Categories
Cloud Computing

What is Cloud Computing?

what is cloud computing

Most working professionals have heard of cloud computing, either as the rising workplace trend or as a hot term in tech. Many people who hear the phrase though find themselves asking, what is cloud computing?

In basic terms, cloud computing is storing and accessing information over the internet rather than from your device’s hard drive. The traditional way to store information is to have a computer with a hard drive and all information stored in your files there. In many offices, there is also an internal server where shared information can be stored and accessed by others in your organization. In contrast to this, cloud computing is having everything stored offsite and accessed by users through the internet.

Once you know what cloud computing is, you can start to imagine the number of benefits and conveniences it offers businesses of any size.

Benefits of Cloud Computing

 

Minimal Hardware Onsite

With cloud computing, you and your organization will need only minimal hardware onsite. No servers, no back-ups, not even sophisticated computers are needed for cloud computing. Devices hardly need any internal storage when you are computing 100% in the cloud.

Access Files and Programs Anywhere

Being able to access your saved data and programs from anywhere is invaluable. The convenience of not needing to bring a laptop to and from the office or adding files to a flash drive for every meeting seems difficult to imagine. With cloud computing, by simply logging on to any device you can pick up right where you left off. This means easier working at home, easier travel, and quicker set up for presentations when you can simply log in to the cloud on location to grab the files you need.

Lower Your Costs

For those money conscious business owners out there, all of this information is probably starting to look like some serious savings. With hardly any hardware and memory needed, your costs in equipment and servers just got cut down to a fraction. Not only that, but with only minimal hardware onsite, your IT staffing needs just went to down too. Cloud computing allows you to both save money and gain convenience.

Speed & Security

Cloud computing will give you both speed and security in your network. There is no lost time due to sitting around waiting to load a large file on an old computer, and no long phone calls with IT when your system goes down. With cloud computing you also have an automatic back-up to call on if you lose data due to a hack, natural disaster, or (the most common cause) human error.

Your productivity will skyrocket when time spent twiddling your thumbs in front of a slow computer is eliminated. With all data stored remotely, there is little to no computing power needed on your end. Say hello to both speed and security with cloud computing.

What is Cloud Computing?

To both small and large businesses, cloud computing is cost saving and convenient. Access your files from anywhere while still benefitting from heightened security and speed.
 

Are you looking for a better computing experience?

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Categories
Cloud Backup

Why All Small Businesses Need a Professional Backup Solution

Why All Small Businesses Need a Professional Backup Solution

Small businesses are often run lean – no room for unnecessary costs, no luxury of extended vacations, and definitely no space in the budget for lost time and revenue due to data loss. No matter the size of your business, a professional backup solution will save you from disaster when a data loss happens. Whether it be a cyber attack, natural disaster, system failure, or even human error, having a backup to call upon when you need it most will allow to pick your business right back up and continue where you left off.

Minimize Losses When the Unexpected Happens

 
Did you know that over 40% of businesses without a backup solution go out of business when a major data loss happens? Losing years of digital infrastructure and client information is too much for many businesses to recover from.

There may have been a time when huge losses due to cyber attack or natural disaster seemed unlikely to ever happen to you. In recent years though, both events have become more common and the horrendous after-effects have been highly publicized. Using a professional backup solution can save you the hit to your image and wallet that these data losses cause.

Keep Client Data Safe

 

Having a breach of client information is often reputation ruining. Using a professional backup solution will prevent personal and financial information from getting into the wrong hands. A backup company will not only store a backup of your data but will work around the clock to keep the backup system updated and protected from security breaches. The threat of a hack or cyber attack is probably what comes to mind when you think about having client data stolen, but unfortunately, internal breaches happen often and are more difficult to prepare against. With a professional backup solution, you can limit access to sensitive files to a need-to-know basis.

Prevents Loss Due to Human or System Error

 
Everyone makes mistakes – humans and computers alike. Don’t allow an accidental deletion or system crash to put you in a panic-inducing situation. If your data is backed up, all it takes to get that lost information back is the click of a button and is accessible from any device.

Data losses due to error are not only stressful but cost businesses in lost revenue as well. When an employee, or entire department, loses access to their files it can take days to months to either fix the problem or attempt to replace the lost information. Most businesses can’t afford even a week of lost revenue. Prevent spiraling losses by always having your systems backed up.

Round the Clock System Management

 
Having a professional backup solution versus DIY means that there are people and resources devoted to keeping your data safe and maintained around the clock. You never need to remind yourself to run a backup and don’t have to worry about the safety and security of your backed-up data. A professional backup solutions business has staff and cutting-edge technology devoted to keeping your data safe and updating your backups consistently. Not to mention, it will cut down on your personnel and equipment needs too.

Professional Backup Solution

 
Still on the fence about if you need a professional backup solution for your small business? Try a free trial for 30 days – see how simple it can be to free yourself from the nagging feeling that your data could be at risk at any moment.
 
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Categories
Cloud Computing

IT Trends for Small Businesses

IT Trends for Small Businesses

As a small business, it can be difficult to stay up to date with current technology trends when you hardly have time to keep up with your clients and staff. Small business technology is taking off though as secure software is more affordable and as our culture overall embraces every-day tech. Keeping up with IT trends for small businesses could save you not only loads of time, but will save you from wasting money on obsolete technology that might be holding you back.

Cloud Computing for Small Businesses

Cloud computing has become the norm, and not just for large tech companies. It has been taking the small business sector by storm because of its convenience and affordable price point. Cloud computing allows small business owners to hand off IT to someone else and focus on their core business while offering the convenience of remote work and being able to access your desktop from any device. Cloud computing is also, contrary to popular belief, more secure and less expensive than managing your own traditional computer network in house.

Collaboration Tools

Tools like Slack, Wrike, and Skype for Business are becoming more affordable and essential for the modern small business. They are helpful for keeping your team all on the same page, organizing different conversations by project, and minimize the disconnect often experienced by remote teams.

As more small businesses have remote employees or work from home, collaboration tools are necessary to keep everyone in the loop. Cut out the incessant phone calls and emails by keeping communications in one central location.

Offsite IT Management

Most small business owners hardly have time to keep up with their clients, let alone have the time to manage an IT department. More companies have been using offsite IT companies as businesses are moving to the cloud and cyber attacks grow more common.

Small business are common targets for cyber attacks because they often use outdated systems or just don’t know a lot about securing their network and protecting against hacks. Using an offsite IT company has grown to be more cost effective than hiring experts in-house and it makes cyber security one less thing for small businesses owners to worry about.

Catering to Mobile

Did you know that more emails are opened on mobile devices than desktop computers every day? Catering to mobile devices is important not only for marketing and web design, but for payment methods as well.

With everyone having a smart phone in hand, mobile payments are a preferred way to pay and even process payments for small vendors. Users like it because they never have to pull out their card or directly give their financial information to the vendor, and vendors like it because they can get paid faster and not have to carry/deposit large amounts of cash.

IT Trends for Small Businesses

Implementing current technology in your small business wisely will save you money, not drain it. Bring your team to a more efficient and secure place with cloud computing, offsite IT management, and collaboration tools.

Categories
Remote Desktop

Remote Desktop Benefits for Small Business

Remote Desktop Benefits

The future of the work day is in mobility. No longer when you think of “work” do you only imagine a desktop computer, sitting on a desk, inside of a cubical, in an office. A rising number of employees work from home, are on the road, or simply need the flexibility to work from anywhere at any time. How do they all do this? By utilizing cloud computing to have a remote desktop that is accessible from any device. In addition to convenience, remote desktop benefits include heightened cyber security, automatic back-ups, and no requirement for onsite IT.

Stronger Security

Cloud computing is more secure than traditional IT. A traditional network of computers can be hacked in many ways- through an unsecured network, a phishing scam, accidentally downloaded malware, and through many other creative techniques hackers use. Most small businesses are ill-equipped to handle an attack and unwittingly leave themselves easy targets for cyber attacks.

By using a remote desktop, there is nothing onsite that your small business needs to worry about updating, encrypting, scanning, or anything else along those lines. By utilizing a cloud computing company, your cyber security is now completely handled by professionals who keep your system running smoothly and securely as a 24-hour job.

Access Your Desktop from Anywhere, on Any Device

For companies with employees who are often on the road, on work sites, or who need the flexibility to work from home, a remote desktop is a necessity. Thanks to cloud computing and remote desktop benefits, your same exact desktop with all of your files that you access at work is now accessible at any time from any computer. The need to have a mobile computer with you or to have a flash drive to access your files is eliminated. Your full desktop is now accessible at any location and from any computer.

Automated Back-Ups

Backing up your files is usually something that all small businesses know they should be doing, but don’t worry about until a problem arises and important files are lost. Along with the plethora of remote desktop benefits, all of your files (and your employees’ files) are now backed-up automatically.

Human error is the most common cause of lost files. With automated back-ups though, you are also safe in the unlikely event that your network is hacked. Ransomware – when a hacker blocks your access to your own files until a ransom is paid – won’t work on you. There are no files to hold hostage because everything on your remote desktop is automatically backed up by your cloud computing company.

No Need for On-Site IT

When you have a remote desktop, your cloud company will handle all of your IT needs. You do not need to have any servers on site and all network maintenance will be taken care of. Many businesses with remote desktops do still keep an IT team, but they are free to work on big picture strategy and to address custom software needs for your company.

Remote Desktop Benefits

Your work is no longer confined to one computer, at one desk, in one office. With a remote desktop, your files can not only be accessed from any device but yours and your clients’ information is now safer than ever before. Cloud computing is more convenient for mobile work and more cost effective than in-house network management.

Categories
Cyber Security

Cyber Security for Small Business – Time to Step It Up

Cyber Security

For many small businesses, cyber security is an afterthought. The majority of man and brain power goes to sales and the bottom line; cyber security is something you will worry about when your company gets larger. Besides, who would take the time to hack into the system of a small company when there are so many larger businesses to attack?

Well, we have bad news for small business owners. It turns out that small businesses are in fact more commonly targeted by cyber attacks than the big guys. Yes, Target and Home Depot hacks are all over the news, but small businesses make much easier targets than the giants and the attacks are usually more successful.

The unpleasant truth is that small businesses are easier to hack into. They often have DIY cyber security and IT and still have attractive information to steal – credit card numbers, employee personal information, credentials for websites and email accounts, and so on.

Cyber Security for Small Businesses

 

Use Antivirus Software

This may seem like a no-brainer, but having antivirus software on all computers can stop a large number of small attacks from breaching your system. This can protect you from viruses picked up during non-work related browsing by employees and even phishing scams that are sent to work email accounts. Stop the simple cyber attacks with basic antivirus software.

Update all Software Regularly

How often are you in the middle of a task when you are interrupted by a pop up asking you to update the program? Your first reaction is likely to dismiss it with the thought of doing it later, or even worse, you have become so annoyed with the prompts you have turned them off completely.

Well, as disruptive as it can be, updating your software regularly is a vital piece of cyber security. Software updates patch security issues and make the program run more smoothly. By passing on an update, you are leaving yourself vulnerable to whatever cyber security issues exist in the older version and are making yourself an easy target for hackers.

Secure Your Network

Secure your network by using a firewall and password protecting your router. Both a firewall and password protected router will stop any unauthorized devices from connecting to your network whether on or off-line. You wouldn’t leave your office door unlocked and open all day, every day, would you? Don’t leave your network wide open to intruders either.

Limit Employee Access

Limit employee access to only files they need. The most obvious information to protect is client personal and financial information, but keep employee social security numbers and direct deposit account numbers secure as well. By limiting employee access, if an individual’s computer falls victim to a cyber attack, the attackers can only get so far before they are stopped by unauthorized access. Don’t make it a walk in the park for a cyber criminal to find all of your sensitive information just by breaching one computer.

Use a Cloud Desktop

Contrary to what many believe, cloud computing is far more secure than a traditional system (and cheaper too). When you use a cloud desktop, your IT and security is managed by a cloud computing company. It is no longer up to you to make all of those updates on time, back up your information, or watch day and night for security breaches. Let someone else handle it, and you don’t have to let cyber security keep falling to the bottom of your to-do list.

Cloud desktops are more secure and are actually less expensive than having a traditional IT department in-house. For small businesses, cloud computing is the economical and secure way to go. Learn more about cloud computing for small businesses.

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