Cloud-Based IT Services

Unlike other companies offering “old school” IT solutions, Forward Marketing specializes in “web-based IT” or “cloud-based computing” solutions. These include strategy development, implementation of services, training & certification for IT professionals focused on the emerging cloud-based services. We also share our IT Toolbox of cloud-based tools we use & recommend. But, let’s make sure we know “The Cloud”.

What is Cloud-Based Computing?

The term “Cloud-Based Computing” refers to the new wave of IT services that moves services & abilities from internal & locally based computers accessed through expensive & specialized software to externally (or “cloud-based”) computers that are accessible via modern & free web browsers. This paradigm shift gives companies & individuals more security, less complex, & affordable solutions that are as or more capable than their expensive, locally-grounded, counterparts.

A good example of this is Microsoft Exchange Server & it’s software client Microsoft Outlook. Both are “old school” or traditional IT solutions which are locally based & costly. The “modern” or cloud-based alternative would be the more flexible, less expensive and more capable Google Apps service for email, calendar & contacts that merely requires a browser, mobile device, or (if you must) any software-based email client.

Why choose Cloud-Based IT Service?

Cloud-based IT solutions are more secure, easily deployable, more flexible, improve quickly over time since there’s no software to update, require less employee training, improved productivity, & reduces the your IT administrative expense. Whether tethered to your desktop or moving in a mobile world, cloud-based solutions are very accessible & also synchronized. New improvements & modernizing your working environment will also let you improve your Internet marketing efforts since the abilities to contribute the crucial content to drive web rankings & traffic are easier to undertake.

How We Leverage “The Cloud” Internally

Forward Marketing uses cloud-based solutions for over 95% of all our IT solutions. These include Open DNS for Internet filtering, LastPass for password security, Google Apps for communications (email, calendar, contacts, chat, intranet sites), Google Voice for voice mail to email & text messaging, Google Analytics for website analytics, Dropbox for team folder & file sharing, Box.net & SkyDrive for additional folder & file storage, Google Docs for online office file viewing, Intuit’s Quickbooks Online for accounting & payroll, the WordPress content management system for website development & hosting, HostGator website hosting services, Pingdom website up-time monitoring services, Chase Online Banking for all bill paying & more.

On the social media site, we use YouTube & Vimeo video sharing, Flickr photo sharing, SlideShare presentation sharing, Facebook for community interaction, Twitter for micro-blogging, WordPress for our on-site blogging, PRweb for online press release distribution, & more. We also use Google Music, but only for fun! For more information, see our IT Toolbox page of cloud-based solutions we use and recommend.

IT Strategy Development Services

Before overhauling or improving your IT infrastructure, you must research & plan. We offer complete IT Strategy Development services that help your organization know the latest solutions, analyze your situation, choose forward-looking solutions, prepare your employees, document your strategy, & layout the implemented plan. For more information, visit our IT Strategy Development page.

IT Packages

We can custom design an IT services package for your needs or you can consider one of our “standard” packages. These include our Security Package, Connectivity Package, Communications Package, Mobile Computing Package, Productivity Package, and WordPress Website Package. For more information, visit our IT Packages page.

IT Toolbox

Forward Marketing discloses to the tools we use & recommend. Visit our IT Toolbox to see all the productivity, website design, Internet marketing & other services & software we recommend for the upward moving organization.

IT Training & Certification

Training and certification programs are a way for people to stay updated, employees to validate their knowledge, and job candidates to elevate themselves about the competition. Forward Marketing offers a complete selection of IT Professional Training & Certification courses.

For More Information

Forward Marketing (FM) is a full service marketing firm specializing in Internet “ROI” with complete Cloud-Based Information Technology (IT) Services. We also manage the Houston Internet Marketing Forum (HIMF), the Houston Website Designer Forum (HWDF), and related seminars with partners such as the Art Institute of Houston. For more information, Contact Us, Follow Us via social media, or call us at 713-449-2000.