Public Cloud
Begin your digital transformation journey with robust and resilient public cloud services.
What is cloud computing?
Put simply, cloud computing provides all the technology your business needs (such as servers, storage and applications), bur rather than being stored in physical servers on premises, all data is stored off-site in a highly secure data centre, also referred to as “the cloud”. All you need to access your data is an internet connection.
Types of Cloud Solution
Software as a service – also known as cloud applications, this model offers internet applications offered by 3rd party providers. Because these applications are provided over the internet, there’s no need to manually install, manage and update software.
Platform as a service – offers a framework for developers to build upon and create customised applications. All servers, storage, and networking is managed by the enterprise or a third-party provider while the developers can maintain management of the applications.
Infrastructure as a service – the most flexible of cloud computing models, IaaS offers the full IT infrastructure inlcuding servers, network, storage and operating systems. Users have full control of their infrastructure and still have access to their data centre, it’s just managed and outsourced through a virtual data centre in the cloud instead.
Why should I choose a cloud solution?
There are many benefits of adopting a cloud solution, such as:
Microsoft Azure
Holding its position as one of the top public cloud platforms, Microsoft Azure offers smart and scalable cloud solutions for all types and sizes of business. Organisations can outsource a number of computing services off-site to Azure’s secure servers, saving them money and allowing for greater flexibility.
Azure can provide the following functionality:
- Virtual network
- Data storage
- Virtual machine hosting
- Application development
- Database management
- Backup and disaster recovery
Whether you’re choosing to build your data centre on-premise, in the cloud or as a hybrid bridging the two, Microsoft provides a complete suite of solutions that help transform your data centre into a strategic asset underpinned by reliable, flexible and scalable infrastructure. Using Microsoft technology, you can create a data centre without boundaries, that unlocks limitless capacity, supports innovation and keeps your information secure.
We gained our Cloud Platform Microsoft accreditation in 2019, demonstrating our ability to design and implement Azure solutions for our clients.
Azure certified training is included in our internal training scheme across different technical levels, including:
- Azure Administrator
- Azure Architect
- Azure Data Engineers
- Azure Developer
We often review existing customer environments, with a view to improving design fundamentals, as well as providing commercial comparisons on consumption, identifying potential for savings within the existing deployment.
AWS (Amazon Web Services)
Amazon Web Services (AWS) is one of the world’s most comprehensive and broadly adopted cloud platforms, offering over 180 fully featured services from data centres globally. Millions of customers —including the fastest-growing start-ups, largest enterprises, and leading government agencies—trust AWS to power their infrastructure, become more agile, and to lower costs.
AWS comprises more than 100 services that can be configured based on what you want to achieve. These services include:
- Networking
- Security
- Analytics
- Data management
Stephens IT has partnered with AWS since 2016 to design, implement and support an array of technologies within AWS environments. Our clients seek our expertise and support available with our AWS offering to bring additional value to their cloud environment.
Migrating to the cloud
Migrating from a traditional on premise set-up to a cloud solution can seem daunting, but our team are on hand to guide you through the process. Solutions can be tailored to any type of business regardless of size or budget – we will conduct a thorough analysis of your current situation, user count and infrastructure before putting forward a bespoke cloud solution for you.
Read more on how we migrate systems to the cloud on our System Migration page.
C A S E S T U D Y
Hopwells
Hopwells is a frozen food wholesaler servicing all spheres of the food service market, with depots in 6 locations throughout the UK.
