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Cloud

How to Increase Productivity with Cloud Computing

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You have probably heard business professionals talk about the ease of working in the cloud and increasing their productivity, but what does that mean? Many SMBs are finding out just how effective cloud computing is. With its continued growth in popularity, cloud resources and services become more accessible, available, and secure.

3 Ways the Cloud Increases Productivity

Document storage

No more slowing down your computer with an abundance of files, waiting for a large file to be emailed from a coworker, or using VPN. With cloud services, such as RocketSync, Google Docs, Dropbox and OneDrive, it is simple to upload any type of document into the cloud for access when you and other authorized users need it. This is especially valuable for large documents and collaborated project files. With the cloud, you can better manage big data and have the tools to analyze your data. Everyone who has access gets the latest revision of a document so you no longer have to fumble around looking for a USB drive, email changes back and forth, or have multiple copies of the same document.

Multiple devices

With so many people on the go, having the ability to access files on multiple devices, including phones, tablets, Mac and PC, is incredibly productive. Mobile access is an extremely important feature in the modern business environment. You can add something to your task list while waiting for a meeting, check your e-mail from home, sync all your sent messages in one mailbox, and review that financial spreadsheet on the road. SMBs are finding out how much more productive they are now that they can access files when other devices can’t connect but the mobile can. There is no more need to waste time going back to the office to access files. And when Wifi is available, being able to pull up files in the Cloud allows you to pick up where you left off no matter which device you are using. Plus, there are no more worries about the ability to open file extensions since the cloud services keeps everyone updated with the current software versions.

Simultaneous Access

Cloud services make sharing resources with multiple users an everyday practice. Many businesses are turning to software in the cloud instead of having to purchase multiple copies that can be costly. This is a fee-based service that includes updates for the technology to keep you on top of trending tools and features. Imagine all those updates being done automatically in the background. There are several collaboration tools and features in the cloud that are quick and easy for employees to use. From accounting to project management and customer relationship management (CRM), multiple cloud access has increased productivity so all your team members can use the data simultaneously. The result is a more connected workforce.

As an SMB, leveraging the most effective and economical solutions possible is important to your success. Cloud computing is one solution that can increase productivity. You can continuously access files and use apps when you are on the go. You can also share documents with your team with a click. These are just a few of the ways to increase productivity. To learn more about how our clients are using cloud services to grow, spend less on hardware, and decrease maintenance costs, contact us at 404-865-1289, complete our contact form, or read our Case Study on Dexter Companies.

Why Companies Are Doing Business in the Cloud

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With professionals on the go, in the office and telecommuting, more companies are doing business in the Cloud. This shouldn’t come as a surprise considering the technical landscape is continuously changing. Businesses are realizing the impact of the Cloud with greater competitiveness and productivity. They can operate more efficiently, more safely and cut costs that help free up capital.

4 Reasons to Do Business in the Cloud

Increased Security

It’s important to concentrate on your business’ primary goals, and your internet security should be one of them. Cloud servers offer a safe way to store data. Companies providing Cloud services have some of the best technology and security experts in the industry to continuously monitor threats and address them. And security is more than hacking; it is about making sure your data is stored safely so it is available when you need it. If a natural disaster or a system failure were to occur, you want to feel more than confident your data is safe. You want to know it is safe.

Accessibility

As an authorized user, you can get secure access from many devices at different times and locations. Doing business in the Cloud allows specified employees to access files from anywhere, at any time. For example, if you are visiting with a client and have an impromptu discussion on a project, you can pull up files even if you are halfway around the world. This can make the difference in landing new projects.

Productivity

It’s amazing how much more productive you can be when you operate in the Cloud. Software is up-to-date and doesn’t impede the speed of your devices. There are no barriers to moving in and out of applications and the applications are integrated with software to maximize productivity. The number of applications you can access are unlimited and help with time management, collaborations, note taking and more.

Cost Effectiveness

Many companies are realizing the savings by using the Cloud. You don’t need to maintain as large a server or you can do away with a server completely. The Cloud also provides a cost-effective way to backup files and store them. And it’s not just the cost of maintaining the backup where you save money. Backing up files can be especially costly when workflow is disrupted because the backup fails or is not done correctly. Additionally, you can decrease your costs for network consulting while your IT personnel spends less time on overhead and more time on billable projects.

A great example of why companies are doing business in the cloud is our client at Griffith Engineering. We consolidated their servers to eliminate the cost of a branch server and integrated their network with Cloud services using our Rocketsync software for increased productivity. Click here to view the case study.

If your business is not taking full advantage of the Cloud, you are missing out on continuously updated internet security, increased productivity, improved accessibility, and a quick and cost-effective way to back up files. Plus, you’re risking falling behind with your competitors. Contact Boost IT at 404-865-1289 or info@boostitco.com to start doing business in the Cloud.

How Office 365 Improves Productivity

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As a business professional, Office 365 is what you need to get the most productivity out of your devices. More companies than ever are using it for accomplishing goals and gaining an edge on their competition. Yet employees are not taking full advantage of the tools that can maximize their productivity.

Your time is valuable. By understanding ways to use Office 365, you can learn how to best manage your time, collaborate with colleagues, streamline your work environment and achieve more.

6 Ways to Maximize Productivity Using Office 365

Access Anywhere at Anytime

Today’s business takes you on the go and you need to access your files everywhere along the way. With Office 365, you can access files in the Cloud on any device and at any moment. For example, users can access their account through their PC, tablet and mobile devices. With mobile device management (MDM) you can connect quickly and security. And you have an additional level of security with Data Loss Prevention.

Share Files and Calendars Easily

Having access to the Cloud and multiple applications like OneDrive, OneNote and SharePoint allows you to share simply and easily with multi-person simultaneous editing capabilities. There is no more time wasted by saving, uploading and emailing a file to a colleague, only to wait for a response. The applications are straightforward with users simply right-clicking to share files internally and working collaboratively on a document. Imagine the potential increase in productivity when you can click on a file in Word, Excel or PowerPoint and share it with a colleague who can work on it at the same time.

Improve Communication

It wasn’t that long ago that people talked about the humor in sending a text message to a coworker in the next cubicle, but now it’s even easier to converse directly on your device. Use Yammer integrated with OneNote to establish groups for your teams on various projects and converse easily within the group. Your group can share conversations, combine calendars, exchange files and take and share notes.

Resume Reading Where You Left Off

The Resume Reading feature in Word allows you to pick up where you left off, even on different devices. Word automatically bookmarks the last page you were reading. You can check out, edit and upload changes to a document on one device, head into a meeting, and then connect on another device later to continue where you left off.

Get Functionality

Skype for Business offers great functionality with Office 365. Any sized business can benefit from the ease of using productivity tools for video conferencing, online meetings and instant messaging. Connect with one or more contacts in real time, on any device,  and on a moment’s notice. It’s that simple.

In-sync emails

With your emails being stored in the Cloud with Outlook, it is synced with all your devices. No matter where you’re logged in, you will get access to everything you sent and received. There is no more worrying about which device to retrieve an email on or cc’ing yourself. And to improve the efficiency of sorting through your email, you get Clutter to help filter low priority messages. Plus, your emails are backed up in case your computer crashes.

Office 365 is more critical to business success than ever before. Many of our clients are benefiting from it with increased productivity. If you want to learn more about how your organization can benefit, contact Boost IT at 404-865-1289 or info@boostitco.com.

Debunking the Myths About Cloud Computing

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Cloud computing has been gaining in popularity and has definite value. You may have heard a lot of hype about the magical ease of using cloud services. Or you might have heard the concerns about security and privacy. After all, something that good can’t be for real, right? From a consumer perspective there is much confusion and many misconceptions about it. We’ve highlighted some of the most common myths.

5 Myths About Cloud Computing

Myth #1: It’s just one big cloud.

The Cloud in not one thing and there is no one single computer infrastructure that handles everyone’s data. Amazon Web Services continues to lead the public cloud services with 57 percent of respondents using it, according to the fifth annual State of the Cloud Survey conducted by RightScale in January 2016. Although companies like Amazon are constantly expanding their infrastructure to handle data, there are thousands of entities with computing infrastructure to offer cloud services just in the United States alone. Each one offers their own characteristic applications or services. Therefore, when you consider using the Cloud, you want to consider a strategy that aligns your business goals with the right application or service for your needs.

Myth #2: One day all of our data will be in a public cloud.

Cloud computing is not all or nothing. It is a technology and like all technology it is always being adapted. The real beauty of cloud computing is taking a bunch of commodity hardware, virtualizing it and pooling resources to keep costs down for everyone. But there will likely always be organizations that will continue to use alternatives to the Cloud because of privacy and government snooping concerns. There are also other resources for storing data. Drives and servers are adapting to handle larger storage capacities. Many small to medium sized companies recognize the value of using internal servers with remote access for many of their files to offset the pay-per-use cloud services.

Myth #3: The Cloud is less expensive.

While many companies can save on IT expenses for storing, managing and maintaining their IT in the Cloud, it is not the same for everyone. In fact, several companies report that cost management is a growing concern for Cloud services. It fits best where value is placed on flexibility and companies have the ability to consume and pay for only what is needed when it is needed. Remember that these services are based on pay-per-use fees. Some organizations are finding it more cost effective to set up their own infrastructure with remote managed services while others might find it more cost effective to use the Cloud for select applications or services. And it isn’t always about money. Gartner’s 2014 CIO survey shows that cost savings account for only 14% of the reasons for organizations’ use of the public cloud. Some of the other reasons companies migrate to it are due to agility, security and access.

Myth #4: The Cloud is less secure.

The Identity Theft Resource Center defines a data security breach as “an incident in which an individual name plus a Social Security, driver’s license number, medical record or financial record (credit/debit cards included) is potentially put at risk because of exposure.” The truth is the Cloud is attractive and security will continue to be a concern. But historically, there have been very few breaches in public clouds compared to onsite data centers. A main reason is that many onsite systems are managed by in-house IT people who are not necessarily security experts. With the growing concern, Cloud service providers invest huge amounts of money into security to reduce the risk. Many companies also recognize that security is not only about breaches. The Cloud helps in securing data in case of a natural disaster, theft and any number of other reasons. That doesn’t mean you should assume Cloud services are secure. They need to demonstrate their abilities to you.

Myth #5: Someone else has my IT headaches.

The Cloud provides a safe place to secure your data in case of a hardware failure or natural disaster. But there are still potential problems such as human errors that can cause you headaches. You can further reduce your IT headaches by having a company such as Boost IT help manage and monitor your IT with Cloud services. They will take over the responsibility of keeping up with the software and hardware upgrades and more. This can certainly help your day-to-day workload go smoother.

While many of the myths remain, it’s important to realize that the Cloud is not a fix all or an all-or-nothing approach. It can change workflows and in most cases help with productivity. But there is an adjustment period and employees requires training. You want to do your own homework to see if migrating to the Cloud is right for you. Boost IT can help you look at cloud decisions on a workload-by-workload basis. Contact us at 404-865-1289 or info@boostitco.com.

The Best Anti-Virus Solution

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Cloud-Based Anti-Virus Benefits

So which type of anti-virus software is best for your network? Not surprisingly, there’s no shortage of available solutions in today’s market – and there are some tried and trusted tools out there that have worked well for years.

But as is the case with many software solutions, it’s important to look at the impact the cloud is having on antivirus and endpoint protection technology. These offerings have come quite a long way since their inception, and today’s cloud-based anti-virus solutions are powerful enough to stand on their own in addition to complementing traditional security software.

Here’s a quick look at four big benefits of cloud-based AV:

A Lighter Footprint

With a cloud-based anti-virus solution, the majority of the work is of course happening in the cloud – so very few resources are required on protected machines. The installation file is much smaller and easier to deploy than in traditional AV software – and data that’s traditionally stored locally (reports, history and log files) now lives in the cloud. Scans are also often faster, and shouldn’t negatively impact system performance like some older, “heavier” AV tools will.

Set It and Forget It

When your anti-virus solution lives in the cloud, you don’t have to worry about updating it – and you won’t have to deal with definition updates or machine reboots. This not only saves time, but it’ll help you ensure you’re receiving the latest updates as soon as they become available; this is particularly helpful against zero-hour threats or brand new malware that legacy AV solutions aren’t protected against yet.

Related: How to Avoid Point-Of-Sale (POS) Malware Attacks

WSA_Plain_Logo_ColorSimplified Management

A good Managed IT provider has the ability to centrally manage your anti-virus solution for you and make adjustments to multiple machines (and across multiple client sites) from one unified dashboard. It can really help you save some time – and being able to remotely access your AV and make changes on-the-go certainly has its perks.

Conflict Free

Because cloud-based solutions don’t live on a local machine in the sense that traditional AV does, cloud security can be deployed alongside existing security software without any conflict or interference. This can help provide an added layer of protection onto another program.

Antivirus is something that’s critical to your portfolio. It’s not a nice-to-have technology – it’s a must-have. You need peace of mind that you and you’re clients are protected, and you need a solution that’s right for your business. Take the time to identify what your biggest security needs are, and then call us to get Webroot and Malwarebytes automatically and centrally managed for your business.

Microsoft Changes OneDrive Storage Plans For Office 365

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Microsoft Changes OneDrive Storage Plans for Office 365

Microsoft OneDriveDowngrading Unlimited to 1TB OneDrive Storage

Microsoft has announced that it’s planning to downgrade many of its OneDrive storage accounts, affecting nearly all users of the consumer version of Office 365.

Microsoft wil be limiting its unlimited plan to 1TB instead. Not a small amount of storage by any means, but a massive difference from the unlimited storage you had before.

More OneDrive Changes to Come

  • We’re no longer planning to offer unlimited storage to Office 365 Home, Personal, or University subscribers. Starting now, those subscriptions will include 1 TB of OneDrive storage.
  • 100 GB and 200 GB paid plans are going away as an option for new users and will be replaced with a 50 GB plan for $1.99 per month in early 2016.
  • Free OneDrive storage will decrease from 15 GB to 5 GB for all users, current and new. The 15 GB camera roll storage bonus will also be discontinued. These changes will start rolling out in early 2016.

Microsoft’s OneDrive Transition Plan

  • If you are an Office 365 consumer subscriber and have stored in excess of 1 TB, you will be notified of this change and will be able to keep your increased storage for at least 12 months.
  • If you are an Office 365 consumer subscriber and find that Office 365 no longer meets your needs, a pro-rated refund will be given. To learn more visit the FAQ.
  • If you are using more than 5 GB of free storage, you will continue to have access to all files for at least 12 months after these changes go into effect in early 2016. In addition, you can redeem a free one-year Office 365 Personal subscription (credit card required), which includes 1 TB of OneDrive storage.
  • Current customers of standalone OneDrive storage plans (such as a 100 or 200 GB plans) are not affected by these changes.

How Microsoft Changes OneDrive could be challenging for people on the higher-tiered OneDrive plans but will be really tough for the users of the free plans. However, it’s still helpful that Microsoft is giving users plenty of time to make the change before their storage is capped and removed from Microsoft’s servers.