Tag Archives: Cloud Data

Did you know a small business in Calgary can compete with big businesses? Or that a local IT service provider in Alberta can offer services that rival global giants? The secret sauce is cloud computing.

It’s not some mystical entity in the sky but a transformative technology reshaping how we manage, process, and store data. This article will delve into the role of cloud computing in modern IT services. So, are you ready to demystify the cloud and understand how it’s powering our digital transformation?

Let’s dive in! Continue reading →

Cloud Data Protection: How Does It Work and Why Do You Need It?

March 2, 2022

P Barclay

IT Solutions No Comments

You’re working and need to open up some files to review and share. But there’s one issue. The file is gone. It takes almost an hour to realize that the file you were looking for was in a different folder.

This makes you realize that you need to find a better way to organize and ensure the safety of your data. Who knows how many files could be lost or stolen? Human error is always bound to happen.

By 2025, the cloud industry is expected to be valued at $800 billion. That’s where cloud data protection comes in. Cloud security can improve workflow and efficiency for your company.

But how does it work? Why do you need it? Read on if you’d like to know more about it.

What Is Cloud Data Protection?

As data protection is part of a much more significant concept of the cloud, you must first be able to identify that a cloud service with a provider is a need. The more prominent subject is cloud computing, where servers are built to store tons of data.

These servers can be on-site (owned by your business), partnered with a third-party organization, or hybrid.

On-site requires lots of spending on hardware, IT teams, managing expenses – all the company’s functions. If using a third party, that cloud service provider will take care of everything mentioned earlier. With a hybrid route, your company gets the benefit of transferring data to more locations, thus having more flexibility and security – but with a much higher expense.

Now that you know the basics of cloud computing, cloud data protection comes in.

IT support specialists are the backbone of cloud data protection. They’re in charge of constantly maintaining and updating software and security. However, with that comes costs, which you don’t have to worry about if you’re utilizing a third-party cloud service.

The protection includes data backup, traffic monitoring, and other layers of security like firewalls and encrypted files.

Services Offered

There are multiple data protection services suited for your needs. Cloud data protection is excellent whether your business focuses on streaming services, selling software, or needing better organization.

Here is what cloud service providers can offer:

Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS): Great for organizing your company data, IaaS is the “starter” for renting servers, networking, and storage. Here’s where you can learn more about server infrastructure.

Platform as a Service (PaaS): Platforms offer tools that can assist your company in researching and developing products and testing them out. AI can also provide excellent data analysis tools.

Software as a Service (SaaS): This is used for companies that want to provide software to customers. It can be like selling an operating system or Dropbox’s feature of transferring files with ease.

Cloud data protection is provided for all these services and can be constantly monitored. This is how it can benefit your business.

How It Works

Files and other data are stored in physical warehouses, on-site or with a third-party cloud service. For third-party services, these warehouses will contain servers where all the files go through the internet – but don’t worry, it’s highly secure and off-limits to many people.

This also deters cybercriminals from stealing information from your business.

Your company will have to contact a cloud service to determine what you need to start this. You build that partner relationship and utilize each other’s services.

Why Use Cloud Data Protection?

Cloud data provides excellent security. However, it’s also affordable and flexible for your company. It can also help you get more organized, significantly benefiting your business.

Cheaper

Maintaining your servers, networks, and IT specialists can cost a lot of money. Servers can easily foot over $100,000 in bills from setup and maintenance.

You can reduce the costs by hiring a third-party servicer. They can handle all the expenses related to hardware and IT specialists.

Flexible

Cloud data services offer a wide array of flexibility for your business. Depending on the size of your company, you can choose to pay for what fits your needs when you need to grow or reduce.

For example, if you need more storage because your company is expanding, you must contact your cloud servicer. They can help you through the process and let you pay for what you need.

Organized

Cloud data protection offers ways to keep your company organized. Monitoring your files and data means knowing who has permission to access them and who isn’t allowed the privilege. That also means you will quickly identify when a cybercriminal is trying to break in.

If that happens, the system can notify the cloud servicer, and their IT specialists will ensure to lock the cybercriminal out of the system.

Since security and organizing data synergize together, it enables your company to work in a fast and timely manner without negative pressure, thus saving you time and money.

Other Benefits

Another plus is the ability to budget for more in the future since you will save so much by switching to a cloud service. Instead of spending that $100,000+ on hardware and data, you can use that money to focus on other aspects of your business, such as focusing on developing more products rather than maintaining servers.

Time equals money. In addition to saving money, your company saves time because of the speeds the cloud can provide. It also gives you more time to work on other critical operations like data analysis and research.

Cloud Data Protection and the Future

We expect about 70% of companies to switch over to the cloud by 2023. This means that more budgets will be placed on cloud protection.

Data protection will surely be a top priority if most data is in the cloud, like storage getting cheaper as the years go by; security can also become more affordable as it grows, and it becomes easier to protect your data.

Exploring Your Options

By learning about cloud data protection, we can conclude how it works and why you need it. Data is secured in off-site locations away from people, making it harder to steal.

Cloud data protection offers benefits like cheaper costs and flexibility. It also improves the speeds at which data can be stored and transferred, improving security.

Do you need to need to switch to the cloud and have your data protected?

Server Infrastructure: What It Is and How It Works

February 8, 2022

P Barclay

IT Solutions No Comments

Did you know 20% of Canadian employees say they want to return to their on-site jobs full-time? That’s a lot of people who would prefer to work from home, and companies are becoming increasingly supportive of this mindset.

However, with the desire to work remotely comes the need for servers that can accommodate a safe and sustainable work environment. Perhaps you have all your business data and information stored on physical servers, or your current system doesn’t actively support remote work.

You can still do plenty to ensure your server infrastructure can support whatever working mode your employees prefer. Keep reading to get the full scoop on how you can upgrade your system in the modern age of working.

What Does Server Infrastructure Mean?

Let’s take a brief look at the server infrastructure definition and what this means for you. Server infrastructure incorporates physical and virtual resources and includes software, hardware, and networks resources.

These all work together to support the management of various servers in the IT environment. Server infrastructure is the backbone of any business or organization’s data centre.

You need a certain level of CPUs, memory, storage, and management tools for it to be effective. You also want to ensure your server can handle any increased need for storage and future scalability.

Types of Server Infrastructures

An organization can implement two different systems: a centralized and decentralized infrastructure. A centralized data centre houses the server infrastructure in one location. A decentralized server infrastructure works across several data centres. These typically operate through a remote network.

File Servers

File Servers host company information in one location that clients can access. A server like this allows for more accessible backup, access, fault tolerance, security, and integrity.

DNS Servers

DNS servers convert client queries into machine-readable IP addresses. They assist you in determining the correct IP address of the site the user has requested. Browsers use these addresses to deliver appropriate web content.

Web Servers

The most common servers for hosting online applications are web servers. A web server is software that uses HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol) to respond to client requests made over the internet.

Application Servers

Application servers are virtual servers that can install, run, and host user apps and services. These are essential for providing a positive end-user experience. These servers are frequently used to host resource-intensive applications shared by many users.

Virtual Servers

Many users can share virtual servers and their resources while maintaining individual control. A single physical server has the potential to be replaced by several virtual machines (VMs). These VMs can all function independently and allow for flexible workspaces.

Server Infrastructure Specifications

All server systems have core specifications you’ll need to meet. You will need specific computer modules, system management, interconnections, and temperature-controlled storage facilities.

We recommend certain physical and electrical features for various use cases. That being said, if you are hosting your servers, you will need to consider your:

Electricity sources
Chassis
Microservers
Management and control of power
Power supplies to inhibit redundancies

These considerations illustrate why cloud server infrastructure is the more sustainable choice for many businesses.

The Benefits of Server Virtualization Infrastructure

There are many benefits to moving your IT infrastructure to the cloud, including better data management, faster operations, and interoperability. Cloud-based solutions are a great way to access the same services without the overhead.

What Server Virtualization Infrastructure Can Do For Your Business

Switching to a cloud system can help you save money on maintenance, reduce downtime, and make your system more manageable. There are four key benefits we want to talk about here.

Easily Scalable

Cloud services are highly versatile and allow you to grow your infrastructure with little to no impact on your business. A significant disadvantage to on-site infrastructure is scaling your business can be challenging and costly.

Productivity Booster

A solid IT system plays a significant role in keeping everyone connected. It should also optimize daily processes, as these are all critical steps in running a business. With the right resources and automation, all stakeholders will have a clear image of how the company runs.

Network Security

If you’re concerned about the security of your data, the most effective thing you can do is implement a virtual private network (VPN). A reputable infrastructure provider can offer a safe platform to give your company added security.

This added security, in turn, gives your company a competitive edge, as your customers will feel safe working with you.

Reduced Downtime

Downtime, outages, and system failure are inherent risks in any server infrastructure. Since many companies still rely on inefficient site strategies, they are vulnerable to these problems.

While larger companies will have dedicated teams for server management, it’s simply not achievable for most small businesses. Building a virtual infrastructure is the best thing you can do for the security and productivity of your company.

Purpose Built With Efficiency in Mind

We’ve got your back, whether you want to update your server infrastructure or switch to a cloud-hosted system. New systems have the potential to reduce costs, improve efficiency, and boost productivity. All that while ensuring digital safety in the modern world.

With the changes to current work-from-home policies, it makes sense to look for options that work on a scalable digital platform.