This archive report was first published on 9 June 2020.
As businesses continue to evolve, it's essential to have a solid IT infrastructure in place. In our previous article, dated June 2, 2020, we discussed the four essential items that you require for a robust, efficient, and effective IT infrastructure.
These four key elements include essential business tools, security, support, and IT policies and controls. Essential business tools are the backbone of any business, and they include email, word, excel, file storage, and voice and video communications.
Historically, many companies built their servers within organisations and their IT teams spent hours managing those applications to ensure they ran effectively. However, with the advent of cloud-based services, the majority of people have moved to a global email service which is centrally managed by a big name.
Microsoft's Office 365 and Google's G Suite are two of the most popular solutions, both of which can be used to host your domain. They offer good built-in security and manage emails for millions of users globally, spending millions of dollars on security to ensure the environment is safe.
With cloud-based services, if there is a problem, it will be fixed quickly since it will affect many people. Additionally, your data is backed up in different locations, ensuring that it remains intact even in the event of a disaster.
Office 365 and Gmail remain the mainstream services on offer today, with some integrated communications solutions like Slack gaining a following globally as alternatives to the more traditional solutions.
Ensuring you have legitimate copies of software for your users is crucial, as it ensures they can work effectively. Legally licensed software is key, as subscription-based software ensures you get updates at all times.
Today, most users buy packages that incorporate Office tools and the email solution on a subscription, building consistency in their organisation and running the latest software version.
