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How organisations store and share data has been transformed by tools like SharePoint, OneDrive and Teams.

The extraordinary working conditions imposed on all businesses during the Covid-19 pandemic has fast forwarded society’s move towards remote working as the new normal.

To work anywhere, people must be able to access company files and folders easily and securely. SharePoint provides that functionality, replacing VPN with a far more secure way of accessing data. All you need is an Internet connection.

But SharePoint is far more than just a file repository and Teams is more than just a chat and meetings tool. How businesses choose to configure SharePoint and OneDrive, the user experience they want to create and how they integrate Teams into that mix is a strategic business decision.

MD, Chris Apperley explains, “We decided to produce a How to Guide on SharePoint, OneDrive and Teams because we find many businesses are unaware of the ramifications of how they setup SharePoint and Teams. We always advise our clients to choose a setup that meets their business needs first and foremost. SharePoint and Teams may appear easy to set up and use but require administration and governance so that data is stored and accessed appropriately.”

Download Your Free eBook

Westlake IT have produced their free eBook to enable businesses to make informed decisions about how they store, access, and share data. Click the link below to download your copy of SharePoint, OneDrive and Teams Explained.

Alternatively, contact Westlake IT for an honest, detailed discussion about your IT support needs. Email [email protected], or call us on 02392007850.

As UK PLC begins to emerge from lockdown and economic uncertainty continues to be a reality, outsourcing IT support is an area business should consider to manage costs and focus on their core business. IT support services can be provided by internal resources or outsourced to a ‘managed service provider’ (MSP). This article looks at the benefits of outsourcing IT support so you can make an informed decision for your business.

There are several benefits to the outsourced model:

Focus on your core business

For the majority of businesses, large or small, it’s vital to focus on your core business and ensure your overhead costs are minimised.

Cost Containment

It is expensive to employ a dedicated resource. The salary costs are only one element of that cost and once you add in your infrastructure costs such as office space, equipment and utilities as well as employee benefits, performance management and training; those costs increase.

Outsourced IT support can be more easily scaled up or down. You can draw on a pool of resources with different types of expertise from Helpdesk support to IT infrastructure monitoring and maintenance.

The right IT strategy for you

A good MSP will get under the bonnet of your business deploying an IT infrastructure that supports you in obtaining your business objectives. A good MSP will be able to flex that strategy to embrace new and better ways of doing things so that your organisation’s IT can differentiate you among your competitors.

IT Support Expertise

It is challenging to keep internally employed IT resources trained to the level of expertise required to do the job as technology constantly evolves. In addition, end-user IT support is most often provided by a 1st or 2nd Line Engineer and networking and infrastructure support is provided by a different type of Engineer with different skills sets. It is unlikely you’d be able to employ one Engineer to provide all the support services you require.

The right licensing

Let’s take Microsoft Office as an example. Microsoft sell Home and Business versions of their Office solutions. In addition, each suite of Microsoft 365 Small Business or Enterprise products contains several plans and options.

The right license type with the right set of features is not always easy to find. It’s easy to double up on functionality or not choose the right license for the functionality you require. Your MSP should be able to advise you.

Better Security

Disaster recovery and back up are not a ‘one size fits all’ solution. There are a variety of products and solutions depending on the type of IT infrastructure you have.

Businesses using cloud technologies will need to use a different type of back up solution to those with on-premise servers as traditional back up products don’t work with cloud-based products such as Microsoft 365 and in particular data stored on Teams or SharePoint.

Enhanced focus on compliance

GDPR, sector specific regulatory requirements will impact the type of IT infrastructure you should have in place, where and how your data is stored and who can access it. An MSP should be able to guide you through the range of choices open to you and advise you on the most appropriate solution.

For example, if your data is stored using cloud technology then you need to make sure that the county where it is stored has GDPR compliant ‘safeguards’ in place.

Now that we’ve looked at the benefits of outsourcing IT support, it’s only fair that we assess the potential drawbacks also.

There can be drawbacks to outsourcing your IT support

Companies should be aware of the following before entering into a contract with any potential Outsourced IT company:

Long Contracts and complicated Ts & Cs

Conduct a tender process and compare at least 3 providers. Ensure the contract length is reasonable and you’re clear what’s included and excluded.

Data Security

Ensure you understand where your data is being saved.

If your files or folders are stored on an on-premise server then does your IT provider have a backup strategy in place? If your data is stored using cloud technologies, make sure you know the data centre locations where your data is hosted and where it is backed up to. This can have GDPR ramifications.

Experience and longevity

Make sure your chosen MSP has a solid reputation and enough resources to deliver on their promises.

Overall, we believe that the benefits of outsourcing IT support truly outweigh the negatives and we’re happy to answer any questions or queries you may have regarding IT support for your business.

Could outsourced IT support be suitable for your business function?

Westlake IT is a long-established and forward-looking MSP offering professional and meticulous outsourced IT support for businesses of all sizes and industries. Contact us for an open and honest discussion about your IT support needs. Call Susannah on 02392007850 or send us an email at [email protected].

When you make it easier for employees to do their job, you generally free up their time to get more done … and Cloud Computing can help.

Products such as Microsoft 365, (formerly Office 365), offer businesses the functionality they need to get on with the day job. Whether you require secure anywhere/anytime access to company data, the ability to set up virtual meetings or collaborate on a project with someone based miles away, cloud computing can deliver.

What issues do businesses without cloud computing face?

For some, the idea of saving your valuable documents using a software system that distributes those files across multiple data centres based far away seems risky.

Some businesses prefer to keep their files and folders on a physical server, neatly tucked away in the corner of the Office, or even on their own Laptop, which goes everywhere with them. It feels safe to keep things close, but in the case of where you save your data, it can be counter-intuitive.

Servers can be compromised, be damaged by flood or fire and if your data isn’t properly backed up to another device you risk permanently losing everything. Your laptop could break, be stolen on the train, and then not only have you lost your data, but someone could hack it.

Businesses that haven’t embraced cloud computing will be increasingly limited in our mobile world. They will struggle to access data and VPN connections are not as secure or flexible as the encryption inherent in Microsoft 365. In addition, businesses may want to reduce overhead costs (rent, electricity, hardware, etc) by having more staff work from home, and cloud commuting gives you that choice.

How can cloud computing alleviate issues and improve productivity?

Aside from the security considerations listed above, traditional ways of working where you have to be physically in the office to access data on your server, are disappearing.

Global pandemics aside, businesses need to function remotely. Employees want to read email and work on projects away from the office. They need to do this securely using any WiFi connection, any device, (including your kid’s laptop), and from any location. Cloud computing gives you that ultimate freedom with the reassurance of incredible security. It also saves you the considerable expenditure of buying a new server when the old one fails and the on-going maintenance costs.

What is included in a Cloud Computing service?

Depending on your business, you will need to choose the right type of cloud computing services. For the majority though, email is a no-brainer and Microsoft’s Email and Office apps (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc) have been the backbone of our working lives for years now.

In addition, how you store your data (SharePoint and OneDrive), host your Apps, (Azure Virtual Machine) and ensure your backup and security is A-class (Azure Disaster Recovery) can all be answered by cloud computing.

What is the average cost of cloud computing?

Cloud computing is supplied via licenses. For Microsoft 365, this is called Software as a Service and it is priced according to the functionality included in each ‘plan’ and is charged on a per user basis either monthly or annually.

For virtual servers, this is called Infrastructure as a Service and what you pay is influenced by a number of factors, including usage levels and data retention periods.

Cloud computing can be increased, decreased, or even, in the case of archive data, switched off when you don’t need to access it. If an employee leaves, you cancel their license. Basically, you pay for what you use and scale up or down depending on your business needs.

Could your business benefit from Cloud Computing?

If you want to talk to a professional who has implemented cloud computing for many businesses, saving them money, increasing their security, and enabling them to embrace remote working, call Susannah now on 02392 007850.

You’d be forgiven for picturing fluffy white clouds floating in the sky when someone talks about Cloud computing. While the majority of us know enough about how the Cloud works to use it in our everyday lives, can we confidently answer the question “what is the Cloud?” And more importantly, just where has our data gone when we save it to the Cloud?

Before Cloud computing existed, we would go to work, turn on our PCs and open a document that could be found in one of two main places: in the My Documents folder, located on our actual Desktop or Laptop, or in a Shared folder that you and other people in your company could access. That shared folder could be located on a separate PC, but for the majority of SMEs, it would be located on a Server.

Server & VPN Reliability

Servers are linked to your PC by hardwiring your WiFi connection inside of your physical offices. If you want to work from home or during a business trip, then you’d either need to download your files onto your Laptop to take with you or log onto your physical server via a Virtual Private Network (VPN), which allows you to create a secure connection to your server using the Internet.

All good so far, but VPN connections are not always reliable and security is a consideration. Plus, if you download confidential data onto your Laptop and that Laptop is lost or stolen, not only have you lost important information, but your Laptop could be hacked, and then you’re potentially facing a whole host of IP and GDPR issues. Finally, Servers get old and cost a lot of money to replace, and what happens if your office is broken into? Or there’s a fire? If your server is fatally damaged or hacked and your back up isn’t excellent, you could lose one of your most valuable assets… your data.

The advent of Cloud computing gave us something new. The ability to replace our onsite Servers with the immensely powerful and incredibly secure Servers, owned by providers such as Microsoft, Google or Amazon. These Servers are located in Data Centres built on ships or massive campuses and are spread around the world. Data Centres are very real, and not at all white and fluffy. It’s how we connect to them that explains the Cloud concept. We use the Internet.

Think of the internet as replacing the cable in your office that connects your PC to the office server

The Internet is ubiquitous, and providing your broadband strength is sufficient, you can access your files and data anywhere at any time. The security and encryption that is built into Cloud computing solutions such as Microsoft 365 far outstrips that of VPN. Your data is saved and replicated across different locations, which you can choose, meaning better resilience, faster access, with no bottlenecks and greater collaboration.

Considering Cloud Computing for your business? Westlake IT can help.

At Westlake IT, we have a proven track record in migrating businesses to the Cloud and we have the experience to advise you on the optimal Cloud-based solution to meet your unique business needs. Our solution will deliver you the maximum benefit with the tightest security. Get in touch today to see how we can help.

As is often the case – the answer to the question “Is Microsoft Teams free?” … is yes and no.

This article is going to look at Teams purely for SMEs and therefore will focus on Microsoft’s 365 Business plans.

How to get Microsoft Teams?

SMEs can access Teams in the following ways:

In summary, if your business already has a Microsoft 365 tenant to provide your email accounts and office applications, Teams free is not an option.

If you want your employees to access Teams you will either need to pay for the appropriate Microsoft 365 subscription or your people can sign up for the Teams Exploratory Experience, which is free for a minimum of a year.

The Teams Exploratory Experience is designed to be activated by the end-user and is not something that can be assigned to a user by your domain administrator. Users can sign up for it by visiting the Microsoft Teams website.

Understanding the Teams Exploratory Experience and future cost implications

It’s important to note that the Teams Exploratory Experience doesn’t just include Teams. It also includes a cross-section of applications and services that you might want to trial.

We advise you to think carefully about what applications and services you could start to use and embed in your business, as you will need to pay for them after your trial period expires.

The following table lists the features, included in the Teams Exploratory Experience and shows you the minimum subscription you would need to purchase to keep using them after your trial expires:

Conclusion

Microsoft’s Teams Exploratory Experience is a fantastic way for your people to trial applications and services that could enhance your business operations, but it’s vital you understand the future cost implications of the apps and services you decide to adopt.

We recommend you speak to your IT partner or internal IT department for more advice so you can make an informed choice, or contact Susannah at Westlake IT on 023 92 007850 or at [email protected] for more advice on Microsoft Teams and office 365 solutions.

Westlake IT is delighted to announce the company has been awarded Microsoft’s Silver Partner Status. Westlake IT now joins the top 5% of Microsoft partners worldwide who have met the requirements for Silver Partner status.

To earn the Silver Partner status, Westlake IT has demonstrated consistent capability, expertise, and commitment in three core areas; Cloud Platforms, Cloud Productivity and, Collaboration and Content.

Chris Apperley, MD explains. “Cloud Platforms are virtual servers. We have helped a number of businesses streamline their on-premise IT infrastructure by migrating physical servers to virtual ones, saving money and improving operational performance and security.

“Cloud Productivity and, Collaboration and Content describe the benefits delivered by Office 365 and its family of applications including Email, SharePoint and Teams etc. Our proven track record in migrating customers to Office 365 and deploying SharePoint has been instrumental in helping us earn Silver Partner Status.”

Westlake IT has grown significantly over the past two years, increasing turnover by 57% and its client base by 78%.

Susannah Jeffery, Westlake IT’S Business Development Director comments on some of the reasons for Westlake IT’s success. “We consistently punch above our weight, winning tenders against much bigger providers. We do this because we combine big business expertise with small business flexibility, friendliness and approachability.”

“Our clients have the best of both worlds. For example, we know our clients want the peace of mind that our Helpdesk delivers by using the latest ticketing, project management and reporting software, but they also like the fact that we are open to changing the way we work to suit their needs. ”

Call Chris or Susannah today on 023 92007850 to talk through how Westlake could transform your IT.

The Brexit date is currently set for 31 January 2020 and while Boris Johnson has already agreed a deal with the EU, it still needs to be approved by Parliament.

If Parliament approves Johnson’s Withdrawal Agreement Bill then the UK will exit the EU on 31 January 2020. Trade talks with the EU would begin soon after. If a new trade deal is ratified by December 2020 then the UK will begin its new relationship with the EU in January 2021. If a trade deal is not agreed then the UK will have two choices: Extend the transition period or leave the EU without a deal in January 2021.

Clearly while we now have more certainty that Brexit will happen, there is still a long way to go. Trade deals can take several years to negotiate and an 11-month time frame is very tight. This time next year we will yet again face another crunch point. If, by December 2020, the UK has failed to agree a new trade deal with the EU then the UK would need to decide whether to ask for an extension to trade agreement negotiations or default to trading with the EU on World Trade Organisation terms.

The good news is that the possibility of a no-deal Brexit early next year is less likely, but it’s not off the table. Should the UK fail to agree a new trading relationship with the EU and we exit without one in place in 2020, it will very much feel like a no-deal Brexit scenario.

Staying informed and putting plans in place remains pivotal for SMEs throughout 2020 and beyond.

When it comes to dealing with uncertainty, SMEs do have size on their side. Being smaller than their corporate counterparts, they are more agile and can adapt quickly to changing market conditions. But there is a flip side. SMEs that rely on cross border trade are especially vulnerable to disruptions to their supply chain. Stockpiling is expensive, takes up space and therefore is an unlikely option. SMEs are also more sensitive than larger businesses to how trading conditions impact their cash flow.

How can SMEs mitigate the impact of Brexit on their ability to operate?

Use free advice and resources

There’s no need to use precious resources to reinvent the wheel. We recommend using what’s already available to help you plan:

gov.uk carries detailed advice and information which is business sector specific. It also provides guidance on subjects such as IP and funding. (www.gov.uk/get-ready-brexit-check)
The Federation for Small Businesses’ s Brexit Hub, has guidance available covering the import and export of goods, the employment of EU staff, the transfer of data in and out of the EU and much more (www.fsb.org.uk/standing-up-for-you/brexit-home/brexit-hub)
The British Chamber of Commerce has a useful download checklist that covers everything from the impact of Brexit on your workforce, cross border trade, taxation and insurance, IP, compliance and funding. (www.britishchambers.org.uk/page/brexit-hub)

Ask your suppliers about their Brexit plans

We recommend contacting your suppliers and asking them about their Brexit plans. For example, if your industry is dependent on the import or export of goods then you need to know how your suppliers will keep trading post Brexit:

What are your plans to mitigate port delays for imports and exports?
How will you manage changes in tax liabilities and shipping tariffs?
What is your policy regarding increasing your stock levels?

Don’t forget Brexit affects data transfers as well as cross border trade

European data protection laws, including GDPR), will be incorporated into UK Law post Brexit. Under GDPR any transfers of personal data from the EEA to a ‘third country,’ (which is what the UK will become, post Brexit), are referred to as ‘restricted transfers.’ Restricted transfers require ‘appropriate safeguards.’ If you use cloud storage, software applications or outsourcing to process or store personal data, you may be making transfers to data centres outside the UK and theses transfers require appropriate safeguards. An example of this would be Microsoft Office 365 which uses data centres across the world.

Talk to your IT providers about data transfers

Do your IT providers transfer data in and out of the UK? If they do, you need to ask:

What safeguards do they have in place?

You will then need to ask your IT providers to evidence the exact type of safeguards they have in place:

Does the destination country have an ‘adequacy decision’ in place? An adequacy decision is a determination by the European Commission that the country in receipt of the data transfer offers an adequate level of data protection.
If your software or cloud provider transfers data to or from the U.S.A does that provider participate in the EU-US Privacy Shield? Remember the U.S.A does not have an overarching adequacy decision in place.
If your US-based provider is not covered by the Privacy Shield then you need to check your contractual terms and conditions to ensure appropriate safeguards are in place.

As an IT provider we are most interested in the impact of Brexit on the availability of IT hardware and on where our customers’ data is stored. Ensuring our customers’ data is safe and secure and that we can supply the equipment they require to operate is pivotal for us.

If you need advice on keeping your IT systems safe and compliant, call a professional now on 02392007850.

Westlake advises businesses to review their PC Infrastructure well in advance of this deadline to understand if they are impacted.

Chris Apperley explains, “Some businesses may be able to upgrade their Windows 7 PCs to Windows 10, but only if they are compatible and it comes at a cost. Alternatively, they will need to buy a new device. As the majority of machines running Windows 7 will be greater than 5 years old, this is a good opportunity to refresh ageing hardware too.”

While businesses can continue to install and use Windows 7 after the End of Support deadline, they will no longer be protected by security updates and therefore will be more susceptible to security breaches and viruses. Just one device running an unpatched version of Windows 7 on a network could open up other machines to security breaches.

Chris Apperley adds, “When you have a network with lots of machines all connected to it, viruses can spread quickly and easily. One unpatched machine could cause issues for your whole business if it became compromised so the risks of retaining Windows 7 machines post end of support are considerable.”

Westlake IT urge businesses to review their PCs and network infrastructure and plan accordingly. Should a business need to purchase new devices it’s important to be able to manage that process cost effectively and to minimise disruption. Another important consideration will be the impact Brexit may have on the PC supply chain. Businesses should factor in the potential for increased costs, low stock availability and increased waiting times post 29 March.

To speak to an IT professional call us now on 02392 007850.

Westlake is advising businesses to review their existing server infrastructure in advance of Microsoft’s End of Support deadlines and, if they are impacted, to put plans in place to either migrate their on-premise servers to Azure or, if they are eligible, to purchase Microsoft’s Extended Security Updates.

Chris Apperley explains, “Doing nothing is not an option as once Microsoft withdraws support for these servers, they will no longer be protected by patches and security updates which may expose businesses to compliance and security risks.”

Microsoft are offering a number of options to businesses so they can continue to operate securely:

One option is to migrate 2008 and 2008 R2 to Azure Virtual Machine and benefit from free Extended Security Updates for both SQL Server and Windows Server 2008 and R2 2008 for three years after the deadline.

Another option is to move to Azure SQL Database Managed Instance which will provide access to continuous security updates, as this is a fully managed solution. Eligible customers can use the Azure Hybrid Benefit (available to customers with active Software Assurance or Server Subscriptions) to obtain discounts on the license of Azure Virtual Machines or Azure SQL Database Managed Instance.

The final option is for businesses to purchase Extended Security Updates for on-premise servers. Businesses are eligible if they have active Software Assurance or Subscription licenses for their servers. Extended Security Updates can be purchased annually for three years after the End of Support date.

Chris Apperley concludes, “We urge businesses to contact their IT partner or work with their internal IT department to put the right plans in place for you. The trend is now very much towards cloud computing as the costs associated with purchasing, licensing and maintaining a physical on-premise server are very high compared to moving to a monthly subscription model for your IT services. That being said every business is different and it’s important that your business needs drive your IT strategy.”