Posts Tagged ‘outsourcing’

A Major Upheaval since the Internet: Enter Cloud Computing

Tuesday, February 16th, 2010
Diagram showing overview of cloud computing in...

Image via Wikipedia

Cloud computing is a new technology which essentially utilizes the power of a cluster of servers to power a website by dynamically scaling resources such as processing power, memory and storage among others. Each server in the cluster can be thought of as hosting the website.  If this is ambiguous to comprehend, then think of it as if your website resides on a super high powered server which never breaks down because this super high powered server actually is a combination of several servers working together.

It is a fact that maintaining a huge IT department is costly and a lot of corporations have no idea what networking and computer software involves. Cloud computing introduces strategies in which companies can send their files to people that can manage and handle them more effectively. With this facility, companies will be able to cloud into any kind of IT that they need including hardware, software, web hosting, networking, and etc. As a result, companies can focus on what to offer rather than technical details on how to offer their services. 

Some of Technology’s biggest names are leading the cloud computing system. Google’s internet based word processor and spreadsheet program are fighting to replace the desktop version of Microsoft’s Word and Excel.  But perhaps, even a better way to jump in the present is through the more vague service providers. These businesses provide the physical servers, hosting space, and means to communicate with them. Well-known names include Equinix (EQIX), Rackspace (RAX), and Terremark Worldwide (TMRK).

I believe there will be a vast amount of consolidation in the production over the next decade. The largest tech names will gulp up the less relevant players as a cheap way to gain admittance to the most recent breakthroughs. The new IT attitude of outsourcing will provide companies with more effective support and will further allow them to focus on what they do best, instead of struggling with computer issues and constantly breaking servers and networks.  

Related articles by Zemanta

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Business | 2 Comments »

Cut Costs and Increase Efficiency!

Tuesday, December 1st, 2009

cut-costAs the nation fights to pull out of this economic crisis businesses must be prepared to take an objective look at their bottom line. By eliminating unnecessary overhead, companies can concentrate on building and expanding their foundation, placing the emphasis on their core product or service.

With the advancement of technology there are many cost effective strategies entrepreneurs and small business owners can implement to leverage their enterprise and increase efficiency.

Most small business owners wish they had more time to focus on growing their business, but are too often bogged down with tedious tasks that are so time consuming they prevent and/or slow down their growth. The solution is outsourcing; whatever your companies requirements, you can literally outsource almost anything.

Human Resources (HR) - Depending on the size of your business and how much control you want to maintain over HR functions, you can either outsource all your HR needs or contract for individual services.

The basic services offered by HR outsourcing firms:

  • Overseeing organizational structure and staffing requirements
  • Recruiting, training, and employee development
  • Personnel File Maintenance
  • Tracking Department objectives, goals, and strategies
  • Benefits administration
  • Employee orientation programs
  • Ensure compliance with all State & Federal labor laws & informational posting requirements

Payroll- Many employers outsource some of their payroll and related tax duties to third-party payroll service providers. They can help ensure filing deadlines and deposit requirements are met. If your business does not keep accurate records you could be fined. California passed a law that imposes a $750 payroll fine on small businesses that aren’t able to quickly produce accurate payroll records upon an employee’s request; it is rumored that other states will follow with similar legislation. Outsourcing payroll will greatly streamline business operations.

The basic services offered by Payroll outsourcing firms:

  • Processing payroll and record maintenance on behalf of the employer
  • Reporting, collecting, and depositing employment taxes with State and Federal agencies.
  • Timely filing of Quarterly State and Federal Employer Tax Returns
  • Provide Calendar Year-end services such as issuing W2s, reconciling 941s & DE7

Information Technology (IT) Services – Remaining adaptable to the market is crucial to any small businesses success. In the majority of industry, 100% of business functions are run on computers. Your business relies strongly on your network which requires a strong IT infrastructure.  StoneHill, an Industry leader, recognizes the importance a business’s health and offers a free Technology Review. By outsourcing these services you can convert fixed IT costs to variable, significantly decreasing overhead and creating an increase in service availability and overall efficiency.

The basic services offered by StoneHill and other IT firms:

  • Maintenance Plan
  • Managed Services
  • 24/7 Emergency Support
  • Online Disaster Recovery
  • SPAM & Virus Filtering
  • Special Projects
  • Communication Network Set-up & Maintenance

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Business, Computer Support, Orange County | No Comments »

IT Keyboard Shortcuts and Outsourcing Tips

Tuesday, June 9th, 2009

Keyboard Shortcuts – the not so obvious ones
Task Manager = Ctrl+Shift+Esc

Lock your computer = Windows+L

Close Current Program = Alt+F4

Shows the desktop = Windows+D

Copy image of current window to clipboard = Alt+PrtScn

Is IT in your budget?
So one of the first things you would learn in any beginning finance class is that you need to have a budget. Budgets are invaluable tools for helping you run your business smoothly and efficiently. Have you budgeted for IT?

Rarely has there been technology available like there is today that can help reduce your total cost of ownership of your technology infrastructure. Options like:

- Remote Support plans
- Managed Service plans
- Server virtualization
- SaaS software applications that never need to be “upgraded”
- IT Automation

Regardless of who is doing your IT right now, these are the things that deserve serious evaluation to ensure your being a good IT buyer. Also choosing an IT provider that is Microsoft Certified at minimum and hopefully is a Microsoft Gold Partner will ensure that their technicians are skilled and efficient which translates to you spending your money wisely.

So many facets of your technology infrastructure can now be supported up to a point with level costs. This makes setting your budgets easier. The age of your infrastructure should also be considered when setting a budget. Plan to spend more money to support older systems.

So take some time to budget for IT spending. Who knows maybe you don’t need to spend as much as you fear you do.

New Verizon Wireless Device
Verizon Wireless is about to release a fantastic device! The MiFi. From Novatel wireless, it’s a portable wireless router that will deliver a wifi hotspot to you via Verizon’s 3G wireless network. Much like the usb adapters from Verizon and other wireless providers the MiFi connects to the cell network for DSL like speeds. The difference is that the MiFi doesn’t need to plug into anything and it is a wireless router and WiFi hotspot. So just configure your laptop to connect to the Mifi’s wireless network and you are done. No extra software on your computer or dongles to attach. It’ll give up to 4 hours of connection time and sleeps if not used for 30 minutes. It will be available later this month.

Tags: , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Tips | No Comments »