Information technology (IT) has evolved at an increasing rate. This evolution as gone through numerous phases that include the introduction of mainframe computing and the personal computing revolution that soon followed.

Now, 3rd platform computing is ushering in the next stage of this evolution. It’s a result of the advent of mobile computing, cloud-based services, social networks, and Big Data.

Understanding 3rd platform computing, its impact on how businesses operate, and how to meet the changing needs of your business and its customers is critical to your success.

The Birth of 3rd Party Computing

This shift in computing began around 2007 when the term “3rd platform” was first used by the International Data Corporation (IDC) to describe new technologies that were shaping how businesses and the public access data and technology.

Cloud computing allowed businesses to move their data away from on-site servers while increasing its accessibility from anywhere in the world and on any device. This made it possible to solve problems that they were previously unable to address.

As a result, cloud technologies have become stable in strategies that businesses use to manage their ongoing operations.

Software and hardware have also changed in response to the growth of 3rd platform computing. The needs and expectations of businesses and consumers have forced them to realign their products and the ways in which they work.

Why the 3rd Platform Matters

The ways in which mobile computing, social networking, Big Data, and cloud computing are changing how businesses operate is critical to competing within your marketplace.

The growth of mobile devices that include smartphones, tablets, and wearable technology has increased the financial resources being allocated to IT systems.

Over time, more online users will access online data using mobile devices than with traditional laptops and desktops.

Social networks continue to grow all over the world. This is especially true in areas that include Africa, the Middle East, India, and China. Businesses operating in a global marketplace can’t afford to overlook the importance of 3rd platform computing.

This dramatic growth will continue as 3rd platform technologies evolve alongside the changing needs of businesses and online users.

New markets that are developing will impact how 3rd platform computing evolves. Investment in cloud services and mobile devices are growing at a higher rate in these markets when compared to developed marketplaces.

How to Prepare Your Business for the 3rd Platform Shift

There are ways that businesses can align their operations and objectives with the shift towards 3rd platform computing. Software as a Service (SaaS) tools help you access the tools you need at a reduced cost and with increased efficiency.

SaaS services can be used to optimize areas related to sales, accounting, and email communications.

Other services such as Platform as a Service (PaaS) and Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) improve the use of databases and business applications.

Overlooking these and other 3rd platform strategies can cause businesses to lose revenue and market shares.

3rd platform computing helps organizations recognize market patterns that improve their marketing strategies and achieve a leading edge over their competitors.

By understanding and leveraging 3rd platform computing, you take advantage of this new phase in the evolution of IT. This gives you the resources you need to streamline your daily operations and increase your revenue.

The success of today’s businesses is rooted in the ongoing performance and management of their networks. The issues that can affect business networks can lead to costly and long-lasting issues.

This is especially true for small- and medium-sized businesses (SMB) that may lack the resources to resolve major disruptions to their operations.

That’s why it’s important to understand the following 3 common network issues that impact SMBs across all industries. You’ll protect your organization while responding quickly to any issues that could potentially arise in the future.

1. Spyware and Virus Issues

   The ability of today’s businesses to prevent spyware and virus issues has improved in recent years. But the threat these viruses pose to the networks of SMBs still exists.

   Many operating systems have some form of anti-spyware protection included. But these may not be enough to keep SMBs safe from attacks. Older networks may not be equipped with adequate safeguards.

   Viruses can affect your business despite the use of firewalls, antivirus applications, and routine patching. As a result, SMBs need to make sure that these and other tools are configured correctly and maintained over time to prevent the corruption of their networks’ configurations.

2. Security Issues

   Network security is more critical than ever in an age where data breaches and hacks seem to occur at an increasing rate.

   Firewalls and other protective systems can reduce the risk of a security issue, but businesses must always work to keep their networks safe from internal and external intrusions.

   Proper configuration of permissions and credentials can improve your network’s security by monitoring and controlling access to data by users logging into the network.

   This protects the information related to your business as well as those of your customers, vendors, and business partners.

3. Failing Routers and Switches

   Problems related to your network’s routers and switches can lead to a wide range of performance issues.

   Email, Internet access, and other activities may fail to work properly. This disrupts your business operations and causes you to spend limited resources trying to identify and then correct the root causes.

   Failing routers and switches may need to be replaced, so it’s important to recognize them early on. SMBs that have to reboot their routers and switches frequently may have issues related to power fluctuations while also facing a potential failure.

Insufficient Bandwidth, failing network interface cards (NIC), and IP conflicts are other common network issues that SMBs can face. These interfere with your network’s performance and disrupt your business, leading to time-consuming and costly repairs.

Recognizing these issues and implementing effective responses is essential to the ongoing success of your business. By preventing these 3 common network issues, you maximize the performance, productivity, and efficiency of your entire organization.

Assessing the information technology (IT) of your business reduces the costs associated with IT issues that impact your network, data security, and other factors.

A comprehensive IT assessment identifies potential risk factors while helping you and your team develop an effective strategy for managing and scaling your business.

The following will help you understand what an IT assessment is, the benefits it provides, and the issues you need to be aware of when managing your organizations over time.

Implementing the Right IT Assessment

The IT assessment process must consider a wide range of elements related to your business. IT goes beyond the hardware and software used to maintain your daily operations.

An assessment looks at the processes, individuals, and policies that ensure your IT department achieves optimal performance each day. These factors must be aligned with the needs of your business as well as its short- and long-term goals.

The following are the areas addressed by an effective IT assessment:

• Potential risks
• Existing IT policies and strategy
• Internal capabilities
• Current IT costs and returns
• Data security
• Management of technology (mobile devices, remote access, etc.)
• Network design and infrastructure

Internal and external access risks are assessed as well as the security measures that you have in place to protect your network and its data.

Server access and policies related to passwords and administrative rights are other aspects that must be assessed to ensure that your network is safe from any potential threats.

The arrangement of your network (topology) must also be analyzed. The communication between internal devices and your server, as well as external communications between different locations, is critical to the ongoing security of your network.

Practices related to backing up your data and the tools used to store and manage it are reviewed during an IT assessment.

IT support, reporting, and capabilities are considered to ensure that any issues that may arise in the future are addressed quickly and with minimal disruption.

Prioritizing the Findings of Your IT Assessment

It may be difficult to implement all of the action steps required after an IT assessment. So it’s important to prioritize any issues according to the needs, budget, and goals of your business.

Any findings that must be immediately addressed should come first, as these issues can lead to the loss of data or other disruptions to your operations.

There are also factors that may not be as critical but are still contributing to problems within your IT department.

These may be affecting your network performance but don’t pose an immediate threat. Address these issues as soon as possible once you’ve corrected the more critical findings of your IT assessment.

The right IT assessment provides you with actionable steps that maximize the performance and security of your IT system.

Benefits of an IT Assessment

IT systems require ongoing management at multiple levels. This can result in complex processes that must be coordinated across different team members and departments.

It emphasizes the need for an IT assessment within your organization. More importantly, the assessor must understand the needs of your business while implementing the steps needed to create an effective IT strategy.

An IT assessment improves productivity and efficiency across your organization. It identifies weaknesses within your system that may be creating potential threats to your network.

Having the right IT strategy in place allows you to enhance the use of limited resources while improving security and increasing your revenue for the future.

Cloud computing has seen significant growth in its ability to meet the needs of businesses and private users. Businesses are moving applications and data to cloud-based services while improving efficiency and reducing overhead costs.

As a result, cloud computing has become a competitive arena – and businesses like Microsoft are finding ways to compete with leading infrastructure as a service (IaaS) providers like Amazon.

But who will come out on top for cloud computing between Microsoft and Amazon?

Is Microsoft Gaining a Lead on Amazon?

Amazon has led the cloud computing market by providing businesses with its Amazon Web Services. But industry leaders such as Pacific Crest Securities have speculated that Microsoft could increase its revenue enough to surpass Amazon in 2017.

Analysts are recognizing new opportunities for growth in the cloud computing marketplace. Predicted spending in this industry is expected to reach up to $239 billion within a five-year period.

Microsoft has developed an increasingly larger cloud network to rival that of Amazon. But the two companies’ cloud-computing services share similarities as well as differences that are important to consider.

Choosing the Cloud Service That’s Right for You

The needs and goals of your business will determine which cloud computing service will provide the greatest benefits over time.

There are some businesses that utilize both Amazon and Microsoft services within their operations. But for others, having one centralized provider can make their workflow more efficient while reducing the costs related to their businesses.

Microsoft and Amazon deliver networking, computing, and storage capabilities that share common characteristics. These include features related to security, compliance, and scaling.

The pricing of Microsoft and Amazon cloud computing services are also similar. Although the cost of these services has decreased over time, Microsoft has continued to remain competitive with the price drops seen in Amazon’s services.

The Future of Microsoft in Cloud Computing

Although the majority of Microsoft’s revenue comes from their sale of software products, the company is expected to achieve a new level of growth in the cloud computing arena.

These expectations for the future of Microsoft are a result of its recent performance. The company’s Intelligent Cloud segment has seen its revenue reach almost $7 billion, which represents an 11 percent increase from the previous year.

More users are beginning to have greater trust in Microsoft’s cloud services. Customers range from small and medium sized businesses (SMBs) to larger global companies.

Although Amazon’s revenue growth has decreased in recent quarters, the company is still expected to retain its position as a leading cloud computing service provider. But Microsoft can still nudge its way into the top spot and perhaps surpass Amazon over time.

Cloud computing has transformed the ways in which businesses manage, process, store, and distribute their data.

The growing cloud-computing market has been led by Amazon for quite some time. But Microsoft and other companies may soon be giving this powerhouse a run for its money while helping to shape the future of the cloud computing industry.