How mobile workers can boost businesses

In the digital age, mobile workers can be a major asset for businesses and organisations. With technology solutions – such as smartphones, tablets and laptops – at their disposal, and ready access to 3G and 4G mobile broadband and Wi-Fi connections, employees can work from almost anywhere, at any time. This means employers have more options and employees can find a way of working that suits them best.

Working productively

Many of the barriers to productive work have been broken down in recent years. There is no longer a direct link between a physical presence in the office and productivity, as employees can be an asset wherever they are based. Employees are able to deliver output on the move, from home and even on their commute into work or back home at the end of the shift. Many professionals are customising their working week to find a pattern that suits them best and allows them to maximise their performance. Both workers and the companies that employ them stand to gain.

Boosting morale

Mobile workers are often happy workers, which can also be beneficial from a productivity perspective. If employees can choose their own hours and the place they work from – as is possible with mobile solutions – they are able to achieve a better work/life balance. This can offer a significant boost to employee morale, encouraging workers to give their all day by day, stay loyal to their employer and offer a greater return on investment. Ultimately, this is what organisations are looking for.

Increasing agility

The use of mobile solutions – and the cultural changes they have encouraged – means many businesses are more flexible, agile and adaptable than in the past. They can respond quickly to changing circumstances and give a better service for their clients. With employees able to work from home or on the move, business is now genuinely 24/7, and not constrained by the traditional 9-5 shift pattern. If work needs to be completed at short notice, it is often possible to complete it online, via mobile devices, and not forcing somebody to stay at the office out of hours.

How mobile workers can boost businesses

Staff are the biggest threat to network security

Your own employees could be the biggest risk to your network security. Corey Steele, a network security specialist in Illinois, has outlined how he tests company security and has found that it is much easier to break through using an employee of the company, and not attack the system directly.

Most employees are wise to the fact that they should not open an attachment from an unknown source, but Steele has exploited their trusting nature by simply phoning up an employee pretending to be an outside IT contractor working with the company. Having convinced the duped staff member to open a remote login help session with him, he then spends a good deal of time going through technical information before offering them the chance to take a break. While they are gone, he has the chance to install malware on the system and gain access to sensitive information that hackers could use to their advantage.

Another method that still works remarkably well is pretending to be a phone company employee, visiting the premises in person and asking to check the lines in the basement. Most let him in without any form of challenge and once inside the building he can create a wireless access point, join the network and then carry out a hacking attack from the comfort of his car outside.

Of course there are a vast array of tools at hackers’ disposal in the modern age and many prefer to carry out direct attacks on the system. For some there is a badge of honour involved in cracking the defences of a big bank, major corporation or even a government agency.

Steele offers a stark reminder, though, that staff education and vigilance are critical factors when it comes to network security, and that every staff member who can get access to important information, or even just the network, need to be educated about the methods hackers can use to beat the system. It does not matter how good your IT defences are, you are only as strong as your weakest link. For a lot of companies, that link might be the people that you employ.

Staff are the biggest threat to network security

When cloud computing can work for your business

Cloud computing has been one of the main technological innovations of recent years that have driven a more efficient and streamlined economy and allowed new business opportunities to flourish. Yet the immense pressure to find such new technologies often leads them to be accompanied with a tidal wave of hype that almost no tech can live up to. So how do you see past the hype and find whether cloud computing is right for your business? Here are some points you need to consider.

1. Is any disruption justified by the cost benefit?

Before deciding to move to the cloud, it’s worth looking at how much disruption the migration will cause, and how much you will lose financially and in terms of productivity during this disruption. Then, look at how much money and time you are likely to save by using the cloud and weigh up if the benefits outweigh the disruption and cost. With a reliable and trusted cloud provider, you’re likely to find that future savings will easily and quickly make up for any immediate losses.

2. How much capacity do you need?

One of the best things about cloud computing is that services are usually infinitely scalable. However, if you find that your usage is increasing erratically or exponentially, fees can be unexpectedly high. It’s best to plan carefully to identify your needs as accurately as possible and make sure your cloud services will consistently meet your needs.

3. Does your company need any specific, specialised hardware components?

If your business uses applications that require specialised underlying hardware components, they may not be able to be virtualised. It’s best to consult your potential cloud provider to find out if this is the case; but with more and more programs and features moving to the cloud, most applications can now be migrated with no problem.

As with all of your business decisions, deciding when to invest heavily in cloud computing is primarily a matter of cost-effectiveness. The potential rewards can be huge; if you choose the right provider and most suitable package, you can take full advantage of cloud computing to push your business to new heights. Get in touch with us to find out more.

When cloud computing can work for your business

How to optimise your cloud computing experience

As you may be able to tell from our earlier blog entries, we at Premier Computer are passionate about cloud computing. But we don’t just want to tell you why you should invest in it; we want to help you get the most out of the cloud. Switching to cloud computing can be a daunting proposition, especially for smaller businesses with a tight budget and limited time to devote to IT. But it is worth doing! That’s why we’ve compiled three top tips that will help you get the most benefit and value from cloud computing.

1. Choose the cloud computing package that’s right for you

Different cloud computing options cater to different needs. For example, if you intend to use the cloud to safely back up data that you primarily store and access on your own terminals, you’ll need a cloud solution that is highly secure, minimises data loss (perhaps by distributing and replicating your data across multiple servers) and offers protection from data corruption. In other words, you’ll need a Fort Knox for information! In comparison, if you intend to use the cloud to store, organise and access information, you’ll need a highly flexible cloud solution that allows you to easily access, view and reorganise your data at will. Don’t be afraid to talk to different cloud computing vendors to find the solution that’s right for you.

2. Only pay for the storage you use

Cloud computing is infinitely scalable: you can pay for as much server space as you need to meet your data storage or processing needs. The downside of this is that it’s easy to pay for more than you really need, which can waste money. Carefully assess your needs before you choose a scalable cloud computing solution, and only pay for the amount of data-storage or processing you will actually use. You can always buy more later if you need to!

3. Regularly reassess your cloud solution

Once you’ve made the switch to cloud computing, it’s worth remembering that you can change to a new cloud solution at any time. After all, you don’t have to make any changes to your own IT infrastructure to switch from one cloud solution to another! You can use this to your advantage; reassess how well your cloud computing arrangements are working on a regular basis. If you can find a better option, don’t be afraid to switch to it!

Cloud computing is an immensely useful tool for modern businesses. However, it’s important to know how to get the most out of it. We hope that these tips will help you find the ideal cloud computing solution for you and make sure that you get the best price.

How to optimise your cloud computing experience