I-Business Network Cloud News

Transcription

1 I-Business Network Cloud News In This Issue: Cloud vs. On-Premise The Soaring Popularity of the Cloud Six Reasons Businesses Choose the Cloud Volume 1: 2015

2 I-BN is an SAP dedicated hosting provider and it made sense, said Mr. Traub. The bottom line is that I-BN is responsible for the IT, not me, and implementing SAP Business One was stress free. JT Traub Nanolab Technologies Cloud Vs. On-Premise Definitive Analysis After reading yet another expert white paper on why dedicated hosting is the most effective option for your organization, it became clear that now was the time for the penultimate analysis of cloud vs. on-premise. Clearly after years of hosting, and decades of research there is a definitive answer that is applicable to ALL organizations. The numerous factors that go into the analysis include but are not limited to: The nature of the infrastructure being transitioned to the cloud The availability of a multi-tenant solution The cost of the hosting service (whether single or multi-tenant) The downtime on-premises vs. downtime in cloud Upgrade time on premises vs. upgrade time in single or multi-tenant cloud Cost of internal IT vs. cost of cloud Time value of money ROI of other alternative spending projects And the list goes on This definitive answer is typically totally independent of all of these conditions that affect the customer but are wholly determined by the services offered by the author of the white paper or the organization that funded it. The definitive answer is the product that I sell. 1.How well does the offering meet my business requirements? 2.How much value will the organization realize over its evaluation horizon? 3.How difficult will the transition be to this new solution? It all begins with the fit for business requirements. It matters little whether the solution is on-premise or in the cloud if it doesn t solve the problem. The second criteria really gets to the point of how well does it solve my problem. Value is typically measured as quantifiable results over total cost of operations over a time period. That period will vary by organization as will the measurements of savings or increased revenue and costs. Cost evaluation tends to be the diciest in the cloud. In larger organizations where heads may roll as a result of a move to outsourcing, in smaller organizations, parts of people are often discounted as a cost. What value will Bob or Steve produce if he had 2-4 more hours per week? How much does downtime really cost and who measures it on-premise? Any change is hard. The question is how hard? Will moving to a cloud solution be easier because it eliminates the IT hassles or because it creates a browser based experience? Some people may be used to a client-server application and may consider that easier just as they considered a mouse really confusing. Finally be aware that there is no such thing as 100% cloud based solutions, unless that is, you are also in the cloud and have no premises, local machine interfacing with the cloud, and can magically connect to the Internet. If any organization offers a definitive solution for all circumstances, then you know the only plausible answer is their services and it is time to run away. Companies do not buy cloud or on-premises solutions, they buy solutions to business problems that can be solved either on-premises or in the cloud. In our 15 years of providing both types of services, the primary determinants of which solution is right for a customer are typically:

3 The Cloud s Popularity Soars for Businesses It can be difficult to look into the future and know what the next business trend will be. Everywhere you look today, there is no doubt that Cloud is growing and in demand. In a recent article for CRN, Meghan Ottolini interviewed software resellers declaring cloud services as the most demanded service from customers and clients. As a cloud hosting company for the past 15 years, specializing in cloud accounting software, we understand the leap of faith it takes for our core clientele to move to the cloud. We specialize in small and midsize companies who want to run their accounting software (enterprise resource planning software also known as ERP) in the most efficient and effective method available to them. The benefits of the cloud are well documented by its users and providers like us. Benefits include transferring your responsibility for IT to the cloud host, reducing cost of hardware overhead, mobile access, scalable infrastructure, and software support. There are many benefits for outsourcing the responsibility for IT, the biggest being it allows you to focus on your core business and not focus on taking care of servers and software. As one of our clients put it, the bottom line is that I-BN is responsible for the IT, not me. Choose your cloud host carefully! Choosing a cloud host who understands your business and the software solutions you plan to use is key to your success. Your cloud host should know what it takes to run your cloud accounting software. Remove the guesswork of moving to the cloud and find a cloud host that will provide the right infrastructure, understand your deployment specifications, and has an environment that was tested for your software and any add-ons you may be using. Need more information? Check out our article that will be featured in Volume II, The Three Kinds of Cloud Hosts. Are you planning to move to the Cloud? Contact us to discuss all the details of what you need to know before you move. Our business solutions team has supported numerous businesses in their move to cloud computing. We specialize in cloud accounting software with fully tested hosting environments and support personnel dedicated to your success.

4 Six Reasons Why Small and Midsize Businesses Choose the Cloud Small and Midsize Enterprises (SMEs) need every bit of leverage they can get against their larger competition. They tend to run lean and mean and get the best for their budget. With technology changing on a daily basis and the SMEs need to be flexible in a competitive environment; many are turning to the Cloud for their IT solutions. Capital Expenditure One of the best things about the Cloud is the minimal upfront investment. When you are trying to manage your capital so that you have the ability to buy more products or invest in your business, you don t want to tie it all up in an initial software and server purchase. Outsourcing your IT to the Cloud also minimizes the workload on your IT personnel allowing them to focus on the needs of the office. Paying for your IT on a monthly basis allows you greater focus on growth and competition while reserving your cash. Quality Solutions As a SME you don t have the same budget as your competition, but that will not keep you from having the ability to purchase the same quality business solution. At I-Business Network we have specifically designed an SAP Business One Cloud solution that gives you the computing power of SAP, the continued R&D investment by SAP, and an out of the box solution that is affordable, flexible, and will grow with your business. Ability to Compete With solutions like SAP Business One Cloud, your ability to access business analytics, track inventory, access reports, and automate business processes is the same as the big dogs. Cloud solutions offer flexibility on site with customers to determine inventory, pricing, shipping, customer service, proposals, sales, and closing. Everything you need to compete is now at your fingertips. Overall, we estimate that our IT costs are 30% less than if we operated the software in-house. Tanya Thompson, Director of Information Technology, Miles Properties Versatility The Cloud has the ability to morph and change with the tides of your business. Do you have seasonal demand and the need to add and delete users as seasonal sales demands change? Or perhaps you know you will be growing and will need to add users at intervals throughout the year? Whatever the reason, your Cloud provider should have the flexibility to respond to add a user, expand your storage and more within a very reasonable time frame, and often in the same day for minor changes. Focus on Your Core Business It s hard not to notice how much time technology can occupy. Just in your personal life it can become a consuming hobby to keep up with the latest technology for your home, car and personal use. Now apply that to your business and it isn t hard to see how often your focus will be diverted to technology. As I-BN customer John Traub explained his decision to move to the Cloud, I-BN is an SAP dedicated hosting provider and it made sense. The bottom line is that I-BN is responsible for the IT, not me, and implementing SAP Business One was stress free. Having a technology partner to take care of everything helps you to stay focused on growth. Keeping Up With Changing Technology One of the greatest attributes of a SME is its ability to change and try new things in their pursuit of business. The Cloud s flexibility allows you to try new applications, add-ons and extensions quickly. Whatever direction your business must take in response to the changing market, you can quickly take action in the Cloud. I-Business Network can walk you through the pros and cons of moving to the Cloud.

5 About I-Business Network Established in 1999, I-BN s executive management profile includes years of corporate and Big 6 experience. Our consultants have expertise in a wide range of industries and our IT staff keeps current on the latest technologies. Our greatest strength is our ability to deliver a national network of partners to provide local services and specialized knowledge. I-BN is customer focused with the goal of matching the right business management tools with company requirements, deployed on-premise or in our private cloud, and financed via subscription, purchase, capital or operating lease. I-BN strives to transfer knowledge to its customers and partners to improve their productivity and business effectiveness. I-Business Network 2617 Sandy Plains Road, Suite B, Marietta, GA