3 IT Transition Decisions That Don’t Have To Be a Headache: Cloud, Exchange & Monitoring.

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella evidently said during this fall’s Gartner conference that “Office 365 is the new Exchange and one will cannibalize the other.” Though perhaps not a surprise to some, overnight technology transitions of this magnitude are rare and certainly not without risk. Call it cannibalism or evolution, it’s a decision that comes down to the business, not peer-pressure or market analysts.

Exchange Is Evolving, So Must You?

As Tony Redmond of Windows IT Pro explained in his October 10th 2014 blog, there’s no question that the long term futures of business applications and infrastructure like Exchange are in virtualized environments. It’s not a question of if, but when.

Transitions, though, can not only be a headache for most businesses, but also a terrifying risk. “It works! Leave it alone!” Never would you hear such a comment from a consumer electronics aficionado or tech reporter, but this exactly the kind of sentiment most business leaders will express when pressed to transition their business systems to a new version or environment.

3 IT Transitions Decisions That Don’t Have To Be a Headache

While some transitions can induce all out panic, others aren’t as scary as you might think. The times they are a-changin’; the hurdles are becoming more manageable and the change easier to digest. Progress doesn’t always have to be a headache!

1. Cloud

Cloud can mean many things to many people. It’s a concept more than a tangible (or virtual) thing. Moreover, cloud is not a panacea. It’s just another method of doing things. Do you absolutely have to transition to Office 365 instead of upgrading your on-prem Exchange server infrastructure? No! Cloud can either be your universe or just your tool-belt. In both cases, you can leverage the advantages that work for you, and leave the drawbacks behind.

2. Exchange

Microsoft wants you to move to your Exchange servers to their virtual environment. It’s their new mission. But Microsoft can’t bully you into do it on their terms. Exchange is a crucial communications hub for your business and when it comes to making decisions about its future, the onus remains on you, not Microsoft. On-prem Exchange servers, virtualized Exchange servers; it doesn’t really matter as long as it makes operational and financial sense for your business. And in either case, you know you can get access to tools and expertise to make it all work for years to come.

3. Monitoring

Your typical monitoring solution is a heavy beast on a network. But darn it, you need one! Especially on your Exchange servers. But you have the advantage! It’s a buyer’s market out there in the monitoring space. Lots of options to choose from and from what you can tell, they all pretty much give you the same information. So how does it make sense to switch? Well that’s the beauty of cloud-based tools, you can move over to ultralight cloud-based monitoring options in a jiffy AND free up some of your precious Exchange server resources in the process. There’s no need for parallel servers and a complicated set up. Exchange monitoring solutions like SentinelAgent are plug-and-play and won’t cause any performance, installation headaches or unexpected costs.

A Choice Made With Open Eyes

Transitions can be easy with the right tools and the right mentality. The choice is always yours and if it makes sense for you to move forward, then go ahead and take that step! You might be surprised how easy it was to climb it!