In today’s age of cloud communications – driven in large part by the attractiveness of Microsoft’s Cloud PBX – the pull to move to the cloud is strong. Organizations large and small are spending significant time, energy, and money to determine if and how cloud fits into their communications strategy. Though not quite to the level of agony, it certainly isn’t a straightforward decision process with many things to consider, pro’s here and con’s there. I will save that discussion for another day and assume you have already made the decision to start your migration to the cloud. So, what’s next?
This is a question I get asked on a surprisingly frequent basis. Many companies see the decision to move to the cloud as the most difficult in the overall process. Unfortunately, this is not always the case – taking that first step, moving that first group of users, often creates a challenge – unknown complexities, hidden challenges, user pushback, lack of required skills, and just being overwhelmed at the whole idea. I will focus the remainder of the discussion around the ‘lack of skills required’ challenge as it tends to be one of the key roadblocks to success during the actual migration process.
I have seen many organizations struggle to manage users by leveraging a combination of PowerShell scripts, admin portals and other point tools to set policies and migrate users. It’s not that these methods don’t work – they can, it is more related to depth of skillset required, disparity of interface, and lack of automation. PowerShell itself is an amazingly powerful utility – but one that requires a fair amount of effort to master. Imagine turning over the migration and day to day user management via PowerShell to your helpdesk. Not often a recipe for success.
If only there was a solution in the market that would provide ‘one click’ simplicity to take current users and get them into the cloud, enable the right policies, and automate much of the day to day? Spoiler alert, AudioCodes new User Management Pack 365 – born from our pervious solution – is that solution.
By consolidating your various ‘forests’ across prem and cloud into a consolidated web UI, UMP365 provides a single interface to complete the migration and subsequent full user lifecycle and identify management. Hybrid Cloud Simplicity.
Over the past several years, the ‘brains’ for UMP365 has been finely tuned by powering the user management capabilities built into the industry leading all-in-one hybrid solution for Skype for Business. Realizing the need to help companies take that next step no matter their current Microsoft Lync or Microsoft Skype for Business deployment, the solution was extracted and packaged as standalone software solution.
There is little doubt the cloud is here to stay and the need to migrate is only a matter of time. Instead of leaving it to chance and introducing risk into the project, take advantage of the solution designed to make this effort simple.
You can now confidently answer the question “What’s Next” with AudioCodes User Management Pack 365.
To learn more about AudioCodes User Management Pack 365, https://www.audiocodes.com/solutions-products/products/management-products-solutions/user-management-pack-365:
Come visit us at Microsoft Ignite 2016, September 26-30 in Atlanta, Georgia, at Booth #409.
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