Considering a Microsoft GP Cloud Solution In 2015
As 2014 comes to an end we begin to think about our resolutions in the New Year. For the business world prospects of new products, services, and integrations abound. In order to accommodate this new business demand, IT departments must consider whether an on premise solution or a cloud hosted solution makes the most sense. Here are a few factors to consider when considering this important decision in 2015.
Cost
For most, cost is the predominant factor when considering the cloud. How do the costs of an on premise solution compare to a cloud hosted offering? While this analysis should include the cost to upgrade or acquire hardware, it is also critical to consider the “all in” costs of an on premise solution. These factors include the cost to maintain a datacenter infrastructure – power costs, network hardware, monitoring equipment, licensing – added flexibility and potential cost savings with cloud based SPLA, and labor – costs associated with staffing in order to support an on premise solution. While a cost analysis is certainly going to influence a big portion of a cloud move decision, cost alone should not be the only consideration.
Agility
The time for businesses to adapt to changing customer demands is a measure of its organizational agility. Choosing a GP cloud hosted solution frees technical resources to focus on more critical demands. This factor has dramatically led to increased innovation in many companies. In addition, the inherent elasticity of a cloud offering allows for solutions to be easily scaled up and down per the cyclical nature of most businesses.
Security
As the adoption of cloud solutions increases, so does the demand for enhanced security and identity management. Microsoft offers programs in order to gain regulatory compliance for such standards as HIPAA, ISO 27001/27002, and PCI DSS Level 1 in its Azure cloud offering. The ease of achieving these regulatory requirements makes the cloud a compelling option. In addition, as organizations adopt cloud applications, users are required to manage multiple login accounts. With the release of Microsoft GP 2015, the web client will allow users to leverage their Microsoft organizational account to login to GP – the same credentials one would use to access Office 365 and many other cloud applications.
Greg Fiandaca, Senior GP Developer | Tidestone Solutions
Please call Tidestone Solutions today to learn more about the Cloud Hosting Services available to you! Happy New Year, from our team to yours!
Costing may be a factor, but it should not be the only factor that a business should focus on when it comes to choosing the right cloud solution. One should also think about how cloud solutions give you freedom to do other more important things since you no longer have to worry about access to technical resources. Great points to ponder on, thanks for sharing.