Cloud Computing
More and more customers want to have home workers and have access to the company's network when they are away from the office. While it's commonplace to allow a small proportion of users to do this with a traditional on-site network setup, bandwidth limitations can mean that it's not realistic to offer remote access to on-site resources to a larger numbers of users or for very frequent or heavy use.
Cloud computing can provide a solution to this dilemma. With a cloud solution, a company's email system and most - if not all - of their user files are stored on the web rather than on-site, so that they can be access securely wherever you have an internet connection. Backups are taken care of too, you will always have access to the latest available software and you can upgrade and add new users and services whenever you wish.
The key differentiator, however, is financial. Rather than having to purchase server hardware and associated network infrastructure as a capital expense, cloud computing is paid for by monthly subscription. Microsoft's cloud computing offering, called 'Office 365', costs from as little as £6.50 per user per month, and can include the following:
- Microsoft Exchange for email and shared calendars
- Microsoft SharePoint for collaboration and document management
- Microsoft Lync for web and video conferencing
- Microsoft Office Professional Plus, which includes Word, Excel, Outlook, Publisher, PowerPoint, Access, OneNote, Web Apps and SharePoint Workspace (all available with Enterprise edition only).
Cloud computing is not for everyone. We have found that it can be a perfect solution for some customers, and it can bring huge costs savings. For others only a small part works for them, and some companies feel more comfortable having their data on site.
As an accredited Microsoft Partner we can advise you on whether it's right for your business. Why not make contact to have an informative discussion about what we can do for you.