It’s no secret that today’s businesses are primarily run digitally. Communication, operations, and engagement happen take place online more than they ever have before.
From cloud solutions and Microsoft 365 to recovery planning and security measures, businesses rely on these tools to keep their day-to-day operations running smoothly.
That’s why having the right IT stack is imperative if companies want to keep up with the times.
But knowing what your company needs and how to implement those things can be a tall task. We’re here to make the process easier for you by diving into the things you need to know, what to consider, and how to make them happen.
Understanding the IT Stack
At its core, an IT stack is the front and back-end set of software, applications, and tools that all work together to make up your IT system. This includes your operating system, server, databases, frameworks, and APIs to name a few pieces of the puzzle.
When it comes to creating a strong IT stack, you want solid infrastructure, applications, storage, security, and recovery to ensure your business has all the pieces it needs to run smoothly and be set up for long-term growth.
Having the right stack starts with understanding what your businesses needs to function, then putting pieces together that communicate well and work together fully. Doing this will help make your business efficient, as well as set you up to be more resilient to potential security breaches.
Role of the Cloud in Today’s Businesses
A large piece of the transition to digital operations includes companies moving their systems to a cloud-based solution. There are several benefits to this, including improved scalability, more flexibility, and long-term cost savings.
And by running operations through the cloud, employees can connect and work from more than just the office, opening the door for more remote work opportunities and cross-country growth.
If you’re looking for cloud solutions for your business, there are a number of options you can choose from, including public, private, and hybrid. These different variations stem from how the cloud is housed, as well as who might have access to it.
Public clouds are shared through internet access, making them cheaper and more scalable, but less secure. Private clouds are dedicated solely to your company, which means more security and customization, but also more cost. Then hybrid is a mix of the two, giving you a balance of cost, security, and setup.
Any of the three options allows for you to set up your IT stack in a way that works for you.
Importance of Recovery
As operations move online, there are new – and in some ways more – threats that you need to prepare for. Cyber threats are on the rise, and technology isn’t always fail-proof, opening the door for potential issues that threaten your operations.
Common risks businesses face today include cyber-attacks, hardware failure, natural disasters, and human error. All of these put your company’s private information at risk of falling into the wrong hands or being lost, emphasizing the need for well-prepared recovery plans.
When it comes to ensuring your business continuity if one of these issues happens, it’s important to know the difference between backups and recovery, and how they work together.
It’s common that companies have a backup process in place to regularly create secure, separate copies of their data. This ensures that you still have your important information if something goes wrong. Recovery is how you restore that data once it’s lost, corrupted, or damaged. It takes the backup and helps you get systems up and running again when needed.
Knowing what to do with this information is another key component of your IT stack and business continuity plan. Utilizing cloud-based recovery options helps minimize downtime and protect your important information because that data can be accessed from multiple places.
Microsoft 365 as a Business Solution
While not a complete IT stack by itself, Microsoft 365 is popular tool companies use as part of their IT stack. It features a variety of productivity apps that help companies communicate, collaborate, and store their information securely, including Teams, Outlook, OneDrive, and SharePoint.
Microsoft 365 cloud solutions also help companies incorporate the cloud into their business and recovery strategies, providing them with more flexibility for their operations.
It’s a prevalent choice among businesses of all sizes and industries because of its flexibility and customization, allowing them to pick what apps they need and set them up in a way that works best for them.
Building the Right IT Stack for Your Business
When you start building your IT stack, the biggest thing is to make sure that it works for your company, rather than fitting your company around it. This involves making sure it aligns with and supports your goals, as well as fits within your budget.
One of the main considerations for all the components of your IT stack is how they work together. If the varies pieces don’t communicate smoothly and share data across each platform, it can make your operations more difficult rather than more efficient.
Part of this includes scalability. Your IT stack needs to be able to accommodate your future success, so you don’t have to start over as your company grows. Setting it up that way early will save you time, money, and headaches in the long run.
Some key questions to ask when looking at different IT stack providers and solutions include:
Partnering with the Right IT Experts
Most businesses benefit from working with an external IT team or service provider when setting up their systems and stack because it gives them access to professional recommendations and work without having to hire and support an internal team.
These experts will make sure your system is tailored to your specific needs, while also helping you with set up, implementation, migration, security, and more. And as time goes on, they will provide continuous monitoring and support, so you know you have experts on hand if anything goes wrong.
For more information and tips on choosing the right IT partner, check out some of our tips.
Choosing the right IT stack is about more than just about keeping up with technology trends. It’s about giving your business the tools it needs to run efficiently, securely, and with room to grow. By leveraging cloud solutions, building strong recovery plans, and incorporating platforms like Microsoft 365, you can create a system that not only supports your daily operations but also safeguards your future.
How We Can Help
As an IT service provider, we know how important the technology and systems you use are to your overall success. That’s why we’re dedicated to helping companies create the IT stack their business needs to accomplish their goals.
Whether you’re looking for advice on what systems you should be using, help incorporating them into your business, long-term support, or a mix of it all, our team is here to take care of you! Send us a message and let’s set up a free consult!
