Cloud Computing

What is Cloud Computing

There’s a good chance that MOST of the software applications you use every day are now SaaS applications, or “software as a service.” In other words, you don’t have to install them on your server or PC – you simply access them via a cloud computing platform as a pay-as-you-go model for only the licenses, space and features you use. This gives you the ability to access highly sophisticated software and functionality at a fraction of the cost.

For example, Facebook is a free cloud application that allows you to post pictures, play games, and connect with your friends in real time without having to install those applications on your computer. Of course, there are also the applications such as Xero, Office 365, Salesforce, Zoom, SurveyMonkey, etc., that you pay to use.

Now companies can host one or more of their applications, data, e-mail and other functions “in the cloud.” That simply means it’s stored offsite in a highly secure, high-availability “utility” company that has far more power and resources than you could ever logically have onsite as a small business. And with devices getting cheaper and Internet connectivity exploding, cloud computing is suddenly a very smart, viable option for small business owners.

Benefits of Cloud Computing

Does your business demand greater performance, rapid scalability and higher availability from your line of business and productivity applications to remain competitive?

Reduced Cost

Receiving services via the internet means no more paying for servers, on-premise software installations, or maintenance. Instead, the pricing model is based on pay-for-what-you-consume. It’s flexible, and reduces overhead costs.

Globally Scalable

Cloud computing services can be scaled to meet your increased (or reduced) business needs. Need extra processing power for a short term project or an additional email for a few months. No problems.

Increased Performance and Productivity

Cloud computing services operate on a global network of secure data centres which have the latest technologies. This gives you the advantage of optimal application performance. Your IT team no longer have to support your servers and can work on strategic solutions.

Increased Reliability and Speed

As your data is stored in the cloud, your backups, data recovery and business continuity are not only less expensive, but easier to recover in the case of data loss.

Cloud Solutions

Benefits of Microsoft 365 solutions

An Office 365 Solution will allow you to work from anywhere and get automatically updated email, calendar, and contacts on most of the devices you use. This can include, ipads, android smart phones, iphones and android tablets. Microsoft Office 365 helps companies to reduce their IT costs. It is a cloud productivity solution that simplifies IT management and provides access to familiar Office tools. With Office 365, any company, regardless of size, can take advantage of the best productivity applications so that employees can collaborate more effectively and work smarter.

What does a Microsoft Office 365 include ? 

Depending on the plan you select Office 365 includes:

Windows 10, Email and Calendar. MS- Teams, SharePoint Online – Document Sharing, Office Web Apps – Word, Excel, PowerPoint, One Note, Office Mobile Apps. Office Pro Plus – This is a licencing to use Office programs locally on your PC. 

It can also include video streaming, Visio, Power Bi (Bi Analytics tool) and MS project. Microsoft are continually adding features to O365.

What does our Microsoft Office 365 cover ?

Migrating to Office 365 is a phased project that requires expertise in project management, change management, technical consulting, and technical ongoing support. We can ensure a a seamless experience with a project designed and planned by Nortec. Benefits of working with Nortec on your Microsoft Office 365 solution include:

  • Helping you analyse “Is the Cloud the right thing for us ? ” ( Your data is in the cloud and there will be security concerns)
  • Set up an evaluation of Office 365 and MS Teams for 30 days so that you can see how it will work
  • We can assist you with selecting the license that will best suit your business requirements
  • Project Management of your migration – phased or cut over migration
  • We can upgrade your workstations and mobile devices to Teams and Office 365
  • Training and Ongoing Support

Leverage our expertise and reap the benefits of our Office 365 Solutions for your firm. Increase your productivity and efficiency while reducing costs and mitigating risk.

What is Azure?

 Azure is an ever-expanding set of cloud computing services to help your organisation meet its business challenges. Azure gives you the freedom to build, manage and deploy applications on a massive, global network using your preferred tools and frameworks. If you can dream it Azure can do it. It is often described as having “limitless potential” and unlimited possibilities”.

Azure Products and Solutions

Azure has so many products and solutions, including Blockchain, Business Intelligence, Disaster Recovery, Digital Marketing, E-Commerce, Cloud Computing, Cloud Storage and databases, Virtual computing as well as Serverless computing. There are too many solutions to cover off and Microsoft add more solutions every month. For a full list of solutions goto Microsoft’s Azure Web page.

Virtual Servers

At its most simple level, we can take your on premise server and move it up into Azure. So if you have aging server infrastructure, rather then the capital and expensive cost of replacing the equipment. The server can be virtualised and moved to Azure. 

Microsoft’s Collaboration Solution – Microsoft Teams


What is Microsoft Teams?

The core aim of Microsoft Teams is to connect staff and enhance collaboration, Think of it as a “digital translation of an open office space,” as a Microsoft spokesperson put it.

Nortec migrated to Teams about two years ago and it changed the way we worked as well as how we communicated. At its heart is is what was formally know as Skype for Business. This lets you chat, video chat, group chat , share screens and record presentations. But it is much more then this. We also use it for document storage, online collaboration, task tracking and scheduling to name a few. Teams is basically a front end to many Microsoft solutions including SharePoint and One Drive.

How do I Use MS Teams?

Teams is included in most subscriptions in Office 365. If you have Office 365 emails you have access to Teams. A lot of our clients are migrating from on premise server to a Teams based solution. Teams is available on all major platforms including iOS, Android, Windows and Mac. This means that you can access your files and documents on you mobile devices from any location. For example we have a plumbing company who have deployed it to all their onsite staff – who use it to access manuals as well as fill out forms.

Full Featured Dialing Capabilities

Microsoft Teams now supports call history, hold/resume, speed dial, transfer, forwarding, caller ID masking, extension dialing, multi-call handling, simultaneous ringing, and voicemail. Nortec’s KloudPhone division fully supports Teams calling. Let us demonstrate this to you.

MS Teams Advantages

  • Intuitive Interface
  • Enhanced Teamwork
  • Integration with 3rd party apps
  • Multi platform – use on your mobile devices
  • Secure platform with MFA
  • Company wide communication
  • Full integration with Office applications
  • Simplifies access to SharePoint

Microsoft’s Collaboration Solution – SharePoint

SharePoint adds a collaborative approach to content management across all of your business units and improve your organisation’s effectiveness and efficiencies.

SharePoint Advantages

Get more out of your information

SharePoint will help you make better-informed decisions through centralised access to information and improved abilities to locate relevant content; implement comprehensive control over the storage, security, distribution, reuse, and management of documents and other electronic content such as Web pages, PDF files, and e-mail messages; submit work from collaborative sites to portals by using tools that simplify content reuse and publishing.

Streamline your business processes

Accelerate internal and external shared business processes, share business information within and outside of your organisation; make business process initiation, participation, tracking, and reporting easy and flexible by providing a simple, consistent user experience through familiar client applications; optimise the way people, content, and processes interact within and across organisations.

Simplify the way people work together

SharePoint can simplify content reuse and information repurposing; allowing you to take advantage of workflows to automate and gain more visibility into common business activities such as document review and approval, issue tracking, and signature collection; focus on strategic, value-added tasks instead of redundant activities; improve and extend team collaboration; enhance your relationships with customers, partners, and suppliers by making forms-based business processes easily accessible to them, even if they haven’t installed client software; see how policy integration with familiar client applications makes compliance transparent and easy for employees.

SharePoint Can:

  • Boost employee productivity by simplifying everyday business activities
  • Help you meet regulatory requirements through comprehensive control over content
  • Provide you the ability to effectively manage and repurpose content to gain increased business value
  • Simplify your organisation’s access to both structured and unstructured information across disparate systems
  • Accelerate your business processes across organisational boundaries
  • Give your staff access to shared business data without divulging sensitive information

Microsoft in recent years are consolidating all features of Office 365 in to MS-Teams. Teams is a multi-platform way to access SharePoint on all devices. Teams also brings in features like Skype for Business, and Video Conferencing.

Oracle’s Cloud based POS Solution

Nortec’s is an Oracle Gold Partner in its Hospitality Solutions. Through its POS Advantage division we can deliver a cost effective and rapid deployment of a POS solution for companies of all sizes.

Simphony, MICROS’ first Software as a Service (SaaS) offering, is an enterprise, service-oriented architecture (SOA), point of sale (POS), solution, ideal for a wide range of food and beverage operations, from hotels, resorts, casinos, cruise ships and stadiums to restaurants and franchises – encompassing table service and quick service businesses. Simphony POS provides an enterprise approach, scaling from a single site to thousands of properties across brands, time zones and even continents.

Nortec recently deployed the solution to Queensland Country Bank Stadium.

How we can help

We help companies like yours achieve your specific business goals through Cloud Computing Solutions, by assessing your existing technology and developing solutions that will enable you to grow your business profitably and reach your goals.

Leverage our expertise and reap the benefits of our cloud solutions for your business. Increase your productivity and efficiency while reducing costs and mitigating risk. Contact us today to discuss the many benefits we can provide your business.

Contact Us to discuss your Cloud Solutions