If you have been readying your company for the mobile workforce, chances are that your business rode out the recent winter storms with little disruption. Yet, for business owners feeling once burned and twice shy after back-to-back weather challenges, now is a good time to rethink your business connectivity and possibly explore an IT strategy that incorporates Cloud solutions.
Keep in mind that the combination of Cloud applications for email/documents and mobile devices for on-the-go communication allows you to work anyplace, anytime. However, when using Hybrid-Cloud - some applications are on-premise (usually your office) and some in the Cloud - you may not be able to gain access to your on-premise applications.
Of course, power outages are challenging for any technology. Work may prove difficult if the Internet connection is down - even for businesses that have built a Private Cloud (servers in a data center), or for those that use the Public Cloud (leased servers).
Here are three things to consider when exploring Cloud solutions for business continuity.
- Maintain email - For most small businesses, hosted email is an easy-to-implement, cost-effective solution. You can keep your domain name and migrate email from multiple accounts. A hosted solution, such as Microsoft Office 365 or Google Apps, provides continuity and backup in the Cloud.
- Edit and store documents in the Cloud - This will give your entire team access to the latest revision and make collaboration a snap. Consider using the Cloud to backup important files as part of your disaster recovery plan.
- Access specialized applications - Making a hybrid solution with your own Private Cloud (that includes redundancy and backup), or moving your applications to the Public Cloud, may make sense for your individualized business needs. Start with a cost-benefit analysis by assembling a team of in-house experts or hiring an IT consultant.
No matter how big or small, you can keep your business running by using the latest Cloud and mobile technology - to fuel the mobile workforce or to confront an emergency.