Switching to Cloud Computing

 Organizations that switch their IT systems to cloud services can decrease their IT expenses significantly, while at the same time increase availability, information security and business flexibility

Many organizations, especially those comprised of several branches, or those with decentralized operations, need to constantly deal with the challenges of information systems management, server room maintenance, upgrades, allocations of electricity and air conditioning, etc. For the managers of such organizations, these actions are a far cry from the business’s main activities and waste unnecessary management resources.

This condition is not set in stone, and nowadays there exists a creative solution with which you can make the most of both worlds – a significant reduction in cost, alongside an increase in performance, flexibility, information security levels, and an ability to grow indefinitely, according to need. In other words – cloud computing services.

Thanks to Club Web cloud services, led by OMC, these organizations can now eliminate the burden of IT and transfer network management systems to the cloud. Among the gains such organizations mention are the ability to upsize or downsize computing resources with one single e-mail, operate all business systems without an IT team and significantly decrease the overall expenses on IT systems.

Server Crashes and Revenue Loss

Interviews with executives from small and medium organizations worldwide reveal an array of problems they have to deal with. First, is the inability to focus on business activities and to minimize IT involvement. These executives have to deal with networks that are not reliable enough, resulting is expensive work stoppage.

Another challenge arises from multiple branches or decentralized operations. When these organizations are highly dependent upon a central server farm, every time there’s electrical power interruption or server crash, all other branches have to terminate sales or other services. This is an unacceptable phenomenon, engendering heavy losses and damage. The managers of such organizations clearly know that the different branches should not all depend upon one focal point, which can fail. Eliminating this condition will enable branches to operate independently and become more reliable.

Reducing Costs

Another goal, which is raised repeated over and over in these conversations, is to reduce the costs of IT maintenance, decrease the number of internal IT workers and allow for outsourcing of IT maintenance. Therefore, the desire to achieve unlimited growth potential, without the increased expenses of new hardware, air conditioning and electricity allocations, etc., naturally brings these organizations to the world of cloud computing. This world enables these organizations to focus on their business activities, while using IT as a power source which propels the business, just like electricity.

A Cloud Solution Tailored to the Organization’s Needs

Changing the way you work is no mean feat. The very idea of outsourcing the entire IT department is viewed by some organizations as true audacity, even though the general concept of the cloud is already in the mainstream. As an answer to some executives’ concerns, we have developed a methodology which enables organizations to gradually and smoothly transfer their IT systems to the cloud. The basic goal of our methodology is to tailor a “jacket” that would fit the organization’s exact needs.

The process usually includes a conversion of the organization’s servers to work online, while gradually switching them to the cloud model. The gradual process prevents unnecessary shocks to the organization, and provides a smooth and problem-free route to the cloud.

When we ask our customers why they chose us over everyone else, the answer is rather simple: they say our solution provides the best cost/benefit ratio compared to the competition, and that we have the best ability to accommodate their exact needs. Others, on the other hand, try to make them change so they can fit the existing solutions.

The great experience we bring to each project and the amount of thought we put into planning the transition to the cloud, makes it possible for us to switch an entire organization from the old method to working in the cloud within just a few hours. When the organization’s workers power up their computers in the morning, they can’t even feel the difference.

Concentrate on Business, Not IT

The most satisfactory part of switching an organization to the cloud comes when they need to dramatically increase their computing resources – be it for a campaign or just due to seasonal needs. When this happens, the customers understand the power of cloud computing: they can increase computing resources, RAM or storage without limits, and receive computing abilities of a huge organization. All this, without the huge expense it would normally entail. The organization’s IT can be managed as if it were a big organization, and provide the necessary computing services for any business activity while only paying for the time it’s using them.

There is also the issue of reliability and availability. These organizations, which have experienced numerous availability, backup and restoration problems in the past, suddenly enjoy the availability level more often found in organizations with huge budgets. Most of them find it hard to believe they actually had to deal with down time in the past.

The ability to gain these advantages without hiring expensive IT experts and without maintaining a server room, air conditioners and expensive electricity allocations, is what makes the cloud solution the right thing for today’s businesses, and is what lets them focus their attention on what they do best – their trade.

The next article will answer the following questions:

• On what technology is the cloud model based?

• Where are all these servers?

• How can high availability levels be guaranteed?

• What are the costs of switching to the cloud and what are the necessary preparations?