Top 5 Critical IT Projects for Small Businesses

Digital transformation is crucial for innovation and greater success in the marketplace. Studies indicate that digitally transformed organizations will contribute $53.3 trillion to the global nominal GDP (gross domestic product) by 2023. Therefore, small businesses need to keep abreast with digital transformation and cloud adoption to ensure their competitiveness. Let's consider the top five critical IT projects that companies should undertake to maintain an edge within their industries.

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IT Projects for Small Businesses

The following IT projects are our top picks for yielding the best returns on investment:

1. Microsoft 365 Migration

The Microsoft 365 (M365) Business Premium subscription features secure tools for teams to engage remotely and collaborate in real-time. M365 Business Premium delivers all apps for Office 365 (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and OneNote), better teamwork facilitated by Microsoft Teams, and advanced security capabilities with Microsoft Defender.

When you choose this cloud migration to M365, you will enjoy:

• Cloud-Based Solutions:  Moving to a cloud platform eliminates local servers and drives. Your employees can easily connect to and navigate productivity apps.
• Flexible Scaling: You can quickly scale your cloud usage and switch subscription status to match your business needs and control your costs.
• Innovative Tools: M365 offers features such as OneDrive for easy file storage, Teams for teleconferencing, and SharePoint all in one ecosystem.  
• Multi-Device Support: M365 runs on Windows, iOS, and Android, allowing your employees to use the device of their choice and work effortlessly from any location worldwide.  
• Easy Migration & Updates: M365 apps automatically get security patches and other upgrades with minimal disruptions to your operations.
• Secure & Dependable Data: All cloud data is regularly backed up and replicated globally to avoid disruption and data loss. You can adjust security settings to control access to specific data.

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2. M365 SharePoint Migration

SharePoint helps your team quickly share and manage content, knowledge, and apps to boost collaboration. This migration will empower your employees to quickly access the information they need and seamlessly improve teamwork within your organization.

Choosing to migrate to SharePoint offers many new advantages, including:

• Always Online: SharePoint has a 99.9% uptime rate that frees your employees to focus on core business processes.
• More Storage: SharePoint users can access up to 1 TB of OneDrive storage.
• Automatic Updates: You get the rolling release of updates, patches, improvements, and features.
• Cost-Effective: Choosing SharePoint eliminates hardware, licensing, utilities, and associated maintenance costs.
• Hybrid Flexibility: You can choose to keep highly sensitive data on-premise while moving others to the cloud.

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3. Microsoft Endpoint Manager

The Microsoft Endpoint Manager is another IT project that small businesses should undertake. It unlocks access to modern workplace and management tools for greater data security in the cloud and on-premises. Microsoft Endpoint Manager helps you manage and monitor mobile devices, desktop computers, virtual machines, embedded devices, and servers.

4. Network Infrastructure Upgrades

Every small business deserves a network that is secure, reliable, and affordable to deploy and maintain. Updating your network infrastructure will also ensure that your operations is protected from cybersecurity risks, while functioning optimally to support your business.

Improvements to your network infrastructure also yields the following benefits:

• Enhanced security by making hardware and software robust against cyberattacks
• Improved speed and reliability to boost efficiency and productivity
• Fewer network maintenance requirements
• Greater compatibility with the latest applications
• Easy to scale for streamlined growth in the future

5. MAM or MDM

The final IT project small business should assume is Mobile Application Management (MAM) or Mobile Device Management (MDM). If you want to secure data and applications on mobile devices connected to your systems, MDM or MAM will help you do so. You can use MAM services to create a logical container that will house all of your business's data or apps, segregating them from any individual or unrelated applications on the mobile device. A mobile device management (MDM) solution logically assumes total control over the device, allowing you to remotely erase all of its data from a centralized console. MDM, which offers more tools and capabilities than MAM, is a great way to satisfy an organization's need to define security rules and regulate mobile devices.

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Securing mobile devices is so important and too often overlooked. By employing MAM or MDM, you can safeguard data and applications on mobile devices that are connected to your systems, and in turn protect your business.

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Digitally Transform With Net Friends

The demand for cloud solutions requires the secure adoption of cloud technologies. Most small businesses understand the maximum rate of change their operations can absorb. Learn more about our IT Staffing solution that solves the security challenges associated with embracing modern infrastructure upgrades and digital transformation to the cloud.

These top critical IT projects will position your company to win in the marketplace. Net Friends is the preferred network infrastructure technology partner and managed services provider. Contact us today to discuss how we can help your business reap the rewards of digital transformation and enjoy market dominance.