Cloud Archives - NuTech Services LLC

Jun, 2022

A Brief Overview of Google Workspace

Productivity suites are a dime a dozen, with Microsoft Office being perhaps the most well-known. However, there are plenty of other options out there, such as Google Workspace. How does Google Workspace hold up as a solution for productivity compared to its competition? Let’s take a look!

First, we should mention that Google Drive and Google Workspace provide a similar, if slimmed down, experience on just about any compatible device. There are also collaboration features built right into the software and anytime-anywhere access, and it’s all thanks to the cloud-based nature of these tools.

Google Docs

There can be no denying that Microsoft Word is the more functional solution of the two word processors, but for most businesses, Google Docs’ user-friendly interface will more than suffice. Docs features all of the tools that you might need for your word processing needs, and Google is adding new functionality all the time. Longtime users of Word might still prefer to use it over its competition, though.

Google Sheets

In much the same way Docs is a simplified version of Word, you’ll find that Google Sheets is similar to Microsoft Excel in a lot of ways. It retains much of the functionality, so you can expect a similar experience, but it’s more minimalistic compared to Excel. Anyone who has tried to use Excel for more than simple spreadsheet functionality might appreciate the simplicity that Sheets provides.

Google Slides

Google Slides continues the trend of offering similar experiences and functionality to Microsoft PowerPoint, but in the Google Workspace suite. While it doesn’t boast as dynamic features as its Office counterpart, its simplicity and ease-of-use should serve the same purpose.

Google Forms

You can use Google Forms to create surveys. You can use these forms to build surveys, create quizzes to test the knowledge of participants, or to collect information from users. It’s one of the more interesting features of Google Workspace.

Other Notable Google Applications

There are various other Google applications you might be able to leverage to your advantage, including Google Drawings (diagram creation software), Google My Maps (map and location tracking software), Google Sites (a wiki and web-page creation tool), Google Apps Script (scripting platform to create other add-ons for your Google Apps), and Google Jamboard (an interactive whiteboard platform).

Google Workspace might not be for everyone, but that’s why you have us to contact if you want to know more about it. We can help you make an educated decision about your business’ productivity suite. To learn more, reach out to us at 810.230.9455.

May, 2022

Predicting Cloud Costs Isn’t as Challenging as You Might Think

There is no denying the versatility that technology like the cloud can provide, but it often comes with hidden costs that might affect its cost-to-benefit ratio for your organization. Here are some of these hidden costs, as well as what you can do to minimize the impact they have on your bottom line.

Some of these different expenses may impact the fees associated with the cloud provider, while others might affect your ability to implement a cloud and host it yourself. Let’s take a look at these costs to see what your options are.

How Does a Cloud Provider Set Fees?

It helps to have a baseline understanding of how a provider sets its fees. They are based on the three primary costs of a cloud service provider:

Computing Costs – How much has the provider invested in the hardware needed to maintain their cloud, as well as the operating system running on that hardware? Based on the client company’s usage, the cloud provider will need to have the appropriate hardware.
Networking Costs – In addition to the investment into the hardware that builds up its network, a cloud provider also needs to maintain it over time. This will incur costs over time.
Storage Costs – Finally, the cloud provider also needs to cover their own operational costs, in terms of the storage media needed to support their clients’ needs, while also expanding their existing storage to meet their clients’ demands.

While this might seem like a lot to take in, it’s important to consider what your own on-premises infrastructure might cost. There are the capital costs to acquire the required equipment and licenses, as well as the operational costs of powering and maintaining the infrastructure, and that’s not even mentioning the IT staff responsible for managing it. Additionally, downtime could create indirect costs for your business.

A solid frame of reference for the costs of on-premise computing is to multiply the cost of the actual upgrade by three, as every dollar invested will come with an extra two dollars of management and maintenance.

Compared to the costs of managing your own technology, working with a cloud provider is actually beneficial in several ways.

However, This is Not to Say There Aren’t Hidden Expenses with Some Cloud Providers

The cloud is great for several reasons, but you also need to consider the trade-offs of using it. For example, some of the cloud’s costs are not financial. You might sacrifice a lot of time while migrating between cloud providers, and if you need your data while you are in the process of migrating it, you might be in trouble.

Migrating to the Cloud is Easier with Help from the Experts

Thankfully, you can make it less difficult and complicated by working with professionals like those at NuTech Services. We are happy to help you with the process of data migration, cloud implementation, or whatever else you happen to need to make a smooth transition to the cloud. To learn more about what we can do for your business, reach out to us at 810.230.9455.

Feb, 2022

Use Hosted Solutions to Cut Your Upfront Technology Costs

The cloud is a tool that businesses can use to improve operations in a variety of ways. Through the use of the cloud, businesses can dramatically alter the way they conduct themselves, many of which can reduce costs. If you implement cloud solutions, you can expect them to improve accessibility, enable scalability, and improve flexibility, all of which contribute to cost savings in the long term.

The Cloud Improves Accessibility

One of the greatest benefits of working with cloud computing solutions is that the data and applications for accessing this data are made more accessible. Due to the online nature of the cloud, these resources can be accessed in a moment’s notice, allowing your team to get work done wherever and whenever they can, be it on company-owned devices or their personal devices. With this amount of accessibility, you’ll never have to be concerned about work not getting done due to resources not being available.

The Cloud Allows for Scalability

Adding or removing licenses for software applications can be a tough task to handle, especially for larger workforces. The cloud allows you greater control over your software licenses and grants the ability to scale your workforce according to your specific needs. Most cloud software solutions are delivered on a subscription basis, so it’s just a matter of creating an account and ensuring the user has access to a device capable of running that cloud solution. This type of scalability can help you eliminate unnecessary costs.

The Cloud Improves Flexibility

Employees are generally more productive when they are using devices they are comfortable with, and cloud solutions give them the ability to work with a smartphone, laptop, desktop, or tablet of choice. They essentially grant access to services and applications that can be accessed on any approved or applicable device. This means they aren’t limited to the work laptop assigned to them that they are perhaps uncomfortable using due to the operating system. This type of flexibility can empower your team to get work done on their own terms and encourage productivity.

If you are ready to implement cloud solutions that can help your business cut costs, then you should begin by contacting NuTech Services. We can help you identify the best opportunities to save money while implementing new cloud solutions. We can perform a network audit that can identify opportunities for improvement.

To learn more about our services, reach out to us at 810.230.9455.

Jan, 2022

Is Cloud Storage as Secure as We Need It To Be?

We frequently encourage our clients to consider the cloud as a viable option for their data storage needs, be they someplace to store a copy of their data backup or even their primary storage option. Having said that, it is important that we clarify that this cloud storage needs to be secure. Let’s explore how to ensure that much is true.

Step one, we need to establish whether or not cloud storage is safe in and of itself. This will ultimately fall to the provider you are effectively entrusting your data to.

Cloud Storage Security Depends on the Cloud Provider

Cutting a long story short, it really is as simple as that. There are plenty of means that your cloud provider has to help ensure the security of your stored data on their infrastructure—because that’s all the cloud really is: an infrastructure that you can use remotely instead of using your own. In this case, you’re simply using someone else’s server to store your data.

Due to this, your data’s security is wholly dependent on the protections that the provider has (or has not) put in place.

Ideally, your provider will have made sure that your data is protected by a variety of safeguards, including encryption, access controls, redundancy, and cloud monitoring, with these features tested regularly to ensure that your data is properly secured. Any quality provider will be doing so to the best of their ability, with their servers locked down and guarded behind their own security features and personnel.

Data Also Needs to Be Available

Of course, data that your business can’t access is (for all intents and purposes) data that doesn’t exist, so you need to be sure that your cloud storage provider can also ensure that you have access to everything you’ve entrusted to them.

There are numerous reasons why this may not be the case, ranging from user error, mechanical failure, or local disaster leading to a service disruption on the provider’s end to a successful cyberattack upon the provider.

However, Most Cloud Security Issues Originate from the Client’s Side

The unfortunate truth is that it is much more likely that any security issues you experience with a reputable cloud storage provider will likely come from an issue present on your end. There are a lot of examples as to how this can happen, including:

The use of shadow IT, in the form of one of your users also storing data on another, unapproved service or platform
Files being inappropriately shared
Insufficient passwords being used to protect access to cloud resources
Accidental data deletion by a user
Insecure and unauthorized devices being used to access cloud resources

In short, the cloud is very secure indeed—the problem is usually the person using it and how it was set up. This makes it critical to your company’s successful and secure use of the cloud that your users understand how to appropriately utilize the cloud in a way that maintains security while also allowing them to be productive.

That’s where we can help. Give us a call at 810.230.9455 today to learn more about how we can help secure your operations, including your use of the cloud.

Aug, 2021

Cloud Security is a More Pressing Issue

The cloud is a popular choice for businesses that need access to tools to sustain operations, but there is an innate flaw that comes from hosting anything in an online environment: security. Do not pretend that security is not an issue for your cloud-based resources—failing to acknowledge the importance of security could be a fatal mistake for organizations that leverage cloud-based technology resources.

Misconfigured Cloud Settings

Cloud tools and solutions can work quite well, but they need to be set up properly first—particularly in the realm of security. Due to its nature as an accessibility and communication tool, the cloud must ensure that security is kept at the top of mind so as to avoid data breaches and vulnerabilities. Make sure that you are reviewing, checking, and confirming that your cloud’s security settings are correct on a regular basis so as to not put your organization at risk.

Ineffective Access Controls

The cloud allows resources to be accessed from more than one location, a benefit that simplifies remote work and makes it more accessible to small businesses. Your team will need to know how to effectively utilize these resources to ensure they can get the job done, but you must also do your part to allow or restrict access to important data or applications as needed. A cybercriminal can lean into ineffective access controls set by your organization, too, for if they manage to get their hands on credentials for a network administrator or someone with upper-level privileges, you can bet that they can cause a lot of damage. To protect from this, it also helps to build secure passwords.

Targeted Attacks

Look, it’s no secret that there are countless threats out there, but the fact that the workplace has grown exponentially more connected over the past several decades means that there are more avenues than ever for cybercriminals to make their way into your infrastructure. What’s worse, cyberattacks are quite lucrative and easily repeatable, and due to the sheer number of different threats out there, hackers can switch their tactics up based on what they think will be most likely to succeed against your business.

Depending on your type of business and the compliance regulations of your specific industry, a data breach might mean much more than simple data theft. It could mean fines, lost confidence in your market, legal action, and even costly compensation. Other threats might try to harm your productivity, like Denial-of-service attacks and ransomware, with the latter being particularly devastating. You must be prepared for not just the cyberattacks we have outlined here, but for all potential threats that can derail operations. It all starts with a solid preparedness strategy.

Employee Behaviors

Your cloud solutions—especially in regards to security—will only be as effective as the team members that utilize them. If you don’t teach them how to use your solutions in a secure way, you are putting yourself at greater risk of cybercriminal activity. The other side of this is when the employees themselves are the danger, abusing the permissions they have been granted and using them in a way that is destructive to your business. Since the cloud is so accessible, it can be difficult to know when this is happening for your company, but it’s not impossible.

Turn to us for help with dealing with these cloud security challenges.

Industry professionals like NuTech Services can help your organization identify, prepare for, and respond to cloud security threats. To learn more, reach out to us at 810.230.9455.

Jul, 2021

How a Mismanaged Cloud Can Undermine Your Security

There is no denying that the cloud has become one of the most popular options for a business to obtain the tools required for their operations. Despite this, it is equally important to acknowledge that there are many ways that the cloud could facilitate security threats if not managed properly. Let’s go over some of the issues that must be addressed if a business is going to successfully leverage cloud technology to its advantage.

Misconfigured Cloud Settings

While cloud tools and solutions have the potential to be highly effective, they need to be set up properly before they can meet this potential with any hope of remaining secure. As the cloud is supposed to be an accessible tool to help facilitate productive collaboration, any accidents or errors could create challenges that would work against that goal. One common outcome of these challenges: security shortcomings and vulnerabilities.

To this end, it becomes especially crucial to your business’ security (and by extension, its success) that all settings in your cloud are reviewed, checked, and otherwise confirmed to be correct on a fairly regular basis.

Ineffective Access Controls

One of a cloud solution’s greatest business advantages is the fact that access to the resources it holds isn’t tied to one location, greatly simplifying processes like remote work by enabling your team to utilize these resources whenever they need them wherever they are working. Having said this, it can become a challenge to simultaneously restrict data to only those who have the proper authorization to do so without properly implemented controls in place

In addition to this, you should also bear in mind how much a cybercriminal will tend to lean on the human element of a business as an exploitable weakness. To combat this, it is important that your team members are instructed on how to create secure passwords.

Targeted Attacks

Back in the day, businesses had a relatively short list of threats to deal with, effectively boiling down to theft and vandalism. Now, however, the nature of our connected workspaces means that a far greater variety of threats could potentially harm a business. Cyberattacks are numerous, profitable for the cybercriminal, repeatable, and vastly varied in how they are shaped.

While modern organizations have the same concerns about theft and vandalism, they now need to worry about many different resources being stolen. Sure, they could have finances taken away, but they could also lose their customers’ payment information or protected data. This could result in fines, lost confidence from their market, legal action, and might even necessitate costly compensatory damages to be paid to those affected. Other threats don’t focus on a business’ finances, but on their productivity or even reputation. Denial-of-service attacks and ransomware get much of their leverage by preventing the targeted business from operating effectively. Plus, how motivated would you be to continue supporting a business that allowed your data to be exfiltrated, opening you up to identify theft?

With so many businesses moving to the cloud without properly paying attention to the security standards we reviewed above, cybercriminals now also see it as an opportunity for their purposes. Diligence and preparedness are both critical to preventing their success.

Employee Behaviors

Finally, one of your greatest assets could very well be one of your greatest challenges when it comes to securely utilizing cloud resources: the team members you’ve brought on to keep your business running. Without the proper instruction, your team may not adjust to the cloud as smoothly as one would hope, potentially creating vulnerabilities that a cybercriminal could take advantage of.

Alternatively, there is always the chance that your team has someone less-than-trustworthy amongst its ranks, and this individual could potentially use their access to abuse the data your company relies on. The cloud’s accessible nature does make it more challenging—but not impossible—to detect such activities.

Turn to us for help with dealing with these cloud security challenges.

Our team of professionals has the experience and insight necessary to effectively spot cyberthreats that could negatively impact your business’ use of the cloud, and are ready to help you mitigate these efforts. To find out more about what we can do for your business and its security, reach out to us at 810.230.9455.

Jun, 2021

How Should Your Small Business Implement Cloud Solutions?

Whether you take advantage of it or not, the cloud is a major part of most businesses’ IT infrastructures—especially with the ongoing pandemic, which has kept many workers out of their offices and off of the in-house network. If your business is one of the few that has managed to stay afloat without the cloud, let’s change that. With a high-quality cloud solution, you can future-proof your business in ways you may not have considered.

Explaining Cloud Computing

Cloud computing is so common that the majority of people use it on a day-by-day basis, perhaps without even realizing it. One of the biggest examples of consumer cloud computing is most email accounts, like Gmail or Yahoo, which use the cloud to store emails. In general, this is what cloud computing looks like—storing data in an online environment, improving flexibility and accessibility. It’s the ideal solution for businesses that want to keep operations running even outside of the office.

Most organizations utilize the cloud to some degree, usually a public or private cloud.

Public vs Private Clouds

Cloud-based services fall into one of these two categories, each with their own advantages and disadvantages. Let’s take a look!

Private Cloud

It’s actually pretty common for businesses to manage and maintain their own cloud infrastructure. This means that they have server units on-premises that they are responsible for keeping active, thus providing their workers with the ability to connect to their data through any approved devices, be they a desktop, laptop, or smartphone. A private cloud offers more flexibility in terms of the way that it’s designed, as well as a greater security ceiling. However, this comes at the cost of… well, costs; you need to manage, maintain, and secure server units, and they also consume a considerable amount of electricity.

Public Cloud

As you might imagine, not all businesses have the ability to care for server units in-house. This is where the public cloud comes into play. Essentially, the public cloud is like “renting” online computing resources; you pay for space from a cloud provider and do with it as you see fit. The space is partitioned off per user or account, meaning that only you have access to your data, even if it is technically located on the same server as other users’ data. The convenience of this concept makes cloud computing much more accessible, but it does come with its fair share of concerns. The space is managed by your cloud provider, so you won’t have as much control over it as if you were managing it yourself. Furthermore, you won’t be able to have as much control over security as you might like. The public cloud is generally pretty secure, but businesses shouldn’t have to compromise on security.

The small business is put into a bit of a dilemma. Do you invest in a private cloud infrastructure and all of the challenges that come with it, or do you pinch your pennies and go with the public cloud? If neither option sounds ideal, we have one more option for you: the hybrid cloud.

Hybrid Cloud

For businesses that don’t have the capabilities to implement a private cloud solution, but don’t want to accept the shortcomings of the public cloud, a hybrid cloud solution might be the right call.

The idea is simple; a managed service provider hosts your data so that you don’t have to. You then work with the provider to design your infrastructure around your specific needs. The managed service provider manages and protects your infrastructure to whatever extent you are comfortable with, freeing up tons of time for you to focus on being productive. All of this combines to get the customization you need without compromising elsewhere.

Does your business need a hand setting up a cloud solution? NuTech Services can help. To learn more, reach out to us at 810.230.9455.

Jun, 2021

3 Ways Your Business Can Utilize the Cloud

The cloud is a great tool that lets businesses of all industries and sizes revisit the way operations are handled, but it’s not always clear what the best approach is for your specific business. What are some ways that you can utilize the cloud, and why is it so important that you start thinking about these benefits now?

In a post-pandemic world, let’s take a look at how your organization can leverage the cloud.

Data Storage

One common issue for business professionals with multiple devices is having important files spread out across their devices. Even files that are stored on an in-house network cannot be connected to if the network isn’t hooked up to the Internet. The answer to this challenge is actually quite simple; hook it up to the Internet with cloud-based data storage!

Cloud-based data storage allows any connected device to access data, provided the appropriate permissions are in place. You can work on any file, anytime, from anywhere. This is especially useful when it comes to travel or working remotely. On-premise servers can take up a lot of physical space, electricity, and maintenance, so hosting in the cloud is the ideal solution for any organization that wants to improve data access.

Backup and Disaster Recovery

Your business needs to be able to handle any data loss incident in order to preserve your organization’s future. If the data is stored elsewhere on a different device, that’s one thing, but if the data simply ceased existing due to data loss, then you have a real problem on your hands. The gold standard for a while was tape-based backups which would be stored on-site, but these backups were at risk due to natural disasters and user error. Plus, they take up a ton of physical space; it’s safe to say that they are no longer the gold standard.

An automated data backup system that utilizes the cloud is a far superior option, as it can be deployed relatively quickly following any data loss incident. Since the backups are stored with more redundancy than tape, you will never have to worry about them being inaccessible or corrupted. More often than not, you will have a copy of your data that you can rely on in the event of an emergency.

Cloud Hosting

What the cloud does for data can also be applied to just about anything business-related. The possibilities are astounding if you don’t limit yourself to only using the cloud for file storage. For example, you can host applications like your Voice over IP phone software or your productivity suite for easy access on any connected device. The accessibility might not seem like much, but we assure you that it can be an incredible asset when implemented properly.

If you zoom out on this line of thought, you can also see the opportunity for hosting hardware solutions. For example, let’s say that you have a certain piece of legacy software that needs to run on a specific instance of a server operating system. However, all your servers run Windows Server 2019. Instead of hosting a server specifically for the legacy software, costing you valuable resources and potentially putting your network at risk, you can instead use a virtual server. This process, known as partitioning through the cloud, allows you to host-specific instances of operating systems in a virtual environment.

Leverage the Cloud Today

If your organization needs some assistance with implementing cloud-based technology, we’d love to help. NuTech Services is all about helping businesses optimize efficiency through the use of innovative technology solutions. To learn more about what we can do for your business, reach out to us at 810.230.9455.

Mar, 2021

Why a Document Management System Can Be Advantageous

“Paperwork” has long been associated closely with life in the office, but like so many other “classic” workplace elements, it has been replaced by more modern means. In this case, a Document Management System (or DMS) offers a small-to-medium-sized business far more utility than its predecessor, the filing cabinet.

Understanding a Document Management System

Picture, if you will, a magical filing cabinet, imbued with the ability to…

Independently organize the files it contains
Work with your other business solutions to put these files to their proper use
Communicate with a variety of devices
Simplify collaboration between you and your coworkers and collaborators
Assist you in preparing your business continuity measures
Search through your existing files by means of a simple interface
Ensure that you remain compliant to industry-based regulations
Keep the many files stored in it safe from unauthorized viewers
Enable secure access for your remote workers

All this, without being too difficult for the average office worker to use.

What we have described is effectively the Document Management System in a nutshell. More than the average cloud storage solution, the DMS is meant to integrate with your other digital tools to provide more utility than it otherwise would. Cloud-hosted DMS tools also provide you with the means to work on the go while also allowing you to automate the other functions your business requires.

These Features are More Essential Than Ever Before

Now that remote work is more popular than ever and data security is rising in importance each day as a result—not to mention how critical it is that your team can continue collaborating—the precise functions that a DMS supports are more essential than ever.

NuTech Services can help you even further by evaluating your current use of technology and helping you to improve it. To learn more, reach out to us at 810.230.9455 today.

Feb, 2021

Benefits IaaS Can Bring to a Business

Of all the technologies currently used by businesses, the Internet is a strong contender for the most important. Regardless of their size, many businesses invest thousands each month into online Software-as-a-Service solutions as a means of more affordably equipping their users. Let’s talk for a moment about another cloud platform that has seen some advancement: Infrastructure-as-a-Service.

An Intro to Infrastructure-as-a-Service

Infrastructure-as-a-Service essentially boils down to this—rather than purchasing the equipment and dedicating the space to host their critical solutions in-house, IaaS eliminates the need for native servers and transfers their functionality into a cloud environment. With the market for cloud storage and processing at $100 billion and counting fast, this has proven to be a popular option.

Cloud services like hosted desktop, which enables a business user to access specific software solutions, have been around for years. Over time, applications have grown to be much more sophisticated. Pairing this increased sophistication with considerable investments made into these services, it only makes sense that entire computing infrastructures can now be had via the cloud. With big names like Amazon, Google, and Microsoft all contributing, essentially all processes involving computers nowadays can be delivered in such a manner.

With IaaS in place, a company can enjoy its needed access to computing resources on demand without having to worry about the considerable upfront costs that would traditionally come with these capabilities. IaaS also helps prevent a lot of waste via overinvesting in necessary space. Along with its customizable resource allotment, the cloud and IaaS give businesses many additional benefits:

Superior performance – Your business’ IaaS platform is managed and maintained by the service provider, with all the tools needed to keep systems up and secure.
Powerful security – Security has been a crucial consideration for many years, so today’s cloud providers invest heavily in security.
Enhanced flexibility – Companies can access effectively unlimited computing resources, and it provides a lot of flexibility and scalability.
Built-in redundancy – Hosted infrastructure includes built-in redundancy, disaster recovery, and continuity options.
Consistent Pricing – Companies that are looking to make a move to IaaS, are normally doing so to avoid huge upfront and maintenance costs. While IaaS isn’t the consistent price that Software-as-a-Service options provide, IaaS does offer a transparent pricing structure and provides businesses that know their underlying traffic the means to successfully predict their computing costs.

For a business looking for value, IaaS can be a promising option. Call NuTech Services today for a consultation into how you can best acquire the computing resources that support your business at 810.230.9455.

Jan, 2021

Lessons to Learn From Lego’s IT Development

Businesses of all sizes have been able to successfully overcome operational challenges by rethinking and adapting the technology they utilize. Let’s consider a huge example and look at what The Lego Group (as in the building blocks) has done to address some of their technological challenges with improved solutions—as well as how your business can do the same.

The Lego Group’s Situation

Sharing their story at the AWS re:Invent virtual conference, The Lego Group revealed that their online presence and its Direct Shopper Technology team was encountering issues… particularly when their traffic was spiking during sales events and product launches, reaching levels 9.5 times what was typical and with a 200-fold increase in transactions. Back in 2017, the release of the largest building set to date (the Star Wars™ Ultimate Collector Series Millennium Falcon™ set, with 7541 pieces) and the resulting traffic on launch day effectively shut down the back-end of their website and overwhelmed the sales tax functionality that called back to their on-premise infrastructure.

This made it so that visitors would only see the website’s maintenance page.

This event proved to the company that some changes had to be made, as their growth simply couldn’t be supported through their on-premise solutions and the limited scalability they could offer. Furthermore, making these changes could allow the company to focus more on their customers’ experience on the website, rather than focusing on basic upkeep, while also giving them the resources to adapt to such demand spikes and capitalize on innovation.

Lego’s Growth Trajectory

Lego began their transition to cloud services in 2018 with the migration of their sales tax calculator and three additional processing services. Ten months later, the company had a serverless platform that was capable of everything its on-premise infrastructure could do, and soon after, the cloud had overtaken their on-premise capabilities with new records being established each month.

As of July of 2019, The Lego Group has been able to triple the number of engineers under their employ through remote operations and adopt 36 more serverless services, utilizing automation and monitoring to ensure that issues could be identified and addressed promptly. This approach has also allowed Lego to shift their attention from maintenance to developing new features that will help to further improve their service and the customer experience that results from it.

What Does this Have to Do With You?

While admittedly scaled up considerably, Lego’s transition to the cloud serves as an effective case study for any business that is experiencing IT challenges, as it demonstrates how much a company can grow and innovate by simply taking advantage of the technology that is available.

The best part is that this is the case for businesses of effectively any size—from a consumer retail and manufacturing giant such as The Lego Group to the small mom-and-pop shops who sell the construction sets that Lego produces. Of course, these capabilities also expand outside of the retail industry, with the potential to benefit a company that operates in effectively any vertical where its operations are concerned.

NuTech Services is here to help you put the technology that can benefit your business into place, ensuring that any operational issues are addressed and that all opportunities are embraced. To find out more about the solutions we use to accomplish this, make sure you reach out to us by calling 810.230.9455.

Nov, 2020

How Software as a Service Fits Into Your Business’ Technology Plans

Traditionally, if a business needed a solution to a problem, they would research which technology is the best for the problem they had and go out and buy it. If a company didn’t have the money to buy that solution, they would borrow to buy it so that their business wouldn’t stagnate and fail. In today’s tech-driven business environment there is a much better option than mortgaging your business just to save it.

It’s the cloud.

Specifically, software-as-a-service (SaaS).

What is SaaS?

In order to understand SaaS, you definitely need to have a cursory understanding of the concept of cloud computing. Basically—for you that don’t know—cloud computing is the use of servers hosted in data centers to provide your business (or individuals) the computing they need through the Internet. It’s as simple as that. Companies create data centers where any business can get the processing, the data storage, the services, and the software utilities they need. Software-as-a-service represents the last part of that. Basically, if you need a piece of software, you can now get it in the cloud.

Why Buy Software In the Cloud?

If you are going to buy software, why not buy a physical copy of the software? Well, you obviously still can, but in order to run the software, you will also need the infrastructure in place that can handle the dissemination and computation of data; you need reliable and continuous IT support to ensure that the hardware is maintained, the software is patched, and that any issues that come up are handled, if not proactively, quickly. You also need to ensure that the people using your software are networked together, which can be extremely costly to perfect and secure.

Software-as-a-service comes with all this. Not only does your business get the software it needs, it does so without having to take on the responsibility of maintenance, utility costs, and other detriments to having a centralized computing infrastructure. In most cases with a SaaS offering, the cloud provider will handle all of the hosting and maintenance costs and bake them into the cost of the service.

So How Does SaaS Work?

SaaS platforms are simple to set up and are completely scalable. This means that if you need five licenses for a certain program and 40 for another, you can get them. Better yet, you can add or remove users from any of these platforms for any monthly subscription cycle, allowing you to control your business’ computing costs more accurately than if you are trying to maintain multiple servers.

Users will sign in using a login and a password, and many of these offerings today come with two-factor authentication (2FA) as an additional security option. At NuTech Services, we recommend using 2FA on as many online accounts as you can. Once in, they have full access to the software. Users can select the storage they want to use to save and export files created with this software, giving them full control over their work.

Your business uses a lot of software, and if you could avoid paying for software upfront and turn your computing into an operational expense, it might just open up more available capital that you can use to invest in your vision.

If you would like more information about cloud computing or software-as-a-service, or you would like help implementing solutions that will help your business be the best it can be, call us today at 810.230.9455.

Jul, 2020

Demystifying the Cloud for Business Computing

As businesses have been allowed access to more advanced tools, the cloud and its capabilities have been shown to be among the most useful to operations. Let’s examine some practical applications of the cloud to see why this is.

Defining Cloud Deployments

Businesses have the option to use three different cloud deployments:

Private Cloud — Space in a cloud infrastructure is owned and utilized by a single business.
Public Cloud — Space in a shared cloud infrastructure is utilized by multiple businesses and users.
Hybrid Cloud — Space is utilized in both a public cloud environment and in a business’ privately-owned cloud space.

Regardless of the type of cloud deployment used, it provides considerable utility to the businesses that embrace its capabilities. Let’s consider some of the ways that your business could make use of these utilities.

The Cloud’s Service Models

Using the cloud, a business can fulfill its technology needs and requirements through solutions provided “as-a-Service.” Some of the “aaS” solutions available to businesses include:

Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS)

Infrastructure as a service is simply computing space available in the cloud. The provider maintains the infrastructure that your business relies on to host its assorted needs, such as its operating system, storage needs, and applications. You gain access through a single sign-on that can be outfitted with two-factor authentication for additional security.

Software-as-a-Service (SaaS)

Instead of paying per GB, a business can utilize software in the cloud. This means that the provider not only takes on the task of keeping the cloud infrastructure maintained, but also ensures that the software solutions themselves are managed and maintained.

Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS)

PaaS almost serves as a hybrid between IaaS and SaaS. Essentially, using Platform-as-a-Service enables a business to create its own proprietary application without any of the responsibility to create and manage the infrastructure that supports it. Many software developers benefit from a PaaS platform to be able to code and test new applications.

Cloud computing is a big part of the modern business world. For more information about cloud computing and how to use it for your business, call the IT professionals at NuTech Services today at 810.230.9455.

Apr, 2020

The Cloud Can Contribute to Company Collaboration

Collaboration has always been key to the success of businesses, and with the cloud technologies now available, collaboration is possible in more ways than ever. COVID-19 has made business connectivity more important than ever, so we saw it fitting to recognize some of the cloud’s collaboration options. They come in a few distinct flavors:

Communication Solutions

Many, many solutions devoted to keeping people in touch and in the loop are now commonly hosted in, and delivered through, the cloud. This method only makes sense, as it enables your team to fully collaborate whenever an Internet connection is available. Take extra steps to foster these habits in your organization at every possible opportunity.

Software

As with communication solutions, other kinds of software can become more collaborative when they are hosted in the cloud. This is because the cloud eliminates the need for work to all be done in the same location, or the same time of day. With each team member contributing what they can, when they can, teamwork is just more convenient. There is also the added advantage of an entire team having access to the same tools as one another, another factor that the cloud can guarantee with the ability to push updates out.

Documentation and File Sharing

Notes and other forms of documentation quickly become a workplace asset, as they offer a time capsule of sorts to be referenced later when the data is needed once again. Due to the number of people who may need access to this data at some point, the cloud makes this level of collaboration the most convenient option for your team to make use of as they compile a repository of important information.

Project and Customer Relationship Management

Similarly to a cloud-based notebook, a project management or CRM solution that is accessed via the cloud enables your entire team access to the important data contained within, making cooperative work a much more feasible prospect. With the same information at their disposal, your entire team appears to act as one to your clients and customers. On the same path, cloud-based project management offers the same benefits to your team members as they work together towards a shared goal.

Data Visualization

A final key facet that we must discuss is the use of data to help create predictive models that further streamline your operations. Using a cloud platform to consolidate the data generated and collected by your users, you can aggregate it and call attention to previously unnoticed trends and patterns. A cloud solution is best to use in order to do this, as the data sets involved in these operations are of massive proportions. Doing so enables you to combine the efforts of your entire team into contributing to a single goal.

As the modern work environment has developed, it has done so with an increased focus on collaborative work and cooperation. The cloud is simply the latest result of this development.

For more information on how you can use the cloud as a collaborative asset for your business, give us a call at 810.230.9455.

Mar, 2020

How Secure is Your Use of Cloud Solutions?

Cloud computing is generally accepted today as a good option for businesses. While we aren’t arguing that this isn’t the case, we wanted to make sure that your cloud use–actual or theoretical–was sufficiently secure. Many will neglect to consider how secure their use of cloud solutions is, which is something that we’d like to fix.

To do so, we’ll be discussing the concept of cloud security, which is pretty much what it sounds like: security concerning the data, infrastructures, and applications that are hosted in the cloud. In many ways, these considerations aren’t all too different than the ones that would be involved with your local IT. When really boiled down, any security you have implemented should meet a few benchmarks:

Assurance that data/solutions are safe
You have a transparent view of your security’s status
Instant alerts to unusual events and issues
These events and issues can be followed back to their source and addressed

Of course, we don’t mean to say that everything is identical between the security of your local infrastructure and a cloud system. We just wanted to establish this as the foundation of any security you implement.

Demystifying Cloud Security

By its nature, cloud computing can be intimidating, especially when you start to consider how it has impacted the business technology landscape. Fortunately, many of the security considerations that cloud now demands aren’t necessarily huge leaps from what your security should be normally. Let’s walk through a few differences between traditional security and what is required in the cloud.

Different Perimeters to Protect

Consider how data can be protected when it is localized. You can effectively prevent a lot of threats just by preventing access to the area where your data is stored. The cloud makes this significantly more difficult by being so very connected.

However, if you know this moving forward, you can adjust your security to meet these needs. One effective way to do so is to make sure that all data to be stored in the cloud is encrypted, and that access to the cloud itself is protected with multi-factor authentication requirements with the appropriate best practices baked in.

More Advanced Threats

Unfortunately, not even cloud providers are immune to attacks. The development of Advanced Persistent Threats (which you may see referred to as APTs) and other means of breaching data make it difficult to be sure that your data is truly safe. While the jury is still out on how these threats can be overcome, you need to accept the responsibility of keeping up with the practices that can help in the meantime.

Software Challenges

As the cloud relies on software to deliver hosted data, there is an assortment of potential variables that need to be addressed. Therefore, the cloud needs to have security controls in place to address these variables as they present themselves. This is the case whether data is being transported at the time, or if it is filed away.

NuTech Services can assist you with your data security needs, as well as assist you with whatever cloud implementation you decide to put into place. To learn more, reach out to us by calling 810.230.9455.

Feb, 2020

Tip of the Week: Making Microsoft OneDrive Work for You

From its very beginnings, Microsoft has been creating devices and software to help users accomplish their goals. This is one reason why their solutions are so commonly found in businesses. Today, we wanted to focus on just one, OneDrive, and highlight some of its features that any business could find useful.

For context, it helps to know that Microsoft OneDrive is a cloud storage platform that just about any business could make use of, regardless of its size. After all, any size of business will have to remain organized.

Speaking of which, our first tip covers how OneDrive can make this organization super convenient for you.

OneDrive Files On-Demand

Files On-Demand gives your users the ability to effectively link their File Explorer to OneDrive, which enables them to work with files found in your OneDrive without downloading all of them to their device. Not only does this save real estate in the device’s storage, it allows work to continue offline through a simple proactive switch in a particular file’s settings.

Known Folder Move

OneDrive can also work as a simple backup option, although it certainly should not replace a comprehensive plan. Regardless, Known Folder Move allows users to have the contents of certain folders automatically synchronize with their OneDrive storage. This can be set up during the initial installation of OneDrive, or at any time you have need for it.

Integration with Microsoft Outlook

Consider what typically happens when you try to share some kind of Office document as an email attachment for someone to work on: you aren’t sending them access to your file, you’re simply sending them their own copy. OneDrive fixes that by enabling a user to share their files as though they were attachments, editing the permissions provided on the fly. As a result, the actual file is being collaborated on, really allowing work to be done.

What has been your experience using OneDrive? Share your impressions, as well as any other questions we can help with, in the comments!

Jan, 2020

Cloud Services Are the Rideshare of Business Computing

When you look at cloud services, it can be easy to wonder how it is so beneficial for businesses. After all, the monthly service charges are attractive, but how do they provide the value outside of cost? To understand how the cloud brings rapid and sustainable ROI, it may help to look at an analogy.

How the Cloud is Like a Rideshare

Cost Efficiency

Let’s say you are with three people and you need to get someplace and don’t have access to a car. You all could call an Uber or a taxi that would cost you $20 or so. If you are going to the same place, you could all share the cost of a ride for $7 each. You all get to the same place for a fraction of the cost.

This is a lot like how cloud services work. Since you are paying for access to storage, processing, or application deployment on an outside computer, you are just paying rent for the privilege. This means that you can get the computing resources your business needs at a substantial cost savings. This is because you are often not the only one using these resources.

Just like you pay less if you split your transportation costs, cloud service companies allow for substantial cost savings by virtualizing computing resources and making them available at attractive rates.

Reduced Maintenance

The combination of leasing these virtualized computing resources, while taking on a majority of the management of these resources, provides substantial value for businesses and individuals.

Let’s say that, to continue the rideshare metaphor, you decide to lease a car from a local dealership. One day the car breaks down. You’ve spent a premium amount of money trying to get a reliable ride to work, but if you don’t have access to your car, your investment isn’t cost effective. This is the same experience a business has that purchases hardware and has issues with it. Outsourcing the computing resources (or the management) ensures that you have continuous, reliable access to them.

Productivity

Finally, just like ordering a shared ride, cloud services allow you maximize productivity. With cloud computing you can even work from anywhere with an Internet connection and utilize your time reliably. Turning to cloud computing resources is a great way to free yourself from the costs of purchasing expensive hardware, while giving you the resources your business needs to get where you want to go.

If you would like more information about cloud services and how they can improve your business, call the It experts at NuTech Services today at 810.230.9455.

Nov, 2019

Are Cloud Servers an Option?

Servers are the brains of your business insofar that’s where most of the critical information is stored, and a server failure (with no contingency plan in place) could spell the end-times for your business. With that information, you should be looking for the most reliable option that works for you. Today, we’re going to look at the differences between using hosted servers vs. paying for your own in-house server.

The Decision

It may seem pretty simple, but there really are a lot of variables to consider. How important is uptime to your business? How much capital are you willing to spend? What are you using the server for? These questions (and more) need to be addressed before you decide which way to go with your IT.

Benefits of an In-House Server

The physical server option brings with it some substantial benefits. Firstly, it gives you physical control over your infrastructure, and therefore keeps all data in one central location. It also provides a way for administrators to eliminate third-party access of server resources. Secondly, you have several networking options. It is the only time that the Internet is not necessary, as all inhouse servers can use wired or wireless networking to transmit data over internal network. For the small business, an in-house server can be the most cost effective.

Detriments of an In-House Server

The biggest detriment of the in-house server is the upfront capital outlay. In order to have an effective IT infrastructure set up, your company will need to fork over thousands of dollars to purchase the hardware. Then, once it’s set up and working, you will need to pay to maintain it, so without a structured IT department or a managed IT service agreement, you won’t have any uptime guarantees.

Benefits of a Cloud Server

Hosted solutions can be right for your business, but first you have to understand what exactly you are gaining. Firstly, unlike in-house servers, you don’t have to have a pile of cash dedicated to build a cloud server. Moreover, when your business grows, you won’t have to worry too much about scaling the hardware, you can just purchase all the computing that your organization requires.

Most cloud servers come with all the support that is needed as well as full redundancy, a consideration that has to be made no matter what type of infrastructure you choose to implement.

Detriments of a Cloud Server

The main detriment of the cloud server is that, over time, it will be more expensive than in-house servers. Another potential deal-break for some organizations is that if they\\ absolutely demand to have control over their hardware, most cloud platforms will not abide. Storage costs can also be substantial, especially for businesses that have a lot of media.

Of course, with the technology as it is today, companies can start with a reliable in-house computing structure and expand into the cloud for more productivity-fueled endeavors. One thing is for sure, to keep your business’ data safe, you need to have solid and consistent management of your servers.

If your business needs some expert help selecting the computing construct that will help you run your business effectively, don’t hesitate to reach out the IT technicians at NuTech Services at 810.230.9455.

Sep, 2019

Taking a Long Look at Microsoft 365

Microsoft has always offered a variety of business solutions, some which conform to your needs and others that do not. The beauty of this, is you can pick what solution will benefit your business, and leave the ones that will not behind. Here, we will discuss Microsoft 365 and what is offered within the Microsoft 365 package.

What is Microsoft 365?

Microsoft 365 is a bundle containing Office 365, the Enterprise version of Windows 10, along with Microsoft’s Enterprise Mobility + Security. Microsoft 365 is comprised of all of these solutions, meaning your business will benefit from all of the features that come with these solutions, with just one package. So, what does this package include exactly?

Here are all of these solutions you could or should be taking advantage of with Microsoft 365:

Windows Enterprise OS
Installed versions of Microsoft Office applications
- Word
- PowerPoint
- Excel
- OneNote
- Access
  - Mobile versions of these applications
  - Office for the web
- Outlook
- Exchange
- Teams
- SharePoint
- Yammer
- OneDrive for Business
- Sway for Office 365
- Stream
Task management tools
- To-Do
- Planner
- PowerApps and Flow
Device and Application Management
- Microsoft 365 Admin Center
- Intune
- Windows Autopilot and Device Health Analytics
- System Center Configuration Manager
Identity and Access Management
- Azure Active Directory Premium 1 and 2
- Windows Hello
- Direct Access
- Credential Guard
Threat Protection
- Microsoft Advanced Threat Analytics
- Windows Defender Antivirus and Device Guard
- Microsoft Defender Advanced Threat Protection
- Office 365 Advanced Threat Protection
- Azure Advanced Threat Protection
Information Protection
- Office 365 data loss prevention
- Windows Information Protection and BitLocker
- Azure Information Protection 1 and 2
- Cloud App Security
Security Management
- Microsoft Secure Score
- Microsoft Security and Compliance Center
Advanced Compliance
- Advanced eDiscovery
- Customer Lockbox
- Advanced Data Governance
- Service Encryption with Customer Key
- Privileged Access Management
Advanced Analytics
- MyAnalytics
- Power BI Pro

Here at NuTech Services we understand this list is extensive. However, it is worth viewing as there could be solutions your business could benefit from. NuTech Services has the technicians needed to help you procure, implement, and manage the right solutions for you. Reach out to us at 810.230.9455 to learn more.

Sep, 2019

Tip of the Week: Cloud Decisions for the SMB

In a nod to the strength of modern cloud networks, businesses are now able to gain significant flexibility when making their IT decisions. There are innumerable solutions designed to speed up business, transfer cost, and provide businesses with workable computing platforms they once paid tens of thousands of dollars per year for. For today’s tip, we will look at how using hosted computing solutions provides significant business benefits.

Countless Options

The cloud provides a myriad of options for any-sized business. In the cloud, you can host applications, communications, storage, and even full-platform infrastructure. With so many options available, your business can get the computing power and tools it needs, when needed.

User Tip: When trying to determine which cloud platforms are right for you, you may find the cost/benefit analysis won’t give you the definitive answer you are looking for. Your best bet is to prioritize which information systems would work best hosted onsite and which one brings the most value hosted in the cloud. The best decision for your business’ bottom line may not be the best decision.

Productivity Improves

One of the most important aspects of cloud computing is the possibility that it provides a modern business. With all of the options the cloud presents, a business can pick and choose how to leverage them to produce increased productivity. Of course, the computing platform itself isn’t going to produce more, but with the data and application accessibility and the collaborative options the cloud provides a business, they are able to get more done, faster.

User Tip: Cloud computing may provide the ability for your team to collaborate better, but it isn’t going to produce anything on its own. One tip to ensure for efficient collaboration and enhanced teamwork using cloud interfaces is to assign one person to manage the files and data inside your cloud solution so that everyone knows who to go to if they need answers. Running a project is a lot like running a basketball team, one person has to run point.

Monetary Benefits

Implementing cloud computing can absolutely help save a business money off the bat. A shift to the cloud works to eliminate huge capital costs. Say you need a server. If you bought, powered, and supported the hardware yourself, you are looking at a bill that’s likely in the five-to-six-figure range. If you choose a cloud, you can fire up a new server for a monthly fee that gives you a lot of the same computing power your business commands, without the waste of computing resources and the upfront expense you would see by running your own hardware.

User Tip: The cloud may help you transfer cost, but if you jump in with both feet it can get pricey quick. That’s why it is important to migrate your processes, data, and infrastructure to the cloud in small, incremental steps. It keeps operational costs down and keeps your IT administrator sane.

At NuTech Services, we understand the value of cloud computing, but we also recognize that the cloud isn’t right for every situation. If you would like to meet with our knowledgeable consultants about a shift to the cloud, call us at 810.230.9455 today.

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