As a recent convert of Microsoft Office 365, I wanted to take a moment and outline why I applaud my company’s decision to transition to this new cloud-based email platform. To put it lightly, it has transformed the way we do business (and yes, I would shout it from the rooftops if I had access to our office building roof).

To give a better understanding for why I love Microsoft Office 365 so much, I first have to take you on a journey to the past to understand what Clast Act, our client’s office was dealing with before. They were working in an environment that was filled with desktops, the only people that had access to mobile email solutions were the mobile managers. They were able to work from anywhere and everywhere and were the envy of every employee.  This was when we realized that their company was metaphorically duck taped to their desktops.

This is when the unthinkable happened.  A disaster had occurred when the sewage line in Class Act’s building decided to explode everywhere which rendered their office closed while the building manager took care of the dilemma.  Class Act was shutdown for a week, and things grinded to a stand-still since most of the office didn’t have access to the files they needed or the ability to communicate with one another other than through text messages on our personal cell phones.

No one had the ability to work from home, and our internal email server was giving us another fight to contend with. Emails were being delayed or lost, clients were unsatisfied, and our IT Director was ready to lose it from all of the complaints that were being registered. It was time for something new. And that’s when the glory that is Microsoft 365 came into our lives.

At first, Class Act and our deparmented astounded at the ability to now work from anywhere and everywhere, but to our great fortune, that was only the beginning. Do you know what kinds of awesome add-ons come with Office 365? We didn’t, but here’s a brief list:

• Calendar Sharing – Instead of having an office full of people requesting to know my schedule to set up calls with clients, I now have only to accept calendar invitations. It has simplified our ability to set internal meetings, as well. I love this tool.
• Documentation Collaboration – We avoid the rounds of edits that come with multiple file versions, the great task of combining feedback, as well as the frantic search for the final version at the end of it all. We can simply work from one file that tracks every change made, so versions are kept nice and neat.
• Group Chat – Lync is our new instant messenger and group chat tool. We no longer have to rely on out-of-date programs like AOL Instant Messenger that lack security.
• OneDrive – Our company can share files easier and faster than ever. With automatic syncing, collaboration has never been easier.
• Share Point – We now have the ability to share work and organize projects and teams like never before. The managers in our department found this tool far simpler than the legacy systems we were using. We have the ability to upload new work applications in the blink of an eye, manage content, run dashboards for business intelligence, and more.

My friends, I have seen the future of email at work, and it is glorious. I urge you all to join me and my company and discover for yourselves what Microsoft Office 365 – particularly when combined with IBM servers – can do for your business.

Discover what Microsoft 365 can offer your business.

(Reuters) – The U.S. Secret Service refused to provide data on its computer security systems to the Department of Homeland Security in 2014, preventing it from being able to verify if it was complying with security policies, an inspector general’s report said on Monday.

The service, which has faced withering criticism after several security lapses including a White House breach in September, “refused to comply with mandated computer security policies,” according to the report by the DHS inspector general.

The review also said DHS agencies were not doing enough to protect computer systems from such high-risk bugs as Heartbleed, which allowed hackers to spy on computers but not take control of them.

The report said FEMA and the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service still use the Microsoft Windows XP operating system, which may be vulnerable to hackers and that Microsoft stopped providing software updates for in April.

“DHS has worked to improve and secure its vast IT resources,” said Inspector General John Roth. “But those improvements can only be effective if component agencies fully adhere to the rules and DHS management vigorously enforces compliance.

“Failure to do so will pose a serious threat to DHS and its Homeland Security missions.”

The inspector general’s office said the Secret Service has agreed to begin providing the required data to the DHS chief information officer. It made six recommendations to improve security, which the department accepted.

Homeland Security combined 22 different federal departments and agencies into one when it was established in 2002.

(Reporting by Doina Chiacu; Editing by Andrew Hay)

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The International Data Corporation just released a list of predictions that estimate where the cloud is going in 2015. At the top of their list, they stated that more than 90% of data that is transferred from devices over a network will be hosted via cloud services. Why is this number so high? It’s simply because the cloud services reduce the complexity of necessary support and offer a litany of cool new features – features that are changing the way companies of all sizes do business.

If you aren’t yet sold on cloud computing, here are 4 reasons why you should re-consider.

Low price point. Data growth has become a serious issue for many companies. Preparing for storage expansion is a top priority for any IT office head, and it can be a major undertaking for companies. Expenses range from planning and designing to equipment procurement, implementation, integration, and beyond.

Cloud services, on the other hand, give companies additional storage without the upfront cost of a project – all for one low monthly payment. Companies can host entire offices in a familiar environment and not be tied to capital expenditures for their server networks.

Variety of applications. From sales to finance, project management, data reporting, social media platforms for business, collaboration tools, mobile device management software, and beyond – there is an application out there to fit your business need. With cloud services, those new applications or services are even easier, install, implement, and launch company-wide.

Reduced risk. There is a risk that goes hand-in-hand with on-site data center expansion. It is fantastic when business is booming and you need more robust systems to carry-out operations, but what if your business hits a recession? All of the sudden, companies can find themselves caught between a high OpEx and low cash flow – which is a terrifying, uncomfortable situation for any business.

 With the scalability of the cloud, companies can easily scale up or down their storage needs. With cloud computing, companies pay for the storage that they need to use, avoiding the tight pinch of slowing business.

Accessibility and collaboration. With cloud services, your company can access business-critical applications and services from anywhere with a secure internet connection. This means supporting and enabling enhanced collaboration with remote employees just got that much easier. Having easily accessible platforms offers more insight and visibility into the operations of your business – especially cloud applications with built-in analytics and reporting structures.

Want to explore how proven cloud services can change the operations of your business? As an IBM Business Partner, Aperio can help you tap into IBM’s rich portfolio of solutions sized and priced for mid-sized businesses. Reach out to an Aperio IT expert today to lay out your best options.

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