Cloud Solutions
KEY QUESTIONS WHEN CONSIDERING THE CLOUD
Some questions to ask internally before hopping on to the Cloud bandwagon:
- Which parts of my business are suitable for moving to a cloud-based delivery model and which are not?
- How much of each process should I consider placing on the cloud?
- Should I retain control in-house but use cloud-based infrastructure, buy the entire process as a service, or something in between?
- Which services are enterprise-ready and offer the right levels of security and governance for my business?
- How does transitioning to a cloud impact my procurement and what else should I consider before signing on the dotted line?
- How do I establish a winning strategy to fulfill short-term needs and provide long-term advantage by leveraging virtualization and cloud?
Different Platforms
IaaS, PaaS, SaaS. You may have seen these acronyms mentioned when looking at cloud services but what do they mean and how should they affect your decision making when looking at moving your applications or infrastructure to the cloud?
It’s important that you understand the differences between each one of these cloud models so that you know who is responsible for looking after the different elements of your cloud solution.
Let’s take a look at the following diagram which visualises the different models and their differing levels of responsibility then examine each of the options in further detail below.
- Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS)
- Platform as a Service (PaaS)
- Software as a Service (SaaS)
An IaaS cloud offers access to the raw computing resources of a cloud service. Rather than purchasing hardware itself, the cloud customer purchases access to the cloud provider’s hardware according to the capacity required.
Example A software development company is building an application for a client. It needs to test the application before transferring it to the live environment. By using an IaaS cloud service it can simulate an environment which is identical to the live server (except that dummy data will be used) without the need to purchase additional hardware during this relatively short phase of the development process. At the end of the testing process all the data will be deleted from the cloud service and the application delivered to the client.
A PaaS cloud offers access to a computing platform which allows cloud customers to write applications to run within that platform, or another instance of it. The platform may in turn be hosted on a cloud IaaS. Example A social networking service offers a platform which allows software developers to create third party applications which takes advantage of the existing functionality of the social network – for example functions to access user data or the ability to post messages to other users. The products developed by third parties will only operate within the confines of the social network platform. client. It needs to test the application before transferring it to the live environment. By using an IaaS cloud service it can simulate an environment which is identical to the live server (except that dummy data will be used) without the need to purchase additional hardware during this relatively short phase of the development process. At the end of the testing process all the data will be deleted from the cloud service and the application delivered to the client.
A SaaS cloud offers access to a complete software application which the cloud user accesses through a web browser or other software. Accessing the software in this manner eliminates or reduces the need to install software on the client machine and allows the service to support a wider range of devices. The software may in turn be hosted on a cloud platform or infrastructure.
Example A start-up company is expanding rapidly and wants to use customer relationship management (CRM) software to keep track of its customers and sales. It identifies a cloud provider offering CRM software, accessed through a web browser, as being appropriate for its needs. Each employee within the company is given a username and password to access the software to enter new data or to access existing data. The software can be accessed by employees whilst working away from the office.
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Cloud Products
Microsoft 365
Microsoft 365 is defined as a SaaS (Software as a Service). It is a subscription service that delivers parts of the Microsoft Office suite through cloud-based software. It includes a number of powerful apps that will equip your business to work, collaborate and create more effectively.
You’re probably already familiar with the suite of Microsoft Office apps ie word, excel, outlook, powerpoint - but there’s plenty more to Office 365 depending on the plan you choose.
Your subscription could include:
- Microsoft Office apps
- Always up-to-date versions of Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote and Outlook.
- Email and calendaring tools
- Business class email and calendaring synchronizing across multiple devices.
- File storage and sharing
- OneDrive cloud storage, secure file sharing with Sharepoint, and synching across devices.
- Teamwork and communication tools
- Online meetings and video calls with Microsoft Teams.
- Security and compliance
- Protection against spam and malware and advanced controls for your compliance needs.
Private or Public Cloud
The choice between public and private cloud solutions depends on many different factors, limitations and use cases. In practice, it is not an either/or question as different businesses have different needs and considerations.
Cloud Storage for Backup.
Explore N‑able Backup: The N‑able Backup architecture is optimized for ultra fast data transfer, and cloud storage is included in your price.
- Physical & virtual servers
- Workstation backup
- Backup for Microsoft 365
- Faster backups and restores
- Bare-metal recovery
- Recovery testing
- Security-focused storage
- Archiving at no extra charge