As we approach the end of another fiscal year it’s time for us to consider where we are going to spend those IT dollars. Here are five suggestions that should return the greatest bang for 2015 bucks.
1. Cloud Services
A hybrid cloud environment mixes in-house, private cloud resources, and externally hosted cloud solutions. The use of cloud services will continue to grow as work forces become more and more decentralized. Hosted storage (Google Drive or Microsoft OneDrive) or Sharepoint-type collaboration applications are likely to expand as they allow remotely situated staff and sales forces to coordinate their efforts and work together.
2. Virtualization
Data Center virtualization has been going strong for more than a decade and it’s still a great investment for small and medium businesses. Add to that Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) which allows mobile device users a desktop device on their tablet or phone and access to the central office’s data as if they were sitting there, and you have a unified data management plan for the modern office.
To take virtualization a step further, consider virtualized applications. Virtulaized applications can significantly drive down the licensing costs associated with many enterprise applications.
3. Mobility
As smart phones and tablets become more accessible and the price point drops, look for mobile devices to play an increasingly important and cost effective role in business. Mobile devices coupled with cloud functionality and virtualization features like Virtual Desktop Infrastructures are a winning hand.
4. Web Presence
Search engine results drive your business. 80% of Google clicks come from the first three results on the first page. So, money spent on appeasing the search engines is certain to have a solid return. Investing in Search Engine Optimization (SEO), responsive design for your website, content generation and other strategies that can get you moving up on the Google, Yahoo and Bing search results.
5: Data center and office automation and cost reduction
Data Centers consume large amounts of electricity. Between cooling and server operation, it can come with a pretty steep price tag. Virtualization allows you to run the same number of servers on fewer physical devices to cut costs. Systems automation suites monitor and manage energy usage. There are also office automation packages that handle everything from lighting to AC in the workplace.
These are just a few suggestions and things to consider as you figure out where to spend your capital in the coming year. Do you know all of your options? Contact us for a free network analysis and find out about these options and more.