Email in the Cloud
Phase 2 of our ongoing project to integrate and upgrade YMCA Black Country (YMCABC) group’s IT systems was completed last month with the upgrading and replacement of PCs to Windows 8.1 and Office 2013, and the installation of email and calendaring services with cloud access.
Cloud Access and Integration
YMCABC had several key requirements:
- Internet enabled so that staff are able to get access to their emails, contacts, calendars and tasks from any Internet enabled device, either by using a web browser or by using the ActiveSync connection which is built into most smartphones and tablets, as well as being able to use home and work computers with Microsoft Outlook installed.
- A single set of user credentials (username and password) to use work-based computers or cloud based services.
- Migrate all users (about 175) with all their old emails, calendars, contacts and tasks.
- The old Wolverhampton YMCA, West Bromwich YMCA and First Base Walsall email addresses should still be active and able to receive emails but they must be mapped to the new YMCA Black Country Group email addresses.
Why You Should Consider Cloud Enabled Services
For mobile workers especially, cloud services give incredible flexibility: professionals can work from any computing device anywhere as long as they have access to the Web. It also makes collaboration easier, since distributed teams (or a combination of mobile workers and in-office staff) can work on shared information stored centrally.
“The new IT system has been great. No real issues identified as yet and I have had no problems in accessing emails from outreach locations – brilliant!!”
