cloud computing

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When is In-house IT Not Good Enough?
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Managed Services

When is in-house IT not good enough?

Does your firm have “a guy” who is responsible for managing your IT? Maybe it’s a manager who is also tasked with human resources, bookkeeping, or marketing? Maybe the job landed with someone who just knows a little bit more than everyone else in the office.

In many Boston area law firms, the heartbeat of their practice – their infrastructure – is under the purview of someone who doesn’t consider it as their primary focus.

Think about it.

Would you undergo heart surgery with someone who had a few more biology classes than anyone else? Your infrastructure is the heart of your business and powers everything else. It’s controls access to your accounting software, to your clients’ files and their private information, to payroll, to email, to discovery data, legal settlements and negotiations. Why would trust your IT to anyone but an IT professional – someone whose only priority is keep you, your firm, your staff, and your clients safe?

Is it time to get serious about IT? If you can’t answer these questions with confidence, the time is now.

  1. When was your last healthy backup? If you don’t know when or if your answer isn’t “today”, you need the expertise of a qualified MSP. Penalty points if you don’t know what a healthy backup is.
  2. Where is your backup stored? For maximum security, your backup should be stored off premises. If you have a data breach, fire, or theft, you are at risk of losing everything if your backup is stored on premises or on the same infrastructure as all your other data.
  3. How often does your staff undergo cybersecurity awareness training? Employees are the No. 1 risk factor for security breaches. If you’re not continually educating your staff on what to look for, what to be aware of, and what to do if a breach happens, you need an IT expert.
  4. Is every software program you use up to date? Have all the most recent patches been installed? Patches don’t just update products but also include security features to maximize your protection. Without the most current version of any program, you are putting your firm at risk.
  5. Are you using a quality antivirus software? Are you receiving alerts on malicious or suspicious activity? What are you doing with them? If you’re not tracking and monitoring potential breaches, you could already be at risk.
  6. Do you have a WISP? Is it stored off premises? A Written Information Security Plan is your roadmap to restoring business continuity in the event of a disaster. If you don’t have one in place, an IT expert can help.
  7. How much IT downtime do you have each month? What is it costing you? A file was deleted in error, a password needs to be recovered, a computer is frozen. These issues add up and cost money. From unproductive staff members to neglected clients to missed deadlines. Having a fully staff Help Desk available to quickly address these issues and get business back on track can save you thousands of dollars annually while minimizing employee frustration and unhappy clients. A good MSP is just a phone call or email away from restoring productivity.

These are just a few questions to consider. When it comes to IT, there’s no question that you owe it to your business, your staff, your clients, and yourself to have the best solution.

Get in touch today for a free assessment.

Debby Thompson, (617) 420-1244, dthompson@tekdocsolutions.com

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Four Ways Cloud Computing Can Future-Proof Your Business
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We hear a lot about the cloud and cloud computing lately. Some businesses don’t actually know what the cloud is, what it can do for them or where they can even find it – let alone start using it. The cloud isn’t just a passing fad – cloud computing is here to stay and it’s quickly become the best way to future-proof your business.

So what is the cloud, exactly? At its intrinsic level, it’s a collection of computers, servers, and databases that are connected together in a powerful way that users can lease access to share their combined power. Cloud computing is scalable so that buyers can choose to increase or decrease the amount of computing power they need.

Sounds a bit intangible, doesn’t it? Send your company’s precious data up to this “cloud” in the sky, and then what? “Is it worth it?” “Will it help my business grow?” “Is it safe?”

Yes, yes and yes. Major business owners are comfortable enough with cloud computing to future-proof their business, and the impact is global. Media giant Forbes, whose focus is business and IT, has projected that cloud computing will be a $162 billion industry by the year 2020. As it stands now, the compound annual growth rate (CAGR) is at 19% meaning more and more industries are making the cloud business-critical. Their report also stated that 74% of IT CFOs attribute the most measurable growth to cloud computing.

So what does this mean to you and your company? If you’re looking to ensure your business has longevity in this economy – no matter your niche – then you need to seriously consider making the move to cloud services. Here are five ways that cloud computing will future-proof your business:

  1. Security for your data – The cloud’s security architecture is multi-layered, and safeguards against the weaknesses that allow cyber attacks to occur. There are different types of security controls employed: deterrent controls, preventative controls, detective controls and corrective controls. All of these things work in tandem to protect your sensitive information and intellectual property, especially where federal compliance regulations are an issue.
  2. Unlimited mobility – Self-hosting your legacy software and platforms for years places a major stressor on already overworked network servers. The time spent maintaining your hardware and its performance can cost you both productivity and dollars. Application hosting in the cloud gives users the real-time ability to access data from any device, anywhere and at any time. Your staff could be spread across the globe and still collaborate in real-time on projects.
  3. Scalability – The cloud grows with you. The combined computing power of users in the cloud is scalable so that buyers can dynamically increase – or decrease – the amount of computing power they lease. That flexibility is quite a cost-saver when you consider the impact on your IT budget if you have to upgrade your on-premises servers after you have outgrown your old network.
  4. Cost reduction – Given the speed of cloud growth and accessibility, it’s been easier, faster and less expensive for software developers to roll out applications as compared to traditional onsite platform development. That cost savings gets passed on to users. You don’t have to buy hardware until you need it, and you don’t have to plan for peak capacity, since most traditional servers are only used at 15% of their capacity. You only pay for what you use.

Lost production hours are a killer when you’re trying to migrate data from one network to another. Firms that handle their own migration on average take 2 months and up to $3,000 to do it. Partnering with a managed IT services provider (MSP) to handle your move to the cloud reduces – and even eliminates – downtime and speeds up deployment by managing your data with new integrated tech solutions, upgrading your performance seamlessly. That’s where we come in.

Moving to the cloud is power. Power to give your company future longevity. And the best way to harness that power is by partnering up with a great MSP, one whose expert team can handle the entire process from start to finish. Give us a call and let us help move you into the future with cloud computing.

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What? You’re Not Using Office 365? Five Reasons Why You Need to Start Right Now
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If you missed your invitation to the party, here it is. Chances are that your competition is already using the Microsoft Office 365 suite of tools to maximize their productivity and grow their business, so why aren’t you? This is a powerhouse of a platform that will change your business culture and deliver immediate results, and now it’s more affordable than ever.

 

O365 is more than just another software product – it’s an integrated experience of applications and services with a familiar face. It encompasses Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, OneNote and OneDrive – available on ALL of your devices, no matter the operating system. That’s right – O365 is OS-agnostic and works on Windows-based PCs, Android devices, Mac OS and iOS. It also offers the options of these services: Exchange, SharePoint, Skype for Business and Microsoft Teams. Overwhelming, isn’t it? We’ve got a solution for you. (Hang in there, we’re getting to that.)

 

Microsoft has been providing solutions for some of the biggest companies in the world for decades. Now, with O365, they’ve raised the standard for business growth. Imagine bringing together all of your people, processes and technology and being able to manage all of that productivity seamlessly, all through cloud computing. Office 365 makes that a reality. And if you’re not onboard with it yet, here are five reasons you need to be:

 

  1. Ramp Up Your Productivity

Giving your staff the tools to produce their very best work not only raises morale but positively affects your bottom line. The 2018 “Forrester Consulting Report on the ROI of O365” concluded that the group of applications and services that make up O365 cut support time by 50%, saved mobile/field employees at least one hour per day and afforded analysts, managers and sales people the opportunity to make better and faster decisions because they had information in real-time. More productivity means better revenue and happy clients.

 

  1. Worry-free IT Performance

O365 integrates seamlessly with your existing system and network. With 24/7 support available, you don’t just add O365 to your productivity tool box, O365 becomes your tool box. To get every last drop out of all the services that make up Microsoft Office 365, you need a great partner to manage it. But we’ll get to that in a minute.

 

 

  1. Cost Reduction

Office 365 is more affordable than ever (subscriptions start at $12.50 per user per month) with all monthly updates and service packs included, and also 1 TB of cloud computing storage per user. Small to medium businesses will love the reliability and security, but even the largest of firms will benefit from this powerful suite of tools. Forrester also concluded in their report on O365 that the delivered 3-month ROI was a whopping 378% (source: 2018 Forrester Research “The Economic Impact of Microsoft Office 365”).

 

  1. Increased Data Security

Worried about your data’s safety when it comes to cloud computing? Don’t be. Microsoft Office 365 offers choices, like Hybrid Cloud Computing, and incorporates exclusive, proprietary security features to protect your sensitive data. They have also added in a Compliance Manager to help you meet the standards necessary to keep you in business.

 

  1. Real-time Collaboration with Ease

Dream it, design it, create it – then edit and share it in an instant with anyone on any device to any device in real-time. With features like multi-party HD video conferencing, content sharing, team chat and shared calendars, your people can collaborate with the person in the next room, next regional office or across the world seamlessly. Think of all the time and resources wasted in the past trying to get everyone on the same page for a project, using the same processes and technology. With O365 implemented, those days are long gone.

 

We mentioned before that all of the tools, processes and services encompassed within Microsoft Office 365 can be overwhelming if you don’t where to start. And if you’re not properly managing it – or it’s beyond the scope of your IT department – you’re not getting the full benefits or tapping its complete potential. You need a solid managed IT services provider in your corner.

 

Don’t worry, we’re here to help. We can offer you seamless integration with your existing servers and network, 24/7/365 assistance, transparent fixed monthly billing (so there aren’t any surprises) and show you and your staff how to wring every last drop out of O365’s platform. You concentrate on running your business, we’ll handle your Office 365.

 

What are you waiting for? Give us a call today, and let’s discuss how O365 can grow your business!

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