Ensure your head's not in cloud

IN LESS than three months' time, organisations in Wanganui's CBD will be able to connect to the UFB fibre being deployed. It was, therefore, opportune that on Tuesday last week, Computercare held a seminar, attended by more than 50 people, which gave helpful advice to organisations considering moving services to the Cloud.

Computercare's key recommendation was that if organisations do not have an IT savvy staff member, they should engage the services of a trustworthy, independent IT adviser to assist their organisation by:

Identifying applications which should be moved to the Cloud.

For many businesses, these are likely to include spam filtering, antivirus and web content management - and these applications explained in previous columns can be accessed via http://www.ultrafastbroadband.co.nz/coverage-areas/wanganui-news

Off-site backup. (Don't forget it is far more likely that you will lose your vital data because of your own server-related problems, rather than events such as the Christchurch earthquake.)

Accounting.

Inventory management.

Voice over internet Protocol for larger organisations (VoIP - phone calls via the internet).

Asking questions of potential Cloud service suppliers which organisations don't realise should be asked and which will reduce your risk, such as:

How trustworthy are potential suppliers? Is there any chance their businesses may fail and make it difficult for you to access your data?

What are all the options available?

What will the total Cloud costs be compared with your current costs?

Where will your data be stored - in New Zealand or in overseas data centres?

How will your data be backed up?

What would happen if the UFB fibre to your organisation fails? (Most organisations don't realise it is advisable to install a cellular data connection to enable you to maintain an internet connection should your fibre connection fail.)

If we move to online software - like Xero's online accounting software - how can you ensure you maintain a backup copy on a PC or server in your own premises or elsewhere?

And many other questions designed to minimise your risk.

Advising you to move to having your staff members use laptops, rather than fixed workstations. In the event of a major problem, staff members with laptops will be able to take their laptops and work in another environment.

Computercare's seminar began by explaining the Cloud enables organisations, anywhere in the world and at any time, to use the internet to access their own data and software they wish to use - which could be stored in data centres in New Zealand or even overseas. The Cloud also enables organisations to use servers and data stores located away from their own premises - thereby providing complete flexibility and scalability, and eliminating the hassle growing organisations have of continually being forced to upgrade their software, and servers and data storage devices.

The Cloud offers financial advantages because organisations can access and pay for services only when and if they need them. If your staff members currently use Microsoft Office in-house, you must pay for all the Microsoft Office features. However, if you specify you use only its Outlook, Word and Excel features, you will only pay for these when you move to the Cloud.

Accessibility is another great feature of the Cloud. If you need IT-related work to be undertaken, and you don't employ a staff member with the required expertise or experience, you can select a supplier from anywhere in the world, by requesting quotations online from organisations such as www.freelancer.com. Freelancer states it is the world's largest outsourcing marketplace which empowers entrepreneurs and small businesses worldwide:

By outsourcing anything you want - costs start at US$30 ($36) with the average being under US$200.

They have programmers, designers, content writers "ready now".

You only pay freelancers once you are happy with their work.

Without doubt, the Cloud creates new and exciting opportunities to improve business efficiency. However, organisations should satisfy themselves their providers are trustworthy, have a proven reputation and experience and verifiable capability in place, and have a proven track-record in helping companies navigate to the Cloud.

Article contributed by the Wanganui Employers Chamber of Commerce UFB Business Strategy Group. To suggest initiatives which you believe should be considered for inclusion in the group's strategic plan, or to contact the group, drop an email to john.patty@xtra.co.nz