Disjointed technology leaves you disorganized and unable to leverage your business’s full capacity. Cloud consulting services, however, can bring together business strategy and IT, helping you stay at the forefront of your industry. Our years of experience working with the cloud means that we want to help you by answering some of the most common questions we see about the cloud and data center services for your business.
What are Cloud Consulting Services?
Cloud consulting services give you the edge you need to thrive in the digital world. You gain access to IT experts who also have the business acumen necessary to help you align your business and IT strategy. With their help, you can better protect your system and remain compliant with all applicable regulations.
What does a cloud consultant do?
A cloud consultant guides you through the latest technological potential. They bring together their in-depth understanding of Azure support and cloud potential along with their business understanding of your industry to help you find an IT solution that will allow your business to rapidly scale and reach your business goals.
Businesses waste endless time and resources attempting to patch problems as they occur. With a cloud consultant, you will learn how to look beyond these small, short-term fixes and instead tap into the potential of a holistic, effective solution.
Why work with a cloud consultant?
Businesses do not take advantage of all the possibilities the cloud can provide. In fact, they generally only use 40 percent of what’s possible. That means that even businesses investing in the cloud leave money on the table and miss out on valuable opportunities.
A cloud consultant can help you reach new goals. They will help you navigate security features and compliance regulations, fill in IT gaps you might have in-house, and help your business strategy improve to drive more revenue. From data center services to managed backups, your Nortec consultant will guide you.
What are the Benefits of the Cloud?
With the cloud, your business has the ability to scale in an unprecedented way. Through remote servers and capabilities, you can make room for your growing business. The cloud also enhances your security protections, including making backups of your data so that your business can still operate in the event of a disaster.
With the cloud, your organization will also simplify your onboarding process for new employees which will reduce downtime once you make a new hire. Similarly, you can take advantage of some of the latest advantages of the modern workforce — the remote worker. The cloud can help you connect with people thousands of miles away.
What do I need to watch out for in the cloud?
As you begin to incorporate the cloud into your business and operations, you do want to pay attention to your costs and your personnel.
As you build your cloud operations, watch for increased costs as you include more features and capabilities. Prioritize the ones that will provide you with the most benefit.
Similarly, evaluate personnel who can help you navigate your new capabilities. Particularly if you have a limited IT department, cloud consulting services can provide you with help and guidance. You want to take advantage of your new capabilities and ensure that you use them correctly to protect your business.
Are data center services safe? How can I make sure my data is safe in the cloud?
We regularly hear from clients whose primary concern lies with safety. This is completely understandable, as breaches threaten businesses of all sizes and the average cost of a data breach approaches $4 million.
Therefore, we recommend the following:
- Start with a cloud vendor who offers excellent security practices.
- Request to see the documentation and audits of their security practices. Make sure they meet your standards.
- Read reviews on your preferred cloud vendors to learn more about how they have worked with customers.
Remember that the cloud uses multilayered security practices such as firewalls, encryption and intrusion detection to keep your information safe and secure. This means that when the vendor uses the proper procedures, like Nortec, your information has a very high level of security.
What types of applications can I run in the cloud?
You will find that nearly every type of application can run in the cloud. The key for your business, however, revolves around selecting the applications that help the most. For example, many businesses find it convenient to put their accounting application in the cloud. This helps them access their valuable financial information from any location.
Your cloud consultative services specialist can help you evaluate your relevant applications, your workflows, and how the different applications work on the cloud to see which ones would benefit you the most.
How Do I Develop a Cloud Strategy?
Customers ask us regularly if they need a cloud strategy. We recommend that everyone create a plan. As you make the transition, you want a holistic, integrated cloud that will help your business grow. You want to maximize your investment. A strategy sets you up for success.
Determine if you want to migrate your existing workflows or if you will build a new plan from the ground up. Speak with cloud consultants here at Nortec to determine your options.
Do I have to bring my whole company to the cloud?
As we regularly tell clients, you do not need to bring your entire company onto the cloud at once. Instead, focus on the areas that will benefit from the transition the most. Your business will work side-by-side with a cloud consultant to create a customized solution based on your unique business needs.
Thanks to features such as a private VPN, we help you connect remote services and onsite servers.
Will my company need to hire more IT staff to handle the transition to the cloud?
Those who want to manage their cloud in-house may need to bring on team members who have an intimate knowledge and understanding of the cloud. However, those who work with managed IT services through Nortec will have a partner who can help them manage their business needs and maximize their usage of cloud capabilities.
What is the easiest thing/workload to move to the cloud?
With the modern cloud capabilities, you can move nearly any workload to the cloud. When determining which applications should make the transition, you should examine the regulations and compliance issues related to your industry and your existing workflows. Together, this information can help you determine the best workloads to move to the cloud.
How do I prepare to move to the cloud?
We recommend that businesses begin by evaluating which parts of the cloud will benefit them most. You want to look at the different capabilities and start to develop a strategy to incorporate this into your workflows.
Your cloud services consultants here at Nortec can help you with this strategizing. We will walk you through the different options and create a tailored package that will empower you to get everything possible out of the cloud.
Is the Cloud Affordable?
Another common category of questions we receive relate to the costs associated with the cloud. The cloud can help businesses with many aspects of their finances. From a security standpoint, it can reduce the need of creating expensive data backups as the cloud services themselves create business backups.
When considering the staffing perspective, you will find that the cloud reduces the need for IT staff, as your cloud partner will cover many of the responsibilities the internal IT team once managed.
Finally, the scalability of the cloud makes it easy for businesses to expand and build up their business. This drives increased profits and revenue.
While the cloud does require an investment, these multifaceted means of gaining ROI mean that businesses properly using the cloud will come out ahead.
Nortec: Your Partner in Cloud Consulting
When it comes to powering your business, we are here to answer your questions and provide you with the cloud consulting services you can trust. Your business is ready to power its growth with the capabilities offered through the cloud.
Book a 10-minute discovery call to meet with the best cloud consultant for your company. Uncover what you have been missing. See what you can do with Nortec at your side.