Typically servers and NAS (Network Accessible Storage) devices will have multiple internal drives as part of a RAID array. This is the first line of your companies defense. Traditionally, back up would have been on tapes – swapped on a daily basis, and more recently on external back up drives. We would always recommend multiple external drives to be rotated on a daily (or weekly) basis depending on what you are comfortable with. Bear in mind however that ransomware or other virus infections can crawl onto any device linked onto your network. This includes external hard drives and USB sticks. That back up you were relying on may well end up encrypted or infected.
Human nature means that we can sometimes forget to rotate drives and take copies offsite for safekeeping. It is therefore crucial that critical files are also backed up automatically on a daily basis. The most efficient way to do this is via a cloud based backup solution. The folders, amount of data, and the length of archiving is entirely your choice. The back up software we install will do the rest and we can provide a support package to give you peace of mind that your data stays safe
Traditionally, larger organizations may have had their own Exchange Server for email distribution. The hardware overhead required for a new Exchange Server is outwith the budget of many smaller companies and also largely unnecessary these days. Migration from a traditional SBS Server with Microsoft Exchange to a fully hosted 3rd party solution provides all the benefits without the capital outlay. There are also a number of advantages to a cloud based solution. The near 24/7 up time and support offered by cloud email services means that you are not dependent on your own IT staff or hardware. The redundancy offered by cloud data centres also means that you are not reliant on a single point failure. Finally, security, both physical and in terms of internet threats is greatly improved.
Smaller organisations may have basic email provision through their internet service provider but rarely with the benefits that hosted email can provide. The advantages that a cloud exchange solution brings can help you to grow your business without a huge capital overhead. Scalability means you can add new email addresses easily as your work force grows
Hosted email can be provided as part of Office 365 service with all the standard Microsoft Office applications or as a stand alone email service. User2 can assist with both routes
Whether for home, small business, charity, education or enterprise, Office 365 has a fully integrated office package to suit. Traditional MS Office required significant capital outlay. Additionally it quickly became out of date and even presented security flaws. When systems needed to be re-installed, there was also the question of “where are those disks and licences ?”
Office 365 ensures your organization always has the most up to date software. As your workforce grows (or contractst) scaleability means the license plan can be adapted to suit. As the modern business runs on many different devices, often outwith the office, Office 365 synchronises your emails and calendars and can allow you to share up to date company data online with cloud storage. Devices such as PC’s, laptops, tablets, Macs and smartphones can all benefit from Office 365 with each user license covering up to 5 devices. This offers a great value way for collaboration within your company at an affordable monthly cost.
For those who have already purchased a recent version of Microsoft Office outright and want to save ongoing software rental costs, why not opt for the hosted email service only.
Charities and education can also benefit from discounts. Speak to our advisors who can put you on the right track to discounted software
User2 can make the choice of upgrading to Office 365 easy and also fully undertake the migration from your existing Office and email package.