As Microsoft keeps up with new cyber-security threats and new compliance laws, keeping up with Microsoft requires more, too. To get the most from your transition to the cloud, you should buy your licenses from a trusted Microsoft Cloud Solution Partner.
How Prevalent is the Cloud?
With the adoption of mobile smartphones and an always-on economy, nearly 96% of businesses are using the cloud for some part of their business operations. Chances are, your business already uses some kind of cloud computing for Microsoft Office 365, OneDrive, or Exchange, and if you’re an enterprise level business, you probably rely on cloud hybrid servers such as Azure or Amazon’s AWS. If your employees use laptops or smartphones to access company data, systems, or communication, you should be using the cloud to handle mobile device management.
Properly implementing and managing cloud computing services is vital to your business security and compliance.Your employees need access to their files from anywhere at any time, especially as remote work and non-standard work hours become the norm.
Challenges of Cloud Adoption & Compliance
Microsoft rolled out significant changes to licensing and support for older products in 2019, affecting Windows Server 2008, Windows 7, and SA for licensing mobility rights to use servers outside of the Microsoft ecosystem.
The thought of upgrading to new servers and systems can be daunting, but the cost of putting it off can far outweigh the initial investment. When Microsoft ends support for a major platform or OS, malware is quickly launched and spread to target users of the unsupported platform. In February 2020, a massive attack was unleashed on IoT devices on some of the estimated 200 million systems still running Windows 7. In addition to potential malicious attacks and hacking threats, businesses in noncompliance with security requirements can be fined or lose their license to process credit card payments. So despite the stress upgrading presents, your business can’t afford the risk of waiting. You can defer a lot of the labor cost and headache by working with a Cloud Solutions Provider, or CSP, to manage the project for you.
The other major change Microsoft rolled out in 2019 was requiring SA and licensed mobility rights even when running Microsoft on a dedicated server. While most system administrators have long been familiar with the licensing differences of running a shared server compared to a dedicated server, this change makes it more complicated and costly to run a dedicated server on AWS and other public cloud servers configured after October 2019. This means your system administrator needs to carefully track the purchase dates of applications and licenses, and any growth in your business which may require you to add new licenses, will be subject to the new SA requirements.
Why Buy from A CSP?
You could buy your licenses directly from Microsoft, but a Cloud Solution Provider does more than sell licenses. When you buy your licenses through a Cloud Solution Provider, you are starting a relationship with a partner who will walk you through your options, manage your deployment to the cloud, and optimize your IT to serve your business. Your CSP should save you money by reducing redundancy and bundling the software you need with support services, among other things.
Microsoft offers a full suite of products for managing devices, users, data, and applications, and no one license package will be right for everyone. Buying individual add-ons for licenses can balloon your costs more than picking an upgraded license tier, so having a team of experts to design your cloud strategy and implementation can save you both money and stress.
The WME Difference
WME is a gold-rated Microsoft Certified Partner and Cloud Solution Provider (CSP) specializing in datacenter, device and deployment, cloud productivity, enterprise mobility suite, and cloud platforms. With over 100 years combined professional experience, Windows Management Experts are the authority on maximizing the Microsoft experience.
As a Microsoft CSP, Windows Management Experts offers managed services for Office 365 including managing, monitoring, and reporting of your cloud environment so you can focus on your larger business objectives. For businesses that may not want the expense of buying and managing their own servers and data centers, WME offers flexible infrastructure as a service to keep you agile and online 24/7/365.
When you partner with WME to manage your cloud and enterprise systems, we look for ways to optimize, automate processes, and proactively manage outcomes to help you get the most out of the Microsoft investment. With packages to suit any business size or project level, Windows Management Experts can give your team the support to feel empowered by cutting edge cloud technology, not intimidated by it. You’ll gain back time and reduce expenses by working with WME to do the job at an expert level, right the first time, guaranteed.
Contact us today for a free cloud road map workshop to assess your cloud strategy and find out where WME can make a difference in your business.
