The first thing you?ll need to understand about migrating to the cloud is that it?s a much more involved process than simply performing a single software upgrade. Truth be told, properly migrating your data to the cloud involves a lot of prep work, and, as is the case with other kinds of moves like packing up your personal belongings to settle into a new house, the better prepared you are for the move, the smoother the transition will go and the less of a chance that you?ll lose something of value. ITProPortal provides some insight into what migrating to the cloud properly takes: ?It involves a complex infrastructure migration process. Good preparation is the key to success. Those organizing the migration process should ensure that all data is ready for the move and that the company network has the necessary capabilities to interact with the cloud.? This is a major reason why you?ll want a professional assessment of your IT infrastructure before deciding to move to the cloud. Preparing your network for a move to the cloud involves a few considerations: Sorting and Labeling Your FilesIt?s important to take the time to determine what files are worth saving and moving, and what files aren?t so you?re not wasting time and resources moving and storing old files that your company no longer needs. This can be a time-consuming process, but the work will be worth it in the long run. Preparing Your Network InfrastructureMigrating to the cloud comes with demands on a network that may require major adjustments to be made to your IT infrastructure. When migrating to the cloud, there are two major additions to your network you?ll want to consider; setting up a direct Internet breakout in order to distribute traffic across external networks, and multiple firewall instances in order to secure the various Internet connections. Have a Migration TimetableEven the best planned move to the cloud can take weeks or even months to complete. Therefore, you?re going to want to present your staff with an accurate timetable so the transition won?t interrupt workflow. One particular thing to plan for is how user settings will be migrated, like profiles, address books, calendars, etc. To help with this, ITProPortal advises: ?Instead of moving all their data to the cloud, more and more companies are opting for a hybrid solution. This means that some users and storage locations stay with Exchange on-premises, while the rest move to the cloud.? With all of your data successfully migrated, you will next want to consider strengthening security, archiving, and data backup in order to fully prepare your organization for the unique challenges of cloud computing. Rest assured, Info Advantage is here to assist you with any challenges your organization faces as you operate within your new cloud environment, as well as to help you through every step of your cloud migration process. Reach out to us at (585) 254-8710 for any IT assistance that you require.
Regardless of how your business?s administration is set up, you should be aware that anyone in a position of authority must have a basic understanding of how IT, and its related responsibilities, functions for your business. Here are four ways that you can learn more about how IT works within your organization. Know Who to Contact for SupportAs a leader within your organization, you need to lead by example. You should be aware of who to contact within your company for any IT-related issues, and this contact information should be shared with other employees within your organization. By cooperating with IT, your business can improve operations so that you don?t encounter a roadblock when it comes time to upgrade to more recent technology, or perform maintenance on critical hardware and software. Working with VendorsDealing with vendors is part of doing business with technology. Your organization likely has several different vendors for your various hardware and software solutions. Knowing how to communicate with them is key to getting the most from your products. In other words, you should at least be privy to information concerning your organization?s relationship with its vendors. Basic Security Best PracticesThis is a part of business that all of your employees should be familiar with. Data security is one of the most crucial parts of running a business, and your team needs to understand this if you want to ensure maximum security. Examples of basic security best practices include the following: Employees should use long, complex passwords. Employees should use two-factor authentication. Employees should be able to identify potential online scams. Managing Laptops and Mobile DevicesIf your employees bring their own devices (BYOD) to the workplace for use on your company network, you have a responsibility to ensure that they?re following proper protocol. Do you have a BYOD policy? If not, you should consider setting one up. You need to have some sort of oversight in regards to what data is being used and accessed on what devices. The idea is to restrict the flow of data through permissions so that you can know how it?s being used, and to limit its exposure to threats. This might seem like a lot to take in, but you don?t have anything to worry about. Most of these issues can be resolved simply by having an IT technician on-hand to consult in times of need. If you don?t have an in-house IT department, this might seem like an impossible task. Thankfully, Info Advantage makes it easy for your business to keep your technology functioning properly and running without incident; all thanks to outsourced managed IT services. Info Advantage can handle the everyday management and maintenance of your IT systems, and act as a consultant, helping you make educated decisions about the future of your technology systems. For more information, give us a call at (585) 254-8710.
Moving your office is a difficult task. Moving furniture, personal objects, and technology can be a hassle that you don?t even want to think about. There?s nothing easy about moving your office?s technology to a new location, and we?re not going to let you do it alone! For reference, let?s examine the technology that you?re currently using in your office. You probably have plenty of workstations; one for each employee, and some spares just in case something happens. These workstations need to be connected to your business?s network so that users can access mission-critical software, crucial information systems, and other important resources. A cabling infrastructure can quickly grow uncontrollable, especially if you?re not practicing proper cabling procedures. Another problem that often comes up is the task of equipping your team with the right communications solutions. Setting up phone lines for each of your employees can be challenging, and you often need to consult both your budget and your organization?s floor plans in order to adjust for growth. There?s no better time to plan for the future and ensure that you can add or remove phone users as needed, than when you move to a new building. Then, there?s the topic that you might not even want to think about; moving your physical files. Lugging around heavy and unwieldy filing cabinets can be a pain in the neck. You should be asking yourself if you?re willing to forsake physical file storage in favor of a digital file storage format. You also need to consider which files you absolutely need to keep, and which ones you can do without. It?s imperative that you perform a full assessment of your business?s current assets, paper or otherwise, and ensure that you take only what you need. Doing so can lessen the burden of moving your office. Be certain to shred any outdated files that contain sensitive information before disposing of them. Info Advantage can assist your business with solutions specifically designed to increase mobility and communications in the workplace; many of which can make your move easier and improve operations. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP): With VoIP, your business can take advantage of telephony communication from anywhere with an Internet connection. Since the only connection you need is your network, you can avoid the complex cabling required for landline telephone systems. You just need to keep a close eye on your network resources and ensure that your bandwidth is enough to handle the quantity of calls. Info Advantage can assist you with both a network assessment and the implementation of your chosen VoIP system. The cloud and virtualization: Delegating information to your entire workforce can be challenging, but with cloud computing, it?s as simple as providing access to the Internet. Your employees can access software, data, and other important information through the cloud, all wirelessly without the need for intensive cabling. As long as your team has an Internet connection, they can use WiFi to connect to the cloud and access critical information. This allows for anytime, anywhere access. Electronic records storage: If your organization is having trouble with file storage, Info Advantage can equip your business with a solution that?s designed to help you eliminate unnecessary physical file storage systems in the office. Instead, you can store your files in a digital, compliant […]