Category "Blog"

India has been gripped by an intense wave of start-ups. From tech solutions and e-commerce to healthcare and food deliveries, these start-ups are being embraced more and more by Indian consumers and also attracting a substantial amount of attention from foreign shores in the form of angel investors and venture capital.

For the 50 million or so start-ups and small businesses in India, cloud computing is set to be a game changer. The need to stay a step ahead of others is what’s causing Indian companies to finally approach cloud service providers. Moreover, cloud computing is on the brink of an explosion in India.

While there had been reluctance in adopting cloud solutions in the past, the trend is now changing. According to IDC, the cloud computing market in India stood at $688 million in 2012. This very figure is predicted to rise to $3.5 billion by 2016. An IDC survey of 473 respondents resulted in 200 opting for cloud solutions. Cloud computing and its services can give a considerable amount of boost to enterprises in terms of technological stability.

Start-up companies can store, manage, process data and use programs through a web-based interface – something that greatly reduces costs. Data stored in the cloud can be accessed from anywhere through various devices with web connectivity, which is an advantage for small companies that don’t have a huge IT budget. Cloud is not all about storage. Companies can also move their operations and applications on cloud.

Traditionally, a start-up is likely to spend a great deal on computer equipment to kickstart its business. Typical expenses include servers, software tools, database licenses and other IT equipment that are needed to perform tasks like payroll, performance management, paying bills and tracking their sales leads. Moving to cloud drastically eliminates such up-front costs, leaving businesses with more capital at hand to invest on other business plans.

SMEs usually have bad technological infrastructure. Either they have to resort to buying expensive software designed for large companies or build their own cheap applications that lack functions. Moving to cloud is a smart move for any start-up. Cloud offers the flexibility, agility and security required by SMEs at a modest price. The resources that once were limited only to large enterprises are now conveniently accessible as well as affordable.

On top of that, cloud computing enables businesses to get up and running promptly because of swift services and professionally-arranged infrastructure. With cloud, SMEs get access to experts doing what they do best. Cloud services are bringing a balance to this field and start-ups can be the harbinger of this technological change.

Technology has shaped the way we interact, consume, create, learn and communicate. In short, modern day technology has seeped into all aspects of our lives in a way that one tends to think how did the people manage without it? Today, people can have face time with a client while preparing a presentation and pay their bills from the car on their way to work. In essence, new age technology has ensured that we are already living in the future.

Telecom and the consumer

The telecommunications have graduated from aiding consumers to communicate through time and distance, to multimedia. Over the last few years one has witnessed a gust of change in the several realms to make entertainment, education and advertising more accessible and real to the consumers – thanks to the seamless MPLS services and Ethernet facilities, uninterrupted network coverage along with high-performance, high-security Internet services.

Taming the smart technology

In the past decade, mobile phones have increasingly become the center of the universe for most consumers globally. Today’s consumer wants everything on the go and as mobile devices take centerstage, businesses start reaching out to more people. This has led to a huge paradigm shift in the telecom industry as the operators invest in advanced technology for more transparent customer service. Given the competition in the sector, each operator is going out of his way to attract more customers. To engage a wider customer base and cash in on customer loyalty, you must have a scalable and reliable network infrastructure that offers long term possibilities for your business.

Innovation is key

The world of information technology is extremely dynamic. This means every day you are presented with a new choice and the end-user, today, wants to spend on the very latest technology even for personal use. In such a rapidly shifting environment it is key for the telecom companies to be able to keep up with the pace of ever-changing environments. It will be safe to say one of the major challenges for telecom companies going ahead is to switch gears and try to imbibe as much dynamism as the changing needs of your customers.

Efficiency and security

Telecommunications has become indispensable to socioeconomic activities. Therefore, telecom operators, must focus on reliable and secure services. You should rely on companies that offer security infrastructure that protects against potential threats, provides centralised security control for distributed Internet access, high-security DIA and real time detection of intrusions.

Sophisticated networks and best-of-breed technologies are essential to every telecom operator. So is standardisation and interoperability of systems to derive maximum benefits from their businesses. You must keep up with the changing trends of the industry by leveraging a state-of-the-art service that goes beyond coverage, flexibility and scalability. A service that offers you an edge over competitors and enables you to convert your digital mobile consumer into a revenue stream.

With the businesses running across the globe, at different geographic locations, current enterprise systems have become large and overly complex. Applications and data are fundamental to business and the smallest downtime can cause millions of losses. Imagine a natural catastrophe to strike at any location making data loss. Rebuilding infrastructure and getting data recovered is next to impossible thing if Business Contingency or Business continuity Plans (BCP) are not in place. Disaster Recovery is a subset of BCP. It is vital to have Disaster Recovery Plans ready. In this article, we will see what a disaster recovery is? What is Disaster Recovery Plan and what are the available solutions.

What is Disaster Recovery?

Disaster Recovery basically means getting vital infrastructure recovered and protecting from significant damages. It involves a security planning which includes policies and procedures to maintain business continuity in case of disaster or disruptive events. Loss of Data or disruption of service causes critical financial impact. Thus, it is very much important that your disaster recovery plan is ready in place in order to come out of disasters with minimal impacts.

What is Disaster Recovery Plan?

Disaster Recovery Plan also referred as business continuity plan or business process contingency plan has the procedures and policies described in order to deal with the disaster to make sure that the business critical functions can be continued without disruption or at least with minimal disruptions

What are Disaster Recovery Solutions?

Traditional disaster Recovery strategy involves building a DR infrastructure where you need to take regular backups of your business critical data and applications, have them up to date on your DR locations which is at a geographically different location. If you want, you can work with a traditional availability services partner who can host your DR environment. However, the traditional disaster recovery method is cost and resource exhaustive as compared to modern DR solutions.

There are easy to manage and affordable disaster recovery solutions now available in market, such as Cloud Based Disaster Recovery and Recovery as a Service (RaaS)

Cloud Based Disaster Recovery

Cloud computing, since based on virtualization, can virtualize the entire server with its operating system, patches, applications and its entire data in a single virtual server. This virtual server can be backed up to an offsite Data Center. The data can be easily transferred from one Data Center to another and can be recovered easily. Since virtual server is hardware independent, the huge cost, the resource management and related planning for managing the hardware, get reduced to minimal amount, thus proves to be a cost-effective and efficient approach of disaster recovery.

Recovery as a Service (RaaS)

Recovery as a Service also referred as Disaster Recovery as a Service (DRaaS) is service where cloud computing plays key role in protecting an application and related data from a natural disaster or any event of service disruption by fully recovering it on cloud. In case of RaaS, your physical or virtual servers, applications are replicated to the cloud, so in the event of a disaster it can be brought back online immediately. Third party providers provide RaaS Services either through contract or pay-per-use basis and accordingly DRaaS requirements and expectation are contract or pay-per-use basis and accordingly DRaaS requirements and expectation are documented in Service Level agreements, thus gives a flexibility in DRaaS contracts. The Key here is that in the event of a disaster the DRaaS service provider should meet the defined recovery time and recovery point objectives.

Telecom is the backbone of current IT industry. Currently there are so many companies offering telecommunication services. It is very difficult to conclude on a service provider when going for a telecommunication services as there are several companies offering several different options and everybody trying all their marketing techniques to catch hold of you. No doubt every company is making its best to make a place and retain their customer, however different businesses have their own needs and selection of a telecom providers should be aligned to your needs. There are certain things that you need to consider when going for a telecom service provider.

In this article, we will discuss about certain aspects that you should think before going for a telecom service provider.

Network Security and Reliability

Network Security:

It is of utmost importance to think about network and security when selecting a telecom provider. You must see what is the network type? Is it a fully converged network with a consolidated infrastructure based on IP, Ethernet, and optical technologies? Network convergence is basically the coexistence of video, voice, and data communication over a single network. Security of the converged network is a major concern. So, it is important that you check if the network is secure enough, has added protection, and prevents denial of service attacks.

Network Reliability:

You must ensure that the telecom provider is reliable and helps you grow your business. Even a small disconnect or glitch in the telephone or internet connection can cause you a significant loss. So, it is important to ensure that you are covered, and your provider should have the ability to restore the service fast, with minimal impact on your business.

Service Offerings and Customer Support

Product and Service Range:

You need to check what products and services are provided by the telecom provider as per your business needs. Do they offer a range of products, including cloud, voice, data, internet, and managed services? The provider should be able to assess and assist with the selection of cost-effective products and services aligned with your business needs.

Customer Support:

Make sure that your telecom provider offers excellent customer support. Even a good product may fail due to poor customer service. Your provider should assist you when needed. Check with other customers of the telecom provider and enquire about the quality of their customer service. Are they proving quick fixes for issues? Are they patient and efficient in addressing your problems? A provider with good customer service that solves problems quickly, treats customers with respect, and communicates effectively is a crucial factor.

Costing and Profitability

Competitive Pricing:

It is not always true that lower costs mean worse service. Some providers offer discounted wholesale rates, pass the savings on to customers, and still provide great service to businesses. When selecting a telecom provider, check if the providers offer competitive, negotiated quotes based on your business needs.

Long-term Profitability:

Consider long-term profitability when selecting a telecom provider. Your provider should help you protect your existing customer base, create new revenue streams, and venture into new markets.

Technology and Scalability

Up-to-Date Technology:

It is important to evaluate the technology offerings of your service provider. Ensure that the systems provided are constantly updated and incorporate the latest technologies available in the market. This ensures that your system is efficient enough to handle operations during peak loads without performance issues.

Scalability for Growth:

Ensure that the provider offers services that are flexible and scalable to accommodate future growth. Check if the telecom provider uses cutting-edge technology and that upgrades are smooth and hassle-free. As your business grows, your telecom provider should be capable of expanding their offerings to meet your changing needs.

Customization Options

Tailored Solutions for Your Business Needs:

Every business has different requirements. Your telecom provider should offer customization options for their products and services according to your needs. You should be able to select the services you want, without being burdened with unnecessary extras. Make sure the provider helps customize a system precisely tailored to your business.

Conclusion

Considering the above points should help you in deciding on the right telecom provider. Whether you’re a small business or a large enterprise, it’s essential to choose a provider that offers reliable service, customizable and scalable products, excellent customer support, and cost-effective solutions tailored to your business needs. Always ask for references and ensure that you are getting what you expect before making your final decision.

 

With evolving technologies and the advent of advanced applications, telecommunications has triggered a growth in various business sectors. Technological advancement in telecommunications has helped businesses in not just increasing efficiency and productivity, but also reducing expenses. Here are five things that IT team of every business should know about the telecom technology to acquire cost-effective telecom solutions providing optimum business benefits.

DSL services

Reliable Internet access is imperative for every business for uninterrupted services to potential clients, customers and their workforce. Businesses can benefit from the telecom providers who emphasize on providing a range of high-speed Internet options specifically customized to the demands of a company. Value-added services including 24*7 customer support are also critical for excellent workforce productivity.

Unified Communication

All forms of communication are carried on the same network in a unified communication strategy and businesses can immensely improve productivity and efficiency by working with the right service provider. In order to reap the benefits, you must work with a provider that delivers absolutely flexible and secure platform contributing to better responsiveness with both, real-time and non-real-time communication from everywhere. Furthermore, choose a telecom service provider that assures flawless integration of distinctive applications and communication devices as well as networks into a unified platform as a service.

Video and voice conferencing

The need to meet face-to-face with potential partners and clients is critical in different businesses, but is not always viable due to the global reach of the businesses. While there are many options available to sustain communications through video and voice conferencing, getting the right services is crucial. Scalability, network adaptability, availability through various devices, flexibility in plans, instant facilities and multiple layers of security are of high value. A service provider with a wide range of collaborative tools will help you to save on your capex and maintenance costs.

Customer service

To stay ahead, businesses are constantly seeking to redefine their relationship with their customers. With a comprehensive telecommunication plan, businesses get to enhance the quality of their customer service. Telecom service providers give businesses from different sectors opportunities to improve productivity and efficiency with specific tools that can help them handle enquiries in a better way. A competent provider offers optimum-quality and reliable communication services to assist you in managing incoming workload.

Remote and mobile employees

Today, employees in various industries work on the go or from remote locations, which calls for uninterrupted connectivity. Employees that work outside of the office also require easy access to various business operations and seamless exchange of information. Work with a telecom service provider who offers plans that cover remote and mobile employees with secure network connections so that they can leverage the same communication dexterity that in-office employees are provided.

With telecom technology offering so many advantages, it is beneficial for every business to partner with the right service provider that helps them achieve improved productivity, facilitate faster decision-making and gain a competitive edge.

Cloud computing is one of the most progressive pillars of the IT sector. However, the very concept of cloud computing with the added complexity of virtualisation can throw a novice to unknown waters. The word cloud itself sounds porous and easy to penetrate. But such is not the case on a larger picture. Despite being more and more ubiquitous in various business environments, cloud computing carries its share of security concerns. It’s time that everyone knows the whats and whys of cloud computing and destroy these myths once and for all.

Myth 1: Public cloud storages can be easily targeted

Public clouds are just as vulnerable as private clouds. Securing data, whether or not on cloud, is an ongoing process. You cannot think of security as product or service. It is a constant battle and one has to be fully equipped to fight this war. For example, many providers are on top of their security game with PCI, HIPAA, SOC 2, SSAE16 and various ISO standards. In addition, they offer data encryption and have effective data loss prevention policies in place. So, the problem does not lie in the public cloud, but the security measures taken by the vendor and the corporation.

Myth 2: All cloud apps are the same

A user will not use all of his cloud software in equal amounts and hence, the security for cloud computing will be different in each case. Depending on the sensitivity of the data, the profile of the user, the intended use of the data and other factors, different policies can be put into place to manage session authentication, data distribution control and other threats.

Myth 3: Your cloud service provider holds complete responsibility for your cloud storage

It’s a common myth that the cloud provider will be at your beck and call. No they won’t. Think of it as leasing an apartment, the owner will provide you with all the necessary security (guards, alarms, etc.) but you have to be careful at your end. You cannot give keys to everyone. On cloud as well, you will have to manage passwords, protect against identity fraud, encrypt sensitive data, provide access to devices via secure networks and take care of other risk mitigation activities.

Myth 4: Corporate networks are stronger in protecting cloud apps

Corporate networks are not necessarily more secure. Security breaches and data loss are just as common. Corporate networks or not, cloud apps can be vulnerable if not implemented right. A secure cloud gateway that shields the interaction between the corporate network and the cloud is imperative. The key here is working with a provider who focuses on deploying world-class networking security, monitoring services and intrusion detection.

Myth 5: Tenants in the same cloud can spy on one another

Multiple tenants share storage, processing and other services in a public cloud but thanks to virtualisation, there is a strong partition between each tenant. Even the virtual machines sharing the same servers are isolated altogether from other VMs. And if that’s not enough, corporations can use CSPs that isolate VLANs to hold other tenants off their networks.

Businesses pursuing the cloud are faced with the existential question – public or private cloud? Each has its merits that should be considered as per one’s business goals. Here are five factors you must consider prior to choosing a cloud platform.

Accessibility and usage

Each corporation has requirements unique to its business. For example, you have to consider if you can use SaaS the way it was designed or whether you need to alter it according to your requirements, which adds to the cost. Some applications even need dedicated hardware and even though they are offered by vendors, it affects workflow and can make application latency an issue. Implementation, accessibility and on-going operation come easily with private cloud. But if you are considering a public cloud, ensure that the vendor has the server clout that can handle high-performance apps.

Security

In the past few years, there have been many instances of cloud service breaches and several major businesses have suffered from them. Data security is a major concern regarding public cloud services. Although vendors effectively secure the public cloud infrastructure, various corporations are concerned about the implications of depending solely on them as any crack in their security can result in a negative impact on the bottom lines of these corporations. In a private cloud infrastructure, on the flip side, a number of firewalls can be implemented to safeguard data against external threats.

Cost

Flexible payment options concerning cloud infrastructure has given a whole new meaning to the economic expenditure. But the costs of implementing and maintaining private cloud services can bruise, if not break the economy of an organisation. The cost of buying servers, hardware and software along with hiring staff for maintenance is often far more than the prices asked by public cloud vendors. If you no longer need the setup for particular task in private cloud, the equipment just wastes away. That stated, the long-term cost of leasing public cloud continually can exceed the total cost of managing in-house cloud, especially if the data load increases.

Integration and Operation

Integrating the existing IT infrastructure with cloud is another major aspect. Business processes need specific tools for workflow and these tools must be integrated well with the cloud. Private cloud offers the ability to easily integrate business tools but at the cost of elastic capabilities. If the model of your business operations depends on a role-based environment, you must consider the requirement of diverse equipment and capabilities and how they fit in private or public infrastructure.

Scalability

The on-demand availability of public cloud makes it preferable by many organizations. Vendor services make it easy to scale up or down to adjust changes in requirements and environment. You only have to invest in the services that are required at any given time.

Private and public clouds come with management implications, however, selecting a vendor-based solution gives your organization ability to unload most of the management responsibility on the vendor.

Cloud is a major energy that has been driving businesses in the online universe. And over the years, it has evolved drastically with its every stage offering a little something for everyone. Most businesses swear by the cloud and others are making a run for it. Whichever category you belong to, it is important to keep pace with the rapidly evolving trends of the cloud so that you are not left behind. Here are 5 predictions for what will be happening in the world of cloud this year.

Containers will gain pace

Dockers and containers have already been set in motion in 2014 and have proved to be incredible packaging format for application micro services. As the cloud rush intensifies in 2015, there will be a wide range of choices and technologies for building applications. And while developers have fully approved of containers, people in the operation departments will also learn to containerize various parts of any application and keep up with them as discrete units.

Expansion of development platforms

In 2015, you will see development environments proliferate in the cloud. This is sure to offer organizations a variety of choices, but they will also need to grasp the fundamental requirements and determine the suitable platform for going forward. As we know that organizations are seeking cloud platforms for more than just servers and storage, there will be an explosion of numerous applications. This will add to the complexity and the platforms will be sturdy enough to handle the load of multiple applications conveniently.

Cloud portability will be a real thing

The ability to migrate various applications and data from one cloud environment to another without disruption will be mastered. Things are already in motion for making applications conveniently portable among various public clouds. The increasing demand of cloud portability will also lead to interoperability among cloud providers.

Software-defined security

Security is a major concern in cloud platforms and a software-defined security system will become part of every Data Center. Pundits state that Data Centers will move forward from hardware-based security to software-integrated one. There will be software mapping capability that feeds Intel in a central system and identifies parameters. This will help in monitoring activities to determine potential threats beforehand.

Hybrid cloud accession

Everyday tools required by the businesses are connected to the cloud platforms to get real-time data conveniently. Organizations are often looking forward to integrate their enterprise applications with cloud applications so as to achieve good pace in configuring systems. Hybrid cloud is the platform that bridges this gap between organizations and vendors. As businesses are more willing to weave the cloud into their in-house application framework, developers will have to evaluate hybrid cloud strategy to avoid fragmentation.

 

Most business models followed by SMBs have one common target – minimize costs. When handling big data, storage becomes a problem quite often and there’s a substantial flow of capital just for that purpose.

Cloud offers not just IT infrastructure but a business framework. It’s beneficial for SMBs in terms of accessibility, security, disaster management, cost, time and energy savings, flexibility and gaining an edge over competitors. Using the cloud can significantly bring down physical data storage costs. Furthermore, the ease-of-use makes cloud storage a better option for non-technical people as well. The icing on the cake is the automation that cloud computing supports. Instead of having to invest on IT support, cloud applications update themselves.

Let’s have a look on how cloud computing can help SMBs:

Data Backup

A small business owner should be aware of the importance of backups. System failures can be a risky situation in case of an infrastructure that is still in its nascent stages – something that is common in SMBs. The cloud is a great help here as it breaks down the process by allowing your data to automatically update as you work and also create copies of your data off-site where it will be protected from any looming disaster, theft or accident.

Mobile Office

Due to the cloud’s omnipresence, SMBs can have a better foothold in creating mobile offices. The cloud can be accessed and synced from anywhere and allows you to literally take your office on the road. This brings down the costs greatly by building a working model largely around the internet.

Sharing Info

Sharing data is easier with the cloud due to the ease-of-access. SMBs can now share data across an in-house staff and a team onsite through great distances, instantaneously. Emailing cumbersome files can often slow down work and this is where the cloud comes to play. Moreover, the cloud is also a safer option for sharing data compared to physical means.

File Storage

SMBs need all the marketing they can get for timely expansion and brand recognition. Most direct marketing strategies require large amounts of media that include video, audio and images. Due to the rising access of technology, more and more consumers are accepting this part of promotion. However, all this data can take up a large amount of storage space on a physical server. The cloud can easily take this load off by letting your local server or system focus more on the local files.

Strategic Growth

Cloud computing is a scalable practice and hence enables SMBs to create plans for growth that use the advantages of the cloud without any significant investment. You don’t have to buy new equipment or software, you just pay for what you use. And you get access to the most robust hardware and up-to-date software. Many vendors offer cloud applications for SMBs that enable you to control costs and reduce IT budget, further facilitating staff efficiency and improving productivity immensely.

Data Center Efficiency is a flexible term originally used to characterize the efficient use of energy in a Data Center. But over the years, the usage of this term has expanded to other entities such as storage, accessibility, security, networks and IT assets. Every Data Center around the world is focused on increasing its efficiency. And here are the top five things for Data Center efficiency that further enable you to drive costs out of your IT infrastructure.

Improve energy efficiency

Energy is the core of every Data Center. Power and thermal management give you a long-term strategic advantage. Cooling the equipment is indispensable and that requires a lot of power. But if you use a containment system, you may be able to reduce energy usage by 8-10 percent. And if you are yet to decide on a location, consider a place with a moderate climate, which may give you some advantage over operating a full-fledged HVAC system. You can also switch to hardware that are faster and require less power such as SSDs over hard-disk drives.

Focus on storage and capacity

Rapid data growth fuels the increasing demand for capacity storage in Data Center. And while it’s a challenge for Data Center management, it is not feasible to purchase new storage solutions every time, given the ever-increasing data. You will have to take the do-more-with-less approach to avoid the high cost of ownership. At this point, you can benefit from adopting performance analytics software. You must also monitor devices, troubleshoot drives and improve drive management processes to make sure that drives are working optimally and identify potential issues well before they affect processes.

Enhance data security

Data security is the nerve center and with the recent high-profile security breaches, it has become top priority for the management. It is imperative to improve comprehensive security measures. Data security needs vary from one organization to another and you should employ encryption for data as per your organizational needs.

Consider virtualization

With virtualization, you can bundle numerous data and computing processes into a smaller footprint, which leads to reducing life-cycle cost and adding efficiency. Virtualization means your data will require less space and power. You can replace large physical servers with a few machines that run numerous Virtual Machines (VMs), which can also serve your storage needs with virtual disks. Virtualization will ensure a modular infrastructure that incorporates networking, storage and servers on a single computing platform.

Strategies for avoiding disaster

Coming up with strategies to avoid disasters may not seem like much but in the long run, it adds to the efficiency of your Data Center. There is a growing threat of common natural and man-made disasters and planning to overcome possible failures is a priority for organizations. Locations, building designs, power standards and alternative recovery locations are the focus to avoid issues post disaster.