As the leader of a small to medium-sized business (SMBs), future-proofing your company is non-negotiable for remaining competitive through inevitable economic fluctuations and technological advancements.
It starts with assessing the health of your IT infrastructure. Think of this Infrastructure as the vehicle driving your business — it supports your operations, enabling you to enhance efficiency and grow. But if you’re not changing the oil by effectively leveraging cloud technology and managing your systems, that engine will blow, and you’ll be left watching your competition pass you by.
No one wants to get left behind, but you can only wear so many hats as a leader. The good news is you don’t need to future-proof your business alone. We understand that in-house resources are limited, and the cloud expertise you need may be in short supply. Whether you’re already utilizing cloud technology or want to migrate your business to the cloud, a managed service provider (MSP) can help you seamlessly bridge the gap and get back on the road.
Cloud Computing vs. Cloud Managed Services
Cloud computing has become a mainstream option for businesses due to its convenience and ability to support rapidly evolving tools like Generative AI (GenAI), requiring highly scalable computing capabilities. Cloud providers, like Amazon Web Services (AWS), provide IT resources on demand via the Internet, eliminating the need for businesses to own and maintain physical data centers and servers.
While it’s a far more sustainable and flexible option than owning a physical data center, cloud technology does come with its complexities. As the use of cloud technology increases, so does the demand for managed cloud services, especially for SMB leaders seeking ways to utilize cloud technology to scale their businesses cost-effectively.
This demand is projected to increase as more businesses utilize the power of the cloud. By 2026, it’s predicted that 75% of organizations will have undergone digital transformations, using the cloud as their foundational platform. According to TechAisle’s 2024 Top Ten SMB and Midmarket Predictions, more SMBs than ever will be “mastering the cloud with managed services,” and IT managers will build strategies that fully integrate these ongoing partnerships.
By 2026, it’s predicted that 75% of organizations will have undergone digital transformations, using the cloud as their foundational platform.
Why Partner with a Cloud Managed Services Provider?
With managed cloud services, you get the power of the cloud and a team of experts to manage your cloud-based systems. In other words, all the benefits and none of the headaches. These experts — cloud managed service providers (MSPs) — do the heavy lifting and provide the data management, maintenance, and security measures needed so you can wear one less hat and turn your attention back to other strategic initiatives within your business. If you haven’t yet made the leap to the cloud, now is the time. Luckily, you don’t need to navigate the migration on your own. MSPs can help with that process, too.
Solving Your IT Challenges with Managed Cloud Services
Are you using cloud technology but struggling with high costs, worried about security issues, or lacking the in-house expertise to feel confident you’re leveraging all the benefits the cloud offers? You’re far from alone if the answer is yes to any or all of the above. Below, we’ve broken down the most common challenges SMBs like yours face and how you can utilize managed cloud services to empower your business with solutions that will position it for success — both now and in the future.
Scaling IT Infrastructure to Meet Growing Business Needs
With cloud technology, you aren’t tied to a specific infrastructure or on the line for costly physical hardware when you need to scale. Instead, you can scale only as required with pay-as-you-go models designed to meet your business needs as they evolve and prevent you from over-investing in resources you may not need yet so you can scale sustainably.
Managed cloud services keep your business nimble, as new services and applications can quickly be deployed. This allows you to go to market with new offerings for your customers and maintain a competitive advantage.
Ensuring Continuous Operations and Minimized Downtime
When you invest in managed cloud services, you gain access to experts who can not only fix problems quickly but also prevent issues from happening in the first place to minimize downtime. At Innovative, we have a dedicated team of AWS-certified cloud engineers who provide technical support and guidance on demand.
Disaster recovery and data backup solutions are also included with managed cloud services. In the event of hardware failure, a cyberattack, or a natural disaster, you’ll have peace of mind that your data is safe and that you’ll be able to resume your business operations with minimal disruption.
Maintaining High Security Standards
Speaking of cyberattacks, managed cloud services provide continuous monitoring and extensive security solutions, including encryption and firewalls, to keep your data secure. If an issue does arise, you’ll have access to expert technical support to resolve it quickly. An ideal MSP will offer 24/7 Service Level Agreements (SLAs), so you can rest assured you’ll get timely data monitoring and support.
When cloud computing first started rising in popularity, skeptics voiced concerns over how secure it really was. However, it has become abundantly clear over time that the concern shouldn’t be about the cloud itself, but whether businesses are using the cloud securely. According to Gartner, through 2025, 99% of cloud security failures will happen as a result of business misuse — not the technology.
This is why implementing a cloud strategy that incorporates putting risk management practices in place for your business is crucial. However, many businesses lack the in-house expertise or resources to implement this strategy effectively. The good news? MSPs can also provide cloud consulting services to help you develop a cloud strategy that meets your business’s unique needs.
According to Gartner, through 2025, 99% of cloud security failures will happen as a result of business misuse — NOT the technology.
Managing IT Costs Efficiently
Flexibility and adaptability are vital to maintaining sustainable business growth. Not having a handle on your IT costs makes it far more challenging to pivot operationally. By utilizing the cloud, you’re already saving exponentially by not owning and maintaining physical servers. The savings continue with cloud MSPs taking on the responsibility of maintenance and system upgrades, so you don’t need to invest in additional IT staff or pay for expensive hardware upgrades.
An experienced managed cloud services provider will include advanced tools for automation and management to help you streamline business operations and lower the costs associated with time-consuming IT tasks. As noted above, managed cloud services also provide extensive disaster recovery and backup solutions, which reduces the chances of IT failures and system downtime — both of which are incredibly costly in terms of lost productivity and the resulting decrease in revenue.
Keeping Up with Technological Advancements
Managed cloud services provide SMBs with access to the latest technology, including AI and advanced performance monitoring, to analyze trends and increase efficiency. The result is a cost-effective option for having an up-to-date IT infrastructure that provides a foundation for continued innovation and growth and gives your business a competitive advantage.
At Innovative, our managed cloud services provide our customers with AI-driven cloud management with integrated GenAI chat functionality to streamline support and management processes as you scale your business. We also utilize IBM Instana to provide in-depth cloud performance monitoring to ensure our customers are leveraging the full potential of the cloud.
Set Your Business Up for Long-Term Success in the Cloud
Managed cloud services play a critical role in ensuring that your business will not only survive but thrive as technology evolves at a break-neck pace and the economy continues to fluctuate. By partnering with a cloud managed service provider, you gain access to expertise that enables you to adapt quickly to changes and leverage the cloud in a way that makes the most sense for your business. It’s a partnership that allows you to remove the complexities of IT management from your plate of duties and focus on core strategies and innovation so your business will be prepared to handle whatever the future holds.
As an AWS Premier Tier Services Partner with over 30 years of technology experience, Innovative Solutions has mastered the science of meeting people where they are with the tech-driven solutions they need. Our AWS Small and Medium Business Services Competency and extensive cloud expertise position us to help businesses like yours successfully migrate and manage their IT infrastructure in the cloud. Take the next step to leveraging the cloud for your business, and learn more about our Managed Cloud Services.
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