Category: Blog
5 Lessons 2017 Taught Us About IT Disaster Recovery
We can look back on 2017 as the worst of times – when it came to disasters, at least. Severe weather, data breaches and global hacking attempts affected thousands of businesses, costing them an estimated $926 to $17,244 for every minute of unplanned downtime. Instead of letting the unthinkable damage your business, fight back with these five strategies:
- Back Up Your Data to the Cloud
Following Hurricanes Irma, Harvey and Maria, hundreds of businesses found their physical equipment and servers submerged in water. Storing data on-site is convenient, but an unexpected disaster can wipe away years of information in the blink of an eye. Migrating your data to the cloud means your information is protected and readily available – and you’ll never have to start from scratch.
- Prepare for a Remote Workforce
Even after the Thomas wildfire in California was contained, smoke and poor air conditions made it impossible for many employees to return to their offices. Anything from a severe storm to surprise pest control treatments can force employees out of their workspaces, so have a plan in place that will allow your team to access necessary tools from any Internet-enabled location.
- Monitor for Breaches and Respond Quickly
A massive breach of data from Equifax – one of the three largest credit agencies in the US – lasted from May to July and wasn’t reported publicly until September. The Social Security, credit card and driver’s license numbers of more than 145 million consumers were compromised, and victims rushed to protect themselves against potential identity thieves. Avoid losing your customers’ trust by proactively monitoring for breaches, shutting them down promptly and providing a full inventory of the damage to those affected.
- Don’t Underestimate Human Error
People are unpredictable – that’s why 90 percent of cyber security issues stem from human behavior. Employee negligence is the number one cause of data breaches at small to medium-sized businesses. Comprehensive training can close the gap, but it’s not foolproof. Combine your team’s efforts with strong cyber security policies.
- Update Outdated Software Programs
The WannaCry Ransomware Attack, which resulted in hackers taking control of more than 200,000 computers in 150 countries, targeted a weakness in outdated software for which a patch was already available. Hospitals, airlines, police departments and more were brought to a halt, and paying the ransom did not result in the return of data. Update your software regularly to fix vulnerabilities and avoid becoming an easy target for hackers.
Don’t panic. A solid IT disaster recovery plan will protect your business and get you back up and running with minimal – if any – hassle and downtime. Unsure where to start? We learn the ins and outs of your business to develop and implement a customized recovery plan. Contact us today to get started.
Four Ways Cloud Computing Can Future-Proof Your Business
We hear a lot about the cloud and cloud computing lately. Some businesses don’t actually know what the cloud is, what it can do for them or where they can even find it – let alone start using it. The cloud isn’t just a passing fad – cloud computing is here to stay and it’s quickly become the best way to future-proof your business.
So what is the cloud, exactly? At its intrinsic level, it’s a collection of computers, servers, and databases that are connected together in a powerful way that users can lease access to share their combined power. Cloud computing is scalable so that buyers can choose to increase or decrease the amount of computing power they need.
Sounds a bit intangible, doesn’t it? Send your company’s precious data up to this “cloud” in the sky, and then what? “Is it worth it?” “Will it help my business grow?” “Is it safe?”
Yes, yes and yes. Major business owners are comfortable enough with cloud computing to future-proof their business, and the impact is global. Media giant Forbes, whose focus is business and IT, has projected that cloud computing will be a $162 billion industry by the year 2020. As it stands now, the compound annual growth rate (CAGR) is at 19% meaning more and more industries are making the cloud business-critical. Their report also stated that 74% of IT CFOs attribute the most measurable growth to cloud computing.
So what does this mean to you and your company? If you’re looking to ensure your business has longevity in this economy – no matter your niche – then you need to seriously consider making the move to cloud services. Here are five ways that cloud computing will future-proof your business:
- Security for your data – The cloud’s security architecture is multi-layered, and safeguards against the weaknesses that allow cyber attacks to occur. There are different types of security controls employed: deterrent controls, preventative controls, detective controls and corrective controls. All of these things work in tandem to protect your sensitive information and intellectual property, especially where federal compliance regulations are an issue.
- Unlimited mobility – Self-hosting your legacy software and platforms for years places a major stressor on already overworked network servers. The time spent maintaining your hardware and its performance can cost you both productivity and dollars. Application hosting in the cloud gives users the real-time ability to access data from any device, anywhere and at any time. Your staff could be spread across the globe and still collaborate in real-time on projects.
- Scalability – The cloud grows with you. The combined computing power of users in the cloud is scalable so that buyers can dynamically increase – or decrease – the amount of computing power they lease. That flexibility is quite a cost-saver when you consider the impact on your IT budget if you have to upgrade your on-premises servers after you have outgrown your old network.
- Cost reduction – Given the speed of cloud growth and accessibility, it’s been easier, faster and less expensive for software developers to roll out applications as compared to traditional onsite platform development. That cost savings gets passed on to users. You don’t have to buy hardware until you need it, and you don’t have to plan for peak capacity, since most traditional servers are only used at 15% of their capacity. You only pay for what you use.
Lost production hours are a killer when you’re trying to migrate data from one network to another. Firms that handle their own migration on average take 2 months and up to $3,000 to do it. Partnering with a managed IT services provider (MSP) to handle your move to the cloud reduces – and even eliminates – downtime and speeds up deployment by managing your data with new integrated tech solutions, upgrading your performance seamlessly. That’s where we come in.
Moving to the cloud is power. Power to give your company future longevity. And the best way to harness that power is by partnering up with a great MSP, one whose expert team can handle the entire process from start to finish. Give us a call and let us help move you into the future with cloud computing.
What? You’re Not Using Office 365? Five Reasons Why You Need to Start Right Now
If you missed your invitation to the party, here it is. Chances are that your competition is already using the Microsoft Office 365 suite of tools to maximize their productivity and grow their business, so why aren’t you? This is a powerhouse of a platform that will change your business culture and deliver immediate results, and now it’s more affordable than ever.
O365 is more than just another software product – it’s an integrated experience of applications and services with a familiar face. It encompasses Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, OneNote and OneDrive – available on ALL of your devices, no matter the operating system. That’s right – O365 is OS-agnostic and works on Windows-based PCs, Android devices, Mac OS and iOS. It also offers the options of these services: Exchange, SharePoint, Skype for Business and Microsoft Teams. Overwhelming, isn’t it? We’ve got a solution for you. (Hang in there, we’re getting to that.)
Microsoft has been providing solutions for some of the biggest companies in the world for decades. Now, with O365, they’ve raised the standard for business growth. Imagine bringing together all of your people, processes and technology and being able to manage all of that productivity seamlessly, all through cloud computing. Office 365 makes that a reality. And if you’re not onboard with it yet, here are five reasons you need to be:
- Ramp Up Your Productivity
Giving your staff the tools to produce their very best work not only raises morale but positively affects your bottom line. The 2018 “Forrester Consulting Report on the ROI of O365” concluded that the group of applications and services that make up O365 cut support time by 50%, saved mobile/field employees at least one hour per day and afforded analysts, managers and sales people the opportunity to make better and faster decisions because they had information in real-time. More productivity means better revenue and happy clients.
- Worry-free IT Performance
O365 integrates seamlessly with your existing system and network. With 24/7 support available, you don’t just add O365 to your productivity tool box, O365 becomes your tool box. To get every last drop out of all the services that make up Microsoft Office 365, you need a great partner to manage it. But we’ll get to that in a minute.
- Cost Reduction
Office 365 is more affordable than ever (subscriptions start at $12.50 per user per month) with all monthly updates and service packs included, and also 1 TB of cloud computing storage per user. Small to medium businesses will love the reliability and security, but even the largest of firms will benefit from this powerful suite of tools. Forrester also concluded in their report on O365 that the delivered 3-month ROI was a whopping 378% (source: 2018 Forrester Research “The Economic Impact of Microsoft Office 365”).
- Increased Data Security
Worried about your data’s safety when it comes to cloud computing? Don’t be. Microsoft Office 365 offers choices, like Hybrid Cloud Computing, and incorporates exclusive, proprietary security features to protect your sensitive data. They have also added in a Compliance Manager to help you meet the standards necessary to keep you in business.
- Real-time Collaboration with Ease
Dream it, design it, create it – then edit and share it in an instant with anyone on any device to any device in real-time. With features like multi-party HD video conferencing, content sharing, team chat and shared calendars, your people can collaborate with the person in the next room, next regional office or across the world seamlessly. Think of all the time and resources wasted in the past trying to get everyone on the same page for a project, using the same processes and technology. With O365 implemented, those days are long gone.
We mentioned before that all of the tools, processes and services encompassed within Microsoft Office 365 can be overwhelming if you don’t where to start. And if you’re not properly managing it – or it’s beyond the scope of your IT department – you’re not getting the full benefits or tapping its complete potential. You need a solid managed IT services provider in your corner.
Don’t worry, we’re here to help. We can offer you seamless integration with your existing servers and network, 24/7/365 assistance, transparent fixed monthly billing (so there aren’t any surprises) and show you and your staff how to wring every last drop out of O365’s platform. You concentrate on running your business, we’ll handle your Office 365.
What are you waiting for? Give us a call today, and let’s discuss how O365 can grow your business!
5 Reasons You Need Unified Communications
As Told by Our Experts
Communication is essential to the success of your business. Whether you’re collaborating with team members or meeting with new customers, it’s imperative that you optimize the communication process. But, you knew that. Not because some fancy corporation told you it was crucial, but because 95% of people in the workforce say that face-to-face interactions are essential to building long-term business relationships. But, did you know that unified communication solutions are your best chance of boosting the way you collaborate? We asked our experts and here’s why they said it’s your best option:
- Gives You Call Control | When someone contacts you, whether they’re looking for more information on your products or looking to purchase your services, are they instantly connected with the right person? Maybe… sometimes. But, what about those other times – the times when someone calls and becomes frustrated with the back-and-forth of call transfers and hold time? Unified communications (UC) puts you back in control. When someone calls, you’ll know precisely why they’re calling before you say “hello,” helping them get to the right person the first time.
- Integrates Your Platforms | Deploying a new process and system is difficult if it doesn’t work with your current software solutions. That’s why integrating with existing platforms is an essential part of the decision-making process. UC connects with your instant messenger, fax machine, web applications, video conferencing devices, CRM and more to leverage efficiency and minimizes downtime.
- Enhances the Way You Conference Call | There’s just something about meeting customers and team members face-to-face that helps drive conversations. The majority of communication is nonverbal, between facial expressions and tone of voice. That’s why video conferencing has a ton of benefits for the workplace. UC makes conversing in real-time feasible. By using IP addresses, you can talk with, and see, multiple people from all different locations without skipping a beat.
- Increases the Availability of Your Team | When conversing with your team, you probably find that it’s easier to get your answer quickly when you go see your colleague in person. But, did you know that you’re wasting more time looking around the office than if you were able to contact them directly? With UC, you can instantly message or call your colleague to get the answer you need quickly and efficiently. Whether someone is working from home, in a meeting or gone for lunch, you’ll reach them without stepping away from your workspace.
- Places Accountability Where It’s Due | One of the largest downsides to traditional phone systems is that you never know which employee is talking to which customer (unless you ask). With UC, you trace every call from dial to “end call.” If you’re talking to customers, you’ll know with whom they’ve previously conversed, and if you’re talking internally to your team, you can track and record your conversations with colleagues.
Deploying unified communications is only one way to make communication easier. Are you ready to ramp up the way you conduct conversations?
Contact us today to learn about our other telecom and managed services – let’s optimize your productivity.
5 Technologies You Need to Power Your Remote Workforce
Working from Anywhere Has Never Been Easier
In a tech-driven world where digital is king and consumers are demanding transparency and reliability, working from anywhere becomes crucial to the success of your business. But the IT challenges that come with working remotely are intimidating, and you’re not always sure how to get started. Managed services is your answer, and here are five ways managed services can help get you started:
- Mobile/Wireless/Endpoint Protection | Accessing confidential information from personal devices is all well and good as long as they’re kept safe. From theft to phishing emails, personal devices create opportunities for cybercriminals to obtain your customer’s data. With endpoint protection services, you gain a multi-layer security approach to ensure your laptops, tablets and mobile devices are safe.
- Server & Network Management | Protecting your business begins at the core—your network. Working remotely, you need the ability to work on encrypted documents and files from the server, but also, to monitor and maintain a distributed IT infrastructure. With server and network management, you gain a secure connection to your network, so you can access encrypted files and other crucial data while maintaining a multi-location network connection.
- Office 365 | Working with your team is one of the toughest challenges of the remote workforce. With Office 365 services, you gain access to advanced applications including Skype for Business, Word and Excel. You’ll collaborate with team members—from any mobile device—in real-time on a single document and converse using Skype.
- UC & VoIP | Meetings are a large part of your day—you need tools that allow you to continue the conversation away from the office. Unified Communications and VoIP make conversing easier with call conferencing features and reliable call connectivity. By using your IP address instead of a physical phone, you can call into a meeting from any of your devices.
- Cloud Hosting | Connecting with your team is increasingly difficult without a single source for projects and ongoing files. With cloud hosting, your network, servers, applications and critical documents are encrypted and hosted from a single location. This makes it easier for your team to work from multiple locations and a variety of devices.
Whether you’re working from an airplane terminal or from the comfort of your favorite coffee shop, working remotely is easier than ever with a managed service provider. As your partner, we’ll provide managed services designed to make your life easier without raising your operating costs.
Contact us today to learn about our other services, and how we can help you safely work from anywhere.
Top 5 CES Products that Will Impact You in 2018
Did you miss out on the 2018 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) last month? If you did, don’t worry. We’ll get you up to speed.
The conference took place in Las Vegas and attracted more than 170,000 attendees from 150 countries for four days. Some of the most influential organizations in the industry, including Dell and Samsung, unveiled new technologies that are going to make 2018 your most productive and innovative year yet.
Countless CES products are going to make waves in the technology industry, but what you need to know is which new technologies are going to affect YOU.
We’ve sifted through all of the products revealed last month, so let’s go over the top five that are going to change the way you work in 2018:
Dell XPS 13
When it’s crunch time, you need a laptop that runs at full optimization and doesn’t send you running to an outlet. Dell unveiled the solution to this with the redesigned XPS 13. The new model sports slimmer measurements and includes Intel’s 8th-generation mobile processors, increasing its performance by 44 percent. The best part? The battery life offers you 19 hours and 46 minutes of unplugged use.
ASUS Lyra Trio
Few things are worse than an office full of employees with long to-do lists and a spotty WiFi connection hindering their completion. If you face this productivity roadblock, the new ASUS Lyra Trio will be a game changer. The dual-band mesh WiFi system consists of three antennae placed in a unique arrangement to help eliminate WiFi dead zones from your office.
The Pup Pocket Scanner
Does anyone ever have access to a scanner when they actually need one? Taking a photo of a critical document for a client on your phone, emailing it and saving it is a nuisance, and the image quality is always sacrificed. With just a click from the Pup Pocket Scanner, you can scan, store and share all of your documents with crystal clear resolution from anywhere, in record time.
Samsung’s Flip
During the CES conference, Samsung revealed new technology supporting its latest initiative to push towards a future of paperless offices and simpler communication. The Flip is a digital whiteboard that seamlessly integrates with phones and laptops, allowing you to collaborate with even more ease and forget about collecting the 50 sticky notes spread across your current whiteboard.
Panasonic HomeHawk
The future of your business depends on the security of your office. The Panasonic HomeHawk, available this April, raises the bar for security systems with their over-the-door camera. The camera, mounted over your door, provides HD quality recording from a birds-eye-view.
How We Can Help:
Whether you’re a small shop with no IT guy to turn to or you have an existing IT department that could use a little offloading, schedule your free consultation with us, and we’ll pinpoint any vulnerabilities in your infrastructure and discover which new technologies will help you conquer 2018.
4 Simple Steps to PCI Compliance
4 Simple Steps to PCI Compliance
Like any business owner, you care about growing your business while protecting your customers confidential information. PCI is a security standard for organizations that handle branded credits cards designed to protect them from major card schemes and safeguards your customer’s private data.
No, you aren’t legally required to meet PCI compliance. But, with the number of data breaches in the U.S. jumping 29 percent in the first half of 2017, it’s critical that you protect yourself and your customers by meeting the standards.
Many business owners are unsure of how to become PCI compliant, but often feel too intimidated to start. Becoming PCI compliant doesn’t need to be painful, just follow these four steps:
- Determine Your Compliance Level
To figure out which level of PCI compliance your business falls under, collect data on how many transactions are done through your organization with every major credit card brand. - Take the PCI DSS Self-Assessment Questionnaire
The PCI DSS Self-Assessment Questionnaire (SAQ) is a set of documents containing questions based on the requirements of PCI that you’ll answer “yes” or “no” to. This step is crucial to identifying the missing pieces of your payment security. - Complete a Formal Attestation of Compliance
After bridging the gaps in your payment security, the next step is to fill out a formal attestation of compliance (AOC). This claims your business is compliant with all relevant PCI standards. Once you complete the AOC, you can have a qualified security assessor review your findings and create a report on your compliance. - Submit Your Documents
The final step in your PCI compliance journey is submitting your filled SAQ and AOC documents to your bank, as well as the major card issuing companies.
After completing these four crucial steps, an external Qualified Security Assessor (QSA) creates a Report on Compliance (ROC). For businesses handling large amounts of transactions they will also perform a PCI compliance audit.
More and more business leaders are taking PCI compliance seriously, but 80 percent of organizations are still not entirely compliant. Utilize Our PCI compliance solutions to join the growing number of responsible businesses who are fully protecting their clients and their bottom line.
Sources:
Weisbaum, H. (2017, July 24). Data breaches happening at record pace, report finds. Retrived from: https://www.nbcnews.com/business/consumer/data-breaches-happening-record-pace-report-finds-n785881
Go Anywhere Managed File Transfer (2017, February 3). 10 Shocking PCI DSS Compliance Statistics. Retrieved from: https://www.goanywhere.com/blog/2017/02/03/8-shocking-pci-compliance-statistics
Understanding Digital Ethics & Privacy
From Facebook to Google, large companies are beginning to find the middle ground when it comes to protecting their users’ privacy and online data. But, where do you draw the line in the sand?
In response to ever-growing cyberthreats, the EU created the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) to ensure websites are getting permission and protecting the information they gain from users. This new compliance regulation requires any company with EU users to update their policies and enact greater privacy strategies.
While GDPR is one step toward a more secure future, it also opens up the discussion of digital ethics and how new technologies can comply despite evolving threats.
What is digital ethics?
While the exact definition of digital ethics can’t be found in any dictionary, it is defined by experts (including Rafael Capurro in his paper Digital Ethics) as, “the impact of digital Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) on our societies and the environment at large.” To simplify Capurro, digital ethics involve the moral decisions that are made in regard to the virtual world.
How does it apply to my business?
You use data to create lists for your sales team, customize emails and provide better experiences for your customers, but how can you ensure the data is kept safe? Where do you draw the line on data consumption? Digital etiquette is essential to strengthening your reputation, retaining your customers and behaving ethically in the digital world.
What are the challenges?
How do you find the balance between providing an improved user experience and overstepping boundaries? If someone visits your website and views your products and services, do you have permission to email them about the products they’ve seen? If someone visits your store, can you use facial recognition to build customer profiles?
What are the solutions?
By monitoring activity and providing transparency to your customers, you can navigate the fine line between ethics and privacy. You can improve your reputation and achieve compliance by updating your privacy policy to meet GDPR regulations, requesting permission to use or sell customer data and notifying your customers of updates to your security and privacy policies.
How we can help
As your managed service provider, we’ll help you stay up to date with compliance regulations and proactively monitor your systems to help you keep your customers’ confidential data protected. We’ll work with you to ensure you never overstep when it comes to selling to your customers.
From compliance regulations to blockchain management, we’ll help you monitor, protect and secure your customers’ confidential data. For more information on how to walk the digital ethics line and how we can help your business, contact us today.
3 Technology Resolutions for 2018
As you know, a lot can change in a year, and it’s no different with technology. But is your tech ready to power you through another year? Are you falling behind your competition thanks to out of date technology? Do you feel prepared to take on the uncertainty 2018 could bring? It’s a lot to think about, but before you start stressing, here are a few tips on how you can ring in the New Year with confidence:
Reach Out for New Opportunities
Cloud computing is more than just a trendy buzzword, it’s the new normal for creating new opportunities such as:
- Enhancing efficiency with seamless collaboration between employees, customers and third parties.
- Boosting flexibility and enabling employees to access data off-site and work from virtually anywhere.
- Increasing data security and the ability to keep data backed up and fully recoverable in the event of a disaster.
If the cloud is nothing new to you, you should still take a look at how you’re already using cloud technologies. How’s your bandwidth? Could you use more server space? Are your subscriptions about to run out? There are always new opportunities to be found in cloud computing. You just need to know where to look.
Make a Toast to the Future
With the turn of the year, it’s common for people to take a look back at the past 365 days. Do you recall your computer crashing on you? Did you face unexpected server downtime? What about struggling with a dodgy network?
It’s difficult to feel confident about the future when the past year wasn’t so bright. You need a reliable, secure and scalable infrastructure to keep up with current trends and meet your growth goals. So, take the time to fully evaluate your infrastructure and look for room to improve efficiency for 2018 and beyond.
Ensure a Safe and Happy New Year
The year 2017 was a big year for natural disasters, from the hurricanes that barreled through the Southeast to the fires along the West Coast. And, we can’t forget about the cyber attacks that had everyone worried – WannaCry, Petya and WikiLeaks, just to name a few. One thing 2017 has definitely taught us is that you have to be prepared for anything. Conducting a vulnerability assessment covers every inch of your environment to identify where you’re at risk, including:
- Policies and procedures
- Application and databases
- Networks
- File storage
- Compliance requirements
An effective vulnerability assessment examines your entire infrastructure to find the fragile points, prioritizes liabilities based on impact, and recommends steps to close gaps.
Let’s Make 2018 Your Best Year Yet
So, you want to make 2018 a great year when it comes to your technology but don’t know where to start? That’s okay – we do, and we’d like to help. We’ll work with you to understand your points of weakness. Whether it’s discovering how cloud can help you be more productive, taking a look at your networks or finding any gaps in your security, we’ll paint a full picture of your weaknesses and make unbiased recommendations. Let’s pop the bubbly and say cheers to 2018! Contact us.
Three Ways You Can Minimize IT Downtime
Downtime isn’t just frustrating, it’s expensive. According to a recent ITIC study, 98% of organizations say a single hour of downtime costs more than $100,000. While that’s a staggering hit to any business’s bottom line, there are simple steps you can take to minimize downtime and maximize your peace of mind.
1. Monitor Your Servers
Wouldn’t it be nice to know if your server was going to crash before it happened? With regular monitoring and maintenance, you can spot potential red flags before you’re face-to-face with downtime. And if/when your server does crash, you can react immediately and get back up and running as quickly as possible.
2. Schedule Regular Backups
When your systems are down, every minute counts. You don’t want to waste time figuring out if you can recover your files after a hardware crash. You need to be able to restore your data as quickly and easily as possible. Scheduling regular backups ensures a speedy recovery, and access the important data you need to run your business.
3. Keep Devices Updated
Maintaining the health, stability and security of your devices is a time-consuming—but necessary—task. When you stay current with your device and software updates, you reduce the chance of failure and minimize loss of productivity.
We get it—you’re trying to run a business. Your time is limited and these preventative measures are easier said than done. But, the damage of downtime can be irreversible.
When you trust a managed services provider with your technology, you get a team of reliable IT experts in your corner, who make sure your systems are optimized and prepared with monitoring, system updates and a business continuity plan. Don’t let the cost of downtime be your downfall. Contact us today to get started.