Cloud Computing and SaaS for Business

Software as a Service (SaaS) refers to cloud services where end users can access various applications/software on the Internet. This means, no specific hardware or software installation is required at the consumer end.

Besides SaaS, there’re two other components of the cloud computing technology – Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) and Platform as a Service (PaaS).

While Twitter, Google, Facebook etc. are some of the most common examples of free SaaS services used by common users around the world, there’re hundreds of other business concentric SaaS based cloud computing solutions available.

Simple as Well as Advanced SaaS Products Are Available

While there’re simple SaaS based products for invoicing and other such business processes available at nominal costs now, enterprise level software are also available on the cloud.

Enterprise users can use cloud applications for almost all imaginable business processes such as business accounting, sales management, inventory management, client/intra-organization communications & performance monitoring.

Deployment is Very Easy

Since there’re no extra hardware and initial setup costs, just about any business with a modest budget can start making use of SaaS based cloud computing solutions.

As soon as you are done subscribing, you can start using the software!

You don’t have to buy expensive hardware for more processing power or arrange funds for purchasing software licenses.

It’s Software on Demand

SaaS is fundamentally a software-on-demand service.

So, you basically end up paying for what you use.

At any point in time, if you want some additional functionalists, need more storage or processing power, it’s made available in almost no time! That said, you can scale or downsize at any point time without having to wait several days before necessary arrangements can be made.

Compatibility & Upgrades

Most cloud computing companies provide free service upgrades. Such upgrades are generally automated and may at most require you to hit a few buttons on your computer screen.

Also, since these applications can be accessed through a web browser, you need not worry about cross device compatibility at all! Needless to mention, the software can be accessed from any location in the world (unless there’re some restrictions imposed for greater security). 

10 Ways to Start Taking Advantage of Cloud Storage

Investing in cloud computing is a good option as a lot can be shared, collaborated and stored for the use of all your links, employees and benefits. You can store your data not just locally, but remotely for a wide array of uses.

Below are 10 ways to start taking advantage of cloud computing solutions.

1.   Set Up Remote Access To Your Computer

You can use your PC as a personal cloud by setting up a remote access on it. Just install a small server application on your personal computer. You can avail the server from LogMeIn that provides free server software for Windows and MAC OS X devices.

2.    Access Data From Your Phone

You can get a dedicated way of accessing data on your mobile device as well. With various free apps available for Android, Windows, iOS platforms, you can remotely access, share and transfer content from anywhere. Tonido is one free app that runs on iOS, Windows and Android to allow you to remotely access your data over WiFi or 3G.

3.   Sync Your Music

Amazon Cloud Drive and Google Play Music are ideal for syncing your music files. If music occupies most of your storage, which you also might need for other stuffs, you should store it on cloud. If you buy your music from Amazon, it automatically gets stored on the Amazon Cloud Drive. However, if you purchase the cloud storage service starting 20/year for 20GB, you get unlimited space for your music that can be streamed on any device, anywhere.

4.  Secure Your Confidential Data

CertainSafe is what you need to secure your professional content that you need to access remotely. CertainSafe provides you encrypted cloud storage for an extremely secure remote access. You can sign up for it for $8.77 per month per user.

5.  Use it for Business Collaboration

CX, which is now only available as a paid service, is a cloud-based syncing tool. It starts at $9.99 a year to provide excellent storage and collaboration solutions for business systems.

6.   Sync Your Local Network And Get a Lot of Useful Apps

Dropbox has a certain advantage over most other cloud services. It enables LAN sync for fast syncing files over a local area network, and it offers a wide array of useful apps that use the Dropbox API.

7.   Create & Edit Office Documents

Using SkyDrive or Google Drive, you can remotely access, create and edit Office documents, presentations and spreadsheets. Moreover, Google Drive automatically integrates your Google Docs that do not use your computer’s storage.

8.  Secret Business Collaborations

Box, which is yet another paid cloud-based storage, offers file syncing for a paid business or an enterprise plan. Its recently upgraded iOS app offers 50GB free space for users.

9. Backup photos and Videos from Facebook

You can use iDrive for fast syncing, huge storage and powerful web interface. Besides, it comes with its highlighting feature that enables you to back up photos and videos from your Facebook account.

10.  Back Up Unlimited Data

The best use of any cloud storage is to enable you to create backups without curbing storage on your personal computers. Bitcasa is one service that allows you to back up an infinite amount for $99 per month.

Data Backup and Restoration Tips for Small Businesses

In today’s data-driven times, one of the major reasons for small businesses to collapse is data loss. In fact, any enterprise will grind to a halt without smooth and consistent data availability.

Despite knowing this, most small company owners let their data safety and backup plans linger on their to-do lists for unusually long. It is exactly in this gap that downtime and outages hamper productivity and overall turnover.

So, it is important that you implement a foolproof data backup strategy before it’s too late.

The following tips will become your practical guidelines as you head out.

Map All Your Backup Needs

Generally, data backup needs vary from business to business. Spend some time assessing your unique backup needs, for your ignorance will make it complicated, if not completely unfeasible, to decide on data backup methods.

Issues such as data type, size of files and frequently used files can create problems while backing up data. Proceed strategically and have patience if it the assessment process takes time.  

Know Where Your Business Data Is Kept

You can expect to protect your data unless you know where it is, and in what form. Talk to your IT support company and try to learn how much data and information you have. Ask them if your data is kept on a backup server or simply in corporate offices. You can also take advice on which new data safety and backup measures can be more helpful.

Choose the Right Data Backup System

Ways to backup important data are numerous, but it remains vital to consult a professional having years of industry experience. Generally, the best way to protect data is using multiple backup methods. This prevents data loss even if one of them fails completely.

The best options to opt for are:

1. Online Backup: Data backup through cloud is the most cost-effective option, regardless of how big or small your business is. Choose a reliable provider of online backup services, preferably the one that uses multiple backup locations in order to keep crucial data completely secure.

2. Server Backup: Small businesses that have servers to run all business activities and tasks should opt for sever backup. Most cloud storage companies offer server backup services to prevent data loss in events of system failure.

2. Disc Backup: You can use CDs and DVDs to backup all your important data and store it in a safe, offsite location later on. Another way is to use an external storage device like a USB flash device or hard drive. Disk imaging is an equally effective method of backing up data or a whole PC operating system. 

Top Important Network Maintenance Tasks You Can Do

It is a good habit to reserve complicated tasks for the experts. But, there’s a list of things you can do on your own too. These tasks don’t require you to be a pro, knowing a few simple instructions can help you complete them without expert help. In what follows we help you recognize these tasks, take a look:  

1. Installing, Replacing Or Upgrading Both Hardware And Software

These are the most common network maintenance tasks. The procedure involved may include replacing failed or old hardware such as switching line cards and supervisor modules in Catalyst 4500 and 6500 series and upgrading the Cisco IOS images to current versions for switches and routers alike.

2. Monitoring, Tuning And Optimizing Network

Proactive monitoring is essential for effective network maintenance. It helps in detecting potential problems such that suitable remedies could be implied before they cause a severe outrage or affect an ongoing operation. Proactive monitoring also helps in:

•  Verifying the performance of the network
•  Baseline the performance
•  Understand the right amount of direction and traffic flows
•  Identify and troubleshoot potential network problems

3. Documenting The Network And Maintaining Documents

While most engineers find this a mundane task, it is important to understand that documentation is critical for overall network maintenance, for troubleshooting and to support it. Documentation should include the following information:

• Information about interconnections between devices for LAN and Wan connections
• VLAN information and IP addressing
• Topology diagram of network
•  Inventory information of all devices, modules and components
• Configuration information
•  Date traffic information

4. Securing Network From Internal And External Threats

Securing the network acts integral to network operations and maintenance tasks. It is crucial to pay equal considerations to both internal and external threats. While most organizations have dedicated network security teams, structured maintenance approach and monitoring can also be used for detecting potential security threats based on which you can take appropriate action before any undesired incident takes place.

5. Planning For Network Upgrades, Expansions Or Enhancements 

Effective network monitoring can help you identify potential issues before they arise such that you can plan for possible expansions or network upgrades to strengthen network security.

6. Scheduling Backups And Restoring Networks From Backups

Backups should be regarded as core maintenance tasks and given high priority. Backups of critical network devices and components should be scheduled, monitored and ultimately verified at all times. This will help in faster recovery of network or its components following hardware or software failures.        

7. Ensuring Compliance With Legal Regulations

It is vital for you to ensure that the network is compliant with both corporate policies as well as legal obligations. Regardless of your industry and its requirements, you need to ensure your business is following industry standards regulated by the law. You also need to ensure that your network completely adheres to all corporate policies.

4 ways to secure your Cloud Hosted Business

There’s no dearth of cloud service providers today. After all, it’s supposed to be the next big thing after the Internet. But the management of a business organization looking forward to cloud hosted business  processes must not ignore security at all. 

1. Avoid Hard coding

At times, it may seem like an easy way out to hard code certain credentials anywhere in the code. Don’t do that. Always make sure that access keys even for the most basic tasks to be performed by junior employees are never hard coded.

2. Key Rotation Policy

Having a pre-determined key rotation policy is an absolute must. Make sure to rotate keys at least once in 8-12 weeks. CSOs should personally see that this policy is executed without fail.

3. Avoid Default Permission Settings

Nearly all cloud service provider companies offer packages that come with default permission settings. It is done to make the initial setup easier for new users. You can ask your IT support company to have these permission settings altered as per your unique requirements.

4. Create a Password Policy

Passwords for all user accounts should be a minimum of 10 characters long.

Final Words

Business critical data that you just cannot afford losing at any cost, should be backed up locally too. Also, it’s important that you have a disaster recovery plan and incident response mechanism in place. Just in case cloud services suffer downtime or are no longer available due to poor connectivity, for example, you should be able to minimize the loss the revenue.

Cloud computing is here to help you cut costs while at the same time get high-tech in no time. Just make sure to do it the right way!