Myriad IT Data Centre Update

Myriad IT has seen strong growth in its data centre recently with more and more customers now choosing us for end-to-end integrated, bespoke solutions.

Whilst many providers use a "one size fits all" model, Myriad IT provides bespoke solutions from no-frills hosting to solutions integrated into existing infrastructure & services (e.g. Active Directory authentication). We also host the applications we support (including JD Edwards and Dynamics CRM).

Another reason customers are choosing Myriad IT's data centre is the flexibility to choose a solution and contractual arrangement that meets business/commercial requirements. For CRM, our pricing is very competitive in comparison to on-premises and Microsoft on-line whilst customers and have the added benefit of allowing customers to detremine the timing of upgrades etc.

Myriad IT also guarantees that all data remains in Australia.

Learn more about Myriad IT's data centre...

10 things to consider when selecting a cloud computing vendor

Managed services – do you need a simple managed services provider or a cloud advisor who can also supply managed services? 

Advice – can the vendor help you evaluate which models, architectures, and technologies you should adopt? 

Flexibility – does the vendor offer terms of service that are flexible enough to ensure your organisation’s specific needs are met? 

Control – are you able to retain the amount of control you need? Are you paying just for what you need? 

Support & Reliability – does the vendor meet your support requirements? are service levels guaranteed? 

Knowledge – does the vendor have the requisite knowledge and experience to deliver the required applications in hosted environments? do you need to integrate with other systems? Does the vendor have this expertise? 

Risk management – will the vendor minimise risk, disruption and stress? 

Data ownership – does the vendor’s terms of service enable you to retain ownership of your data where that is important? 

Geography – does the vendor offer cloud services in a suitable geographical location? e.g. data remains in Australia. 

Compliance & security - are your compliance and security requirements met by the vendor?

 

Windows 10 Preview

Microsoft recently unveiled its new operating system, Windows 10 which is expected to be released next year.

The focus has been on the user experience based on the type of device they are using.The
Start menu returns in non-touch devices (with a traditional listing of applications as well as the Windows 8  style tiles) and Microsoft have added Task View to show all windows currently open on a desktop.

Microsoft released a technical preview in early October to collect feedback from users. The preview can be downloaded here.

In order to download the preview, it is first necessary to join the Windows Insider Program. The program is aimed at PC experts and technology professionals who are comfortable with pre-release software. Program members will receive a stream of new builds as they become available. There is also an app to provide feedback to Microsoft about the new system.

At present, it isn't clear whether Windows 10 will be released as an update or a paid upgrade.

Myriad IT
www.myriad-it.com

Choosing the right cloud model for your business

Once you have determined that cloud computing will benefit your business, the next step is choosing the right cloud model. 

There are numerous options available and this part of the process can be confusing. 

In this blog, Myriad IT examines the key considerations and attributes of the main models.

 Control & customisation

Private cloud

With private cloud, the cloud is built and managed internally by the company. Private cloud is sought after by companies requiring a high degree of direct control over information and security.

Whilst private cloud offers the highest level of control and customisation, it is not always necessary for an organisation to invest in the establishment of a private cloud. A carefully selected 3^rd party vendor of public cloud may be able to meet control, customisation and security requirements through public cloud.

Public cloud

With public cloud, cloud computing services are provided by 3^rd party vendors. Customers share data centre resources and access cloud services via the Internet. Public cloud offers varying degrees of privacy and control depending on the vendor.

There are 2 models for the provision of public cloud:

 1.  Subscription style managed services

These feature pay-as-you go access to cloud services such as out of the box applications like ERP or CRM or packaged storage. It is common with this model that the provider takes ownership of data in the cloud and there is limited or no control over how services are provided. The advantage of these services are their relative simplicity and that users keep up with the latest features and functionality. 

2. Tailored services 

Some 3^rd party public cloud providers (such as Myriad IT), offer tailored data centre services with logically separated infrastructure and no rights to data stored. This enables customers to utilise cloud services for customised applications, tailor cloud computing services to meet specific business needs and retain control of when and if upgrades, patches and so forth are implemented.

 

Geographic location of data (within Australia)

The physical location of data may be an issue where: 

• Sovereignty of data is a requirement. For example many government organisations require that all data remain in Australia. 
• Geographically distinct data centres may be advantageous for disaster recovery. 

Security

We touched on security in our previous blog post. It is our view that most cloud vendors now have sophisticated security but poor implementation and configuration can leave unintended gaps in data or systems. Read the security blog post here.

Myriad IT
www.myriad-it.com
03-8530-8600