How do you know if your business is 100% Cloud based?

With another full lockdown recently announced by the UK government and the need for many businesses to adopt full time remote working has led to many looking to review their current IT infrastructure. 

Cast your mind back 10 years and you will find that the vast majority of businesses had on-premise servers that could easily provide storage for files and emails as well as advanced security. With the emergence of advanced technology solutions such as Office 365 has resulted in many businesses choosing to host emails in the Cloud. 

Despite this, a significant number of business applications and services stayed on-premise which meant they needed onsite hardware or a dedicated workstation. 

This type of hybrid approach had worked well until remote working became more common in businesses which has somewhat put a spanner in the works of the hybrid setup. 

This headache has somewhat been resolved with Microsoft Azure and other online services that are now available to allow businesses to make the move to the Cloud and streamline their IT. 

Microsoft SharePoint and Microsoft Teams 

It goes without saying that one of the most used softwares in recent years and more so as a result of the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic is Microsoft Teams which makes it easier for employees and other stakeholders to collaborate. 

Furthermore, the capability of Microsoft Teams to store files online has reduced the reliance on local network storage which in the past was the must have solution for being able to organise files within a business environment. 

Being able to easily sync up SharePoint libraries through OneDrive to user devices has made it much easier for employees to be able to access their files regardless of where they are or what device they are using. 

Microsoft Azure Directory Services 

Previously, local servers known as domain controllers acted as a login and security system for offices. This was used largely to protect systems and keep valuable files under lock and key. However, this problem has now been resolved with services such as Azure Active Directory which has removed the need for a local domain controller. 

The need for businesses to be able to secure and control user devices through a home internet connection has seen many turn to Azure services for solutions to their ever-increasing needs to setup full time remote working for their employees. 

Virtual Desktops 

As many of us already know, business applications can come in a variety of different forms and there are a few occasions when legacy applications still need access to a local server to be able to work correctly and effectively. 

This issue is resolved through the use of virtual desktops that remove the need for legacy applications to be run locally in an office. 

The good thing about the Microsoft Azure platform is the fact that it has virtual desktop options that can enable legacy applications to operate from within the Cloud and allow you to access it from almost anywhere. 

Next Steps? 

The solutions outlined above are just a few examples of how we’ve worked with businesses to make the transition to remote working much simpler. 

If you are looking to make the move to the Cloud by adopting remote working or if you would be interested in an audit of your IT infrastructure and how it can be improved then please get in touch with our team of IT experts today to discuss your specific requirements.