How Do I Compare Exchange Online with In-House Exchange?
As time goes on, cloud migration is becoming more urgent, particularly in companies where their business growth is suffering as a result of their in-house IT, and potentially even putting their company at risk.
It’s no wonder then, that moving your in-house servers and fixed line phones to the cloud has become more of a ‘when’ than an ‘if’ in today’s IT management. And yet, still businesses question cloud migration. Why? Well, many see it as an expensive, complicated and risky process.
Such pains and concerns can convince companies to settle with the basic measures of their in-house IT, and yet by finding the right IT service provider to help, migrating to the cloud can be a simple, secure and affordable option.
When asking yourself; “Should I switch from an on-site exchange server to Office 365’s cloud-based email solution? The simple answer is yes! But such a significant change often leads to further questions, such as “How do I compare exchange online with in-house exchange?” Well, we’re here to help you answer that very question…
What Are the Drawbacks of Using In-House IT?
Here, we consider the drawbacks of using in-house IT and how Office 365 can help to counteract them:
• Your Systems May Not be Protected
Your in-house solution may not be providing the correct level of security for your data. For instance, without the adequate level of email virus and spam filtering your systems may not be protected. Unlike relying on an external provider, in-house IT makes it your responsibility to have the correct security in place.
• Data Loss with No Off-Site Backup
If your business lacks an off-site backup of your business-critical data, a disaster (such as a network breach, theft or fire) may result in data loss, business downtime, fines and even the loss of your most valued customers.
So, for example, should a fire occur at the office, and you have no offsite backup in place. You’d be left with no emails and no backup to get them back. For many businesses, this would be a catastrophe. In fact, 25% of small businesses, do not reopen following a disaster such as this.
• Internet Loss or Server Down
A common drawback of in-house exchange is internet loss. If you lose internet access, nobody will be able to send emails to your organisation until the internet is restored. Similarly, if the server goes down, you will not be able to send or receive any emails.
• Restricted Email Allowance
A full inbox is a common challenge, particularly as most in-house IT solutions have a limit on the amount of data allowed in their mailbox. This can be a huge drain on time if you’re having to clear out your inbox each time you wish to receive new mail.
What Are the Benefits of Using Office 365?
Cost Cutting, Fully Expandable & Degradable
• Licensing; licenses are charged on a per monthly basis. This means you’re able to increase and decrease the licenses as you wish, at any time.
• Predictable monthly costs; benefit from no upfront cost, no contract, and a monthly cost that’s determined by the number of users you have.
• Storage; 50GB mailboxes are offered as standard. A further 50GB is allocated for your archive if you wish to setup this feature, so you can say goodbye to jam-packed mailboxes that require you to delete your old mail in order to make room for the new.
Access your Emails from Anywhere
• Gain easy access using the dedicated online portal. No need for VPNs or open holes (otherwise known as additional rules) in your firewall to access your emails. Office 365 has its own online portal which you can use to access emails.
• With Office 365 Business Premium, you’re entitled to 5 installations of Office allowing for easier access to software on multiple devices.
Latest, Most Up-To-Date Software
• With Office 365’s licensing setup, you have the opportunity to bundle in software. This allows you to spread the cost over the latest patches in software, such as Office.
Effective Security Measure
• 2FA can be used to improve your level of security, by adding an additional password step when logging in. This is a 6-digit code which changes every 30 seconds.
• Built-in security; Office 365 has a built-in spam filter which will determine which emails are genuine and which are spam.
• You can remotely wipe all your data if you lose your mobile device, so you can remote wipe any data from a user’s phone from the Office 365 portal.
Why Leaving In-House IT Behind Is Best for Your Business
Office 365 brings several advantages to businesses due to its cloud credentials, allowing you to access your favourite office programs from anywhere, using real-time collaboration, simple licensing and free software updates and upgrades, all for a predictable monthly cost.
If you’d like to discuss your IT strategy or gain more information on how Office 365 could benefit your business, please get in touch with our friendly team at Rio IT today.
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