Is your business cloud-optimized? 5 foundations of the journey

Is your business cloud-optimized? 5 foundations of the journey

Many small and midsize businesses are deciding to make cloud services and infrastructure an intentional component of their strategy, rather than scrambling to react every time employees start using some new service. These cloud-ready businesses are taking control of cloud adoption by investing in the right tools and making the technical and operational changes necessary to adapt to a faster-paced world.

A strategic approach to the cloud means recognizing that it is here to stay, and being clear about what benefits you want to achieve for your business. Then, you can evaluate where changes need to be made to ensure you can use cloud services securely and productively while maintaining control over costs.

Five key areas you should consider when optimizing your business for the cloud:

Infrastructure: Look at the IT hardware and networking infrastructure you currently have on-premises, and consider what you will need to fulfill your growth plans and optimize for the cloud. Look for ways you can consume infrastructure from the cloud instead of managing it yourself, as many robust options are available that are more secure and higher-performance than most small or midsize businesses can obtain on their own. These aspects of IT are generally well-defined and are not where you want to focus your efforts on adding value. At the same time, don’t abandon what you have. Rather, look for ways that your existing infrastructure can easily connect to the online services you with to use.

Data: Using online services naturally means data moves across multiple locations. The more cloud services you use, the more likely it is that you will keep significant amounts of data online. In order to cloud-optimize your business, look for data storage options that can interoperate with all the tools you plan to use, including analytics, business applications, and business processes. Being able to seamlessly move data to the cloud depending on application and performance needs can enable you to preserve more of your data in an accessible state.

Management: With the cloud, you can spin up multiple virtual servers for a variety of purposes, typically at far lower cost than purchasing the required hardware yourself. That means you need more than virtualization—you need visibility across all the services you support and consume. This is doubly true if you’re using a mix of on-premises hardware, cloud-based virtual machines, and public cloud services, as many businesses will for the foreseeable future. Visibility is also necessary to manage costs, as consuming cloud services typically uses an operational expense model rather than a capital expense model. This may require new management tools if your environment is on the more complex side.

Security: Securing data across multiple services is a different task than securing it behind a traditional firewall. You need server technology built to protect data wherever it goes, whether it’s on a local server, a mobile device, or an online file share. Strong encryption and multi-factor authentication should be available as an option in the technology you choose.

Applications: Look at all the applications your company uses and make strategic decisions about which ones will provide the best value when you set up your business in the cloud. Other apps might require modification to move to the cloud, but if the business value is there, it could well be worth the trouble.

One key to creating a cloud-ready business is choosing the right server technology to power your applications and services. Windows Server is designed for a cloud-first, mobile-first world and powers business workloads around the world. It helps you give employees access to information across diverse infrastructure, networks, devices, and applications, while offering high levels of security and reliability. And, interoperability between Windows Server and Microsoft Azure can smooth the path to cloud migration.

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Steve’s been with SMB Suite since 1998 and has been involved with nearly every aspects of the Company’s business as a strategist, professional services executive, cloud solutions architect, and senior consultant. In his current role, Steve is responsible for SMB Suite’s revenue and oversees the execution of ERP, CRM and BI projects for customers across a broad range of industries. Steve combines his expertise in MS Dynamics GP, CRM and other Microsoft products with a strong foundation in accounting and business to identify gaps and streamline customers’ processes. Prior to co-founding SMB Suite, Steve was previously Corporate Controller for MEHLE Behr and, prior to that, Audit Senior for Ernst & Young. Steve holds a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from the University of Texas at Arlington.

Jeremy is responsible for SMB Suite’s technology vision, strategy and implementation and is the architect of the Company’s Dynamics Cloud Platform. Highly adept in every facet of managed services, ERP systems and e-commerce platforms, Jeremy’s expertise spans the implementation and support of business and financial software solutions, as well as the customization and integration of SMB Suite’s cloud ERP technology stack. He holds numerous Microsoft and industry-related certifications, and was primarily responsible for designing the Company’s progressive business services platform in the early days of the Cloud. Prior to SMB Suite, Jeremy served as the financial analyst, systems administrator, and information systems liaison for a $2 billion financial services corporation.

Monty is responsible for SMB Suite’s day-to-day operation and, most importantly, its customers. As a leader, motivator and mentor, Monty creates loyal high performance teams willing to “walk through walls” to accomplish their goals. Prior to SMB Suite, Monty served as President of The Bradshaw Group (TBG), a global distributor, manufacturer, and repair facility for digital printers. In this role, he was the Company’s ambassador to its most important domestic, European and Latin American customers and TBG achieved a best-in-class Net Promoter Score of 74 for its superb customer satisfaction. Prior to TBG, Monty served as the General Manager of Sam’s Clubs three highest grossing U.S. stores and was named Regional Operator of the Year in 1999. Monty holds a BBA in Marketing from Texas Tech University and is an active member of Business Navigators. He has been active in Vistage International, Executives in Action, the Dallas/Fort Worth Retail Executives Association, as well as, A.P.I.C.S., the leading professional association for supply chain and operations management. Monty also volunteers with Hunger Busters and ManeGait, a therapeutic horsemanship organization.

David is a proven financial and information technology professional with expertise in providing business accounting software and computing solutions. He began his career by starting and managing a successful independent consulting practice for several years. He then launched the local systems consulting unit of Ernst & Young’s Entrepreneurial Services Group, leading the office into the hi-tech consulting arena. After successfully developing the unit for Ernst & Young, David founded NextCorp (which became SMB Suite in 2013) to serve the business software needs of clients throughout the US. David has made SMB Suite one of the best cloud ERP providers in the industry. In addition to being a successful entrepreneur and leader, he is a software and technology specialist, holding certifications in various Microsoft and other technologies.