When it comes to a brand new year everyone always talks about change and making things better like getting fitter and eating more healthily. It should be the same with your IT. If you want to get the most out of your business then you should take steps to streamline your IT to have a great 2017. We’ve put together 6 things you can do to streamline your IT this January.
Microsoft 365
Cloud Services are cost-effective when you are investing in the software of your IT infrastructure. Microsoft 365 allows your Microsoft Office Suite and more to always be up to date for a small monthly fee per user. Instead of having to invest capital expenditure every few years in updating software, it can become an operational expense. If you’re already using Microsoft 365 you should consider whether you are using it to its full potential. Are you just using the applications like Word and Outlook? There’s so much more that could help you achieve more every day such as OneNote, Planner and Skype for Business.
Infrastructure in the Cloud
Microsoft Azure is the Cloud computing platform that Office 365 is a part of. One way in which you can use Azure is through Infrastructure as a Service. Instead of having to replace your servers and hardware every 5 years as they age you can rent the hardware from Microsoft and access it from the Cloud. You pay monthly for the service and everything is always up to date. You also don’t have to worry about powering, heating and cooling the servers yourself and it’s much more secure!
Microsoft Azure Backup and Site Recovery
Making sure that you consider your IT in your Business Continuity Plan is essential. A Cloud Backup and Disaster Recovery solution could solve your problems. Instead of having to invest significant money in new hardware at one time, our Azure Cloud solution would enable significant savings over a period of years. It’s even saved one of our clients approximately £1000 on their insurance premium!
End User Education
You can invest a lot of your finances in cyber security by making sure that you have the best protection in place for your organisation. That investment can be a waste of time if your staff are not ready to defend your business as well. Think of it a bit like a knight or a roman soldier. A soldier is wearing armour to protect them and a sword can still penetrate that armour and reach the person underneath. It’s the same with your IT. A cyber attack can still get through your organisation’s armour and reach the people. You should make sure that your staff know what a phishing email looks like and make sure they know what to do in a cyber attack.
Technology Roadmap
A Technology Roadmap is a great way to make sure that your IT serves your business as a whole and that there is a plan in place. The Roadmap examines the organisation’s strategy and objectives and ensures that the IT aligns with these goals.
IT Support
If your IT systems go down your business halts to a standstill. Ensuring that you have high quality IT Support that does not have you waiting around is essential to making sure that your staff are able to get on and do what they do best. Make sure that you have the support that your business needs.
If you would like any advice on streamlining your IT this January then please give us a call on 01675 469020.
