Stormy Day In The Cloud

These days, it seems that everyone is pushing the "cloud" computing. Everything from our music, videos and photos to business services such as Exchange, SQL Server and even Windows. However, I increasingly realize why they call it the cloud and not a clear sky.

Recently I decided to take our message to an Exchange server in the cloud with a service called Microsoft Office 365. For those who do not know, Suite 365 offers major tool for the Microsoft Office business mail, documents, calendars, etc. IT support via the Internet known as "the cloud". Our own staff and contractors around the world (literally), then the possibility of allowing access administrative flexibility and messaging around the world (via Internet) has complete business sense. In addition, the security cover of 99, 9% promised by Microsoft was so attractive, what could go wrong?

Microsoft offers a test of Office 365 (for small businesses with fewer than 25 employees), or, alternatively, Enterprise Solution, which offers a much greater capacity. I jumped quickly switch to our company domain MX record, the Small Business Service. All was well. Since I was satisfied with the service (and I figured I could get the service business under the partnership with Microsoft), I decided to move the entire Enterprise Edition. So, I followed the instructions to remove the domain from the small business and the opportunity to recreate the Enterprise Solution. Microsoft Windows Server allow me to do this and it seemed everything would be fine.

Unfortunately, and unbeknownst to us, we kept the old domain internally (even though I deleted the domain and the account in full). Long story short - after 3 days (8 hours on the phone) - Microsoft has finally found someone who knew where the problem is and how to solve it. Thanks to a local (Tampa Bay), the service provider and a system of special administration, we were able to temporarily move to another Exchange server (when Microsoft said it had not the fault of the problem in our temporary solution) . Microsoft was basically at the mercy of their activities. We (apparently) no way to how many emails NDR back to the recipients, or how this disaster has cost us.

The problem is now resolved and we have a cloud. However, it seems almost impossible to believe sized company, Microsoft would be three days and countless support techs to identify and solve the routing problem in their servers. Furthermore, the fact that activities may propose to wait days to hear back support for the call, when the postal service was at stake, it is acceptable, and aggravating. It is not just hitting Microsoft - are the source of my income 17 years - it's just a frustrating experience to illustrate the pitfalls of this emerging technology.

Although this first experience, I must say that the cloud has a world of possibilities. I guess sometimes these providers of cloud-based services are too large and many departments have been disconnected to offer realistic solutions - that's why they never eliminated the need for administrators, Microsoft Bootcamps and the ability to provide services local level.