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.

Cloud technology is not the future, it is the present.

This, a once intimidating and confusing technology, is now the norm and is something we use every day, often without realising it. This all begs the question; how can I find a way to make cloud computing help my business?
Cloud computing is the storing of files (of any sort) on the internet, rather than saving them locally on your hard drive. The benefits of this are numerous and can be utilised to make real improvements in how your business operates.

Cloud technology can make your business:

More secure – By storing files in the cloud, you will be making an important step in protecting the most valuable aspects of your business from the physical failure of your personal machines. For example, if you were to suffer an office fire or flood that destroyed your computer system, all of your data would be safe and retrievable from another device because it is not stored physically in your office but in a cloud system that stores a backup off-site.

More collaborative – Public cloud services allow multiple people to collaborate on the same document simultaneously, meaning that the days of emailing documents and presentations around the office for improvements and changes are gone, speeding up the process of collaboration and ensuring everyone always has the most up-to-date version of the document. This will make your business more time effective, less prone to human error, and will improve how well your team members are able to collaborate with one another.

More flexible and scaleable – Adding extra team members, sites, and storage options to cloud solutions is a painless and instant process, meaning that you can keep up with your thriving business and scale your IT network to suit in a quick, and cost-effective manner.

Does this sound like something your business could benefit from? DNA IT Solutions is a market leader in the provision of, and transition to, cloud solutions for businesses of any size. Contact us today and we will create a bespoke package that suits your business needs.

The many benefits of cloud computing have been discussed in depth and are rarely disputed.

With a lower cost, more flexibility, productivity and layers of security it is the obvious choice for most businesses.  However, there are several types of cloud services and knowing what is available can help you make better decisions on what you need.

The cloud computing stack

The national institute of standards and technology defines cloud computing as a model which enables useful, on-demand network access to a shared configurable resources (networks, storage, servers, services, and applications) which can be quickly implemented and released with minimum effort.  Here we look at the main elements of the cloud computing, often called ‘stack’ as they often build on top of each other to form solutions.

Software as a service (SaaS)

This is the term for software applications that are hosted in the cloud and make available to users over the internet. Usually they are on demand and come with a subscription cost.  Microsoft Office 365 is a perfect example but there are many others.  Cloud providers host and manage the software application which means that they look after upgrades and security issues.

When it comes to cloud we also need to evaluate the different options available be it public, private or hybrid.   Not all options are the same and making the correct decision for a business without advice can be difficult.

Platform as a service (PaaS)

This is a suite of services that are offered to make coding, developing, testing and deploying of applications easier in the cloud.  It is designed to make this process easier and quicker to create without having the concerns around managing infrastructures such as storage, databases or servers.

Infrastructure as a service (IaaS)

This is the one we may be more familiar with and the main foundations of the cloud.  It is the software and hardware used to create the cloud offering that an organisation will rent.  It will be the servers, storage, operating systems, virtual machines that the cloud provider puts in place so you can avail of cloud on a pay as you go basis.

Public cloud

Public cloud would be the most common option as it has all the benefits and is easily accessible by any business.  Microsoft Azure is an example of a public cloud.  They own and manage the computing resource and offer storage over the internet on a pay as you go basis.

Private cloud

Sometimes an organisation will require dedicated storage space, particularly when it comes to enterprise organisations.  IBM Bluemix offer such a service and will assign a particular area of the network exclusively for their use.

Hybrid cloud

Hybrid Cloud is a mix of cloud and onsite infrastructure.  For a variety of reasons this solution can be the best option when it comes to greater flexibility and deployment within the business.

Whatever options you decide are right for you ensure you are well informed.  A conversation with a cloud expert can reap rewards for the future and the team at DNA IT Solutions are available to take a look at your business and advise you accordingly.