Nov 25, 2013 | SMB Technology
This time of year most organizations are looking at 2014. Analyzing IT trends allows you to budget for the upcoming year, as well as, keep up with the competition. Reviewing 2014 IT Trends can help ensure your core systems stay up to date and help you grow your business. There are a number of important trends that many companies will take advantage of to reduce risks, gain more customers and reduce costs. Here is What to Watch for 2014 IT Trends: IT Security IT Security will continue as one of the top areas of concern for most business owners when they think about technology in 2014. IT Security tops the short list of 2014 IT Trends and is driven by cyber security threat, concerns over privacy data issues and security risks related to mobile computing (e.g. Mobile Device theft/loss, virus and malware infection). Cloud Computing Most companies have adopted some form of cloud based technologies within their business. File sharing/cloud sharing services, remote backup and disaster recovery all fuel the need for robust networking and highly available Internet connectivity. With the retirement of Windows XP anticipated in April of 2014, many companies will turn to the cloud for modernized office productivity solutions, including virtual desktops and hosted email. Mobile Applications & Touch Technologies The latest release of Windows 8.1 relies heavily on a Touch user interface. Many technology consumers are familiar with touch technologies on their smartphones and tablet computers. Demand for these devices is expected to be strong. Many manufacturers are launching an array of touch enabled laptops, convertible computers and tablet computers that are touch enabled. This...
Nov 12, 2013 | SMB Technology
Technology has become an integral part of most small businesses. Email has replaced the fax machine. An onslaught of mobile devices have replaced cash registers, binders and note pads. Pencil and paper no longer keep up with the velocity of business today. In order to attract new customers and deliver products and services at competitive prices, small business technology is the cornerstone to automation and profitability. Cloud computing, mobility and consumerization of IT make it affordable for small businesses to deploy systems that were once reserved for large scale enterprise. With ready access to small businesses technology, there is also more reliance on these core systems. Small businesses are also targets of cyber attack because they may be perceived as more vulnerable and less vigilant. Also, small businesses may be less resilient to business disruption related to systems failure. Accordingly, Small Businesses should take every precaution to protect applications and their data. They should also properly assess their risks and exposure to ensure they get the most from their small business IT Budgets. What can small businesses do to make sure these systems support the ongoing operations with minimal interruption? Small Business Technology Inventory A good place to start is to take inventory of your systems and data. It is good policy to document all of your IT assets including hardware, networking devices, application software and data so you can have a complete view of your IT Systems. Make sure you include mobile devices, cloud computing or software as a service (SaaS) systems, as well as, custom applications and legacy systems. Small Business Technology Risk Assessment Once you have...
May 10, 2013 | SMB Technology
Cloud Computing adoption is on the rise for businesses looking to reduce capital expenditure and avoid software licensing. According to the Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA) Annual Trends in Cloud Computing Survey forty two percent of respondents turned to the cloud to modernize legacy IT. Forty two percent of those Business Owners and IT Executives cited Cloud Computing as simply a better option and fifty percent surveyed were moving to the cloud to cut costs. Many companies have turned to Cloud Computing without even knowing it. Through rogue IT (end user adoption without IT assistance) employees may be using cloud backup technologies for file sharing, mobile applications that connect to the cloud and other productivity tools. Here are some ways your company can make a strategic investment in Cloud Computing to extend the life of your existing IT Infrastructure. Cloud Computing for Desktop as a Service Some companies have older desktop, laptop and servers that are not able to run the latest version of office productivity applications or other desktop software. Because these systems may not have fast enough processors, inadequate memory or are lacking in an updated operating system O/S, some companies had adopted hosted or cloud versions of these productivity applications to gain access to the latest applications without having to upgrade their computers. Cloud Computing for Hosted Email Hosted email services are another way for you to gain access to the latest version of popular products like Microsoft Exchange without having to upgrade servers and pay up front license fees. By migrating to a cloud based version, you can have access to the latest updates for...
Feb 8, 2013 | SMB Technology, Uncategorized
If you are still foggy about Cloud Technology, don’t feel too badly. According to a recent survey of one thousand adults by Wakefield Research over 50% of respondents believe that weather patterns have an impact on Cloud Computing! The reality is most of us are using the cloud whether we know it our not. Cloud Computing is a cost effect way for companies to have access to enterprise class infrastructure they may not be able to otherwise afford. The Cloud can lower capital expense for your business while helping you upgrade your IT Infrastructure. So What is Cloud Computing and How Can Cloud Computing Help my Business? Here are a Few Ways you May Benefit. Software as a Service Software as a Service (SaaS) is a popular cloud based model for getting access to enterprise applications. Instead of having dedicated software running on your company premise you can opt for a cloud based version of your software running across the Internet. In most cases the Cloud option has the same features and performance as the “on premise” counterpart. There are many applications available in the Cloud including Customer Relationship Management (CRM), Sales Force Automation (SFA), Email and even Office Productivity Applications (e.g. Word, Excel, Powerpoint). Cloud Backup Cloud Backup or Remote Backup is another option for your business. Many companies rely on tape backup for their business. Cloud Backup provides an additional option for offsite backup and storage. Your application data, files and other important IT assets are stored across the internet using Cloud Backup. In many cases Cloud Backup Technology can back up as quickly as your local...
Dec 7, 2012 | SMB Technology
2013 IT Trends There are a number of driving factors that will influence 2013 IT trends. These trends include Mobility, Cloud Computing, Disaster Recovery and IT Security. These 2013 IT trends will influence IT budgets and plans, while enabling companies to take advantage of mobile computing, enterprise infrastructure, software as a service (SaaS), social networks and more. Here are some predictions for 2013. Mobility A top 2013 IT Trend is Mobility. Mobility and mobile device management go hand in hand. Most IT industry analysts agree market growth of smartphones and tablet computers will outpace PCs in 2013. The IT Industry research firm IDC is now projecting that 172.4 million tablets will ship in 2013. Mary Meeker, former internet analyst turned venture capitalist noted 24% of Black Friday shopping occurred on a smartphone or tablet in 2012. Microsoft also hopes to get a large share of the tablet PC market with its recent release of Microsoft Windows 8 RT Tablet. This trend in mobility will drive the greater need for Mobile Device Management and mobile security as more corporate data will reside on and be accessed by mobile devices than ever before. Cloud Computing Another 2013 IT Trend is Cloud Computing. In 2012 many companies turned to the cloud to access enterprise class infrastructure, remote support, online backup and software as a service (SaaS) for critical applications, such as email, sales force automation (SFA) and customer relationship management (CRM). Expect additional growth in cloud adoption from managed security solutions for anti-virus and anti-malware protection, as well as other data protection services. IT research firm Gartner predicts by 2015 ten percent...
