Cloud services easy and straightforward

Moving SMBs into the cloud should not be difficult, suggests Jonathan Hallatt

Partners can only grow their businesses when customers put their trust in their advice and services. And it is equally important for resellers to build trust with vendors and distributors.

Cloud computing, for instance, only works once a level of trust has been developed. Additionally, businesses are continually looking for ways to boost efficiencies in the way they operate and are looking to cloud-based services as a potential answer.

A modern, secure and efficient IT infrastructure can be disproportionately expensive for an SMB. However, this infrastructure is critical when running the business, as well as in attracting good talent to help grow the business and stay ahead of rivals.

The idea that data doesn't exist on site worries a lot of SMB owners. It might be easy to sign up to cloud services, but what happens if you want to withdraw from the service and retrieve your data?

SMBs tend to rely more on the expertise of their partners for their IT needs than larger organisations with in-house expertise do. So resellers should be able to use the cloud hype to their advantage, as they are already that trusted advisory partner.

Storage and wireless are two areas in which resellers can demonstrate a reliable, affordable and simple service that can help their business when charged monthly or annually.

A simple remote replication service replacing the tape backup systems still widely used today may be a good starting offer. It could be proposed to a small number of loyal customers who will be the first to give feedback and help develop the solution.

Another idea is to promote the ability of wireless controllers to remotely support a wireless network.

The business benefits of cloud IT are easy to explain and demonstrate, but they are often seen as too complex and expensive for smaller companies and organisations. The trusted reseller partner is best placed to offer such a service, and this can be done very simply.

Jonathan Hallatt is UK and Ireland VAR manager for Netgear