What is Cloud Hosting?
Cloud hosting is when software is installed on infrastructure that is not within your office network. The servers used are typically deployed by Microsoft Azure or Amazon Web Services.
- Through deployment/integration into pre-existing cloud infrastructure. This is the equivalent of “renting” a server. This will still require maintaining the servers and application configuration by your IT department.
- Through the assistance of Information Proficiency; we can help with the installation and configuration of the application either with or for you.
- We also offer application hosting on your behalf. We rent the server install the application and configure connectivity between you and the cloud server. We also maintain the servers and application.
The advantages of cloud storage range from lower storage costs to ease of access across the business. Access and distribute information amongst your employees efficiently and easily with a Content Manager “cloud” solution with Information Proficiency.
How Can Moving to the Cloud Help Me?
Cost Saving & Flexibility: there is no need to purchase new hardware or software, bring your existing perpetual Content Manager licences with you or convert to a subscription model, the choice is yours.
Remote Access: staff working remotely, whether that’s a home office or mobile workplace, can access documents for their work safely and securely wherever they have an internet connection.
Regular Document Backup: documents are stored off site and stay up to date whenever they’re edited, meaning you have a disaster-resilient storage system as well as current cloud backups for all documents that you can retrieve and access at any time*.
Security: with built-in security services that include unparalleled security intelligence to help identify rapidly evolving threats early, and data encryption automatically applied before continuing to the cloud, you have peace of mind that your information is secure.
Large or small, regardless of the size of your business, if you’re looking for a versatile, cost saving system for your electronic records storage and management, whether fully managed or hosting only, contact us to discuss a solution that best suits the needs of your business and budget.
To discuss moving your Content Manager environment to the cloud please contact us on sales@infoproficiency.com.au or call +61 8 6230 2213.
Cloud hosting is when software is installed on infrastructure that is not within your office network. The servers used are typically deployed by Microsoft Azure or Amazon Web Services.
CM can be implemented in the cloud in a few ways. Here are the common approaches: If your internal IT already have a cloud infrastructure deployment, then Content Manager can be hosted within this infrastructure. This is the equivalent of “renting” a server. Your IT department will still need to maintain the servers and the application. Information Proficiency can assist to install and configure the application with or for you. If you don’t want to manage the infrastructure or application, then we can host the application for you. We rent the server, install the application, and configure connectivity between you and the cloud server. We also maintain the servers and the application.
NOTE: The remainder of this document assumes that Information Proficiency are hosting Content Manager for you
You can use your existing perpetual licence, or a CM Select licence. When you use Information Proficiency as your Cloud Hosting provider you can BYO your existing licences, we have no requirement to convert your existing licences to a subscription model.
We can host Content Manager versions 9.3 and later in the cloud. The version deployed is specifically for you, so we have no constraints based on what other customers are doing.
We only use Microsoft Azure infrastructure, located within Australia. Our preference is to utilise datacentres that are closest to your physical office.
You will have access to all your records through Content Manager as per normal. As the infrastructure is managed by us through the agreement we have in place with you, remote desktop protocol (RDP) access is not provided.
In short, yes. All access to machines hosting your data requires two-factor authentication. All data is “encrypted at rest” and in transit, which means that not even Microsoft can access your data.
We configure “Azure AD” authentication for the desktop client and the web client. This prompts users to log in using their Microsoft account, which will be linked to your Office 365 deployment. The existing Single Sign On (SSO) using domain credentials is not possible, since our servers are not joined to your IT domain.
Absolutely, if that’s an option you’d like. The cloud hosted solution provides the flexibility to work both onsite and offsite, and the Microsoft authentication is available everywhere.
Most common integrations utilise the cloud API for Content Manager, or a desktop client API. Both are supported by a cloud deployment of CM. We would need to understand your integrations as part of quoting and deployment planning.
The basic transition plan involves these steps:
- Size and deploy the infrastructure (we set up the servers and ensure enough space is configured)
- Implement the pre-production environment (install software and take an initial copy of your data)
- Test the pre-production infrastructure (this involves functionality, performance, and security testing)
- Transition the current environment to the cloud environment (this involves the rollout of desktop clients, suspending the existing servers, transferring data to the cloud, and bringing up the cloud environment in production mode); then it’s ….
- Business as usual
We ensure that Content Manager is backed up according to best-practice.
We have a well documented and tested disaster recovery plan in place and in the event of it being required, your data is able to be recovered quickly with minimum disruption.
The backups maintained by Information Proficiency are primarily intended for us to maintain a level of service to you as we perform disaster recovery on your behalf. If required, we can work with your IT department to ensure the backups are captured using your preferred backup system. If your IT Department are performing the backups outside of the cloud service this can lead to delays if disaster recovery is required.
We can work with your IT Department to execute a transition-out programme, where the cloud service is retired, and the data is returned to you to manage accordingly. This process can involve several phases as the implementation and testing of an alternative solution are executed.
