Debunking 5 Myths and Misconceptions of Moving to Microsoft 365

Debunking 5 Myths and Misconceptions of Moving to Microsoft 365

 

 

Here at Elite Group IT, we have helped businesses both large and small transition to Microsoft’s cloud computing solution, but we understand there are still concerns around making such a business critical decision. We know there are still organisations who have not moved from their on site Microsoft Exchange server to Microsoft 365 due to concerns and worries about cloud computing.

Based on feedback from our clients on successful and smooth migrations, we have put together a list of the myths and misconceptions on moving to Microsoft’s Cloud computing system.

 

MYTH 1: IT REQUIRES RETRAINING OF STAFF TO USE WHOLE NEW SYSTEMS

One of the biggest barriers to a migration is that it would result in your staff having to learn new systems. Thankfully, we have found this is far from what actually happens with our clients when they move to Microsoft 365. The reality is that the majority of business critical systems and software are already cloud based, be them banking and accounting systems to time recording programs and customer management software. As users interact with cloud based systems each and every day, be them online shopping systems, personal online banking access and booking holidays, we have found they are very familiar and comfortable with using Microsoft 365. These days, even if some software still requires you to download an app or program, the majority of the functionality takes place on the cloud.

With regards to using Microsoft 365 Office products, be it Word, Excel, Outlook or PowerPoint, the interfaces retain the same functionality your staff are trained on and accustomed to. Over the years Microsoft has done a fantastic job at making them even more intuitive to use allowing users to seamlessly transition between software upgrades. If any training is required for staff, it would be on how to take advantage of the new collaboration tools that come with Microsoft 365. These tools can help your business work smarter and more efficiently by accessing and collaborating on documents together in real time across different secure locations.

 

MYTH 2: MOVING COMPANY DATA FROM BEING STORED ON A SERVER IN MY OFFICE TO THE CLOUD IS LESS SECURE

A data breach can be both costly and reputation damaging, so we understand why this would be a concern. The security of your data should always be something you are mindful of. With a wealth of knowledge and experience in keeping our clients data protected, we believe there are more significant risks with clients keeping their data on site than in cloud environments. With Microsoft 365, your data sits behind sophisticated security software and multiple layers of protection. Therefore, there are fewer chances of human error resulting in a data breach and server downtime with cloud environments. With Microsoft 365 you are adding the benefits of DDoS protection, anti-malware and extra levels of protection to suit your specific business areas, such as two-factor authentication and location specific access control.

Microsoft 365 allows you to more easily control who within your business has access to certain sections of your data along with enabling and disabling access quickly, remotely and easily. It also enables you to act quickly should one of your staff lose a company device or if it is stolen. With your data in the Cloud, a company device such as a laptop or mobile phone is a lot less risk to the business should it fall into the wrong hands.

With regards to how secure your data is on Microsoft’s Cloud servers, their data centres are protected by state-of-the-art security infrastructure, which makes them virtually impossible to breach directly. Microsoft also provides a financially backed 99.9% application uptime guarantee for Microsoft 365.

All of these security measures work to keep your cloud data very well protected. If you do have in-house security teams, it can be a costly exercise for them to implement these extra safety practices and keep on top of them. Therefore, it’s safe to assume that your data is as secure, if not more secure, being in the cloud on Microsoft 365.

MYTH 3: IT IS MORE EXPENSIVE TO MOVE TO MICROSOFT 365

While there is always going to be a cost to moving to any new system or solution, moving to Microsoft 365 provides significant value for money for your business. The advantage of moving to a cloud solution is that it reduces both your hardware costs and particularly relevant at present the power consumption, given hikes in electricity costs. Running that big in–house server along with backup servers, uninterruptible power supplies and off–site disaster recovery servers all require upkeep, maintenance and electricity. While our engineers are skilled at looking after this legacy hardware, it is a more costly model than having your data and office applications accessible in the cloud. Not forgetting the growing Environmental, Social and Corporate Governance requirements! It is Microsoft’s responsibility to ensure that their servers are up–to–date and running at optimal efficiency. With there being less of a requirement for your staff to have powerful enough machines and devices to run and access programs and data locally, it can also help you reduce the cost of hardware.

Another cost saving benefit from using Microsoft 365 is its scalability. Being able to increase and reduce the number of users quickly and efficiently in line with your business has never been easier. Should you need help with adding or removing users and giving them access to the data and software they need, our engineers can do this remotely for you, without the need to come on–site and install new software on the latest hardware.

 

MYTH 4: MOVING TO THE CLOUD MEANS NO MORE IT TEAMS

We are glad this one is a big misconception. While your IT team’s roles and responsibilities would change, whether that is your in-house IT professionals or using Elite Group IT’s engineers for your support, they are still very much needed. Moving to Microsoft 365 will free up resources currently used to ‘keep the lights on’; enabling your team to focus on optimising and innovating on whatever your core business priorities are.  

With more functionality to help improve productivity, data access controls and advancements in collaboration tools, Microsoft 365 allows IT professionals to support businesses goals and aspirations more than ever before.

MYTH 5: YOUR COMPANY DATA HAS TO BE STORED ON US SERVERS WHEN MOVING TO THE CLOUD

One of the biggest myths and misunderstandings of moving from your office-based server to Microsoft’s cloud computing data centers is that all your data and that of your clients must be stored in the United States at Microsoft HQ. This is an understandable area of concern, especially for businesses with sensitive client data. However, moving to Microsoft 365 not only allows you to specify which geographic region of the world you would like your data to be securely stored but also allows you to specify where certain mailboxes and even sections of your data are stored. This allows for greater flexibility from a compliance and regulatory perspective, but also peace of mind.

Microsoft has data centres in different countries and regions all over the world, from the UK, Ireland and across Europe to Asia and the US. Our dedicated Microsoft 365 specialists can provide you with the information your business needs to make an informed choice as to where in the world your data is stored.

 

These are just some of the myths and misconceptions we have found our clients had initially about moving from onsite Exchange servers to Microsoft 365. If you do have any questions about your business making the move to the Cloud, our team at Elite Group IT are happy to answer them and give you the information you need to make an informed and confident decision.

Reach out today by calling 01624 663333 or emailing sales@elitegroupit.com.