Are you thinking about moving your Microsoft Office Suite to the cloud? Maybe you already have a few cloud services, and are looking to layer on a few more, like a cloud-based backup. Or perhaps, you’re ready to move your entire operation to cloud-based systems, and eliminate your company’s server room entirely. No matter which level of cloud adoption you’re considering, making the transition is transformative. A good cloud consulting partner can ensure you make the transition, and improve your business outcomes, too.
How can cloud consulting companies help you transform your business? First, let’s discuss how most consulting arrangements work.
Cloud Computing Consulting Services: Should Your Business Hire One?
In most cases, the short answer to this question is yes. A good managed IT service (MSP) provider can serve as a cloud consulting company. They can help you procure and manage your cloud services. They’ll make sure they work optimally with your existing network and systems.
How much of their time you use, however, will depend on how much of their oversight you need. Relationships with an MSP tend to break down into two types:
- Fully Managed IT Services—cloud computing consulting services are offered in addition to the management of your entire IT operation
- Co-Managed IT Services—consulting for cloud computing consists of the MSP buying and managing your cloud service licenses while working in concert with your existing IT department
How to Choose The Right Cloud Consulting Services for your Company
If your company already has robust IT resources, then the co-managed service option is your obvious choice. Even here, though, cloud computing consulting services are not simply plug and play. Your MSP can help you choose the cloud tools that are compatible with your systems. They can install cloud backup systems, and help you think through all your cybersecurity concerns. Their relationships with cloud vendors can ensure you get a good price and timely service if something goes wrong.
Even a small company with no IT department can afford a full-service MSP. Best of all, they offer the services of co-managed, and a whole lot more. In this arrangement, your MSP can serve as a CIO on contract, providing expert analysis and IT network strategy. A good MSP can also provide you with round-the-clock service monitoring, managing your users and licenses, and providing help desk services for whatever your employees need.
Put simply, relationships with cloud computing companies are eminently scalable, flexible and affordable. Most cloud tools are priced on a per-user basis, too. So, no matter what the size of your company, there’s never a reason to go without cloud consulting companies. Why not make the most of your cloud purchases by taking advantage of the expert advice that comes with them?
What Can Cloud Consulting Companies Do For Your Company?
The consulting cloud computing encourages can be a real boon for companies. You can upgrade your business on every level. Here’s just a sample of what cloud computing companies can do for you.
Help Your Business Automate
What processes can your company take to cloud-based services and automate? The answer is surprising. Cloud companies like Microsoft and AWS have platforms that automate nearly every corporate task—from training to accounting, customer service, billing, and more. Literally, hundreds of services are available, and many of them will help you cut time and labor from your company processes. Good cloud consulting companies can help you integrate these into your systems seamlessly.
Increase Your Transparency, Internally and Externally
Cloud services like Microsoft Windows 365 Cloud PC and SharePoint allow you to share files and create internal and external portals.
But that’s just the beginning. When these platforms are available to you, what can you do with them to improve your business? Could you develop an employee portal, for instance, where they can take all their training courses, submit expenses and pay reports, and find all the latest company news? Could you use other cloud-based platforms to create a customer portal where they can track orders, submit service requests and pay their invoices? The opportunities are endless. A good cloud consulting company can help you integrate cloud tools with your existing data flows. With them, you can make something truly useful for your users.
Secure Your Remote Work Channels
With the consulting cloud computing offers, companies work safely from anywhere. Cloud Computing companies set up safe, remote-ready cloud-based platforms. With a virtual private network, Single Sign-On/Passwordless verification, and cybersecurity programs, a company can fully enable a “work from anywhere” culture. New cloud-based operating systems can even eliminate the need for a server room, entirely.
Upgrade Your Cybersecurity Program
Some of the best cybersecurity tools today are cloud-based and offer 24/7 monitoring by cybersecurity industry veterans. A good MSP will be able to perform a cybersecurity assessment and determine where the holes are in your network. They might suggest tools like Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) and Security Incident and Event Management (SIEM). Together, these programs find cyber criminals lurking in your network, and provide insurance-ready forensic analysis. But there are a whole host of security tools available.
Create New Solutions for Live System Monitoring
Cloud consulting companies can provide you with unprecedented tools for 24/7 live monitoring of your systems. Cloud monitoring services generate service tickets for network incursions. National staff, usually with the assistance of cloud-based vendors, can immediately get to work to fix the breach. In today’s heightened cyber risk environment, an after-hours breach is something most companies can’t afford. There’s cloud-based monitoring that catches when your data leaks on the Dark Web, too.
Build Up Your Backup Systems
One of the biggest benefits of working with cloud computing consulting services is the advice they can give you on system backups. Options abound for cloud backup vendors. A good MSP can help you wade through your choices and create the kind of cloud backup systems that will be best for your data flows and storage needs. With the right cloud backup, you’ll never have to worry about a natural disaster or ransomware attack bringing your network down again. Your cloud backup provider can have your system back up and running in minutes, with very little loss of data.
Ready to Make Your Modern Workplace Journey to the Cloud?
We’d love to talk to you about how cloud consulting companies can take your business to the next level. Make your IT Right!
