IT Outsourcing - The Pros and Cons

Outsourcing has become a standard part of business procedures across a multitude of industries. It makes it possible to get work done at a fraction of the cost compared to having it performed in house, but sometimes it is not the best solution. When it comes to information technology, there are definite benefits and drawbacks to outsourcing the work. Understanding the pros and cons of it outsourcing will help your company to decide whether it is the right way to go. Some of the included jobs in the it scope are data center operations, application development and maintenance, data entry, network operations and management, and disaster recovery.

The advantages of it outsourcing are many. Obviously, being able to cut down on in house professionals will save your company a huge amount of money, so the reduced expenses are a big advantage. You will also have much greater control over the fringe benefits and be able to run leaner overhead structures. You will be able to utilize cheap labor pools very aggressively and relocate data centers to cheaper areas. You will also be able to employ effective bulk leasing and purchasing agreements for any software or hardware. Meeting deadlines will be easier due to contractual pressures as well.

There are definitely some drawbacks and considerations to be made before seriously considering it outsourcing as well. One of the main things to take into account is the fact that information technology is not easy to outsource since it permeates entire organizations. IT evolves extremely quickly, and so it is very challenging and even speculative to predict needs in three years. Since that is the case, it is risky to sign any long term contracts. Evaluating the costs of bids can be a challenge as well due to ever changing prices in the IT sector and mercurial economics. There is also generally going to be a loss of control compared to an in house IT team.

In the end, it outsourcing is not for every company, but it is definitely the way to go for some. Having a clear understanding of the implications and what it entails will absolutely help you to know whether or not it is feasible. If it is for your organization, you will be able to enjoy huge savings annually.

Backup online

Backup online is an automated solution that allows PCs, laptops and file servers to backup and recover data securely online, share files, collaborate with co-workers, store files online, and access data from a remote location. Our service automatically backs up computers via a secure internet connection to our secure data centres. Your data is secured with military-grade encryption (128-bit) for safe transmission to our off-site storage locations. How does backup online work? A small software agent is installed on the PC or file server to be backed up. This software helps you select which data is to be backed up, it then manages the connection to the internet and the encryption / compression of the data prior to transferring it to the secure data centres. It provides a simple method to view and restore backed up documents, as well as viewing log files to review backup activity Scheduled or manual backup Backups online can be set for hassle-free daily backup or can be performed at any time with a single click. Security Security is provided through secure-sockets connections to the data centres, 128-bit encryption and account passwords. Efficient data transmission Compression and block-level incremental backups ensure on-going backups are efficient and non-disruptive. Anytime, anywhere access to restore data Backed up data can be accessed via the software agent 24 hours a day or via a web browser when travelling away from the office.
CD restore option CD's can be ordered containing a copy of the software agent, as well as all backed up data in case of complete PC / disk loss or for archiving purposes. File sharing For those with multiple PCs, it is possible to grant sharing permissions to others. This is a secure process, which allows co-workers to share key documents, service providers to share key data with clients and tele-workers to access office and home data in a protected manner. Who uses backup online ? backup online is used by businesses including lawyers, accountants, consulting organisations, finance intermediaries, manufacturers, schools and universities, retail organisations, distributors, not-for-profit and service organisations. Businesses of all sizes with a broad band internet connection can benefit, ranging from independent workers, SOHO environments, branch offices, large enterprises, local and national government. Some larger corporate users of online data backup include Cisco, Hewlett Packard, Visa and Symantec*. However, by far the biggest group of users is the thousands of smaller businesses and professionals throughout the UK. These may have a single PC / file server being backed up. Or they may have a several users in the company benefiting from its hassle-free reliability and speed of data recovery. * Some larger users deploy the technology in-house using their own data centres. What are the benefits of backup online ? It is often said that backup online is cheaper, faster and better than traditional backup solutions: Cheaper - * No capital outlay, payments on a monthly basis * No set up fees nor license fees - just one fixed monthly payment * Zero or very low running costs * No internal/external staff time needed for backup or recovery * No tape storage costs Faster - * Setup and installation is simple and complete within minutes of downloading the software * Near instant recovery of data in case of need * No need to wait to find the right tape nor waiting for the IT person to find the time to recover lost data Better - * Daily automated backup provides maximum protection and no hassle * Multiple versions of files are backed up, ensuring fine-grain protection * Instant recovery means less down-time and less lost productivity * Anywhere web-access to backed up files for those that travel * Works with file servers and individual PCs / Laptops * World-class, secure technology and data centres * Ability to share files with co-workers, clients or home PCs If you are not currently backing up your data, then backup online is a perfect way to avoid the hassle of associated with any alternate solution. It can be set up within minutes and ensure that your own, your business and your client data is protected. How long does a backup take? Backup times will largely depend upon the amount of data you have to backup and the speed of the connection you have to the internet. Most business work successfully with a broad band connection of some form (ADSL, Cable) as it is 'always on' allowing easy overnight backups. A dial-up modem type connection will work so long as the data volumes are not excessive (up to 1GB) and a fixed tariff ISP service is available so that you do not incur additional call charges whilst doing the backup online. In all cases the initial backup will take longer than subsequent backups, which are typically less than 5% of the original. This is because only changes are sent to the data centres and the data is efficiently compressed before sending. Users should not be concerned about the time taken for the initial backup, because the software ensures that the process is completed effectively even if the process is interrupted.

Online Backup

Protecting Data in Today’s Fast-Paced & Uncertain Environment
Online server data backup and recovery takes hold

By Bud Stoddard, President & CEO, AmeriVault Corp.

Data, Foundation of Today’s Business

Data is not only the foundation of businesses in all industries but remains a vital irreplaceable strategic asset. But, this asset is threatened today more than ever, given the increasing threat of disaster resulting from the impending war and recent and potential future terrorist activities. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, 93% of companies who experience a significant data loss will be out of business within 5 years.

As a result, data protection has become a critical component in an organization’s disaster recovery and business continuity plans. Today’s disaster planning professionals are responsible for ensuring uninterrupted operation and immediate recovery of data. Faced with increasingly narrow recovery windows and "zero tolerance" for disruption they will have no choice but to look outside the box for recovery solutions. The ability of traditional disaster recovery and business solutions to fulfill corporate objectives in the overall business continuity scheme should be evaluated and a new methodology introduced.

With its ability to most quickly and efficiently perform backup and recovery, online backup is responding to the demands of today’s businesses in these uncertain times. Its no wonder a technology that used to be seen as unconventional and experimental, is quickly becoming mainstream. IDC estimates that through 2006, rapid growth will continue in the area of remote backup.

Lawyer’s Weekly, the nation’s top source of legal information for practicing attorneys, has used online backup for years to protect their data. “My feeling is that you're only as good as your last backup. Our company has many remote locations without systems administrators. As a result, we really have come to depend on online backup as a means of assuring that our backups are done on a daily basis at these sites,” said Tom Bannister, Systems Manager, Lawyer’s Weekly.

Data Management Evolves

Remarkable changes in the way businesses work, are being fueled by online and other electronic processes going on 24 hours a day. Business processes are becoming more compressed, and business activities that took days now happen within hours or minutes globally. Companies without a strong foothold in technology will be disadvantaged when facing the evolutionary trend of business changes. Disaster recovery and business continuity planning must change to coincide with the fast-paced and highly competitive business environment and offer protection against uncontrollable looming disasters. Continuity Planners must turn to solutions that are internet-based.

The recent SQL Slammer virus was a prime example of why contingency planning must change to keep up with technology-dependant businesses. Although SQL Slammer’s effect could have carried a more damaging payload, it brought down 13,000 ATM machines at Bank of America, making it impossible for customers to withdraw cash for an entire weekend and reportedly caused widespread damage at HP and even Microsoft itself. The disaster recovery and business continuity planning industry was forced to take notice.

Myths About Online Backup

Whenever an innovative idea threatens to replace current solutions in day-to-day business practices, myths begin to sprout like weeds spotting your favorite golfing green. The uncomfortable reality is that many businesses today suffer from insufficient backup plans. Data backup is critical for every company. Remember the last time you didn't suffer from backup headaches? You can't.

A new solution entered the market in the mid 80’s but didn’t launch until the World Wide Web phenomenon took off. Only then did it catch the attention of IT professionals responsible for safeguarding mission-critical data. Online backup or electronic vaulting, no matter the coined term, eliminates many typical backup headaches. The ability to automate your backup and remove the data off-site to a secure vault with a click of a mouse button is now a reality. Online backup is the most innovative, cost-effective and reliable solution out there today. But dispelling the myths about online backup continues to be a challenge for companies offering this technology.

Myth One: Online backup is too expensive.

Initially it may appear that way. Compare a tape scenario for instance. Hardware, software licenses, tapes, personnel -- and let us not forget basic human error, add to the cost of traditional back up procedures. Additional costs accrue with traditional off-site courier service and tape solutions have large up-front and sometimes unexpected costs, while online backup costs are declining. AmeriVault Corp.™ predicts a double-digit annual decrease in cost due to bandwidth and storage hardware pricing declines. A small ten gigabyte user with daily backup would pay approximately $460.00 for traditional albeit partial service; while the same user would pay approximately $294.00 for complete, automated service. In addition, online backup technology utilizes a company's existing telecom lines. A company can better justify the 24 x 7 cost of its dedicated Internet connection. Online backup eliminates all these traditional cost factors. With total automation, local backup and off-site protection occur simultaneously.

Myth Two: Data is not secure on the Internet.

Online backup utilizes the same technology the U.S. Government uses for its security. Encrypted, fragmented data is sent over telecom lines -- pieces of a puzzle in gibberish language. Online backup vendors can offers clients a highly secure VPN (Virtual Private Network) connection. This higher level of security ensures that all communication between the client and the vault is encrypted. Online backup is actually more secure than storing unencrypted data tapes in a remote vault.

Myth Three: Online Backup can't handle a fortune 500 company's data.

Handling large amounts of data over relatively small bandwidth is a popular feature of online backup. An initial backup or "seed" of the server's data is extracted. The Delta Processing technology then seeks out updated portions of changed files. Only the fragmented change of data is sent to the vault. Large-volume and highly redundant disk storage systems store the data online. Online backup providers service businesses with a responsibility to ensure that storage space is always available, no matter what the size. To further data integrity, reliability and recovery, the massive amounts of data online are backed up to tape on a daily basis, and shipped to an underground vault for safekeeping.

An Inevitable Evolution

Despite the current myths surrounding online backup, unavoidably it is fast becoming the standard in the business of data backup storage. Online backup has proven itself to be a fundamental component of disaster recovery and business continuity plans. Traditional recovery solutions must be retailored to accommodate the new recovery and continuity alternatives available to businesses in this fast-paced and uncertain climate. No longer can businesses rely on protecting their most important asset with inefficient methods.

Loss of data and disasters are inevitable, and so is online backup. The Internet has radically altered the global economy, and with it, the management of securing and restoring data. Companies who wait until disaster strikes to implement more efficient means of backing up their valuable data, will become extinct like the dinosaurs who once roamed our planet.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Bud_Stoddard

More Links on Online Backup

http://www.online-backup.com/
http://free-backup.info/online-backup-websites.html
http://www.pcpro.co.uk/labs/148/online-backup- services/products.html

Backup Online

How long have you been doing business online? Whether you are new or an old timer you need to understand the one important truth of the e-world. That being that the largest threat to business survival is data loss.
Online data backup is not just for huge multinational corporations and computer geeks anymore. More and more everyday computer users are saving important data to their hard drives. From schoolwork to financial documents, digital media files to journal entries, our computers are storing more and more digital data that holds personal, and in some cases monetary, value to us. It is because of this that online data storage and other backup solutions are becoming more and more critical to our everyday lives.
If the statements above describe you, you should consider utilizing an offsite data backup solution. These online-based backup providers come in many forms but can be very easy to use and convenient for end users to implement no matter what the platform or how large the network. Whether you need to back up a single laptop, or an entire network of machines, there is an online data backup solution that will meet your needs.
Although there are several methods to accomplish online backup and data retrieval the simplest method is for the end user to install a backup package that has been pre-configured to connect to the service provider’s offsite servers (supplied by the offsite backup service provider). This software will allow you, the end user, to select a number of customizable settings, including what directories and files to backup, how often to back them up, number of file revisions to archive, etc. These packages take care of the complicated details such as server IP addresses, encryption levels, and secure logins for you so you can concern yourself with the important choices of what and when to backup.
Once you have set up an account with a service provider and have configured your software the rest of the process is typically transparent and requires little to no interaction from you. You can choose to be notified (via email or various other methods depending on provider) of successful backups for your records and to provide peace-of-mind, but beyond that, you can usually “set and forget” these solutions and rest assured knowing that the most critical data you generate is being saved in a safe and secure manner that is easily accessible to you whenever you may need it.
Your DATA is your LIFE. Protect it!

Backup Online

You can skip these backup guidelines and do not backup if you have never:
* misedited a file and saved
* deleted a file by mistake
* had to recover from a hard disk crash, a virus, a computer theft or other similar computer disaster.

Why backup?
Probably, you may even think that you do not need to backup. And you may be right, if you are so lucky. If you are not so lucky or wish to further improve your security, you can check this article as an online backup tutorial.
So what is the solution to prevent data loss?
The answer is simple: backup.

What to backup?
Once you backup all your important files, be it documents, Outlook or Outlook Express mail files, images, video or music files, etc., you will be able to recover your files easily no matter what happened to them.

Where to backup?
If you backup to an external backup medium (like CD, DVD, an external hard disk or a flash USB drive), you can move the medium anywhere for it to be safe and recover your files pretty easily. Also, you can use an extra backup medium to move the files from on computer to another for various reasons: to keep them safe, to work with files or to hand them over to a friend for collaboration.

If you backup to a remote location (an FTP or WebDAV server), you can access your files from anyplace on the planet with the Internet access. Basically this means if you are using a laptop and backed up to a remote FTP server, you can recover your files wherever you are, provided you are connected to the Internet.

If the importance of backup and easy file recovery has not yet become obvious, you may well consider ways to prevent the need to backup by increasing your file security by excellent proficiency. However, if you are unsure, whether you will succeed in this, feel free to backup.