With New Zealand moving through different alert levels in the past few months due to the ongoing global health pandemic, many SMB’s were forced to rapidly shift to a work from home model. While quite a few struggled with this transition, many others were well placed to address this challenge, as their staff were already enabled to work remotely effectively and securely. In many cases, these businesses were those who had already invested in hosting their key business systems in the cloud using Software as a Service (SaaS) offerings, such as the Microsoft 365 suite for example.

At CodeBlue, we are seeing SMB’s leading the charge with this transformation. Many of our clients both large and small have already ditched their servers moving key business applications to the cloud because of the many benefits and features it offers, including greater security and protection of data, mobile access, flexibility and collaboration.

With the plethora of cloud services on the market and the overwhelming amount of information available, it can be hard to know which cloud technology is right for your business, or where to even start. At CodeBlue, we have helped many businesses transition to the cloud, and realise the numerous benefits. What we have found is that it is not a case of one-size fits-all, while the Microsoft 365 Modern Workplace offers many benefits it may not suit all businesses. For example, a hybrid approach may be needed to support key applications that are not yet cloud ready.

CodeBlue’s Strategic Technology Roadmap takes a top-down approach that gives you peace of mind that your business is ready for the cloud, and the right mix of technologies is selected. We use a strategic approach to understand your business before we make cloud service recommendations. Ultimately, our approach will ensure you pick the right cloud model for your business and enjoy a painless transition.

Firstly, it is imperative we take the time to understand the heart of your business. Are you looking to grow? What are you looking to streamline?

We then identify the applications and business processes that support your business functions and initiatives. If a move to a cloud-based model is desired, we assess your applications to determine cloud readiness and the best approach to transition.

Finally, we identify and implement the right mix of technology that will allow your applications and processes to function in the cloud and enable your business to leverage the benefits that this model offers.

Our top down approach to cloud service migration ensures that all IT investment is firmly aligned to where your business is heading, and that your infrastructure improves with each step, leaving you better placed to focus on the future and execute on business initiatives.