As applications, services and infrastructure have become increasingly available in the cloud, organizations of all sizes have begun to seriously contemplate a “cloud-first” strategy. The idea is to reduce IT costs by utilizing shared resources through the cloud whenever possible. For many organizations, a migration to Office 365 will be a big step in that direction.
The cloud-first movement really began in 2011 with a U.S. government initiative to streamline federal technology spending. The idea has since caught on in the private sector, as illustrated by a recent survey of more than 50,000 IT buyers conducted by 451 Research. While the study finds that only 22 percent have actively adopted a cloud-first approach, 80 percent indicated they may be headed in that direction over the next few years.
Launched in 2011, Office 365 is Microsoft’s cloud platform for the delivery of its familiar productivity software and a variety of collaboration and communication services. For business users, Office 365 offers service plans providing email and social networking services through hosted versions of Exchange Server, Skype for Business Server and SharePoint and Office Online, as well as access to the Microsoft Office software.
The platform is designed to accommodate an increasingly mobile workforce, allowing people to work from any location and exchange information seamlessly across multiple devices — under one user or subscription license. These features can be particularly beneficial for companies that have employees in multiple locations or have a number of employees who work remotely.
As you’d expect from a cloud platform, Office 365 gives you the added benefit of always having the latest version of the software. Microsoft recently committed to pushing out two major feature updates each year. Office 365 also offers extensive security, data protection and user controls as part of the core offering. This includes automatic updates of the latest antivirus, antispam, and other malware defenses.
Migrating to Office 365 makes a lot of sense for financial reasons as well. You can reduce the number of servers you’re operating, simplify your network and slash associated maintenance and support costs. There are a variety of subscription levels, so you can choose what best meets your needs. Plus, the subscription-based model allows you to budget for a set monthly fee instead of a huge capital expense.
For all its benefits, the move to Office 365 can still be tricky. Migration projects can be tedious and time-consuming, requiring significant planning, project management and technical expertise. That’s one reason why adoption has lagged among small to midsize businesses (SMBs). While there are upwards of 85 million active daily users of the platform, a recent study from SkyKick finds that only 7.5 percent of SMBs are using it.
With proper preparation and the assistance of a proven technology partner, however, migration can be a straightforward process with minimal disruption to your operations. Verteks is a Microsoft Partner with established credentials with cloud environments and Office 365 implementations. We can walk you through the range of Office 365 services and plans to help you develop and implement a migration strategy that provides you with the productivity, collaboration and communication tools your business requires.
