‘Hosted’ technology based on Small Business Server is affordable and hassle-free

Ann Merrick, Managing Director, Infineo Ann Merrick is Managing Director of Newbury-based Infineo, a Microsoft Partner and Small Business Specialist.

Question: We’re a small group of busy people trying to grow our business as quickly as possible. We’re conscious that we need to use technology to help achieve this, but we haven't got the expertise or the time to get too involved in that side of things. And we don’t really want to hire an in-house IT specialist right now. Is there a low-cost, low-hassle answer? - Tom, Bristol

Answer: Hi Tom. Many small businesses share your problem. Technology is a key driver in helping companies grow and make more profit; but without experience of managing IT systems, that much-needed technology can take up valuable time that’s better spent dealing with customers.

For a fledgling company like yours, the trick is to decide which technologies you need to help you function more efficiently and not get bogged down in the intricacies of IT. With professional guidance, a small business like yours can benefit from the same technology as much larger companies. It’s simply a case of laying the right foundations to build upon as your business evolves.

There’s a whole range of hardware and software packages out there today that, implemented properly, will give you the flexibilty to share information and work with colleagues and customers more effectively. They also won’t break the bank or sap away your time. What I’m proposing should solve your development issues for at least a couple of years, as many of our customers will testify.

‘Hosted’ programs via the internet
As long as you have broadband connectivity, there are enormous benefits to be gained by setting up a ‘virtual office’ – using software which lives online instead of on your PC. Firstly, this means you don't have to be in the same place as your colleagues to collaborate with them effectively – some companies even dispense with traditional office buildings altogether. Equally important for any smaller operation, the virtual office reduces the expense of your technology because you simply ‘rent’ what you need.

The secret lies in the use of the internet. For a fixed monthly fee, you simply use secure ‘hosted’ applications (in other words, programs that are managed remotely by companies like mine) over the internet to gain all the benefits of enterprise-grade hardware and software without the licensing or maintenance costs. It’s simply a matter of bringing together ‘best of breed’ programs and systems and making them fit the specific requirements of your business on an ‘as needed’ basis.

Of course, no two customers’ needs are the same, which is where we can advise you on the particular combination of programs you need to run your business. Ask your provider of hosted services for advice – they should be glad to give you a free review of your existing IT and proposals for creating your virtual office. First off, let me recommend the starting point for your hosted solution.

First steps towards ‘hosted’ IT
Many small businesses try to get by without a server - and yes, it’s perfectly possible to connect a handful of computers without a server using what’s called ‘peer-to-peer’ networking. However, I believe many companies live with this kind of network for much longer than they should, because of the perceived expense.

The perfect way round this is to opt for hosted Windows Small Business Server (SBS) 2008, an all-in-one server solution that will make your data more secure and your company more productive. It offers features used by much larger companies, such as intranets, remote access, support for mobile devices, backup, and restore - all for a monthly subscription starting at around £200 for up to five users.

As your business needs change, hosted SBS will also allow you to add users, servers and programs easily, as well as expanding into other Microsoft technologies. And it’s not as though SBS is miserly - a hosted SBS arrangement usually includes most or all of these top-rated services:

A hosted Exchange service means you can also enjoy the liberating experience of having all your desktop Outlook features on your mobile phone or PDA thanks to integration between Exchange and Windows Mobile. The wide selection of phones now running on the Windows Mobile platform makes it ideal for handling jobs on the move and keeping in constant touch with the office.

Great IT - and the numbers add up, too
By combining several server technologies in this way under one Microsoft licence, hosted SBS offers small businesses like yours the best of both worlds - a business workhorse to keep pace with your expansion, plus very welcome cost savings. A virtual office based on hosted solutions also means that someone else takes care of your IT - allowing you to get on with running your business.

Moreover, it won’t tie you into onerous long-term contracts. By charging for IT on a monthly subscription basis, a hosted solution allows small businesses like yours to move technology from being a capital investment to part of the revenue budget. Indeed your IT procurement should be no more burdensome than your mobile phone contract.

I’d like to say finally that we never recommend to customers anything we haven’t tried out for ourselves. Since we believe the proof of the pudding is in the eating, my company uses all of the technologies I’ve described here, which is what has enabled our business to grow. I’m confident a virtual office based on hosted technologies will be equally beneficial to your company.

I hope this helps, but if you have any further questions, there’s also plenty of help available - setting up a virtual office based on hosted technology is something a Microsoft Small Business Specialist can help you achieve. Good luck!

--Ann

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