posses the ability to confidently reassure their customers that they are competent and trustworthy.

Most Common Cloud Computing Myths Debunked

June 19, 2017

If you are not technologically savvy, you may be consistently confused with the technological jargon that is most common in today’s societies. Every day there are advancements in how people are able to run their businesses and their personal lives, all at the touch of a screen. The technological revolution has been a whimsical, thrilling ride in which everyday there is a new addition or feature. You may have heard of the infamous “cloud, ” and how you are behind the times if you aren’t “on it.” Cloud computing is when you store and manage personal or business information online instead of keeping it all on your phone or computer. As you can imagine, there are concerns that many individuals have with storing their personal data online, and rightfully so in some instances. However, there are many myths about cloud computing that simply are not true; learning about these myths and why they are incorrect can help ease your mind about joining the rest of society on “the cloud.” There are differences in security issues when it comes to using cloud computing for business or personal, and when it comes to business, security should always be a top priority and concern.

Less secure than external hard drives

One common myth associated with cloud computing is that it is less secure than backing all of your information up on external hard drives. Cloud computing is a matter of convenience, not always a matter of safety. With that being said, cloud computing has proven to be remarkably secure to-date. While this is still a relatively new development, cloud services are usually not the source of data breaches—in fact, there have been more instances of data breaches where information is kept on hard drives than on cloud services. Cloud service teams have experts on staff whose job it is to ensure the safety and security of the service. Until there is a reason to doubt the security of such services, then be mindful that the potential is there, but do not allow that to restrict your use of cloud services that could potentially offer significant benefit to your company.

It’s all about saving money

Another myth associated with cloud computing is that it is all about saving money, and that is the primary purpose of use for business owners. While cloud can save business owners a significant amount of money in resources, it is not always the case. Furthermore, there are other huge benefits of cloud computing that should not go overlooked. Cloud computing offers businesses a more streamlined ease of access to information and technological updates. Additionally, when you have a team of people managing your services, it is helpful to have information accessible to them on a cloud basis to increase the efficiency of processing data.

Choose what is best for your company

Another “cloud” misconception is that the cloud is “where it’s at” and if you’re not on it, you may as well be dead to the world. While the cloud has become a huge breakthrough in data storage and management, it may not be your cup of tea—and that is just fine. There are other viable and useful ways to manage and store data and files that do not include a cloud service. Since technology is rapidly advancing daily, tomorrow there may be a new service that out-performs the cloud. Whether or not you choose to use cloud computing as a primary management tool is completely based upon your unique, individual circumstances. Every business is different, and furthermore, every business needs something different to succeed—the cloud is not always a one-size-fits-all model, and only you can determine what is best for your company.

Final words

While the cloud is an excellent way for many businesses to manage their services and data, it comes with benefits, costs, and risks, like any other business solution. The most common myth of all is that cloud computing will solve all of your data storage issues. Relying heavily upon technology can put your business at somewhat of a disadvantage; security breaches happen daily in the technological business world, and it is smart to make sure that you do not rely solely on one method of data storage to lessen the risk of threat. Using cloud computing can be helpful, but it is not the end-all solution for business safety concerns.