Clouds? I.T? ...what?

What do clouds & computers have in common? Pretty much nothing at all - literally - but as a metaphor, it's a neat little term you will come to use and love...

The term 'cloud' in relation to I.T. has a relatively obscure past ... its roots - it would seem - stem from early technical diagrams that utilised cloud-style 'bubbles' to signify the Internet or other network. It's a term that is exploding in popularity and no-longer considered another hip-to-use buzz-word.

Essentially - it's super-charging your computer by getting the Internet (in all its might) to do the work your computer would normally do. This gives you huge leverage over computing power not normally able to fit in that old back-room cupboard in your office, as well as securing proper support & management of all the nasty tech-bits you would prefer not to know about...here's a nifty little diagram:

Answers to commonly asked questions:

What can moving to the cloud actually do for me?

Great question - and there are too many answers to lists here - but, our users tell us exactly how they're feeling, and it usually sounds like this...

Better cash flows!

"We're able to predict our monthly I.T. spend almost to the cent, knowing that exploding hard drives and corrupted software is a thing of the past and someone else's problem - not mine!"

Way faster computers!

"Going to the cloud has turned our old dust-box computers into massive powerhouses at the flick of a button - no more waiting, no more complaints our computers are too slow..."

The latest software, all the time!

"We've had outdated, incompatible and sometimes illegal software on our machines for years...the beauty of using CloudHeartland is that they automatically install us the latest software - as part of the package..."

We can work from anywhere

"I just assumed CloudHeartland was never going to be able to take us on due to the myriad of iPads, laptops both PC & Mac, and android/iPhone combinations....turns out, none of that matters and we can work from pretty much any device at any location!"

What's in the cloud that makes it so powerful?

Imagine a giant room full of hardcore nerds, surrounded with row after row of blinky lights and dangly cords. Every light that blinks does so because it should. And the cords? They're meant to be there. Regardless of whether or not you care about technical details (you shouldn't) - the relationship between the room full of nerds and their fancy Internet connected to your office is what makes cloud computing a different kettle of fish.

And to be fair - none of it is really any of your business anyway; your business is making your business make money - not mucking around with old hardware and foreign tech-support staff*.

Cloud computing alleviates you from all this.

In simple terms - the gist of it is: all the combined power of those nerds and their flashing boxes being fed down an internet pipe to your office is why doing I.T. in the cloud is so powerful. Your programs like Word and Outlook open blazingly fast; your eMails are accessible from anywhere and your documents are stored here too, so you could anchor at sea with your laptop tomorrow and still be able to eMail the staff your absence excuse.

So it is all about harnessing massive power, great people (that's you and us) and a lot of very savvy technology to deliver your I.T.

* Did we say 'foreign'? We meant 'un-helpful'.

Do I need special equipment or expensive hardware to go 'cloud'?

No. Not unless you're and Apple fan.

Theoretically, if you have an old computer (even an Apple!) that can connect to A) the Internet and B) a monitor, you can be accessing and experiencing the very same thing that your mate would on that fancy new iPad he just paid a gazillion dollars for. Because it's 'cloud' it's almost completely separated from local hardware in your office. All the processing and clever stuff is done back at the data centre so your trusty old dust-box you call your workstation can be given a new lease on life...if you'd rather put your money elsewhere.

I've heard stuff can get hacked in the cloud, is this true?

Yes. Absolutely.

To avoid this - try these 4 simple and easy steps:

Remove every piece of clothing your'e wearing - right now. (They could be bugged).
Remove your mobile SIM card, phone line, power cords & any other cords from wherever they are plugged in from everywhere.
Burn all your wordly posessions.
Move premises immediately and relocate to nearest uninhabitated area of anywhere there isn't humans. The humans will hack you the second they see you.

In all seriousness - of course you can get hacked. The FBI, CIA & Pentagon get hacked all the time. The truth is, however, if you do internet banking, use Xero or Facebook you are no more or less susceptible if you happen to be on a cloud-platform for your I.T.

Having said that - we naturally encrypt and secure all our connections just like ASB or BNZ do. We also have immense physical security around our premises (data centres) in Auckland & Hamilton to avoid unauthorised entry, and we are contiunously updating & integrating the latest patches and security recommendations set out by our providers...who just happen to be some of the largest technology organisations on the planet.

My mate's brother's great aunt told me the cloud is slow and unreliable...is she right?

No. Not really.

With all due respect - hearing stuff and reading some things and then basing all your decisions on those snippets of information that float around the ether is probably only getting half the story. Yes - you rely - for the most part - on an internet connection to have a fully functioning I.T. system if you are cloud-based, but you do regardless of whether you have cloud or not...right?

Having said that - we find options. Having a B-Plan is never a silly idea, and so we'll look closely at your premises and current setup to determine how and if we can integrate a second connection pipe into your workplace, so that if you do suffer an outage the effects on your business are mitigated as much as humanly possible.