computing Archives - Page 2 of 2 - IT Support

Whether your business is already utilising the Cloud or you are only just considering it, ensuring the company who provides your IT support is a Microsoft Cloud Solution Provider (CSP) partner can give you added security and reassurance that you are working with reputable professionals.

But what does being a Microsoft CSP partner really mean and how does that affect or help your business? Here are some handy FAQs.

What is a Microsoft CSP partner?

Being a Microsoft CSP partner means that we are accredited by undeniably, one of the biggest names in technology. This means that there are various standards which must be upheld. These includes providing reliable support as well as technical know-how. This ensures that we are there for our customers with the right solutions when they need it most.

SMY IT Services have gone one step further and achieved Microsoft silver partner status. Amongst other benefits (which is for another blog), this means we receive emerging products, technologies and features while they’re still in the development cycle. This allows us to work with our customers on platform upgrades and technology improvements many months before general release.

How does it benefit you as the customer?

There are many reasons why partnering with a Microsoft CSP partner for your computing needs provides an added benefit to you:

You get a flexible and simple monthly invoice for all your Microsoft services. Our pricing is cost-effective as your package will be tailor-made to you and your business’ needs
We can help you increase productivity with IT solutions that are customised to your requirements. This includes management and monitoring tools to minimise downtime and delays.
We are on hand to provide you with quality technical support when you just need an expert to take control

If you’d like more information we’d be happy to help. Get in touch with us today to find out what we can do for your business.

As computing revolutionises the world, a tremendous amount of confusing acronyms have popped up. Here SMY IT Services explain the most common ones you might come across:

SaaS (Software as a Service)

SaaS is software on-demand. As a result, users can subscribe or rent software, centrally hosted software on a pay-as-you-go basis. Office 365 and Salesforce are two of the largest providers today.

PaaS (Platform as a Service)

A resource for developers, PaaS provides the hardware and software infrastructure needed to create, run and manage custom-built applications. These platforms are scalable, flexible, and rented on a pay-as-you-go basis. Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Google are amongst the largest PaaS vendors.

IaaS (Infrastructure as a Service)

A virtual hardware which companies can purchase instead of owning and operating their own data centres. IaaS provides self-service access to remote data centre infrastructures that can be used for virtual server space, bandwidth, IP addresses, storage, or network connections. These resources are usually drawn from a distributed network of servers and the cloud provider is responsible for maintaining. Therefore, users are responsible for managing and upgrading applications, middleware, and operating systems. Amazon Web Services, Microsoft Azure, as well as Google Compute Engine are the leading providers of IaaS.

MDM (Mobile Device Management)

A cloud service primarily driven by the growing workplace trend of BYOD, MDM distributes applications, data, and configurations to a variety of devices (including smartphones, tablets, laptops, desktop computers, and mobile printers). MDM also facilitates compatibility and security in distributed networks. As a result of this, employees are able to work remotely on a variety of devices using different operating systems.

BYOD (Bring Your Own Device)

Many IT departments struggle to keep pace with regular technology changes because company employees increasingly want to use their own devices to access corporate data. BYOD encourages company employees to work on the device of their choice, so they can access corporate email on their personal iPhone or using a Galaxy tab to view text documents. The goal for businesses is increased productivity as well as reducing costs.

HPC (High Performance Computing)

HPC means aggregating computing power in the cloud to create a virtual supercomputer used to solve large, complex problems. This refers to systems that function at over 10^12 operations per second.