Blog

By Elina Toufexi - Business Development Officer

Introduction

Cloud computing is the on-demand delivery of Information Technology (IT) resources and services over the web, such as cloud server, cloud storage and databases. Cloud computing is an innovative shift from the traditional way of doing business, as everything is handled in the cloud. Organizations of all types, sizes and industries are using cloud computing daily by using cloud applications such as data backup, email, disaster recovery and software.

Using cloud applications offers numerous advantages to businesses including:

• Flexibility – access the cloud and to all the IT resources provided, anytime and anywhere;
• Cost savings – no additional capital expenses needed;
• Security – cloud policies and controls help protect your data from potential threats.

OVERALL, CLOUD APPLICATIONS ARE FLEXIBLY AND EASILY ACCESSIBLE WHICH ENABLES THE WORKFORCE TO WORK FROM HOME SECURELY.

In this article we will exploit key cloud applications and cloud service providers, that enable you to work remotely – wherever you are, anytime you want and on any device.

Microsoft Office 365:

Microsoft Office 365 is a suite of cloud-based applications that includes a set of productivity and collaboration tools (i.e. Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Microsoft Teams). Tools for businesses are also included such as Skype for business that enables video conferences between clients and employees. Additionally, Microsoft Teams – a tool for teamwork – which allows you to collaborate with your peers by sharing files, calendars and team chats.

“Work anywhere, anytime, on any device. Office 365 is ready when you are” - Microsoft.

 Office 365 offers numerous advantages to exploit:

1. Anywhere access – easily access your files and apps from any device at any location. You can create, edit and share from your favourite desktop browser in real-time.
2. Easy collaboration – teams can easily work together even when remotely, as they can have multi-party video meetings, share calendars and files and have team chats.
3. Continuous updates – office 365 apps are updated automatically in the cloud, thus you will have access to the latest versions.
4. Flexibility - office 365 offers an array of tools suitable for any individual’s needs.

Cloud Storage:

IBSCY Ltd offers a Cloud Storage functionality using our highly available Synology infrastructure located at a Tier-3 data centre in Cyprus. By doing so, we enable businesses to save large amounts of data which they can access anywhere, anytime and from any device. Synology Cloud Station drive is a file sharing service that allows you to sync files between a centralized Synology product and multiple client computers, mobiles and Synology products. To seamlessly sync your data among the Synology product and your computers, the Synology product must be chosen as the host server, and the rest of the paired computers will act as the client devices.

There are several advantages to use IBSCY's Cloud Storage:

• High availability of your files - this product is using our highly available Synology infrastructure at a Tier-3 data centre in Cyprus.
• Full Backup for your data – all your data is backed up by IBSCY’s cloud to Microsoft cloud on a daily basis. You just use the file access and sharing functionality.
• Built-in Disaster Recovery - when a disaster occurs, we instantly switch you to our Disaster Recovery infrastructure in UK.
• Less hassle for your IT team - A solution to mitigating maintenance efforts and costs.
• Easy Collaboration - Share your documents and files with people inside and outside your organization with just a click.

Microsoft Azure IaaS:

Azure Infrastructure as a service (IaaS) is an instant computing infrastructure, provisioned and managed over the internet. IaaS quickly scales up and down with demand, allowing you to pay only for what you use. Azure manages the infrastructure while you purchase and manage your own software. Many businesses of any size use IaaS for website hosting, storage, backup, recover their business data and also analyzing big data. IaaS offers several advantages which are listed below.

Advantages of IaaS include:

• Improves business continuity and disaster recovery – with the use of the right service level agreement, IaaS can access apps and data as normally during a disaster.
• Fast responding – IaaS enables you to quickly launch a product or accommodate the high demand for your applications, by having fast computing infrastructure and scaling up resources.
• Stability and reliability – with IaaS there is no need to maintain or upgrade your software/ hardware, as Azure assures that your infrastructure is reliable.
• Security – Azure provides high security for your applications and data.
• Low costs - IaaS sidesteps the upfront expense of setting up and managing an onsite datacenter.

Conclusion

All in all, taking your business to the cloud introduces a range of innovative tools, flexible and secure data, and paves the way for new workflows and routines. Cloud computing significantly benefits individuals on-the-go or working from home, as it gives you the flexibility and productivity to securely access business data anytime and anywhere. The aforementioned cloud applications can even unify collaboration among teams in real-time and improve business continuity without any major business interruptions.