6 Benefits of Cloud Managed Service Providers
Cloud managed service providers help your business navigate the complexities of developing and implementing a cloud strategy.
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3 Benefits of a Cloud Strategy with Microsoft Azure
If you were an early cloud strategy adopter, you may have migrated to the cloud years ago when the trend was still in its infancy.
The benefit of being an early adopter is that you can be the first to take advantage of the cost savings and increased productivity.
The drawback is that you’re often the one out front helping identify the bugs and quirks that keep the system from working the way it’s expected to work.
Some organizations weren’t willing or able to take that kind of risk and are only just now considering the cloud.
It’s the perfect time to do so – and if you were an early adopter of cloud strategy, now can be a great time to learn about innovations that can save you more time and money and keep you more secure.
There’s no avoiding the fact that the cloud is here to stay.
3 Benefits of a Cloud Strategy with Microsoft Azure
In Canada, it’s become even simpler now with Microsoft Azure.
Microsoft Azure is a comprehensive solution for organizations that are moving to the cloud and need scalability and a multi-pronged platform.
It offers a reliable, scalable, and secure infrastructure environment with Canada-based data cloud services and storage.
The benefits of Microsoft Azure include:
Security
In addition to being fast and reliable, Azure offers a secure cloud solution.
According to Microsoft: “Security and privacy are built right into the Azure platform, beginning with the Security Development Lifecycle (SDL).
The SDL addresses security at every development phase and ensures that Azure is continually updated to make it even more secure.”
Flexibility
To improve the flexibility – and speed – of the cloud service delivered by Azure, Microsoft has acquired flash storage company Avere.
What does this mean for businesses moving to the cloud using Azure?
According to the press release announcing the purchase, not only does Avere support large-scale media needs, but it also supports the high-performance computing needs of organizations “in life sciences, education, oil and gas, financial services, manufacturing and more.”
Cost Control
Azure is an extension of the idea that turning costs into more-predictable monthly expenses rather than unplanned, unexpected capital costs is a smart business strategy.
This allows organizations in any industry to improve customer experience, drive innovation, and manage costs.
Investing in Azure might be right for your business.
However, to really obtain the ROI you’re anticipating, be sure to choose an Azure MSP who will help you:
- Implement and manage your Azure operations
- Manage your hybrid cloud
- Migrate your systems
- Ensure that you have the most comprehensively secure IT strategy possible to meet your operational needs
Whether you need help evaluating storage needs, configuring data, or ensuring compliance, having the right MSP partner is more important than ever.
The ITeam is an authorized partner MSP for Microsoft Azure. Contact us to learn more.
How a Cloud-Based Business Helps You Attract Talent
Hiring and retaining top talent is always a challenge.
Having the ability to retain the best people is something that is on the mind of virtually every CEO and HR executive.
Engagement and retention are essential for remaining competitive in a global economy.
The companies with the best talent win.
So how do you attract talent, develop a leadership pipeline, build resilience into your business, and appeal to the now-dominant millennial generation?
Get your head – and your business – in the cloud.
Why a Cloud-Based Business Equals Better Talent
The most successful companies recognize that better retention, happier employees, and more productivity come from recognizing that a good portion of the talented people you need won’t be looking for a position with your company and may not even be people that you can hire full-time.
In fact, 17 percent of today’s workforce is part of the on-demand economy, signifying that many professionals are happy to provide the skills you need – on their terms.
This means more than just offering flex hours.
It means making your business operations securely accessible online so that your employees can just as easily live in the next continent as they can the next town.
Greg Arnette, founder and CTO of Sonian, a cloud-based email archiving company, explained that a distributed workforce strengthened their ability to attract and retain the best talent:
“We support a distributed team development model, which means we can recruit across the country for the best talent and are not constrained by hotly contested talent clusters in Silicon Valley, NYC or Boston. We’re able to source the best people from Denver, Seattle, Syracuse, Portland and other leader, but smaller, cities. We recognized early this was a way to differentiate.”
Cost Savings Exist for Cloud-Based Businesses
Beyond the standard savings that can be realized from an operational standpoint by shifting to the cloud, having the ability to offer flexible, remote work opportunities can help your organization save even more money.
Consider the amount of money and time that go into training a new hire.
It can be a huge loss if that person has to quit their job because they move, need to be closer to home, or require more flexibility.
When you have a cloud-based business, it’s more likely you’ll be able to retain that talent and experience by offering the flexibility required, rather than losing the institutional knowledge they’ve gained and being forced to incur the expense of training someone new.
Succeeding with a Remote Workforce
Bringing your business into the cloud is relatively simple when you have partnered with the right Managed Services provider.
The bigger challenge is fostering growth and development with a team you rarely if ever, see in person.
Whether all of your employees or only a few are remote, you can provide on-demand cloud-based solutions to help them succeed.
Make sure you have tools in place that let them feel like they are part of the team:
Develop effective and reliable communications (apps, VoIP, and other tools), and provide opportunities to grow with the company and take on new responsibilities.
Remote workers and on-demand talent need accessible leaders and opportunities for professional development to make your company the best choice for their skills.
We’re dedicated to helping Calgary- and Alberta-based businesses make changes now to remain competitive, flexible, and ready to face whatever challenges come their way. We do this by providing essential IT support and customized services designed to meet the needs of your business.
The ITeam will work with you to develop a cost-effective and comprehensive IT strategy that will help you survive economically stressful times and attract the talent you need to thrive. Contact us for a free consultation.
Your Business Is Better in the Cloud
Today’s business operations look very different from the way they functioned even a decade ago or less.
There is no business in today’s global marketplace that doesn’t have a broader reach, an online presence, and a collection of data to protect.
From the smallest local dental service to the largest oil and gas conglomeration, every business has a need for cloud services.
Why Are Businesses Flying to the Cloud?
Cloud services are simply a way to shift the cost and responsibility of the physical storage of data and processing from your business to your service provider’s business.
The service provider is built to cost-effectively deliver agile, scalable access to powerful computing resources, whether you have 20 employees running applications on virtual servers or 20,000.
Businesses are shifting to cloud services because of the remarkably efficient way in which it delivers infrastructure without requiring a costly investment in owned and maintained hardware.
The Benefits of Cloud Services
Cloud services provide a number of benefits to businesses regardless of size.
Not only does it make it possible for your business to have more flexibility by having access to data, applications, email, and information from virtually anywhere, but it also provides peace of mind by:
- Ensuring you have access to state-of-the-art equipment that is maintained and monitored by IT experts
- Offering backup and disaster recovery options custom suited to your business needs
- Providing proactive management of your IT that delivers better efficiency, more reliability, and the flexibility to respond quickly to changes in your industry
- Ensuring cost control
Cloud Services Make Cents
Companies are shifting to cloud services because it makes sense.
Cost predictability leads to better long-term planning. Better long-term planning leads to better agility.
Better agility leads to the ability to be more competitive and responsive to customer needs. And that all leads to better profitability.
When you stop having to think about managing your IT, you can focus on the part of your business that attracts and retains your customers.
Leave the heavy lifting to us.
Your IT Support provider should be able to offer fully managed and customized cloud services with secure storage in a Calgary-based secure facility with 24/7 monitoring.
Cloud services are not a one-size-fits-all solution.
The ITeam will work with your Alberta business to customize a cost-effective solution and help you develop a comprehensive cloud services plan that will ensure the continuity and competitive edge you need.
To learn more about how The ITeam can help you make the shift to cloud services, contact us for a free consultation.
Hosted Services: What Are They and How Do They Work
Hosted services are the aspirin for your headache and the cure for what ails your IT infrastructure.
Hosted services provide:
- Customized, budget-sensitive solutions for your IT support needs
- Reduced operating costs for your business
- Peace of mind
What Are Hosted Services?
There are multiple components to hosted services, but they all fit under the umbrellas of:
- Software as a Service (SaaS)
- Hardware as a Service (HaaS)
- Platform as a Service (PaaS).
The combination of these elements provides comprehensive security, capacity, scalability, and access to state-of-the-art equipment.
It helps keep your business operational in the most cost-effective and customized manner possible.
How Are Hosted Services Provided?
Hosted services are provided in a highly customized manner that may be different for every client.
A client in the health industry may be singularly focused on backup and recovery as a means of protecting patient data.
An oil and gas industry client may need state-of-the-art hardware that they don’t have to think about or maintain but can still count on uptime.
A corporate client may need a combination of services that provides maximum value for the investment.
What makes hosted services the future of IT support in Calgary are the limitless customization options available to make the service suit your business needs and budget.
Why Does My Business Need Hosted Services?
The simple answer to this question is: “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”
Security – Hosted Services provide updates to your operating systems, filter spams, eliminate viruses and prevent hackers from accessing your sensitive data. One of the most crucial roles of hosted services is to enhance security, increase uptime, and allow business leaders to maintain their focus on their clients, not on their IT.
Monitoring – Expert-level monitoring of equipment, software, applications, and servers to ensure that anything that might go wrong is stopped in its tracks.
Off-site Backup & Recovery – In this age of data breaches, nothing is more crucial than a secure network. Offsite backups are a must for every business, protecting organizations from the loss of data that occurs as a result of onsite server failures, cyber-attacks, or physical catastrophes such as fire, flood, theft, or vandalism.
Managed Email – One of the easiest ways to prevent security issues is to filter them out before they ever reach your business. Using a hosted email service provides an additional layer of security to every aspect of your operation.
The ITeam provides hosting services and customized IT support to Calgary and Alberta businesses, with secure storage and 24/7 monitoring in a Calgary-based secure facility.
Hosted services are not a one-size-fits-all solution.
The ITeam will work with your business to customize a cost-effective solution and help you develop a comprehensive plan that will ensure the peace of mind you need to focus on your business.
FIND US
The ITeam
Suite 200, 1210 8 Street SW
Calgary, AB T2R 1L3
(403) 750-2540
Suite 200, 1210 8 Street SW
Calgary, AB T2R 1L3
(403) 750-2540
Office Hours:
(Mountain Standard Time)
