Embed Size (px)
DESCRIPTION
Telecom companies, software companies, and IT firms are all talking about “The Cloud” these days, but what is it really and what does it mean for small business owners? The truth is, most of us are already using the cloud in our daily jobs as marketers and businesspeople, and we don’t even know it. Moving your business from using a few cloud computing tools to embracing it as our primary IT toolkit can have a big impact on our productivity and bottom line. Trevor Jones and Brad Dormanen from GWI explain the basic concepts of cloud computing and some of the key benefits to Maine small businesses. They’ll explain how cloud computing can save businesses money and give small companies access to software tools previously only available to big companies. Brad and Trevor will also discuss the basic components your business needs to be “cloud ready” and outline some key things to think about when getting started in cloud computing.
Citation preview
Cloud Computing Basics for Small Business
November 1, 2012
About Us
• GWI– www.gwi.net– blog.gwi.net– Facebook.com/GWIInc– Twitter @gwimaine– YouTube.com/gwimaine
• Trevor Jones, Director of Marketing and Product Development– Twitter: @trevorjones71– LinkedIn.com/in/trevordjones
• Brad Dormanen, Director of IT– Twitter: @braddormanen– linkedin.com/pub/brad-dormanen/28/751/5
Poll – Have You Used:
• HubSpot?• Salesforce.com?• Hootsuite?• TweetDeck?• Google Apps? (Gmail, Drive, Docs, Calendar)• Control Panel Web Hosting?• Google Analytics?• Mozy or Carbonite?• DropBox?
Congratulations!
You’re using cloud computing!
What is Cloud Computing?
• IT assets obtained as services– Monthly maintenance fee– Minimal up-front costs
• Software (SaaS)• Platform (PaaS)
– Control Panel Web Hosting
– Force.com, Google API
• Hardware (IaaS)– Server virtualization,
storage, etc.
Cloud Computing BenefitsFinancial
• Reduced Capital Costs– No servers to buy– No software licenses to buy– No unexpected investment needed due to equipment failure,
obsolescence or disaster• Reduced Overhead
– Less need for specialized IT staff or consultants– Lower power consumption– Reduces the need for expensive private networks or hard to maintain
VPN’s• Scalability
– Pay as you go per megabit or per seat
Cloud Computing BenefitsOperational
• Work from anywhere– Username + Password access
without VPN’s
• Best in class services for small business budgets
• Automatic updates– Lower Maintenance– Fewer risks from malware and
intrusion
• Built in Disaster Recovery– No manual backup processes– Geo-diverse replication of data
Do what you do best, where you want to do it – let us deal with IT.
A Few Examples of GWI Cloud Computing Services
• Hosted PBX• Hosted Storage • Hosted Backup &
Recovery• Hosted Exchange• HAVEN - Server
Virtualization• Data Center Services
Data Center
• Off-site home for your servers– Build your own Cloud– Specialized applications– Sensitive data
• Benefits– High availability
• Diverse internet connectivity• Backup power systems
– Secure and safe• Keycard access• Video surveillance• Gaseous fire suppression• Redundant cooling
– Nearby• Low latency• Easy access
– On the GWI Core• Nationwide private network connectivity.
Before You Jump In:Network Readiness
• Set up monitoring– Is your connection fast enough?– Are their performance issues with your network?
• Have wiring inspected• Check wireless network configuration
– Performance– Security
• Update out of date equipment• Upgrade your connectivity
– Consider a private connection– Consider backup Internet
• Install battery backups on network devices
Before you jump in: Partner Selection
• Control & Privacy– Understanding where copies are stored– Careful review of privacy policies
• Data Security– Ensure stored data is encrypted– Mistrust any partner who can decrypt your data for you– Data should be transmitted via a private network, SSH, or other encrypted tunnel
• Service Level Management– Mean time to recover/restore– Maintenance schedule
• Location matters for performance• Consider carriers
– Connectivity can be managed for performance and security– Savings through bundling with telecom services– One-call, one-bill convenience– Many have local support staff
THANK YOU!
Questions? Ask away!
