If you own or operate a successful small to medium-sized business, you’ve probably made sacrifices to reduce expenses and increase efficiency. But with managed cloud services, your businesses can upgrade performance, save money, and improve both the staff and customer experience without a significant capital outlay.
What Are Managed Cloud Services?
Managed cloud services are an attractive alternative to in-house servers, physical storage, wired communications, and other onsite infrastructure. They allow your business to realize the benefits of state-of-the-art information technology at a fraction of the cost of expensive traditional IT.
Many businesses are still utilizing locally hosted IT systems. They have on-site servers and storage, wired connections, a server room, and an IT staff to ensure that it all runs properly. If their business improves, they buy additional storage and add servers. If they go through a slower period, they take servers offline. If they merge or acquire another company, their IT team has to figure out how to bridge the gap between the physical IT infrastructure of the two businesses.
Managed cloud services allow businesses to migrate data via an encrypted channel to offsite servers and storage that an MSP owns. The MSP has its own IT staff members to manage its servers, storage, software, and other hardware, so you don’t have to retain full-service technicians.
Cost-Saving Benefits of Managed Cloud Solutions for SMBs
There are several ways that transferring your physical infrastructure to a managed cloud service can improve your company’s balance sheet.
Reduced Capital Expenditure
With a physical, in-house system, you must purchase or lease all of your equipment, including servers, data storage, and other hardware. Cloud-based solutions substantially reduce the need to purchase and maintain these expensive items.
Lower Overhead
With managed cloud services, your business can avoid the cost of maintaining a server room. That means that you can reallocate the space or reduce the physical size of your operation. Additionally, your power bill will decrease since you won’t have the challenge of keeping your servers cool.
Your MSP is responsible for monitoring and maintaining the equipment, so managed cloud solutions can help you save payroll expenses by outsourcing some or all of your IT needs. If you partner with a company like Flagler Technologies, our team will have a point person or persons familiar with your business and its systems.
Scalability
At some point, you may have second-guessed the decision to increase your business because expanding your IT infrastructure was cost-prohibitive. That decision actually makes sense if you have to make a large capital expenditure and you aren’t sure if the increased revenues justify it. This isn’t the case when you have managed cloud services. MSPs have tiered pricing systems that allow you to purchase increased bandwidth and storage according to your anticipated usage. If you experience a slowdown in business, you can reduce your commitment. This is an ideal solution for cyclical or seasonal operations. Rather than having to take servers offline, you can reduce your virtual CPU usage.
Core Business Focus
Most companies view information technologies as a support function. Consequently, IT staffers are specifically there to keep the digital infrastructure running. When you partner with a professional MSP, you can reallocate your team members to focus on your core business functions.
Enhancing Security, Flexibility, and Business Continuity with Managed Cloud Services
Unfortunately, many business managers have misplaced apprehensions about cloud security. According to HealthTech Magazine, 81% of leading companies in the heavily regulated healthcare industry have adopted managed cloud services for their businesses. Here are some of the ways that an MSP can ensure the security of your proprietary information.
Data Protection
Because their business depends on it, MSPs must be aware of the latest security threats. Data is protected via encrypted connections. They can also help your company establish best-practice security measures, like two-factor authentication (2fa), lockouts for multiple failed attempts, etc. They can also run updates to ensure that your software has the latest security patches.
Regulatory Compiance
MSPs who offer Managed Cloud Services train their technicians on the latest agency regulations that affect the businesses they serve and general regulations that affect cloud usage.
24/7/365 Monitoring
MSPs provide round-the-clock monitoring and support to ensure continuous access, performance, and security.
Managed Cloud Services vs. Traditional IT Infrastructure
There are many significant differences between managed cloud services and the more traditional IT setups that many businesses still use. These are a few standout incentives for moving to a cloud-based structure.
OPEX vs. CAPEX
Managed cloud services work on an OPEX (operating expenditure) basis, which means businesses pay as they go. Traditional IT works on the CAPEX principle, which means that it requires a large capital outlay. Consequently, cloud services are much less expensive upfront and can cut costs on a monthly basis.
Management Responsibility
With managed cloud services, the IT infrastructure is offsite and owned by the Managed Service Provider. Unlike a traditional IT system, the MSP has the responsibility for managing, monitoring, maintaining, and replacing the existing equipment.
Scalability and Flexibility
Managed cloud services allow you to rapidly tailor your plan(s) to the appropriate size for your company. This is particularly valuable if you’re able to anticipate peak periods of activity. With a traditional IT system, you have to purchase or lease the equipment and infrastructure to accommodate your busiest periods. With managed IT services, you can expand your operations in a day as opposed to weeks or months.
Managed Cloud Services vs. Traditional IT
Costs
Managed Cloud Services
Lower Upfront Costs
Predictable Expenses
Reduced Staffing Costs
Traditional IT
Increased Upfront Costs
Variable Maintenance Costs
Increased Staffing Expenses
Scalability
Managed Cloud Services
Easily scalable
Elastic resources
Rapid deployment
Traditional IT
Limited scalability
Long Deployment Times
Over-Provisioning Risk
Geographic Limitations
Security
Managed Cloud Services
Advanced Security Measures
Regular Updates
Compliance Support
24/7 Monitoring
Traditional IT
Full Control Over Security
In-House Expertise Requirement
Potential for Outdated Software and Security
Maintenance
Managed Cloud Services
Provider Managed
Reduced Downtime
Allows Focus on Core Business
Access to Cloud IT Experts
Traditional IT
Self-managed maintenance
Resource Intensive
Risk of Downtime
Upgrade Challenges
Why Choose Flagler for Your Managed Cloud Service Needs?
Flagler.io is a one-stop shop for all of your cloud service needs. Because cloud-based IT is the main focus of our business, our technicians are familiar with the latest services and state-of-the-art products. Flagler.io offers our partners:
24/7 monitoring and support with rapid response times.
Workload migration and planning. If you’re migrating from a traditional IT system to a cloud-based one, we can provide a schedule and transfer plan so your operations won’t be interrupted.
Designated IT professionals who understand your business and the IT infrastructure it requires.
Seamless system integration.
Managed services and security services.
Cloud storage and backup.
Data migration to our cloud-based servers.
Application dependency mapping.
Multi-cloud disaster recovery.
To upgrade to hybrid and public cloud solutions, contact Flagler.io today!