One of the more significant challenges that organizations face today, in managing large data landscapes with multiple disparate sources and repositories, is simply managing that data and the ingestion processes, as well as modeling and reporting, often from equally disparate systems and technologies. LIVE WEBINAR: April 29th, 2020 Presented by Matthew Bowers https://youtu.be/w0eRgxaRUH0 Historically, if a technical or business user needed to manage and define a source system for managing structured, normalized data, they would need a database environment or operational data store. If they then needed to model that data and transform it for additional data insights, they would need a tool like SSIS and load the data into a data warehouse, not always available from a single user interface. Reporting needs would have to be met, from yet a different application and interface. And as the environment becomes more sophisticated, and there is a need to bring in unstructured or semi- structured data, they there is a need for a different storage model, such...
With security breaches and their impact on businesses frequently in the headlines, the need for stringent security measures has never been more evident. A third of U.S. businesses report having had a breach of customer information, and the costs can be significant. One in five organizations have lost customers due to a cyberattack and nearly 30% have lost revenue, with the average cost of single data breath reported at $4 million. However, 74% of IT leaders say security concerns are holding back their move to the cloud. Are you one of them? While reservations about the security capabilities of cloud environments concerns used to be a reason for companies to delay migration, investment by Microsoft into new security tools and resources are challenging those misperceptions and providing compelling reasons to make the move. It's time for the the real story. Here are four common myths about cloud security, and some facts about the Microsoft cloud. Myth 1 Microsoft employees will have...
For 50 years, the Special Olympics has used the power of sports to infuse joy, to incite action, to inspire communities, and to empower people with intellectual disabilities to discover new strengths and focus on what they CAN do. This worldwide nonprofit uses the Microsoft Cloud to track data for nearly 5 million athletes in 170 countries. With anywhere, anytime access, countless hours have been saved and reinvested into impacting athletes and changing the world. Just think—how can you make a difference and how might technology help you impact the world? Wherever you are in your cloud journey, Oakwood Systems Group, Inc. can help. Contact us to learn more. ...
How many reasons do you need to transition to cloud-based IT infrastructure? For most companies, it's more than just one. At Oakwood Systems Group, Inc., we know the benefits of the cloud outweigh any of the hassle. Microsoft cloud services offer with increased scalability and security, not to mention flexibility and ease of use. You'll also save your business time and money by reducing maintenance of on-premises IT infrastructure. Here are 5 reasons your organization should consider adopting the cloud. 1. Cloud Based Applications Are Here To Stay The value of the cloud - The cloud market is expected to pass $500 billion by 2020.Adoption is growing - 72% of organizations had at least one application in the cloud in 2015, a 15% increase from 2012. 2. Security Comes Standard As cloud technology improves, security fears lessen. In a survey of enterprise IT managers, security is no longer ranked as the #1 concern when it comes to cloud computing. One of the biggest advantages of moving to...
Rolls Royce has over 13,000 engines in operation around the world, and they provide services to maintain those engines at peak performance. Today’s engines have thousands of sensors that can produce terabytes of data on long-haul flights. Making sense of all that data is critical in transporting customers safely and efficiently. That’s why they use a suite of tools from Microsoft to help iron out what all that data means. But adopting the right tools is easier said than done. Avoiding operating disruptions is crucial to success at Rolls Royce. In fact, a single issue with a plane, and its inevitable effect to an entire airline, can cost up to one million dollars per day! Limiting these disruptions is the biggest reason for their investment in IoT technologies from Azure. Being able to identify problems before they arise has been invaluable for the manufacturer. With early notice, Rolls Royce can reduce inventory costs and maximize availability of parts. Saving airlines...
There are major benefits awaiting organizations that modernize their data estate, including enhanced security and compliance, significant cost savings, and the ability to empower employees with business insights and advanced analytics capabilities. With an out-of-date data platform, you could be... Missing out on game changing cost benefits Opening your business to potential vulnerabilities Falling behind without modern analytics capabilities What does it mean to 'modernize'? Modernization means taking advantage of the latest technologies to create transformational business benefits. With Microsoft, you have the flexibility to modernize your data estate in the way that’s right for your business: Upgrade to SQL Server 2017: Move to a database with industry-leading performance and security—now on Windows, Linux, and Docker containers. Modernize in the cloud: Move to Azure to get greater cost efficiencies, state-of-the-art security, and powerful data and analytics services - with fully-managed database-as-a-service (DBaaS) solutions.Take a hybrid approach: Deploy across on-premises and the cloud to extend your infrastructure and improve business continuity. Why modernize now? Reduce...
Maximizing the impact of your IoT Proof of Concept Whitepaper. Download Here The Internet of Things (IoT) is real and it’s here today, but to many of you, IoT may seem confusing and hard to understand how it applies to your business. In this post, we hope to offer you further understanding on how Azure IoT could bring your business together in new, insightful ways – from generating new revenue streams, to increasing process efficiencies, and delivering better customer experiences. What is IoT? There’s a revolution underway that is positioning companies to take operational efficiency to new levels and inform the next generation of products and services. This revolution of course, is the Internet of Things (IoT). IoT, however is not a technology evolution. It's a business revolution, enabled by technology. With Microsoft’s long history of driving business success and digital transformation for customers, it’s no surprise that Microsoft is also focused on powering the business revolution through its robust Azure...
If you’ve ever had a beer, more than likely it was an AB InBev product. This global company brews and markets one-third of the beer products sold around the world and stores massive amounts of data in order to do so. With siloed datacenters, AB InBev lacked integrated systems, cohesion between markets and regions, and the agility to get to market quickly. Like businesses of every size, they needed a robust cloud solution in their digital transformation journey. Watch this quick video to see why AB InBev chose Microsoft Azure and let Oakwood Systems Group, Inc. show you how you can also break down data silos, increase operational insights, and cut down on IT costs with a modern data platform. ...
Whether you are part of a large conglomerate or a small business like TransBlue, modernizing your workplace is a necessity if you want to keep up with customer demands and the competition. Running back and forth between jobsites can eat up time and resources, especially for a small business. TransBlue was still running their business the old-fashioned way when they updated their business infrastructure. TransBlue now uses Microsoft 365. The mobility enables them to cut out drives to the job that used to eat up an entire day. With a suite of tools at their disposal, Microsoft 365 provides TransBlue with the collaboration and mobility their employees need to stay productive. With tools like Microsoft Teams, they can have face-to-face meetings no matter where they are and upload and share on Teams with ease. Your organization can benefit from the power of a modern workplace and your employees will thank you for using the suite of tools they already know and trust with Microsoft 365. Email us today to find out how we can help you plan your shift to...
Your data is important. You need the best data recovery service on the market. At Oakwood Systems Group we know how to help you integrate the solutions that meet your needs. With file and folder backup and recovery, virtual machine backup and recovery, and SQL running on IaaS VMs, Azure Recovery Services Vault gives users a strong feature set and an easy-to-use data protection service for businesses to protect their data. Like many businesses, as their organization began rapidly migrating and deploying solutions to Azure, the demand for data protection in the cloud has also increased. That's why Microsoft developed Azure Recovery Services Vault to help manage their backup and disaster recovery needs natively in the cloud. Microsoft implemented Azure Recovery Services Vault to provide data protection services for their growing Azure virtual machine infrastructure. Recovery Services vault is a cloud-based PaaS solution⎯by using it, their employees can quickly obtain access to data protection for Azure resources. It’s flexible and adaptable enough to...
One thing that makes Azure unique is its ability to handle nearly any situation. If you're not ready to completely move to the cloud, no problem. Azure has hybrid options that let you get your foot in the door and build on it. If you're running an app or system that requires multiple capabilities, Azure has seamless integration across its different service offerings that can fit every need. The possibilities are endless. What exactly is Azure? Flying at a high level, it may look like only a cloud, but delve under the surface, and you’ll discover an entire world of integrated offerings. When SitePro was looking to move their operations from on-premises physical servers, they needed a system that could handle the multiple elements of their innovative turnkey application. They found all these capabilities through Azure. SitePro utilizes multiple services, including Azure App Service, Azure Cosmos DB, and SQL Database, to handle the various aspects of their application and their business. This simplicity reduces cost and improves user experience. With service offerings spanning everything from AI to Developer Tools, we’ve got your needs...
Data has never been more critical to your enterprise as it transforms in this digital world. Azure Backup helps you retain rapidly increasing amounts of data while keeping storage costs low. It makes it easy for you to backup and restore your most important information when the unexpected happens. As ransomware attacks increase, built-in protection from Azure keeps your data safe. Azure Backup gives you a cost-effective, simple and secure backup solution that protects your data. Benefits of Azure Backup: Simple, Secure & Cost-Effective Setting up Azure Backup for your virtual machines can be accomplished in just three steps. Once the initial backup is completed, only incremental changes are sent based on a defined schedule. You can then retain your backups for as long as your compliance(s) require. Built-in protection against ransomware helps you protect your data from unauthorized requests to delete your backups. Before ransomware has the chance to corrupt your data, you’ll be notified so you can save...
