eBook:Your Cloud-based Data Is Not as Secure as You Think

,

Download our eBook Now

Our eBook can show you how to protect your cloud-based data.

Keep Your Data Safe with a Backup and Recovery Solution

Are you under the impression that your cloud-based service provider is responsible for your data? If so, then think twice.

SaaS platforms are great, but you’re not getting the backup you need for the cloud-based data. Your data is up against a lot: human error, SaaS retention policies, programmatic errors, malicious insider activity, hardware failure and cyberattacks, to name a few. That’s why even SaaS platforms like Microsoft and Google Workspace recommend having another backup and recovery solution.

To help you get started on that journey, we created a comprehensive eBook that discusses:

  • Top reasons for data loss
  • Myths that you should know to make informed backup decisions
  • Reasons why you need a backup for your cloud-based data
  • Features to look for in a good backup solution

Download our eBook Now

|OR|
Get in touch with us to learn how we can help you.

99 Problems but Cloud Backup Isn’t 1

,

Download our infographic “Your Cloud-Based Data Is Your Responsibility”

Data loss is a genuine threat to all businesses. Not only can it cost a lot of time, money and other resources to fix, but it can also be a huge pain to deal with when you have other pressing business matters to handle. While there are plenty of reasons data can be lost, such as hardware damage, software malfunctions and natural disasters, the most frequent cause is something as simple as human error.

That’s why it’s so important to have a data backup strategy in place. By backing up your data regularly, you can protect yourself from the devastating effects of data loss.

So, what are you waiting for? If you don’t have a data backup strategy in place, now is the time to create one. Otherwise, you could be putting your organization at risk.

Pros of cloud backup

There are many benefits to backing up your data to the cloud. Here are four of the biggest pros:

It’s cheaper to rely on cloud backup than to build and maintain an in-house backup method

The most compelling reason to consider cloud backup is cost. Cloud backup services are typically subscription-based, which means you pay a monthly or annual fee for a certain amount of storage. This is significantly cheaper than building and maintaining your own physical backup infrastructure.

Also, since cloud backup is often pay-as-you-go, you only ever pay for the storage that you use. Plus, you usually get discounts on cloud backup services by signing up for a long-term contract.

Cloud backup is scalable and can grow with you

As an organization grows, so does the amount of data it needs to save. With a traditional on-site backup solution, this can become a severe problem. You either need to purchase and set up additional hardware or start deleting existing data to make room for new data.

However, with a cloud backup solution, you can effortlessly add more storage as required. This makes it easier to keep your backup up to date without stressing about insufficient space.

Cloud backups are generally more secure against ransomware attacks

In the wake of a surge in ransomware attacks, many businesses have been scrambling to beef up their security measures. One area that has come under scrutiny is data backup. Some organizations have been moving their backups to the cloud to take advantage of the increased security that cloud providers offer.

There’s no doubt that cloud backups are more secure than on-premises backups. Cloud backup providers have numerous security measures to protect data, and they are always working to improve their defenses against new threats. Additionally, cloud backups are often stored in multiple locations, making it much more difficult for attackers to delete or encrypt all backup copies.

Although cloud backups are more secure, you should still strive to protect your data. Cloud backups are not immune to attack, and you should take steps to secure your data, such as encrypting backups and restricting unauthorized access.

Data backed up in the cloud is accessible from anywhere

Local data backups are not the answer if you need to access your data from a different location. On the other hand, cloud backup allows you to access your backed-up data from anywhere, making it much more convenient than local backup. This is a significant advantage for businesses whose employees work remotely.

Cloud backups not only enable you to access data from anywhere, but you can also share it for collaboration with a few clicks.

There is no doubt that cloud backup is the future of data storage. It’s more secure and accessible than local data backup and is an excellent way to ensure your data is always available when you need it.

Join hands for success

If you’re like most businesses and rely on cloud-based applications and services, it’s crucial to have a robust cloud backup and disaster recovery plan in place. However, it could be a heavy lift if you are doing it alone. This is where an IT service provider like us can help.

We can play a vital role in helping you protect your data by providing guidance and expertise throughout your cloud backup journey.

Download our infographic “Your Cloud-Based Data Is Your Responsibility”

4 Core Benefits of Cloud Backup for SaaS Platforms

,

Download our “Why Your Cloud-Based Data Needs a Backup Solution” eBook

Businesses like yours are increasingly adopting cloud-based solutions to keep up with the rapidly changing technological landscape. According to a recent study by Gartner, cloud adoption will not slow down anytime soon.*

Many of these organizations, however, are unaware of the critical importance of having a backup for their cloud-based data. If data is lost or deleted, it can be tough—or even impossible—to recover it without a backup.

You don’t want to be in a situation where your data is accidentally deleted and you attempt to retrieve it from the cloud, but realize it hadn’t been backed up in a month.

If you rely on cloud-based solutions, use a good backup—and use it frequently. In this post, we’ll look at some of the core cloud backup benefits so you can see why it’s such a vital tool for your business.

4 cloud backup benefits

Although cloud backups can benefit you in a variety of ways, the four most important ones are:

Security

If you own an organization, you understand the importance of data security. You can’t afford to take any chances with your data when so much is at stake. This is where cloud backup comes into play.

Cloud backup is a secure, off-site data storage solution. With cloud backup, your data is stored remotely—in the cloud—and can be accessed anytime, from anywhere. Even if your information is lost or stolen, you can be confident that it is fully recoverable.

Cloud backup is key to the success of your data security strategy, so if you haven’t implemented it yet, now is the time.

Scalability

As your business grows, so does the data it produces. Without the right tools, this can quickly become unmanageable. If you’re dependent on on-premises backup systems, you’ll have to make a substantial initial investment in hardware that you might not utilize to its full potential. On the other hand, cloud backup is scalable.

This means that cloud backup can easily adjust to your changing needs. You never have to worry about outgrowing your backup solution—it will always be able to grow with you.

Manageability

Cloud backup is highly manageable. The fact that you can easily manage backups remotely can save a lot of time, especially when you’re already stretched thin with other business matters.

However, what exactly is manageability? How can it help your organization? Here’s a quick overview of manageability in the context of cloud backup.

Manageability lets you centrally operate and monitor your backup system from a single location. This means you can quickly and easily see the status of your backup, identify any issues and make changes as needed.

Manageability can also help you set up automatic backups and give you the flexibility to restore only the data you need.

Recoverability

One of the most important benefits of cloud backup is recoverability.

In the event of data loss, cloud backup can help you recover your data quickly and easily. You can thus resume normal operations and avoid costly downtime and lost productivity.

If you are seeking a dependable backup solution for your business, cloud backup should be at the top of your list. It can help you safeguard your data and keep your organization running smoothly.

An IT service provider can help

If you’ve read this far, you’re probably using cloud-based solutions and want to have a good backup in place. If you’re not sure where to start, we can help.

We can assess your needs and suggest the best backup solution for your cloud-based applications. We can also help you in implementing and monitoring the backup solution to ensure it is functioning correctly. Contact us today to schedule a no-obligation consultation.

Want to learn more?

Download our “Why Your Cloud-Based Data Needs a Backup Solution” eBook

WhitePaper: Compare cloud service models: Public, private, hybrid

,

Comparing cloud service models: Public vs. private vs. hybrid cloud

Cloud computing and related technologies have made huge waves in small and large businesses over the last few years. In a nutshell, the cloud gives businesses the flexibility of connecting and retrieving data at any time and anywhere, ideal for those working overseas or remotely. Accessing data saved on a cloud is simple – all you need is granted access and a good internet connection.
Still, not all cloud service models are built the same. Knowing the difference can help you strategically determine which is best for your business, both in terms of practicality and cost-efficiency.

There are three main types of cloud service models:

  • Public (Offered by third-party providers over the public internet, typically free or on-demand)
  • Private (Available only to select users and typically more secure than a public cloud)
  • Hybrid (A combination of the two that allows the sharing of data and apps seamlessly)

They each have their pros and cons. Deciding which model would work best for you depends on several factors.
In this article, we’ll take a deep dive into the pros and cons of each cloud service model, as well as considerations for Canadian businesses.

Public cloud

Public cloud storage is owned and operated by a third-party provider, managed in a remote data center and delivered over the internet. Pricing and service levels are usually managed via a subscription service.

Multiple businesses (known as “tenants”) share these remote resources to efficiently and reliably support applications and data for online, testing and development services.

The pros

Public cloud services are usually very cost-effective because you are sharing costs and maximizing reliability across more servers. You benefit from the latest and greatest technology without having to purchase it, house it, or manage it.
“According to IDC, the market is expected to achieve a five year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 21.9% with public cloud services spending totaling $277B in 2021.”

This type of storage is also known for its scalability. Simply put, you can buy more as your business grows. Public cloud services have end-to-end encryption to keep your data safe, and the off-site data center location gives you extra redundancy for your working and backup data.

The cons

The public cloud service will be owned and operated by a third-party provider, so the terms and conditions could change. In turn, that affects the cost, level of service (storage or bandwidth) or performance you expect.
You are also limited in which data and applications you can locate in the shared public cloud, since it is not a dedicated environment.

Private cloud

While businesses can actually host their own private cloud servers on-prem, it’s more likely that they’ll still utilize a third-party host. Regardless of whether the data center is located on-site or hosted remotely with a service provider, the equipment and software are not shared with any other entity.
Government, financial and healthcare organizations often favor private cloud for their business-critical operations.

The pros

With total control over the infrastructure and application resources, you have increased security and flexibility with a private cloud setup.
Private cloud servers are the perfect solution for securing and scaling critical customer and financial systems to meet compliance demands. You can also customize a private cloud to your specific IT requirements.

The cons

With greater control comes greater expense. A private cloud server requires additional maintenance, whether you pay a provider or hire dedicated staff for the extra oversight.
Hosting servers on-site also increases your risk of threat from natural disasters or internal breaches. In other words, private cloud offers more control for greater overall risk.
“Enterprises already run 77% of their workloads in the cloud. More of them tend to favor private clouds (45%) than the public cloud (32%), primarily for security reasons. SMBs tend to favor public clouds.” – CIO

 

Hybrid cloud

Hybrid cloud solutions strike a balance between public and private clouds. You can operate certain critical systems on your dedicated server and handle high-volume, lower-security activity on a remote public server.

Many businesses use a public server for general access applications and private cloud storage for daily internal operations and reporting.

The pros

A hybrid cloud model allows you to mitigate the higher cost of a private cloud setup by utilizing public cloud options for less critical applications or data. You can enjoy the efficiency of the public cloud alongside the control of the private option.
The hybrid setup also allows for greater operational flexibility for balancing or sharing resources during seasonal activity peaks that may temporarily overload private cloud capacity.

The cons

Operating resources across two different environments can make data backup and recovery more complicated depending on how you split your storage.
You will also need to monitor multiple security protocols and carefully organize your operational processes to ensure full coverage, performance and availability.

Specific considerations for Canadian businesses

We’ve spoken about Canadian-specific cloud security concerns. Currently, Canadian compliance regulations have proven to be as strict (or even stricter) than their United
States counterparts.
“By 2020, 90% of organizations will adopt hybrid infrastructure management capabilities. As pricing continues to decline, the speed of adoption will increase.” – Gartner

 

According to Forrester, cloud adoption in 2018 was primarily concentrated in Eastern Canada, leaving Western Canada challenged with significant latency to access these facilities while still meeting difficult compliance regulations. How can your business make sense of it all?
Understandably, choosing the specific cloud model that meets business demands – both for enterprise and SMB markets – can prove difficult. The best bet is to consult with a cloud expert firm that can advise and guide businesses based on past experience and general knowledge.

That’s what we’re here for. Our cloud solutions are customizable to help you achieve business goals, without the added stress of cloud uncertainty.
Contact Us
2026 East Phelps
Springfield, MO 65802
(417) 831-1700
sales@pcnetinc.com

What is Colocation?

,

As more businesses are transitioning to the cloud, they’re mainly taking advantage of public cloud environments. However, if your business is growth-oriented, you may be discouraged by the lack of control your team has over how public cloud resources are stored, managed, and allocated. If that’s the case, colocation may be an option worth exploring. In this post, we’ll break down the fundamentals of colocation and provide some tips for selecting the right colocation facility.

The Fundamentals of Colocation

Colocation is a server hosting model in which a data center houses your organization’s server infrastructure and other network hardware, while your team oversees how the server environment is managed and supported. This platform allows your team access to an off-site data center without the steep capital expenditures of building your own data center. At the same time, colocation enables you to host a private cloud or disaster recovery platform without having to tie up additional space at your facility.

If you choose to use colocation services, you can either have an internal IT team oversee your colocation system or partner with a managed service provider (MSP) to handle server colocation for your organization.

What to Look for in a Colocation Data Center

As you research colocation data centers, make sure to consider these factors before making a decision:

Existing Infrastructure

Does the data center have the existing infrastructure to support the scale and hardware you’re planning to deploy? Determine whether the data center has the power and cooling capabilities your infrastructure will demand.

Operations and Maintenance

While you’re responsible for managing how your network is operated and maintained, the data center should have maintenance procedures and a maintenance team to sustain the rest of the facility’s infrastructure. Make sure their maintenance plans align with your expectations and that they’re willing to work alongside your team.

Pricing Models

How does the data center provider price its services? Many providers charge a fixed fee for space and capacity while adding additional charges for power, cooling, and supplemental services. Take the time to ensure the pricing models cost-effectively address your needs to prevent the risk of surprise expenses later.

Security Procedures

While your team is responsible for cybersecurity on your network, the data center facility should accept responsibility for the physical security of your equipment along with your specific industry compliance requirements. Hashing out these details before committing to a data center can ensure your colocation platform remains secure.

Springfield’s Colocation Service Experts

If you’re interested in exploring the possibilities of colocation for your organization, contact the experts at PCnet today. We’ll help you explore your options and leverage our network of colocation data centers to design and deploy a colocation platform around your needs. Once we’ve accomplished that goal, we’ll even help you manage and maintain your network to guarantee ongoing success.

The Benefits of Offsite Backups

, , ,

If your organization is looking to maximize the capabilities of your backup systems and disaster preparedness, you should be using offsite backup capabilities on a regular basis. While storing backups at an offsite data center may seem overly redundant, you can never be too prepared, and cloud backups offer an additional layer of data protection. In this post, we’ll explore some of the many benefits offsite backups provide, so you can start integrating offsite strategies into your disaster recovery and backup plans.

Easy Automation

If your team currently uses physical onsite backups, they probably have to take time out of their day or week to manage them. With offsite backups to a data center, you can automate the process to occur as frequently as you want without having to worry about someone forgetting to do the job. These automated backups can also be scheduled to happen when the office is empty, so backups don’t hinder network performance.

Maximum Security

With onsite backups, there’s an increased risk that someone may steal or gain unauthorized access to your physical backup devices. Offsite backups, on the other hand, offer an additional layer of physical security by ensuring backup data is encrypted during transmission and storage. That way, cybercriminals are unable to target physical devices and your server environment.

Additional Protection from Disasters

Natural disasters, fires, and equipment failure can strike at any time. Offsite backups deliver protection from the disaster to which onsite backups are vulnerable. By storing backups on the cloud, your data stays protected no matter what happens to your physical infrastructure.

Rapidly Scalable

With an offsite backup solution, you can quickly scale your network resources up or down as your needs change without having to invest in additional infrastructure. Cloud backups make it easy to store as many versions of files and data as you want for redundant security and next-level defense against the latest threats like ransomware. At the same time, cloud storage allows you access to additional network resources in a matter of minutes for a cost-effective storage solution.

Improved Accessibility

When your network stops working, so does your team. With offsite data backups, your team will still be able to access mission-critical data as long as they have access to the internet. If your network won’t be up for another week, your team can work from home or via a temporary Wi-Fi hotspot while accessing the vital information they need to do their jobs. At the same time, file syncing occurs in real time, so you can be confident everyone in your organization has access to the latest versions of files and data.

Springfield’s Offsite Backup Service Experts

If you’re ready to start taking advantage of the additional protection an offsite backup solution can offer your business, contact the specialists at PCnet today. We’ll work with you to leverage our network of offsite backup service vendors to find you the best value in the industry while optimizing a backup solution for your team’s workflows and day-to-day operations.

Managed Services for Your Springfield Business

, , ,

Ensuring your business’s technology platform aligns with your broader organizational goals is critical to your team’s success. With the right tools, your team can experience new levels of productivity, streamline workflows, and focus on growing your business while prioritizing customer engagement. A managed service provider (MSP) like PCnet can help you achieve all these goals with IT solutions optimized for your organization’s specific needs. Here’s how.

Comprehensive IT Strategies

When you choose PCnet as your managed IT service provider, we take a holistic approach to addressing all your organization’s technology needs. We accomplish this by packaging a robust service catalog that includes:

  • Continual Monitoring and Reporting
  • Around-the-Clock Support
  • Asset and Vendor Management
  • Preventive Infrastructure Maintenance
  • Monthly Calls and Technology Reports
  • Quarterly Business Reviews
  • Cutting-Edge Cybersecurity Strategies
  • Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery Solutions

No matter how your team uses technology, the experts at PCnet can show you how much more technology can do for you. We take the time to understand your team’s unique workflows and deploy IT solutions that take your operations to the next level. While all the services included with our managed package are foundational to any business technology platform, we continually refine and fine-tune each service, so it’s like having your own internal IT team.

Simplifying Technology Budgeting

If yours is a growth-oriented business, budgeting for monthly technology costs can be a struggle. When your network goes down, you may have to absorb a substantial unexpected expense to get it back up and running. With PCnet as your MSP, we absorb much of that burden by offering our managed services for a fixed monthly fee. Our goal is to make budgeting for technology as intuitive as possible while minimizing the risk of surprise costs that cut into your business’s bottom line.

Leveraging Colocation Data Centers

If you’re focused on growing your business while preparing for the challenges of tomorrow, a colocation cloud solution is worth exploring. With colocation, you rent space at a data center to host your own server infrastructure. Because you own the equipment, you can take a more hands-on approach to managing and overseeing how resources are allocated and security is managed.

PCnet offers colocation management as part of a supplemental managed service package. We oversee installation, management, repairs, and maintenance at the data center. That way, your organization can migrate network operations to the cloud while preparing for growth. Once you have the resources to manage your cloud network in-house, our team is happy to help your IT team transition to managing your hosted cloud. Ultimately, our colocation solutions are ideal for businesses preparing for future growth.

Springfield IT Support

If you want to experience how much more a managed IT partner can do to drive business growth and maximize productivity, contact the experts at PCnet today. We’ll answer any of your questions related to our robust managed service package while laying the foundation for a successful partnership and ongoing growth.

Benefits of Hosting Servers in the Cloud

More businesses are expanding their operations simply by switching to a cloud-based server environment. Offering streamlined application performance and data access, a cloud environment empowers your team with a cutting-edge toolkit that’s designed to address the challenges of the 21st century.

If you’re considering transitioning your server operations to a cloud-based management platform, here are some key benefits you can expect.

Increased Application Performance

Today’s hosted cloud servers offer faster performance speeds than in-house infrastructure. Because data centers offer load balancing between multiple environments, your organization can take application performance to the next level.

Access Data From Anywhere

By storing critical data in the cloud, your team has access from anywhere at any time. If your organization prioritizes mobility, migrating data to the cloud is a crucial first step to empowering your team to get more done no matter where work takes them.

Seamless Scalability

Think your business is too small for a cloud computing platform? Think again. One of the key strengths of cloud infrastructure is the simplicity of scaling your network for ever-changing needs. Whether you have one employee or one thousand, a cloud solution can help you elevate your workflows.

If yours is a growth-oriented business, it can be difficult to predict your technology requirements a year from now. That makes planning infrastructure upgrades a difficult task that can end up costing your business more than it’s worth. A cloud platform enables you to hedge against unpredictable technology requirements by enabling network expansions at a moment’s notice. You don’t have to worry about spending weeks to deploy an on-premise infrastructure, only to discover you didn’t really need it. With a cloud solution, you typically can purchase and deploy network upgrades in a matter of minutes, so you can adapt your cloud environment to your ever-changing needs.

Fixed Budgeting

With on-site network infrastructure, emergency repairs and critical upgrades can quickly surpass your monthly technology budget, which makes planning your network budget more difficult. A cloud solution simplifies budgeting by offering a fixed monthly cost for your network platform. No need to worry about emergencies or unexpected expenses. With a cloud-based network, you know exactly how much you have to pay each month, how much an upgrade costs, and your cloud provider worries about the rest.

Next-Level Disaster Recovery

An off-site cloud solution offers an extra layer of protection for your critical data and applications. Cloud platforms use automated and redundant backups in real-time, so your organization can get back up and running sooner than you thought possible following a disaster. At the same time, you don’t have to worry about an on-site catastrophe such as a fire or flood destroying your most important data. Many cloud solutions offer integrated recovery tools, so restoring data can be as simple as a few clicks.

Minimal Downtime

If your on-site servers go down, it may take days or weeks to restore normal operations. When you move to the cloud, server downtime becomes a problem of the past. Because your server resources aren’t tied to any single server, your environment can always be rolled over to another server, so you can expect almost continuous uptime.

Cloud Services Springfield, MO

Ready to explore the possibilities of the cloud for your business? The experts at PCnet have the hands-on experience to help clarify your goals, develop a migration plan, and design a cloud environment built around your business priorities. Contact our team today, and we’ll work with you to prepare your organization for tomorrow’s challenges with a customized cloud-based network solution.

How An Office 365 Migration Can Give Your Business An Edge

,

For nearly a decade, Microsoft’s Office 365 has been the preeminent source for cloud-based office software models. Since it was released onto the market in 2011, the software suite has improved the way offices operate all over the world. Now, almost 8 years later, Microsoft has launched its latest version of the office 365 bundle. In September, Microsoft officially brought the 2019 version of Office 365 to market. After this interactive software package was released, many businesses began migrating to the latest form of office tools.

With so many updates to favorable software applications, and exposure to handy, new programs, it’s easy to see why there have been so many migration batches in only a matter of months. Let’s take a deeper dive and see why so many people are quickly adopting this intuitive, new productivity suite.

Why Move To Office 365?

There are many perks that come along with an office 365 migration service. These are just some of the primary benefits that you’ll be able to take advantage of:

Scalability and Flexibility

Office 365 is a highly scalable solution. Whether you are bringing on new employees or downsizing your office, you can be able to support your workforce with all the necessary software applications. With an Office 365 model, you will only be charged based on what you use, so don’t expect to pay for unused data capacity.

Added Layers of Security

By migrating to the Office 365 2019, you’ll have the peace of mind with more network security. Many of the tools that are built into this software bundle are supported with more granular capabilities. This means that administrators and managers will be able to set more permissive actions to their employees. So if a device that’s equipped with Office 365 is compromised, you’ll be able to wipe the system clean to prevent sensitive information from leaking into the wrong hands.

Less Maintenance Required

There’s no need to fret about downtime our unexpected disruptions with the latest version of Office 365. Microsoft provides the latest Office bundle with 99.99% uptime support. To do this, Microsoft provides automated updates when the programs aren’t in use. This is guaranteed maintenance to keep you out of the dark at all times.

An Upgraded Version of Your Favorite Tools

If you’re a fan of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, or any of these other classic programs by Microsoft, then you’ll love the newest Office 365 solution. When you commit to a hybrid migration to Office 365 2019, you’ll be able to seamlessly integrate all of your favorite programs into its latest version. This means that when you open a saved document after migration, you’ll be able to navigate the file on the latest interface.

Greater Accessibility From Anywhere

You can expect more web-enabled access when you migrate to the newest version of Office 365. As long as there is a strong internet signal around, you’ll be able to access everything you need. Anything from documents to emails, contact information, to calendar events can be accessed from anywhere from any web-accessible platform system, whether that be your computer, smartphone, or tablet.

Higher Redundancy Support

With the latest version of Office 365, users will be able to benefit with greater redundancy support form their cloud system. As a result, you’ll be able to back up more data which will help mitigate the risk of losing any sensitive business information. This will help you recover important information with ease when needed the most.

Microsoft Office 365 is taking the world by storm, and if you’re ready to reap the benefits of this technology, find out more about our migration services or contact us today!