October 22, 2009 Atlanta, GA. DynaSis IT a managed IT provider for small and medium sized businesses has released a whitepaper on Software as a Service detailing the benefits of using SaaS to create a centralized IT solution which transforms IT into a utility. SaaS is a model of software deployment in which a provider licenses an application to customers for use as a service on demand. The whitepaper explains the growing trend towards using SaaS to centralize the management and delivery of IT and includes cost saving figures from leading researchers.

The whitepaper from DynaSis explains that traditional networks in which a small or medium sized business maintains their own equipment and data processes is not a cost effective practice. SaaS allows businesses to minimize their investment in technologies such as email, storage, application upgrades or security and shift dollars to advanced technologies like data warehousing, data mining, ERP and CRM solutions which could offer a head-start against competition.

The document also examines levels of “IT Maturity” explaining that a company’s IT infrastructure and systems can fall on a scale ranging from chaotic and reactive to a proactive or managed approach with IT as a utility being the highest level of maturity. Companies falling under proactive, managed, or utility are maximizing the value of their IT systems and saving the most over the long term. A managed services solution using SaaS can make that transition possible.

DynaSis President David Moorman, “This document was important for us to write because it helps businesses understand that the day-to-day care of IT isn’t a competitive advantage. A SaaS solution allows a business to focus on why they opened their doors in the first place. IT staff time is better spent exploring new ways for technology to improve efficiency rather than the mundane tasks associated with computer network maintenance.”

Chas Arnold Vice President of DynaSis adds, “SaaS is a big switch from traditional networking that some companies have a hard time grasping. The whitepaper explains in detail the argument for SaaS and points to why it is the next generation of computing.”
The DynaSis whitepaper Using Technology to Simplify and Save Money is available by visiting www.dynasis.com.

DynaSis is a managed IT service provider servicing small and medium sized businesses in the Atlanta area for over 17 years. DynaSis specializes in managed IT service plans, managed hosting and professional equipment installation. For more information about DynaSis visit www.dynasis.com.

by David Moorman, President

Many IT providers in the market today claim to offer “managed services,” and for rock bottom prices. But just what qualifies a provider’s service as a “managed IT service” and what distinguishes one managed IT provider from the next? According to Wikipedia, “Managed services is the practice of transferring day-to-day related management responsibility as a strategic method for improved effective and efficient operations. “ A good definition, but a lot of room for grey area.

In my time in the IT industry (over 20 years, wow I can’t believe its been that long) I have come across what we affectionately call in the business “trunk slammers”. A trunk slammer is often a small shop that offers IT services for low low prices and can sometimes go under the name of a managed service provider, hosting it all from the back of his, that’s right, trunk. Ok, in all seriousness they may not actually be working from their trunk, but they may not have the greatest equipment or practices in place when you consider the importance of your business data. It’s not hard to identify these knock-off managed service providers if you know the right questions to ask:

This first one might be easy, but how long have they been in business? Also, how long have they been offering this particular service? Did this company or service plan pop up over night or do they have a background to match their extensive offering? Often when new technologies hit the market, some providers are quick to add it to their menu without first testing and ensuring quality.

What equipment are they using? Along the same lines as above, make sure the company is using the latest hardware and software to provide these services, rather than scrambling to create a service built on a mishmash of what is in their server room.

What reporting do they provide? A true managed service company will offer you detailed reporting on the monitoring and management they provide. Reporting offers you insight into how much actual management they are doing.

Are they in it for the long term? A managed service provider should act as a trusted advisor and offer advice for both the short term and the long term, identifying your business goals and creating a plan so that IT helps you reach those goals.

What’s in the fine print? When comparing managed IT providers, compare apples to apples. Some providers leave off necessary services that come included in other plans. Similarly, things you may not need now like extra helpdesk support, or increased storage maybe charged at a premium outside of the contract, while other providers offer a service that is easily scalable.

So, the bottom line here? Not all managed services or providers are created equal, nor can they be compared on price alone. Asking the right questions up front can save you time, money, and hassle down the road.

by David Moorman, President

So you’re managing the company’s IT and trying to keep up with your own duties? One of the great things about working for a small or medium sized business is that you get to wear many hats, but it’s a double edged sword. Your knowledge of IT or the ability to lend a hand has helped you become an invaluable resource for the company, but as the company grows your main priorities suffer. Sound familiar?

The need to hire outside consultants is a fact of life in the small business. The good news is, outside consultants can offer huge value to your company, improve processes, allow you to focus on your primary responsibilities, plus save the company money over the long term.

Here are a few things to think about when considering making the switch to an outside provider:

Consultants Increase Productivity
Large companies have IT staff with specialists in each area – desktop support, server administration, infrastructure maintenance, application programming, web development and a host of other specialties. In an SMB environment, your focus should be on what you do best, allowing the experts to handle IT issues and strategy. This approach can help you get more accomplished without wasting time learning how to manage a secondary role, saving the company time and money.

Explore New IT Resources
When you have your primary job functions plus co-worker PC issues, you can hardly manage your day, let alone think about IT strategy. New technologies like virtualization, ERPs, or data mining can improve company processes and save money in the long term. Using a consultant frees you to focus on your job while experts handle the day-to-day and make recommendations on the latest technology.

So you’re sold, but what about your boss? Presenting the need for an IT partner is best explained in dollars and cents. DynaSis can help identify the true costs involved with managing your own IT and the value of an outside vendor.

After several years with DynaSis on-premise support, Brayson Homes found itself in a time of transition. The server management on-site was becoming more costly with the growing complexity of the network. They looked to the experts at DynaSis to elevate their current IT systems to the next level. Brayson Homes transitioned to a cloud-based, on-demand solution called ITility by DynaSis in early 2010.

September 24, 2009 Atlanta, GA. After many businesses and schools were forced to shut down because of Monday’s Atlanta area floods, DynaSis IT is proud to announce none of its ITility by DynaSis service clients experienced downtime due to the downpours. ITility by DynaSis service from DynaSis is a software-as-a-service model in which data and applications are delivered over the Internet from a high availability central datacenter. The remote connectivity available through ITility by DynaSis allowed DynaSis clients to work as normal even if their office location was victim to flood damage.

Road closures and flood damage undoubtedly prevented many Atlanta small and midsize businesses from continuing work as normal on Monday and into the rest of the week. In addition to damages, local school closings forced Atlantans to stay home to care for young children in counties across the metro area resulting in lost employee productivity. Worse yet, others experienced damaged computer equipment leading to the loss of data.

While DynaSis clients experienced wet conditions, downtime and employee productivity were non-issues. ITility by DynaSis clients experienced 100% uptime after the floods and were able to work remotely if needed. ITility by DynaSis offers businesses access to their data from any location on any device using the Internet. In addition, equipment is safely stored offsite at a secured datacenter, while backups are performed routinely by expert engineers.
DynaSis President David Moorman commented, “Lost productivity accounts for a huge portion of business costs. ITility by DynaSis helps combat those losses with remote access capability so employees can work anywhere anytime. All data is stored and backed up at our datacenter and then replicated to an offsite location out-of-state for further protection in the case of a disaster like Monday’s floods.”

DynaSis will be offering a free month of ITility by DynaSis service for qualified Atlanta businesses until October 1, 2009. For more information contact DynaSis at 770.569.4600 or visit www.dynasis.com.

DynaSis is a managed IT service provider servicing small and medium sized businesses in the Atlanta area for over 17 years. DynaSis specializes in managed IT service plans, managed hosting and professional equipment installation.

by David Moorman, President

Many IT providers in the market today claim to offer “managed services,” and for rock bottom prices. But just what qualifies a provider’s service as a “managed IT service” and what distinguishes one managed IT provider from the next? According to Wikipedia, “Managed services is the practice of transferring day-to-day related management responsibility as a strategic method for improved effective and efficient operations. “ A good definition, but a lot of room for grey area.

In my time in the IT industry (over 20 years, wow I can’t believe its been that long) I have come across what we affectionately call in the business “trunk slammers”. A trunk slammer is often a small shop that offers IT services for low low prices and can sometimes go under the name of a managed service provider, hosting it all from the back of his, that’s right, trunk. Ok, in all seriousness they may not actually be working from their trunk, but they may not have the greatest equipment or practices in place when you consider the importance of your business data. It’s not hard to identify these knock-off managed service providers if you know the right questions to ask:

This first one might be easy, but how long have they been in business? Also, how long have they been offering this particular service? Did this company or service plan pop up over night or do they have a background to match their extensive offering? Often when new technologies hit the market, some providers are quick to add it to their menu without first testing and ensuring quality.

What equipment are they using? Along the same lines as above, make sure the company is using the latest hardware and software to provide these services, rather than scrambling to create a service built on a mishmash of what is in their server room.

What reporting do they provide? A true managed service company will offer you detailed reporting on the monitoring and management they provide. Reporting offers you insight into how much actual management they are doing.

Are they in it for the long term? A managed service provider should act as a trusted advisor and offer advice for both the short term and the long term, identifying your business goals and creating a plan so that IT helps you reach those goals.

What’s in the fine print? When comparing managed IT providers, compare apples to apples. Some providers leave off necessary services that come included in other plans. Similarly, things you may not need now like extra helpdesk support, or increased storage maybe charged at a premium outside of the contract, while other providers offer a service that is easily scalable.

So, the bottom line here? Not all managed services or providers are created equal, nor can they be compared on price alone. Asking the right questions up front can save you time, money, and hassle down the road.

September 10, 2009 Atlanta, GA. DynaSis IT, a managed IT provider for small and medium sized businesses will be holding monthly “cloud tours” of the their world class Atlanta datacenter. Local Atlanta small and medium sized businesses are invited for a complimentary lunch and presentation of cloud services followed by a tour of the facility.

Cloud computing refers to dynamically scalable and often virtualized resources provided as a service over the Internet. The term cloud is a metaphor for the Internet based on how the Internet is depicted in computer networks.

Participants will learn about this technology as it applies to their business. Cloud technology or Software as a Service (SaaS), can help businesses minimize costs by reducing the time and resources required to manage IT networks. Other benefits include working from anywhere, the ability to access your data and applications from any device, plus the advantage of no longer purchasing server room equipment.
DynaSis President David Moorman commented, “The cloud is one of those IT buzzwords that has come to mean many different things, so we would like to show what it actually is and how SMBs can use it to significantly reduce their IT costs. In this scenario, IT is delivered as a utility, just like electricity or water. So instead of a capital expense on the balance sheet, IT can now be classified as an operating expense providing tax savings in addition to other benefits.”

The facility guarantees a secure and resilient place to house mission-critical equipment, with 24x7x365 server and environmental monitoring systems plus around the clock management personnel, digital video surveillance cameras, electronic access cards, and biometric retina and fingerprint authentication scanners. The data center is served by 6 high speed optical connections from backbone providers. With generator backup support as well as a high capacity UPS and automatic transfer switch, clients can rest assured that their data is protected from disastrous failures.

The next “cloud tour” is scheduled for Wednesday, September 23, 2009 in Atlanta, Georgia. To register or for more information visit www.dynasis.com and click on the cloud tour button.

DynaSis is a managed IT service provider servicing small and medium sized businesses in the Atlanta area for over 17 years. DynaSis specializes in managed IT service plans, managed hosting and professional equipment installation. For more information about DynaSis visit www.dynasis.com.

by David Moorman, President

When implementing an IT solution, do you figure just hardware, software and manhour costs, or do you take it a step further and calculate the soft costs involved in a purchase, too?

You'd be wise to take the latter approach, because soft costs can add up quickly.

A managed IT solution (such as the one my company happens to market) can save small- and mid-sized businesses nearly 60% versus an internal IT department and 20% when compared to an outsourced solution. In fact, those savings may be on the conservative side because we tended to overstate actual costs.

In addition to those hard costs, there are other items that should be factored into the cost equation:

-- Downtime: Internal and outsourced IT systems will need to be brought down for periodic maintenance or may experience a catastrophic failure. A managed system can offer guaranteed up time, giving you peace of mind.

-- Spam: Fighting spam can take up a considerable amount of time when the inevitable outbreak occurs. With an IT services contract, internal staff does not need to worry about it.

-- Systems training: While there may be some need for training in the managed services scenario, staff will not need nearly as much hardware- and software-specific training.

-- IT management: These costs are calculated as a percentage of infrastructure costs. Since overall infrastructure costs are lower, management costs will be lower, too.

-- Non-business Internet usage: A managed solution allows you to control how employees surf the Web, decreasing productivity loss due to unnecessary Internet use.

While the hard costs savings seen when comparing a managed solution to internal or outsourced models are impressive, soft cost savings add up quickly also.

by David Moorman, President

Although you may not realize it, Software as a Service (SaaS) has become an important part of your business.
Salesforce.com pioneered the online software platform for customer relationship management, and all of Google’s offerings, from search and e-mail functionality to document storage and calendar functions, operate in a SaaS environment. If you check your e-mail through a Web site, that’s also a SaaS application.

But what about SaaS for centralized computing for your business? While that might sound scary at first, many small- and medium-sized businesses are moving to centralized computing with anywhere/anytime access as a way to help workers become more productive and to leverage critical business assets more effectively.

In smaller businesses, the owner or a trusted employee keeps the computers running along with attending to dozens of other duties. Larger companies may well have an IT director or even a small staff, but day-to-day maintenance and putting out inevitable fires arising from the help desk often take precedence over protecting a company’s critical business data.

As more companies become comfortable with the SaaS model, centralizing data center operations makes business sense and financial sense, too.

Here are three reasons why centralized data storage may be the answer for your business:

1. Your IT staff can spend more of their time performing value-added functions to expand business opportunities like data mining and analytics instead of manual computer updates.
2. Employees can work from anywhere there’s an Internet connection.
3. Centralized computing means less hardware and utility costs associated with a data storage room.

What’s more, virtually all software can operate in a SaaS environment, saving a company up to 50% of IT operating costs—not to mention cost savings on office rent through the need for fewer workstations (see previous column on hot desking).

Who could have imagined 15 years ago that any company hoping to stay in business needed a Web site? Likewise, centralized computing represents the next wave of IT functionality that could well separate the vibrant, profitable companies from the average.

When Briot Network Administrator Tommy Orr needed a third-party opinion on network strategy, he immediately thought of DynaSis. Orr had been impressed by DynaSis when he attended an event the firm hosted, and he was quick to contact them when he needed help. As Orr discussed the network with DynaSis's expert engineers, he realized ITility by DynaSis would be a great fit for Briot. With 14 out of 25 employees working in the field, and the CFO traveling between the Atlanta and Canada offices, ITility by DynaSis support for workshifting and remote access sold Orr.

As a cloud-based, hosted solution, ITility by DynaSis delivers Briot's data and applications over the Web from the DynaSis hosting servers to Briot workstations or any other Internet-connected computer. Employees access the network seamlessly, using a dedicated, secure online user interface. This not only enables Briot employees to access work from any of their offices, or from home or other locations, but it also gives Briot's road warriors a flexible, convenient and fully provisioned work experience no matter where they travel. "ITility by DynaSis has changed our business by making it easier to connect remotely, which has been key to servicing our clients," says Orr.

Beyond workshifting flexibility, ITility by DynaSis also incorporates 24/7/365 monitoring and maintenance of the equipment and automated backups of Briot's cloud server. This has enabled Orr to eliminate his network maintenance schedule. "I no longer have to buy or maintain server room equipment, so it takes a lot of worry out of my job," says Orr. "Plus, I am free to work on improving the performance of our products and invest my time in other high-level tasks."

When asked how he feels about the level of DynaSis's expertise, Orr replied, "I am very pleased with DynaSis. There is always someone available to answer my questions, and if they cannot answer right away, they work to find the answer until the problem is solved. They address my tickets within 2-3 minutes and always check with me to make sure everything is working before they close out an issue."

Briot has been working with DynaSis since 2009, and Orr says they have always stayed on top of any needs or concerns that arose. "ITility by DynaSis gives me the freedom to work on other business tasks, and it saves us money," says Orr. "I would absolutely recommend DynaSis and ITility by DynaSis to other clients going forward. In fact, I already have."