Modern Cloud Working

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Modern Cloud Working

At Everything IT, we have been setting up Customer Networks for over 20 years using the tried and tested “on-premises” Client/Server approach. The traditional way of doing things (on-premises) would typically involve installing a Physical Server on-site to provide a number of core functions, such as Authentication through Active Directory, File & Printer Sharing, Group Policies and hosting of accounts packages or other networkable shared systems.

There are however significant factors that need to be considered in relation to the on-going maintenance and costs of an “on-premises” environment:

  • On-Premises server infrastructure requires significant malware protection, vulnerability management and access control management.
  • On-Premises server storage will need to be addressed when a server reaches capacity.
  • On-Premises servers require regular patching – patching can be tricky business, as sometimes a patch will install which will break some functionality – or an update will introduce a bug.
    If your on-premises server hardware fails, it can cause outages which can cause extreme frustration and loss of productivity for business.

We are now at a point where we need to re-assess the landscape and determine is the on-prem way really the best way forward?

Cloud computing is the process of delivering on-demand IT services, including analytics, databases, networking, servers, and storage via the internet. These virtual services provide faster innovation, ease of scalability, and greater resource flexibility.

At Everything IT, we believe the best way forward for our clients is for where possible, is to migrate all server-side infrastructure into Microsoft Azure Cloud. Microsoft Azure is the name for Microsoft’s Cloud Services. It is a vast collection of online services which include (but are not limited to):

  • Azure Active Directory (Identity Provider)
  • Exchange Online (Email)
  • OneDrive / SharePoint (File Storage & Sharing)
  • Teams (Chat / Video Meetings)
  • Microsoft Endpoint Manager (AKA Intune)
  • Virtual Machines (Compute Resources)

Azure is fully cloud based, which means that there is no “on-premises” server infrastructure required. Azure solves all of the issues identified with the “On-premises” infrastructure and brings new functionality to your organisation:

  • No VPN is required – your computer just needs to be online (and can work offline too)
  • No need to replicate or back up file servers. All User Files (Desktop, Documents, Pictures) are automatically sync’d to OneDrive.
  • If a Ransomware attack happens, files can be instantly restored of data. This reduces risk significantly
  • Group Policy is replaced by Microsoft Endpoint Manager – so all apps & policies are pushed down through that regardless of the user’s location.
  • There is no server hardware to maintain, it is all provided in the cloud.
  • There are no servers to patch as it is all provided as a service by Microsoft.