Tag Archive for: Managed Cloud Services

Posts

Major Google for Education Licensing and Price Changes

/in , ,

Google for Education Logo

As you are hopefully aware, Google announced major changes to both licensing and pricing for paid Google for Education editions. 

These changes will impact most schools after February 1, 2026, and will affect some schools as soon as October 1, 2025.  Depending on your annual renewal date, your district may experience a significant increase in Fiscal 2026 over current budgeted amounts.

The following are the licensing changes, pricing changes, and timing for the changes. We are also sharing our general recommendations based on your current subscription and plan.

Licensing Changes

  • Google is eliminating licensing that differentiates between students (full and part time) and faculty/staff. 
    • All users will require the same license(s)
    • You will no longer receive a staff license at no cost for every four (4) student licenses.
    • Every active user must be assigned an Education Fundamentals license
  • Education Standard and Education Plus subscriptions are designed and intended to cover all active users, not just a subset. 
    • Partial domain licensing is no longer possible, with few exceptions.
  • If you subscribe to either Standard or Plus, you must:
    • Purchase enough paid licenses to cover every user with an Education Fundamentals license
    • Ensure that all users with an Education Fundamentals license have an assigned paid license
  • Google is enforcing a minimum purchase requirement for paid licenses of 50 seats.
    • If your school has fewer than 50 faculty/staff and students, you must purchase 50 Education Standard or Education Plus licenses.

Pricing Changes

Google is increasing Google for Education pricing as follows. Note that subscriptions that were licensed and paid per-student will now be per-user, inclusive of students and faculty/staff.

Education Standard

  • Price remains at $3 per user per year.

Education Plus

  • Price increases from $5 to $6 per user per year
  • If subscription cost increases more than 10%, you may be eligible for a 1-year 10% discount on your license fees
  • Discounts are available with multi-year contracts

Teaching and Learning add-on

  • Price increases from $48 to $60 per user per year for Annual/Fixed Term Plan Subscriptions
  • Flexible Plan subscriptions increase from $4.80 to $6 per month

Timing of Changes

License and pricing changes start as early as October 1, 2025, for new all subscriptions and existing Flexible Plan subscriptions.  The changes take effect beginning February 1, 2026, for all existing Annual/Fixed Term Plan subscriptions.

New Purchases

  • For new Education Standard and Plus purchases, the new pricing takes effect as of October 1, 2025. The new pricing is for both Flexible (monthly) Plans and Annual/Fixed Term Plans (1+ year commitment with annual or monthly payments).

All Flexible Plan Subscriptions

  • If you are on Flexible Plan (monthly) subscription, the new pricing begins as of October 1, 2025.

Annual Plan Subscription Renewals

  • If you are on an Annual Plan Subscription, the price increase takes effect with your next annual renewal, on our after February 1, 2026.  As such:
    • If your renewal is before February 1, 2026, you may renew with the current licensing and pricing for one (1) year only.  Any renewal for multiple years will use the new licensing structure and pricing.
    • If your renewal is on or after February 1, 2026, your subscription will move to the new licensing and pricing structure upon renewal.
  • Please note that 
    • If your renewal is after February 1, 2026 and within your current fiscal year, your new cost may not be fully budgeted if your budget was finalized before considering the new licensing and pricing structure.
    • If you are renewing Education Plus and see a cost increase of more than 10%, Google will authorize a 10% discount for the first year of your renewal.

Annual Plan Subscription Upgrades

  • If you are using Education Standard, you can upgrade to Education Plus using the current licensing structure and pricing until January 31, 2026.  This includes mid-term upgrades that change your renewal date.
  • As of February 1, 2026, upgrading from Education Standard to Plus will move you to the new licensing structure and pricing even if the upgrade is prior to your renewal date.

Downgrades

  • If you choose to downgrade from Education Plus to the Teaching and Learning add-on, the new licensing and pricing takes effect October 1, 2025.

Our Recommendations

Depending on your current Google for Education subscription and plan, we recommend you consider the following:

New Education Standard and Education Plus Subscriptions

  • Schools planning to add Education Standard or Education Plus should do so with an Annual Plan commitment before September 30, 2025. 
  • This will provide first year savings over the new licensing and pricing structure and provide you with the ability to properly budget for FY2027.

Current Education Plus Subscriptions

  • Consider a multi-year commitment with possible discounts.
  • Evaluate your usage and determine if downgrading to Education Fundamentals and using the Teaching and Learning add-on is appropriate.

Upgrading from Education Standard to Education Plus

  • Schools planning this upgrade should do so with an Annual Plan commitment before September 30, 2025.
  • This will postpone the price increase and will provide a year savings over the new licensing and pricing structure and provide you with the ability to properly budget for FY2027.

Flexible Plans

  • Assess the stability of your user counts and, if feasible, move from your monthly plan to an Annual Plan prior to September 30, 2025. 
  • This will lock in current licensing and pricing for the first year and give you the opportunity to budget for increasing costs in the future.

We Will Help

Plan Now; Act Soon.  As with any major change, we expect you will have questions and that you may need to reassess your budget.  With the first deadline approaching October 1st, you have limited time to make decisions.  

Our Cloud Advisors are here to assist. We can review your current subscription, discuss your options, and help secure the initial year and multi-year discounts.

Please schedule time with one of our Cloud Advisors for assistance.

About the Author

Bill Seybolt bio pictureBill is a Senior Cloud Advisor responsible for helping small and midsize organizations with cloud forward solutions that meet their business needs, priorities, and budgets. Bill works with executives, leaders, and team members to understand workflows, identify strategic goals and tactical requirements, and design solutions and implementation phases. Having helped over 200 organizations successfully adopt cloud solutions, his expertise and working style ensure a comfortable experience effective change management.

AI in Google Workspace – AI Ultra for Business

/in ,

Google AI Ultra for BusinessGoogle Workspace is a comprehensive and secure platform that empowers organizations to be more productive, collaborative, and creative. This series explores the power of AI built within Google Workspace across each of the workspace apps. In this post, we cover the Google AI Ultra add-on for Google Workspace.

Google AI Ultra for Business

Google AI Ultra for Business is an add-on for existing Google Workspace Business and Enterprise subscribers, offering enhanced capabilities.  Beyond the highest access to the Gemini app, Google AI Ultra for Business delivers advanced tools for deep reasoning, images, and videos.

Here are 4 reasons to consider Google Ultra for Business:

1 Gemini App
  • Dive deep with the most capable models, including Gemini 2.5 Pro and Deep Research.
  • Deep Think, with the ability to explore multiple scenarios and answers before responding, is coming soon.
2 Video Generation
  • AI Ultra for Business includes advanced filmmaking tools:
    • Veo 3 — Professional video production tool
    • Flow — Create cinematic scenes using Veo 3
    • Whisk — Image and text to 8-second videos, using Veo 2

3 Project Mariner

  • Research prototype for streamlined human-agent interaction
  • Allows AI agents to handle multiple tasks concurrently
  • Coming soon, initially to the US only

4 Individual YouTube Premium

  • Upgrade your video game with an individual YouTube Premium plan.

And More …

Google AI Ultra for Business also includes higher access and usage limits for:

  • Gemini App
  • Image Generation
  • NotebookLM
  • AI Credits (12,500 credits per month)
  • Storage (30 TB across Photos, Drive, and Gmail

We Will Help

At Cumulus Global, our priority is ensuring that you have productive, secure, and affordable managed cloud services. We work to ensure that you get the most value from the IT and cloud services you need and want, without overspending, to best support your business objectives.

Unsure of where to start? Check out our IT Assessment or schedule a meeting with a Cloud Advisor. We will help you adapt while keeping your IT services secure and cost-effective.

About the Author

Allen Falcon is the co-founder and CEO of Cumulus Global.  Allen co-founded Cumulus Global in 2006 to offer small businesses enterprise-grade email security and compliance using emerging cloud solutions. He has led the company’s growth into a managed cloud service provider with over 1,000 customers throughout North America.

AI in Google Workspace – AppSheet

/in ,

Gemini AI in AppSheetGoogle Workspace is a comprehensive and secure platform that empowers organizations to be more productive, collaborative, and creative. This series explores the power of AI built within Google Workspace across each of the workspace apps. In this post, we cover AI in AppSheet.

AI in AppSheet

AppSheet is an add-on for Google Workspace and a Google Cloud service that empowers Google Workspace users to create custom apps and automations without writing code.

In addition to simplifying workflow creation and connecting your business data, AppSheet provides controls needed to remain secure and compliant.

Gemini AI in AppSheet helps you create and refine apps and better access and refine your data and information.

Here are 3 Gemini features in AppSheet you should know.

1 Create an App
  • Bring app ideas to life by simply describing them. Gemini AI in AppSheet can transform those concepts
    into a fully functional app for you to edit or publish.
2 Extract Information
  • Currently in preview, Gemini AI in AppSheet lets you populate forms and reports directly from images. Snap a photo of a receipt, invoice or document to capture data and match it to the right fields.
3 Connect External Services
  • Also in preview, AppSheet apps can connect to hundreds of Google Cloud and third-party services without custom code.

And More …

You can also:

  • Embed Gemini-powered AI tasks directly within your AppSheet automations.
  • Extract information from PDF files.
  • Automatically categorize information as it is input.
  • Route and prioritize items based on categorized content to streamline workflows.

We Will Help

At Cumulus Global, our priority is ensuring that you have productive, secure, and affordable managed cloud services. We work to ensure that you get the most value from the IT and cloud services you need and want, without overspending, to best support your business objectives.

Unsure of where to start? Check out our IT Assessment or schedule a meeting with a Cloud Advisor. We will help you adapt while keeping your IT services secure and cost-effective.

About the Author

Allen Falcon is the co-founder and CEO of Cumulus Global.  Allen co-founded Cumulus Global in 2006 to offer small businesses enterprise-grade email security and compliance using emerging cloud solutions. He has led the company’s growth into a managed cloud service provider with over 1,000 customers throughout North America.

Rightsizing IT: Managed Cloud Services for Smaller SMBs – Part 2

/in

Rightsizing IT for Smaller SMBs with Managed Cloud Services

Smaller businesses, like yours, use technology differently than larger organizations. You rely more on commercially available solutions than custom-built or highly-customized solutions. You are held to the same security standards as larger companies, but you lack the expertise and budget of bigger businesses. Rightsizing your IT means carefully matching your IT services to your needs, priorities, and budget. This is key to keeping your services productive, secure, and affordable.

In Part 1, we discussed the unique IT challenges you face as sole practitioners, solopreneurs, or very small business (VSB) owners and leaders. In Part 2, we dive into the process of rightsizing your IT.

1
Pick the Right Productivity Suite

Think beyond just email and calendars; focus on how you communicate and share information with your clients, customers, contractors, and vendors. Do you send and share documents? What CRM and financial apps do you use? Do you rely on and use any industry-specific software locally or in the cloud?

While other platforms exist, some at lower costs, Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace offer the most comprehensive platforms for small business productivity, communications, and collaboration.  Microsoft and Google promote different philosophies:

  • Microsoft 365 works best as a hybrid solution, with full-featured software running locally, slim web versions, and a range of integrated apps, such as planning, bookings, and PowerBI. 
  • Google promotes a cloud-first approach. Focused on core communication and collaboration, Google expects you will select and integrate cloud-based (Software as a Solution / SaaS) business apps to meet your specific needs. Google is designed to serve as your identity manager, providing integrated access to your cloud apps and services.

Consider the business apps and systems you use and how you want them to work with your productivity suite. Your line of business and back-office apps can guide whether Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace is the best fit for your IT ecosystem and your business.

2
Avoid Duplicate Services

Both Google Workspace and Microsoft 365 are robust productivity suites. And yet, we often opt to purchase additional solutions out of convenience even though we already have similar features at our fingertips. The most commonly duplicate services across our smaller business clients are:

  • Meeting services
  • External file sharing
  • Generative AI
  • AI assistant tools (transcription, note taking, etc.)

Learning to use your existing features and capabilities negates the need to spend money on – and manage – additional solutions. You can easily overcome concerns by ensuring you and your team know how to use the features you need. For example, when scheduling a meeting with a client, you might say, “I will send you a Google Meet invite, or if you prefer Zoom, you can send the invite.”

Note that features may vary based on your Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace subscription. You may need to upgrade in order to access certain features you require. This upgrade is likely less expensive than licensing another third-party app.

3
Be Cloud Forward

For smaller businesses, the cloud offers significant advantages over on-premise solutions.

  • Mobility: Securely access your systems, apps, and data, whether you are in the office, a coworking site, at home, or on the road.
  • Security: Leveraging the cloud simplifies your security exposure, lowering your costs while maintaining or increasing your protections.
  • Business Continuity: Cloud-based services protect you from local outages and service disruptions, reduce the number of ‘things’ that can break, and make it easier to recover when things do go wrong.
  • Ease of Access: Get to work without having to jump through VPN hoops. Your access is the same, regardless of where you are working.
  • Affordability: With a simpler, more secure, and integrated IT ecosystem, you pay less for the support and services you need and want.

4
Pick the Right Partner

If you are a sole practitioner, solopreneur, or VSB, most IT service providers do NOT want you as a client. Our research indicates that fewer than 10% of traditional IT and managed service providers want clients with 10 or fewer employees. Their business models require an economy-of-scale that is not viable with very small clients.

Pick an IT partner that wants your business and does not see you as an exception to their normal or preferred type of client. Look for an IT service provider that has:

  • A successful history working with smaller businesses.
  • Services and solutions tailored to your needs and priorities as a smaller business.
  • Gives you options that let you make value-based business decisions about your IT services.
  • Focuses on affordability as much as features, capabilities, and security.

How Will Cumulus Global Help?

At Cumulus Global, we truly value sole practitioners, solopreneurs, and very small businesses. We specialize in tailored solutions designed just for businesses like yours, backed by a proven track record of success.

Our top priority is ensuring that you have productive, secure, and affordable Managed Cloud Services, Cloud Forward IT Service and Support, and Security CPR® Managed Security services. 

We focus on how your IT services can best help your business thrive and grow without overspending.

Schedule a meeting with a Cloud Advisor and take your first step towards better IT for you and your business. 

About the Author

Bill Seybolt bio pictureBill is a Senior Cloud Advisor responsible for helping small and midsize organizations with cloud forward solutions that meet their business needs, priorities, and budgets. Bill works with executives, leaders, and team members to understand workflows, identify strategic goals and tactical requirements, and design solutions and implementation phases. Having helped over 200 organizations successfully adopt cloud solutions, his expertise and working style ensure a comfortable experience effective change management.

AI in Google Workspace – Vids

/in ,

Gemini AI in VidsGoogle Workspace is a comprehensive and secure platform that empowers organizations to be more productive, collaborative, and creative. This series explores the power of AI built within Google Workspace across each of the workspace apps. In this post, we cover AI in Vids.

AI in Vids

Vids is a relatively new addition to the Google Workspace family of apps. Google Vids is a cutting-edge video creation platform, powered by AI.

Gemini AI in Vids helps you generate your first draft and land your message with AI voiceovers. You are empowered to create polished videos in less time so you can tell more engaging stories.

Here are 3 Gemini features in Vids you should know.

1 Create Your Story
  • Create your video storyboard with suggested scenes, scripts, stock media, music, and more to jumpstart video storytelling. Start with only a prompt and a file from your Google Drive.
2 AI Voiceovers
  • Use Gemini in Vids to give your videos a fresh voice by choosing from a variety of preset, professional- sounding voiceovers.
3 Read-Along Teleprompter
  • Record your talk track with confidence using the teleprompter embedded directly in Vids’ recording studio, so you can stay on message.

And More …

You can also

Create Clips from Prompts
  • Turn ideas into video clips by providing a descriptive prompt.

We Will Help

At Cumulus Global, our priority is ensuring that you have productive, secure, and affordable managed cloud services. We work to ensure that you get the most value from the IT and cloud services you need and want, without overspending, to best support your business objectives.

Unsure of where to start? Check out our IT Assessment or schedule a meeting with a Cloud Advisor. We will help you adapt while keeping your IT services secure and cost-effective.

About the Author

Allen Falcon is the co-founder and CEO of Cumulus Global.  Allen co-founded Cumulus Global in 2006 to offer small businesses enterprise-grade email security and compliance using emerging cloud solutions. He has led the company’s growth into a managed cloud service provider with over 1,000 customers throughout North America.

Act Now! Windows 10 Support ENDS in 4 Months

/in

Windows 11

Don’t get caught off guard! Support for Windows 10 officially ends on October 14, 2025. After this date, Microsoft will no longer provide software updates, technical assistance, or critical security patches and fixes.

Continuing to use Windows 10 will dramatically increase your exposure to significant risks. Without security updates, your systems become prime targets for cyberattacks, ransomware, and data breaches. You risk costly downtime, loss of sensitive information, and severe compliance issues. 

Proactive planning and action are not just recommended, they are critical for your business continuity and security.

Know Your Windows 10 Options

We agree with Microsoft’s recommendation to upgrade all eligible systems to Windows 11. We also understand you may have budget constraints or compatibility issues with older software.

You can check if your PCs will run Windows 11 using Microsoft’s PC Health Check app. If your PC will not run Windows 11, you have options other than buying new devices.

Extended Security Updates (ESU): 
  • Microsoft will offer an ESU subscription providing critical security updates for Windows 10 for up to three years. While pricing details are not yet available, ESU programs for Windows 7 were more than $100 per device annually. We expect the Windows 10 ESU program will be more expensive. 
  • This option serves as a temporary bridge but doesn’t address underlying hardware or software compatibility.
Virtual Desktop Services: 
  • Using virtual desktop services, such as Azure Virtual Desktop, allow you to use your existing PCs to access a robust and secure Windows 11 environment. Virtual desktops work well for hybrid team members and to mitigate the cost of upgrading multiple devices.
  • Connect with one of our Cloud Advisors to explore this option.

Windows 11 Upgrade Help

Plan for Your Windows 11 Transition

Regardless of the strategy you choose, proactive planning is crucial for a smooth and secure transition. Follow these steps to ensure you’re ready:

Assess Your Current IT Environment
  • Use Microsoft’s PC Health Check app to determine which devices can run Windows 11, which can be upgraded, and which require replacement. If you use Windows 10 in embedded systems, check with your vendor.
  • Confirm which of your business-critical applications and tools are compatible with Windows 11. Identify necessary software upgrades or migrations.
Prepare Your Budget
  • Accurately map the cost of upgrading and/or replacing devices. Keep in mind that older systems, even if upgraded now, may soon require replacement.
  • Identify any software upgrade costs.
  • Keep in mind any fees for tech support or professional services. You may need or want help transferring applications and data to new devices or setting up virtual desktops.
Develop Your Transition Plan & Data Strategy
  • Plan your timing and procedures for upgrades, purchases, and migrations. Focus on preventing data loss during migration and consider staging your rollout in phases to minimize disruption.
  • Crucially, ensure all critical data is securely backed up before upgrading or migrating systems. 
  • Remember to allow time to test critical software on Windows 11 before upgrading.
Train Your Team
  • Provide resources and help your team become familiar with the Windows 11 interface and new features.
  • If you are upgrading your business software for compatibility, you may want to provide additional training on new functionalities and capabilities.
  • Stay Informed: Monitor Microsoft’s official updates and announcements. Keep current with regarding Windows 10 end of life and Windows 11 developments.

Cumulus Global Will Help

Plan Now; Act Soon.  As with any major upgrade, we expect demand for PCs, laptops, and technical services will increase as the deadline nears. Waiting may result in delays and missed deadlines. Losing Windows 10 support can result in costly business disruptions.

For assistance, schedule a brief, free call with one of our Cloud Advisors to discuss your assessment, plan, and upgrade needs, priorities, and budget.

About the Author

Allen Falcon is the co-founder and CEO of Cumulus Global.  Allen co-founded Cumulus Global in 2006 to offer small businesses enterprise-grade email security and compliance using emerging cloud solutions. He has led the company’s growth into a managed cloud service provider with over 1,000 customers throughout North America.

Rightsizing IT: Managed Cloud Services for Smaller SMBs – Part 1

/in

Rightsizing IT for Smaller SMBs with Managed Cloud ServicesSmaller businesses, like yours, use technology differently than larger organizations. You rely more on commercially available solutions than custom-built or highly-customized solutions. You are held the same security standards as larger companies, but lack the expertise and budget of bigger businesses. Rightsizing your IT – carefully matching your IT services to your needs, priorities, and budgets – key to ensuring your services are productive, secure, and affordable.

As a sole practitioner, solopreneur, or very small business (VSB) with fewer than 20 employees, you face an additional challenge. Most IT firms prefer clients with over 20, or even over 30, employees. The business model for most IT service firms, including Managed Service Providers (MSPs), requires clients that can provide an economy of scale. In short, most MSPs see you as an unprofitable client.

By rightsizing your IT with managed cloud services, you can find and benefit from affordable, secure, and productive IT solutions and the services your business needs and deserves.

How You Are Unique

Smaller businesses rely heavily on commercial software and public IT services. Given the investment required, you are less likely to use customer-built and highly-customized solutions. Software packages, software-as-a-service, and public cloud services (Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace) best meet your needs.

Sole Practitioner

As a Sole Practitioner, you are the business. When it comes to IT, you likely …

  • Run your business on a laptop, smartphone and maybe a second computer.
  • Work from a home office, coworking space, or wherever you can when you are on-the-go. You are mobile.
  • Rely ubiquitously on your technology. Your IT focuses on your productivity in all your day-to-day activities.
  • Worry that security and other IT costs are, or will grow, beyond your budget.
  • Fear IT problems as disruptions, or downtime, immediately impact your business.
  • Rely on others, formally or informally, for IT advice and assistance.
Solopreneur

As a Solopreneur, you are the business, for now, as you plan for growth. When it comes to IT, you are similar in need to sole practitioners with some added concerns. You likely …

  • Expect to grow your business adding staff, freelancers, or contractors over time.
  • Want your IT solutions and services to scale with your business, without overtaking your budgets. You must manage fixed costs.

In addition, you may have investors and other stakeholders with opinions, or requirements, for how you should manage your business and which technologies to use.

VSB Owner or Leader

As an VSB owner or leader, you have a team that relies on you to provide a productive and effective working environment. You likely …

  • Understand how critical effective collaboration is to your success.
  • Have team members with varied levels of tech skills; your staff needs help and support at times.
  • Work with customers that share expectations or requirements about information security.
  • Have access to IT resources. These may be informal or professional, internal or contracted.
  • Face budget constraints on your IT spending.

Given your IT needs, business priorities, security requirements, budgetary constraints, and the challenge of engaging qualified IT professionals, you and your business face significant challenges.

Rightsizing IT is the Solution

Rightsizing IT, matching your IT solutions and services to your prioritized needs and budget, with managed cloud services ensures your business can operate productively and securely without destroying your budget.

In our next blog post, we share how to assess and right-size your IT, and how to find and leverage the right IT resources.

How Does Cumulus Global Help?

At Cumulus Global, our priority is ensuring that you have productive, secure, and affordable Managed Cloud Mervices, Cloud Forward IT Service and Support, and Security CPR® Managed Security services.  We focus on how your IT services can best help your business thrive and grow without overspending.

Schedule a meeting with a Cloud Advisor to discuss your challenges, needs, and priorities.  We will help you assess, plan, and execute the right IT services for your business and your budget.

About the Author

Bill Seybolt bio pictureBill is a Senior Cloud Advisor responsible for helping small and midsize organizations with cloud forward solutions that meet their business needs, priorities, and budgets. Bill works with executives, leaders, and team members to understand workflows, identify strategic goals and tactical requirements, and design solutions and implementation phases. Having helped over 200 organizations successfully adopt cloud solutions, his expertise and working style ensure a comfortable experience effective change management.

AI in Google Workspace – Chat

/in ,

Gemini AI in ChatGoogle Workspace is a comprehensive and secure platform that empowers organizations to be more productive, collaborative, and creative. This series explores the power of AI built within Google Workspace across each of the workspace apps. In this post, we cover AI in Chat.

AI in Chat

Chat in Google Workspace provides direct messages, group chats, and spaces. Chat makes work collaboration and project management easier.

Gemini AI in Chat is your real-time assistant and partner for team collaboration. Use it to stay on top of active conversations by summarizing recent messages, finding specific details, and capturing action items. With on-demand summaries in the Chat home view, AI in Chat gives you a single place to catch up on every conversation.

Here are 4 Gemini features in Chat you should know.

Chat Summaries
  • Located in the home view for Chat, Gemini AI in Chat provides you on-demand summaries of each active conversation. 
  • You can catch up quickly in one place and focus your attention where it’s needed most.
Action Items
  • Gemini AI in Chat can analyze conversations and automatically identify and list action items. Stay organized and ensure that decisions and tasks are clearly understood and assigned. 
  • You can ask for a general list of action items or ask to see action items specifically for a particular person.
Contextual Question Answering
  • You can ask Gemini AI specific questions about a conversation or a shared file directly within Chat. This gives you quick retrieval of information without manually scrolling back through messages.
  • For example, if someone mentioned a timeline extension or a project decision, you can ask Gemini, “What did [person] say about the timeline extension?” or “What’s the decision on the project discussed?” 
Automatic Language Translation
  • Google Chat, using Gemini, will automatically detect and translate messages in over 120 languages to your preferred language and keep the original message for review. 

And More …

From the side panel, Gemini AI in Chat functions as an AI assistant and content generator. You can use AI in Chat to:

Draft Messages
  • Get AI assistance to compose messages, replies, or even brainstorm ideas directly within the chat interface.
Reference Shared Files
  • Gemini AI in Chat can analyze shared Google Workspace files (like Docs or Slides) linked in a chat and provide summaries or answer questions about their content.
  • You get immediate context about shared documents without needing to open each file separately.

We Will Help

At Cumulus Global, our priority is ensuring that you have productive, secure, and affordable managed cloud services. We work to ensure that you get the most value from the IT and cloud services you need and want, without overspending, to best support your business objectives.

Unsure of where to start? Check out our IT Assessment or schedule a meeting with a Cloud Advisor. We will help you adapt while keeping your IT services secure and cost-effective.

About the Author

Allen Falcon is the co-founder and CEO of Cumulus Global.  Allen co-founded Cumulus Global in 2006 to offer small businesses enterprise-grade email security and compliance using emerging cloud solutions. He has led the company’s growth into a managed cloud service provider with over 1,000 customers throughout North America.

Managed Cloud or Traditional IT Services: Pros and Cons

/in

Managed Cloud ServicesIT Services for small and midsize businesses have evolved over the years. The technologies and IT systems we use are more capable and complex. We face new and ongoing challenges related to collaboration and security. Our IT is a critical component of our business infrastructure. 

The management and support of our information technology and services need a more sophisticated approach to match our business and technology needs. Traditional IT services have their Pros and Cons. Managed Cloud Services offer new opportunities, especially for smaller businesses.

Traditional IT Services

Traditional IT services fall into two main categories: Break-Fix and Managed Services.

Break-Fix

As the name implies Break-Fix is a reactive service. When you have a question or problem, you call for assistance. You pay an hourly or per-incident rate or use a bank of prepaid hours. 

Pros

  • Break-Fix is often affordable, particularly if your IT systems are relatively new and stable. If you have few or occasional problems, you only pay for the services you need.

Cons

  • Break-Fix is reactive. When something goes wrong, your business is likely disrupted until your IT resource can respond, diagnose, and correct the issue.
  • Your costs are unpredictable. 
    • A problem may be a quick-fix or may require significant time to research and resolve.
    • Most break-fix firms charge more per hour or per incident for emergency and off-hours services.
  • You are more likely to have problems. You are not paying your IT firm to monitor your systems and services. You are not likely to identify issues before they become problems that disrupt your business.
  • Impact of disruptions. Beyond the cost of the fix, disruptive ITproblems impact your business in other ways.
    • You may not be able to respond to customers or meet client expectations
    • Your cashflow can suffer if you are unable to invoice or process receivables
    • Your reputation may suffer if you are seen as unreliable
  • Conflicting Interests. While no reputable IT firm wants their clients to have problems, break-fix IT firms rely on service and support calls for their revenue. 
Managed Services

Managed Services provide a wide range of IT administration, management, and support services for a set monthly fee.  Often positioned as a full or partial outsourcing of your IT services, Managed Services provide an active approach to IT services.  Managed Service Providers (MSPs) actively monitor and manage your environment to prevent problems that can disrupt your business. 

Pros

  • Managed Services are proactive. MSPs will focus on best-practice configuration, administration, and security to prevent and mitigate problems.
  • Your costs are predictable. Most MSPs will charge a fixed monthly fee for the set of services they provide. MSPs typically base fees on the number of devices, services, and systems/applications they manage and support.
  • You are less likely to have problems. Good MSPs will identify and address issues before they become disruptive problems.
  • Your MSP is aligned with your interests. MSPs do better when their clients have fewer problems that require intervention. The business model for MSPs relies on efficiencies and economies of scale. Fixing problems is more costly than preventing them, so good MSPs focus on prevention.

Cons

  • Costs. Managed Services appear to cost more than break-fix services.
    • Monthly fees can range from $150 to over $250 per user per month. While this is a budgetary issue for many, and for small businesses in particular, the benefits of well-managed IT services will outweigh the costs.
    • Many MSPs require clients to migrate to a standard set of systems and components. Replacing network and systems infrastructure can add significant costs to the onboarding process.
  • Access. To obtain their economies of scale, most MSPs focus on businesses with 20 or more employees. Very small businesses (VSBs) – those with fewer than 20 people, solopreneurs, and solo practitioners often struggle to access MSPs and their services.

Managed Cloud Services

Managed Cloud Services are similar to Managed Services, but focus on cloud-based services to better meet the needs of small and midsize businesses. While Managed Services focus on your IT “things” – computers, servers, networks, etc., Managed Cloud Services focus on your people – the tools they need to succeed in their roles.

While Managed Cloud Service Providers (MCSPs) will still monitor, manage, and support your technology infrastructure, computers, and on-site systems, our focus is moving as much as possible to the cloud. Reducing on-premise systems dramatically reduces the resources we need to support your business, allowing us to meet your IT needs more cost-effectively.

Pros

  • Your costs are lower. Leveraging cloud services simplifies your IT environment and reduces the resources needed to support your business. Monthly charges for Managed Cloud Services often run 30% or more below traditional managed services.
  • Your costs are predictable. You will pay a fixed monthly fee for Managed Cloud Services based on the scope of services provided.
  • You have fewer problems and disruptions. Leveraging cloud-based solutions reduces the number of things that can have problems. Providing business resiliency and continuity with cloud solutions is more cost-effective.
  • Better access to services. MCSPs leverage cloud solutions to achieve economies of scale that enable affordable services for SMBs, VSBs, and sole practitioners.
  • Your MCSP is aligned with your interests. MCSPs do better when you do better. 

Cons

  • Reliance on vendors. Your MSCP cannot fix a Microsoft 365 outage or issue. With some cloud solutions, your alternatives may be limited. Even so, cloud outages are typically shorter in duration than local IT issues and are not bound by the availability of parts or technicians for on-site work. 

How Does Cumulus Global Help?

At Cumulus Global, our priority is ensuring that you have productive, secure, and affordable Managed Cloud Services, Cloud Forward IT Service and Support, and Security CPR® Managed Security services.  We focus on how your IT services can best help your business thrive and grow without overspending.

Schedule a meeting with a Cloud Advisor to discuss your challenges, needs, and priorities.  We will help you assess, plan, and execute the right IT services for your business and your budget.

About the Author

Allen Falcon is the co-founder and CEO of Cumulus Global.  Allen co-founded Cumulus Global in 2006 to offer small businesses enterprise-grade email security and compliance using emerging cloud solutions. He has led the company’s growth into a managed cloud service provider with over 1,000 customers throughout North America.

AI in Google Workspace – NotebookLM

/in ,

Gemini AI in NotebookLMGoogle Workspace is a comprehensive and secure platform that empowers organizations to be more productive, collaborative, and creative. This series explores the power of AI built within Google Workspace across each of the workspace apps. In this post, we cover AI in NotebookLM

AI in NotebookLM

NotebookLM is a research and learning assistant, powered by Gemini, that helps you navigate and understand your information more effectively. Its responses are accurate, relevant, and tailored to the specific context of your inquiry.

Here are 4 Gemini features in NotebookLM you should know:

Source Grounding
  • NotebookLM bases its responses solely on the sources you provide (e.g., PDFs, Google Docs, website URLs, YouTube videos, audio files). This significantly reduces “hallucinations” and ensures the AI’s output is directly relevant to your material. Every response is accompanied by citations, allowing you to easily verify the information against your original sources.
Audio Overviews/Podcast Generation
  • Use NotebookLM to transform your source material into an engaging audio “podcast” with two AI hosts discussing the content. This allows for “listening and learning on the go” and can help in digesting complex information in a more accessible format. With interactive mode, you can “join” the conversation and ask questions of the AI hosts.
Precise Question Answering
  • NotebookLM can understand nuances in your questions. It’s like having a helper who can instantly recall specific details from a vast library of information and give you relevant answers to different types of questions, however simple or complex they may be.
Conversational AI for Deeper Understanding
  • Interact with your uploaded sources via chat interface. Ask direct questions about your documents, explore connections between different sources, or even ask the AI to explain complex concepts in simpler terms. Gemini AI in NotebookLM acts as a personalized research assistant, helping you delve deeper into your material.

And More …

You can also use Gemini AI within NotebookLM for …

Intelligent Summarization and Information Extraction

NotebookLM excels at summarizing complex documents and extracting key information. You can generate:

  • Overviews/Briefing Docs: High-level summaries for quick digestion.
  • FAQs: Automatically generated frequently asked questions based on your content.
  • Timelines: Capture sequential information contained within your documents.
  • Study Guides:  Create study materials, including short-answer questions, answers, and glossaries.
Idea Generation and Content Creation 

Beyond summarization and Q&A, NotebookLM assists with creative tasks and content generation.

  • Brainstorm new ideas based on your research.
  • Generate scripts, outlines, or other structured content from your notes.
  • Receive suggestions for improving your writing style or structure.

We Will Help

At Cumulus Global, our priority is ensuring that you have productive, secure, and affordable managed cloud services. We work to ensure that you get the most value from the IT and cloud services you need and want, without overspending, to best support your business objectives.

Unsure of where to start? Check out our IT Assessment or schedule a meeting with a Cloud Advisor. We will help you adapt while keeping your IT services secure and cost-effective.

About the Author

Allen Falcon is the co-founder and CEO of Cumulus Global.  Allen co-founded Cumulus Global in 2006 to offer small businesses enterprise-grade email security and compliance using emerging cloud solutions. He has led the company’s growth into a managed cloud service provider with over 1,000 customers throughout North America.

library

Nothing Found

Sorry, no posts matched your criteria

Webcasts

Rethinking Google and Microsoft

/in ,

(04/30/24) – As both suites evolve, and your business changes, is your choice still the best match for your business? Assessing whether Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace is the best fit for your business needs should either trigger a change or improve how you use your current services.

Read more

Be Prepared for New Cybersecurity Requirements

/in ,

(03/26/24) – Increased governmental and industry regulations, a maturing cybersecurity industry, and supply chain best-practices are driving requirements for advanced security services and business continuity solutions.

Read more

Using VDI to Improve Hybrid Work

/in

(02/27/24) – Supporting hybrid workers comes with additional security, BYOD, access, performance, and budget challenges. Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) & remote desktop services improve security, access, and performance without damaging your budget.

Read more

Select Your Managed Cloud Services

/in

(01/16/24) – The right managed cloud services can significantly impact your team’s productivity. You can ensure your systems are secure, you team is productive, and that you are protected against cyber attacks and other disruptions. Just as important, you can protect your budget.

Read more

Your 2024 IT Action Plan

/in

(12/19/2023) – When planning for the upcoming year, we often forget to consider the role our technology and services can play in supporting our business goals and objectives. Align your IT plans to best support your business goals.

Read more

SaaSOps: What, Why, How

/in

(11/21/2023) – Even small and midsize businesses like yours are using multiple cloud and IT services. More than Google Workspace or Microsoft 365, your cloud portfolio likely includes applications and services for accounting, customer relationship management, marketing, and security. Automating common admin and management tasks saves time and money, and improves security.

Read more

Choose the Right Managed Cloud Services

/in

(10/17/2023) – Business leaders like you understand the need for effective, secure, and affordable IT services. Hiring or contracting for services has likely been unaffordable. Managed Cloud Services, when properly matched to your business, provide the capabilities, security, and services you need at affordable rates. Hear from experts about defining needs and selecting the right services, technologies, and partners.

Read more

Deep Dive: Lift-and-Shift and DaaS

/in

(07/18/2023) – As SMBs, we still have on-premise file and application servers that require upgrades, security, backup, monitoring, management, and support. Evaluating your on-premise IT, and moving what you can to the cloud, increases the business value of your IT spending and investments.

Read more

Five Things Your IT Provider Should be Telling You

/in

(06/20/2023) – We tend to wait for our IT service providers to raise warning flags, and the periodic review with our IT provider can feel like a subtle sales call. Reacting to IT problems is not enough, and adding more IT services may not be the answer.

Read more

The High Cost of Low Adoption

/in

(05/23/2023) – Beyond core features in Google Workspace and Microsoft 365, cloud adoption tends to be fairly low. Better cloud adoption improves productivity, communication, and security. And, it can save you money.

Read more