February 2014 - Focalized Networks

Cloud Computing and Your Network

With Cloud Computing, your employees require consistent and reliable bandwidth over the internet to connect with the most popular cloud applications. As Cloud Computing is becoming more important in business, it is becoming increasingly necessary to protect your network. Cloud Computing is an undeniable trend. Most industry analysts forecast strong growth for The Cloud. From a September 2013 forecast from International Data Corp., worldwide spending on public IT cloud services is predicted to reach $107 billion by 2017, an increase from $47.4 billion in 2013. This trend in cloud computing is driving mega deals, such as the acquisition of Time Warner Cable by Comcast, as cable is a popular option for business class internet.

Is your Computer Network ready for Mobile?

A WiFi network is a practical way to connect laptops, convertibles, tablet PCs, and smartphones to your business. However, mobile devices can tax your computer network performance and security. To ensure smooth and consistent network connectivity, your computer network needs to accommodate the additional bandwidth requirements of those mobile devices. Additionally, mobile devices may be a source of virus, Malware, or phishing schemes on your computer network. Remember that your network security is only as strong as its weakest link. Keep your mobile devices up to date with the latest Anti-Virus and Anti-Malware updates.

Ensure Network Security

Cyber Criminals and hackers put your network security on the defense. It is important that you protect your network with intrusion prevention, firewall, anti-spam, Anti-Malware, and web-filtering capabilities. These necessary defense mechanisms help prevent unauthorized access to business applications and other data attached to your network. It is also a good idea to monitor and scan your network periodically to detect any unauthorized access that may have made it past your first line of defense.

Your Computer Network is the lifeline of your business for Cloud Computing, mobility, and employee productivity. To get the most from your IT investment, your network needs to be bullet proof. If you believe you can get better performance from your network or are unsure about your network security, contact your computer network professional today.

It seems a majority of companies are adopting Cloud Computing as a significant portion of their IT infrastructure. According the Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA) 4th Annual Trends in Cloud Computing, sixty percent of companies surveyed, reported they rely on Cloud Computing for at least thirty percent of their IT infrastructure.

Transitioning to Cloud Computing? Here’s How to Avoid the Turbulence.

There are number of implementation challenges to cloud computing deployment. As a result, it is important that your cloud computing deployments are carefully planned and part of a holistic information technology roadmap.

According to CompTIA, integration with existing technologies, changes required to IT policy and the learning curve of the cloud model top the list. Less than half of those surveyed cited, cost overruns, justifying the return on investment and transitioning from legacy systems as issues. In fact, the majority of business reported performance and availability levels were as expected from their cloud provider.

What can a Business do to Avoid the Pitfalls When Transitioning to the Cloud?

Cloud Integration

There are a number of issues that can impact the success of your cloud computing deployment. Software as a Service applications (SaaS) rely on Application Program Interfaces (APIs) for integration. It is important to ensure your SaaS suppliers use common APIs so they can easily integrate with one another Understanding your requirements is key to identifying when integration can become an issue.

IT Policies and Cloud Computing

Keeping your IT policies and procedures up to date is also an important component of a successful Cloud Computing Deployment. Cloud Computing solutions can be rapidly deployed so it is easy for your IT Policies to become quickly obsolete. Make sure you include time and budget to update your policies along with your cloud implementation.

Network Bandwidth and Cloud Computing

When companies adopt Cloud Computing as part of their IT infrastructure the servers their employees access are no longer on premise. Connecting to your applications and their data can put additional strain on your networking infrastructure. To avoid network bottlenecks it is important to asses your network readiness for cloud computing before you deploy.

Determine the Business Value of Cloud Computing

To ensure a successful transition to the Cloud, it is also important to have clearly defined business objectives related to your cloud deployment to ensure you maximize your return from your cloud computing investment. Make sure you have aligned your business objectives with your technology investment. Keeping the business objectives in mind will help you navigate the pitfalls of a cloud computing deployment. Contact your Cloud Solution Provider to ensure your technology plans include a smooth transition to the cloud and avoid unexpected turbulence.