What Are Cloud Services?

Cloud computing essentially means using computing resources, applications, storage or infrastructure delivered through a network rather than relying entirely on equipment located at your premises.

Depending on your business, this could include:

Cloud applications

Cloud storage

Cloud email

Cloud identity

Cloud infrastructure

Cloud backup

Cloud collaboration

Virtual machines

Hosted applications

Cloud security services

Microsoft 365 is one example of cloud computing, but cloud services are much broader than Microsoft 365.

Computerist can help businesses understand where different cloud services fit into their technology environment. For official information about Microsoft cloud services, see Microsoft Azure

Cloud Services for Business

Businesses often move towards cloud technology for reasons such as:

Flexibility

Remote access

Scalability

Reduced reliance on local hardware

Easier collaboration

Business continuity

Access to modern applications

Supporting hybrid work

Simplifying infrastructure

But cloud adoption should be driven by a business requirement.

“Because everyone else is using the cloud” isn’t a strategy.

We start by understanding what your business actually needs.

Cloud Migration

Moving an existing IT environment to the cloud can involve considerably more than uploading files.

A migration may involve:

Applications

Users

Identity

Data

Email

Servers

Storage

Networks

Security

Backups

Devices

Business processes

Computerist can help businesses assess their existing environment and determine which systems are suitable for migration.

The migration can then be planned around:

What should move?

What shouldn’t move?

What needs to change first?

What happens during the transition?

How do we recover if something goes wrong?

Moving From On-Premises to the Cloud

Many businesses still operate systems that were designed around physical infrastructure.

That may include:

File servers

Application servers

Local storage

On-premises email

Traditional authentication

Local applications

Some of these workloads may benefit from moving to cloud services.

Others may not.

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Cloud isn’t automatically better simply because it’s newer.

A proper assessment should consider:

Cost

Performance

Security

Availability

Compatibility

Data

Business requirements

Existing infrastructure

Recovery requirements

Computerist can help businesses evaluate the options before committing to a migration.

Hybrid Cloud

Not every business needs to choose between:

Everything on-premises

and

Everything in the cloud.

A hybrid environment combines elements of both.

For example, a business might have:

Microsoft 365

Cloud applications

Local servers

Local network storage

Cloud backup

On-premises business applications

Hybrid environments can make sense where certain systems need to remain local while others benefit from cloud services.

The challenge is making sure the different environments work together reliably and securely.

Cloud Strategy

Before moving workloads to the cloud, businesses should consider what they’re trying to achieve.

A practical cloud strategy can examine:

Current infrastructure

Applications

Data

Users

Security

Costs

Performance

Business continuity

Compliance requirements

Future growth

The result should be a roadmap rather than a collection of disconnected cloud subscriptions.

Cloud Assessment

If you’re considering moving to the cloud, the first step doesn’t necessarily involve purchasing anything.

It can begin with an assessment.

We can help you identify:

What you have

Servers, applications, data and services.

What you actually need

Business requirements rather than technical fashion.

What could move

Suitable workloads and services.

What should remain

Systems that may be better kept locally or handled differently.

What needs to change

Infrastructure, security, identity or processes.

What the migration could involve

Time, dependencies, risks and recovery considerations.

Cloud Infrastructure

Cloud infrastructure can provide computing resources without requiring the business to own and maintain all of the underlying physical hardware.

Depending on the platform, this may include:

Virtual machines

Storage

Networking

Databases

Application platforms

Backup

Security services

Computerist can help businesses understand infrastructure requirements and determine whether cloud-hosted infrastructure is appropriate.

Cloud Virtual Machines

Some applications traditionally run on physical servers but can be hosted within cloud-based virtual infrastructure.

Potential benefits can include:

Scalability

Remote accessibility

Flexible resource allocation

Reduced dependence on local hardware

Easier infrastructure expansion

But cloud-hosted virtual machines still require:

Security

Updates

Backups

Monitoring

Access control

Appropriate configuration

Moving a server into the cloud doesn’t eliminate the responsibility of managing the workload.

Cloud Storage

Businesses increasingly use cloud storage for:

Documents

Collaboration

File sharing

Backups

Archives

Application data

Cloud storage can make information accessible from multiple locations, but businesses should still consider:

Permissions

Data ownership

Retention

Security

Backup

Sharing

Recovery

Cloud storage is not automatically a complete backup strategy.

For broader recovery planning:

Cloud File Sharing & Collaboration

Cloud platforms can allow employees to work on documents without relying entirely on a local file server.

Depending on the environment, businesses may use:

OneDrive

SharePoint

Microsoft Teams

Other cloud collaboration platforms

Computerist can help businesses understand how these services can fit into their existing IT environment.

Cloud Applications

Many modern business applications are delivered entirely through the cloud.

Examples include:

Accounting

CRM

Project management

Communication

Document management

HR

Customer support

Industry-specific applications

This can reduce the need for businesses to maintain application servers themselves.

But cloud applications still need to be:

Configured

Secured

Managed

Integrated

Supported

Computerist can assist with the surrounding IT environment where appropriate.

Cloud & Remote Work

Cloud services can make it easier for employees to work across:

Office

Home

Client locations

Multiple offices

Mobile environments

Users can potentially access business applications and information without needing to connect directly to a traditional office server.

However, remote access also increases the importance of:

Identity

MFA

Device security

Access controls

Secure networks

Data protection

Cloud and cybersecurity therefore need to be considered together.

Cloud Identity

As businesses move towards cloud services, identity becomes increasingly important.

A user may access multiple services using a common identity.

This can simplify administration, but it also means that a compromised account may provide access to several systems.

Computerist can help businesses consider:

User accounts

Authentication

MFA

Permissions

Access

Employee onboarding

Employee offboarding

Cloud Security

Moving a system to the cloud doesn’t automatically make it secure.

Cloud environments still require appropriate consideration of:

Identity

Authentication

Permissions

Data

Encryption

Network access

Administrative privileges

Monitoring

Backup

Recovery

A common mistake is assuming:

“The cloud provider handles security.”

Cloud providers secure the infrastructure they operate, but customers remain responsible for many aspects of their own configuration, data and access.

Computerist can help businesses understand those responsibilities within their environment.

Cloud Backup

Cloud services can form part of a broader backup strategy.

For example, businesses may use cloud-based protection for:

Microsoft 365

Servers

Endpoints

Databases

Files

Virtual machines

Cloud backup can provide valuable offsite protection.

But businesses should still ask:

What is being backed up?

How often?

How long is it retained?

Who can delete it?

Is it protected from ransomware?

Can it be restored?

Where is the recovery environment?

Cloud backup still needs a recovery strategy.

Cloud Disaster Recovery

Cloud infrastructure can sometimes provide additional recovery options.

Depending on the environment, businesses may be able to recover:

Virtual machines

Applications

Data

Services

Infrastructure

Cloud-based disaster recovery can be particularly useful where a business needs to recover systems without relying entirely on the original physical infrastructure.

The appropriate design depends on:

RTO

RPO

Critical systems

Data

Budget

Infrastructure

Cloud Cost Management

Cloud services can be flexible.

They can also become expensive when poorly managed.

Costs can grow through:

Unused resources

Oversized virtual machines

Duplicate services

Unused storage

Uncontrolled subscriptions

Poorly configured workloads

Automatic scaling

Unmonitored consumption

Cloud cost management should therefore be part of the overall strategy.

Moving to the cloud shouldn’t mean receiving a larger bill every month without understanding why.

Computerist can help businesses identify the technical factors contributing to cloud costs and determine where optimisation may be appropriate.

Cloud vs On-Premises

The answer isn’t always obvious.

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Requirement	Cloud may make sense	On-premises may make sense
Remote access	Often	Can require additional infrastructure
Scalability	Often flexible	Hardware may need expansion
Physical control	Less	Greater
Local processing	Depends	Often advantageous
Existing server investment	May not justify immediate migration	Existing infrastructure may still be useful
Specialist legacy application	Depends on compatibility	May remain more practical
Internet dependency	Important consideration	Potentially less for local workloads
Capital expenditure	Often reduced	Hardware investment required
Ongoing cloud costs	Subscription/usage based	Hardware + maintenance

There is no universal winner.

The right choice depends on the business.

When Cloud May Not Be the Right Answer

This is worth saying explicitly.

Cloud may not be ideal where:

A legacy application requires local infrastructure

Internet connectivity is unreliable

Workloads require specialised local hardware

Cloud costs are disproportionate

Data requirements make another architecture more appropriate

Existing infrastructure remains efficient and well supported

Good IT advice sometimes means telling a customer not to migrate.

Computerist’s role is to help you make an informed decision.

Cloud Migration Planning

A successful migration starts before anything is moved.

Planning can involve:

Discovery

What systems and data currently exist?

Dependency mapping

Which applications depend on which systems?

Prioritisation

What should move first?

Security

How will identities, access and data be protected?

Migration

How will data and workloads be transferred?

Testing

How will we confirm everything works?

Cutover

When will users move to the new environment?

Recovery

What happens if something goes wrong?

Minimising Business Disruption

A cloud migration should not unnecessarily bring your business to a standstill.

Depending on the project, migration can be planned around:

Staged deployment

Pilot users

Test environments

Data synchronisation

Scheduled cutovers

Communication

Rollback planning

The appropriate approach depends on the size and complexity of the environment.

Cloud Support After Migration

Moving to the cloud isn’t the end of the project.

After migration, businesses may still need help with:

Users

Access

Applications

Security

Performance

Storage

Costs

Backups

Configuration

Troubleshooting

Computerist can provide ongoing technical support for suitable cloud environments.

  Cloud Services & Microsoft 365

Microsoft 365 may be one of the first cloud platforms a small business adopts.

But it isn’t the entire cloud strategy.

A business may also use:

Cloud accounting

CRM

Cloud backup

Cloud storage

Hosted applications

Cloud infrastructure

Computerist can help businesses understand how these services fit together.

Cloud Services & Existing Servers

Moving some services to the cloud doesn’t necessarily mean your existing servers disappear overnight.

A business might transition gradually.

For example:

Stage 1: Microsoft 365

Stage 2: Cloud backup

Stage 3: Cloud file collaboration

Stage 4: Move selected applications

Stage 5: Retire or reduce on-premises infrastructure

A phased approach can sometimes be more practical than a complete migration in one project.

For businesses that need to retain physical or virtual servers:

Cloud & Business Continuity

Cloud services can contribute to business continuity, particularly where employees need access to systems from different locations.

But cloud availability should not be confused with complete business continuity.

You should still consider:

Internet connectivity

User authentication

Device availability

Data recovery

Application dependencies

Alternative access

Backup

Cloud is a tool within the continuity strategy, not the strategy itself.

Cloud Services for Small Business

Small businesses don’t necessarily need a complicated cloud architecture.

A practical environment might consist of:

Microsoft 365

Cloud accounting

Cloud backup

Cloud collaboration

Secure endpoints

Cloud applications

For another business, a hybrid environment may make more sense.

The right solution depends on the business.

Computerist focuses on building an environment that is:

Practical.

Secure.

Manageable.

Scalable.

And appropriate for the organisation’s actual needs.

What Happens When You Contact Computerist?

1. Tell us what you’re trying to achieve

For example:

“We want to get rid of our old server.”

or:

“We need our staff to work remotely.”

or:

“We’re considering moving our applications to the cloud.”

You don’t need to know which cloud platform you need.

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2. Understand your existing environment

We’ll consider:

Users

Devices

Servers

Applications

Data

Network

Microsoft 365

Security

Backups

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3. Identify suitable cloud opportunities

We’ll determine which workloads may benefit from cloud services.

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4. Identify what should remain

Not everything needs to move.

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5. Develop a practical approach

We’ll consider:

Cost

Security

Migration

Business disruption

Recovery

Future requirements

6. Implement the agreed solution

Once approved, we’ll carry out the appropriate work.

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7. Support the environment

Cloud services still need ongoing management and troubleshooting.