With the cost of a data breach averaging $3.86 million as of 2020, it's no surprise that more organizations than ever are increasing their cybersecurity budget. While there are hundreds of things your organization can do to limit your exposure, what you really need is a robust and comprehensive plan to lock down your network.
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With large volumes of users and organizations utilizing Microsoft 365, there comes the need for IT to manage this environment to meet the specific needs of each organization. From firewalls, to email security you may think your organization has all its security bases covered- but have you considered how to monitor, protect, and optimize your Microsoft Tenant?
Azure Labs was released by Microsoft in February 2019, however not many schools have heard of it. Technology is here to stay, and students who learn more than basic computer skills will have an advantage in the future. With more schools opting to offer computer courses such as SQL or Python, the need for a cost-effective and easy to use tool is crucial. If you're looking for a way to provide these classes for your students, even during remote or hybrid learning environments, Azure Labs might be the answer.
What is Microsoft Azure Labs?
Created by Microsoft, Azure Labs is a cloud based computer lab that allows schools and other organizations to run programs on preconfigured virtual machines. This means that instead of having students come into a traditional computer lab with the programs downloaded on desktops, the program itself is held in the Azure cloud and accessed through virtual machines set up for each individual student. When students login, they can access as many labs as they are enrolled in and can connect and start working from anywhere without their own Azure subscription.
Schools are slowly beginning to adjust back to an in-person learning environment, but to do so safely requires patience and creativity. Today’s classroom are filled with technology, from more common tools like interactive white boards to emerging tech like augmented reality, not to mention tablets and laptops
Today, work-from-anywhere is becoming increasingly common amongst professionals. With big tech companies, like Facebook and Apple, allowing their employees to permanently work from home, it is clear that this trend isn't going anywhere. Studies have even shown that 62% of employed Americans have worked from home during the COVID-19 Crisis and 59% of remote worked would work remotely as much as possible if their employer let them. With your employees working remotely, it is important that they have access to their documents, files, and software easily and securely. If you don’t already utilize a Windows Virtual Desktop, this might be the answer you are looking for.
Between increased saving, increased security, and lower downtime, there are several reasons why your organization should migrate to the cloud in 2021. In fact, according to Right Scale's Annual State of the Cloud Report, 72% of businesses used a private cloud while 91% of businesses used a public cloud in the year 2020.
Over the last several years, organizations have become more familiar with managed services and are turning to them for management of certain IT functions, particularly email hosting, storage, backup and recovery, and network monitoring. From better IT support to financial benefits, the value a managed service provider can bring to your organization is unmatched.
Is your organization considering implementing UCaaS within your organization in 2021? If so, you are not alone. In fact, 67% of organizations are moving significant portions of their unified communications solutions to the cloud.
