Can you trust your Managed Service Provider (MSP)?
In order for a business partnership to be successful, there must be several levels of trust. This is true in any industry, for any business transaction.
In the managed services industry, the issue of trust is paramount. Customers must trust that the services provided – whether network, security, cloud, IT infrastructure management or otherwise – will be reliable and high-performing. Companies also need to trust that the MSP implements the best solution to meet their unique needs. Additionally, if problems occur, the customer must be confident that the MSP will do what it takes to resolve problems quickly; better yet, predict potential problems and fix them before they severely impact the health of the network.
Cloud stirring mobile demand, and vice versa
Anyone with an eye on the technology industry can see that cloud computing and mobile devices are two of the biggest trends unfolding in the enterprise space right now. Separately, the two are making waves. But combined, the impact of cloud computing and mobile technology has the potential to be enormous.
The flexibility benefits of both technologies are clear. The cloud affords businesses the ability to access data, applications, storage, and resources from virtually anywhere. This has tremendous advantages in terms of increase productivity and business efficiency.
Come a little closer in the cloud
When thinking about the cloud, one may not realize the importance of proximity. This is understandable, given that one of the most commonly cited benefits of the technology is its potential to increase mobility and provide users the option of working from nearly any location.
However, the cloud is only an effective tool if your business can connect to it. This is where proximity comes into play. The closer a business is to a cloud center, the faster its services will perform, and issues with such services are drastically reduced.
Avoiding network strain when moving to the cloud
When it comes to cloud computing, we’re as enthusiastic as the next guy. But, for all the good the cloud brings, the technology is not without its challenges. As more businesses turn to the cloud to take advantage of potential cost savings, improved IT efficiency and greater productivity (the list goes on), there are issues of which a company must be mindful.
One such issue is the cloud’s effect on a company’s infrastructure. It’s understandable that businesses may be inclined to ignore their networks when moving to the cloud. After all, one of the major points about the technology is that it lets a third party deal with the nitty gritty.
Cloud computing can be traced to 3000 B.C.?
As humans evolved, they started earning income. And with regular income, a secure way to store currency became important. That’s when people began using safes at home, and many were happy with this approach.
However, they eventually realized that moving safes from their home to the cloud was more effective in safeguarding their wealth rather than keeping it in-house. Records suggest the earliest “cloud safes” started around 3000 B.C. And the oldest cloud safe – dating back to 1472! - is still in operation today.
Seeing green in the cloud
A few years ago, going green was all the rage. Businesses and consumers alike were doing almost all they could to tap into their inner tree hugger.
In recent years, though, some of the noise surrounding environmental business practices has died down. While the need is still there, it doesn’t seem to be capturing the same amount of attention as it did in the last decade. This coincided largely with the economy tanking. Businesses suddenly found themselves without the extra bread to spend on green initiatives, like solar panels and eco-friendly lighting.
VDI for a Globally Available Virtual Workforce
Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) is taking precedence in the enterprise more than ever. The cost benefits of large deployments are hard to overlook. Why are we seeing such a slow adoption rate? I believe there are 3 key factors slowing the momentum.
- VDI technology is still hindered by bandwidth delay. Working on a LAN is extremely usable for the average employee. The speeds of processing and usability are near real-time with the latest thin clients. Recently, we can include streamed HD graphics and content to benefit developers. Over a WAN or open Internet is a different story, and there are still large gaps in usability in this architecture. It is improving everyday and more and more people are starting to tackle the problems.
Customer Support, beyond the warm and fuzzy
When was the last time you called in to a support line and had your call answered in a matter of seconds, by a support engineer, ready to take immediate action?
In a world where so much is automated, it’s refreshing to get a live person on the phone. On the one hand it’s the simple joy of having someone that understands the issue, calls me by name, and seems to sincerely care about getting me back on track.
Isn’t MPLS a commodity? Isn’t it all the same?
This is a question we receive frequently from customers and prospects, and we would like to clarify on this misconception. How MPLS is implemented can affect the performance of a network.
For one, choosing a multi-carrier MPLS service can overcome single provider limitations. For example, a fully redundant, multi-carrier backbone network provides rerouting and dynamic failover across the best network path – meaning that the network can withstand anything from small performance issues to major infrastructure outages. Another benefit of a multi-carrier MPLS service is the consistent CoS (class-of-service) across multiple MPLS providers.
Virtela Felt Right at Home at Cloud Computing Expo
We just got done unpacking our booth from last week’s Cloud Expo in New York City. Cloud Expo is one of the biggest conventions focused on cloud computing and services, and the event proved to be a great place to meet with other cloud enthusiasts.
The hype around cloud computing has been snowballing and is evident in the exponential attendance growth since Cloud Expo’s inception in 2007. Many attendees who stopped by our booth were curious about the next steps of cloud development – how will the cloud move forward? Well, that’s a topic that deserves its own blog post.