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What is UCaaS?

Unified Communications as a Service is growing at an incredible rate; 29% each year. It’s not a single product or service, but instead it is a combination of technologies and features that create a seamless communications experience for your business. It includes integrating communications services, like instant messaging, voice, hosted PBX, mobility features, audio, desktop sharing, and much more. Unified communications removes the barriers among communications tools, effectively converging your devices so that you can access the same information on your laptop as you would your phone, desk phone, tablet, etc. Cloud service providers, like NewCloud, offer Unified Communications as a Service (UCaaS) as a cloud-hosted solution, integrating the above features across all of your devices. UCaaS presents businesses with a low cost way of accessing the latest communications tools all at once. Here are 5 reasons your business needs a hosted unified communications strategy:

Physical damage to a building, destruction of machinery, or even an electrical power outage; what is your plan of action if any of these were to happen to your business? If you hesitated for even a second, it might be time to consider creating a business impact analysis. A business impact analysis, or BIA, helps you understand the effect a disaster can have on your business. With this information you will be able to develop a recovery strategy as well as a mitigation strategy to limit the impact of a disaster. Let us show you how to get started on your own BIA so that you can improve your disaster recovery (DR) plan and improve confidence.

There has been a steady increase in cyber attacks by malicious actors over the past several years as businesses increasingly conduct their activities online. Impacted businesses can experience severe and long-lasting consequences. In addition to a loss of reputation, these businesses may also experience a significant financial loss as a result of measures implemented to contain and manage the data breach. Businesses impacted by a data breach may also be subject to litigation by individuals whose personal information may have been compromised. In 2018, the average cost of a data breach was $3.86 million, up from $3.62 million in 2017, a 6.4 percent increase.

Over the past several years, cloud computing has seen wider adoption within the manufacturing industry as manufacturers increasingly realize the benefits of a cloud-based services. One key aspect of manufacturing that has been transformed by the implementation of cloud-based processes is the global supply chain; cloud computing has enabled manufacturers to better manage and streamline their supply chain. In 2016, the global market for cloud-based manufacturing was worth $111 billion; by 2020, this market value is expected to increase to $216 billion. In addition, it is expected that nearly 50% of all manufacturers will use cloud-based services and applications by 2023.

Cloud technology can be difficult to understand. Being fairly abstract in meaning, it’s easy to forget that there isn’t just one deployment that’s compatible with cloud computing. In fact, not every cloud computing solution is right for every type of company.

Cloud computing, once used primarily in technology and technology-related businesses, has been increasingly adopted by businesses in non-technology related fields. In fact,one of the sectors that has seen a huge growth in cloud computing adoption over the past several years is education. Educational institutions are rapidly ditching traditional classroom-based learning systems in favor of cloud-based systems and strategies. It is estimated that between 2017 and 2021, the cloud computing market in education will grow at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of at least 26%.

The shift to the cloud has brought about several solutions that make doing business easier. Whether it be cost savings, added flexibility or ease of use, companies are offloading workflows to the cloud and maintaining a competitive advantage. Companies are also using the cloud for computing purposes to protect against cyber-attacks, like ransomware. Watch this On-Demand webinar on Ransomware Preparedness and Recovery.

Ransomware has become a keyword that triggers a quiver-like response in most business owners and IT Managers. This is for a good reason, as Ransomware has the ability to encrypt all of your business-critical data, disabling you access to the most important pieces of your enterprise. Cybercrimes, like Ransomware, are the fastest growing causes of data center outages, up 22 percent in 2016, and can cost you upwards of $3M in down-time costs. Don’t let a cyber-criminal ruin your reputation or halt your sales, take initiative to prepare yourself now! The cost to prepare is minuscule, compared to the impact of an attack, and WILL put you in a position where you will never have to negotiate with a criminal. Without further ado, here are four things you will need to protect yourself from those pesky cyber criminals.

You probably have a list of websites you access on a daily basis, either personally or for work; these might include email domains, internal portals, or your accounts with vendors. Over the course of a day, you likely access these services numerous times, resulting in anywhere from hundreds to thousands of interactions per year. You probably trust these websites, but it’s important not to let your guard down. Cyberattackers commonly ‘stake out’ a network ecosystem before attacking, and through observation, they may notice a vulnerability in a location that is accessed by numerous people in an organization. This can be the beginning of a watering hole attack, even if your computer isn’t infected.

There you are, on a deadline, frantically working against the clock.