Thinking of making the move to the cloud? Well now is the time! It has never been easier, more cost-effective and more secure than it is today.
If your organization is considering using Microsoft Office 365 as your first step in moving applications to hosted solutions, I am sure you have done your research and realised there is a lot of information out there and sometimes, it can be hard to separate the facts from the fiction.
Luckily, Microsoft have done the hard work for you. Here are 10 common myths debunked:
1. Office 365 is just Office tools in the cloud, and I will only be able to use it online.
Fact – Office 365 has all the apps you know and love, just with added productivity tools and the latest features and functionality that will help you work with the greatest efficiency. Whether at your desk or on the go, you have the tools to focus on the work that matters to you. And, since Office 365 lives in the cloud, these tools will stay up to date and are easy to use. Remember, Microsoft keeps adding value to Office 365 month after month, making it the best version of Office.
2. If our data moves to the cloud, our organization will no longer have control over our technology.
Fact – You will still have complete control over the technology, but your IT department will not need to worry about constantly updating it. When you move to the cloud, you will significantly reduce the time spent upgrading software. Your IT team can focus on advancing your organization’s technology, rather than being a repair service. Instead of spending more and more portions of your budget on servers for email storage and workloads, you can think strategically and support organizational managers in a much more agile fashion, quickly responding to their needs.
3. Keeping data on-premises is safer than in the cloud.
Fact – Security and uptime come standard with Office 365 in the cloud. Even if your organization has a growing security team, organizations rarely assemble a team large enough to uncover and protect against the hundreds of possible alerts that come through each day. When you switch to Office 365, Microsoft act as an extension of your security team. Microsoft data centres are built with scale in mind.
4. I must move everything to the cloud; it is an all-or-nothing scenario.
Fact – You can move your data into the cloud at your own pace, or you can use a hybrid approach.
The hybrid cloud creates a consistent platform that spans data centres and the cloud, simplifying IT and delivering apps and data to users on virtually any device, anywhere. It gives you control to deliver the computing power and capabilities that your organization demands and to scale up or down as needed without wasting your onsite technology investments.
5. Cloud migration is too much for my organization to handle.
Fact – Microsoft are here to help every step of the way.
When you start considering how to move petabytes of data to the cloud, it’s easy to see why some people think “going cloud” is too big a challenge for IT departments and staff, alike. We’re not going to tell you it’s simple, but you really can get Office 365 up and running quickly.
We’ll help you every step of the way, with information and tips on firewall configurations, reverse proxy requirements, identity options, migration possibilities, and a phased approach for hybrid setups. We’ve created several paths you can follow, and in most cases, you can use your existing tools and processes throughout the migration, so day to day work won’t be disrupted.
6. Corporate spies, cyberthieves, and governments will have access to my data if it is in the cloud.
Fact – It is your data, not anyone else’s. This is a common fear about the cloud among many organizations, but it is unsupported. Your IT team manages access, sets up rights and restrictions, and provides smartphone access and options. Further, your organization remains the sole owner. You retain the rights, title, and interest in the data stored in Office 365.
7. I must learn all new tools to manage SharePoint Online.
Fact – SharePoint Online abstracts maintains the infrastructure, without changing anything else. All your hard work learning how to manage SharePoint is not lost! SharePoint Online shares the same familiar admin and management tools, whether your deployment is in the cloud, on location, or in a hybrid of the two. Although your customizations aren’t populated to the cloud, all the administrative controls remain the same.
8. Skype and Skype for Business are one and the same.
Fact – Skype for Business is your link to hosting productive meetings, not just phone calls. The version of Skype you use at home is great for a small number of users and is free, unless you want to make calls to landlines and mobiles. Alternatively, Skype for Business lets you add up to 250 people to online meetings, gives you enterprise-grade security, allows you to manage employee accounts, and is integrated into your Office apps. With the use of Skype Meeting Broadcast, you can host virtual meetings connecting to 10,000 participants. Skype for Business integrates with Office 365, boosting productivity by letting people connect on their terms. Staff can make and receive calls, give presentations, and attend meetings on one application. However, it is important to note that Skype for Business is due to end on 31st July 2021.
9. Email is not any simpler in the cloud.
Fact – With automatic updates, you do not have to worry about email downtime. When you move your organization’ email to the cloud, you can rest easy knowing that the experts who created the software are taking care of the maintenance and updates. Your IT team no longer needs to worry about installing updates, instead focusing on bigger IT needs. Software updates and fixes are delivered automatically as soon as they are released.
10. Continuously updating Office 365 will break my critical organization applications.
Fact – Office 365 updates will not negatively impact your existing applications. We know that a lot rides on your staffs’ ability to use mission-critical apps and add-ins with Office. We are committed to Office 365 compatibility with the tools you use every day.
‘’ The switch to Microsoft Cloud services makes us significantly more efficient in normal times but will make us far more effective when we respond to a disaster moving forward.’’
Mike Manning, President and CEO, Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank
So, if you are thinking of making the move to the cloud now is definitely the time! If you are still unsure, need help migrating or have any questions that you would like to ask please do contact us.
