I’ve never been someone to follow trends, but the thing I’ve noticed in technology, is that if you’re not doing what everyone else is doing, you’re going to become irrelevant and obsolete very quickly. I was recently privileged enough to attend the Microsoft 365 SMB Live conference to learn about how Microsoft Cloud tools can be useful for Small to Medium Businesses well as Enterprise businesses.
Because it’s 2016, you probably already have experience with “the Cloud” in one of its many forms: Microsoft Office 365, Apple iCloud, Google Drive, Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure… but just in case you’re asking yourself “what are Cloud services?” or “what is Cloud computing?” In basic terms, cloud services/computing allow users (you) to access information stored on a server in another location (not on your computer) and accessed over the internet. AWS and Azure are both “backend” platforms that hold all of the information in the cloud in servers, while Google Drive, iCloud and Office 365 are customer facing programs that users typically access using a web browser.
Cloud computing has many benefits, including:
- Accessing your files from anywhere, on any device, as long as there is an internet connection
- Collaboration and sharing files with co-workers, friends, and other people
- Simultaneously sync files to your device and the cloud
- Simple and easy-to-use online data storage, backup, and sharing solution for its users
Did you know that over 1,000,000,000 use Microsoft Office – that’s 1 in 7 people!
My favorite part of Microsoft365, besides the syncing capabilities, is the ease of collaboration. With Office365, you can collaborate with coworkers, create a private social network or host online meetings for up to 250 participants. Here at Wimmer Solutions, we use a variety of Office 365 tools to collaborate and complete projects. I regularly use Skype for Business for sending quick messages or video calls to colleagues; my department uses SharePoint to collaborate and share files; I store my documents on OneDrive to access on my laptop, tablet, and mobile device; and of course using all of the assets of Office365.Our team can even help you set up Microsoft Office 365 or SharePoint. Please visit our Collaboration page to contact us for a consultation.
