In 2008 I started S2 Consulting, Inc. to serve the small/medium business community’s IT needs. What I found is companies and individuals fairly consistently are taken advantage of by technology providers who are stuck in the past, focusing on old paradigms of on-site, client/server architecture and break-fix services doing nothing but costing them money and giving them headaches.
There is always a need for infrastructure, I don’t know of many businesses that can get away with not having a computer to run their business, be it for accounting, planning or producing blueprints. It’s a fact of life. The change is what sort of infrastructure it is. This shift in the small/medium business paradigm is happening whether you like it or not.
One of the most evident ways this is visible and demonstrable to most people is the emergence of the “Cloud”. Simply put, it consists of internet-based applications for you to take advantage of. If it’s in the cloud, it’s not contained within the walls of your business. Which has a few, very distinct advantages.
Ease of access. There are three forks that cloud-based solutions have: you can access anything from anywhere, from anything, anytime. The days when you need to run to the office because you forgot a file are all but over. Forget to make that last journal entry? Do it on your iPhone from the airport.
Security. An example I like to use when recommending cloud-based solutions is this: I can get through your back door, grab your server and have all your information, emails and other sensitive data in my possession and be gone before your security alarm goes off. If it’s not on premise, there’s really nothing to steal. “But,” you might ask, “what about transmitting that over the internet? I’m pretty paranoid about sending sensitive information over the web.” It’s a valid concern. Companies that host these solutions have to have certain licenses and certifications to show they are secure enough to keep things like financial information, medical records and the like. Some of these companies even have better security than the US military.
Disaster-proof. Truth be told, nothing is disaster proof. If we get nuked, that’s a bit of an issue. Short of that, it’s hard to think of anything happening that would be more than a mild inconvenience. What if your computer dies? Pick up a replacement at the local shop and you’re up and going again. No more need to deal with backups, no need to be concerned about the Quickbooks server picking up a virus.
Ask yourself some pointed questions. “Do I want to be inconvenienced?”, “Do I want to be a slave to some guy, recommending things I can’t understand?”, “Do I want to be taken advantage of?” and most importantly, “Do I want my life to be better, easier, more secure and more free?”. As Benjamin Franklin once said, “He who sacrifices freedom for security deserves neither.” Be free, embrace the cloud.
If you need more information or for a free technology consultation, contact me!
Aaron Schlagel
Phone: 505-427-3085
Email: info@s2consulting.net
Web: www.s2consulting.net