Should I Move My Information Technology Services to the Cloud?
Businesses rely on technology now more than at any point in history. Hiring a full IT department, or even just a couple of experts, is costly and can limit your company’s growth: nevertheless, most companies swallow the cost knowing that there’s no alternative. Well, now there is. You can get cloud IT services, essentially a full IT department that operates remotely. Save time and money with managed IT services.
This way of handling essential business tasks is nothing new. Third-party companies have allowed businesses to outsource everything from cleaning the bathrooms to accounting to physical security. Rather than take the time to hire personnel for these functions, you can just bring in a company that knows how to do the work. IT has reached that same level thanks to higher internet speeds and increased interconnectivity. So, how do cloud IT services work, and how will they help your company?
Should I Move My Information Technology Services to the Cloud? Cloud IT Services Explained
What Does It Mean to Have IT Services in the Cloud?
At first, the idea of having your IT department far away in the cloud might seem strange, perhaps even impossible. But IT in many ways is the perfect fit for remotely managed services. After all, remote work was pioneered by IT professionals. And now that most applications and services are connected to the internet, it’s possible for an IT team halfway around the world to manage your IT without any issues.
Cloud IT services also go by the name IT as a service (ITaaS) or Managed IT Department (MID). The idea is that you’ll pay a monthly fee for 24/7/365 IT service. If there’s ever a problem, you simply reach out to your service provider and we’ll get right on it. This equates to cost savings as you may not need any full-time employees in your IT department at all. Managed IT services are available any time of the day too.
What Your Business Needs to Do
Virtually every business can take advantage of ITaaS. However, there are a few things you’ll need to do in order to enjoy the full array of options that a managed services provider can offer. Of course, if you decide to switch to a cloud-based IT service provider like Cyber Command, we’ll be sure to help you set up your systems to get the most out of your services. So, what will you need to get started?
The most important thing is internet connectivity. Cloud services can only intervene on devices that are connected to the internet. If your office needs additional networking equipment to make this possible, we can provide you with recommendations and help you set up your new hardware. The more you’re connected, the easier it is to support you with whatever you may need. But can a remote IT department really do everything that an in-house team can? You might be surprised.
What Can Cloud IT Services Actually Do?
A managed IT department can handle the vast majority of your IT needs. In fact, there are many things cloud-based service can do that your typical in-person crew cannot. Cloud-based IT experts are available all day, which reduces downtime if problems arise. In addition, we can leverage other technologies to protect your systems. For example, machine learning algorithms can detect suspicious activity on your network or on your website, allowing us to react faster and prevent problems before they happen.
Another reason to consider switching to managed IT is that you’ll never be without the skills you need. No matter how great your in-house IT team is, there will always be something they don’t know. Technology is constantly evolving and branching out. Gone are the days when a single person could know it all and keep the ship afloat. You need a team with diverse backgrounds, which is exactly what we have. Ultimately, managed IT can accomplish everything you need.
Protect Your Data
One of the most important things your remote IT team will do for you is protect your precious data. Data breaches were already on the rise before the pandemic sent many workers home. From there, they only increased further. Remote work has led to a lot of lapses in cybersecurity since a company’s IT department couldn’t monitor activity outside of their facilities. But a cloud-based IT service provider can see everything everywhere.
When your files are in cloud storage or on internet-connected servers that allow remote access, we can keep a watchful eye on all your data. If something seems amiss, we’ll notify you right away and take action to prevent damage. For instance, if an employee that has never logged in at night suddenly does, our automated software will follow their actions to see if there is anything unusual. It could be that their credentials were compromised.
Help You Achieve Compliance
Is your business ready to be compliant with data privacy laws? If not, it’s time to get up to code. Laws like the CCPA in California and the GDPR in Europe are only the beginning of data privacy legislation. We expect to see national legislation on data privacy in the United States in the near future, and many other nations are likely to follow suit. These new laws force companies to protect consumer personal information according to strict standards.
In addition, they grant consumers the right to request a data report. You will have to provide the individual with a full report that details all the data you have on that person. They can then request you delete that data as well, and you must comply unless you’re actively using the information for business with that individual. Is your company able to fulfill these requests? Managed IT will always make sure you stay compliant.
Help Your Business Scale
Not having enough IT staff can be a bottleneck for your business. With MID, you don’t have to worry about hiring new IT personnel since you’ll have a whole company backing up your business. Besides, hiring is a hassle. If you’re not an IT expert yourself, you may not even know what skills you need to look for in potential candidates. You could wind up hiring people who can’t carry your business further.
That’s why many SMBs prefer managed services over hiring. It’s much easier to scale up when you only have to worry about your core business activities, the ones that actually make you money.
Planning for the Future
Another way MID helps you company scale is by giving you insight into what the future holds. The people that work at managed IT companies are not shy about their passion. We love IT, and we’re always keeping up with the latest developments in the field. We know what’s just around the corner, and we can help you stay ahead of your competition. If we spot a new technology that could benefit your business, we’ll help you set it up.
Likewise, we can also recommend upgrades to help improve your productivity. When everything’s managed through the cloud, it becomes easy to spot weak links in your systems. Maybe you need faster networking, more storage, or better computers. Whatever the case, we’ll find your pain points and help you heal them.
Set Up New Software
Can cloud IT professionals really work on your office computers? Thanks to remote desktop connections, this is actually easier than ever. If your office is set up so that each computer opens a session from your main server, then it’s as simple as telling the server to push new software to each machine. But even if all of your computers are independent, we can remotely access them to install any software you need.
We’ll help you keep them clean too! If you need to remove old programs, we can take care of it and keep each computer running well. Software management is just the tip of the cloud IT iceberg.
Troubleshoot Problems
If you’re having problems with a computer, we can examine it ourselves remotely. Of course, there are certain things that may require a hand in the office. We can’t pull a plug out of the wall remotely. But managed services are there to help people understand how to execute some of these tasks successfully. So even your least IT-capable employee can get the support they need.
Train Your Staff
Speaking of working with employees, we can also train your IT team. If you do have an IT employee on site and would like them to handle more responsibilities, we’ll work with them. Your IT personnel become our closest partners, and together we make great things happen. We call this “co-managed IT”, and we’ll never turn down the opportunity to help your staff grow.
Get Started
Cloud IT services are the future of IT. There’s no need to build your own team when you have one of the best available at a moment’s notice. Whatever your needs are, we can cover them. Contact Cyber Command and schedule a technology strategy session to go over your IT goals and learn how we can help you reach them.
