As IT companies grow at a consistent rate despite the rather unstable economic climate, businesses are turning to more cost-effective solutions to expand the functionalities and capabilities of their existing network infrastructure. This is where most IT support concerns are raised, including potential security issues and cost alignments with customary hardware refresh cycles, among many others.

To keep up with the exponential ramp-up in hardware and software demands without having to risk reliability, many SMBs are opting to pack up their mission critical processes and head for the cloud.

Since it is Internet-based, cloud computing ensures your data and other resources are easily within reach, even for users operating under a mobile office. And true enough, productivity is indeed flourishing thanks to the bevy of SaaS (Software as a Service) applications and tools readily made available online.

It provides a good amount of application stability, minus the hardware compatibility setbacks, at capacities that rival even those costly native-hosted proprietary software suites. Here are a handful of essential SaaS software packages scalable enough for IT companies to rely on for enhancing productivity on the cloud.

Google Docs

Word Processing

Google Docs is Google’s suite of word processing suite that leverages on online collaboration. With it, you can create, share and allow multiple users to work concurrently on a document, spreadsheet or presentation. You’re also provided with a free gigabyte of online storage for all your files. It’s free and pretty intuitive, as its interface is similar to word processing software like the ones from Microsoft Office or OpenOffice.org. So if you’re used to these applications, there won’t be much of a learning curve to be able to navigate through its features.

Despite being a cloud computing app, you can still work on your documents offline and then save your crafted documents when you get internet connection. This is obviously one of its best features as it will let you continue your work even if you have an intermittent Internet connection or when you’re on-the-go. In addition, it also is compatible with most word processing file formats. As such, you can upload, convert and edit existing documents on it, or you can import your Google Docs-crafted works into your PC.

DropBox

Cloud Storage

Offering cloud storage and file synchronization, Dropbox offers three cost-effective options for storage capacity, starting with the free 2 GB Basic package and moving up to the 50 GB Pro 50 for $9.99 a month and the $19.99 per month 100 GB Pro 100 subscription. With its accompanying native app, you can also seamlessly synchronize the files in your computer whether you’re running a Windows, Mac or Linux operating system. If you synchronize a previously synced folder, Dropbox will back up the previous version, which can help a lot when organizing your sub-folders later on.

Once on the cloud, you can access your synced folder on a Web interface for easy file management. On it, you can share specific files or entire sub-folders anywhere online by simply copying their designated URL. You can also share files to other Dropbox members and indicate if you’d like to give them editing privileges like enabling collaborative work within your IT consulting team, for example. Also, if you’re dubious about your files’ security, Dropbox slathers a thick AES-256 layer of encryption to make sure only you or the people you’ve invited have access to them.

GoToMeeting

Telepresence

Virtualization and cloud computing company Citrix Systems developed GoToMeeting as a highly scalable tool that offers a comparatively cheap alternative to today’s expensive industry-standard telepresence equipment. All you need is to install its desktop application, a PC and a pair of headphones with a microphone hookup, and you’re good to go; your invited attendees don’t even need to have the software installed.

GoToMeeting offers far more features than your average VOiP and phone conferencing service. When initiating a virtual meeting or a webinar, the software can create and send out e-mail invitations to your attendees with a link and a Meeting ID to join through. You can opt for your entire gathering to be recorded into a video which includes audio from each attendee and the screens you shared — the generated footage can also be imported into your computer for documentation purposes or for further editing with any video editor. Like most services online, you can sign up for a free 30-day trial and then move on to its paid service at $49 a month (or $468 a year) with a maximum of 15 attendees. While it does sound pricey at the onset, SMBs will find GoToMeeting’s real value with its aforementioned capabilities and more on as many meetings as they want for as long as want.

These highly scalable cloud computing solutions can definitely kick your business’ productivity up a notch with a stable connection to the Web and a huge thrust on online real-time collaboration. There are many other SaaS options clogging the tubes nowadays, and they range from small but useful applications all the way to the expansive and large-scale employable ones. The only thing IT companies need to do now is determine their needs versus their infrastructure limitations, and assess their capabilities. Our IT experts at All Covered are always here to help, so call us at 866-466-1133.