Cloud Computing Services – Choosing the Most Adequate Provider

February 20, 2013 by ·

When used in a corporate environment, cloud computing services can significantly reduce operational expenses, while also contributing to a more streamlined workflow, allowing large, medium-sized and small enterprises to benefit from outsourcing their needs for hardware, software, applications and storage capacity. However, the service provider chosen must meet a number of requirements, so, in what follows we will present a few aspects to consider when selecting your supplier.

Competence and Reliability

When looking for the right cloud computing service provider, you must make sure the supplier will be able to deliver on all the promises made. You need a provider which is in possession of the right technology and is able to provide the best performance, continuous availability and 24/7 technical support. The supplier must be able to demonstrate all these features before you sign up to any service.

Security

Another feature that makes cloud services attractive is the enhanced security of your contents. Your supplier must provide several different levels of security such as identity management, access control and authorization.

Cost Tracking

One of the major benefits of cloud services is that the consumers can use exactly the amount of resources they need, and they will be billed only for the resources consumed. You must choose service providers that offer a monitoring system of your consumption so that you can have accurate information of the related costs at all times.

Customization

The cloud computing solution you choose must cater to your exact needs. In other words, you must avoid providers that offer one-size-fits-all type of services and, most importantly, you need the terms you negotiate with the supplier to be included into the Service Level Agreement. The agreement must contain the detailed list of the services you sign up to, the metrics used to evaluate the performance of the service provider, the obligations of both the customer and the service supplier, as well as the measures to be taken in case any of the parties fails to fulfill these obligations, and reference to future changes in the contents of the Service Level Agreement.

Choosing the right cloud service provider must be a complex decision making process that involves not only the management, but also the experts working in the IT department. If you are able to define your exact needs and you negotiate your terms with a reputable cloud computing service provider, the results will surely be beneficial for both parties of the agreement, making your operation much smoother and more cost-efficient.

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Cloud Computing – The Types of Cloud Services and Their Field of Usage

February 13, 2013 by ·

The number of the companies understanding the advantages of cloud computing is in permanent growth, and the cloud services available are also in constant evolution. However varied and versatile these services are, they can still be categorized into three major groups. In what follows, you can find a short description of these three categories of service.

Software as a Service (SaaS)

This type of cloud service provides access to software and applications without making the customer pay for expensive licensing and without the necessity to store large program files on local computers. The user is given access to the software applications run by the service provider either free of charge or in return for a fee, and the network used for accessing is usually the internet. The most common examples of SaaS is online banking and e-mail services – the user of these applications is no longer dependent on hardware, the service can be accessed from any place with a connection to the internet.

Platform as a Service (PaaS)

PaaS is primarily used for development environments and platforms. With this type of cloud computing service, the provider undertakes to manage the customer’s data base and operating system so the customer no longer has to manage its own platforms. The service is mainly used in development projects with extended computing needs that would require a very long time to complete if done on individual, local computers; it also shortens time-to-market considerably, while making the complete control of costs possible.

Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS)

With this type of service, customers can significantly and consistently reduce capital expenses by outsourcing infrastructure like hardware and storage, eliminating the need to purchase large capacity servers. What the customer gets with this type of cloud computing service is access to storage space and processor usage without using any dedicated software to create such space. The system is very flexible, as it allows the user to increase and decrease the size of the space any time and the provider invoices the client only on the size of storage space and of the resources used for delivering the service.

The growing need for outsourced solutions is setting the quick pace of development for these cloud services and accounts for their popularity among corporate and individual customers alike. The storage space, the networking tools, the applications provided in the form of cloud computing services all serve purposes of cost reduction and enhanced efficiency, enabling competitive functioning in a demanding economic environment.

About Dolomite

Dolomite Technology is a Managed Service Provider that provides services and consulting on technology services to customers across the nation. A core concept of of Dolomite’s service portfolio is cloud computing services. To learn more about Dolomite services please contact us. You can also learn more about cloud computing on our website.

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The Benefits of Cloud Computing – Endless Opportunities for Businesses and Individual Customers

February 6, 2013 by ·

Cloud computing is the ultimate IT solution that takes secure data storage to a different level and allows both individual end users and enterprises to use their resources much more efficiently. We use computers for work, for entertainment and communication, and cloud services help us make the most of them. These complex and versatile platforms make communication and collaboration easier, so whatever your objective or your business is, you have only to gain by using cloud services:

  • Secure, yet easy access to your data – Information is power, so the secure storage of your contents in an environment made easily accessible for you anytime and from anywhere is crucial if you are to thrive. With cloud computing solutions, your data is no longer stored on an immovable individual computer, but on remote servers that you can access through a network from mobile devices as well, and your cloud provider will take care of the protection of your data as well
  • Reduced costs and scalability – Cloud solutions eliminate the necessity to invest in either hardware or software, thus eliminating not only the costs of buying the tools in question, but also the expenses of updates, data management and quality control. These cloud services are available for affordable fees, and the users can customize the services they pay for by scaling them up and down any time.
  • Global operation, flexibility and efficiency – Cloud computing allows you to go global with your company’s operations. As people have access to the internet all over the world, you can sit in your office in the US and work with people in India, which makes it easier for you to hire the right people and reduces the costs of running your business, both the capital expenses and the operational expenses. Work will become more efficient as well: employees no longer have to spend time sending emails to each other, and collaboration is also taken to a different level as several employees can work simultaneously on the same file.
  • Complexity and speed – Users no longer need to spend long hours downloading and installing large-size, complicated software on local computers – everything is already there. The IT tools you need are stored on large, high-capacity remote servers, which also means that the speed of data accessing depends only on the bandwidth and the capacity of the end user’s computer or communication device.

As you see, cloud computing is the thing of the future, the ultimate business solution: it turns your computer into a powerful tool with the help of which you can take your business to a whole new level. Dolomite Technology is a Managed Service Provider who can help you leverage the benefits of Cloud Computing. Contact us for more information.

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Cyber criminals targeting smart phones

January 25, 2013 by ·

Cyber criminals have long focused on running their cons on PC users. And they’ve been remarkably successful in stealing personal data and stealing funds from countless people. Now these cyber criminals are unleashing their malware attacks on smart phones, tapping into yet another huge potential market of gullible users. This will come as being a big surprise to no one. Smart phones are booming in popularity. And most users treat their smartphones as miniature computers. They surf the Web, send e-mail messages and bank online using their smartphones. Fortunately, you can easily take steps to prevent mobile malware. It mostly requires that you employ good sense when navigating the web using your smart phone.

Scary Numbers

It’s difficult finding data on the frequency of smart phone cyber attacks. But in a recent column, CNN Money writer David Goldman does an excellent job of scaring his readers. For instance, denotes a recent mobile malware hack on Verizon that allowed cyber criminals to steal debit-card numbers. That attack led to a loss of $20 million. That’s just one attack. Goldman cites numbers from Lookout Security that found that four in 10 smartphone users will click or swipe on an unsafe Web link within the next year. Also, he reported that anti-virus giant McAfee reported that mobile malware attacks have jumped by a factor of six. When it comes to protection, smartphone users are lax. Reported by security organization SANS, just one fifth of smart phones are protected by anti-virus software.

The Good News

Smart phone users, though, shouldn’t panic. Malware attacks against mobile devices continue to be relatively rare. And that’s especially so when than the amount of threats levied against PCs. For example, Goldman writes that McAfee as of mid-2012 had identified about 13,000 types of mobile malware. That’s significant. But the company also had detected upwards of 90 million forms of malware aimed instead at PCs. That’s definitely a staggering number. Why have cyber criminals been so focused on PCs? They’ve been successful. They just don’t have an serious incentive to take their malware to smart phones since they’re already swindling so much money from PC users. But as Goldman writes, that will inevitably change.

Protect Yourself

You can protect your phone from mobile malware attacks. You can begin by downloading anti-virus software from reputable companies. Be cautious, though–cyber criminals could create bogus anti-virus software that doesn’t protect your phone but instead sends these criminals your personal information. Also, be sure to research any app before you download it. You need to be sure that it is provided by a reputable company. Finally, be just as wary of phishing schemes just like you should be while sitting in front of your PC. Never provide your Social Security Number, bank account numbers or any other information in an e-mail. Your bank will never request such numbers in e-mail.

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Need a tablet? Think small

January 22, 2013 by ·

If you are a professional writer who also happens to own an iPad, you’re fortunate: Software developers have created some apps to help you do your work better, whether you cover real estate news for a trade magazine, blog about technology or write romance fiction. Here is a closer look at some of the best iPad apps for truly serious writers. For those who earn your living with the written word, these applications are must-haves.

Paper by FiftyThree

This app is ideal for writers in the beginning stages of the creative process. With it, you are able to capture your ideas as sketches, diagrams, notes or drawings.

iA Writer

This app, from Information Architects, doesn’t come with a lot of glitz. A text editor and creator, iA Writer doesn’t let you change fonts or colors. The goal? Eliminate the distractions and force you to write.

Google Drive

If you need to save your writing, articles or videos, try Google Drive. It provides you with 5GB of storage totally free.

Evernote

This particular note-taking app has long earned kudos from tech reviewers. But few fully grasp how useful it is to professional writers. With Evernote, you are able to jot down notes, capture photos, compose to-do lists and record voice reminders.

iThoughtsHD

Few organization programs are as helpful to writers as is iThoughtsHD. You can use this tool to organize your thoughts as task list, project-planning document or brainstorming session. You can also use the program to make meeting notes.

Penultimate

The people behind Evernote have created Penultimate, a nifty app that enables users to jot handwritten notes instantly to their iPads. Users can take notes, draw sketches and make quick outlines with Penultimate.

GoodReader

Good.iWare’s GoodReader is easily the most powerful PDF reader for the iPad. With GoodReader, you can read virtually any document imaginable with your iPad. This is true for everything from books, movies and maps to pictures and PDF files.

Index Card

Looking for a place to keep all of your plot summaries, outlines, character descriptions and deadline dates? Index Card is a fantastic choice. This app generates a virtual corkboard on your iPad, and allows you to pin notes directly to it.

Notably

Notably is really a powerful note-taking app for the iPad. But what genuinely sets it apart is the way it functions with well known cloud storage app Dropbox. Every time you add a note, plot summary or assignment deadline to Notably, your modifications will automatically sync with Dropbox.

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