Monthly Archives: October 2017

Technology Budget

What’s in Your Technology Budget Next Year?

Many companies start their budget this time of year. As you are thinking about strategic investments, consider how you can leverage technology to improve customer service, make your employees more productive, and possibly save money. Here are a few considerations for next year’s technology budget.

Network Upgrade

Your network is the backbone of your technology infrastructure. Growing demand for high bandwidth activities including Communications and Collaboration, Call Center and Cloud Backup all require a bullet-proof network. What’s more, a number of advancements in Software Defined Wide Area Networking (SD-WAN) could save you a bundle. Consider having a network assessment or Telecom Expense Audit to see if you can save on your communications and networking costs next year.

Fixed Priced IT

If you haven’t deployed Managed Services to augment your technology infrastructure, you might consider how you could benefit from this model. By proactively monitoring and managing your infrastructure, your systems will work better and your cost of systems updates and support will be fixed.

Cloud Computing

The economic model of Cloud Computing allows companies to avoid unnecessary capital expense (CapEx) and use operating expense to subscribe to a range of Cloud Services.  Software as a Service (SaaS) provides the latest version of your popular productivity applications, and Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) offers a consumption model for scalable computing power.

Data Protection

Cyber threat, privacy data breach, human error and natural disasters can put your business at risk. Having a solid data protection plan helps businesses avoid the unnecessary downtime, fines, legal fees, and loss of reputation associated with data loss.

There are many ways to invest in the future of your business. Technology infrastructure is one of them. Consult your technology advisor now to get input on your planning for next year.

What’s in Your Data Center?

Most experts agree we will create more Data this year than in all prior years combined. According to research firm IDG the world will create 163 zettabytes of data a year by 2025. It is no surprise IDC forecasts worldwide spending on public cloud services and infrastructure to reach $122.5 billion in 2017, an increase of 24.4% over 2016. What is driving this growth and what do you need to know to manage what’s in your data center?

What is Driving Data Center Growth?

While businesses are drowning in data they find themselves starved for information. Trends in mobility, social media, and customer analytics can create an exponential explosion of data in your business. Business applications, email archives, file sharing and more all drive us to hoard and store data like never before. Regulatory compliance requires many industries to archive data. Additionally, low-cost storage allows businesses to easily accumulate data on a range of devices including desktops, laptops, and on-premise services. Many companies turn to economical options including Infrastructure as a Service for Application Hosting and Failover to store and protect this data.

How can a Business Benefit from Infrastructure as a Service?

Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) is a way for businesses to use cloud computing to tap into computer resources over the Internet. The Cloud Computing model allows businesses to avoid the Capital Expense (CapEX) of investing in infrastructure. The business owner only pays (rents) the portion that is consumed. This utility computing model is adopted by most businesses today and helps alleviate some of the concerns related to managing your own data center.

How to Avoid Data Center Issues

Data security tops the list of concerns of data center managers. These concerns include physical access and Cyber threats. In addition to security, capacity management and power management are top priorities for data center managers. By turning to a utility model, such as IaaS, business owners avoid these issues and risks. As a result, data center managers benefit from the economy of scale.

Chances are your business will generate more data this year than it has since its inception. Understanding what’s in your data center is a good place to begin to understand your needs and challenges. There is no reason to go at this alone. Contact your technology advisor to find out more about how your business can manage and protect its data with confidence and ease.