Being in the consulting business we work with a variety of organizations. Some buy new hardware every 3 years and keep their OS up to date, while others go longer between upgrades. More often than not, the latter is the scenario that we run into. Management teams will neglect hardware at times especially in the IBM world because it just keeps running. At some point though, these organizations need to upgrade to stay competitive.
When a small or medium sized business (SMB) needs to modernize its hardware there are a number of different options. The first that comes to mind is the latest and greatest Power9. While I would love to sell a new system, this may not be the best option or the most cost effective solution for your organization. More and more we are seeing small business move to a hosted solution.
Arbor Solutions is partnered with iInTheCloud for hosting solutions. iInTheCloud was built by an Arbor Solutions partner, Larry Bolhuis and his partner Pete Massiello, who is IBM’s first Power lifetime champion. iInTheCloud was built specifically for small businesses and is a option for small to medium sized business to consider.
Why application hosting? The first reason that comes to mind is it’s an ‘a la carte’ solution. In many cases SMB’s don’t need the full power and capacity of a Power9. SMB’s are able to use what they need and not pay for more than they use. This also enables a SMB to scale their IT infrastructure as they grow. System administration can be handled by the hosting partner or by the customer’s staff. Hosting is 100% virtual, making VPN access extremely efficient and easy to maintain from anywhere.
The most common objections we hear to hosted solutions involve security. Longtime IBMers have found comfort in hearing their system purring in the background. You may be surprised to know that Larry does not keep the server in his basement. With our hosting solutions you can rest assured knowing your hardware and data are safe in a industry certified datacenter.
Still not convinced to have a full blown hosted solution? Application hosting can also a great solution for your High Availability or Disaster Recovery plan. Redundancy built into the datacenter, insure your business continuity plans will always be safe. With the use of high-speed network infrastructure replication to a remote HA/DR site is painless and effective.
Whether you are looking for a hosted solution, a HA or DR plan, I encourage you to consider hosting as a valuable option. My team and I at Arbor Solutions are here to help you through your decision making process. Give me a call or send me an email if you have any questions about hosted solutions and how they could fit into your organization’s IT plan.
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