So you’ve made the decision to migrate your company’s data to a cloud backup service. How are you going to move all of those important documents? Where do you start? The process can be a confusing one, especially if your company has been in operation for a while and, therefore, has amassed a large amount of data to be transported. The good news is, there are are a vast array of backup solutions for small businesses, meaning you can pick the option that’s right for you. Here are some handy tips and suggestions we hope will make your move a little easier.
Email: You may have wondered how your emails will fare in the cloud. Gmail is your best option in this instance because you can use its IMAP application to sync up your default email client with Gmail.
Microsoft Office: You won’t have to abandon Microsoft Office for your word processing needs. Just as with your email, you can either sync it with your desktop by using cloud storage as backup for your documents or switch to something more portable. The two most prominent options are Google Docs and Microsoft Office Live.
You can also sync Google Docs and Microsoft Office through two separate applications, depending on your needs: OffiSync and Memeo Connect. OffiSync is for those looking for more collaborative options, allowing two people to edit the same document simultaneously with updates that occur in real time. Memeo Connect simply keeps your files up-to-date both on your PC and within the cloud, acting as more of a backup solution for small businesses.
Microsoft also offers Office Live, a portable version of Microsoft Office that needs only a functional web browser and an Internet connection to work. You can keep any Office file on it from any component of Microsoft’s suite bundle, as well as modify it within your browser and send it to anyone you wish to work with.
Files: If backup is all you want, services like Dropbox may be your best bet. Upon installation, you can locate a special folder on your computer that, once filled with the files you wish to transfer, adds those files to the cloud server for safekeeping. You can then access it anytime from anywhere.
Contacts: You have several options for backing up the information about your most important business contacts. Try Plaxo or GO Contact Sync for lightweight programs that cooperate with Outlook. If you have a bit of money to spare, you can also consider Google Apps, which will link your Outlook contacts with Google and store them there.
Calendars: If you’re worried about losing track of your day-to-day tasks when you don’t have access to your office PC, consider Google Calendar, which can synchronize with Outlook or work independently to help you keep up with everything you have to do.
If you have any other questions about IT management solutions or cloud storage, we at Single Point of Contact are available to help. We not only offer our own cloud services but also 24/7 computer support should you need it. For more information or a free quote, contact us.
