THE CHALLENGE

With 40 staff members working across multiple sites, secure remote access and efficient communications are essential for DBR. In 2022, the organisation was looking to streamline business processes and manage their data in a single location whilst reducing costs.

DBR users had been experiencing frustrations with the separate VPN software needed to access shared documents and folders on remote servers as these could be cumbersome and unreliable. As a result, staff would sometimes copy documents locally, saving them offline, when attending Client meetings.

This meant that the latest versions were not always available for all staff to access, and duplicate copies would sometimes be created. Furthermore, scrolling through folders, searching for documents and locating the files that users required could be a time-consuming process. DBR expressed a need for new technology that encouraged and improved information sharing, transparency, and collaboration within the business. Any solution would clearly need to provide a secure platform for collaboration between internal and external staff who were working on joint projects.

Interested to learn more about how Utilize helped DBR Ltd? Fill out the form below to access the Case Study for more information.

Cloud-based services and their benefits are undeniable, and businesses are increasingly turning to Microsoft 365 and its suite of tools when moving to the Cloud. Offering data storage, email services and productivity tools, it’s no surprise Microsoft 365 users feel as though their data is safe and secure. However, if a third-party backup is not in place, the risk of losing all your data is still a real possibility. 

Microsoft 365 will only guarantee 90% of your data for as little as 30 days, consequently, even Microsoft themselves recommend regular backups in their service agreement. 

There are multiple ways in which you could lose your data including, accidental deletion or Cybercriminals encrypting or deleting data, ensuring you have it backed up is vital to protecting your business and your clients.  

We have introduced M365 Cloud Backup to meet this critical need for Cloud-based protection. With M365 Cloud Backup you gain a flexible and simple solution for the protection, management, and recovery of your Microsoft 365 data. It can quickly recover a file, folder or all account data easily in its original format. It ensures your business data is protected, encrypted and made available through an intuitive, web-based interface. 

M365 Cloud Backup enables you to deliver better service, improve efficiency, and simplify the backup and data protection process.  

Why not talk to us today about how M365 Cloud Backup can help you.

Windows Server is used to host many business-critical services and applications, and whilst innovation enables newer and more improved versions of Windows Server to be released, support for older versions ends as outlined in the Microsoft product roadmap.

Windows Server 2012 and 2012 R2 Extended Support will end on October 10, 2023, and after this date these products will no longer receive critical security updates or bug fixes which may lead to potential compliance gaps and exposed vulnerabilities for workloads that still rely on these versions.

If you wish to keep your on-premises servers running and still want to receive bug fixes and security updates, Microsoft and Utilize recommend upgrading to a more recent and supported version of Windows Server.

If you need to continue running Windows 2012 due to legacy application requirements, Microsoft and Utilize recommend migrating your workloads to Azure Virtual Machines, which will provide you with extended security updates for three years after the end of support at no additional cost.

When moving to Azure, businesses benefit from a variety of compliance certifications, infrastructure optimisation and built-in multi-layered security controls.

Below we examine some of the additional business benefits that making the move to Azure can bring:

Scalability: Azure allows organisations to scale their resources up or down as needed. You only pay for what you use which is beneficial for organisations that experience fluctuating workloads.

Flexibility: Azure offers a wide range of services, including virtual machines, storage, databases, and more, allowing you to choose the best options for your specific needs.

Cost savings: By using Azure, organisations can reduce their capital expenditures on hardware and software and instead pay for resources on a pay-as-you-go basis. This can lead to cost savings over time.

Improved security: Azure has several built-in security features, such as multi-factor authentication, encryption, and compliance support, that can help to protect your data and meet regulatory requirements.

High availability: Azure offers several options for ensuring high availability of resources, such as load balancing and automatic failover. This can help ensure your business’s services are always available to your customers.

Better collaboration: Azure works with tools such as Office 365, that can help organisations collaborate more effectively, both internally and externally.

Disaster recovery: Azure provides several options for disaster recovery such as Azure Site Recovery, Azure Backup, and Azure Arc. This way you can have a secondary location to recover your data and services and be able to easily recover them in case of a disaster.

Automation: Azure provides a number of tools and services that will enable your business to automate various IT processes, such as infrastructure provisioning, software deployment, and monitoring.

Global accessibility: Azure has data centres all around the world, which means that your business can easily access and use its resources from anywhere.

Environment friendly: Azure is one of the first Cloud providers to be carbon neutral and offer clean energy options. Eco-friendly options such as Azure Arc for Kubernetes and Azure Policy ensures your infrastructure is running in the most energy-efficient and sustainable way.

As trusted Microsoft partners and Azure Specialists, Utilize can help you to review your options and migrate or upgrade your workloads to facilitate your digital transition seamlessly.

Email us today and speak to a member of our team by clicking here.

You can read more on Windows Server end of support here.

As businesses have adapted and changed over the last two years, one thing has become more apparent – flexible working is now a standard, not a luxury. For most businesses, offering a form of remote/work-from-home option is important if they want to attract new talent and retain their current workforce.

When we add into the equation looming transport strikes, recent weather problems and the rise in the cost of travel, it becomes apparent that flexible working also provide resilience to a business. Being prepared and equipped to work remotely, especially when a situation arises unexpectedly, will allow your business to operate in any circumstance.

Enabling your employees to work remotely brings with it some serious considerations, such as questioning how secure your remote workers’ devices and connections are. Are they updating their devices with the latest software and patches? How do you ensure that your corporate data remains secure when devices and users are remote?

Increasingly businesses are utilising contractors, temporary staff, consultants and other ‘non-core’ team members who require access to their data on a device that isn’t owned by their business. How do you manage that challenge? These are considerations that businesses must tackle now, often for the first time and with no real idea where to start.

Luckily, there are many fantastic features and capabilities already available to most businesses included with their Microsoft 365 subscription. Something they already pay for but perhaps haven’t unlocked the full potential of.

It never ceases to surprise me that when we engage with a new client, they have not always had these benefits explained.

Imagine, for example, being able to manage end-user devices automatically, roll out updates and new applications and ensure that packs and patches are installed. Add to that the ability to control what happens with your business data, so that those remote or non-core users can’t accidentally email your confidential pricing to a client, copy it into their private storage like Dropbox, or even forward or print your confidential information.

That is the kind of control that can be implemented with ease, possibly already available to you with the licenses you already own.

As part of our Ascend offering, these features and many others can be mapped onto a bespoke business strategy, then delivered and implemented with minimal fuss and no large capital outlay. All of which are major business benefits in our current economic choppy waters.

Why not book an exploratory call so our team can look at what is achievable with the tools your business may already have at its disposal?

Click here to email our team today.

Microsoft Power Platform is a suite of low-code/no-code tools that enables users to build custom business applications and automate processes. It includes PowerApps, which allows users to create custom apps, Power BI, which enables data visualisation and reporting, and Power Automate, which allows users to automate workflows and business processes. It also includes Power Virtual Agents, which allows users to create chatbots for customer service and support.

It’s included with some Microsoft licenses, such as Office 365 E3 and E5 plans. It is also available as a standalone subscription or as part of certain Microsoft Dynamics 365 plans. Power Automate specifically is the tool that allows businesses to automate repetitive and time-consuming tasks, freeing up employees to focus on more strategic tasks.

With Power Automate, businesses can create automated workflows that trigger actions based on specific events, such as receiving an email or updating a database entry.

Here are just some of the common business processes that can be automated with Power Automate:

1. Data entry and information management: Automating the process of entering data into a database or spreadsheet, and updating records as needed.

2. Document and file management: Automating the process of organising and storing files and documents, as well as sending them to relevant stakeholders.

3. Email and communication management: Automating the process of sending and receiving emails, as well as tracking responses and managing communication with clients and customers.

4. Project management: Automating the process of tracking project progress, assigning tasks, and communicating updates to stakeholders.

5. Sales and marketing: Automating the process of tracking leads, sending marketing materials, and tracking customer engagement.

By automating these processes, businesses can save time, reduce errors, and improve efficiency. Power Automate allows businesses to customise their workflows and set specific triggers and actions, ensuring that their automated processes align with their business goals and objectives.

So how do you uncover workflows that can be automated with Power Automate:

1. Identify repetitive tasks and processes within your organisation. These are typically tasks that are done on a regular basis, such as data entry, sending emails, or generating reports.

2. Identify tasks that require input from multiple people or systems. These tasks may involve gathering information from multiple sources, such as databases or web services, and then combining that information into a single output.

3. Evaluate the feasibility of automating these tasks using Power Automate. Consider factors such as the complexity of the task, the number of steps involved, and the availability of data and resources.

4. Create a detailed workflow diagram that outlines the steps involved in each task. This will help you visualise the flow of information and identify potential areas for automation.

5. Test and refine your workflow using Power Automate. Use the built-in tools and features to automate each step of the process and monitor the results to ensure that the automation is working as expected.

6. Continuously evaluate and update your workflow as needed. As your business evolves and new processes are introduced, you may need to adapt your workflow to accommodate these changes. Regularly review and update your automation to ensure that it remains effective and efficient.

Working with an expert who can help your business with Power Automate can help to ensure that you have the support and expertise you need to make the most of Power Automate and achieve your business goals.

Utilize consultants work with our clients to gain a deep understanding of their challenges and goals. We frequently help them uncover and implement automation solutions for time consuming and labour-intensive workflows and processes. We work with organisations to foster a culture of continuous IT adoption to improve productivity and profitability.

If you would like to know more about how we can help your business transform through automation click the link below.

An Introduction to Microsoft Loop

Businesses across all industries are undergoing a change in how they run and use technology too deeply connect with users and digitally transform how they do business. Microsoft Loop has been introduced to ease this process as the era of hybrid-working commences.

The following will hopefully give a brief introduction to what Microsoft Loop is and what it is used for

Microsoft Loop is a new technology that combines a powerful and flexible canvas with portable components that move freely and stay in sync across Microsoft 365 applications. This technology has been built in Microsoft’s effort to make collaboration as frictionless as possible, growing beyond the confines of traditional workspaces.

It is built and powered by Fluid Framework which is the core technology that enables seamless data synchronisation, real-time collaboration and is open-sourced.

Key benefits and features include:

• Working Together, even when apart
  

  Co-create and build on each other’s ideas – Loop is an entirely new way to work together, whilst adapting to the new era of hybrid-working.
  

• All in one Place
  

  Organise all components of your project – files, links and data from other applications – in a single workspace.
  

• In Sync and on Track
  

  Jump straight back in and keep on track with notifications, highlighted changes, status labels and more, meaning the progress of a project is always up to date.
  

• Loop Workspaces
  

  These are shared spaces that allow you and your team to group and see everything important to your project, making it easy for you to catch up on what everyone is working on and track progress toward shared goals.
  

• Loop Components
  

  Adapting on from Fluid components – Loop components can be as simple as lists, tables, notes, tasks, or as sophisticated as a customer sales opportunity from Microsoft Dynamics 365, and because components stay in sync, no matter how many places they live in, you and your team will always work with the latest information.
  

• Loop Pages
  

  Flexible canvases where you can organise your components and pull in other useful elements like files, links, or data to help teams connect and collaborate. Pages are optimised for thinking together and getting work done. They can start small and continue to grow to match the size of your ideas and projects.
  

Idea on how to use Microsoft Loop components in chat:

• Co-Author
  

  Are you and your team working together to find the right words for something? No need to create a whole new document. Now, you can quickly iterate on, say, the teaser for an upcoming presentation by adding the Paragraph component and co-authoring from right within the chat thread.
  

• Status Report
  

  When work is changing rapidly it can be a real challenge to keep track of it and trying to train your team on different project management solutions can risk slowing down a fast-moving project. Instead, you can try a Loop component with a collaborative table that tracks each deliverable in its own row. Doing this allows everyone to follow along with easy-to-read columns for the owner, status, and due date that are always up to date with the latest, no matter when stakeholders read the email or check-in with their Teams chat.
  

• Topic Gathering
  

  There’s nothing worse than spending your team’s valuable time on the wrong topics. With Loop components, you can crowd-source and democratize gathering feedback, topics for an upcoming meeting, or ideas for a team event, all without needing to deal with an endless string of chat messages or emails.
  

• Mini Breakout Room
  

  Have you ever seen a conversation fly off the rails when a few folks go off on a tangent? One of the most creative uses of Loop components we have seen is a sort of “mini breakout room,” right within the same chat. The component offers a “safe space” to align or resolve differing opinions where every member of the chat can still see and participate in the side discussion if they need to, while also allowing the main chat thread to move on to other topics.
  

You can access some useful information linked below and see some demo examples of Loop in action.

Feedback on Windows 11 so far

Whilst some users are taking their first look at Windows 11 on consumer devices, the Utilize team has been busy testing and hardening Microsoft’s latest operating system for our business customers. After listening to the thoughts of some early adopters and the feedback from our own support team, here are the most useful observations we have to report so far.

What’s included

Windows 11 is available on Windows 365 and Power Automate for desktop is included with the OS Windows, as well as working with Intune/Endpoint Manager.

Fast upgrade process

When it comes to running the upgrade from Windows 10, users may need to navigate a few bumps in the road, but overall it is a fast and efficient process. Colleagues have reported that somewhere between 60 and 90 minutes are required from the initial download through to the final system restart.

User interface

The Windows 11 taskbar looks like an amalgamation of the Windows 10 taskbar and the macOS dock minus the animations. Icons are centred rather than left hand aligned. Opening the start menu is similar but is closer to what you would see on a smartphone, with the apps you use most often presented in a grid rather than a list. This change makes it simpler to find the specific programs and applications you are looking for.

Switching to the complete app list is quick and easy but requires an extra step from the default app list of Windows 10. Just like the default app list, the overall look and feel has a smartphone influence and, once you get used to the new layout, it does seem easier to use.

Settings

Settings do not immediately pop up when you hit the Windows icon, which is still on the left but now centred with the other app icons in the taskbar. Whilst the icons on your home screen and the background will probably remain unchanged post-upgrade, the layout of your settings looks significantly different, and it may take a while at first to locate the setting you are looking for.

Nevertheless, users have reported that the settings they use most frequently, such as software updates, were clearly in view rather than hidden in a submenu. As with the app lists, once you get used to the new Settings layout, you’ll probably find it more intuitive to use.

Make it snappy

Windows has always been about helping users work flexibly with the ability to resize, maximise and minimise applications as they work. But now in Windows 11, a feature called Snap Layouts offers an even more powerful way to multi-task.

This new feature allows you to organise windows and optimise your screen layout for the task in hand and you can even create separate desktops for each area of your life, such as work, gaming or school etc.

To access Snap Layouts, hover your cursor over the maximize icon in the upper right corner of an app or press Win-Z. You should see 4 (or maybe 6 if you are working on an ultra-wide monitor) different grid layouts to choose from. Each layout presents a different configuration of zones. Simply choose a layout and hover over the zone that you want your active app to be in. When the zone turns blue, click on it and your app will snap into that position. If you’re the kind of user who is permanently toggling between several core applications, this feature is definitely worth exploring.

Smartphone integration

Microsoft’s smartphone integration app, Your Phone, is working on this latest release, and it does a respectable job of presenting an onscreen view of some of your phone’s core features such as texts and phone calls. There is a music feature too, although that appears to be disabled currently. There are some nifty features such as the ability to drag a photo from the visible representation of your phone and into an email on your desktop interface.

3rd party apps

A number of 3rd party apps will work but are not supported on Windows 11, Sage for example is not currently supported. SonicWall’s latest version of NetExtender does work on Windows 11 but it’s currently in testing and we are awaiting confirmation from SonicWall that it is fully supported on Windows 11.

Performance

During this phase of the rollout, the platform typically isn’t optimized yet for performance. Still, we didn’t notice any individual wait states or performance degradation on the Dell PC. This lack of noticeable performance penalty suggests there may be a slight performance boost as updates are deployed over the coming months. Microsoft has already been proactive in releasing updates to address specific performance scenarios with AMD hardware, more details of these updates can be found here

Security

The TPM 2.0 and Secure Boot requirements for Windows 11 should result in far more PCs that are secure, as many PCs support those technologies but don’t have them turned on. Other systems will need to be replaced, although not necessarily right away: Windows 10 support will continue until at least 2025. Windows 11 is only currently supported on specific hardware platforms, you can find a full list here

With the significant increase in ransomware attacks, putting off anything that increases the security of PCs comes with inherent risk, and it may be wiser to go early rather than late on this latest Windows version. Best practice, however, is to wait at least two months after general release before deploying to make sure new problems are identified and corrected before your installation. Often a good time for an update like this is during the holiday break, where any problems will have a minimal impact on productivity.

Coming soon

Tighter integration of Teams directly in the OS will be coming to businesses in future as well as adding access to Android applications.