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Cloud applications require less IT support and maintenance than in-house systems, and vitally they can be adopted and let go as and when business needs change. And with everyone looking to save money these days, this is a major advantage.
adept4’s new On Demand IT service gives companies access to business software applications on a pay-as-you-go basis. The service lets companies “rent” software applications for a short period of time without having to spend thousands on a full licence. This enables flexible working and eliminates many of the overheads associated with procuring and maintaining a dedicated IT infrastructure and applications allowing them to focus on core business activities.
The service will help to significantly reduce costs across a business as it means the number of software licences required can be monitored closely, and if more user licences are needed they can be switched on instantly.
On Demand IT works for any sized business from start-ups to large enterprises. To find out more about On Demand IT visit: www.ondemandit.co.uk
If your looking for a way to reduce IT costs and at the same time improve business efficiency moving towards virtualizing your business IT infrastructure can be the way forward. Our top four reasons to adopt virtualization may help you make up your mind:
- Become more flexible – virtualization means that your business can become more flexible enabling more remote working and at the same time the ability to still access all your traditional business applications.
- Improve security – by moving towards virtualization your business becomes more secure. Applications and data are stored in the cloud and can be instantly accessed and backed up as required. In addition by implementing higher levels of security access can be controlled so you know at all times who is accessing your data.
- Reduce costs - Often cited as the key reason to move to a virtualized environment costs can be reduced by reducing hardware requirements (no need for expensive in house servers) and reduced power requirements - you no longer need the air conditioned server room.
- Get more from your existing resources – virtualization allows you to pool common infrastructure resources as well as reduce the need to continually add additional capacity unless truly needed.
For more information give us a call – moving into the clouds could be the best thing you ever do.
Instant Messaging, or IM as it is commonly known, is often seen as a way teenagers can chat online to each other and placed in the hands of business users could lead to lost productivity. Because of this many companies ignore the significant business benefits of the service.
If you are looking for a solution that will enable you to communicate with colleagues, customers and partners in real time, while avoiding the hefty call rates that apply during normal business hours, IM can be an ideal solution for your business. As a business tool it provides a more personal link and can be used to broadcast messages and respond instantly to enquiries.
For example some IM business users are now integrating the solution into their existing help desk applications to improve service and support helping them retain business and in some instances develop new opportunities.
Next time you are looking for a way to talk to your customers quickly and efficiently without significant costs IM could be the solution.
Although the country has now officially exited the recession, businesses are still looking at ways to improve efficiency, cut costs and save money. But by simply rethinking or restructuring the technology in your office, your business could save time, money and resource.
Here are some top tips to managing recession recovery.
Outsource IT. With a managed IT service companies can increase the efficiency of their infrastructure and system management. By reducing time and money spent on IT support staff businesses can re-direct resources to other tasks, increasing cost efficiencies and productivity in other core areas of the business.
Get your head in the clouds. Cloud applications require less IT support and maintenance than in-house systems. And as well as agility, scalability and efficiency, cost savings are a primary benefit of the cloud model.
Virtualise. IT departments are being asked to do more with less, so many are opting for virtualisation. By virtualising their machines businesses can consolidate their hardware – saving on costs whilst improving capacity.
Desktop virtualisation is now the standard way of enabling higher asset utilisation and better PC management. With a managed service the virtualised desktop machines are fully monitored and managed, eliminating the need for additional technology staff and costs.
With a managed service the virtualised desktop machines are fully monitored and managed, eliminating the need for additional technology staff and costs. The result is a highly resilient desktop infrastructure with over 99% uptime and much reduced hardware and support costs.
To find out more about how IT services and solutions can save your business time and money please visit: www.adept4.co.uk
A survey of 700 CIOs worldwide has revealed that companies are committing more to virtualisation. Respondents to the survey claim that server virtualisation is already saving about 16% of their budgets, therefore virtualisation is expected to drive much of the purchasing decisions over the next 18 months as IT managers look to make major savings from the technologies.
The survey also reveals that although in recent years there has been a focus on server virtualisation, the take-up of desktop virtualisation is catching up fast, with 27% of British organisations rolling out desktop virtualisation while 36% are “trialling” the technology.
Desktop virtualisation is now the standard way of enabling higher asset utilisation and better PC management. With a managed service the virtualised desktop machines are fully monitored and managed, eliminating the need for additional technology staff and costs. The result is a highly resilient desktop infrastructure with over 99% uptime and much reduced hardware and support costs.
With data showing that only 12% of organisations don’t yet have any virtualisation under way, it seems that 2010 is going to be the year of desktop virtualisation – with trials of the technology being replaced by organisation wide adoption.
Working with the right partner can help ensure the virtualisation process is as effective and secure as possible, so for those companies who don’t yet have plans for virtualisation, why not get in touch to make sure you don’t get left behind!
A consortium of service providers, vendors, government organisations and consultants has begun work on a set of measurements called the Common Assurance Metric (CAM) designed to make it easier for businesses to compare the security features offered by cloud-computing providers.
The consortium said that overall, CAM will “allow cloud providers the opportunity to demonstrate their information security maturity in an open and constructive manner.”
Security is the number-one concern for IT managers when they think about cloud application deployments, followed by performance, availability, and the ability to integrate cloud services with in-house IT.
These new measurements will allow businesses to compare security features via a standardised information format, helping build trust among end users. But although it’s always worth asking a cloud service provider what security they offer, it’s also worth remembering, just because it’s not in the server cabinet in the IT room doesn’t mean it’s not vulnerable.
Credit card users are once again facing up to the fact that their plastic friends may no longer be as secure as they thought they were. Research by the University of Cambridge, which was demonstrated on Newsnight, showed how a stolen credit card could be used to buy goods in a retail store by fooling the system into thinking a PIN number was verified.
Many consumers are already questioning online payment security and with so many online retailers failing to implement PCI Compliance standards the risk of financial data loss is greater than ever before. With Chip and Pin security now in question it seems likely that consumers will begin to take a greater interest in how they use credit and debit cards in the future.
Failure to implement PCI Compliance can mean that businesses face fines of in excess of £50,000 and this does not include damage to their reputation and brand which in some extreme circumstances could ultimately mean closure of the business.
Providing and maintaining the highest possible security standards for consumers both in the retail outlet and online is one of the most important factors facing business today and should not be ignored. Using specialists to assist in implementing and maintaining the standards is a must as well as continually reviewing processes for vulnerabilities.
A survey of 565 IT decision makers has found that 70% of cloud users plan to locate more of their applications in the cloud. And although 64% are not yet using a cloud model, 62% are considering moving to one.
Although for the majority of respondents – 54% – the primary benefits are the cost savings, many said the most important aspects of the cloud model are agility, scalability and efficiency.
Businesses are now looking for more flexible, efficient approaches to working and applications that allow staff to access vital business information and tools away from the office, either at home or on the road, are becoming more and more popular. It is estimated that by the end of 2010 the majority of UK businesses will be using at least one cloud-based software application.
And it’s not just private companies who can reap the benefit of what the “cloud” has to offer. A key measure of the Government’s new money-saving IT strategy for a smarter, cheaper and greener public sector ICT infrastructure, is to establish a Government Cloud or ‘G-Cloud’. The aim is to enable public sector bodies to select and host ICT services from one secure shared network. Multiple services will also be available from multiple suppliers on the network to ensure systems are best suited to their needs.
Cloud applications require less IT support and maintenance than in-house systems, and with everyone trying to save money where possible this is a definite tick in the box.
By working with the right partner you can help ensure your move to the cloud is as effective and secure as possible, allowing you to benefit from all that the cloud has to offer.
Did you know that by the end of 2010 most businesses in the UK will be using at least one “cloud based” or “online” software application? In fact many businesses don’t even know that they are already using it.
Cloud Computing or online applications have become more and more popular in the past few years as companies want to move away from central storage and local hosting to more flexible applications, that allow staff to access vital business information and tools away from the office either at home or on the road.
Originally called application hosting services, they failed to take off in the early part of the decade because of poor or limited Internet access either at home or through the mobile network. Now over 69% of UK households have broadband access and the mobile operators have rolled out 3G data services, allowing faster data transfer and seamless integration with business functions.
Next time you check your email when you are out of the office or download a file for use at home, remember you are already in the “cloud” it’s now just a matter of how far you want to go.
The sixth annual Online Fraud Report released this week by payments provider Cybersource, says that 57% of merchants see online fraud as the greatest threat to their business. The report also found that in too many cases, customer cardholder data is spread out across the organisation, in finance, customer services, loss prevention, sales and other departments, making it difficult to secure.
If your business processes or transmits credit card data securing the payment card details of your customers is imperative. But with new Internet security threats emerging all the time, online retailers need to be extra vigilant.
A survey of over 1000 people has shown that 85% look for signs that the website they are thinking of buying from is secure. So as well as incurring hefty fines, exposing your customers to fraud or identity theft would mean loss of confidence, leading to loss of business.
Being payment card industry (PCI) compliant will help to secure your customers’ data – keeping their confidence, as well as preventing you from being fined. But implementing a compliance programme can be costly and time consuming if you don’t fully understand the security requirements. However, outsourcing the management and implementation of your compliance programme can give you an effective and cost effective way to conform to regulations, helping you keep your customers confidence in you.
To find out more about a managed PCI compliance programme visit www.adept4.co.uk/pci-compliance.php
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