Guess What? You’re Already in the Cloud!

Online services have been around for decades, and web-based solutions for at least 10 years. As a result, the buzz around ‘to the Cloud’ has only confused the slow & steady evolution.
As a result, a recent study from The NPD Group found that less than a quarter of surveyed consumers believed they understood ‘cloud computing’, while more than 75% actually used one or more cloud computing services. Today most people have some exposure to services like email, file sharing (mostly photographs & videos) as well as applications like tax preparation that are served up in the Cloud.

Defining the term to create a common understanding is great. What isn’t so great is exploitation, turning cloud services into the ‘new thing’ in order to justify ridiculous consulting engagements or huge IT budget waste. From the beginning, cloud services can and should save you money. Cloud services, implemented properly are safer and more secure than most on-premise implementations. Proper planning and positioning of the technology is an effort but not huge, and there are many years of case studies that can be reviewed for ‘lessons learned’.
We like to introduce cloud services at inflection points in the business operation. Are you looking to upgrade your email server infrastructure? Are you in need of a more robust backup solution? At these decision points, you should evaluate costs and business benefit.

One way to simplify the cloud services picture, is to think of them as utilities…just like power & phone service. Your electricity provider has generation plants, switching stations, and significant infrastructure that delivers the service to your home or business. Similarly cloud service providers own the servers and infrastructure that provide email, backup, and other services for your use. You don’t need to own the expensive technology. You can just buy it as you need it.

Whether its collaboration technologies, like Office 365, or infrastructure components like online backup. The cloud is here and growing. You’ll need to leverage it to be competitive, but you can take it one step at a time.

We have strategies to get you there without disruption to your business...or your budget.

Rick Huebner
CEO
www.VISTECH.com for cloud service migration

Developing with SharePoint vs. Developing in SharePoint

SharePoint has really captured the market and for good reason. It's a great platform! We use it for document management, website development, and as a component of robust software solutions.

Unfortunately as with many hot technologies, it is accompanied by the sudden appearance of huge numbers of SharePoint experts. Similar to the tsunami of HTML Programmers (as a brief digression--HTML is a word processing language...programmers in that context has always been a bit of a stretch) that arrived with the rapid demand for websites more than a decade ago, SharePoint Programmers are climbing out of the woodwork.

And that's my point. There's a huge difference between programmers that use SharePoint and SharePoint Programmers. Real programmers will integrate SharePoint into software solutions to build durable applications that will evolve, providing opportunities for migration to new versions of SharePoint or transition to yet-to-be-introduced tools that could replace SharePoint. SharePoint Programmers will deliver software that works on the current version with little hope future viability.

Remember software is expensive to build. Tools like SharePoint do make it less expensive, but if these tools are not leveraged properly cost of maintaining the software will quickly eclipse the build cost.

Rick Huebner is President & CEO of VISTECH.com, a technology company based in Hartford, CT. VISTECH.com is an ISV that develops custom software using Microsoft technologies.

Cloud Computing, briefly

At its core, the cloud delivers computing as a service rather than a product. This is analogous to many utilities we’ve been using for many years. For example, typically electricity is a service provided by a power company. The power company owns generation plants and distributes the electricity to consumers. Consumers pay for the service based on electricity used, by the kilowatt. However, instead of using the power company, consumers could purchase products, like gas powered generators or solar panels, to generate their own power. With cloud computing, products are the servers and software purchased to support corporate email or file storage. Instead of those purchases, companies can realize significant benefits by subscribing to email or file storage services and paying based on utilization. While this has created a major buzz, individuals have been using hosted or cloud-based email services, like Hotmail.com, for years, and for corporations, cloud computing is parallel to the time-sharing of mainframe computers in 1970’s.


Rick Huebner is President & CEO of VISTECH.com, a technology company based in Hartford, CT. VISTECH.com assists clients with their IT strategy and delivers a wide range of products and services including Cloud Managed Services; Unified Communications/VOIP solutions; and outsourced software/web application design & development

4 Tips For Getting the Most Out of Your Technology

How many times have you purchased new software or hardware, and avoided the help menu or user manual? Experts reason that about 90 percent of all features included with software go unused! Much of this comes down to lack of training for individuals using the technology - they use what they know and need most, and avoid anything that would require study or practice to implement. It's human nature to take the path of least resistance, but with a little motivation you could better benefit from the money spent on technology for your business.

Instead of letting your technology investments continue on underutilized, here are 4 tips for getting the most out of your technology dollars:

1. Put the client in the driver's seat of communication.

You can improve the quality of customer service offered by your company through the use of simple technology. The more connected you are to your clients, the happier they are with your work. Use technology to give your clients a way to initiate discussion with you, either through blog interaction or a discussion forum. Set up instant messaging so clients can contact appropriate staff members as necessary. It's simple technology, but will result in improved client retention, repeat customers and better communication.

2. Create a business culture of continuous improvement.

One of the most amazing aspects of technology is how quickly it is updated and improved. Just when you think you have the best of the best, new technologies and processes are created to improve productivity. Even in the sometimes mundane office environments, new ideas will enhance efficiency and productivity. Encourage staff and consultants to let the new ideas flow - continuous improvement is the key for making the most out of your technology.

3. Take advantage of training opportunities.

If the cost of sending staff to training courses is a bit much, and you're unable to conduct monthly training seminars on your own - consider bringing in vendors and experts whenever a new version of software is released. You can also have managed service providers deliver training virtually as needed, in order to keep your staff up to date with the programs and tools used in the office.

4. Internal email newsletters with tips.

Most businesses recognize the value of sending newsletters to their clients to keep in touch and establish relationships, but what about internal newsletters among staff members? Send a weekly email to your staff with a single technology tip that explains how to do something that will improve their productivity or make their lives a little easier. Keep it fun and add a cartoon or a quick quiz to keep the staff looking forward to their weekly newsletter. Your ideas for topics can come from training and seminars you attend, or from questions staff ask the IT department. If one person doesn't understand something, there are probably a few others who also don't understand - but aren't speaking up about it.

Rick Huebner is President & CEO of VISTECH.com, a technology company based in Hartford, CT. VISTECH.com assists clients with their IT strategy and delivers a wide range of products and services including Cloud Managed Services; Unified Communications/VOIP solutions; and outsourced software/web application design & development



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Social Media & Insurance...go figure

http://www.insurancenetworking.com/news/insurance_financial_services_social_media_advisers_brokers-27487-1.html

Embrace the Horror--Business Location

Early in 2007 we embraced Microsoft Unified Communications. This is a complete communications solution for phone, email, IM, etc., and a way for everyone in our company to stay visible and connected. At the time, the big advantage for me was unloading the incredibly proprietary, costly, legacy PBX and having it become just software on a standard Microsoft Server that can be easily upgraded. It turned out to be a great decision. Our staff got comfortable with the technology and quickly leveraged the soft phone features, integration with Microsoft Exchange Contacts & Calendars, asynchronous IM communcations, etc. If you are interested in more information, visit our website VISTECH.com. We have overview information and a webcast. You can also call us to setup a demo.

I could spend several blogs highlighting the features and benefits of Unified Communications, but the point here is to identify the ah ha moment. In this case, the revelation was that geographic independence is now a reality. When we started using Unified Communications we had staff in two states. As a direct result of our infrastructure (Unified Communications and standards for remote connectivity), we now have staff in several more states, and one person temporarily working from another country. We've been able to retain people who wanted to move to more metropolitan areas and warmer climates. We've also been able to recruit qualified individuals from other locations and integrate them into our projects. Certainly good project management is critical, but with the right technology I can dial an extension and talk to someone who might be in the next office or the next state, instant message a question and get a fast reply from someone who's on-the-road, listen to office voicemails on my mobile phone (that were downloaded as attachments to email messages), use my mobile phone as my office extension, meet with project teams via LiveMeeting where I can review materials, whiteboard, and see them as if they were physically in the same conference room.

Large companies are moving aggressively along the path to geographic independence as they can realize huge cost savings in office space, travel costs, and overhead. We are encouraging smaller companies, non-profits, and professional offices to realize the ROI as Unified Communications options become available as Cloud solutions. At some point, there is no doubt this will be the normal course of business.

I must say the real driver for this post is to note the impact of the technology in the framework of current state fiscal crises. Here in Connecticut, a local chamber of commerce, the Hartford MetroAlliance, is reporting a $72.7B deficit for Connecticut in the next 2 fiscal years. Other states are in worse shape. The newly elected Connecticut governor has detailed significant tax increases and suggested significant budget cuts. Some of his counterparts seem to be taking a much more definitive approach to budget cuts. It's difficult to weigh effectiveness of tax cuts versus tax incentives, but today with the technology available to us, there's much less cost and other business resistance attached to moving existing workers to or hiring new workers in more business friendly environments. Geography will have much less impact on business decisions than it once did. If this fact isn't acknowledged by a state's leaders, jobs and businesses follow the path of least resistance and accelerate toward areas that offer more opportunities and better business climates. It may take years to see the effect, but given the stark contrast in how states are approaching the problem, it will be interesting to see how the different strategies pan out.

Let me know how we can help you realize the value in Unified Communications.

Rick Huebner is President & CEO of VISTECH.com, a technology company based in Hartford, CT. VISTECH.com assists clients with their IT strategy and delivers a wide range of products and services including Cloud Managed Services; Unified Communications/VOIP solutions; and outsourced software/web application design, development, maintenance, support.

Cloud Computing - How Will it Affect You?

Go to VISTECH.com for information on Cloud Computing, Managed Services, Email Hosting, and Unified Communications/VOIP solutions.

We are always on the watch for the 'next best thing' when it comes to technology and the Internet. Certainly no one can doubt that the next generation of the Internet (known as Web 2.0) has had a dramatic affect on how people interact and connect with each other - both from an individual standpoint and a business one.

Another emerging concept that has the power to change how we perform tasks is taking place before us as well, and it is called 'cloud computing.' Simply put, it is the ability to use resources and tools via the Internet without actually owning or being near them. The only requirement is to be able to access them.

The term 'cloud' is used to indicate the whole of computing services accessible via the Internet. It is an all-encompassing description of the complex internet-connected networks that exist in datacenters all over the world that power services and applications behind the scenes.

The concept of utilizing resources in these networks is being adopted by businesses both large and small. These resources are categorized to describe their function, and include:

1.Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS)
2.Platform as a Service (PaaS)
3.Software as a Service (SaaS)
4.Web 2.0

In the most general terms, Infrastructure as a Service means that companies may no longer need to own and house their own back-end servers and other network computing infrastructure besides an internet-connected PC or laptop in order to maintain business functionality. This capability can be purchased on a subscription basis from entities that market these services in a 'virtual' manner. This allows businesses to keep their costs low by not having to purchase, maintain and recycle their own equipment for this purpose, and also mitigates the possibility of business interruption due to the highly available nature of these solutions. This equates to increased uptime and profitability for Infrastructure as a Service customers.

Platform as a Service is also known as 'cloudware', and refers to the availability of development tools in creating web applications and services to the end user. Like IaaS, you never 'see' the inner-workings of this environment unless you are a computer programmer or IT resource, but it exists nonetheless and again affords those who use these tools the ability to reduce costs while running their businesses.

Sofware as a Service is defined as software applications that are subscribed to and accessed only through the Internet, and not installed on local PCs or laptops. Applications built by and accessed via Google fall into this category, as well as the many photo sites to which you can upload your pictures and videos, edit and share them with others. These solutions are gaining tremendous popularity, because end users do not need to install, update and maintain software locally - only connect to it and use it when the need arises.

Web 2.0 describes the whole of the social networking movement on the Internet, and includes but is not limited to destinations such as Facebook, MySpace, eHarmony, LinkedIn and Twitter. These sites offer the ability for people all over the world to share common interests, stay connected and learn more about each other - and these sites aren't just for the young. Statistics show that the over 50 generation is logging onto these sites in greater numbers than ever before. In fact, in one month alone, Facebook adds over 17,000 new members.

The next time you are on the Internet and upload a photograph and use the online tools to modify that picture, you are participating in 'cloud computing.' The picture is probably loaded to a site that uses IaaS for their servers, PaaS in order to provide the visual interface in which you modify the photograph, and SaaS applications you'll use to access your email program and social networking sites in order to send it to or post it for those with whom you would like to share the picture. Content by Managed Services Provider University

Rick Huebner is President & CEO of VISTECH.com, a managed service provider serving Connecticut, New York, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island. Go to VISTECH.com for information on Cloud Computing, Managed Services, Email Hosting, and Unified Communications/VOIP solutions.

VISTECH.com exclusively uses Microsoft Unified Communications for its infrastructure and offers hosting, colocated, and on-site unified communications solutions.

Embrace the Horror

For me, it's been the more you learn about doing business over the web, the less it makes sense. Facebook, Twitter, and others in the social media space were defined 'successes' before they made any money or in some cases had even remotely viable business models. I've had discussions with start-up companies who's sole mission is to collect registered users and then figure out how to 'monetize' them. It's hard to argue. Case in point, Mint.com, a free online budgeting website with somewhere in the neighborhood of 1.5M users, was acquired by Intuit in 2009 for $170M. At the time, Mint.com had been operating for about 2 years.

But the website world is just the beginning of the rush to give away products and services that once were highly valued. Today's push to the Cloud introduces a cost structure that makes it silly for almost all companies and organizations to internally build, update, and support the IT infrastructure they once held as a critical, maybe even differentiating, component of their business. With SalesForce.com, Google Apps, Microsoft Cloud offerings, etc., everyone can have enterprise class infrastructure without paying the big upfront cost and on-going cost of ownership of that infrastructure. It's all available, some for free, and some for ridiculously low per user per month charges.

For someone who's spent a career developing and selling software, a business model that demands it be provided without cost seems odd. As a consumer, knowing my personal information can be sold for hundreds or maybe even thousands of dollars, as websites monetize their free services, makes me a bit more cautious when registering to 'try out' a new thing on the web.

These realities led me to adopt a quote from one of my favorite movies, Armageddon. While trying to blow-up the asteriod hurling toward the earth, Rockhound (Steve Buscemi) makes a telling comment, "Guess what guys! It's time to embrace the horror! Look, we got front-row tickets to the end of the earth!" In my case, it's embrace the horror of the new world of social media, the new rules of doing business, and the new requirements of securing personal information.

In subsequent entries, I'll try to highlight specific topics and examples. See you then.

Rick Huebner is President & CEO of VISTECH.com, a technology company based in Hartford, CT. VISTECH.com assists clients with their IT strategy and delivers a wide range of products and services including Cloud Managed Services; Unified Communications/VOIP solutions; and outsourced software/web application design, development, maintenance, support.

5 Reasons to Implement a Managed IT Services Solution

Go to VISTECH.com for information on Cloud Computing, Managed Services, Email Hosting, and Unified Communications/VOIP solutions.

Information Technology services are essential to the success of every organization, large or small. With increasingly competitive business environments, CEOs and small business owners are under great pressure to maintain a highly qualified staff and to make sure their technology is obtaining a better ROI than their competitors'.

These goals are not easily achieved, particularly for young or small businesses with less financial resources and time available. Having your own successful information technology department can eat up too much of the company's budget and time resources, and eventually cause a loss of its competitive edge. These disadvantages of maintaining an in-house IT department are why companies of all sizes have turned to using managed service providers to either assist their existing IT department or become their virtual IT department, handling all of the technology involved in keeping their businesses running at optimal levels.

The benefits of using a managed services solution are numerous, but the top 5 benefits of managed services for business include:

1.Benefit from the expertise of a specialist, without having to spend time and financial resources training your staff to become experts.
2.Decrease your technology risks. Your company doesn't have to worry about losing and trying to replace trained staff members, or about repairing, implementing or replacing complex technology solutions.
3.Enjoy access to the most up-to-date, sophisticated technology solutions without having to invest in expensive equipment.
4.Experience ultimate control over your business technology without having to manage an information technology department. This gives you the time you need to focus on what you do best: your business functions.
5.Reduce stress and improve efficiency of your staff. When you make good use of managed service resources, your staff isn't tied up with IT concerns and they have more time to focus on tasks that are productive for the business.
Content by Managed Services Provider University

Rick Huebner is President & CEO of VISTECH.com, a managed service provider serving Connecticut, New York, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island. Go to VISTECH.com for information on Cloud Computing, Managed Services, Email Hosting, and Unified Communications/VOIP solutions.

VISTECH.com exclusively uses Microsoft Unified Communications for its infrastructure and offers hosting, colocated, and on-site unified communications solutions.