Category Archives: Managed IT Services

Three types of virtualization

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In business technology, virtualization is becoming far more integrated and advanced than ever before. In the digital world, there is no doubt that some form of virtualization will be introduced to a majority of companies in the upcoming future. So what is it?  Virtualization is creating a virtual resource of something.

There are multiple types of virtualizations that can serve various industries, business sizes, and functions. Companies are quick to adopt virtualizations as a productive tool, with increased efficiency, and refined security.

Desktop Virtualization

Desktop virtualization, sometimes referred to VDI, is a common form for virtualization across various industries. Desktop virtualization is hosted on a centralized server, and can be accessed from virtually anywhere. It is common among education institutions and the manufacturing industry. IT experts are able to perform maintenance and upgrades easily, since desktops are all hosted on the same server.

Server Virtualization

To put server virtualization simply, it is segmentation of a physical server into numerous virtual servers. Server virtualization allows multiple servers to be hosted on a single machine. This will allow companies to divide the workloads, especially in IT departments. Server virtualization reduces costs due to minimized hardware use and increases productivity with the division of workloads.

Storage Virtualization

Storage virtualization is an effortless and low cost way of storing data that many businesses could potential benefit from. There are multiple ways storage virtualization can work: it can be implemented within the storage itself, through dedicated appliances, or through software built to create storage virtualization.  It is a great tool for disaster recovery planning, since data that is stored virtually can be replicated and transferred securely.

Incorporating virtualization could be extremely beneficial in many different areas of a business. A managed IT services provider will help integrate virtualization based on company goals and needs. Please contact CompuOne today to learn more.

What to consider when purchasing a computer

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Purchasing the right computer for your business function needs is key for both productivity and reliability. Take into consideration these five tech specifications prior to buying a new computer:

Type

Employee function is a great way to determine what type of computer to purchase, since there are so many different options it is unlikely that an employee in the creative department would benefit from the same machine someone in the accounting department is using. Take into account what type of computer employees need, such as:

  • Laptop
  • Two-in-one
  • Desktop

Would they benefit more from a business grade computer or a consumer grade computer? Type of computer should be determined prior to moving on to the next specifications.

Operating System

Selecting the right OS is a big decision when a business is deciding on new computers for employees. It is common for people to say, “Stick with what you know.” However, choosing the best OS based on employee function is ideal.

  • Mac
  • Windows
  • Linux

An employee with more creative job functions may lean more towards Mac. An employee that works in accounting would be better off with Windows. Linux is less likely to be in a business environment.

Processor

With every new computer comes a new processor, they are updated yearly to increase speeds and provide more functionality for multitasking. The number of cores and threads determines the processor performance. The higher the number of cores and threads, the better the computer will perform. Employees who are rendering creative content would benefit from a higher processor with four cores or greater.

RAM

One of the most important parts of a computer, RAM usually ranges from 4GB to 32GB. RAM is essentially the computers working memory and helps navigate between tasks smoothly. Employees can usually get by with using 4GB but ideally, they would be performing every day functions better with 8GB to 16GB. 32GB is the best option for purpose-built machines.

Solid-State Drive or Hard Disk Drive

Both SSD and HDD do the same thing: boot the system, store data, and launching applications. However, the difference comes in terms of price, speed, and durability. SSD is a much faster, newer technology at a higher price point. One benefit about SSD is that does not contain any mechanical components, making it smaller and more durable. Due to being replaceable, an HDD may be a better option for employees working in a creative environment.

When collaborating with a managed services provider companies are able to pick out the most optimal computers for each employee. To learn more about how your business can benefit from managed services, please contact us today.

What you need to know about serverless computing

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Serverless computing: a tech term that has been around for a couple years but is just now starting to gain awareness. So can computing be serverless? Well, computers need servers; serverless computing is a cloud computing based model where providers manage cloud-based servers for businesses who are then able to build applications without having worry about infrastructure. Here are some reasons why more companies are beginning to take the serverless route.

Fully Managed Services

One of serverless computing greatest advantages is that companies would no longer need to worry about renting, owning, or buying servers. With a serverless architecture, companies are able to work on applications and code rather than spend time configuring and maintaining their servers. A cloud services provider will manage the backend to ensure setup, maintenance, infrastructure, and capacity.  Fully managed servers allow companies to focus on developing applications and innovation.

Serverless Computing is Scalable

A serverless architecture’s greatest feature is the ability to automatically scale up and down based on developer needs. Without the worry of filling up space, applications can take off with the ability to scale up and down depending on popularity. Since there is the separation of developers and infrastructure, a developer will never need to worry about not having enough space for their application to flourish.

Lower Operational Costs

One of the biggest serverless computing advantages is the lower than average operational costs. Not needing to account for server maintenance, repair, and updating with drastically reduce operational costs for technology infrastructure. Allowing organizations to allocate resources elsewhere.

As developers are continuing to code applications, it is expected that the serverless approach will become standard due to higher availability and lower costs.

To learn more about serverless computing and its benefits, please contact CompuOne.

The lifecycle of your computer

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When owning and operating a vehicle, it is important to keep up on maintenance to keep the car moving at its optimal level. However, overtime the vehicle begins to face problems that aren’t necessarily driver created. The same goes for computers, scheduled maintenance will ensure computers will live up to their life expectancy and eventually they will need to be replaced due to out datedness or an unforeseen circumstance.

Conduct a computer lifecycle assessment in your workplace to streamline business productivity, create cost awareness, and make for an easy transition from computer to computer. Here is our definition of the computer lifecycle:

Planning

The average life expectancy for a laptop or desktop computer is three to five years. It is important for businesses to develop a plan based on computer life expectancy, so stakeholders aren’t facing any unnecessary downtime or cost. To prepare for the computer lifecycle it is crucial to take into account the requirements for each machine your company uses. Plan out a replacement by asking these questions:

  • Depending on job need, what CPU does the machine need to be?
  • What operating system fits your company best?
  • What is your budget?
  • How many machines do you need to replace?

Once you have an idea of what type of machine your employees need, it makes for easier budgeting, as your team will know the exact computer specification that your business needs.

Procurement

What is your business plan to obtain the machines? This is where your local IT service provider comes in. Let your provider know that you’re in the beginning stages of planning out your computer lifecycle process and that eventually you will need to swap out machines without loss of information.

An important part of procurement is that your vendor will appropriately track serial and model numbers of all machines, thus your business can follow proper procedure in replacing computers without the hassle of tracking it.

Backup & Deployment

So your business has gotten all new computers, while there is an excitement to power up and start working, it is also important to cover all your bases before getting started. Ensuring your local IT provider takes the necessary steps prior to deployment is key to an easy transition:

  • Back up data on retiring machine.
  • Implement company security standard on new machine.
  • Migrate all necessary data and applications from old machine to new.

After your IT team completes these three necessary steps, the transition from old to new will result in little to no downtime, and allow employees to start working right away.

Use & Monitor

The majority of your workplace computers lifespan is in this stage. Bringing it back to the car reference, this is where your IT team will need to actively assess and monitor devices. This is crucial in keeping the lifespan of machines long, and keeping business productivity at a maximum. Here are some tips to stay in this stage of the lifecycle as long as possible:

  • Address any issues early on.
  • Patch management, software updates, etc.
  • Handle with care.
  • A managed services provider can actively monitor machines to ensure uptime.

Retirement & Transition

Once employees at your workplace start detecting problems with the machine that involve hardware, or the machine is showing signs of end of life, it is time for the process to repeat. Ideally your team has already adjusted the technology budget to repeat the cycle.

Computers are unfortunately not built to last, therefore it is necessary to plan out the lifecycle of your business computers. Your business will be able to prevent unplanned computer costs, increase business productivity, and allow for an easy transition when planning with the lifecycle of a computer.

To learn more about managed services, contact us today.

Why Your Business Should Partner With a Local Managed IT Service Provider

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Managed IT services allows companies to outsource their IT support in order to improve operations and cut costs. Organizations may use a provider to take a proactive approach on their information technology and create predictability within their technology infrastructure.

Why should organizations outsource IT to a managed service company?

Thoughtful IT planning

Working with a managed IT provider allows businesses to build long lasting relationships with a partner that will take the time to get to know the company. In most cases, experts will sit down with stakeholders and learn of company goals and plans for the future.

Thoughtful planning allows a MSP to build an IT environment that allows a business to operate at maximum efficiency. Local providers hold accountability and want technology to be a tool for client productivity and company growth.

Increased communication

Facing unexpected downtime is frustrating, when working with a nationwide or global IT company it could feel like jumping through hoops to connect with the right person to resolve an issue. Choosing local increases client and provider communication, allowing for fast resolution to any IT issue.

Local providers are actively uptime monitoring, meaning they monitor IT networks and websites. If an issue does arise, a team of experts will be notified early on and will resolve the issue accordingly.  Since local providers are in your area, they are available to be dispatched to your business in a timely manner.

Cost efficiency

Managed services is a cost effective option for businesses for various reasons.

  • Infrastructure expense is reduced: Overall infrastructure expense is reduced with a local provider. MSP’s extend the life of current infrastructure by investing in future of businesses. With active IT planning, costs are predictable and system failures resulting in huge IT costs are less likely. Unlike nation-wide providers, your local partner is not backed by certain suppliers. We are able to research the best products and pricing to provide clients without the push of selling specific products from select suppliers.
  • Productivity is increased: With less time spent worrying about technology, there is more time for business productivity. Planned installations and active monitoring from a local IT service provider allows businesses the ability to focus on growth without the worry of technology interference.

Key takeaway

Outsourcing business level IT to a local provider is a great option for organizations who are in need of a well thought out plan for technology to grow with their business. For more information on managed services, please contact us today.