How technology innovation can improve efficiencies for charities

Technology innovations help charities deliver critical services, engage new supporters and raise money faster than has ever been possible before. Through leveraging the range of options available, non-profit organisations can increase their effectiveness and agility, whilst future-proofing the technology investment. In particular, utilising the cloud can make the day to day running of a charity so much easier and is extremely cost-effective.

Here are our top 5 ways that such organisations can benefit from migrating their systems to the cloud.

1. Discounted Licences

Microsoft strives to make its software donation programme as accessible as possible to charitable organisations around the world. Globally, they give away £1.5 million worth of software every day. Office 365 Business Essentials (which comprises of Exchange email, OneDrive and browser versions of Office applications) can be free for eligible not-for-profit organisations. There are a range of subscription models available, so even if you are benefitting already it is worth having an expert review your licenses as you may be able to realise even greater cost savings.

2. Equipment Savings

By migrating your IT infrastructure and applications to the cloud you can significantly reduce the hefty hardware costs associated with maintaining or replacing your physical servers. Desktops can be repurposed instead of replaced. Plus, staff can take advantage of using their own devices to connect to the apps and data they need.

3. Improved Security

Cyber security is becoming a critical issue for all organisations. For charities who may be handling sensitive data, such as patient or supporter records and financial information linked to donations, security will be very high on their list of priorities. It’s therefore important to know that your valuable data is being protected. Having your data residing in a datacentre with high levels of security, governance and data protection, is a much better option than using on-site servers.

4. Greater Accessibility

Many charities rely heavily on remote and mobile workers or volunteers, as opposed to centrally based office teams. By migrating to cloud based technology services there is no limit as to what can be shared by the entire organisation. All files and applications can be shared with all users, ensuring consistent and timely communications.

5. Growth and Flexibility

If you are taking on more staff or a group of volunteers for a single campaign, then with a good cloud strategy it can be easy and quick to get them up and running with access to the data and applications they need. It’s also easy to close their accounts once the campaign is over.

We offer free licensing audits for all charities and can review where cost savings and operational efficiencies could be made. Contact our expert team today to find out more.

How internet of things is shaping the workplace of the future

Internet of things, or IoT, is one of the most prominent technologies in recent and emerging products by tech giants. Projections show that it could be worth in excess of hundreds of billions of dollars in the near future. But with all that data flying around in the cloud, just how is Internet of Things going to shape the workplace of the future?

IoT is going to have a big impact on how the day-to-day running of businesses up and down the country in the future. We need only look at the popularity of products that harness IoT in the home to realise that it is here to stay. And in this century, things that stay don’t just stay – they grow.

Both Google Home and Amazon Echo, the two main competitors in the AI-powered home voice-assistant market, have gained considerable traction throughout 2016 and 17. But if we look even further back we can see the beginnings of the IoT takeover way before that. Cloud-based technology offered an attractive way for businesses to back up and access data with speed and efficiency. Now IoT offers data on a herculean scale.

So just how will Internet of Things shape the workplace of the future?

Remote working

Working outside of a traditional office has seen a huge increase over the past couple of years. It is an attractive way for workers to conduct their tasks autonomously. Now IoT is making remote working a plausible option for businesses and industries that would never have thought them possible. Intelligent networking solutions could allow employees to connect to central databases and technologies in the office/factory floor from as far away as possible.

Efficiency and productivity

IoT developments are always made with the goal of improving productivity and enabling growth. A great deal of these technologies will improve workplace efficiency and productivity by allowing easy access to data and enabling quick and intelligent analysis. These also empower management to understand their workforce in detail and make smart choices in order to make operations more easily scalable.

Data-powered… pretty much everything

Possibly the biggest way IoT will effect the workplace surrounds data. Data-powered advertising and marketing is already a must, enabling smart connections between businesses and consumers. The access to valuable data that IoT provides will enable businesses to better understand their customers and take advantage of that knowledge.

Administration empowered

Administrative tasks will be able to be undertaken with a far greater level of ease, due to intelligent database designs. Companies will be able to keep track of their inventory at a molecular level, tracking the products from materials through manufacturing all the way to the point of sale. This frees up staff for more important tasks and allowing a higher production rate.

Does a lack of cloud computing standards compromise its use?

Cloud computing is now utilised by a large number of SMEs to the benefit of their respective organisations. We believe that every business should be benefiting from the cloud. However, many of the most common issues that new businesses have in utilising cloud-based technologies comes from misinformation.

In this article we look at one of the most commonly cited cloud computing myths.

Overcoming misconceptions about the cloud can be a big challenge when launching new projects. Understanding how cloud technologies work and what they can deliver can be difficult enough without the facts being distorted.

With misinformation comes false expectations. With false expectations comes false understanding. And false understanding can lead to projects being started with an incorrect direction. As with any new technology, it is of paramount importance to understand exactly what can be expected before you launch.

As cloud computing is in it’s (relative) infancy, it’s understandable that we have seen a fair share of myths and misinformation. These can distort your planning stages and, as a result, jeopardise projects. In order for you to better make an informed decision about what cloud services are right for your organisation, we want to look at one of the biggest cloud computing myths…

“A lack of cloud computing standards compromises its use.”

We have heard the above statement made on multiple occasions by a variety of different professionals from different backgrounds. At its heart is a very understandable concern. What these professionals all want to be sure of is that standards are in place that won’t jeopardise the viability of their project further down the line. But a lack of centralised cloud computing standards is unlikely to be as much of an issue as thought.

While it is right so suggest that with new technologies comes a lack of standards across the board, this doesn’t necessarily correlate to a compromisation of usage. For the majority of SMEs, the lack of cloud computing standards shouldn’t be viewed as a barrier. The reason is simple – each cloud provider has their own specific tools that allows users to handle a portion of their platform.

At this point, when the user has access to a single cloud provider, adherence to standards doesn’t and shouldn’t matter.  What matters is that the user is able to use their cloud provider’s own management tools to handle, amongst other things, operating systems, hardware and application software.

Their may be some issues – but not so much that they can’t be overcome

It is important to note that a lack of cloud computing standards could become an issue for certain projects. In particular, if your project focuses on building applications that are tightly coordinated between your own personal data-centre and the cloud, or different cloud providers, you are going to need to tune your problem management practices for the cloud. But you’d need to do this if there were standards anyway.

Rather than dismiss the cloud on these grounds, it’s far better to weigh the potential pitfalls against the alternatives.

Common places where SMEs slip-up when using the cloud

When moving their systems over to the cloud, many SMEs make important decisions about how they are and aren’t going to utilise their new technologies. It’s at this point that many slip up. While on the face of it some decisions may seem like a no-brainer, get down to the nitty-gritty and you’ll soon find that this is not the case at all.

We all make mistakes from time to time, especially when it comes to altering our business systems. After all, when work has been conducted in a particular way for a long period of time, it’s the least we can expect. However, some mistakes, no matter how well-founded they seem, can have dire consequences.

In order to help you avoid slipping up and making mistakes that could potentially be damaging to your organisation, we’ve collected some of the most common places where SMEs slip up when using the cloud.

Throwing all their eggs in the cloud-based-basket in one go

It’s all too common for medium sized enterprises to want to migrate to the cloud all in one go. It’s an understandable mistake to make; people want to avoid seeing their expenses rise and potentially losing money during the transition. However, immediately sacking off your traditional legacy systems when migrating can have some serious consequences.

It’s important to be realistic. In the case of cloud migrations, it’s not uncommon for these to last up to a year or more. In order to see your business run smoothly throughout this time, you are absolutely going to need to keep hold of your legacy systems, and the professionals who you pay to run them for the interim.

Throughout the migration process you will also see more clearly just how much you are going to be able to rely on cloud-based technology for your own applications. Bear in mind that there is likely to be one or two applications that you will need to retain on your traditional systems for a little longer, whether for economics sake or for limitations in those technologies.

Utilising the cloud for computing but avoiding putting your data on there

Utilising the cloud for compute and data center space but keeping your data on traditional systems often has a detrimental effect on your data as a whole. For one thing, this kind of process will often end up making your data even more vulnerable as you have to ensure security across the board yourself. It will also result in a large amount of latency and your processes will suffer.

Many cloud-based services are far more secure than you would first think. It has been shown that it’s not geographical location but ease of access that results in the biggest risks. For this reason, traditional systems are actually often more at risk than many cloud-services.

Expecting too much too soon from cloud based computing

As with anything, you’ve got to be realistic. If you overestimate just how beneficial migrating to the cloud will be in terms of ROI in the short-term, you are simply setting yourself up to fail. At Cyan Solutions, we ensure that we understand your exact needs before we suggest which services are right for you.

Things to consider before choosing a cloud platform

Cloud based working has become the norm for many business over the past few years for a number of reasons. The implications for simplicity, enhanced productivity and accessibility are a given. But with such a range of providers and services, deciding on where to invest is no mean feat.

Opting to move your business operations to the cloud can do wonders for an organisation. It can help significantly reduce costs, remove the need for in-house IT experts and substantial hardware, and improve security. It can also dramatically enhance workflow due to better accessibility and collaboration between teams..

There is also the added benefit that it actually compliments remote working. In an era when geographical flexibility is become more and more feasible (and attractive), technology that facilitates it is a must. Cloud-based technology empowers remote workers. Cloud platforms allow for remote accessibility of key information and helps enable collaboration.

Why use a Cloud platform?

What makes cloud platforms so attractive for medium sized businesses is that they work to enable growth within an organisation by eliminating the need to focus on time consuming and potentially stressful concerns such as security, maintenance and backup. Cloud computing means that professionals can rest easy and concentrate on what matters, knowing that  IT support is ready and on hand when it is needed.

If you’re in the market for a cloud platform, there are a few things you should consider before investing:

Which cloud services are you likely to require in the long term?

Understanding which types of cloud services that they provide will obviously be important. But you shouldn’t just look at these services from the point of view of what you need right now. Consider what services you are likely to need further down the line when growth permits. You may be able to find a provider who offers these services as add-ons. For example, basic data storage is great but is there a chance you may require cloud computing services such as virtual networking infrastructure in the future?

How easy is setup for your needs and what level of customer service can be expected?

An easy setup process should be desirable for any cloud service. The ability to easily configure your account for your organisation is essential. Customer support should be first rate as you will be trusting a substantial amount of your data with the platform. Be sure to understand and acknowledge the level of technical support alongside the average response time for customer service.

Do they have a poor history of downtime?

Cloud outages are not only disruptive but they can also be very expensive. Cloud providers that repeatedly experience periods of inaccessibility should be avoided, so be sure you know the downtime history of each cloud provider you consider.

How is security monitored and measured?

Clearly security should be top priority for you, as it should also be for the cloud provider. Be sure you know where the data centre is and how safe and protected it is. Take time to read and understand the supplier’s security standards for customer access and privacy.

How do the company address potential data losses?

This is a worst case scenario, but you need to know how the issue of data losses will be rectified. What systems/agreements do they have in place that mitigate the risks of data loss and how would they compensate for data losses? Ensure you ask questions about what provisions are in place to mitigate against potential data loss as this has major implications for the ability of your business to continue trading should such a loss be incurred.

Just how secure is the cloud? (Spoiler: Very.)

One of the most important considerations for all businesses is security of information and networks. With the revolution in cloud technologies and services, there has been much discussion about security in comparison to traditional IT networks and server technology.

Cloud based technologies have had their share of press particularly in relation to security aspects. What is important is to weigh up the facts and fiction relating to security. Maybe some concerns in the past have been justified. But as cloud technology has developed many of these issues have been rectified.

It would now seem that data and apps held in the cloud could actually be more secure than traditional local server and network technology. Security and privacy issues have always been a major concern for many organisations. They’re also the greatest worries blocking cloud technology adoption. Many organisations feel that if they do not control their data and tech themselves it leaves their systems open to security breaches.

Read on to see if these fears are still well founded and find out why the cloud is actually more secure now than ever!

Data storage and security

Security wise, the physical location of where data is stored is much less important than how it is accessed. The same principle applies to cloud based and traditional storage systems. Whilst web application attacks are targeted at both Cloud and on-site environments, the on-site systems have been shown to suffer far more incidents and attacks than the cloud. So the argument that these systems leads to security breaches because you don’t own them is simply a myth.

Cloud based platforms actually perform better in avoiding attacks.  They are constructed to be more robust and secure to ensue they work effectively and securely for their clients.  Traditional systems don’t have that same focus. They are likely to be administered by network technicians who have less knowledge, expertise and up to date resources. On-site systems are simply not as secure and are therefore more vulnerable to more frequent and more catastrophic attacks.

Attackers exploit weaknesses

It has been well reported that attackers know and will exploit the systems with the weakest security. On site environments serving one organisation are less likely to upgrade their firewall security or invest in the latest technology. However, cloud providers must do so for all their clients as they serve a wider number of businesses and operate vastly larger systems.

How can you ensure cloud security for your business?

You should really focus less on the geographical location of data and systems and more on how easy it is to access them. You need to know what data and systems could be vulnerable and the level of security required to safeguard them.

Cloud based computing is often more secure than traditional systems. You should still ensure you understand how a system works in relation to location and data access prior to investing. However, cloud based systems do provide additional security layers against attacks and vulnerabilities than traditional local based technology.

Reasons to consider remote working

More and more companies have workers who work remotely. Now more than ever, organisations are embracing the benefits of remote working for their employees and their company. It enables workers a greater level of control over how they work and increases their motivation and job satisfaction. This in turn leads to an exponential increase in productivity rates. However, many companies are still averse to offering employees the flexibility to carry out their tasks in flexible geographic locations. So, what are the reasons to consider remote working?

Remote working enables employees to be flexible about where they carry out their day to day duties. Whether employees decide to skype into the office from a remote desert island or their bedroom at home, it makes little difference so long as they have an active internet link and can access the files and applications which they require to do their job.

When we talk about remote working, it’s important to note that we are not necessarily talking about a finite thing. Sometimes remote working means being permanently away from an organisation’s headquarters, whereas in other cases it may just mean working from home once or twice a week.

Remote working is a big topic of conversation right now, because of the development of cloud based software enabling remote workers as much functionality at home as in the office. Moreover, project management and task tracking software also monitors key deliverables.

Encourages good communication

Remote working has been shown to actively encourage better communication between employees. Working remotely out of the office doesn’t mean that employees are not in contact with one another. On the contrary, remote workers often make a concerted effort to be available and are able to do so by connecting via phone, skype, email and other messenger options and chat apps. Such communication may not occur so naturally whilst in the office.

Results in happier workers

Choice, freedom and flexibility for workers to choose where and how they want to work results in happier workers. Being able to work flexibly is something that employees relish. Organising your own workflow and work-life balance is something which leads to higher productivity levels.

Reduces employee stress

Remote working gives employees more freedom to work to their own timetable, reducing stress levels by working at their own time and pace. This has a knock-on effect to the total business and by reducing stress and unhappiness in the office, it also leads to an overall improvement in office health and wellbeing.

Reduce office costs

Remote working also frees up office space and reduces energy usage. As a result, companies are free to invest this additional capital into other business activities, such as marketing and recruitment of new employees who can take advantage of the free desk space.

Cloud services are now a no-brainer. Our cloud solutions and managed IT support services are complemented by unrivalled customer care. We help you create an infrastructure where remote working across technology can be easily maintained.

Cloud computing terms – what do they even mean?

Cloud computing has become the mantra in businesses worldwide. It has revolutionised data storage and access. It has also improved the ability of organisations to work remotely, network and collaborate. However, many organisations don’t know some of the terms. If you want to brush up on cloud computing jargon read on!

Cloud computing is here to stay so it’s time to get to grips with a few buzzwords. Whilst lots of us can use it, we might not know the professional terms or what they mean. So to talk the talk about the cloud here’s a guide!

Storage-as-a-service

This is probably the most used aspect of the cloud – storing data and files remotely. It’s the foundation of what cloud computing can do for us to make remote working commonplace. Storage as a service gives a flexible way to increase storage and scale your business upwards when you need to. It’s also offers foolproof backup and recovery should disaster happen so you can have a full mirror image of your files restored. Great for businesses of all sizes as it takes care of your core working and lets staff collaborate remotely and easily.

Database-as-a-service

With Database-as-a-service you can tap and use a remotely hosted database even if you neither own nor host it. DbaaS saves on hardware, installation time and software configuration as well as maintenance costs. The database will function as though it is locally stored, allowing you to do everything from setting up tables, adding, extracting and deleting data. It has higher performance than a locally stored database and is easy to scale, removing worries about backups and recovery.

Application-as-a-service/Software-as-a-service

Commonly known as SaaS, Application-as-a-service is an application which is delivered via the internet direct to end users, primarily through a browser. These are often the most common cloud-computing services used by enterprise today, and include services such as Google Docs and Salesforce CRM.

Platform-as-a-service

Platform-as-a-service or PaaS is a category of cloud computing services that provides a full-service platform for users to develop, run and manage applications. The advantage of PaaS is that users can develop and test apps remotely without having to build and maintain the infrastructure associated with app and software development. It’s a virtual go-to shop for users who build and deploy apps and is great for remote collaboration.

Security-as-a-service

Security-as-a-service (SECaaS) refers to systems that enable delivery of core security services via the internet. This can be anything from business continuity disaster recovery right through to email security, encryption, identity and access management and data loss prevention. As a service, it has the potential to prevent a lot of headaches and downtime for business and will cut costs of a multitude of other security solutions.

Testing-as-a-service

Testing-as-a-service (TaaS) gives users the power to test local or cloud-delivered systems using remotely hosted software and services. It allows for applications to be tested without having to purchase test servers or testing software. A great way to cut costs and solve your testing problems efficiently. There are also a range of testing services under this umbrella including mobile testing as a service, and security testing as a service to name a couple.

Infrastructure-as-a-service

Infrastructure-as-a-service model means that a third party hosts all your infrastructure for your organisation. This means that hardware, software, servers, storage and other infrastructure constituents are hosted on behalf of the organisation. Using the IaaS model enables  businesses to be more scalable as demands grow or reduce. There is a big advantage in terms of saving on time for maintenance, backup, security monitoring, and reduced capital costs.

Essential time-saving apps for SMEs

Running a medium-sized business efficiently can be a daunting task, especially where your position means you have to take on many different roles. Luckily there are vast numbers of productivity apps devoted to helping SME professionals optimise their time resource. If you’re struggling to co-ordinate your business tasks and would like some inside information about which time saving apps are best, read on!

Managing a business can be a very time-consuming commitment. It requires a lot of time and energy to ensure that crucial tasks are not forgotten. Being able to prioritise is not an easy ask when the buck stops with you and you have to deal with all the little details of running your business. Knowing the right tools to keep track of your work, tasks and finances can make a world of difference.

There are many productivity apps that can help here. The irony is that you probably don’t have the time to try them all out for yourself. So to make it easier, here is our run-down of essential time-saving apps for SMEs.

Asana

Developed by Facebook co-founder Dustin Moskovitz and ex-engineer Justin Rosenstein this app focuses in on improving employee productivity using social networks.  Asana is a web and mobile application which allows teams to keep track their own tasks and those of their colleagues. At its heart is collaboration, allowing teams to create a custom workspace for different projects, each with separate tasks and due dates as well as a tick box function where users can follow, comment, tag and upload attachments and other resources.

Trello

Trello is a project management app that allows you to keep track team workflows. It uses “cards” which represent different tasks and shows their status. You can add users, attachments, comments, due dates and checklists as well as resources to these cards. It’s great for managers who want to manage but don’t want to pester their teams.

My Minutes

My Minutes is a real eye opener. This is a really simple app which brings transparency to what you do with your time and how you waste it. It helps you to take control of the amount of time you waste on other tasks when you should be focussed on something else. You can set simple, achievable goals in the shape of time-constraints, e.g. “research new prospecting techniques for 30 minutes”. A great tool for remote workers and freelancers who work alone and get distracted by tv or facebook!

Slack

Slack is the professional instant messaging platform that is used by teams across the globe. It is the ideal way to encourage communication between team members within your organisation, and allows you to organise conversations on certain points into public channels in one space. It also makes it much easier for team members to share files and images quickly and avoids having to check a load of other different apps and platforms for updates. Great for teams and remote workers alike.  Slack is one thing it’s not!

Pushover

Pushover is a great app for medium sized businesses who have multiple phones and devices to keep track of. It sends push notifications to a chosen smartphone that organises messages and notifications into one specific place. Great for those who are hotdesking and aren’t always in the office to keep in the loop.

RescueTime

RescueTime is ideal for SME professionals who find themselves getting distracted easily. It breaks down where you spend your overall time across applications and websites and holds you accountable. You can the set productivity goals and limits to the amount of time you spend on each of these. It’s great for remote workers and anyone who wants to get out the door at 4 as opposed to 5.30!