Avoid Data Loss: Keep Your Systems Up to Date

Don’t make the mistake of being “one or two years and a couple of changes behind”

More than 60 percent of cybercrime is directed at small businesses. Cloud computing is so beneficial but not everyone can see the value in it at first glance. “My biggest data mistake and why I’m now a devotee of the cloud” by senior USA TODAY Small Business columnist, Steve Strauss, highlights the reasons why the cloud is a safer solution. He tells his story of how he waited too long to take his business to the cloud and why he swears by it now.

With cloud services from Vertilocity, not only is all of your data backed up directly to the cloud, but it’s secure and you can access your data from any device. Our vCloud offering gives you the stability and security of our Tier 3 datacenter, coupled with Vertical Solution’s detailed understanding of your environment freeing your team up to do what you do best.

According to Steve Strauss, here are the top cloud services you should really consider for your small business:

  1. Security: Sony was hacked. Target was hacked. The small business down the street from you was hacked. How do I know that last tidbit? More than 60 percent of all cybercrime is now directed at small businesses—it’s the number one target. The good news is that a cloud-based security system can easily protect you, your identity, your bank accounts, your social media profiles, your customer lists, and all of the rest. As with all cloud systems, cloud security has the advantage of being always on, up-to-date, and easy to use.
  2. Productivity: I love Microsoft Office and I can’t imagine running my business without it. Whether I’m using Outlook for email, PowerPoint for presentations, or Word for columns, Office is my most basic business tool. It’s even better now that it is in the cloud. With Office 365, you get all of your favorite Office tools at a fraction of the cost. It’s fast, easy, affordable, and secure.
  3. Collaboration: Rarely do we operate without contacting anyone else in our organization. The old way of collaborating involved sending emails back and forth, attaching documents. The new, better, timesaving way involves collaborating in real time online, both with people within your company and with vendors.
  4. Sales and marketing automation: Online CRM programs—customer relationship management—allow you to easily track sales leads and then convert those leads into paying customers.
  5. Backup: Having a local backup drive is fine—unless you’re like me and you don’t make regular use of it. Online services can automatically back up your entire system and all of your data, daily, weekly, whatever.
  6. Finances and accounting: Cloud accounting offers the ability to create and send invoices online, track expenses and inventory, manage the books, and more.
  7. Web conferencing: Skype is a top tool for the new age for a reason. Meeting with your coworkers and contacts—from anywhere around the globe—is just so easy now.
  8. Data storage: Online data storage units let you keep all your files, photos, and videos online so they’re accessible from any device.