The Thurston, Pierce, Lewis, and Mason Counties IT Experts

Why the Cloud is So Valuable

If your business is like many others, you probably have made the jump to cloud-based resources for some of your business’ computing needs. You’ve probably done so because the massive costs of renewing your on-premise infrastructure doesn’t make a whole lot of sense since there are options that remove them from the equation altogether. Computing in the cloud is valuable because all of the costs associated with running enterprise-level applications are effectively whittled down into a per-month or per-GB offering. The value in streamlining your business’ computing is palpable. 

If you consider that today you can get about any type of computing resource in the cloud, it makes it pretty easy to set your business up any way you want. This means that you can embrace strategies to reduce cost, while still having the computing resources your business needs to thrive. Moreover, cloud-based tools give an organization the flexibility that other platforms simply don’t. We covered the cost, but it’s easier to scale solutions to your business’ demands, and since you only need a working Internet connection to access these tools, people can work from anywhere at any time with little or no problems. 

There are some drawbacks to cloud computing, however. 

When It Makes Sense to Stay In-House

Onsite computing is the traditional way businesses have been doing it for decades. Essentially you get servers where you host your applications and data and they function as a central hub to your business’ operational ability. For businesses that have been around a while, having onsite computing isn’t so rare. This isn’t just because of the opportunity, it is because most businesses have systems they need uninterrupted access to, and even though cloud computing resources feature more uptime than ever before, any downtime for these systems can be problematic. 

Additionally, security is a consideration. With onsite computing, your organization can control access, network traffic, and more, much more completely than if you utilize public cloud platforms. It stands to reason that systems that need to be maintained for compliance reasons or simply to protect your organization’s most delicate information should be hosted onsite. That’s not to say that you can’t get secure computing platforms in the cloud, it’s just that you don’t have assurance that you control the strategies and tools used to maintain data security. 

Regardless of what type of computing infrastructure you choose to use, the IT professionals at PC Technologies can set your business up with the tools and support you need to keep your operations running efficiently and effectively. Give us a call today at 360-491-2227 to learn more.

Your Computer is Slow

Your computer could be running poorly for any number of reasons, one of which is that you might have too many applications open at once or too many web browser tabs operating. Basically, if you are trying to do too much on a device that can’t handle the amount of work, it’s going to be slow, period. A slow computer could mean there are some underlying problems, so it’s not a bad idea to have someone look at it. For a short-term fix, however, consider closing your apps so that the more resource-intensive tasks don’t produce too much slowdown, or restart your computer.

A Bad Internet Connection

Your computer might suddenly drop its Internet connection or slow down considerably, something which can cause a lot of problems for an organization that depends on cloud-hosted productivity applications like Google Workspace or Office 365. In the event you have a poor Internet connection, you can check the connection by clicking on the icon in the bottom-right corner of the screen. If you aren’t connected, then simply connect, but if you are, then there is likely a problem with the network itself. In this case, try restarting the device or your router.

Your Computer Makes Lots of Noise

Computers are machines, and as such, they have complicated internal parts and components that can go faulty when you least expect them to. If your computer suddenly starts making noises that it’s not supposed to be making, then you know for sure that there is something going on with it. You might have to replace certain parts, for which we definitely recommend you call PC Technologies. This means that you don’t have to worry about whether you are hooking things up correctly or replacing the correct component.

You might be concerned about your technology budget not being able to withstand the brunt of getting the help you need, which is why we offer managed services. Thanks to this service model, you’ll never have to worry about breaking your IT budget and getting the assistance you need. Our managed service offerings give you all the help you might need with your technology management in accordance with a service level agreement. All you have to do is pick up the phone and get a hold of us; we’ll take care of the legwork and make sure your technology is in proper working order.

To learn more, reach out to us at 360-491-2227.

What is Desktop as a Service?

Similar to other “as a service” offerings, desktop as a service delivers desktop infrastructures to the user via the cloud. Basically, any connected device can connect to the Internet and utilize cloud-deployed applications and desktop software, effectively granting your employees access to their work desktops in a virtual environment. Most DaaS services follow a subscription-based model or one in which you pay X amount of dollars per month for your virtual desktop infrastructure.

Why Is it Helpful?

Think about the various benefits that the “as a service” moniker is typically associated with. One of these benefits is that DaaS can easily fit into a budget—especially much more easily than picking up a few dozen licenses for the latest Windows operating system every couple of years. It’s ideal for small businesses that have limited budgets, as it essentially eliminates the need to purchase new hardware in many situations as well as purchasing new software licenses—you just use the latest versions of available software through the cloud.

These cost savings allow you to focus on your business and ensure that you are being as productive as possible with your existing solutions. Since DaaS is easy to implement, you don’t have to fret about how to manage or maintain it; leave the heavy lifting to your provider. Since DaaS is scalable to suit the current needs of your business, you can expect a much easier time as your organization grows and expands.

Furthermore, you gain an enormous amount of flexibility in terms of which operating systems you can run without compromising on security. Since the instances of these desktops are located in a secure cloud environment, you can even get away with running unsupported software or legacy applications without running older server hardware just for one or two solutions.

Get Started Today

If you aren’t sure where to get started with your company’s desktop infrastructure, you’ll find working with PC Technologies to be helpful in any capacity. We can help you make the decision as to whether or not you should move in the direction of cloud-based desktops and how you can do so with minimal frustration. To learn more, reach out to us at 360-491-2227.