The growth of cloud computing worldwide has given businesses of all sizes more opportunities to leverage their IT investments. When Office 365 was first launched several years ago, this enabled users to move beyond the traditional Microsoft Office desktop platform into one that allowed for greater flexibility and convenience, such as allowing for BYOD capabilities. However, some businesses have yet to make the switch from on-premise Exchange or other mail server to Office 365. Here are some reasons why it really does make sense to make the switch:
Prevents Loss of Data
Using an on-premises mail server can leave your data particularly vulnerable. If anything happens to the hardware and the information isn’t backed up adequately, the data could be lost forever. Even with a data recovery plan, it still may not be possible to completely recover lost data. By migrating to Office 365, the issue of data-loss certainly still exists, but Office 365 has a series of built in data-safety features, such as sophisticated data encryption and frequent data backups, that minimize this risk.
Scalable
With Office 365, it is possible for businesses to only pay for what they truly need. For instance, it is only necessary to purchase email accounts for the amount of users that will actually need it. With on-premise mail servers, storage capacity is finite. When using Office 365, there’s no need for businesses to spend money anticipating the need for future data use. However, with on-premise mail servers, it’s tempting to purchase equipment that allow for future data needs, which means that it is possible to overspend, especially if original projections were too high.
Cost Savings
Using Office 365 can also lead to some cost savings, giving it even more valuable to businesses of all sizes. For instances, when using it, it is possible to pay for only the services that are needed, such as whether or not it is necessary to install the Office Suite across multiple devices. Because it is scalable, it means that businesses only need to pay for what they use. This also pertains to optional services like Skype for Business and SharePoint Online. When managing things in-house, businesses would need to pay for and install these services separately, which could further increase costs. Not only that, but using on-premises exchanges usually requires a well staffed internal IT department.
Businesses that are accustomed to using on-premises mail servers may initially be reluctant at first to make the switch to Office 365 because they feel that by making the switch, they give up full control over their platforms and how they are allowed to evolve. However, this can also be limiting because your on-premise mail server is only as good as your equipment and your IT department. Office 365 is stable, customizable, and scalable, so you do enjoy many of the benefits of an on-service exchange without making it necessary to employ a full, internal IT staff.
