A major technology trend in the past several years has been the integration of popular consumer devices and solutions into the business environment. Similar to the Bring Your Own Device challenge faced by businesses, cloud-based storage solutions are an emerging preference over the classic “company shared drive” or in-house SharePoint solutions.
So, what can be done?
Cloud Drive Services: Box.net, DropBox, SkyDrive, Google Drive
Many employees have signed up for personal accounts on services like Box.net, Dropbox or Google Drive. Individuals prefer the ease of use of these services. Can this be an advantage for your business?
The good news is, absolutely. However, businesses will need to consider drive, size, price and security, and examine the trade-offs of each on a per-service basis. However, you must keep security in mind and be aware of sensitive company data leaving your network. Each of the services mentioned above have extensive documentation for IT professionals that lay out best practices for information security.
Sharepoint on Office 365
Another option is Microsoft Sharepoint in the cloud, available as part of the new Office 365 service that we described in a previous blog post here. SharePoint has many collaboration features built in, like the ability to check out files for revisions, mark up revisions with other team members, and maintain an audit trail of changes. Microsoft’s bundled plan with Office 365 makes this an interesting option.
We recommend trying these services with a small group within your company and creating a roll out plan with the service you choose, as converting over and educating your staff are key elements to a successful move to cloud storage.
With guidance on how to incorporate cloud storage into your business strategy, contact Superior Technology on the web at www.superiortechnology.com or give us a call at 845-735-3555.
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