The Future of IT in MH: Why Managed Cloud Services Are Essential

We live in an age where technology and digital tools are outpacing the winds of change. With this much innovation, this technology plays an increasingly vital role for manufactured housing companies. From managing supply chains to streamlining customer service, you may not realize that your behind-the-scenes IT infrastructure is at the core of your business success.

As the demand for modern, affordable housing continues to rise, manufactured housing companies need agile, cost-effective IT solutions that can keep up with the pace of change. This is where managed cloud services come in. 

In this blog, we’re going to learn about the unique IT challenges in manufactured housing and how companies can successfully and seamlessly transition to cloud-based solutions.

What is the cloud?

We’re sure you’ve likely heard of “the cloud”; it’s a term that gets thrown around a lot. But what does it actually mean? In simple terms, the cloud is a network of powerful computers (servers) that store and manage data and applications. So, instead of storing your critical data on your desktop or an in-house server, you would store it in the cloud.

Think of it like online banking—years ago, you had to visit a bank branch to deposit a check or transfer money. Now, you can do it from anywhere with an internet connection because your financial data is stored and managed securely online. The cloud works in a similar way for IT systems, allowing you to access and manage your data, software, and services from anywhere, without relying on expensive on-site hardware.

Why should MH companies consider moving to cloud-based operations?

More Reliable: If one server goes down, another takes over, preventing data loss.

More Accessible: Your Employees can log in from any location, making remote work and collaboration much easier.

More Scalable: Manufactured housing companies can increase or decrease storage and computing power as needed, without buying new equipment.

Now that we’ve covered the basics, let’s look at some of the IT challenges that MH companies have to deal with.

The unique IT challenges in manufactured housing

Like every industry, manufactured housing companies face their own unique IT challenges due to the nature of the industry. The problem is that if these challenges aren’t faced head on you risk slowing down operations, increasing costs, and exposing vulnerabilities that can leave you wide open for disruption. The simple truth is that many MH companies still rely on outdated technology or fragmented systems that don’t support the needs of a modern business. 

Let’s jump into some of the more specific IT challenges you may be facing. Don’t worry, we’ll get into how you can solve these challenges in the next section.

Decentralized operations: Operating across multiple locations—factories, offices, sales centers, and field teams—makes IT management complex, especially when employees need shared access to data and software.

Legacy systems: Sure your outdated, on-premise software and hardware have worked “just fine” for years, but their limitations could be making business operations harder than necessary.

Scalability issues: With demand fluctuating based on economic trends, housing policies, and material costs, you need IT that can scale up or down as needed without requiring major infrastructure investments. 

Cybersecurity risks: Many manufactured housing companies still rely on fragmented networks with minimal security measures, making you an easy target for cyberattacks, data breaches, and ransomware. 

Now, let’s get into what you can do about it without breaking the bank.

How moving to the cloud can help

We opened this blog by touching on the pace of technological change and how it’s moving faster than ever. What we didn’t say is how easy it is to ignore your IT infrastructure until it becomes a problem. Because so much of it works in the back of the house, it’s out of sight out of mind. This is exactly where the cloud comes in. 

Cloud providers, like Amazon AWS and Microsoft Azure for example, offer enterprise level encryption, access control, and built-in compliance with industry regulations. They also automatically update so you’re always on the latest version of the system which means that your data and your business are protected no matter what. 

Speaking of protection, unlike on-prem systems that can be wiped out in a disaster, cloud backups provide automatic recovery and because it isn’t on-premises, your business intelligence and data are recoverable. 

Beyond traditional cloud backups, cloud-to-cloud backups add an extra layer of protection by ensuring your data is securely backed up across multiple cloud environments. This means that even if one cloud provider experiences an outage or data loss, your critical business information remains safe and accessible. 

One area where cloud services really shine is in their ability to scale IT resources up or down as needed, helping you avoid expensive investments into new hardware while adapting to a fluctuating market. 

You might be thinking that this all sounds wonderful, but the logistics of moving to the cloud won’t be sunshine and rainbows. This is where using a managed cloud services provider becomes essential.

Why you need a managed cloud services provider

Moving to the cloud is a gamechanger, but without the right support, the transition can be overwhelming. From migrating data to securing systems and ensuring everything runs as smoothly as possible, a managed cloud services provider is essential for helping you make the switch and setting up your MH business for long-term success. 

We’re Network Thinking Solutions, and that’s exactly what we do.

Seamless Migration – We help ensure a smooth transition from legacy systems, minimizing disruptions and security risks.

Ongoing Support & Security – From system updates to threat monitoring, NTS keeps your cloud environment secure and running efficiently. Even in the event of a cloud outage, we help with cloud-to-cloud backups, too. This ensures that your data is always protected.

Optimized Performance & Cost – With expert management, you only use the resources you need, avoiding unnecessary costs along the way.

Future-Proof IT – As your business grows, NTS helps you scale, integrate new tools, and stay ahead of evolving technology.

If you’re ready to make the leap to the cloud, we’re here for you every step of the way. Contact us to learn more.