Managing corporate data has never been more challenging. As remote work has become more prevalent, it has forced organisations to manage a vast network of locations where devices are in use and endpoints that can be very difficult to secure.

Corporate IT leaders are tasked with ensuring that employees can always access company networks and conduct their work effectively. If they cannot provide the same experience for both in-office and remote workers, employees will simply find workarounds like using their own devices. This can lead to reduced productivity and elevate a company’s cybersecurity risk.

If they cannot provide the same experience for both in-office and remote workers, employees will simply find workarounds like using their own devices. This can lead to reduced productivity and elevate a company’s cybersecurity risk.

The need to balance productivity and accessibility in hybrid work settings can lead companies to rely on a network of disparate tools and technologies, all set up at different times and not designed to work as a cohesive unit. This complex network may work for a while, but ultimately, you will eventually need to prioritise simplicity in your data centre.

Doing so will help cut costs and save your IT team countless logistical headaches.

So, what’s the best way to maximise efficiency while prioritising simplicity?

Going with an “as a service” approach to data centre management is a good start. The “as a service” approach to managing the data centre is a common model in today’s IT landscape. Instead of the client building and hosting their own data centre, a managed service provider hosts the infrastructure, storage, and networking resources and supplies them to their clients.

Using this model means that clients can access ready-to-use services that have already been set up and tested and are designed to suit their needs. They do not have to go through the expense or stress of setting up their own data centre, but instead can use resources from trained professionals, scaling up or down as their business grows or changes.

Let’s highlight a few key reasons that many companies choose to switch to an “as a service” data management strategy.

Filling gaps in your IT

Building and managing a data centre requires an intense time commitment for any corporate IT department. Add in all the routine tasks that an in-house IT team must deal with, like keeping technology running smoothly and handling employee inquiries, and it makes for an overwhelming workload.

If your current team excels in other areas, you can let them keep their focus there while a team of dedicated experts manages your data centre. This allows your in-house IT specialists to focus on strategic and long-term planning, supporting the ongoing growth of your business while a trusted partner handles your data centre.

Scaling as you grow

It’s not uncommon for organisations that design and build in-house data centres to find that they’ve outgrown them before the project is even complete. An “as a service” data model is much more flexible, allowing companies to scale up or down quickly depending on their needs.

Paying only for what you use

Instead of trying to predict what you’ll need in the future, opting for an as-a-service plan means that your business only has to pay for what you use. Plus, bundling all the services associated with data centre management and maintenance into one bill simplifies the payment process, making it easier to anticipate monthly fees.

Safeguarding your connectivity

Losing power even for a second can trigger events that keep your network offline for minutes or even hours. The sophisticated backup systems embedded into most managed service providers’ models prioritise connectivity at all times, even in the event of a natural disaster or power failure.

Managing your corporate data can feel overwhelming. But when you work with Zones, you can transition to a new approach to data management that’s better supported and more secure. Our experts will be with you every step of the way to design your system, deploy it, and customise every detail to your specific needs.

If you’re ready to start a conversation about improving your business’ data management, then get in touch with a Zones Account Manager today.