Business

Keeping our heads in the cloud

Keeping your head and thoughts in the clouds . . .
Keeping your head and thoughts in the clouds . . . Keeping your head and thoughts in the clouds . . .

DOING what we do, namely installing and servicing telecommunication facilities for our clients, our sights are set on that which cannot be seen. All very cryptic I know, but it is the invisible transfer of data and the ability to stay connected, sometimes over vast distances, that is our bread and butter.

The hardware you use, whether phone handsets or computers, requires protection, but our priority is to ensure the safe and secure storage of your company’s digital property at the network level, from your secretary’s calendar to financial results.

I’ve spoken in this column before about the importance of security and the issues that can arise when servers crash or an act of God shuts the office so remote access is vital, and the message is clear, if slightly skewed. We must keep our heads in the cloud.

I remember a couple of years ago, when cloud technology was relatively new, companies and suppliers alike were only starting to find their feet by way of requirements, capabilities and cost-effectiveness.

While there was substantial noise and a strong case being made for its adoption, there was no consistency in the procurement strategy for cloud services by companies across the UK. While many businesses viewed cloud as a way to reduce IT costs, it was meeting that objective that proved the issue.

Businesses were using a variety of cloud services to provide solutions within the business rather than having one central provider looking after all requirements, largely due to individual departments (marketing, sales, business development) sourcing services independently.

Times have changed, thankfully! Previously, IT departments would have been largely out of the loop, resulting in the aforementioned melange of suppliers and providers no doubt providing a headache for IT heads and accounting teams alike.

Now the business world is truly mobile and relies heavily on data and communication capabilities being remote and non-reliant on filing cabinet-sized servers. Cloud services provide streamlined operating systems that have allowed organisations to increase their speed, scalability and cost saving abilities.

As with so many things, with the increase in need and demand, so too does the number of operators and suppliers in the marketplace. While companies like Microsoft continue to lead the market, smaller-scale operators are providing business networks with cloud-related services, that are more flexible and capable.

Using their local knowledge, existing relationships and understanding of connectivity provision, local and regional operators are innovating and playing an important role in the development of cloud services, data centres and regular communications.

We pride ourselves on only working with the best service providers, system operators and maintenance teams across the geographical areas we service as we know how important quality and world-class delivery and products are to businesses.

Rather than daydreaming your way around vital issues of client, data and staff protection, this is one of those rare occasions when I urge you to look to the sky and focus on the cloud.

:: Eric Carson is director of Rainbow Communications and can be contacted via www.rainbowcomms. com. Rainbow Communications can also be followed on Twitter - @ Rainbow_Comms.