Switching to cloud technology is a fast-growing business trend, and it’s not hard to see why.

Approximately 75% of all businesses in Ireland use cloud technology, whether it’s in a public, private, or hybrid. Cloud technology is basically computing based on the internet rather than running applications from a physical server, meaning companies using cloud technology save on costs associated with server maintenance and expansion.

Efficiency for Business  

Cloud technology is also more efficient, since it’s easy to scale. Often businesses will need more or less bandwidth depending on which applications they need to run at any given time, and it’s easier to modify cloud technology to suit these purposes than it is to upgrade a server. Cloud technology also updates automatically, so there’s not as much IT costs involved in keeping it up to date. It’s also easier to back up files with cloud technology rather than resorting to using additional in-house resources.

Another important advantage of cloud technology is that employees often have an easier time logging in to company software remotely – which means that employees are able to be more mobile when they need to be, allowing businesses to offer flexibility that may not have been possible before. Additionally, if there’s a work emergency or projects that need to get done, being away from the office isn’t an issue for more senior staff members who might otherwise feel helpless in a time-sensitive work crisis.

The Challenges

However, along with the perks come some challenges, particularly in the setup phase. If a business is already storing everything on servers, moving everything over can seem like a daunting task. It’s a long project and can require a lot of additional IT work on top of regular everyday maintenance, meaning there are short term costs for the longer term payoff. If a business has the resources and a strategy to jump this hurdle, they still have to make sure that they have selected the right type of cloud platform. Should it be public, private, or a hybrid of both? Public cloud programs are more accessible but don’t have the security that private ones do. What features do you need?

Coping with new processes means encountering resistance to change, but as long as you have a good strategy in place, you’ll be able to overcome it. Knowing why you’re making the move to the cloud and defining your objectives is key to a successful transition. Is it better for performance? Are you aiming to reduce costs? Being able to explain precisely why cloud technology will help the business will also help employees feel invested in putting in the extra work to make it happen.

Changing to cloud technology takes time through the planning and implementation phase, and since time is money, you’ll want to invest it wisely. Still, cloud technology can be a huge benefit to any business hoping to save money in the long run.

When you hear about the many benefits of moving your business to the cloud it will be no surprise that you may want to get on the project immediately.  However, before you make that final decision you may want to consider your options and look at all the pros and cons.   Sometimes when the concept becomes over complicated it can create barriers that may prevent you moving forward.  A little time spent in consideration of the strategy will be time well spent

Cloud is an opportunity

Here is some basic advice on what to think about while making your decision to start your journey to the cloud;

Don’t get too enthusiastic – Think about what you actually need and what you can you manage.  Maybe you don’t need enterprise level solutions at this stage.  Choose a suitable platform for your business and only buy what you need.  Having too much to handle will only cause problems.

Make a Plan – Ensure it’s a good plan and endeavor to stick to it.  A plan will let you get the work done in time and on budget.  Choose who will manage the project and take responsibility to lead the team with encouragement.  Achieving the objectives will be the reward.

Watch the Costs – Make sure you look at all the costs involved and decide if they fit in your budget.  You will want to compare with what you previously had.  If you are spending more, then justify it with showing what are you going to achieve in the long term.

Reliable and Secure – Are you sure you totally depend on your new technology infrastructure?  It must be reliable with methods in place to prevent outages and fit into your disaster recovery planning.  It must be secure and while cloud will have its own security layers, you will have to implement and handle security aspects relating your data.

Be Ready – Your legacy systems may not initially suit the newer cloud offerings so you may need a hybrid system for now.  You can have short term and medium term plans to suit your migration to the cloud.  It does not have to be all or nothing in the start.

These are only a few considerations for your business when it decides to move to the cloud.  At DNA IT solutions we assist companies just like yours to move seamlessly to the cloud every day of the week.  For more advice, you can speak to our team.

It is estimated that over 75% of Irish businesses are deploying cloud technology, with many already planning to increase their deployment in the coming years.

Cloud computing platforms and technologies are advancing rapidly and it can be difficult to keep up to date.  Many already know about the many benefits of cloud such as scalability, cost effectiveness and added efficiency.  Add to that the many options such as public, private or hybrid cloud and there really is something to suit every business.

We look at the challenges that a business might consider when making the decision to start their journey to the cloud.

The Challenges to moving operations to the cloud:

Not knowing where to start –  It will seem like an overwhelming project at the initial stages.  In many cases this will deter some, while others might delay and miss out.  It is time to be brave and find out as much information as you can before you make any decisions.

Worrying about getting it right – It is important to ensure you are selecting the right platform.  Not all cloud is the same, public cloud may be the right place for you as a smaller business.  However, depending on your industry regulations you may require private cloud.  Getting it right for your own business needs is important.

Fear of new processes – Most of us do not like change.  Moving to cloud will create changes to the way the business will operate.  There may be difficulties getting the team on board, some will be resistant to change.  The timeline will be a concern to some and having the management confident in the decision they are making will make the transition easier.

Not having a strategy – When you know why you are making the move to the cloud and you have your objectives defined you can create a clear strategy.  Is it for better performance or reducing costs?  A significant change like this needs a clear strategy so you want to know why you are doing it in the first place.

Concerns about security – With so much ‘fake news’ regarding how safe the cloud is, it is no wonder that those not familiar with it will worry about the safety of their data.  Your cloud provider will give you all the reassurance you need.  With thousands of organisations having made this journey before you, you can have peace of mind.

The time it will take – Concerned with the amount of time this project will take?  Finding out the real facts will give you a clear timeline from planning to implementation.  Time is money and downtime is not something any business wants.   The transition should be clearly defined and measured.

While all these challenges will naturally occur to any business decision maker, they should not be concerning enough to stop considering the cloud for business.  With the right experienced partner leading the way, your journey to the cloud should be a success story.

DNA IT Solutions help businesses like yours every day of the week to transition to the cloud.  We create bespoke project plans for businesses of all sizes in many sectors.  You can speak with our team of experts for more information.

Not moved to the cloud yet?

It might seem that everybody else has moved on and you may be feeling a little left behind.  However, it’s never too late to consider a move and if you are looking at growth in the near future then it is something that really needs to be on your agenda.

At DNA IT Solutions, we have been working with businesses all over Ireland for many years helping them migrate to the cloud.  It has changed from a situation where it was something we had to push a company to do, to a new world where the customer is ready to make that move even before we meet them.

Why the Interest in Cloud?

There are many advantages in moving to the cloud including both flexibility and scalability. There can be significant cost savings if you choose the right option for your business. That is why it is critical to make the right decision at the start of your journey to the cloud.

Here are some of the benefits of Cloud Storage

COST EFFECTIVE – You only pay for what you use and there are no more server upgrades, server maintenance or deprecation.  Fixed monthly fees making managing costs easier.  No more fears over building security or environment suitability for servers on premises.

RELIABLE – The data centres involved are maintained by the finest back-up solutions and redundancy systems.  They are staffed by expert teams that keep everything up to date, reducing downtime for your business.

SECURE – Data stored in the cloud is given the highest priority to its security, with top class encryption options available for sensitive data.   Storing your information off site is also a sound decision when it comes to disaster recovery planning.

FLEXIBLE – Cloud means huge resources to hand whenever and for whatever you want to use it for.  Not only storage but applications so that a solution can be configured to meet your specific needs.

SCALABLE – When more storage space is needed you can increase the allowance with little effort.   Scale up and down as your business demands.  No need to buy more expensive hardware or reconfigure hard drives.  With cloud there are no limits.

Cloud is everywhere in business today, particularly for today’s modern mobile workforce.   Using cloud means allowing access to documents to them while on the road or working remotely.  With the correct security layers, data can be accessed as if you were in the office from anywhere without concern.

If you think your business is ready for a move to the cloud give us a call to discuss your options.

Why is it that so many Irish businesses are moving to the cloud?

It’s not just the large companies but smaller independent business with less than ten employees.  In the past these organisations would have run their programs from software they had downloaded on a PC or a server in their office.  Now cloud computing allows all this to be done via the internet.

Not sure what cloud computing means?

When you check your bank balance on your smartphone, when you check that weather app or when you comment on your friends Facebook post – that is all cloud computing.  It is using the power of the cloud to interact with platforms and programs.  Now with Microsoft 365 you no longer purchase CDs and download onto a PC.  It’s cloud computing at its best, providing automatic updates and access when and how you need it.

When you access the cloud here is what you get:

On demand – You get access to the resource right there when you need it.  No waiting around and you are only paying for what you use when you use it.  It’s a new mind-set to think that you are no longer paying for it whether or not you use it.   This cost effectiveness is the main driver for businesses to move to a cloud solution.

Resource Pooling – Once the domain of only multinationals, now an small business can access a huge pool of resources based on their user needs.  The resource is automatically assigned and with secure sharing there is little to be concerned about.

Rapid Elasticity – The space with cloud is limitless so resources can grow as you need them.  When you need them you can scale up or down in a quick time, not like before.  If it is more storage space or more power that you need, all can be spun up or down as required.

Broad Network access – It’s all there waiting for you when you are ready to access it.  With few barriers relating to adoption and no reason to avoid it, it makes sense.

When you are ready to consider cloud computing and cloud storage you should consider all the options available.  Talk to our expert team, we migrate businesses like yours to the cloud every day of the week.  Make your journey to the cloud a great one with DNA IT Solutions.

Many businesses today began at the kitchen table as a start-up then grew to having its first employee.  Before long these small enterprises were looking at office space and within a couple of years had grown to a team with a great future ahead.

No matter what stage your business is at we are pretty sure that you rely on IT each and every day to help you run your business.  As your business grows so does your reliance on IT and what you expect from it.

How can Cloud be a benefit?

Traditionally your IT infrastructure would be housed within your own premises, however, as you develop your IT needs become more complex.  You may decide you want to free yourself from the traditional IT that is holding you back and make the move to Cloud services.

What is cloud computing?

Cloud computing is using the internet to enable on demand network access to computing resources such as storage, applications, networks and more.  Smaller businesses might have a server room that serves a purpose for several years. However, when businesses start to grow they also outgrow this form of on-premises reliance and start to consider a move to the cloud.

Types of Cloud

Every business is unique and their needs will differ and that is why there are several options to consider.

Public Cloud – This is a cloud infrastructure made available to the public.  Microsoft Azure is an example of a cloud provider popular with Irish businesses.  Trust and reliability comes with the Microsoft name and an understanding of the flexibility and scalability that businesses need is assured.  Secure and reliable, this is quite often the perfect choice for the SME.

Private Cloud – While the public cloud may be the perfect fit for most customers, sometimes dedicated storage space is needed and that is when private cloud becomes an option.  IBM Cloud is enterprise level dedicated private cloud for situations where needs are more complex.

Hybrid Cloud – As in many industries, sometimes a one size fits all is not the answer and that is where hybrid cloud comes in.  Depending on customer needs a solution which is a mix of on premise and cloud is the best option.  Every combination will be different but a bespoke solution can always be found.

The move to the cloud can seem daunting for most business owners but it’s only fear of the unknown.  Once you have an IT partner you can trust, they will advise and guide you to pick the right solution for your business.  At DNA IT Solutions we help businesses like yours transition to the cloud every day of the week.  With a promise of less hassle and as little downtime as possible we can help move your business to the cloud.  Leaving you to concentrate on developing your business for the future.