Data modernization has become a buzzword for moving to the cloud and adopting digital tools. But modernization is not just about staying current; it’s about uncovering data-driven insights that improve decision-making and elevate your business.

Microsoft Azure facilitates these goals with platforms for machine learning, advanced analytics, containerization, data lakes, automation and more. These tools are essential for the kind of business growth and efficiency that can redefine the potential of your business.

The Impact of Data Modernization on Business Growth

We all know what we want our business to do in the next decade: grow, grow, and grow some more. To do this, you must start taking small steps toward large-scale modernization that will impact:

• Decision-Making: Building a single source of truth ensures your data is accurate and reliable so you can make informed decisions faster.
• Customer Experience: Advanced analytics provide deeper insights into customer behavior, market trends and operational efficiencies.
• Innovation: A modern data infrastructure sets a strong foundation for developing new products or services or improving existing ones.
• Risk Management: Enhanced data security and governance ensures your business complies with the latest regulations and mitigates risks associated with data breaches or loss.

Building the Business of the Future with Azure

Your future business will be defined by today’s use of cutting-edge technologies. By adopting Azure Cloud, your organization positions itself to be reliable, secure and at the forefront of innovation.

Successful Data Modernization with Azure Data Factory

Azure Data Factory (ADF) is a cloud-based data integration service that facilitates the creation of ETL, ELT and data integration pipelines.

With ADF, you can:

• Store your data in centralized cloud storage, such as Azure Data Lake.
• Employ analytics and machine learning to refine your data.
• Streamline the transition of your ETL/Big Data workloads to Microsoft Azure.
• Support real-time data with over 90 built-in connectors.
• Efficiently and securely manage data movement and orchestration tasks.

Successful Data Modernization with Azure Synapse Analytics

Azure Synapse Analytics is more than an analytics service; it’s a comprehensive solution that melds multiple technologies to offer unparalleled insights and performance. It ensures:

• Robust security and governance
• Seamless integration with other Azure services
• Scalability according to your needs
• Better decision-making through advanced analytics
• Robust security

Successful Data Modernization with Azure Databricks

Azure Databricks is a unified data analytics platform that accelerates innovation across various domains, from data science and engineering to business analytics. Here are its key advantages:

• Built on the highly performant Databricks runtime engine, which ensures that your data workloads are processed at lightning speed.
• Scales automatically and elastically so you can manage fluctuating data workloads seamlessly and cost-effectively.
• A comprehensive platform that supports a diverse range of analytical workloads, languages, and tools.

Successful Data Modernization with Azure Data Lake Storage

Azure Data Lake Storage is engineered for high-performance analytics workloads, ensuring that your data is not only accessible but primed for valuable insights.

Azure Data Lake Storage:

• Removes data silos, allowing for a seamless data ecosystem
• Provides a single platform that caters to all your storage needs
• Automatically transitions your data to the most cost-efficient tier
• Offers encryption at rest and advanced threat protection

Successful Data Modernization with Azure Cosmos DB

Azure Cosmos DB is a globally distributed, multi-model database service that excels in managing diverse data formats, from key-value pairs to graph-based databases. It ensures that your data is handled with precision by:

• Allowing you to replicate your data across any number of Azure regions worldwide.
• Providing the flexibility to choose the best model for your application’s needs.
• Offering five distinct levels of consistency—Strong, Bounded-staleness, Session, Consistent Prefix and Eventual—to cater to various use-case scenarios.
• Designing containers to scale horizontally, making them capable of handling millions of read and write requests per second.

Choosing the Azure Modernization Solutions That are Right for You

These strategic moves toward data modernization with Azure are not just about adopting new technologies; you are setting the foundation for a business that can adapt and grow in a digital economy where technology is a strategic asset.

Need help determining which Azure modernization solutions are right for you? Reach out, and let’s talk. With OneNeck, you benefit from a trusted partner with extensive experience in modern data architecture, Gold level partnership with Microsoft and deep expertise in all things IT to help you navigate complexities, reduce technical debt and achieve maximum value from your data.

Microsoft recently unveiled its latest innovation, Microsoft Fabric®, an integrated data and analytics platform constructed on the robust foundation of the company’s OneLake data lake. Users should experience several interesting benefits, including easier data integration and platform-independent data analysis.

So, what exactly is Fabric? According to the overview provided by Microsoft, “Fabric is an all-in-one analytics solution for enterprises that covers everything from data movement to data science, Real-Time Analytics, and business intelligence. It offers a comprehensive suite of services, including data lake, data engineering, and data integration, all in one place.”

The beauty of Fabric is that it eliminates the need to piece together different services from multiple vendors. Instead, businesses can employ a highly integrated, end-to-end, easy-to-use product to simplify analytics. This capability is further supported by the platform being built upon an established Software as a Service (SaaS) foundation.

– Source: Microsoft

Microsoft Fabric and Power BI: Cut from the Same Cloth

Current Power BI® users will likely notice an inherent familiarity with Fabric. The SaaS foundation used to build Fabric is what Power BI utilizes today. While Fabric offers a plethora of new features, the fundamentals of Fabric and Power BI are in most cases indistinguishable.

Shared features and experiences include, but are not limited to:

• Workspaces– Fabric workspaces behave like Power BI workspaces only with increased availability of item types.
• Navigation– If you understand how to operate the Power BI portal, you know how to move around Fabric. They work the same.
• Collaboration and Content Management– You can collaborate and share with Fabric items and workspaces like you do with Power BI.
• Capacities– New Fabric workloads utilize the capacity-based compute model used by Power BI Premium.
• Administration– Fabric administration works like Power BI administration, and the Fabric admin portal is just an evolution of Power BI’s portal.

OneLake, the OneDrive for Data

OneLake® is a SaaS data lake that is a fundamental element of the Fabric SaaS foundation. Each Fabric tenant involves a single OneLake instance, and every Fabric experience works natively with data in the lake. Microsoft is christening OneLake, the OneDrive for data.

Like OneDrive, OneLake is included with every Microsoft Fabric tenant, designed to be the solitary destination for all analytics data. OneLake provides companies with a single data lake for the entire organization and a copy of data to use with various analytical engines.

Microsoft Fabric: Core Components

Fabric provides an exhaustive set of features, ranging from integration tools, a Spark-based analytics platform, to a real-time analytics tool, all boosted by an upgraded Power BI. This facilitates user-friendly visualization and AI-based analytics. Furthermore, Fabric presents a no-code developer interface, enabling users with various experience levels or programming to monitor real-time data.

Fabric offers comprehensive analytics experiences designed to work together seamlessly. Each experience is tailored to an individual user and a particular task. Microsoft Fabric’s core components include:

• Power BI– A Business Intelligence platform that permits organizational users to access all data in Fabric quickly and intuitively, aiding in data-informed decision-making.
• Data Engineering– Provides a Spark platform designed for data engineers to transform large-scale data and democratize data using the lakehouse. Integrating Microsoft Fabric Spark with Data Factory allows notebooks and Spark jobs to be scheduled and orchestrated.
• Data Factory– Integrates the user-friendly Power Query with the scalable Azure Data Factory. This combination provides over 200 native connectors to data sources on-premises and in the cloud.
• Data Science– Facilitates creation, deployment and operational management of machine learning models within the Fabric environment. Integration with Azure Machine Learning includes built-in experiment tracking and model registry. This integration allows enriched organizational data with predictions and business analysts to combine those predictions into their Power BI reports, allowing for the transition from descriptive to predictive insights.
• Data Warehouse– This feature provides SQL performance and scalability, separating compute from storage for independent scaling of both components. It also includes native data storage in the open Delta Lake format.
• Real-Time Analytics– Observational data collected from various sources like apps, IoT devices and human interactions is an expanding data category. Real-Time Analytics manages high volumes of semi-structured data with shifting schemas.

It is important to acknowledge that most of these new features are still currently in preview. In this phase, the features afford an exciting glimpse into the future of data integration, management and analysis, providing the potential to redefine the handling of large-scale data operations.

OneNeck, a Microsoft CSP for Today and Tomorrow

At OneNeck, we’re proud to be an experienced and trusted Microsoft CSP. Our partnership aims to bring the best technology and services to our clients, helping organizations navigate the world of data more efficiently and effectively.

Don’t wait to leverage the Microsoft suite of cloud services, including innovations such as Fabric, in your data operations. Connect with OneNeck to learn more about how we can help you excel in the Modern Workplace and stay ahead of the curve in this ever-evolving digital landscape.

Contact us today to speak to one of our experienced Microsoft experts.

5 IT Solutions to Automate Your Production Facility

The latest phase in manufacturing, known as Industry 4.0 or the Fourth Industrial Revolution, refers to the use of smart automation and connectivity in a production environment. By utilizing the Internet of Things (IoT) to connect computers to machines, facilities can automate production while leveraging data and analytics, enhancing human interaction with machines and improving efficiency and productivity.

What are Industry 4.0 Solutions for Manufacturing?

Industry 4.0 IT solutions for manufacturing are cutting-edge technologies that enable data sharing and automation by connecting machines and computers — leading to today’s “smart factories.”

Along with improved robotics and IoT connectivity, smart factories may employ additional digital solutions. These may include automated diagnostic tools, remote monitoring, predictive maintenance, augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR), and mobile and web apps.

Automation and connectivity in smart factories lead to improved production reliability and precision, and a more agile, flexible, and efficient production environment.

5 Foundational IT Solutions for Manufacturing

Implementing Industry 4.0 smart manufacturing processes can help companies achieve continuous improvement goals such as reducing downtime, improving supply chain traceability, and increasing speed to market. However, Industry 4.0 doesn’t just happen. Management must identify opportunities, choose from various technological and digital solutions, and implement the ones that address the highest priority functions.

Here are five foundational IT solutions for manufacturing to consider as your organization prepares to implement Industry 4.0 in your factory.

1. Cloud & Hybrid IT: Cloud computing enables manufacturers to store and access data and applications on remote servers. This internet-based solution eliminates the need for on-premises infrastructure, providing an affordable, flexible, and scalable solution. Combining cloud and on-premises systems results in a hybrid IT solution, allowing organizations to leverage the benefits of both.
2. Colocation: Manufacturers can rent servers and other hardware space at a third-party provider’s facility, allowing them to outsource physical infrastructure while retaining control over their IT systems. Colocation can also assist manufacturers by providing redundancy for disaster recovery.
3. Application Modernization: In manufacturing, application modernization is the process of updating or replacing legacy software and systems to ensure compatibility with modern technology. This can include migrating on-premises software to the cloud, implementing software-as-a-service (SaaS) solutions, and using technologies like artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML). Application modernization enhances the functionality and efficiency of equipment, frontline workers, and supply chain while optimizing processes.
4. Virtualization: Virtualization technology enables manufacturers to use a single physical server to run multiple virtual machines or operating systems. This reduces costs while improving hardware utilization and scalability. Virtualization also helps support flexible work arrangements by enabling the creation of virtualized desktops, allowing employees a secure way to remotely access applications and data.
5. Digital Transformation: Digital transformation is the integration of digital technologies across all aspects of a manufacturing organization, fundamentally changing how it operates. It can cover many different initiatives, such as adopting Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) devices for real-time data collection and predictive maintenance, leveraging analytics for informed decision-making, and implementing automation and robotics to streamline processes and increase productivity.

The Future of Manufacturing Starts with OneNeck

These foundational IT solutions for manufacturing are a starting point when planning for the digital transformation necessary to thrive in today’s technology-driven landscape. Moving to Industry 4.0 offers enticing long-term benefits including continuous improvement and cost savings.

Don’t walk this path without a partner that can guide you through the journey. At OneNeck, we have helped manufacturing companies like yours jump into action with innovative solutions.

• Migrations to cloud, multi-cloud, and hybrid environments
• Colocation for managing the cost of expanding data centers
• Cybersecurity products and services to reduce downtime and risk
• Digital transformation and application modernization
• Connected machines and devices

In today’s competitive, rapidly evolving manufacturing environment, organizations that embrace digital solutions are better able to weather any storm. Let OneNeck IT Solutions help you navigate your organization’s transition to Industry 4.0.

Read more about IT solutions for the manufacturing industry, and learn how OneNeck can help provide solutions right for your factory.

Data modernization is vital for businesses to stay competitive and make informed decisions in today’s digital age. As companies generate, store, and analyze increasing volumes of data, effective management and protection have become significant challenges. Data management encompasses various activities, from collecting and storing data to analyzing and utilizing it to drive outcomes. But, with data growing exponentially, it can be difficult for businesses to prioritize what data is essential and how to manage it effectively.

Data management has become an increasingly important priority for leaders. However, achieving modern data management goals comes with equally modern hurdles and roadblocks.

According to a 2022 Deloitte survey, technology industry leaders listed three primary challenges when attempting to manage data effectively. While most of the leaders surveyed stated assurance in their ability to navigate these challenges, they nonetheless admitted organizational struggles to overcome them.

This blog will explore data leaders’ three common challenges and how data modernization services offer effective and efficient solutions.

Data Management Challenges

#1: Collecting and Protecting Data

Collecting and protecting ever-growing volumes of data is the top challenge for data leaders. As data volumes continue to rise, it can be difficult to prioritize which data is necessary to maintain. To tackle this challenge, data leaders call for better technologies to help collect data, make sense of it, and make it meaningful.

Achieving a holistic view of the enterprise’s data landscape and identifying sensitive information are significant challenges. With increasing amounts of data to handle, managing policy implementation and audits becomes harder. Data leaders must implement strong data management policies to protect their data from threats and ensure that it is neither breached by outside forces nor accessed internally by those that do not need to use it.

#2: Shifting Regulations

Shifting regulations are a significant challenge for data leaders. Regulations continuously change, making it difficult to maintain the latest requirements. Many leaders feel resigned that inconsistencies will arise and new data-related regulations will lead to higher costs, increased complexity, and challenges to software development.

As part of the broader regulatory landscape, cross-border transfers and data localization issues worry data leaders. Some businesses are trying to avoid or minimize transferring data out of the country while others are establishing additional cloud data centers worldwide and developing new preferred partners. In this ever-changing regulatory landscape, businesses must be vigilant and adaptable to avoid unintentional violations.

#3: Cost and Complexity of Data Privacy

The cost and complexity of implementing data privacy measures is the third significant challenge faced by data leaders. Many companies are facing increased focus on data privacy due to customer requests and requirements, regulations, and expanded internal access. Data breaches can result in significant financial and reputational damage to businesses, so leaders must prioritize data privacy as part of an overall data management strategy.

Employing data privacy measures can be costly and complex. There are several factors to consider, such as data classification, authorization and access controls, encryption, and data retention policies. In most cases, budgets aren’t rising to keep up with security maintenance costs, forcing data leaders to balance the need for privacy with available resources. Despite the challenges, businesses must prioritize implementation to protect customers’ personal information and maintain trust.

The Benefits of Solving Data Management Challenges through Data Modernization Services

If you ask twenty people in the tech industry what data modernization means, you will likely get twenty different answers. While no two companies use data precisely the same way, some concepts and philosophies do serve as foundations of data modernization and transformation.

OneNeck understands data transformation, when broken down to its most basic elements, centers around collecting, transforming and storing data through utilizing modern services and consuming it in an automated manner. To achieve this, we base our data modernization services on five necessary technologies: The cloud, active metadata, automation, advanced analytics and artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML).

Businesses must ensure their data is accurate, reliable, and easily accessible. Data modernization enables organizations to improve data management practices and make better-informed decisions. Microsoft Azure offers a variety of services and solutions to help companies address the afore-listed critical challenges.

Data Collection and Protection Solutions

In today’s digital era, data is arguably a business’s most valuable asset. It is essential to ensure data collection and protection solutions are in place to manage it efficiently.

Azure’s data storage solutions, such as Blob Storage, Data Lake Storage, SQL Database, Cosmos DB (NoSQL) and Azure Synapse Analytics, provide scalable and cost-effective options for storing and analyzing large amounts of data. Blob Storage is ideal for storing unstructured data, such as images, videos, and documents, while Data Lake Storage is suitable for big data scenarios. SQL Database offers a fully managed relational database service that provides high performance and availability with built-in security features. Cosmos DB is a multi-model NoSQL store. Azure Synapse Analytics is a fully integrated service for ingesting and curating data, making it available for consumption via Power BI.

Besides data storage solutions, Azure offers robust data protection services to help businesses safeguard data against cyber threats. Azure Security Center delivers a centralized platform for managing and monitoring security across Azure, hybrid cloud environments, on-premises and various cloud platforms. Security Center also provides recommendations and threat intelligence to help organizations stay ahead of evolving threats.

Additionally, Azure’s sophisticated threat protection capabilities, such as Azure Advanced Threat Protection (ATP), help businesses detect and respond in real-time before they cause significant damage. Azure ATP provides cutting-edge security features, including behavioral analytics, machine learning, and threat intelligence.

Regulatory Compliance

Azure offers a range of compliance and governance tools to help businesses stay compliant and reduce the risk of penalties or legal action. Azure Policy creates, assigns, and manages compliance policies across Azure resources and ensures companies meet regulatory standards by automatically auditing resources for policy compliance and flagging violations.

Furthermore, Azure provides a range of compliance certifications, including ISO, SOC, HIPAA, and GDPR, that help organizations demonstrate compliance. Azure’s compliance certifications assure customers their data is managed and protected following regulatory requirements and industry standards.

Azure provides a single platform to amass data, ensuring data management practices comply with the latest regulations and standards. Businesses can streamline their compliance efforts and reduce the complexity of managing regulatory requirements. This all-in-one solution reduces the risk of costly penalties, legal action and damage to a company’s reputation.

Ensuring Privacy

Privacy-enhancing technologies are a staple of Azure. Utilizing Azure organizations can better protect sensitive data, prevent data breaches and leaks, and comply with privacy regulations, all while leveraging big data analytics and machine learning benefits.

One of the critical privacy solutions is Azure Information Protection (AIP). AIP enables businesses to classify, tag, and protect data. With AIP, companies apply labels to sensitive data that determine who can access it and how it can be used, enabling controlled access to sensitive data and preventing breaches and leaks.

Additionally, Azure Purview provides advanced data governance capabilities. Purview enables businesses to discover, classify, and manage data assets across hybrid cloud environments. Purview creates a comprehensive inventory of data assets, allowing organizations to protect sensitive information more efficiently, comply with regulations, and optimize data storage and usage.

Partnering for Success: Meeting Your Modern Data Management Challenges

Data modernization is a critical process for any organization looking to unlock the full potential of its data assets. Effective execution requires extensive planning, expertise, and the right tools. Through Microsoft Azure’s comprehensive suite of data management and analytics tools, combined with the knowledge and insights of an experienced cloud solutions provider like OneNeck, your organization can accelerate modernization and transformation initiatives, enabling greater efficiency, agility, and competitiveness.

At OneNeck, we are a trusted partner with extensive experience in data architecture and a Microsoft Gold-level Cloud Service Provider. Our IT proficiency ensures your organization navigates complexities, reduces technical commitments, and achieves maximum ROI from your data. If you’re ready to unlock the power of your data and modernize your data management infrastructure, contact us today to schedule a consultation and see how we can guide you to data modernization success.

Data modernization— specifically, data-first modernization—is central to successful digital transformation. With data growing at an explosive rate, businesses need more efficient ways to manage it and new ways to use it to glean deeper insights that can help fuel growth.

Organizations that adopt a data-first approach and harness the power of today’s new technologies are 20 times more likely to beat their competitors and 11 times more likely to exceed their revenue goals by 10% or more. Here’s why.

Why Is Data Modernization Important?

Data modernization is the process of converting data into a form that is easier to access, manage, and use. It eliminates silos and unlocks the value of data to enable faster decisions and better insights. Data modernization helps businesses achieve the scalability, agility, and speed they are looking for in cloud solutions.

Data modernization involves migrating data from legacy systems to a modern, often cloud-based, solution and merging data from disparate sources into one database to create a single source of truth. First, the data must be cleaned up, unified, and normalized across all fields and records. Then, it can be imported into the new system.

What Is Data-first Modernization?

Data-first modernization is a business strategy rather than a process. An organization that takes a data-first modernization approach understands that data is its primary asset. Putting data at the forefront generates valuable insights that drive better decision-making.

With data-first modernization, businesses can extract value from all their data, regardless of where it lives—whether on the edge, in a data center, or in the cloud. Companies can then leverage technologies, such as advanced analytics, to generate intelligence that accelerates business.

5 Important Technologies for Achieving Data Modernization

Many new technologies are driving data modernization in today’s business landscape. This shortlist summarizes the top five.

The Cloud

The Cloud offers a golden opportunity for businesses looking to move away from legacy technologies and on-premises data centers. Companies that adopt cloud solutions not only reduce the total cost of ownership (TCO) associated with IT infrastructure but also gain tremendous flexibility and scalability.

Modern cloud providers offer a full range of services that include Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) solutions, cloud-based storage and processing, and data modernization capabilities. The cloud enables businesses to take advantage of powerful new technologies, such as big data, advanced analytics, and artificial intelligence (AI).

Active metadata

If metadata is data about data, then what is active metadata?

Active metadata provides context that gives details about everything that is done to the data. It provides additional information that enables organizations to discover, categorize, maintain, use, and govern their data.

Metadata must be generated, assembled, and indexed continuously whenever data is created, updated, or moved. As the volume of data grows, so does metadata. This makes it crucial for businesses to replace traditional metadata management tools with a modern active metadata management solution that continually collects and analyzes metadata and creates intelligence from it.

Automation

Manual routine tasks make employees’ jobs boring and lead to fatigue, which increases the chance of human error. But with modern digital tools, businesses can automate those repetitive tasks and ensure greater accuracy. Automation frees up time, allowing employees to focus on more critical endeavors like business intelligence and data analysis.

But automation isn’t just for routine tasks. Companies can also automate complex business processes. For example, active metadata management can be automated using APIs.

Advanced analytics

Advanced analytics is a broad term that refers to three separate, but related, technologies: predictive analytics, prescriptive analytics, and artificial intelligence.

Predictive analytics uses data to create models of possible future scenarios. Leaders can then use these models to choose the best course of action, whether immediate or long-term. Prescriptive analytics uses algorithms to evaluate data and recommend ways to optimize business processes to achieve desired outcomes. It can identify the cause of bottlenecks and other problems and show how making strategic changes would improve various aspects of a business.

Artificial intelligence and machine learning

The most advanced type of analytics—artificial intelligence—includes machine learning (ML). AI differs from predictive and prescriptive analytics in three ways: it is capable of learning, evolves over time, and understands natural language.

AI and ML work hand in hand to drive business by providing convenience, accessibility, automation, and efficiency—all of which lead to greater productivity and better user experiences. Together, AI and ML can rapidly analyze large volumes of data, find connections between multiple data sets, and identify patterns and anomalies. Because AI can make decisions faster and more accurately than humans, it saves companies considerable time and money.

Data Modernization Fuels Business Growth

Data modernization fuels every digital transformation initiative, enabling organizations to gain valuable insights from their data. OneNeck IT Solutions offers advanced technologies like Azure Data Analytics that can help your business achieve a competitive edge.

Contact us to learn more about how OneNeck can help you scale your business and maximize performance.

Frequently asked questions…

What is the goal of data modernization?

The goal of data modernization is to transform traditional data architectures and processes into modern, more agile, and efficient ones that can support the growing demand for data-driven insights and decision-making. Data modernization involves migrating data from legacy systems to modern platforms, implementing advanced data analytics and machine learning capabilities, adopting cloud-based technologies, and ensuring data security and compliance.

What is advanced analytics vs analytics?

Analytics refers to the process of examining data to draw conclusions or insights about past events or trends. Advanced analytics, involves using complex and sophisticated techniques such as data mining, machine learning, predictive modeling, and artificial intelligence to analyze data and make predictions or recommendations. Advanced analytics allows organizations to gain deeper insights and achieve more accurate predictions, optimize business processes, reduce risks, and identify new opportunities.

What is difference between machine learning and artificial intelligence?

Artificial intelligence (AI) involves creating intelligent machines that can simulate human cognitive processes such as learning, reasoning, and problem-solving. Machine learning (ML) is a subset of AI that involves training computer algorithms to learn patterns in data, make predictions, and improve their performance over time without being explicitly programmed.

What is Azure Data Lake?

Azure Data Lake is a cloud-based storage and analytics service provided by Microsoft that enables businesses to store and analyze large amounts of structured, semi-structured, and unstructured data. It allows users to store data of any size, shape, and speed easily and securely, and perform powerful analytics and processing tasks.

Cloud computing solves a major challenge for many IT departments. It allows them to provide on-demand computing for their team, regardless of location or time of day. Teams are thus not limited to the capacity of an internal data center that may restrict usage to location or users. How does the cloud accomplish this feat?

It does so by providing ubiquitous, convenient, on-demand network access to a shared pool of configurable computing resources that can be rapidly provisioned and released with minimal management effort. Public cloud computing benefits from economies of scale, which allow it to draw from seemingly limitless resources.

While the benefits of the public cloud are considerable, teams may wonder about the benefits of choosing one provider over another. In this article, we’ll consider some specific ways Microsoft Azure is increasing the capabilities of many organizations.

Azure Extends Your IT Capabilities

Often, businesses look for more than simple cloud storage or computing power. Azure is an excellent option because it adds so many features and enhancements. For example, it offers a variety of pre-built applications that you can use to get started quickly. These applications are easy to configure and use, and they can help you get your business up and running quickly.

Another concern for business owners is security. Azure offers robust security features to keep your data safe. It has built-in firewalls that protect your data from unauthorized access and encrypts all data stored in the cloud, which adds redundant protection in case of a breach.

Lastly, Azure is backed by Microsoft and benefits from the scale of a global company. What does this mean for your company as a user?

• You can rely on Microsoft to provide world-class support for your Azure environment.
• You benefit from their large global footprint, with data centers in over 42 regions, ensuring that your applications are always close to your customers.
• Your apps and services are highly scalable, allowing you to scale up or down as needed.
• Your systems are highly reliable, with multiple layers of redundancy built in.

Azure’s features ensure that your computing infrastructure is always ready to meet demand and available to your entire organization. With that in mind, let’s look at a few specific applications of the technology.

No two companies are the same, and neither are their computing needs. Perhaps you’re interested in creating a modern workplace for your employees. Or maybe you want to improve the use of data in your organization. While we can’t cover every use case, let’s briefly consider how Azure fits into a few specific use cases.

Modern workplace. You likely already use Microsoft products in your operations. When using Azure, it’s easy to integrate and deploy Microsoft 365 tools like business-class email, collaboration tools including Microsoft Teams, and Office apps which are the standard in most businesses. The breadth of business applications makes it easy to create a holistic tech stack that supports your modern workplace.

Data and analytics. Learning from your data helps improve nearly every aspect of your business. However, collecting and managing large amounts of data requires powerful data tools. Microsoft Azure has many applications to help you analyze your data, like Azure SQL, Cosmos DB, Data Factory, Data Lake, Power BI, and more. These advanced tools plug right into your Azure environment, extending your IT data capabilities instantly.

Government agencies. Government organizations are subject to stricter data requirements, limiting their choices for cloud partners. Azure Government Cloud meets these rigorous requirements by completely separating your cloud data and providing enhanced security. It’s also compliant with regulations like HIPAA, FedRAMP, and IRS 1075.

Partner With OneNeck, a Certified Microsoft Cloud Service Provider

While reading about the advantages of using Azure, you’ve likely thought of a few applications for your business. As both a Microsoft cloud service provider and a hybrid IT solutions provider, we are uniquely qualified to help you leverage Azure to reach your business goals. For example, we help optimize your Azure spend, so you’re not wasting precious budget on unused resources.

Our goal is to provide value beyond just your Microsoft licenses, and help you make best-fit cloud decisions that fuel your business growth and while continually optimizing your current investments. And if your needs go beyond what Azure offers, we’ll help you make strategic decisions that benefit your company for the long haul. Do you want to find out which Azure applications are most suitable for your business needs? Contact us to learn more.

Digital transformation has given businesses across many industries a competitive advantage. While gaining an advantage is compelling, it’s not the only reason to embrace digital transformation. When you consider how quickly technology is evolving,
digital transformation is no longer optional. Those who don’t familiarize themselves with the process will fall behind.

Approaching digital transformation can be daunting as it’s easy to focus on the initiative as a whole. However, when broken down into its respective parts, the transformation becomes more feasible and organizations are able to stay focused. In this article, we’ll look at four types of digital transformation and how they impact the businesses that embrace them.

Four Different Types of Digital Transformation

Digital transformation used to be more centered on adopting digital tools to create efficiencies. However, as businesses find new ways to collect product and customer data, this goal has evolved. Teams are no longer limited to using digital tools just for creating operational efficiencies. Now they can use these tools to create new streams of revenue, anticipate customer needs and use data to develop new products and services.

Getting into all the nuances of digital transformation could fill the contents of a book. So we’ll focus on the overarching areas of digital transformation.

1. Business process transformation is where most businesses begin their transformation journey. That’s because it’s easiest to visualize and measure how improvements to your operations will increase ROI. Digital tools can be used to detect defects in real time, ensure machinery is being used to its full potential, eliminate waste, etc. These efficiencies can lower costs, improve product quality or reduce the time it takes to deliver your products (digital or physical). For example, businesses in the agriculture industry use IoT devices to guide harvesting robots that can operate 24/7 and help solve labor shortages.
2. Business model transformation has revolutionized how companies deliver goods and services. Just think about how Uber changed the way people get rides or how Amazon reinvented how we shop. While your transformation may not shape an industry as Uber and Amazon did, it can still be effective. For example, reducing friction in the ordering process with an intuitive digital tool may delight customers more than a groundbreaking new feature.

3. Domain transformation. Some businesses have been able to enter new domains with the adoption of digital technologies. Consider Disney. Previously, they offered the majority of their entertainment through third-party retailers. But recently, they have been successful in entering the digital streaming marketplace. By leveraging their existing large content library, they were able to quickly gain a unique advantage in this domain.

4. Cultural transformation. Technology has had profound effects on the way we work, facilitating communication and collaboration. Through digital tools, organizations can tear down departmental barriers and foster an environment that supports cultural transformation — which has been the breeding ground for industry-leading innovation and high-performing teams. Tech companies like HubSpot and Salesforce are great examples of how strong culture can lead to widely adopted products with loyal customers.

At first glance, these transformations may seem out of reach. But breaking them down into manageable goals will make digital transformation more attainable. Think of the one thing that would have the greatest impact on your organization and shape your strategy around that goal. Don’t let intimidation freeze your organization’s progress.

Digital Transformation Requires Strong Communication and Digital Tools

Digital transformation can fundamentally change the way you do business. But in order for it to be successful, you’ll need to give special attention to your communication and digital tools.

Change can be scary for an organization, as people may not know how it will affect them. Will it involve downsizing? The good news is that productive change usually signifies growth for the business and realizing this can help alleviate employee fears. To facilitate the buy-in of digital transformation, you need to have good communication throughout your organization — be transparent about what the transformation involves and address the concerns of your staff.

Successful digital transformation also requires digital tools and a comprehensive strategy. OneNeck can help you navigate the complexities of digital transformation. One way we do this is by providing the digital tools you need to improve operations and pivot existing business models. Our team is experienced in data transformation, digital infrastructure assessments, project management, and more.

Technology will continue to march on whether your business is ready or not. Digital transformation is the only way to keep pace and not become obsolete. We’d love to discuss how you can use digital transformation to create new opportunities and operational efficiencies. Contact us to learn more.

On August 26, Internet security firm, Wiz, announced it had found a security flaw in Microsoft Azure Cosmos DB, a global multi-model NoSQL store used by thousands of enterprises around the world.

The exploit, named “ChaosDB,” allows bad actors to access the primary keys to a Cosmos DB account. The exploit was found in the recently added Jupyter Notebook feature of Cosmos DB.

In response to this threat, Microsoft immediately disabled this feature for a full security audit.

Our Recommendation

OneNeck recommends everyone who has implemented a Cosmos DB account immediately regenerate the primary and secondary access keys. This will ensure continued data privacy.  While Microsoft doesn’t believe any customer data has been leaked, but your keys should immediately be regenerated to be safe.

If you have any questions regarding this vulnerability, we are here to help. Don’t hesitate to reach out.

Keep Moving Forward. We Have Your Back.

Digital transformation (DX) is not a new initiative. In fact, Forbes states that 70% of companies had a DX initiative in place at the onset of the pandemic but weren’t far enough along to make the crisis a non-issue. As a result of the past couple months where digital has become central to every interaction, DX is back in the forefront for IT leaders.

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella recently summed it up this way, “As COVID-19 impacts every aspect of our work in life, we have seen two years’ worth of digital transformation in two months.” And while it may be in our nature to put on the brakes and proceed with caution in fear of an uncertain future, now’s the time to speed up DX initiatives.

There are a few big drivers in the need to rapidly transform:

• Customers still have need for responsive and always-on services.
• Employees expect a suite of tools that enable them to be productive from anywhere.
• IT must provide a strong foundation on which the business can thrive now (in a crisis) and into the future.

Yet driving transformative change in a time where many are seeing reduced budgets and shifting to startup mode can be challenging. A recent survey of CFOs polled by PwC reported that 67% of CFOs say they are prepared to reduce costs to counteract the financial impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. On the flip side though, 68% of these CFOs say that crisis-driven transitions to remote work will make their company better in the long run. Overall though, worldwide IT spending is now projected to decline by 2.7% in 2020 as a result of the recent crisis, IDC estimates.

The analysts are telling us what we already know – times are hard, and it’s probably not going to get any better for a while. But all the more reason to speed up the pace of DX. So, given the absolute necessity for transformation at an accelerated rate, what should you be prioritizing?

• Modernize the infrastructure: With remote work forcing all digital interactions, many organizations have quickly realized that their infrastructure was not built to support it, forcing them to fast-track plans to modernize legacy tech stacks to sustain business and scale to meet the demands of a remote workforce. Now is the time to assess where your infrastructure fell short and prioritize upgrades that provide automation and efficiency to do more in less time.
• Embrace the cloud: No other technology has streamlined transformation and accelerated time to value like the cloud. Moving workloads to the cloud improves the time to provision, often from weeks to seconds, and enables rapid response to market demands. Now is the time to take a data-driven, application-centric approach to identify the right mix of public and private cloud for each workload and systematically migrate those ideally suited for the cloud.
• Enable the digital workforce: Work has been evolving for some time, but the shift to primarily remote work in recent months has been a challenge for businesses that weren’t already embracing a remote-first approach. Now is the time to examine your remote-first strategy and invest in digital workspace technology to ensure you’re providing employees with a positive digital experience outside the office.
• Reexamine your BCDR strategies: Business continuity (BC) and disaster recovery (DR) are critical in supporting an organization’s ability to remain operational during and after a crisis, which has brought them to the forefront in recent weeks. Now is the time to take a holistic approach to BCDR and create a strategy that includes a DR plan that outlines specific steps to resume operations following an incident and a BC plan that focuses on the mission-critical functions needed to continue during and after a disaster.
• Ensure security best practices: No matter where you are on in your DX roadmap, security must be an integral part of every step, as not even a crisis can slow the ever-growing onslaught of cyber criminals. Now is the time to understand your risk profile, create a plan to mitigate those risks and align with security best practices.

DX is a journey comprised of incremental projects, both big and small, and with many team members. For success, you need to rely on the insights, opinions, requests and recommendations of in-house IT professionals, trusted external advisors and people in the organization who the project will directly affect. As you assemble your team, know you have a partner in OneNeck who can help. Whether it’s a large cloud migration project or just a simple rack and stack, our team of experts is ready and willing to help.

Keep Moving Forward. We Got Your Back.

Interested in learning more? Check out these DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION RESOURCES, including a free DX presentation template.

If there’s anything that can be said about today’s IT environment, it’s that choice abounds, which is why we find ourselves smack dab in the middle of this hybrid reality in which we now exist.

In a recent 451 Research study, they asked respondents how they would best describe their overall organization’s IT strategy, and 57% said hybrid IT environments, where there’s an integrated environment of on-premises and off-premises resources. And for all of the buzz about going all-in to the public cloud a few years ago, they found that only 19% of organizations have taken a completely off-premises approach.

But why has hybrid become the primary approach for today’s IT organizations? It really comes down to flexibility – flexible workload migration and placement options that enables each workload to live on its best execution venue (as 451 likes to call it).

But alas, with hybrid comes complexity, often making it difficult to determine exactly which platform aligns best with each workload. So, with so many options out there – on-prem, on-prem private cloud, hosted private cloud, IaaS, PaaS and SaaS – how does one determine the best execution venue (BEV) for each workload? 451 breaks the BEV considerations down (in order of importance) as:

• Cost (55%)
• Security (53%)
• Application performance (32%)
• Platform reliability (31%)
• Government regulation/data sovereignty (22%)
• Regulation/compliance (18%)
• Governance/company policy (17%)
• Latency considerations (13%)
• Software vendor requirement (9%)

There’s a lot there to be considered when making the BEV decision. So, at OneNeck, we follow a wheel of fortune of sorts when we’re working with our customers in determining their BEV across their portfolio of applications. OneNeck’s VP of Advisory Consulting, Jeff Budge, describes our wheel like this…

“A lot of what we’re trying to do with our customers involves identifying needs, setting the governance, understanding their application portfolio, looking at business value and technical fit, and that very important task of assessing TCO at a detailed and comprehensive layer. Then we come up with a scoring methodology to let us figure out not just what applications are the most important for them to make business decisions, but then can those priorities indicate which venues they need to gain better skills in sooner rather than later. From there, we can determine placement of the workload in the venue.”

But even when you find the perfect-fit venue for a workload, it may not be permanent. Melanie Posey, 451 Research VP stated in a recent conversation with Jeff Budge, “One of the key things about best execution venue is that it’s not a static, permanent kind of thing. At one point in time, a workload might be best suited to run in, say, an on-premises private cloud environment, but then at another time, it might make sense to run it in a public cloud. But overall, what we tell our clients at 451 Research is that it’s a multi-faceted equation figuring out where the application should go, but top of mind for this decision should always be cost, security and application performance.”

When it comes down to making the BEV decision, there are always going to be multiple factors to consider that ensure the right decision is made, which is why in a recent 451 Research and OneNeck webinar, Jeff and Melanie explored this topic in depth. If you’d like to hear their advice, you can listen to the webinar below.

WATCH THE WEBINAR NOW

Although containers aren’t new (been built into Linux for 10+ years and been available in FreeBSD, AIX and Solaris), containers seem to be all the rage, and for good reason. The agility containers can bring to an IT team alone make them appealing, but add in the security benefits that the self-contained nature of containers brings, they seem like a no brainer. But even with numerous benefits, there is also a lot of confusion about what they really are and what is the best-fit scenario. So, we thought we’d break it down…

First and foremost, are containers and VMs the same thing?

Quite simply, no. It is a very common misconception that containers and virtual machines (VMs) are interchangeable, or at least similar, but they are not. So, let’s start by defining each…

VMs are:

• As server processing power and capacity has increased, applications could not take advantage of this, so virtualization technology was created to allow for multiple “virtual computers” to be run on a single piece of bare metal hardware.
• A “hypervisor” (or a VM) manager creates and runs VMs and sits between the hardware and the VM.
• A single server can host multiple VMs. A Windows Server VM and a Linux VM can run side by side on the same physical machine.
• Each VM has its own operating system, libraries and applications.
• VMs can be gigabytes in size.
• VMs can consolidate multiple applications onto a single system with heterogeneous operating systems.
• VMs primary goal is to increase the utilization of the underlying physical machine.

Containers are:

• Containers are pieces of software that sit on top of the physical server AND its host OS (Linux or Windows). The OS kernel is shared across containers. Containers may also share common frameworks and libraries (e.g. .NET, JVM). In other words, the container has the entire runtime environment, minus the host OS.
• Containers are light, usually megabytes in size, where VMs are often gigabytes in size.
• Containers are good for taking a monolithic application that would require purchase of new hardware or configuration of a new VM and allowing it to scale on existing deployed VMs.
• Containers allow software to run reliably with minimal changes when moved from one computing environment to another, such as moving a container from an on-premises environment into a public cloud.
• In this figure, App1, App2, App3 could be monolithic applications, 3-tier applications or microservices. Notice a single OS which is then shared across the containers. Containers primary goal is consistency of the software environment regardless of where it is physically residing.

What are the benefits of containers?

There are very clear benefits that come with the adoption of containers:

• Containers are only tens of megabytes in size verses a VM that would be gigabytes in size.
• VMs take minutes to boot up the operating system and then start an application, while containerized applications start almost instantly. At scale, this allows for “just-in-time” creation of multiple instances of an application.
• Containers are more modular. Applications can be split into modules and deployed as microservices (e.g. front end, business layer and data layer would each be their own modules)
• Containers allow enterprises to deploy and scale existing monolithic applications without the need to procure new hardware and/or new VMs. In many organizations, it takes weeks/months to purchase new hardware or deploy a new VM into their environment, where containers allow for a much shorter deployment/update cycle.
• Containers and Container Orchestrators allow for a smoother and more efficient DevOps Practice by helping to enforce consistent environments.
• Containers allow for less effort to break apart monolithic applications and convert them to a microservices architecture.
• Overall, containers enable a much more agile software development lifecycle.

So, what are my options in containers and orchestrators?

Container Orchestrators (aka container management) provide tools to allow for deployment, scaling, availability and management of containers, both on-premises and in public/private clouds. They’re essentially a manager of your containers across multiple physical environments. The current most popular ones are:

• Docker – Open Source, most popular
• Apache Mesos – Open Source, includes orchestration
• Kubernetes – Open Source, most popular container orchestrator
• Red Hat Open Shift – On-premises private platform as a service for RHEL

All support the Open Container Initiative (OCI) under the Linux Foundation. This is important because all major providers are members of OCI/Linux Foundation.

In addition, Microsoft Azure has some excellent container service offerings:

• Azure Container Instances – Create a container instance by pointing to your Docker Image in Docker Container Registry. Essentially, containers on-demand.
• Azure Web App for Containers – Like Azure App Services, but instead of publishing your code directly into Azure you point the App Service to your Container in the Docker Container Registry
• Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS) – Fully managed service for deploying and managing container applications. Provides a “serverless” experience, integrated CI/CD and enterprise grade security.
• Azure Service Fabric – Native Azure Microservices using container images for both Windows and Linux
• Azure Batch – High Performance/High Scale computing with containers including job scheduling
• Azure Container Registry – Store and manage container images across all types of Azure deployments

So, why don’t we move everything into containers?

Containers can run all sorts of applications, but because they are so different from VMs, a lot of the older software that many enterprises are still running won’t translate to this model. However, VMs can be used to move older applications into a cloud service. So even though containers have their benefits, VMs still do too. It really boils down to… it depends…

————

Want to learn more? Download this informative eBook from our partner, HPE, and learn why container technology is a critical piece of IT modernization solutions that will drive digital transformation, hybrid environment adoption and hyper-convergence.

DOWNLOAD NOW

Topic: Containers vs vms

Is your business racing to keep up and redefine yourself? It’s a situation most businesses face as they strive to remain relevant in today’s digital economy. And, they count on their IT provider to do the same. At OneNeck, we are steadfast in our commitment to evolving our delivery capabilities and solutions to align with customers’ growing demands.

Gone are the days of adding the latest and greatest product into customer’s infrastructure—we concentrate on offering customers business-focused services on application alignment in multi-cloud architectures. We do this this while optimizing legacy infrastructure that must integrate with modern cloud-based workloads. This is why we are so focused on not only delivering hybrid IT and multi-cloud deployments, but also helping customers get the most out of those environments with continual fine-tuning and optimization.

According to a recent 451 Research survey, over half of the surveyed organizations’ existing or planned IT environment was comprised of a hybrid approach that leverages both on-prem and off-prem cloud/hosted resources.

But with a diverse and hybrid approach comes complexity, and often underutilized resources, making optimization of those services a critical step in today’s IT environment.

Recently 451 Research reported on OneNeck’s strategy to optimize—from infrastructure to application. In fact, OneNeck was featured as a key player in delivering value-added applications to customers. What does that mean? It means we’re evolving with you into the next phase of IT services, a phase that goes beyond implementation to optimization. Check out the report here.

Software Defined Networking (SDN) has been around for almost two decades. The concept was extraordinary and innovative then, but could be considered less-so in 2018. While the excitement surrounding this concept has aged a bit, real-world benefits and outcomes are emerging and bringing renewed interest.

 Find out how Adam describes the re-emergence of SDN benefits and outcomes in this CIOReview article. 

_____________________________________________________________

Adam Gray is a Solutions Architect – Enterprise Networking at OneNeck^® IT Solutions. He is a Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert (CCIE) with nearly a decade of experience working in many facets of the IT infrastructure industry including deployment and managed services, and most recently, infrastructure design and architecture. He spent several years working within the data center infrastructure world including servers, storage and virtualization. More recently, Adam has focused on advanced routing and switching design, SD-WAN and data center networking solutions. He joined OneNeck in 2011 and currently spends his time helping customers navigate the ever-changing landscape of network infrastructure.

The importance of data in not only business but our day-to-day lives continues to grow – no one is arguing that. But the pace at which it’s growing is mind-blowing. In a recent study sponsored by Seagate Technology, IDC forecasted that the global data sphere will grow to 163ZB by 2025. Considering that today it’s 16.3ZB, that’s almost tenfold what it is today, making this prediction significant.

As a consumer, data continues to bring huge benefits to our lives, from more personalized experiences with businesses, smart devices that deliver real-time stats or even in the prevention of crime, just to name a few. Data is making our lives easier. But what about in business?

In recent IDC white paper sponsored by Dell EMC and Intel (Emerging Technology and Modern IT: The Key to Unlocking Your Data Capital), they stated that, “The influx of data presents both a challenge and an opportunity for organizations. Some organizations will flourish and turn the influx of data into competitive differentiation. Others will be overwhelmed in a struggle to collect, cleanse, and protect data and will miss out on opportunities to innovate and improve.”

So, how can you ensure that your organization thrives and doesn’t merely survive the explosion of data?

In this report, IDC studied the behaviors, strategies and outcomes of organizations that they called the “Thrivers.” These companies experienced incredible results by embracing automation and shifting to data-driven decisions. Here were some of the results…

Turning Data into Insight is Hard

But, in an effort to keep it real, they do acknowledge in the report that taking data and turning it into actionable insight is complex. But it’s organizations that prioritize operationalizing data, accelerating innovation and focusing on customer engagement that glean the most from their data. And the focus on these priorities is leading to a new vision for data center resources, where “the data center is not a single building where IT infrastructure lives,” but these Thrivers recognize “the need to embrace multiple IT service delivery models and diverse data center resources to meet the need for IT service delivery and data aggregation across core and edge spaces.”

The report goes on to outline that this new way of seeing modern IT service delivery means that IT must…

• Put hyper-focus on security
• Reduce management complexity
• Prepare the infrastructure for the data deluge
• Utilize both on-prem and cloud infrastructure

IDC points out though that the number one characteristic of the Thrivers is that “they understand the interconnected nature of emerging technologies and are developing expertise that complements their broad efforts to implement them.”

At OneNeck, we see this more and more with our customers, where no one IT initiative should stand alone. Gone are the days that a business owner solves one problem at a time, choosing the individual product or service for the specific task or need, without considering how it relates to a complex ecosystem of technologies across the business. Complexity and incompatibility are the result of siloed projects, breaking down processes and decreasing productivity. It’s critical that a big-picture approach is used to ensure long-term success.

It’s an exciting time for businesses. Never before have we had the opportunities to embrace data, adapt in real-time to the insights it brings and reap huge rewards. But it requires an open mind and willingness to recognize the opportunities and alter course if need be. But with the right plan and corresponding technology, you can thrive in a sea of data.

As a consumer, we utilize applications on a daily basis. How many times have you found yourself asking, “There’s got to be an app for that?” It’s quite simply the expectation in today’s app-centric world. And when an app doesn’t function the way it’s supposed to? Well, no one has time for that, and we simply move on…

But with the increased demands of today’s consumer, the complexity of modern applications is also growing. Software can now be deployed on-prem, in the cloud or utilizing both in a hybrid model; however, the shift to using microservice architectures has led to highly-distributed, multi-tier applications that are made up of millions of lines of code, which in turn require multiple teams to develop and manage them. This in turn makes troubleshooting issues an often tedious and complex process, which then ultimately impacts the business bottom line when an app has performance issues or is completely offline.

So, how can a business give their applications the love and attention they deserve to ensure they’re up and running, meeting the demands of their customers? The first step is understanding why applications fail to start with.

Why Applications Fail

Applications fail for many numerous reasons, but here are some of the big ones:

• Human Error: The majority of application failures can be attributed to human error. These errors can be simple mistakes with big impact, such as rebooting the wrong database or systemic errors in the overarching architecture design. While this can be mitigated by using a test/dev environment before pushing to production, the human factor will always remain a factor to consider.
• Coding Mistakes: Untested libraries, frequent changes and poor exception handling (just to name a few) can wreak havoc on an application’s ability to function correctly.
• Not Enough Capacity: Just because an application worked in development and testing doesn’t mean it always will when it goes live and is put to the test by real users. And while testing an application against the expected load and beyond would be ideal, it doesn’t always happen, often due to time and budget constraints. So, it can be tricky knowing exactly what capacity will be needed.
• Hardware Failure: Sometimes it’s as simple as a hardware device crashes. And while this might seem simple to resolve, in more complex environments, it can be challenging to pinpoint in a timely manner.
• Network Issues: Beyond congestion, a bad switch port, incorrect configurations or even link failures can lead to network issues that affect the application performance or even access.

At the end of the day, there are multitudes of other reasons an application could fail, making it critical to embrace an application performance management (APM) strategy. And just like applications themselves have evolved, the meaning of what it means to monitor applications has evolved as well.

APM a Must in Today’s App-Driven World

In order to ensure that every critical swipe, tap and click are monitored and then correlated to business outcomes, it requires an end-to-end approach that ensures that every part of even the most complex environments—from software to infrastructure to business outcomes—is highly visible, optimized and driving the growth of the business.

At OneNeck, we’ve partnered with Cisco AppDynamics and can offer our customers an APM solution that tracks the behavior of components, such as physical hardware, virtual machines where applications reside, JVM executing the application environment, web containers, associated databases, caches, external web services and the code running the application itself.

In addition to the technical aspects of the application, it also provides detailed insight into the end-user experience, giving visibility into the quality of service you’re providing to your customers.

By monitoring applications and tracking customer behavior, AppDynamics APM can alert stakeholders of any issues related to key business transactions — like a broken checkout link that could impact revenue or a slow login page that’s hurting customer experience. The power of being alerted to application performance issues in real time allows business owners to fix the problem before it hurts the company’s bottom line.

So, is it time to show your apps some love and in turn, earn the love and devotion of your customers? Then let’s talk APM.

It’s no secret… when you increase collaboration, you improve productivity and employee engagement. But how you do enable a digital workplace?

Define the digital workplace

For starters, what is a digital workplace?  According to Deloitte, the digital workplace can best be considered the natural evolution of the workplace. Comprised of your employees’ technology working environment. The digital workplace encompasses all the technologies people use to get work done in today’s workplace,

Embrace the evolution

In the modern workplace, traditional boardrooms are being replaced by more flexible, dynamic workspaces as corporations recognize that the speed and complexity at which business is conducted is increasing. A new generation of employees, working in dispersed locations and already digitally sophisticated, are in need of the right tools in which to engage with essential information, in a newly energized way, enabling them to get work done better and faster.

The time is now!

Consider the benefits of a digital workplace – according to Deloitte:

1. Attracting talent. 64% of employees would choose a lower paying job if they could work away from the office
2. Employee productivity. Organizations with strong online social networks are 7% more productive compared to organizations without
3. Employee satisfaction. Organizations that rolled out and installed social media tools internally found that there was a 20% increase in employee satisfaction.
4. Retention of employees. When employee engagement goes up, there is a corresponding increase in employee retention of up to 78%.
5. Communication and collaboration tools. Present day workers prefer newer communication and collaboration tools specifically instant messaging as compared to “traditional” tools like e-mail.

Where to Begin with Digital Transformation

Set Realistic Expectations. Right up front, there are some important expectations to set: Digital transformation isn’t easy. While it would be nice to flip a switch and magically transform into a digitally-driven organization, the reality is it’s not simple. Innovation requires a range of projects, projects that include optimizing core business operations, bringing on new technologies and creating new customer experiences. To accomplish these monumental tasks requires an overarching strategy comprised of many prioritized projects, and loads of patience.

IT and business alignment is a must. The impact of digital disruption is driving significant IT and business-level changes. This includes platforms and architectures, as well as budget and development priorities. As a result, it’s imperative that the business and IT be tightly aligned in this journey, and from this alignment will come the strategy required for real success.

Don’t forget the people at the center of digital transformation.Digital transformation is more than a technology initiative. You can’t forget about the roles that company culture and processes play. This will need to be addressed with clear communication of the vision, collaborative planning, change management, process development and adoption strategy.

Develop a digital workplace strategy. Align your digital workplace strategy with clearly-defined business objectives and technology priorities. Seek to understand what you want to accomplish with your digital workplace initiative and how it will deliver business values

Select your tools and technologies.Choose the right technologies to deliver a cohesive digital workplace that meets your specific business needs. Pick the tools that drive collaboration and employee engagement.

Keep security front and center. As critical systems and business processes become modernized, it also opens the door to risk. The same power that enables these technologies to radically transform business processes also brings the potential to cause gaps in security and loss of information if not properly secured. Security posture assessments should be a critical part of any digital workplace initiative.

The business case for a digital workplace is clearer than ever –. The OneNeck IT Solutions team of experts can provide real value on projects ranging from technology deployments to full ecosystem design, implementation and management. We will provide you with independent, unbiased evaluations and recommendations with an eye toward future-proofing to ensure the technology you implement today doesn’t limit your organization tomorrow. Contact us today!

Many IT leaders expect to see their budgets to increase or remain unchanged.  This is driven largely by the need to upgrade aging infrastructure, accelerate digital transformation via a shift to the cloud and enhance their overall IT security posture.

According to Spiceworks’ annual State of IT report on IT budgets and tech trends:

• Most companies (89%) expect their IT budgets to grow or stay steady in 2019.
• The need to upgrade outdated IT infrastructure is the biggest driver of IT budget increases in 2019.
• More than one-third of midsize companies (500 to 999 employees) saw IT budget increases due to corporate tax cuts.
• Small businesses are making significant increases to their hardware budgets while large enterprises are increasing their cloud budgets in 2019.

 Transform and Secure

“Most organizations are increasing IT budgets in 2019 to upgrade aging IT infrastructure and support digital transformation initiatives,” says Peter Tsai, senior technology analyst at Spiceworks. “However, large enterprises, typically with more data and devices to lock down, are primarily increasing budgets due to growing security concerns.”

Digital transformation was one of the biggest trends in 2018, and it looks like that will continue in 2019.  Businesses will continue to allocate IT budget towards technology that enables them to deliver on customer needs and improve security and impact.

With so many different technologies hitting the market, it’s incredibly difficult for any organization to truly know that one versus another is the best fit for their environment. your decision. In addition, they know that making the right choice of technology is only part of the challenge, as integrating it into your current applications and workloads without creating new complexities and risk is critical.

In addition, according to Spiceworks’ research, 88 percent of large enterprises are increasing IT budgets to tackle security concerns.

Why? Security is no longer “nice to have.” It’s an imperative. As critical systems and business processes become modernized, it also opens the door to risk. The same power that enables these technologies to radically transform business processes also brings the potential to cause gaps in security and loss of information if not properly secured.

 As with most major IT initiatives, digital transformation and security is an evolving journey. A seasoned partner can be an invaluable asset in guiding you on your path.  If your organization thinking about undertaking a digital transformation or security initiative? We can help, tell us about your challenge.

At this point, nearly every modern manufacturer has some reliance on the cloud. But in this new age of digital transformation in manufacturing, the cloud might not be the answer for everything. In a recent Food Manufacturing article, Jeff Budge, OneNeck’s VP of Advisory Services, offers insights for food manufacturers and the best way to utilize the cloud.

In this article, Budge focuses on three key areas:

1. Embracing the multi-cloud environment
2. Integrating platforms
3. Leveraging data to support informed decision-making

Read the article for details on each level and insights on building your Digital Transformation Strategy.  And remember, digital transformation in manufacturing doesn’t happen all at once.  The right technology partners can help you decide where to start. Contact OneNeck today for a free consultation.

Topic: IT Services for Manufacturing

It’s an exciting time we are living in, where what seemed like science fiction just a few years ago is becoming reality. From chess-playing computers to driverless cars, artificial intelligence (AI) is changing the way we live and work.

The term artificial intelligence was coined in 1956, but has increased in popularity due to increased data volumes, advanced algorithms, and improvements in computing power and storage. And now, with the proliferation of data, AI is making its way even deeper into the workplace.

The arrival of AI in the workplace is exciting. It gives companies the opportunity to work better and smarter, as well as to improve the customer experience. It offers the possibility of doing more meaningful and creative work and freeing the workforce from the mundane and routine tasks – the “busy work.”

There are several key benefits AI can bring to an organization. In a recent Cisco eBook, Transforming Businesses with Artificial Intelligence, it outlines these key benefits:

• Make the Infrastructure Intelligent: By utilizing AI to analyze the data in an organization and look for patterns, you can start identifying customer needs, uncover trends and innovate faster. With AI’s assistance, we can analyze and respond in real time in ways we never could before.
• Improve Security Posture: With security so top of mind in every organization, it’s keeping a lot of IT professionals up at night. It’s a moving target that’s constantly changing, and with so many endpoints and threats growing in complexity, it only makes sense to incorporate AI into security strategies. By automating complex processes for detecting and defending against attacks, the chance for success grows exponentially.
• Improve Customer Experience: In an always-on world, today’s customers demand an always-on experience with digital services that quickly meet their needs. With the advent of chatbots and more accurate voice systems, businesses can now deliver a more personalized and responsive experience.
• Transform Processes and Business Models: With AI comes more accuracy in machine vision applications, as well as increased effectiveness in predictive maintenance for equipment, allowing for preemptive actions that prevent costly breakdowns.
• Empower Talent Hiring and Retention: Not only can AI help HR in the finding and hiring the right talent, it can also help improve the employee experience with more customized engagement and timely delivery of information.

As the new era of intelligence takes shape all around us, the possibilities are endless for organizations to apply AI and take their business processes to the next level. Learn more by downloading this informative eBook: Transforming Businesses with Artificial Intelligence.

DOWNLOAD THE EBOOK NOW

You can’t focus on self-actualization before meeting basic needs such as hunger and shelter. And, you shouldn’t pursue transformative IT modernization until your current workload environments are stable and secure.

Just as renowned psychologist Abraham Maslow noticed an order humans follow in terms of motivation and development, so too do organizations have a hierarchy connected to IT needs.

OneNeck Vice President of Advisory Consulting Jeff Budge explained the different phases and outcomes of digital transformation in an eye-opening webinar with 451 Research on data integration, management and governance.

Maslow’s hierarchy of human needs follows this order:

• Physiological Needs
• Safety Needs
• Social Belonging
• Esteem/Status
• Self-actualization

OneNeck’s hierarchy of digital transformation needs follows these steps:

• Stability and Security
• Optimization
• Automation
• Leverage
• Evolve
• Transform

Here’s how these IT needs would appear visualized as a digital transformation pyramid.

Level 1 | Stabilize and Protect

Budge says OneNeck has many customers starting at this point in a digital transformation journey.

“They’re working to mature their application and technology environments,” he explains. “They’re focused on workload stability, disaster recovery and multi-location resilient architecture to make sure applications are available for their users. They’re also working on security, compliance and uptime.”

Level 2 | Optimize

More and more of our customers have moved into this category as they mature and identify ways to get the most out of workloads while ensuring they are optimized for growth and an increase in volume.

“These organizations are looking to optimize application environments,” Budge says. “That could involve examining existing applications and underlying data to understand the best ways for them to operate from a performance perspective.”

We also see organizations pursuing modernization projects that optimize the cost of operations, especially with all the execution venue choices available.

“With so much cloud competition and pricing variation, cost optimization has become a hot topic for the companies we serve,” Budge adds.

Level 3 | Automate

Automation is yet another hot topic that’s driving digital transformation across industries. From an IT perspective, this phase involves taking a combination of applications and their data flows and automating how that information moves and is validated.

“Automation is beneficial for both standard business processes as well as specific IT automation needs such as ensuring backups, recoveries, clones and patches are as automated as possible,” says Budge.

Level 4 | Leverage

Budge says this is the phase that many organizations should be striving to reach. That’s because it means IT is shifting its focus to providing additional business value through application modernization. Budge reminds us that there’s been a resurgence of leverage as companies look to use advanced analytics and data visualization tools in the same way they leveraged business intelligence and decision support tools.

“The application has gathered the data, and you have multiple integrated apps that help create a complete picture of a customer, product or some other portion of the business,” he explains. “Now, you want to get better leverage out of that data using analytics to make better business decisions.”

Level 5 | Evolve

While evolving workloads, IT experts are finding ways to enhance, improve or upgrade the way things work without changing an application’s core functionality. This could include adapting or modifying applications so they can move to the cloud.

Level 6 | Transform

When an organization arrives at the top level of the hierarchy, it is often taking on the role of an innovative leader in the industry and implementing true digital transformations. It involves significant changes to or repurposing of a workload to drive business results with the potential to revolutionize the industry.

Noteworthy examples of this level of digital transformation could include disruptive innovations such as streaming media, ride-sharing and drone delivery, all of which require IT modernization solutions to completely transform.

Time to Level Up? Trust OneNeck

No matter where you may fall in this outline of digital transformation needs, OneNeck has IT solutions to support your strategy and the implementation of IT projects large and small. Whether you need Managed IT Services so your in-house talent can focus on more impactful work, or you want the expert guidance of our Advisory Consulting services, OneNeck is prepared to be a reliable partner in digital transformation. Let us help you embrace change and move your company forward. Contact OneNeck today!

Whether you’re in the C-Suite or the IT department, digital transformation is a topic no company can ignore. However, finding the best way to implement change within your organization can be daunting, and garnering support at all levels is no small task.

To help, we’ve compiled four IT success stories from across a variety of industries. The one thing these case studies have in common? The organizations understood the importance of digital transformation and the need for an experienced IT solutions provider.

1. IT Transformation Driving Real Results for a Booming City

The Challenge:

The City of Minneapolis was in need of a new IT partner and a wide variety of services. Because of its aging infrastructure, the city was looking for a provider offering cloud and managed services that included server, storage, network, security, database, OS and data protection services. With such a long list, sensitive data and only 10 months to do it, they knew they needed someone with experience that they could trust.

Our Solution:

The City of Minneapolis partnered with OneNeck because of the flexible support they knew they would receive from start to finish. This massive project was completed within the tight timeframe despite a few hiccups along the way. For example, OneNeck quickly learned that to implement the Criminal Justice Information System, the entire Operational Support team of more than 100 professionals would have to undergo the city’s security clearance screenings. While this would take additional time and resources, both teams knew it was an imperative step in completing the full transformation. Challenges aside, both the City of Minneapolis and OneNeck actively engaged with open lines of communication as they updated the IT environment and migrated data and workloads to the cloud. The city expects to save more than $3 million annually with OneNeck’s support and has plans to implement new upgrades in the future.

2. Legacy Hardware Ate Up Data and Dollars

The Challenge:

Famous Dave’s was in need of an upgrade. The restaurant, which includes more than 150 locations nationwide, still relied on a legacy system that was draining both time and financial resources. As the hardware was reaching end of life, Famous Dave’s decided they weren’t interested in a tune up; they needed a fresh start with a third-party IT vendor.

Our Solution:

After reviewing several vendor options, Famous Dave’s selected OneNeck and our hosted private cloud solution, ReliaCloud® FLEX. The customized solution featured a fully-hosted and managed Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) platform housed in a OneNeck data center. By partnering with OneNeck, Famous Dave’s was able to eliminate the requirements of day-to-day IT maintenance. Not only did this help reduce the restaurant’s IT spend, it also ensured high availability of applications and data.

“OneNeck took a consultative approach, providing us with options around public and private cloud as well as colocation. They walked us through each solution and helped us determine what the best fit was to help meet our business needs.” – Matt Ambuehl, Director of Information Services at Famous Dave’s

3. Lack of IT Talent with Little Time to Spare

The Challenge:

Sunny Delight Beverages was ready to upgrade and advance into the future with Microsoft Dynamics AX2012 on Azure. However, they were in a bind with only three weeks to make the transformation and little to no in-house experience with the warehouse management system. It quickly became obvious they were running out of time and in need of help.

Our Solution:

Because of our deep knowledge and understanding of the upgrade at hand, Sunny Delight trusted OneNeck’s ability to not only implement the new solution but also simultaneously run the older version. This prevented any valuable time from being lost during the introduction of the hybrid cloud solution. Despite not having the in-house expertise, Sunny Delight was able to utilize end-to-end management of the AX environment on Azure and simplified deployment and LCS integration through OneNeck’s services. This allowed them to not only successfully transition to the new platform but also complete the project within three weeks.

4. A Global Company Needed to Go Modern

The Challenge:

Targus, the leading global supplier of mobile computing cases and accessories, needed to make critical decisions about the future of the business. The lists of tasks ranged from eliminating paper and manual processing systems to increasing supply visibility and centralizing applications. The company realized they needed to not only implement an ERP solution but also centralize IT without creating a traditional department. Looking to truly realize their potential as a global player, Targus turned to OneNeck.

Our Solution:

After traveling to sites around the world with Targus executives, OneNeck was ready to complete a situational assessment that included existing infrastructure, user requirements and business objectives, and then went to work. Based on our feedback, Targus was ready to establish a centralized technical environment featuring a global network, which helped facilitate improved communications company-wide. Next, we worked with the brand to implement Baan Finance and Baan Distribution/Logistics to better streamline supply chain management. Finally, OneNeck configured and implemented the automation of the package rating and shipping process and a freight management solution. Within 20 months, Targus’ transformed IT environment was both centralized and globalized all with the help and support of OneNeck.

“Targus had no organized IT infrastructure — even at the regional level. We were challenged with creating a scalable IT environment that could be centrally managed and supported in order to serve as the foundation for globalizing our communications, supply chain and financial systems. We wanted to do all of this without creating a significant in-house IT department. We reviewed all the big players and decided a middle-market specialist with deep ERP expertise and global experience would be the best fit for us. We chose OneNeck, and we’re very glad we did.” – Mark See CIO, Targus Group International

Digital transformation isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution and doesn’t happen overnight. OneNeck provides services that come as part of a partnership, which means we are with you every step of the way. Contact us to learn more.

Digital transformation enables IT to meet business demands but immediate transformation is not always the reality. This video demonstrates the reality of networks, customer environments and the immense gaps between the two. What’s the reality of bridging those gaps? More importantly, why bridge those gaps? How do smart networks meet business demands? And, how is it accomplished in a “do more with less” business landscape. What’s the true REALITY of digital transformation?

Video Transcription

Think about the reality of today’s technology environment. Think about that. Networks with true intuition. They learn, adapt, fix and secure in advance of problems or attacks, all on their own! That’s real – today!

The reality of networks is so complex – they have to manage more connected devices than people in the world. And, what about the reality of how complex those devices are? Your phone, more powerful than the combined computing power NASA had, when sending the first man to the moon. 

What’s more, traffic lights change, on their own, based on real time traffic patterns served from the network. Elevators diagnosing every critical component by leveraging data in the cloud.

What about heart monitors attached to your phone or watch – sending real-time data directly to your doctor?

So, the possibilities of a digitally-connected world are breathtaking. Your dreams made possible on the back of intuitive, smart networks.

But, the reality of a hospital, manufacturer, school, financial institution or just about any traditional business, outside of high-tech, is far different.

They are managing legacy systems, networks and applications against short budgets and increasing business demands.

So, let’s get real!

When it comes to digital transformation, whether intuitive, smart networks, application modernization, Internet of Things, security or the myriad of digital possibilities, IT departments have to strategically and efficiently address the situation.

So, complete and immediate enterprise digital transformation isn’t realistic for most. What is? 

Well, a hybrid approach.

A hybrid approach gives you the best of both worlds, where you can still maximize performance, cost and agility of applications, while matching each workload with the right IT platform, whether it’s on or off-premises. Very few businesses can instantly or all at once migrate everything to the cloud or build their on-premises modern cloud. Moreover, some applications aren’t modernized for the cloud. What businesses need, a plan. One that prioritizes the most critical business demands but accounts for everything. There’s no doubt digital transformation can help meet business goals, for example, do more with less. It’s planning priorities and getting started that can be overwhelming. Now, that’s reality.

But there’s good news.

You aren’t in it alone. There are partners out there that get digital transformation and can help you understand your current state and prioritize where to start. Digital transformation is a long-term strategy.The reality, start by developing a plan to address your business demands with a seasoned advisory professional from a true hybrid IT company and transform your business to compete in today’s digital economy!

Are you ready? Contact OneNeck to start your Digital Transformation reality today.