Why You Need a Cloud-First Strategy
Microsoft stopped supporting Windows XP in September 2019. Three years later there are still nearly a million PCs running this obsolete operating system worldwide. When you consider all the out-of-date software being used it adds up to a lot of old and unsupported packages being relied on by businesses. We looked over the last 2 months at the business risk factors of not outsourcing your IT infrastructure management, and one of the key benefits is keeping your systems up to date and secure.
One of the critical assets of your business is the information you hold on customers, suppliers and partners that allows you to fulfil orders and manage your business. The impact of not being able to access this information on your ability to trade makes it one of the most significant risk factors in your business. Where this is stored is important. If it lives on an aging server or PC in your office, then the potential for that information to be lost or corrupted is far higher than when it is held in a secure stable environment.
A Cloud-first strategy drives the adoption of cloud computing within a business. Microsoft’s website says, “cloud computing is the delivery of computing services—including servers, storage, databases, networking, software, analytics, and intelligence—over the Internet (“the cloud”) to offer faster innovation, flexible resources, and economies of scale.” Cloud computing has become an important part of the IT infrastructure. It is a cost-effective solution for small and medium-sized businesses because it reduces IT expenditure and allows them to focus on their core business. Cloud services are usually only paid for as you use them, which helps to lower operating costs, run your infrastructure more efficiently, and scale as your business needs change.
Every business should have a disaster recovery plan. What would happen in a fire, flood, or break-in? Transport for London report that two laptops per day are left on the tube. So, including human factors into your recovery planning is crucial. With your business-critical data and files stored in the cloud you stop being held hostage by a broken laptop or a lost phone. Access can be denied to lost hardware instantly and replacements set up rapidly.
Cloud-first doesn’t mean cloud only. A managed IT services provider like Commstec will support you in understanding what parts of your infrastructure would benefit from being Cloud based. Working through our four-step process to managing your technology, evaluation, solution design, implementation, and monitoring, will give you a clear insight into where the risks lie in your current infrastructure. Commstec’s unique people focused approach means we can work together to build the cost-effective IT system you need for today and the future. Book your free no-obligation Business Technology review with us to put a plan in place for your move to a Cloud first strategy.
