Cloud Insights

Remote work is great for work-life balance, but can be bad for security. New networks may be unsecured and data from your business’ IT systems could be compromised during transfer. Without warning, something as innocuous as working in a coffee shop or knocking out a few tasks between flights could be enough to put your entire operation at risk. It’s no wonder 86% of chief experience officers (CXOs) believe remote employees increase the risk of a data breach. But they’re certainly not the only hack factor. Here’s how to approach protecting your sensitive company data from multiple angles with the help of hybrid cloud. What is hybrid cloud + security? Hybrid cloud combines the benefits of public cloud services with on-premise, private cloud infrastructure to create a powerful computing model for handling complex workloads and modern applications. Hybrid cloud security protects the data, applications, and infrastructure which are part of the hybrid cloud. That includes data security for information in transit as well as at rest. The design gives businesses more flexibility and increases their agility. At least 39% of global businesses are already using hybrid cloud, based on results from a 2020 O’Reilly survey. Protecting your data Leaders, employees and entire IT systems all share some responsibility in keeping your organizational data safe. To preempt a breach, take the following data security steps: Solidify and share your cybersecurity policy. Data security should be everyone’s priority. Unfortunately, that isn’t always the case. The onus is on leaders to continually educate their staff, contractors and other vendors on their role in protecting the company’s information assets. Use a cybersecurity policy to keep everyone informed and accountable. Secure your internet connections. The coffee shops and coworking spaces employees often feel most productive aren’t always the most secure. Instead of policing where remote teams can work, encourage them to utilize the company’s virtual private network (VPN) before connecting to public Wi-Fi. Doing so encrypts the data they access and provides a layer of protection from cyberattacks. Utilize a password manager. Remembering a series of unique, long passwords for every account is challenging for anyone. Password managers do the heavy lifting by generating strong passwords, storing them securely and logging the user in automatically. Update accounts with two-factor authentication (2FA). You’ve probably seen 2FA when you log into your bank accounts. It’s the two-step process that asks you to answer a “secret question” or sends a new, time-sensitive code to one of your devices after you’ve entered your username and password. This additional protection has been shown to block 99.9% of automated attacks. Install encryption software on your devices. Lost or stolen devices pose a serious risk to your SMB. Encryption software allows you to restrict access if an unauthorized user attempts to use a device once it’s been reported missing. Encourage your employees to encrypt files and documents they share via email or chat applications, too. Include firewalls, antivirus software and anti-malware for everyone. These should be regularly updated for any device that accesses company information. Make sure you have a technical support team in place who can help remote employees with this type of device management. Don’t rely on your hybrid cloud’s default settings. To ensure configurations align with your needs, perform regular systems audits. Leverage your well-defined API frameworks to identify bottlenecks and better adhere to data compliance regulations. Finalize backup and disaster recovery plans. Hybrid cloud architecture solutions often come standard with data duplication and recovery tools for cloud assets. However you’ll want to create a plan for any on-premise applications or data. Duplicates will ideally be stored in regionally diverse areas and backed up remotely from your source data. As we’ve seen, data security goes beyond remote workers, even if they are on the front lines. Staying ahead of the growing number of sophisticated attacks means addressing vulnerabilities across multiple fronts. A hybrid-cloud storage solution can help fortify your efforts. ol { list-style-type: decimal; list-style-position: inside; padding-left: 20px; font-size: 22px;}ol li {padding-bottom: 15px; font-weight: lighter;} ol li strong { font-weight: bolder;}

Deploy Sage applications in the cloud with Sage Partner Cloud | Cloud at Work – at no cost until April 2022. You’ve likely seen messaging from Sage surrounding its cloud initiatives. It has gained a lot of momentum with end-users, and Cloud at Work, an approved Sage Hosting Provider is offering generous incentives to migrate Sage applications to the cloud now. You can now get up to 3 months of free cloud hosting* when you sign a Cloud at Work contract by the end of December 2021. You will receive immediate access to the hosting environment with no payment required until April 2022. Plus, add in additional savings available via our Sage Cloud Development Fund: Sage Users who subscribe to Cloud at Work hosting for a minimum of 24 months will receive a credit to be spent with their Sage Business Partner to be used for: Sage version upgrades, software, support contracts, ISV’s, or other Sage projects. This year-end offer is available for all Sage applications: Sage 100, Sage 300, Sage 500, Sage X3, Sage HRMS, Sage FAS etc. Get started today, for free, with Cloud at Work’s efficient, cost-effective, and scalable cloud deployment. Contact us directly to learn more about the Sage cloud hosting promotion and pricing options, or inquire with your Sage Business Partner. *Offer expires December 31, 2021. Qualifying businesses must establish a new Cloud at Work subscription.

Deploy Sage 100 or Sage 300 in the cloud with Cloud at Work – at no cost until 2022. You’ve likely seen messaging from Sage surrounding its cloud initiatives. It’s an initiative that’s gaining a lot of momentum, and both Sage and Cloud at Work, an approved Sage Hosting Provider are offering generous incentives to migrate Sage applications to the cloud now. You can now get up to 4 months of free cloud hosting* when you sign a Cloud at Work contract by the end of September. You will receive immediate access to the hosting environment with no payment required until January 2022. Plus, add in additional savings available via our Sage Cloud Development Fund: Sage Users who subscribe to Cloud at Work hosting for a minimum of 24 months will receive a credit to be spent with their Sage Business Partner to be used for: Sage version upgrades, software, support contracts, ISV’s, or other Sage projects. Get started today, for free, with Cloud at Work’s efficient, cost-effective, and scalable cloud deployment. Contact us directly to learn more about Sage cloud hosting pricing options or inquire with your Sage Business Partner. *Offer expires September 30, 2021. Qualifying businesses must establish a new Cloud at Work subscription. The subscription and access to the hosting environment will begin when the contract is signed and continue through December 31, 2022.

Earlier, we worked to explain the differences between Public and Private Cloud and why the public cloud is not the best option for hosting your Sage BusinessWorks application. While the public cloud is an effective home for SaaS applications, for companies running Sage BusinessWorks, private cloud hosting is the single best option. It amplifies the advantages of the cloud while minimizing the traditional disadvantages. Here we look more closely at the differences, benefits, and downsides associated with both public and private cloud hosting options for Sage BusinessWorks. Private Cloud Hosting — SaaS minus the sass When we refer to Software as a Service (SaaS), we refer to a software application hosted on a public cloud. Dropbox, Google Sheets, Microsoft Office 365, and Salesforce are common examples of SaaS applications. NetSuite and Acumatica are SaaS ERP applications. Sage 100 and Sage 300 are not SaaS applications. But they can become Cloud applications, and in doing so can capture many of the benefits associated with SaaS. Both Sage 100 and Sage 300 were designed to run on premise. However, both can be hosted in the cloud — becoming what we call Hosted ERP applications. (Read about the differences between Cloud ERP and Hosted ERP.) For businesses, there are clear upsides to SaaS solutions — but there are disadvantages associated too. For example, SaaS ERP users have more limited customization options, they have no control over when the software is updated, and data usage fees can be unpredictable and expensive. A private cloud hosting option shares SaaS solutions’ benefits, but goes further by providing distinct, unique benefits including updates on your schedule, enhanced security, and more extensive customization capabilities. At the risk of confusing the situation, it’s possible to host Sage BusinessWorks on a public cloud. That still doesn’t make it a SaaS application — rather, it’s another hosting option in addition to private cloud hosting. And in most ways, it’s an inferior option. Public Cloud Hosting — Still not SaaS It is possible to host your Sage BusinessWorks on a public cloud service. However, it’s less than ideal. If you host your Sage BusinessWorks on a public cloud, the added layers of bureaucracy between you and your ERP unnecessarily complicate the deployment, adding cost, inconvenience, and frustration. You won’t interact directly with a public cloud provider. Instead, you’ll go through multiple intermediaries that may include a managed services provider (MSP) and a secondary cloud services provider (CSP). Public cloud services like AWS and Azure are not ERP experts and certainly not Sage experts. When you have a question or a problem, it may be challenging to know whether to contact your Sage business partner, your MSP, or your CSP. Depending upon the nature and complexity of the problem, there may be finger-pointing and confusion that increases the time needed to resolve your issue. In addition, there are hidden costs associated with public cloud deployments that tend to punish companies for growing. Quick guide to the differences Below is a quick comparison that helps identify the differences between SaaS ERP, and both a Public Cloud Hosted ERP and a Private Cloud Hosted ERP.   SaaS ERP Public Cloud Hosted ERP Private Cloud Hosted ERP* Predictable monthly IT expenses ✓ ✓ ✓ Lowered IT infrastructure investments ✓ ✓ ✓ Quick set up and deployment ✓ ✓ ✓ Anywhere, anytime accessibility ✓ ✓ ✓ Security handled by hosting provider ✓ Software updates on your schedule ✓ No application limitations ✓ Supports extensive customization ✓ You know who’s actually hosting your application ✓ Hosting provider specializes in ERP – specifically Sage BusinessWorks ✓ *Private Cloud service providers vary in the services they provide. This comparison uses Cloud at Work’s offerings as a basis. Private Cloud Hosting for Sage BusinessWorks is an ideal way to provide your organization with the many benefits of SaaS ERP applications, without many of the downsides. Private Cloud Hosting makes smart business sense for companies with lengthy investments in Sage BusinessWorks who are looking to maximize and revitalize that investment for years to come. Questions about Sage BusinessWorks Hosting? Contact us.

For the past nearly 50 (yes, really) years, businesses building and maintaining their own onsite IT infrastructure was the only game in town. Cloud computing has changed all that. A whopping 61% of businesses migrated at least some of their workloads to the cloud in 2020. Likely your business is already running more than one SaaS hosted application (Microsoft 365 or Dropbox, anyone?), and it’s a guarantee that your employees are. However, many Sage BusinessWorks users remain tied to the onsite deployment and the heavy IT burden and costs that go with it. Now is an excellent time to move your Sage BusinessWorks to a hosted model. Here are three reasons why you shouldn’t wait any longer to make the move. 1. Take control of your business Sage BusinessWorks is likely the backbone of your business operations, with all accounting, sales, inventory, purchasing, manufacturing, project management, and other functions managed through the application. Even short periods of downtime can be devastating, impacting your ability to service customers and zapping employee productivity. Should your server crash, it could take days or weeks to repair or replace it, costing tens of thousands (or more) in expenses and lost revenue. If resiliency, system performance, or security breaches become issues, your organization risks losing ground — and customers — to the competition. In short, Sage BusinessWorks is mission-critical, which makes the cloud an ideal place to protect it. With a hosted ERP model, your company’s instance of Sage BusinessWorks is hosted on a private cloud services provider’s (CSP) server in a highly secure environment. Private CSPs host your entire production environment in a stable and secure location with 24x7x365 monitoring and support. With near 100% availability guarantees, hourly backup snapshots, and professional disaster recovery services, your Sage BusinessWorks data will be safe, and your organization can continue operations, even in the event of a disaster. 2. Increase the value of your company If you are considering merger and acquisition opportunities, an IPO, or a business continuity strategy, you’ll want to maximize your company’s value in every possible way. A company with a bulky in-house computer system — especially when it runs the ERP — could be seen as risky by potential investors. There’s some mystery surrounding an internally hosted IT infrastructure that makes it more difficult for investors to access, understand, value, and maintain going forward. In short, investors demand visibility and accessibility — two things most in-house ERP deployments lack. With the vast majority of workloads either in the cloud or moving to the cloud, the cloud becomes the place to park your Sage BusinessWorks. With your hosting company handling all maintenance and support of the system, a budgetable monthly cost, and the cloud deployment providing anytime, anywhere access, investors have a clearer, more concise vision of your operation that’s extremely valuable. 3. Improve employee productivity Labor is the single largest expense for most companies, so it’s of strategic advantage when you can optimize every hour worked. Is it really in your company’s best interest to continue to host and maintain Sage BusinessWorks on premise? In addition to the staff time required to keep it running optimally, there’s also the “window within a window” remote access inconvenience that zaps performance and wastes time. Also, in this tight labor market, it’s increasingly difficult (and expensive) to hire and retain talented IT professionals. In short, your human capital may be better spent on activities other than maintaining your ERP application in house. Moving your Sage BusinessWorks to a hosted cloud deployment model allows you reallocate IT resources to focus more on growing the business and less on maintaining and updating technology. In addition, cloud deployments provide convenient anytime/anywhere access for your staff — something that proved invaluable during the pandemic. The flexibility, reliability, security, and accessibility provided through a hosted ERP scenario can boost overall productivity and allow you to focus resources more strategically. Your company’s investment in Sage BusinessWorks is significant, spans many years — and will perform well for many years to come. But your method of deployment could use an update. Cloud Hosted ERP offers numerous benefits to growing companies, including improved security and backup, better visibility and accessibility, and enhanced employee productivity. As a Sage Cloud Hosting specialist, Cloud at Work understands Sage BusinessWorks and will work with you and your Sage partner to make the transition to hosting simple, straightforward, and seamless. Contact us with your questions.

Certification as Sage Strategic Hosting Provider validates Cloud at Work’s ability to smoothly fast-track Sage customers to the cloud and unleash the power of their businesses NEW YORK, NY – July 23, 2021 – Cloud at Work, a purpose-built Sage hosting solution, today announced that it has been selected by Sage as an approved Strategic Hosting Provider to help Sage Partners migrate customers to the cloud. Cloud at Work allows Sage customers in the U.S. currently using on-premises solutions, including Sage 100, Sage 300, and Sage CRE, to realize the increased performance, efficiencies and financial benefits of SaaS, with the Sage support and SaaS expertise of the Cloud at Work team. Today’s announcement reaffirms the strength of Cloud at Work’s cloud and Sage application expertise, as well as Sage’s trust in its ability to support Sage partners in providing their customers with a world-class cloud experience – from fast, painless deployment to uninterrupted access and reliable performance. Cloud at Work Announces Sage’s Accreditation as Sage X3 Strategic Cloud Hosting Provider “We are delighted to have been selected to join the Sage Partner Cloud program as a Strategic Hosting Provider to help Sage Business Partners meet the growing demand for a fast and safe migration to a reliable hosting environment,” said Tyler Bower, Director of Cloud and Hosting at Cloud at Work. “It’s a partnership that offers a winning combination of increased performance and industry leading solutions that allows Sage customers to unleash the power of their business.” “Recent global events have accelerated the need for anytime, anywhere access to business-critical information,” said Aziz Benmalek, EVP of the Global Partner Organization at Sage. “This is accelerating migration to the cloud, as customers look for freedom and flexibility to customize their requirements and future-proof their business processes. Cloud at Work join us as a strategic cloud hosting partner based on their impressive track record of supporting customers on their journey to the cloud, while enabling them to continue using the trusted Sage products that already work for their business, without disruption.” Cloud at Work offers the most secure, scalable technology and best user experience via the most experienced Sage team in North America and works seamlessly with Sage Business Partners to fast-track best-in-class cloud solutions that fit specific needs and improve business processes. About Cloud at Work Cloud at Work gives users of Sage applications more capabilities and control to increase business performance using their technology investments. With a knowledgeable, highly-responsive team of Sage application experts and advanced cloud hosting solutions personalized to customer strengths, Cloud at Work helps its customers pivot more quickly to capitalize on new business opportunities and resolve issues faster. Businesses using Sage trust Cloud at Work to help them achieve higher levels of business productivity and resiliency that outpace competitors and help them capture more market share. Visit thecloudatwork.com for more information.

ATLANTA, July 22, 2021 –(Source: Sage Software) Sage, the market leader in cloud business management solutions, today announced the expansion of the Sage Partner Cloud. To enable Sage partners to successfully move customers to the cloud at a pace that suits their business, Sage has added to the program two new strategic hosting providers, Cloud at Work and Swizznet, and extended availability to Sage construction and real estate customers. The Sage Partner Cloud program offers partners the tools, expertise and partnerships needed to customize and deploy Sage business management solutions in the cloud. It is available in the U.S. and Canada and soon to launch in the U.K. on the Microsoft Azure platform. The program includes Sage 100, Sage 300, and now both Sage 100 Contractor and Sage 300 Construction and Real Estate (CRE), enabling partners to better support the journey to the cloud for their customers. With the addition of Sage CRE solutions to the suite of ERP products available through Sage Partner Cloud, customers in the construction and real estate space now have an easier path to the cloud while keeping the products they currently use. With this program expansion, Sage partners can opt to leverage Sage-accredited cloud hosting providers as they deploy customers to cloud-hosted Sage business management solutions. Beginning with providers Cloud at Work and Swizznet, a third-party hosting infrastructure offers flexibility and choice by leveraging providers who have been vetted by Sage. Aziz Benmalek, EVP of the Global Partner Organization at Sage, says: “Recent global events have accelerated the need for anytime, anywhere access to business-critical information. This is accelerating migration to the cloud, as customers look for freedom and flexibility to customize their requirements and future-proof their business processes. With Sage Partner Cloud, partners can better support customers on their journey to the cloud, enabling them to continue using the trusted Sage products that work for their business, without disruption.” Tyler Bower, Director of Cloud and Hosting Services at Cloud at Work, says: “Cloud at Work is prepared to meet today’s growing demand for cloud with a hosting environment purpose-built for Sage applications. We are delighted to have been selected to join the Sage Partner Cloud program as a Strategic Hosting Provider to support Sage Business Partners in helping to provide solutions for our mutual customers. In conjunction with our Sage partner colleagues and their feature-rich products, we have a winning combination ensuring that customers enjoy industry leading solutions that unleash the power of their businesses.” Bob Hollander, President and CEO of Swizznet, adds: “It’s increasingly important for partners to deploy customers to the cloud at pace. That’s exactly the goal of Swizznet’s partnership with Sage via the Sage Partner Cloud as a strategic hosting provider. This program gives partners even more flexibility, further removing barriers along the customer journey to the cloud.” First launched in December 2020, Sage Partner Cloud provides multiple options for access to the program and its benefits with this expansion. In addition to the choice of hosting partners, Sage Partner Cloud also empowers partners to become a managed services provider for their customers. The managed service program is powered by the Sage Provisioning Portal on the Microsoft Azure cloud platform. Sage Partner Cloud, the existing Sage Provisioning Portal on Microsoft Azure and the new Strategic Hosting Provider model will be available in other markets over the coming months.

The Sage Partner Cloud Program (SPC) gives Sage 100 and Sage 300 partners the tools and partnerships needed to successfully move customers to the cloud at their own pace. Exclusively for Sage Channel Partners, the upcoming webcast will provide updates related to  the Sage Partner Cloud Program. This session will include details on the Cloud at Work™ hosting solution – Sage’s new Strategic Hosting Provider option that is now available for new and existing Sage 100 and Sage 300 customers who want to move to Sage cloud hosting and want the peace of mind of using a Sage accredited hosting provider.  In the webcast Sage will: Review the Sage Provisioning Portal for Azure option and introduce the new Strategic Hosting Provider option. Explain how both options fit in the Sage Partner Cloud vision. Explain the benefits of each program for partners and for customers. Discuss the benefits of working with Cloud at Work™. Answer any questions you may have. Date:    Wed, Jul 21, 2021 Time: 11 am PT/2 pm ET (1 hr.) A Sage Strategic Hosting Partner, Cloud at Work™  is  focused on delivering the ultimate experience for Sage Partners and Sage Users in the cloud. With expertise in delivering cloud solutions for Sage 100, Sage 300, and Sage X3, Cloud at Work is able to ensure your experience is top notch. We pair enterprise cloud & cyber security capability with an expert level of knowledge on how Sage should perform in the cloud now and for the future. Learn more about our Sage Partner Program Recent Cloud at Work News: Cloud at Work’s Partner Development Fund Grows Revenues for Sage Business Partners by Incentivizing and Fast-Tracking Cloud Hosting for Sage Cloud at Work Selected by ACI Consulting as Exclusive Hosting Provider for its Sage Clients Cloud at Work Selected by Oasis Solutions as Exclusive Hosting Provider for its Sage Clients Cloud at Work Selected by e2b teknologies, as Exclusive Hosting Provider for its Sage Clients

NEW YORK, NY – July 1, 2021 – Cloud at Work, a purpose-built Sage hosting solution, today announced that ACI Consulting (ACI), a leading Sage business partner, has selected it as its exclusive hosting provider for Sage clients. By migrating its Sage clients to Cloud at Work, ACI enables them to take control of their businesses, and realize the financial benefits of SaaS, supported by the combined Sage application and cloud technology expertise of ACI and the Cloud at Work team. Since its inception in 1993, ACI Consulting has evolved into a full-service Sage VAR representing Sage 100, Sage 500, Sage X3, Sage Intacct and Sage CRM. Taking a client-first approach, ACI has grown into a leading Sage partner, supporting hundreds of clients by building trust and delivering a white glove service. By choosing Cloud at Work as its exclusive Sage hosting provider, ACI gives their clients the increased agility needed in a fast-changing, post-pandemic world, while reducing costs, increasing profits, and streamlining processes to improve efficiencies and gain a competitive edge. “ACI Consulting and Cloud at Work are natural partners because of our shared cultures and values as problem solvers and promise keepers,” said Tyler Bower, Director of Cloud at Cloud at Work. “ACI has become one of the most trusted brands in the Sage community, and we look forward to working with Douglas and his first-rate team in enabling their Sage clients to realize the efficiencies and business benefits of cloud hosting.” “After working with multiple hosting providers over the years we wanted a client-first partner we could trust to seamlessly transition our clients’ Sage solutions to the cloud and help grow our practice,” said Douglas Luchansky, President of ACI. “That Sage vetted and certified Cloud at Work a Sage Partner Cloud Strategic Service Provider, spoke volumes about their expertise and client-centric approach, which made this decision that much easier.” Cloud at Work’s recently announced Partner Development Fund allocates $1.5 million to Sage Business Partner customers who migrate their application to Cloud at Work. Sage users that sign on to move to Cloud at Work Hosting will receive a certificate of credit to be spent exclusively with their Sage Business Partner of Record. The funds can be used for any service, including upgrades, new software, services and migrations. About Cloud at Work Cloud at Work gives users of Sage applications more capabilities and control to increase business performance using their technology investments. With a knowledgeable, highly-responsive team of Sage application experts and advanced cloud hosting solutions personalized to customer strengths, Cloud at Work helps its customers pivot more quickly to capitalize on new business opportunities and resolve issues faster. Businesses using Sage trust Cloud at Work to help them achieve higher levels of business productivity and resiliency that outpace competitors and help them capture more market share. Visit thecloudatwork.com for more information. About ACI Consulting ACI Consulting provides boutique services to its Sage clients, bridging the gap between very large Sage firms, and smaller Sage firms that are often one-person shops. Offering a highly personable approach to consulting, ACI Consulting recognizes the need as a service-based company to provide quick responses, project management, superior Sage product knowledge, and business process advising, all with-in the context of a Sage Software environment. Businesses that work with ACI Consulting as their Sage partner find that the level of attention to detail is second to none, meaning ACI Consulting’s application experts are often regarded as an extension of our clients. Visit www.ACIconsulting.com to learn more about the power of experience.