There has never been a better time to be a small-to-medium sized operator within the ICT sector. According to technology solution experts, the advent of Cloud Computing and avalanche of smart devices, along with an increase in affordable Internet access, has made accessible what was previously unattainable. 

Network Alliance is an established national Information and Communication Technology service provider. Andre’ Fourie, Network Alliance’s Operations Manager, acknowledged that cost has been the main obstacle SMEs have faced in being able to successfully source, acquire and implement technology. This infrastructure has, for the most part, been out of reach for these businesses and has frustrated decision makers who have understood the implications of having (and not having) this technology in place.

That is until the introduction of the Cloud to the broader technology landscape, which, by its nature, offers a flexible option for businesses to rapidly acquire the technology they need, when they need it. This obviously has an impact on costs says Fourie.

“Until recently, SME’s typically incurred significant capital expenditure in order to have access to (some) of the technology used by larger corporates. More recently, however, the emergence of ‘cloud computing’ – which includes ‘Infrastructure as a Services’ (Iaas) and ‘Software as a Service’ (SaaS) – has revolutionised the way SME’s acquire and use technology,” he confirms.

“It is a well-known fact that SME’s are very concerned with their cash flow and liquidity – for this reason, cloud computing is an ideal solution for SME’s, as it removes the barrier to entry and significantly reduces the total cost of ownership of hardware, software and infrastructure. Cloud computing is also extremely scalable, and allows SME’s to pay only for the licenses and services they actually need,” he adds.

This ‘pay-as-you-go’ pricing model and the ability to rapidly deploy technology is an attractive option in a segment known to take extra strain in terms of liquidity. The cost factor aside, Fourie shares the view amongst many ICT specialists that the adoption of virtualisation and emergence of BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) continue to ensure that technology is always positioned at the top of the priority list for decision makers running an SME today.

He believes that whilst server and desktop virtualisation are not new concepts to this market, widespread adoption has further reduced the cost associated with acquisition and application of infrastructure. “Virtualisation, which also results in server consolidation, effectively allows SMEs to ‘get more for less’,” says Fourie.

In his overview of the current SME landscape, Fourie mentions iOS, Android and the Windows 8 mobile platforms that help to make up a diverse environment. The choice is there, he adds, but so too the responsibility to consider how best to manage BYOD, lest it presents more of a problem than a solution within the growing business.

Fourie believes the best approach an SME can take is to partner with a reputable external service provider. “An external Service Provider, with a proven track record, can ensure that SME’ derive real, tangible benefits from a holistic approach towards IT management,” he says.

These benefits include alignment of IT strategy, deployment of ‘best-of-breed’ solutions, reduction of capital and operational expenditure, and the surety of compliance with software licensing, and that IT truly becomes an ‘enabler’ for the business.

“The key here is to work with a Managed Service Provider with the experience, tools and skilled technical resources required to pro-actively maintain, manage and support infrastructure and related technology. A skilled Managed Service provider will ultimately demonstrate to decision-makers the value of moving away from a so-called ‘break-fix’ approach, which will not only ensure uptime and reliability, but will, in the long term, also save money,” Fourie adds.