7 Reasons Why Top AEC Companies Use Azure Services
Azure services are helpful for businesses across different industries, including AEC firms. AEC companies use Microsoft Azure cloud solutions to improve everyday workflow, smoothen employee collaboration, manage client and in-house projects, and succeed in business.
Apart from acing productivity and maximizing company returns for AEC firms, Azure cloud services are secure, cost-effective, and reliable, with 99.95 percent uptime plus an accessible backup in case of system failure. However, an uptime failure is not likely to happen.
There are many other reasons why most AEC (Architecture, Engineering, and Construction) firms use Microsoft Azure. Below, we’ll show you seven common reasons why leading AEC companies use Microsoft Azure.
1. Cost-efficiency
Like many other businesses, AEC companies always look for ways to achieve better returns with minimal costs. Architectural, engineering, and construction projects are naturally expensive to embark on.
Aside from the cost of buying materials and equipment, a significant amount of money goes into project management, planning, and organization, supposing in-house IT systems are used. With Azure cloud solutions, AEC companies can deploy apps and services on the cloud at a more affordable service cost.
2. Better collaboration
Collaboration is probably most needed in architecture, engineering, or construction than in any other industry. Most designs and projects require that AEC professionals collaborate asynchronously and in real time.
In a world where remote work is a widely accepted norm, AEC workers may work from different locations worldwide. Microsoft Azure has features that designers, architects, or engineers can leverage to communicate asynchronously. Azure cloud solutions also include tools that allow real-time collaboration on common design platforms like Revit, CAD, etc.
A significant challenge AEC professionals face while collaborating on architectural and design projects is flexible access to high-compute power. This challenge may slow down real-time collaboration, especially for collaborators who need access to high-computing devices.
Azure cloud services resolve this issue by granting all collaborators on a design project access to high-computing power on the cloud. With this possibility, AEC workers can work together asynchronously or in real-time without worrying about the computing capabilities of each collaborator.
Related post: The Top IT Challenges of AEC Businesses
3. Improved security
Typically, physical IT infrastructures are prone to many risks like natural disasters, theft, harsh weather conditions, or accidents within the premises. In some cases, the devices may become old and more vulnerable to attacks.
What’s more, mitigating risks to a physical IT infrastructure and guaranteeing optimum security may require regular expenses to keep the IT system solid and reliable.
Microsoft Azure cloud services are more reliable, with multiple security features your AEC firm can bank on. Since the services are deployed in cloud infrastructure, you won’t have to worry about damage due to disasters, break-ins, or harsh weather conditions.
Other features can grandstand your company’s security, such as Multi-Factor Authentication, Azure Firewall, Microsoft Defender for Cloud, Shared Access Signature, Network Security Groups, etc.
4. Simple interface
Microsoft Azure is easy to understand, although you’ll need professional help to deploy some of the tools on the cloud. Notwithstanding, you and your other team members can collaborate on this app seamlessly.
For features and services that seem complicated, Microsoft Azure has many resources, guides, and tutorials you can access to understand a feature better.
5. Multiple relevant features for AEC professionals
A significant reason Microsoft Azure stands out among many other cloud solutions is the variety of services offered on the platform. There’s hardly any industry that won’t find relevant products they can deploy on Azure, making it full to capacity even for AEC firms.
The most common product many AEC companies use on Azure cloud is Microsoft Dynamics 365, which is packed with many services tailored to the architectural, engineering, or construction industry.
The services featured in Microsoft Dynamics 365 fully integrate with Microsoft Office 365, Power BI, Teams, and other tools. The data and resources from these tools can help you combine and scale your CRM, ERP, and supporting business applications for more result-driven operations.
Additionally, your AEC firm can benefit from hosted desktops, which is ideal for AEC firms operating multiple AutoCAD workstations. Scaling operations is also convenient with a hosted desktop since it is built on a system that allows it to accommodate any volume of tasks.
Related post: How a Hosted Virtual Desktop Can Improve Your Business
6. Flexible payment structure
Most cloud solutions offer a flexible payment structure, which AEC firms can leverage to establish workflow at scale. Microsoft Azure and most other cloud services use the “pay as you go” model. With this model, users can deploy any tool or service and only pay at the end of the project for only the services used.
7. Unlimited workflow
AEC companies face multiple challenges, including industry consolidation, shrinking margins, rising client expectations, and sourcing and retaining top talent. A technology-engineered digital transformation strategy focusing on the AEC industry can help your firm overcome these problems and chart a path for growth and sustainability.
Joining hands with a reliable Microsoft partner like AEC Cloud can help you go far and ahead in maintaining a smooth workflow. AEC industry-specific services are designed to help you hold a firm grip on all aspects of your business processes, from marketing to sales, HR, customer relations, project delivery, and accounting.
AEC Cloud is the best Microsoft Azure partner for AEC firms
In the last 17 years of offering professional and result-driven services to clients in the AEC industry, it has been our joy to see many of our partners transform from average firms to highly competitive organizations in their rights.
In a very competitive business landscape, we double down on keeping abreast of the latest developments in cloud solutions, and we equip ourselves to be able to present these solutions to you better than other similar services.
What’s more, we always strive to understand what matters to your businesses the most so that we can streamline our solutions and offer you excellent services at affordable and unbeatable prices worldwide.
Our tailored solutions include but are not limited to the following:
Managed cloud services
Business continuity and disaster recovery
Windows virtual desktop
Hosting services
Office 365 management and consulting
Enterprise applications integration.
Would you like to learn more about how we can help take your business to another level? We would love to hear from you! Please schedule a call, send an email, or check in with us at our physical office with a single click.