As February is known as National Time Management month, we thought it would be fitting to research some of the top time management tips from Microsoft and share them with you all.
Time management is usually one of the most common issues in the way of productivity under normal circumstances. However, working from home comes with its own additional challenges. Time has always been one of the most precious and scarce resources. In today’s real life, we find ourselves managing work and personal time, as well as our digital time where we keep track of all the various apps we use.
In August 2020, Microsoft reported a 30% increase in scheduled meetings and a 1000% increase in video calls. They reported that 30% of the meetings scheduled were running over the scheduled times. The study also highlighted a 52% increase in the number of instant messages sent between 6pm and midnight – reflecting the home schooling challenges and disrupted work-life balance.
Spend less time preparing for meetings
Understandable, online meetings have replaced the everyday face-to-face meetings, as well as the informal office conversations, catch-ups and social conversations. With more meetings comes more time to prepare and the need for effective time management.
Being able to find the information you require quickly will make a significant difference in your daily time management. Outlook has a very cool feature which allows you to find the information you need for your meetings in one place. Meeting Insights brings the email messages and files that may be relevant for your meeting right into the event details on your calendar.
Microsoft have also made it easier and faster to see all the details for a meeting right from your inbox. You can switch between messages and meeting details, see who is attending and even add an online meeting link.
Outlook and Teams have come on a great deal. However, it is possible you may receive a meeting invitation from alternative online meeting services. For this, Microsoft have added a one-tap JOIN experience in Outlook mobile. So whether the invitation comes from Teams, Zoom, Webex or other platforms, all you need to do is tap JOIN and off you go!
Protect your personal time
Last year, Microsoft embarked on an insightful research (The Future of Work), set to uncover both good and challenging aspects of remote work. This allowed them to accelerate product development in the right areas and anticipate how work will change in the future. It also helped their customers thrive in this new world of work.
The report mentioned that the concept of 9 to 5 was fading away, with a more flexible schedule on the rise. Over the last 12 months, people have been working at the hours that are convenient for them, considering their personal and family commitments. Because of this, Microsoft reported that working hours increased in the mornings, evenings, and weekends.
With personal and working hours blending together and feeling the need to always be switched on, it is important to also consider time management personal matters.
It is now possible to add your personal calendar to your work account. This allows you to manage both work and personal time in one place. Microsoft have also thought about your privacy: the events in your personal calendar will show confidentially in your work account (set as busy with no details) when someone is looking to schedule a meeting with you using the Scheduling Assistant function.
To tackle the issue of ‘out-of-hours’ activity, Microsoft have introduced a scheduling feature in Outlook. You can now compose an email and then schedule for it to be delivered at a time that is convenient. This stops the ‘out-of-hours’ replies, as research suggested that people felt they had to reply to incoming emails no matter what time they landed in their inbox. Furthermore, it is now also possible to snooze and email so that you can come back to it at a better time or when you have the information you need to reply. You can do this my right-clicking on the message in Outlook on the web or swiping on the message in Outlook mobile.
Manage your calendar effectively
Microsoft suggests that getting things done at a convenient time and making sure you prioritise your to do list and breaks in your calendar can help you feel more in control and balanced.
It is now possible to crate tasks from a mobile email message. These are synced and available across Microsoft 365, include the same email subject and the original email content, as well as a link to the conversation in Outlook for quick reference from To Do.
However, sometimes the email subject is not detailed enough to be created as a task and we need to be more specific when we add an email as a task, so we know exactly what we need to do quickly. This can now be done by highlighting part of an email message and add it as a task. You can also use My Day in the calendar to make sure you are assigning time to complete the tasks that are important in your day and week.
And if you really want to make the most of the Microsoft time management tools, check out Play My Emails in Outlook. You can let Cortana read out your new messages so you can listen hands-free, stay connected and quickly learn if someone has made a change to your calendar. Of course, always check who is around you before using this tool in case some of the messages contain confidential information.
Microsoft 365 is constantly evolving and looking for ways to keep up with today’s demands. If you run Microsoft 365 but you don’t think you are using it to its full potential feel free to contact us on 0161 763 4529 and we will help you unblock the fantastic features at your disposal.
With remote working continuing to be the norm for the time being, we thought we would start our new year blog with some useful tips for staying secure while working from home.
We will take you through the benefits of:
Multifactor Authentication
VPN Encryption
Mobile Device Management
Managed Anti-Virus & Security
Backup Your Data
Multifactor Authentication
Having a strong password often isn’t enough. Multifactor authentication involves an additional step to add an extra layer of protection to your accounts. The extra step could be an email or text message confirmation, or even a biometric method such as facial recognition or a fingerprint scan.
Even if you are diligent and aware of the threats of malware and phishing, criminals can still steal your password. By using MFA, a hacker will not be able to access your sensitive data, even if they have your password. This extra layer of protection requires you to authenticate the session, making sure your team is one step closer to secure remote working.
VPN Encryption
VPN encryption is a method to generate a key to encrypt digital data so that unauthorized parties cannot access it. You can use encryption to protect and secure files on your computer or the data you send and receive. VPN encryption secures the data between a VPN client and a VPN tunnel, barring anyone from exploiting it.
Imagine you and your friends create a coded language that others cannot decode when they hear you using it. The only way to decode it and turn it into an understandable language is with a specific decryption key that only you and your friends have, and that cannot be stolen from you. A VPN encryption does the job for you by encrypting the everyday language you speak and turning into code while it travels to the recipient. This method helps you to protect sensitive information as well as stopping hackers from eavesdropping on your browsing activity.
Mobile Device Management
The average office worker will probably have more than one work device, probably a laptop and a smartphone, especially during a lockdown! These devices are deployed across multiple mobile service providers and across a number of operating systems. This can be little tricky to manage.
A mobile device management (MDM) solution allows IT administrators to control, secure and enforce policies on smartphones, tablets, and other endpoints. It relies on an endpoint software called an MDM agent and an MDM server that lives in a data centre, either on premises or in the cloud. IT administrators can configure policies through the MDM server’s management console. The server then pushes those policies to the MDM agent on the device.
Managed Anti-Virus & Security
Sometimes firewalls are not enough. Online threats can still get through. A good anti-virus software can act as the next line of defence by detecting and blocking known malware. Even if malware does manage to find its way onto your device, an anti-virus software may be able to detect and, in some cases, remove it.
The impressive growth in the selection of available anti-virus software is no accident. As computers advance and implement exciting new features, hackers have also progressed, making today’s computers and mobile devices vulnerable to increasingly complex attacks. This makes choosing the best anti-virus an increasingly important decision that should be taken in careful consideration. Viruses can take many forms, often infiltrating your system without any indication. It is important to make sure that all your devices are protected. One compromised device can be a gateway into your entire home network.
Backup Your Data
Data can be lost in several ways. These can include human error, physical damage to hardware, or a cyber-attack. While hardware backups are still an option, one of the most convenient and cost-effective ways to store your data is in the cloud. Cloud backup services come with a wealth of options enabling you to customise your backup schedule and storage options.
The words ‘Digital Transformation’ have been popular this year. Businesses found themselves having to rely on their technology and digital solutions to remain active during the pandemic.
As we carry on being urged to work from home, a growing number of businesses are looking into the digital solutions available and joining this rising transformation.
So, what do we mean by Digital Transformation?
Digital transformation is a combination of innovative tools and processes leveraged to solve difficulties and provide customer satisfaction. It requires all departments to work together in creating the changes required, introducing new business models and new revenue streams, whilst considering changes in customer expectations around products and services.
What drives digital transformation?
For the past several years, businesses have embarked in digital transformation to counter the potential for disruption from competition. Retailers, for example, have been answering Amazon’s digital march by refining their logistics and ensuring that products quickly make their way from local warehouses, before their store locations run out. There has also been a rise in e-commerce platforms for business, selling online either through a website or making use of social media.
However, the pandemic has forced businesses to reprioritise their strategic IT roadmaps, with many adopting cloud software for video collaboration and remote-access solutions. The main driver today is mainly to survive. For organisations to keep ‘business-as-usual’ they’ve had to face the digital solutions and make use of them to match their requirements.
Experts in the field predicted in March that, by 2024, over 50% of all IT spending would be directly for digital transformation and innovation – this being up from 31% in 2018. We would probably be safe to predict that if they were to carry out the research now, the percentage would be even higher.
A research business impact report conducted in July also highlighted that 59% of IT decision makers expressed pressure from the pandemic to accelerate their digital transformation efforts.
The people factor in digital transformation
A successful digital transformation demands not just innovative technologies, but changes in processes and the ability of organisations to get the most out of their employees. It is known that employees who feel inspired and collaborate well perform better than the rest, and the right digital solutions made available across all department can create harmony across the business.
Inspiration, communication, and collaboration—along with better use of technology and data—can drive innovation and greater levels of productivity. However, it is also important to make sure employees do not rely solely on digital and can carry on with their work should anything happen. It can be very tricky to get the balance right, and that’s where our expert team comes in.
Our clients across Manchester and other parts of the North West are benefitting from our knowledge and experience in creating the right digital platform for their business, with continued support and effective disaster recovery plans in place.
Make sure to follow our blog as we close 2020 with our top tips for tacking digital transformation.
Our team remains available to explain all the latest digital solutions currently available to businesses in the North West. Simply contact us on 0161 763 4529 or drop us an email at hello@codus.co.uk. Also follow us on Twitter @Codus_IT for all our latest news, tips and advice on everything IT.
The Covid-19 pandemic has increased the importance of ‘cloud computing’ in almost all businesses, making it a vital asset for their everyday operations. It is thanks to the cloud that some businesses have been able to keep going during the lockdown, allowing them to operate remotely. Businesses already operating within the cloud will have the upper hand for digital transformation and ongoing innovation that many organisations will need to embrace in the ‘new-normal’.
Should you move to the cloud?
Moving your operations to the cloud requires a well-thought-out strategy. There are choices in the type of migration to perform as well as the type of data that should move. Common elements of a cloud migration strategy include the following:
– evaluation of performance and security requirements
– selection of a cloud provider
– calculation of costs
– reorganisation deemed necessary
A business may choose to move operations to the cloud without any modifications (a lift-and-shift migration). Operations move directly from local servers to the cloud without any changes. This is essentially a 1-to-1 move done primarily as a short-term fix to save on IT infrastructure costs. In other cases, it might be more beneficial to change the architecture, known as application refactoring or rearchitecting.
A poorly planned migration could affect business performance. It could lead to higher IT costs, negating some of the main benefits of cloud computing.
Are thinking of moving to the cloud? If you would like to learn more on the process involved then contact our expert team on 0161 763 4529 or drop us a line at hello@codus.co.uk
Follow us on Twitter @Codus_IT for all our latest news and useful tips.
Cost – This is one of the main benefits of moving your business operations to the cloud. There would be no need to invest in the expensive hardware and software. Also, you will no longer need to worry about the server’s maintenance. On top of this, you would be saving on your electricity expenditure and recruitment costs, by no longer needing to hire the IT expertise in-house.
Scalability – The benefits of cloud computing services include the ability to increase or decrease your resources at a moment’s notice. This would result in your business having access to the right amount of IT resources right when they are needed. Whether you are growing or downsizing, or if a business is operating nationally with a remote workforce, the services will be available right away to match the business requirements.
Productivity – By moving your IT infrastructure to the cloud, you are allowing your in-house team to focus on achieving more important business goals. They would no longer need to spend their time managing the hardware set-up, software patching and other IT management chores.
Performance – The biggest cloud computing services run on a worldwide network of secure data centres, regularly upgraded to the latest generation of hardware and offering several benefits over a single corporate data centre. Performance benefits would also include easier and less expensive data backup, disaster recovery and business continuity plans.
Security – Many cloud providers offer a broad set of policies, technologies and controls that strengthen your IT security overall, adding extra peace of mind to your data and IT infrastructure from potential cyber threats.
Should you move to the cloud?
Moving your operations to the cloud requires a well-thought-out strategy. There are choices in the type of migration to perform as well as the type of data that should move. Common elements of a cloud migration strategy include the following:
– evaluation of performance and security requirements
– selection of a cloud provider
– calculation of costs
– reorganisation deemed necessary
A business may choose to move operations to the cloud without any modifications (a lift-and-shift migration). Operations move directly from local servers to the cloud without any changes. This is essentially a 1-to-1 move done primarily as a short-term fix to save on IT infrastructure costs. In other cases, it might be more beneficial to change the architecture, known as application refactoring or rearchitecting.
A poorly planned migration could affect business performance. It could lead to higher IT costs, negating some of the main benefits of cloud computing.
Are thinking of moving to the cloud? If you would like to learn more on the process involved then contact our expert team on 0161 763 4529 or drop us a line at hello@codus.co.uk
Follow us on Twitter @Codus_IT for all our latest news and useful tips.
The benefits of cloud computing
Cost – This is one of the main benefits of moving your business operations to the cloud. There would be no need to invest in the expensive hardware and software. Also, you will no longer need to worry about the server’s maintenance. On top of this, you would be saving on your electricity expenditure and recruitment costs, by no longer needing to hire the IT expertise in-house.
Scalability – The benefits of cloud computing services include the ability to increase or decrease your resources at a moment’s notice. This would result in your business having access to the right amount of IT resources right when they are needed. Whether you are growing or downsizing, or if a business is operating nationally with a remote workforce, the services will be available right away to match the business requirements.
Productivity – By moving your IT infrastructure to the cloud, you are allowing your in-house team to focus on achieving more important business goals. They would no longer need to spend their time managing the hardware set-up, software patching and other IT management chores.
Performance – The biggest cloud computing services run on a worldwide network of secure data centres, regularly upgraded to the latest generation of hardware and offering several benefits over a single corporate data centre. Performance benefits would also include easier and less expensive data backup, disaster recovery and business continuity plans.
Security – Many cloud providers offer a broad set of policies, technologies and controls that strengthen your IT security overall, adding extra peace of mind to your data and IT infrastructure from potential cyber threats.
Should you move to the cloud?
Moving your operations to the cloud requires a well-thought-out strategy. There are choices in the type of migration to perform as well as the type of data that should move. Common elements of a cloud migration strategy include the following:
– evaluation of performance and security requirements
– selection of a cloud provider
– calculation of costs
– reorganisation deemed necessary
A business may choose to move operations to the cloud without any modifications (a lift-and-shift migration). Operations move directly from local servers to the cloud without any changes. This is essentially a 1-to-1 move done primarily as a short-term fix to save on IT infrastructure costs. In other cases, it might be more beneficial to change the architecture, known as application refactoring or rearchitecting.
A poorly planned migration could affect business performance. It could lead to higher IT costs, negating some of the main benefits of cloud computing.
Are thinking of moving to the cloud? If you would like to learn more on the process involved then contact our expert team on 0161 763 4529 or drop us a line at hello@codus.co.uk
Follow us on Twitter @Codus_IT for all our latest news and useful tips.
Public Cloud – A public cloud is owned and operated by third-party service providers. They will own and manage all the IT infrastructure, including hardware and software. You will have user access to the services and will be able to manage your account using a web browser.
Private Cloud – A private cloud refers to cloud computing resources used exclusively by a single business. This is maintained on a private network and can either be physically located on-site or hosted by a third-party service provider.
Hybrid Cloud – A hybrid cloud combines public and private settings, linked together by technology that allows data and applications to be shared between them. This type of set-up can bring greater flexibility to a business with optimised infrastructure, security and compliance.
The benefits of cloud computing
Cost – This is one of the main benefits of moving your business operations to the cloud. There would be no need to invest in the expensive hardware and software. Also, you will no longer need to worry about the server’s maintenance. On top of this, you would be saving on your electricity expenditure and recruitment costs, by no longer needing to hire the IT expertise in-house.
Scalability – The benefits of cloud computing services include the ability to increase or decrease your resources at a moment’s notice. This would result in your business having access to the right amount of IT resources right when they are needed. Whether you are growing or downsizing, or if a business is operating nationally with a remote workforce, the services will be available right away to match the business requirements.
Productivity – By moving your IT infrastructure to the cloud, you are allowing your in-house team to focus on achieving more important business goals. They would no longer need to spend their time managing the hardware set-up, software patching and other IT management chores.
Performance – The biggest cloud computing services run on a worldwide network of secure data centres, regularly upgraded to the latest generation of hardware and offering several benefits over a single corporate data centre. Performance benefits would also include easier and less expensive data backup, disaster recovery and business continuity plans.
Security – Many cloud providers offer a broad set of policies, technologies and controls that strengthen your IT security overall, adding extra peace of mind to your data and IT infrastructure from potential cyber threats.
Should you move to the cloud?
Moving your operations to the cloud requires a well-thought-out strategy. There are choices in the type of migration to perform as well as the type of data that should move. Common elements of a cloud migration strategy include the following:
– evaluation of performance and security requirements
– selection of a cloud provider
– calculation of costs
– reorganisation deemed necessary
A business may choose to move operations to the cloud without any modifications (a lift-and-shift migration). Operations move directly from local servers to the cloud without any changes. This is essentially a 1-to-1 move done primarily as a short-term fix to save on IT infrastructure costs. In other cases, it might be more beneficial to change the architecture, known as application refactoring or rearchitecting.
A poorly planned migration could affect business performance. It could lead to higher IT costs, negating some of the main benefits of cloud computing.
Are thinking of moving to the cloud? If you would like to learn more on the process involved then contact our expert team on 0161 763 4529 or drop us a line at hello@codus.co.uk
Follow us on Twitter @Codus_IT for all our latest news and useful tips.
Public Cloud – A public cloud is owned and operated by third-party service providers. They will own and manage all the IT infrastructure, including hardware and software. You will have user access to the services and will be able to manage your account using a web browser.
Private Cloud – A private cloud refers to cloud computing resources used exclusively by a single business. This is maintained on a private network and can either be physically located on-site or hosted by a third-party service provider.
Hybrid Cloud – A hybrid cloud combines public and private settings, linked together by technology that allows data and applications to be shared between them. This type of set-up can bring greater flexibility to a business with optimised infrastructure, security and compliance.
The benefits of cloud computing
Cost – This is one of the main benefits of moving your business operations to the cloud. There would be no need to invest in the expensive hardware and software. Also, you will no longer need to worry about the server’s maintenance. On top of this, you would be saving on your electricity expenditure and recruitment costs, by no longer needing to hire the IT expertise in-house.
Scalability – The benefits of cloud computing services include the ability to increase or decrease your resources at a moment’s notice. This would result in your business having access to the right amount of IT resources right when they are needed. Whether you are growing or downsizing, or if a business is operating nationally with a remote workforce, the services will be available right away to match the business requirements.
Productivity – By moving your IT infrastructure to the cloud, you are allowing your in-house team to focus on achieving more important business goals. They would no longer need to spend their time managing the hardware set-up, software patching and other IT management chores.
Performance – The biggest cloud computing services run on a worldwide network of secure data centres, regularly upgraded to the latest generation of hardware and offering several benefits over a single corporate data centre. Performance benefits would also include easier and less expensive data backup, disaster recovery and business continuity plans.
Security – Many cloud providers offer a broad set of policies, technologies and controls that strengthen your IT security overall, adding extra peace of mind to your data and IT infrastructure from potential cyber threats.
Should you move to the cloud?
Moving your operations to the cloud requires a well-thought-out strategy. There are choices in the type of migration to perform as well as the type of data that should move. Common elements of a cloud migration strategy include the following:
– evaluation of performance and security requirements
– selection of a cloud provider
– calculation of costs
– reorganisation deemed necessary
A business may choose to move operations to the cloud without any modifications (a lift-and-shift migration). Operations move directly from local servers to the cloud without any changes. This is essentially a 1-to-1 move done primarily as a short-term fix to save on IT infrastructure costs. In other cases, it might be more beneficial to change the architecture, known as application refactoring or rearchitecting.
A poorly planned migration could affect business performance. It could lead to higher IT costs, negating some of the main benefits of cloud computing.
Are thinking of moving to the cloud? If you would like to learn more on the process involved then contact our expert team on 0161 763 4529 or drop us a line at hello@codus.co.uk
Follow us on Twitter @Codus_IT for all our latest news and useful tips.
Cloud migration is the process of transferring data, applications and other business elements to a cloud computing online environment. So, computing services such as servers, storage, databases, networking and software will be hosted online (on the cloud). This will offer faster innovation and flexible resources.
Public Cloud – A public cloud is owned and operated by third-party service providers. They will own and manage all the IT infrastructure, including hardware and software. You will have user access to the services and will be able to manage your account using a web browser.
Private Cloud – A private cloud refers to cloud computing resources used exclusively by a single business. This is maintained on a private network and can either be physically located on-site or hosted by a third-party service provider.
Hybrid Cloud – A hybrid cloud combines public and private settings, linked together by technology that allows data and applications to be shared between them. This type of set-up can bring greater flexibility to a business with optimised infrastructure, security and compliance.
The benefits of cloud computing
Cost – This is one of the main benefits of moving your business operations to the cloud. There would be no need to invest in the expensive hardware and software. Also, you will no longer need to worry about the server’s maintenance. On top of this, you would be saving on your electricity expenditure and recruitment costs, by no longer needing to hire the IT expertise in-house.
Scalability – The benefits of cloud computing services include the ability to increase or decrease your resources at a moment’s notice. This would result in your business having access to the right amount of IT resources right when they are needed. Whether you are growing or downsizing, or if a business is operating nationally with a remote workforce, the services will be available right away to match the business requirements.
Productivity – By moving your IT infrastructure to the cloud, you are allowing your in-house team to focus on achieving more important business goals. They would no longer need to spend their time managing the hardware set-up, software patching and other IT management chores.
Performance – The biggest cloud computing services run on a worldwide network of secure data centres, regularly upgraded to the latest generation of hardware and offering several benefits over a single corporate data centre. Performance benefits would also include easier and less expensive data backup, disaster recovery and business continuity plans.
Security – Many cloud providers offer a broad set of policies, technologies and controls that strengthen your IT security overall, adding extra peace of mind to your data and IT infrastructure from potential cyber threats.
Should you move to the cloud?
Moving your operations to the cloud requires a well-thought-out strategy. There are choices in the type of migration to perform as well as the type of data that should move. Common elements of a cloud migration strategy include the following:
– evaluation of performance and security requirements
– selection of a cloud provider
– calculation of costs
– reorganisation deemed necessary
A business may choose to move operations to the cloud without any modifications (a lift-and-shift migration). Operations move directly from local servers to the cloud without any changes. This is essentially a 1-to-1 move done primarily as a short-term fix to save on IT infrastructure costs. In other cases, it might be more beneficial to change the architecture, known as application refactoring or rearchitecting.
A poorly planned migration could affect business performance. It could lead to higher IT costs, negating some of the main benefits of cloud computing.
Are thinking of moving to the cloud? If you would like to learn more on the process involved then contact our expert team on 0161 763 4529 or drop us a line at hello@codus.co.uk
Follow us on Twitter @Codus_IT for all our latest news and useful tips.
What is Cloud Migration?
Cloud migration is the process of transferring data, applications and other business elements to a cloud computing online environment. So, computing services such as servers, storage, databases, networking and software will be hosted online (on the cloud). This will offer faster innovation and flexible resources.
Public Cloud – A public cloud is owned and operated by third-party service providers. They will own and manage all the IT infrastructure, including hardware and software. You will have user access to the services and will be able to manage your account using a web browser.
Private Cloud – A private cloud refers to cloud computing resources used exclusively by a single business. This is maintained on a private network and can either be physically located on-site or hosted by a third-party service provider.
Hybrid Cloud – A hybrid cloud combines public and private settings, linked together by technology that allows data and applications to be shared between them. This type of set-up can bring greater flexibility to a business with optimised infrastructure, security and compliance.
The benefits of cloud computing
Cost – This is one of the main benefits of moving your business operations to the cloud. There would be no need to invest in the expensive hardware and software. Also, you will no longer need to worry about the server’s maintenance. On top of this, you would be saving on your electricity expenditure and recruitment costs, by no longer needing to hire the IT expertise in-house.
Scalability – The benefits of cloud computing services include the ability to increase or decrease your resources at a moment’s notice. This would result in your business having access to the right amount of IT resources right when they are needed. Whether you are growing or downsizing, or if a business is operating nationally with a remote workforce, the services will be available right away to match the business requirements.
Productivity – By moving your IT infrastructure to the cloud, you are allowing your in-house team to focus on achieving more important business goals. They would no longer need to spend their time managing the hardware set-up, software patching and other IT management chores.
Performance – The biggest cloud computing services run on a worldwide network of secure data centres, regularly upgraded to the latest generation of hardware and offering several benefits over a single corporate data centre. Performance benefits would also include easier and less expensive data backup, disaster recovery and business continuity plans.
Security – Many cloud providers offer a broad set of policies, technologies and controls that strengthen your IT security overall, adding extra peace of mind to your data and IT infrastructure from potential cyber threats.
Should you move to the cloud?
Moving your operations to the cloud requires a well-thought-out strategy. There are choices in the type of migration to perform as well as the type of data that should move. Common elements of a cloud migration strategy include the following:
– evaluation of performance and security requirements
– selection of a cloud provider
– calculation of costs
– reorganisation deemed necessary
A business may choose to move operations to the cloud without any modifications (a lift-and-shift migration). Operations move directly from local servers to the cloud without any changes. This is essentially a 1-to-1 move done primarily as a short-term fix to save on IT infrastructure costs. In other cases, it might be more beneficial to change the architecture, known as application refactoring or rearchitecting.
A poorly planned migration could affect business performance. It could lead to higher IT costs, negating some of the main benefits of cloud computing.
Are thinking of moving to the cloud? If you would like to learn more on the process involved then contact our expert team on 0161 763 4529 or drop us a line at hello@codus.co.uk
Follow us on Twitter @Codus_IT for all our latest news and useful tips.
A recent study (Cloud 2025: The future of workloads in a cloud-first, post-COVID-19 world) conducted between May and June this year (2020), highlighted that while the full picture is still evolving, Covid-19 has become a powerful catalyst for cloud migration. The study also revealed that 87% of IT decision makers strongly believe that coronavirus is the reason cloud migration will be accelerated. Nearly three quarters of the respondents stating that the next five years will see 95% of workloads being moved to the cloud. So, if you are still new to the term ‘cloud’, here are some key facts you need to know.
What is Cloud Migration?
Cloud migration is the process of transferring data, applications and other business elements to a cloud computing online environment. So, computing services such as servers, storage, databases, networking and software will be hosted online (on the cloud). This will offer faster innovation and flexible resources.
Public Cloud – A public cloud is owned and operated by third-party service providers. They will own and manage all the IT infrastructure, including hardware and software. You will have user access to the services and will be able to manage your account using a web browser.
Private Cloud – A private cloud refers to cloud computing resources used exclusively by a single business. This is maintained on a private network and can either be physically located on-site or hosted by a third-party service provider.
Hybrid Cloud – A hybrid cloud combines public and private settings, linked together by technology that allows data and applications to be shared between them. This type of set-up can bring greater flexibility to a business with optimised infrastructure, security and compliance.
The benefits of cloud computing
Cost – This is one of the main benefits of moving your business operations to the cloud. There would be no need to invest in the expensive hardware and software. Also, you will no longer need to worry about the server’s maintenance. On top of this, you would be saving on your electricity expenditure and recruitment costs, by no longer needing to hire the IT expertise in-house.
Scalability – The benefits of cloud computing services include the ability to increase or decrease your resources at a moment’s notice. This would result in your business having access to the right amount of IT resources right when they are needed. Whether you are growing or downsizing, or if a business is operating nationally with a remote workforce, the services will be available right away to match the business requirements.
Productivity – By moving your IT infrastructure to the cloud, you are allowing your in-house team to focus on achieving more important business goals. They would no longer need to spend their time managing the hardware set-up, software patching and other IT management chores.
Performance – The biggest cloud computing services run on a worldwide network of secure data centres, regularly upgraded to the latest generation of hardware and offering several benefits over a single corporate data centre. Performance benefits would also include easier and less expensive data backup, disaster recovery and business continuity plans.
Security – Many cloud providers offer a broad set of policies, technologies and controls that strengthen your IT security overall, adding extra peace of mind to your data and IT infrastructure from potential cyber threats.
Should you move to the cloud?
Moving your operations to the cloud requires a well-thought-out strategy. There are choices in the type of migration to perform as well as the type of data that should move. Common elements of a cloud migration strategy include the following:
– evaluation of performance and security requirements
– selection of a cloud provider
– calculation of costs
– reorganisation deemed necessary
A business may choose to move operations to the cloud without any modifications (a lift-and-shift migration). Operations move directly from local servers to the cloud without any changes. This is essentially a 1-to-1 move done primarily as a short-term fix to save on IT infrastructure costs. In other cases, it might be more beneficial to change the architecture, known as application refactoring or rearchitecting.
A poorly planned migration could affect business performance. It could lead to higher IT costs, negating some of the main benefits of cloud computing.
Are thinking of moving to the cloud? If you would like to learn more on the process involved then contact our expert team on 0161 763 4529 or drop us a line at hello@codus.co.uk
Follow us on Twitter @Codus_IT for all our latest news and useful tips.
A recent study (Cloud 2025: The future of workloads in a cloud-first, post-COVID-19 world) conducted between May and June this year (2020), highlighted that while the full picture is still evolving, Covid-19 has become a powerful catalyst for cloud migration. The study also revealed that 87% of IT decision makers strongly believe that coronavirus is the reason cloud migration will be accelerated. Nearly three quarters of the respondents stating that the next five years will see 95% of workloads being moved to the cloud. So, if you are still new to the term ‘cloud’, here are some key facts you need to know.
What is Cloud Migration?
Cloud migration is the process of transferring data, applications and other business elements to a cloud computing online environment. So, computing services such as servers, storage, databases, networking and software will be hosted online (on the cloud). This will offer faster innovation and flexible resources.
Public Cloud – A public cloud is owned and operated by third-party service providers. They will own and manage all the IT infrastructure, including hardware and software. You will have user access to the services and will be able to manage your account using a web browser.
Private Cloud – A private cloud refers to cloud computing resources used exclusively by a single business. This is maintained on a private network and can either be physically located on-site or hosted by a third-party service provider.
Hybrid Cloud – A hybrid cloud combines public and private settings, linked together by technology that allows data and applications to be shared between them. This type of set-up can bring greater flexibility to a business with optimised infrastructure, security and compliance.
The benefits of cloud computing
Cost – This is one of the main benefits of moving your business operations to the cloud. There would be no need to invest in the expensive hardware and software. Also, you will no longer need to worry about the server’s maintenance. On top of this, you would be saving on your electricity expenditure and recruitment costs, by no longer needing to hire the IT expertise in-house.
Scalability – The benefits of cloud computing services include the ability to increase or decrease your resources at a moment’s notice. This would result in your business having access to the right amount of IT resources right when they are needed. Whether you are growing or downsizing, or if a business is operating nationally with a remote workforce, the services will be available right away to match the business requirements.
Productivity – By moving your IT infrastructure to the cloud, you are allowing your in-house team to focus on achieving more important business goals. They would no longer need to spend their time managing the hardware set-up, software patching and other IT management chores.
Performance – The biggest cloud computing services run on a worldwide network of secure data centres, regularly upgraded to the latest generation of hardware and offering several benefits over a single corporate data centre. Performance benefits would also include easier and less expensive data backup, disaster recovery and business continuity plans.
Security – Many cloud providers offer a broad set of policies, technologies and controls that strengthen your IT security overall, adding extra peace of mind to your data and IT infrastructure from potential cyber threats.
Should you move to the cloud?
Moving your operations to the cloud requires a well-thought-out strategy. There are choices in the type of migration to perform as well as the type of data that should move. Common elements of a cloud migration strategy include the following:
– evaluation of performance and security requirements
– selection of a cloud provider
– calculation of costs
– reorganisation deemed necessary
A business may choose to move operations to the cloud without any modifications (a lift-and-shift migration). Operations move directly from local servers to the cloud without any changes. This is essentially a 1-to-1 move done primarily as a short-term fix to save on IT infrastructure costs. In other cases, it might be more beneficial to change the architecture, known as application refactoring or rearchitecting.
A poorly planned migration could affect business performance. It could lead to higher IT costs, negating some of the main benefits of cloud computing.
Are thinking of moving to the cloud? If you would like to learn more on the process involved then contact our expert team on 0161 763 4529 or drop us a line at hello@codus.co.uk
Follow us on Twitter @Codus_IT for all our latest news and useful tips.
