The Cloud: What Is It & Is Cloud-Based Right For Your Business?

Cloud-based systems have become more popular since the pandemic. With teams working remotely, they needed a way to connect and store their information. But what is the cloud? What is cloud-based? And is it right for your business?

It might sound like something mystical, but it’s really very simple once it’s explained clearly. We’ve put together all the information you need to understand going cloud-based.

What Is "The Cloud"?

What people commonly refer to as the cloud is simply a cloud-based system for hosting services via the internet. ‘The cloud’ usually means the servers, databases and software that can be accessed through the web from the majority of devices that have an internet connection.

There are lots of different cloud services, including everything from storage for your smartphone photos and files to large-scale systems for businesses.

The cloud is ultimately just a metaphor for things stored and operated remotely and accessed through the internet. When you have something stored or run through the cloud, it means you access it by being online.

The benefits of the cloud are that it doesn’t require as much physical memory space on devices, you don’t need to have your own servers, it’s easy to use and makes everything much more accessible to teams without restricting you to a certain location.

What Does Cloud-Based Mean?

Going cloud-based means storing or hosting your systems or data online instead of locally on devices.

A good example is Google Documents. Someone can send you a web link to a Google doc, and then when you click on that link, it takes you to their document which is being held online and not saved to your computer’s physical memory.

You need to be connected to the web to be able to view and edit the Google doc, as it’s hosted entirely online, instead of being sent to you as a file that you’d save to your computer.

Lots of companies are moving toward cloud-based systems because of this convenience and seemingly limitless scalability. Especially since the pandemic forced everyone to go remote. Almost any business can benefit from making some of their processes cloud-based, for example with storage of customer data or hosting software all of your employees can access remotely.

What Does Cloud-Based Look Like In An SME?

Cloud-based systems are hugely popular in small to medium enterprises. This is because it offers a level of flexibility and accessibility that often means lower costs. A good example of cloud-based in action in a medium-sized company would be the use of cloud storage solution, Dropbox.

At Data Innovations, we help companies utilize cloud services like Dropbox For Business to increase productivity and make an otherwise pesky task super simple. With Dropbox For Business, employees can share web links to files of all types, allowing others to access them whether they’re in the office or working remotely. Dropbox also acts as a central storage space, putting important files in one place so they’re easily accessible to everyone who needs them and making sharing large files quick and simple.

Cloud storage has become more of a necessity for growing companies that would normally use computers and laptops to store their files. In fact, new laptops are built with smaller hard drives to enhance their portability, which makes them more reliant on cloud solutions.

Other tech is following suit, so integrating cloud-based into your company is going to be an essential step to futureproof your business and keep up with the move toward the cloud in everyday ways. Especially as many of the newer laptops have smaller internal storage space.

Is It Easy To Go Cloud-Based?

Yes and no.

For a huge company, moving to the cloud can be complex. There are tons of systems, lots of people, lots of servers, hardware, software and training all needing to be organized and moved over. Whereas in a small business there is a lot less to think about.

You’ll find that there are large cloud migration companies out there which are used by big corporations who need extensive work done. For small companies, there are IT businesses like us, that help you figure out what exactly you need to get moved to the cloud. Some people feel confident in attempting to move things over themselves, but this does carry the risk of mishaps and problems. At Data Innovations, we can do your migration for you so you know that all of your documents, emails and sensitive information are safe.

Is Cloud-Based Right For Your Business?

Most businesses can benefit from moving some or all of their services to cloud-based, as this reduces your upfront costs in things like servers, external hard drives and physical devices. Not to mention that going cloud-based means increased availability of information and data for your team or clients and easier integration with remote working.

As time goes on, most businesses are going to utilize the cloud more and more, making cloud migration an important consideration for companies of all industries and sizes.

If you’d like to learn more about the cloud solutions we offer at Data Innovations take a look at our cloud services here.

5 Questions to Ask Before You Hire An IT Support Company

Thinking about hiring an IT support company? Technical difficulties slowing your business down? Or maybe you’ve suffered an IT disaster, causing work to grind to a halt? As your company grows, you’ll inevitably spend more time figuring out IT problems, and since you probably have better things to do - reliable IT support becomes a necessity.

IT support is an affordable way to make sure you’ve always got the expert knowledge on hand to not only solve problems when they arrive but to also make sure your IT is working at its optimal level.

But here’s the thing - like all industries, there are good and bad IT support companies - so how can you know what you’re getting?

We’ve put together the 5 questions you should ask when you’re hiring an IT support company, so you know you’re getting the assistance that’s right for you.

1- How Fast Do You Respond?

Some IT support companies operate on a support ticket basis, which means you need to submit a digital support ticket and then wait for someone to come back to you. Frustrating when you’ve got a pressing problem that’s getting in the way of your productivity. And with some companies, this wait can be anything up to three days.

Not ideal for a busy, growing company. The whole point of having IT support is to get back up and running as fast as possible without delay in productivity or workflow!

Make sure you ask what their response time and support process is when choosing an IT support company. Do they have a phone number or a support ticket system? Which works best for you? Make sure you choose a company that is going to respond quickly and keep the process simple.

2 - How Expert Are Your Experts?

There are different levels of IT support experts. This ranges from a tier 1(basic helpdesk) to a tier 4 (specialist support). Some larger IT support companies provide a large range of tier 1 experts as the first line of defence - and that’s who you get passed to first.

These experts, of course, aren’t as experienced as the higher levels. If your problem requires more expertise, you’ll be passed up and up until you get the expert who can actually help with your problem. A frustrating process for you and not the fastest way to get back up on your feet.

So, make sure you get an IT support company that gives you access to a decent level of support right off the bat. For example, at Data Innovations everyone in our team is at least a tier 3 expert, so you’re always getting the answers you need from the first person you speak to.

3 - What Kind Of Support Can You Offer?

IT is a broad topic. From hardware and software to protecting against malicious attacks and even installing and maintaining wifi. Different IT companies offer different services.

Some IT support companies, like Data Innovations, can help with everything from installation and cabling to full support.

Other companies may only provide software support and not be able to help with things going wrong with your hardware or WiFi. Or vice versa.

So, to avoid having to use multiple service providers, ensure your chosen IT support company can cater to all of your IT needs as a whole. This keeps the IT in your business easier, simpler and less stressful - especially when things go wrong!

4 - What Days And Times Are You Available?

Different support companies have different hours. Some companies are weekday only, some are on hand twenty-four hours a day. Others may be hybrid, giving you options.

The reason it’s important to ask this question is because you need to consider what kind of hours your company would really need IT support.

If your company works round the clock with shifts, or you operate in different time zones, you’ll definitely want an IT support solution that can handle calls in the middle of the night or bright and early in the morning.

Alternatively, you might have a business that only operates weekdays within strict daytime hours, in which case you wouldn’t require 24/7 IT support.

Ultimately, you want IT support that is going to be there for you exactly when you need them to be.

5 - Where Are Your IT Experts Based?

Some IT support companies use an overseas team, as this is a cheaper option. While this can work well for many industries, it can create some frustrations when it comes to IT. Language issues and timezone problems are usually the main pain points.

You’ve probably experienced an overseas call centre before - the conversations can go around and around due to language and communication difficulties. Add to the fact that you may not even understand your IT problem yourself, it makes explaining it all the harder!

You can avoid potential misunderstandings and communication mishaps by choosing a UK-based IT company that can respond quickly, and that clearly understands the needs of your business.

IT Support That Suits You

There’s real benefit in working with an IT support company that can help you grow your business, overcome technical stumbling blocks and most importantly, save you time and energy troubleshooting common issues.

But make sure you choose IT support that fits your company’s requirements because when the need arises, you want to be sure help is at hand

Do your research by asking these five questions and more before you sign a contract. And if you’d like to hear about the IT support we offer at Data Innovations, take a look at our remote support service.

5 Cunning Ways Hackers Get Hold Of Your Login Details

We’ve all heard the horror stories of major companies getting hacked, losing their money or even worse, compromising their clients’ data. Most people understand the importance of antivirus software to protect them from malware. But the problem is that as companies get smarter about protecting their IT, the people who create the scams are getting better at finding ways to uncover your login details.

You need to be aware of the ways hackers are getting hold of logins now so that you and your staff don’t fall prey to these scams and compromise your business.

1 - Fishy Phishing Emails

These are emails that are designed to get you to hand over your details. They find clever ways to make their emails appear as if they’re from trusted senders - like your internet provider, another business or even a government official. Once they draw you in and you believe you know who you’re talking to, they apply tactics to convince you to share personal information.

It may seem innocent at first, as they ask for your date of birth and surname to confirm you are you (a sneaky way to make you feel like you need to prove your identity!) Eventually, you’ll be asked to reveal more and more info, likely including your logins for important systems.

2 - Sneaky Social Media Posts

You might have seen posts like this before. The hackers use a page that appears to have plenty of followers, comments and likes. The post you see is usually an image with text challenging you to answer something that appears totally random. Posts like these include ‘tell us the name of your first pet’ or ‘try to type your birth date with your eyes closed in the comments below’.

You’ll often see thousands of people responding with their answers under the assumption that it’s an innocent game. But in reality, the things you’re sharing are the most common answers to security questions for banks and other websites you would log in to.

3 - Quizzes

Again, quizzes often appear on social media, on websites you visit or sent by email. The way these scam quizzes work is to entice you with an interesting quiz concept.

Once you click on the quiz to take it, you’re prompted to enter some information. This can seem normal enough, but be aware of what exactly you’re sharing. If a quiz is asking for your private details, last name, address, mother’s maiden name, first pet’s name or anything else specific to you, then it’s likely a scam.

4 - Viruses

There are two different types of viruses that allow hackers get ahold of your sensitive information, sometimes without you even realising until it’s too late. Viruses like these normally make their way onto your work or personal computers through suspicious downloads.

Keystroke software: This type of software silently watches and records your every keystroke on your keyboard. When you log in to your banking website or your work system, this software tracks what you typed in and sends the data back to the hackers, so that they now have your logins.

Remote access software: A particularly insidious one, this type of software can take remote access of your computer and watch, record and do anything on your device. This software can be useful for genuine IT companies, as it allows an IT expert to take control of a computer remotely and fix any problems that the user is having. But you need to be sure you can really trust the people you are giving this access to.

The first sign that someone is remotely accessing your computer is noticing your computer doing strange things such as turning on or off by itself, the camera light coming on, or your mouse cursor appearing to be moving on its own.

But if you don’t know or trust the person trying to install or operate this type of remote access program in the first place, don’t allow them to do it.

5 - Phone Call Scams

These can catch you when you least expect it. If you’re busy at work and you get a phone call from someone claiming that they are your internet provider and they need to check your network connection, you might believe them.

Once they have you convinced, they will ask for anything from internet passwords to your personal login information under the guise of a professional caller. Phone call scams are a particularly common way that hackers will try to attempt to install the types of virus software we mentioned above.

What’s The Solution?

The best solution to keep you safe from all of these scams is to have good security practices in place.

Use a password manager that can generate secure and un-guessable passwords. The most reliable password managers can also safely store your login information so that you don’t forget them.

Two-factor authentication involves using either a secondary email address or your mobile phone to generate a one-use code or confirmation screen to allow you to log in.

If someone tries to use your logins, you’ll receive a notification that someone is trying to gain access and you can immediately change your password.

Good Anti-virus software is an absolute must, and we can recommend the best software to keep you and your business safe.

Staff training is going to be the cherry on the top of your login security cake. Ensure your team knows what to look out for with online scams and hacking methods, as well as best practices for keeping their logins private.

Now that you know to look out for phishing emails, sneaky posts, suspicious quizzes and unreliable software and phone calls, you can start to take control of your login security. Using things like password managers and anti-virus software is a great start.

But if you want to see how we can help keep your business safe today, get in touch here.