Cloud Computing - Cumulus Global

Launch Alert: Cloud Solutions Weekly

July 24, 2015/in General

As part of our commitment to provide information about cloud computing for small and mid-size enterprises, we are pleased to announce The Cloud Solutions Weekly.

Published every Friday at 10:00 am ET, The Cloud Solutions Weekly covers cloud computing and its potential role and value for your business. We aggregate news, stories, and videos from more than two dozen reputable sources to ensure a broad range of coverage. And we don’t accept advertising to keep it clean and easy to read.

Subscribe to The Cloud Solutions Weekly to receive a weekly headlines summary in your inbox.

VDI Solutions: Uniting Performance, Scalability, and Cost-Efficiency

July 13, 2015/in General

Like many organizations, your foray into cloud computing may have started with an ancillary or security service, like email spam and virus protection. For some, the first or second step into the cloud was moving email off-premise. For others, a cloud-based CRM service or VDI solution was the first application in the cloud.

Currently, we see organizations rapidly moving file services and storage into cloud-based solutions as more marketing, sales, and line of business applications switch to Software-as-a-Service (“SaaS”) or SaaSOps solutions. Often, this leaves you with a small set of business applications running on-premise.

VDI Solutions Explained

What do you do with applications and services left on-premise when most of your systems have moved, or will be moving, to the cloud?

While you may wish to keep these legacy systems on-premise, you can move them into a cloud or hosted Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) environment. VDI environments provide a virtualized, remote desktop accessible via browser or “receiver” app. When connected, users get their full desktop environment with access to local and network applications.

Some applications, such as computer-aided design (CAD) and manufacturing/process controls, are not well-suited for VDI. Most local and network applications work well within a VDI environment. VDI services typically charge based on processor load, memory, and allocated disk space. Fees may also include standard office software, data backup services, malware protection, and other common network services.

Why use VDI Solutions?

Improved secure accessibility to legacy applications, particularly for remote and mobile users
Lower cost for IT and cloud infrastructure, especially when email, apps, and other services are moving to the cloud
Improved reliability and security, as VDI solutions run in professionally managed data centers
IT resources are free to work on higher value projects than maintaining core infrastructure and services
Lower cost and less administration of end-user devices, as you can move to thin clients, chromebooks, and tablets as existing desktops and laptops need replacing

When to use a VDI Solution?

For some small and mid-size enterprises, VDI solutions provide a means to “clean out the closet”, to simplify their IT solutions and walk away from endless maintenance and updates. For others, a VDI solution enables them to move legacy systems and applications to a cloud-based environment.

When considering a VDI service for legacy applications and systems, answering a few basic questions while help you determine if your “when” is “now”.

Is the application is available in a Software-as-a-Service (Saas) subscription?
Does the application have custom modules or code that would prevent running the SaaS version?
Are application requirements — processor power, memory, disk space — known and understood?
How many users need access to the application?
How many users receive reports or data from the application?
What connections or integrations exist between local/network applications?

With answers to these questions, you can scope the size and configuration of your VDI environment. You can also assess if the benefits, and the costs, of a VDI solution outweigh the costs and effort required to maintain the systems on-premise.

As you move applications and services to the cloud, you will likely reach a point where you no longer have the critical mass necessary for on-premise servers to be the most economical and effective solution. When you reach this tipping point, a VDI solution will provide a secure home for your systems, your business, and your budget.

Embracing the Cloud: Unlocking the Top Benefits of Migrating from On-Premise Infrastructure

June 29, 2015/in Education, General

Moving from on-premise to the cloud can offer numerous benefits for businesses and organizations.

Most of the businesses, nonprofits, and local governments we help move to cloud platforms see both tangible and intangible benefits shortly after deployment. Whether they focus on improved availability and reliability, easier secure access to files, lower capital expenditures, or the benefits of improved collaboration and access to video conferencing services, very few businesses regret the move.

Top Benefits of Moving From On-Premise to Cloud

Cost Savings: Cloud services eliminate the need for upfront capital expenses on hardware and data center infrastructure. Instead, businesses can opt for a pay-as-you-go model, where they only pay for the resources they use. This cost-effectiveness can significantly reduce IT expenses and is among the top benefits of moving from on-premise to cloud.
Scalability: Cloud providers offer the ability to scale computing resources up or down based on demand. This flexibility allows businesses to handle fluctuations in traffic, application usage, and storage requirements without the need for overprovisioning or hardware upgrades.
Accessibility and Mobility: Cloud services enable access to data and applications from anywhere with an internet connection. This accessibility fosters remote work, collaboration and enhances productivity as employees can work from various locations and devices.
Data Redundancy and Reliability: Cloud providers often have multiple data centers across different regions, ensuring data redundancy and high availability. This minimizes the risk of data loss due to hardware failure or disasters.
Security and Compliance: Reputable cloud providers invest heavily in security measures and comply with industry-specific regulations. They often have dedicated teams to monitor security threats and implement robust data protection practices. This is another key benefit of moving from on-premise to the cloud, as it provides essential resilience and continuity for a business.
Automatic Updates and Maintenance: Cloud services take care of software updates, security patches, and system maintenance. This frees up IT staff from routine tasks, allowing them to focus on more strategic initiatives.
Faster Deployment: Cloud infrastructure can be provisioned and deployed quickly, speeding up the time-to-market for applications and services.
Innovation and Access to Advanced Services: Cloud providers frequently introduce new services and technologies, empowering businesses to leverage cutting-edge tools without investing in research and development.
Global Reach: Cloud services have a global presence, enabling businesses to expand their operations to new markets and serve customers worldwide with reduced latency.
Environmental Benefits: Cloud computing can lead to reduced energy consumption compared to on-premise data centers, as cloud providers optimize data center operations at scale.
Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery: Cloud services often include robust backup and disaster recovery features, ensuring data resilience and continuity in the face of unforeseen events.
Collaboration and Workflows: Cloud-based collaboration tools facilitate seamless teamwork, enabling employees to share and collaborate on documents in real-time, enhancing productivity.
Competitive Advantage: Adopting cloud technology allows businesses to stay agile and respond quickly to market changes, gaining a competitive edge over competitors still reliant on traditional IT infrastructure.

Other Indirect Advantages of Shifting from On-Premise to Cloud Solutions

Many organizations do not look beyond the scope of their cloud implementation for other, indirect or subsequent benefits. Cloud migrations often create opportunities for additional IT simplification that can improve the users’ experience as well as further lower costs.

Most common across our customer base is the ability to simplify wide area networks. Organizations with multiple locations rely on wide area networks to connect offices, servers, and people. We see several common architectures, each with limitations.

Centralized servers require all users not at the server location to access data remotely, at lower speeds.
Distributed servers provide performance, but require more complicated backup solutions and/or data synchronization.
Spoke and hub networks connect all sites, typically over leased/dedicated lines. Bandwidth between sites is limited and relatively expensive, with a single path (or, hopefully, redundant paths) to the Internet.
MPLS (Multi-Protocol Layer Switch) networks provide a managed network, better security, and greater Internet bandwidth, but still rely on leased/dedicated bandwidth to the carrier.
Lan-to-Lan and PC-to-LAN VPNs can securely connect machines and sites over private or public lines, but VPN services add overhead that hurts performance, increases admin costs, and makes it more difficult for users to connect.

When files and other data are centrally located in the cloud, you can simplify your wide area networks and lower costs.

Because your data is centrally located, you may no longer need point-to-point connections between your offices. Replacing point-to-point, VPN, and MPLS links with Direct Internet Access Links can have up to a 100X benefit, as many carriers can provide you with up to 10x the speed at as little as 1/10th the cost. At these price points, building in redundancy is affordable and can protect your businesses from carrier outages.

As you move to the cloud from on-premise software and infrastructure, reassess the role of your wide area and Internet links. Simplification and modification of your architecture can save you time, money, and overhead, while providing faster, more reliable service.

If you would like to review your network for opportunities, or discuss the potential benefits from moving to the cloud, please contact us for a no-obligation discussion.

Our First eBook: 7 Policies for Every Company Using Drive

June 26, 2015/in General

We are please to announce the launch of our new eBook series with the publication of 7 Policies for Every Company Using Drive. Based on one of our most popular 3T@3 Webcasts, this eBook discusses information privacy and security issues and policies that should be in place to protect your customers, your information, and your business.

Our new eBook series is part of our growing suite of resources intended to help educate and inform on topics related to Cloud Computing for Small and Mid-Size Businesses.

Click here to access the eBook.

Cloud File Services: How to Define Their Role and Manage Data Better

June 24, 2015/in Education, General

What Are Cloud File Services?

Users can store, access, and exchange files and data via online platforms known as cloud file services, also referred to as cloud file storage or cloud-based file sharing services. Without the use of physical storage devices or on-premise servers, these services offer a practical and effective solution to manage files from numerous devices and places.

Cloud file services can fill many different roles for your business. Often, the use of cloud file services begins with employees using consumer products, like Dropbox, to share files with customers and each other. While sync-and-share can be an effective way to manage files, you should always rely on the business editions to ensure that the business is in possession of, and is managing, your data.

That said, this use of file sync-and-share tends to be transient in nature. At the other end of the spectrum, many businesses are replacing on-premise servers, NAS, and SANs with cloud file services, which become the primary file service.

To help you plan how to create the best cloud file service for your business, consider these working definitions and considerations with respect to data protection and management.

Define the Role of Your Cloud File Service

Transient File Service

Transient file services are used occasionally for storage and sharing of files.
Often a sync-and-share service (Dropbox, box.net, etc) or a peer-to-peer service (Drive, etc.), files are copied to the file service and shared.
In most cases, files sync back, or are manually copied, to their primary location. As the primary location for files is protected by backups and permissions management, transient file service generally don’t need or have backup protection.
Permissions management is often the responsibility of the individual users. As such, transient file services should not be used for sensitive or protected (PHI, PCI, etc) information.

Secondary File Service

A Secondary File Service will fill the role that the Transient File Service provides, but will also be the home — the system of record — for some information.
Companies create Secondary File Services to handle information that is used collaboratively, but wants to keep internally-used data and critical business information in-house. An architecture firm, for example, might have active projects residing in a cloud file storage service while keeping past project data and internal operations (HR, finance, accounting, strategy) on in-house systems.
While sync-and-share can serve the needs of secondary file server, peer-to-peer and managed file services provide better control over your data.
As a Secondary File Service will be the system-of-record for important information (i.e., the data is not synced or copied to other storage), these file services should be protected by Backups.
Secondary File Services may or may not be used for sensitive or protected information. If they are, then active permissions monitoring and management is advised to prevent inappropriate disclosures, leaks, or breaches.

Primary File Service

A Primary File Service becomes the system of record for most, if not all, of your company’s files and data. As such, the cloud file service will hold sensitive and protected data. Access, permissions, and protection are as critical in the cloud as they are on-premise.
Backup/recovery and active permissions management become critical components for ensuring data reliability, security, and privacy, and may be required for regulatory or industry compliance.
While smaller businesses can use the peer-to-peer, larger businesses or those with larger numbers of files find that a managed and structured file service works better.
Centralized ownership and control over permissions improves security and efficiency.
Sync-and-share services may still be used to support off-line work, but should be managed closely to ensure sensitive and protected data remains secure.

Hybrid File Service

A Hybrid File Service exists when the Primary File Service is split between on-premise servers and cloud-based file services. A Hybrid File Service differs from the use of a Secondary File Service in that the Hybrid File Service sees both on-premise and in-cloud as equal components of the ecosystem. Data location is based on access needs and usage rather than on the type of data.
For some organizations, Hybrid File Services represent a transition period from on-site to cloud file services. For others, Hybrid File Services reflect a broader hybrid cloud strategy that mixes SaaS and IaaS services with on-premise systems.
As Hybrid File Services create a cloud-based extension of on-premise servers, a managed file service with central ownership and permissions control is most often the best structure.
With a Hybrid File Service, the cloud component requires backup/recovery and permissions protection on-par with your in-house servers.

By understanding and defining the role of your cloud file services, you have a better understanding of the type of managed cloud services to use — sync-and-share, peer-to-peer, or managed file services. You can also best determined the level of backup/recovery, access, permissions, and encryption you want and need to meet your business’ needs and any regulatory or industry requirements.

Navigating Cloud App Customer Issues: Common Concerns

May 13, 2015/in General

The cloud is a great way to securely share information with customers, vendors, and business partners. Most productivity tools are relatively inexpensive, easy to set up, seem easy for your customers to use, and adequately secure. For many of these services, your customers access the data you are sharing by creating a free account on that service. This seemingly harmless step, however, can be the source of problems. Make sure you understand the top cloud app customer issues and address them before they cause problems for your business.

How Cloud App Sharing Solution May be Punishing Your Customers

Using a cloud solution that requires customers (or others) to create a free account will, in many instances, cause problems for your customers.

Free Accounts are Never Really Free. When your customer sets up their free accounts, your vendor has gained a new “customer.” Expect the vendor to start marketing to your customers in order to sell them upgrades to paid versions. Your vendor will likely add your customers to their newsletter and update notice lists.

Sharing a file should not create an email headache for your customers.

Your Customer May Need to Help. Many cloud-sharing services require, or encourage via default prompts, the installation of browser and desktop extensions, applications, or services. If your customer uses a managed computer, she may not have the rights to install the necessary widget to access the shared data.

Your customer should not need help from
IT to open a shared file or a secure email from you.

You Can Break Your Customers’ Computers. Even if the necessary extension, application, or service can be installed, your cloud app may break their computers. If the extension, application, or service conflicts with other software or services on your customer’s computer, you have created a problem that can be time-consuming to figure out and resolve.

Reading a shared file and secure email should not cause system problems.

Not Everybody Wants More Software. A customer of ours once asked if he would need to install anything to view a file we were about to share. He pointed out that he currently had 4 apps for accessing shared file services, 1 app and 2 browser extensions for reading secure emails, and 3 web meeting clients installed on his system — non of which his company uses. Once every few weeks, he spends time uninstalling these “helpful tools” to keep his system free of clutter.

A shared file or secure email should not require a system cleanup.

The biggest issue with all of the above scenarios is that they disrespect your customers’ time by creating inconveniences or problems. Doing business with you should be easy.

When picking cloud solutions, such as file sharing and secure email services, look for systems that do not require (or prefer by default) your customers to setup accounts or install software of any type. Unless your customer agrees to that type of solution (such as accessing a project management system), you are potentially creating problems and annoyances that can change your customer’s perception of you and your business.

FAQs About Cloud App Customer Issues

Feel free to contact us if we can help you evaluate your options and solutions.

Reconsider Your File Sync-and-Share Services

May 4, 2015/in Education, General

It is no wonder why file sync-and-share services are so popular. They are easy to setup and use, particularly with people outside your company or organization. And, most people you want to share with have, or are willing to create, a free account to see your shared files.

As a business, government, school, or non-profit, however, you may want to reconsider how you let your team use file sync-and-share services. Here’s why:

Who “Controls” the Data?

Do you know if individuals are sharing information inappropriately?
Could you recover files deleted by a user from their account?

File sync-and-share services create de facto peer-to-peer networks. Files are “owned” by the person that created or uploaded them. Permissions are controlled by each user, not by any central policy. As such, you have little ability to monitor or manage access to your data, which puts your business at risk for data breaches, as well as policy and regulatory violations.

Can You “Find” the File?

Are you comfortable with a peer-to-peer file service with little central control?
Are folks wasting time figuring out in which folder files are stored?

With each user creating folders and files to meet their own organizational needs, finding files shared with you can be challenging. As users create similarly named folders, locating files can be a challenge. You should never need to call a person for help locating a shared file.

Where, “Exactly”, is the File?

Would a lost or stolen laptop or phone give somebody easy access locally saved files?
Is locally saved data as secure as data on your server?

Chances are, your team is syncing files to/from laptops and mobile devices. So even if you are using a secure file sync-and-share service, your data is likely at risk. File sync-and-share services create local directories for storage and most services rely on your local security to protect those files. In other words, your data may be on a laptop or mobile device with no (or trivial) password protection. Adding drive-level encryption is an option, but adds money, complexity, and support costs to your environment.

Fortunately, solutions exist.

Secure, enterprise file sync-and-share solutions provide centralized control of what data can be synced to local devices, and by whom. These solutions also require login verification before accessing information on the local devices. Managed cloud file services let employees use locally installed apps with cloud-stored data, while providing centralized ownership and permissions management. Each solution has its limitations and benefits; understanding how your users need and prefer to work is key to making the picking the best solution.

Contact us for more information about available cloud file service options.

A New Look for Spring

May 1, 2015/in General

Yes! We launched our new website!

Our objective, to provide a better understanding of our solutions and the breadth of products and services we mix and match to create them.

Our focus remains on helping you achieve your goals and objectives by providing you with cloud-enabled technologies, services, and expertise.

We will continue to add and enhance the content in our belief that information is key to making sound decisions. To that end, the Resources section gives you access to our Cloud Solutions eNewsletter, our monthly 3T@3 Webcast series, and the Cloud Solutions Daily.

Extended Benefits of Cloud Computing

April 1, 2015/in General

A Case Study in Network Efficiency

Changing the names to protect identities, let’s take a look at NE Company’s network history and design. NE Company currently has 4 locations. The company’s headquarters are located in a suburban business park along with a second facility hosting R&D and some engineering functions. The third location for software development is a few miles down the road; the fourth location is a distribution center that is an eight hour drive away, across two state lines.

Generation One:

When NE Company only had the HQ and out of state locations, they connected the offices using point to point leased lines. Internet access was available from both locations. Because of slow performance accessing files, NE Company installed a local file server in the distribution center. While having two file servers fixed the file performance issue, email still suffered from the central location, they occasionally experienced file duplication issues, and the solution was costly.

Generation Two:

As NE Company added locations, they initially stuck to the point-to-point model, creating a hub-and-spoke network. Performance was an issue, as was managing router configurations such that Internet traffic moved to the Internet locally while application, email, and file traffic stayed within the corporate network.

To improve performance and to reduce redundancy and costs, NE Company transitioned to a MPLS, or Multi-Protocol Labeled Switching network. A single connection to each office could no route inter-office traffic and Internet traffic through a single pipe.

Granted, NE Company increased it’s wide area network capacity by more than 80% while cutting costs in half, but the operational limitations linger. The company’s email server is still centralized at HQ, as are most of the files, and hosting for the company’s web-based management system. Users face performance delays often. The company has added local file services at all locations, increasing user confusion as to file locations and how to access information. The additional file servers have also complicated data backup/recovery services, which now require more administrative time and attention.

As the workforce has become more mobile, access to data and applications has driven an expensive investment in VPN services. VPN concentrators, client software, and management have been an expensive addition to the environment. While providing access, performance fails to meet reasonable user expectations and the support cost is high.

Generation Cloud:

If NE Company took a cloud-centric view of computing, email and file services would move to the cloud. The company could move its on-premise CRM system to the vendor’s SaaS service, and could host its custom web-based management system in a cloud-based server environment.

In doing so, NE Company would

Provide all of its employees with equal access to resources and better performance
Replace the complex, managed MPLS network with direct Internet access connections at each office
Reduce wide area networking costs by nearly 80%
Provide direct access to files and applications from on-premise and mobile employees
Eliminate the need for most VPN services
Reduce its server footprint
Simplify the backup/recovery services
Reduce IT Admin time on basic infrastructure operations and maintenance

Conclusion

The impact of moving from on-premise systems to the cloud-based solutions is never as simple as the specific application or service. By looking at the integration points and indirect or secondary impacts, you can better understand the nature of the migration. As important, you can identify potential savings and other benefits as a result of the move.

Windows 2003 End of Life: You DO Have Options

March 30, 2015/in General

On July 14, 2015, Microsoft officially halts support for Windows Server 2003 and will no longer provide security updates or other patches.

While Microsoft wants and expects you to jump forward to Windows Server 2012, this is not your only option.

“Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.” – Albert Einstein

Upgrading from Windows Server 2003 to 2012 R2 is more than just upgrading your operating system, it is a wholesale replacement of your infrastructure. Industry insiders call it a “fork lift upgrade”, as you need new server hardware, your new edition of Windows Server, and new Client Access Licenses (CALs) — all of which must be 64-bit. And with the new OS version, you will need to upgrade or replace anti-virus, backup/recovery, and other software and systems tied to old environment.

And for what? A new version file server that gives you the same capabilities as your current file server. Granted, Windows 2012 has new capabilities, but if you needed or wanted them, you would have already made the move.

“If you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always get what you’ve always got.” ― Henry Ford

You DO Have Options

We are the first to acknowledge that cloud-based solutions are the right choice for every business in every situation. Cloud computing, however, has matured to the point that you should always give it serious consideration.

Imagine an environment for your employees where:

Email is fast, efficient, and reliable; protected from spam; and easily accessible from phones and tablets
Users can manage their calendars and appointments on their computers, phones, and laptops, and can share calendars with project teams
Files are stored in a central, secure location, but are securely accessible from desktops, laptops, phones, and tablets with out burdensome and slow VPN or remote desktop tools
Data is protected by multiple daily backups
User can share files and work together without endless streams of emails and attachments
Users can communicate and share ideas within documents, via text, by voice, or by video conferencing with screen sharing — for no additional cost
Legacy desktop and server applications are accessible through a web browser
Desktops, laptops, phones, and tablets are protected from viruses and malware with a known-risk database up to 500 times greater than your current anti-virus solution
Users can work on laptops costing less than $400 that if lost, damaged, or stolen, will not allow access to your sensitive data

If a some (or all) of these sound interesting to you, if you want your team to work more productively, or if you simply want to grow your business instead of your business’ IT, let us know.

Maybe the cloud is right for you.

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