Technology can be confusing – but we think there is no such thing as a stupid question and we are here to help you wrap your head around all things technical.

So what does ‘Cloud’ actually mean, really?

‘Cloud’ is just a fancy word that has been seized to describe the ability to have your data located somewhere other than the hardware you are using, i.e your laptop. It has given us, the human race, the ability to be more mobile, work more collaboratively (i.e on the same document at the same time) and to store more stuff because the providers who typically host the cloud like Apple, Amazon and Google have more storage space than you and I would ever have room for.

What is ‘VoIP’ and ‘SIP’?

VoIP stands for Voice Over Internet Protocol. It is a technology that allows your telephone calls to be delivered over your Internet connection rather than through the traditional copper wiring. VoIP is not new and has in fact been used by your Telco provider for ages to deliver voice services to their exchange cabinets where it is then converted to an analogue service to be delivered to your home or business. If you have a correctly installed VoIP solution, the call quality is no different than what you are currently used to.

SIP or Session Initiation Protocol is essentially the language used to send voice and video information over the Internet.

Why is the Cloud more secure?

You could have your own cloud if you wanted and in most cases a company’s server is exactly that. But, you leave yourself open to natural disasters, hardware failures and the like. If you host your server with a good cloud provider, they will have what we call ‘distributed hosting’, meaning your stuff will be stored in multiple locations so if one fails, it will automatically click over to another one and you would be none the wiser.

Why is the Cloud cheaper?

You no longer have to purchase the hardware to host all of your computing power or features in the case of Telecommunications. Instead you can rent the space / features you need inexpensively from a number of large providers.

Why do you not have any contract terms?

Akiva’s philosophy is that once you are on board with us, you will stay with us. We are really good at delivering our services, so why do we need to tie you into a long term contract? Check out some of our long termers to see how we perform.

I see Akiva’s offices are in Christchurch. Can you help us anywhere else?

Yes! We work all over New Zealand, Australia and even the USA and Philippines.  Cloud has really made us a global village. We can set up and manage your service from anywhere, the hardware can be pre programmed and couriered to you or we have sub contractors in every major town if an onsite technician is needed.

Will my systems be down while I migrate to the cloud?

Most of the time we try to set up our cloud migration side-by-side with your existing service to minimise the downtime to zero.

What happens when there is a power outage?

That’s the beauty of the cloud: you might have a power outage where you are, but your data and systems will continue to chug away and can be accessed from anywhere. In most instances these days you can revert to your smart phone, go home to work, or find a cafe somewhere!

How come Akiva is so much cheaper than the big companies?

Because we utilise the latest technology and we’re not weighed down by legacy networks and systems. We can be nimble and quick plus we have much lower overheads.  A great example of this is if you need a new number, any one of our team can do that for you on the spot and even have it live while we are talking to you on the phone. The ‘big boys’ may need up to 4 people to action that for you and you could be waiting days.