Hurricanes, floods, fires, tornadoes, earthquakes, even ransomware — these devastating events can strike almost without warning. Does your business have a plan to not only safeguard sensitive data but contingencies for recovery should a catastrophe occur?
Management should acknowledge their company’s potential exposure to disasters, natural and otherwise. These events can endanger the accessibility and support of an organization’s IT systems and networks.
It’s trite but true: an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. So how does a business protect the integrity of its IT processes before cataclysm strikes? An effective option is to collaborate with a reputable data center, one with the resources to protect valuable data while keeping it secure and accessible.
Now that you recognize the utility of a data center, what should you look for? Below is a laundry list of essentials your DR service should provide.
An effective disaster recovery plan starts long before storm clouds gather. You want your IT partner to customize a comprehensive and ordered strategy that maintains and monitors network infrastructure and ongoing processes. Too, your employees should be trained and evaluated on how to reduce or avert system downtime.
Proactive planning also encompasses preventive maintenance. Your DR provider should regularly schedule tests of fire detection/extinguishing systems, power supplies/generators and HVAC systems.
How do fiber optic networks provide such outstanding redundancy and protection? In large part, due to bidirectional line-switched architecture. This means that in the event of network element failure, optical signals can be rerouted, either with “protection” spare fibers or by backhauling.
You want the same from your DR provider. Does it offer alternative facilities should its primary data center be offline? Are their data centers sited to prevent damage from floods, fires, winds or earthquakes?
Power failures and loss of environmental cooling can wreak havoc on vulnerable infrastructure elements. Look for facilities with redundant uninterruptible power supplies (UPS), supported by generators that switch seamlessly online if utility power fails. Seek the same redundancy within the data center’s HVAC configurations.
Redundancy also includes instantaneous access to multiple “core” or “Tier 1” long-haul networks should the primary carrier interrupt service.
Is the DR provider’s data center monitored at all times? Are employees required to wear visible ID whenever onsite? Nowadays, constant surveillance of network assets is a must to maintain network integrity and data security.
Your DR provider should have a cross-trained and experienced emergency ops team in place, ready at a moment’s notice to restore operational functionality to networks and systems in case of a disaster. They are the “cavalry” riding to the rescue, freeing local employees to see after their families and homes.
Now that you know, consider Aperio IT as your partner in disaster recovery planning. We provide cloud hosting and backup services to small and mid-sized businesses like yours. It’s never too early to prepare before catastrophe strikes.
Contact us to learn more about planning your Disaster Recovery Plan with Aperio IT.
We look forward to seeing all of you at Seasons 52. This will be an open forum discussion meaning you may ask questions throughout our event. We are here to help answer any questions and guide your company down a successful path. We will also be holding a raffle at the end of our session. Thanks and please register before spaces are all gone.
There are many different types of things that are going to be important when considering the computer systems of any type of business. There will be a lot of different types of information that is going to be stored on these, including business plans and confidential information for employees. IT managed services are going to continually track what is going on with each system to ensure that everything is working smoothly.
The team will also be able to install programs and update the system when necessary. Many companies are using The Cloud for storage options. This is because it frees up storage space on their computer systems that they are currently using.
One problem with this is that they need to make sure that their systems are secure. This is something that can be hacked without anyone knowing about it. It is not something that should be taken lightly either.
This is why companies are hiring the IT managed services to help them to complete this. The companies are going to make sure that the computer systems are functioning properly and not allowing hackers to get the information. This is going to require monitoring and continual updating to the software.
Another advantage to having the IT managed services is that there will be someone that is available for support at all times of the day. There are many different types of things that can be a problem for a user. These systems could freeze or just not function properly.
When this happens, it is important to call someone who understands how the system operates. Sometimes, this can happen due to the temperature of the hard drive though. If there is not sufficient cooling systems in place for the size of the computer system, the company can risk a lot.
They need to make sure that they have the proper equipment in place as well as having the programs that will work best for their type of company. Not every company is going to benefit from the same types of programs. This should be taken into consideration before any recommendations are being made.
There are many different reasons why certain types of companies will use the same types of programs though. They want to make sure that everything is going to be compatible with their customers’ systems. This is especially true of mobile devices.
There are a lot of people who are accessing the web using their mobile phones and tablets. Not all of these are able to open certain types of programming. This is why it is important to make sure that the system is mobile friendly as well.
There can be a lot of things that customers need to know about and will be posted online. Social media websites and much more are going to allow for unhappy customers to let others know about their experiences too. This is why it is going to be very important to make sure that everyone is able to do what they need to do.
There are many different types of programs that are used for every type of computer system. It will be important to use security software as well. This is going to be something that will need to be done to the computer even if it is only used for general business for the company.
There are a lot of hackers and viruses that can harm these computers. When a company takes advantage of IT managed services, they can make sure that their computers are set up properly as well as take care of any problems that occur very quickly. This is something that is going to be beneficial to the employees as well as to the entire company.
It doesn’t take much to make the case that modern technology has improved the way we do business. Consider just a few decades ago we were without cell phones, e-mail, and the Internet. Tasks today that take minutes used to take hours. That said, there can be many headaches that come with modern software solutions, but a good partnership with a strong technology support company can ensure that your business IT solutions are running smoothly.
If you’re a business that is due for an upgrade, don’t let lack of technical knowledge or the fear of the unknown deter you from capitalizing on all the ways these new innovations can improve your business. Check out just a few ways technology can advance your business position in the marketplace, and help give you a leg up on your competition.
Marketing
Marketing has changed more in the past 15 years than the previous 100 years combined. New innovations have created many new media options that have expanded our reach and ability to interact with our consumers. Whether you’re installing an upgraded customer relationship management (CRM) system, blasting out an e-mail campaign, managing all of your social media through a program aggregate, or hosting a webinar, new technology is the driving force behind the campaign. Remember, a technology support company will offer services to help you understand how your system can handle this load, and will work with you if you need assistance installing the software to launch some of these exciting campaigns in your business.
Communication
It is hard to imagine there is an entire generation of workers in place who have never had to do business without emails and cell phones. Modern advances give us access to unparalleled communication not only with our consumers, but internally within our own organizations as well. Modern businesses are expected to have comprehensive communications platforms, and a technology support company on call to manage all of the servers should anything go wrong. While a 24-hour turn around used to be acceptable in terms of customer service, those rules have changed; modern advances give us the tools we need to meet the expectations of our consumers.
Productivity
The right hardware running updated software solutions is the key to productivity in your business. In this era, our employees wear many hats and it’s incredibly important to give them the right tools to get the job done quickly and efficiently. Tools like voice to text, online chat, and teleconferencing, are just a few ways to improve productivity in the workplace. Whether it’s in your customer service department, giving customers an online chat option to get instant access to a service representative, to your internal communications and company meetings, working with a technology support company to have the right software solutions for your business is your key to having a productive, efficient workplace.
Modern IT solutions offer an abundance of opportunities for better ways to do business. These are just a few of the improvements you can look forward to when you utilize new solutions. Coupled with a good relationship with a technology support company, you can be sure that your business with survive and thrive for years to come.
Have you ever seen a friend, cousin or a family member bearing financial losses as a result of a poor security policy? Are you afraid of the rising cyber crime rates and wish that you should never experience it? If yes, then read the article to know about the common cybercrime threats that the IT sector faces in 2015.
Many of you might have faced the ill effects of the poor IT security management, but you compromise with the situation by believing it to be in your destiny. Market research firms and IT experts claim that the year 2015 will see the cybercrime associated with the Internet of Things (IoT), social security details, financial information and many others. Experts state that the IOT attacks on businesses and the ever-rising computer hacking cases will shock the virtual users with plenty of new frauds, attacks and malicious software. Websense Security Labs predicts that the malware authors are working stringently to create some smart viruses that can escape from the AV detection tests and give rise to cyber bullying activities. The DDoS Attack Report for Q2 2014 by Prolexic Quarterly Global focuses on improving DDoS protection and enhancing multi-layered web security, meaning that 2015 will experience devastating cyber-attacks. Some major Information Technology companies also ensured that their AV products will carry some advanced features as the cyber crime doesn’t limit to financial losses.
1. Healthcare Sector
Tech experts state that the healthcare sector may experience an increase in data-stealing attacks as hackers are paying attention towards the personally identifiable information to commence major frauds. Physical information, health care details, and medical history will help malware authors to manage a huge web of attacks and give rise to various types of fraud. A hospital computer has a database of millions of patient records in a digital form, so managing and protecting the patient’s personal data will be a major challenge for healthcare IT professionals.
2. Mobile Threats
Since mobile devices are entering into the market at a rapid rate, managing their security and privacy has become a great challenge for security professionals. Malware authors design malicious codes that target credential information rather than collecting the stored data on the device. The auto-login feature of mobile apps makes the portable platforms highly dangerous as mobile devices now give rise to broader credential-stealing or authentication attacks and cyber bullying practices.
3. Attacks Associated to the Internet of Things (IoT)
The Internet of Things (IoT) is the future of computing, and the platform will allow things, humans, appliances, animals and other things communicate with each other over a local network. The connectivity amongst the devices can enhance the speed, efficiency and performance of everything, but the closely connected network can invite some major security flaws, affecting everything connected over a local network. The Internet of things expects to focus on businesses, not on consumer products, and rising cyber crime rates can also impact the new internet-connected device in a business environment. A majority of products and applications can give rise to the business attacks as attackers are likely to attempt establishing a control over all the simple connected devices.
4. Credit Card and Information Deals
Cybercrime and financial information have a strong bond as many malware authors create malicious codes just to fetch your financial information and use them for fraudulent purposes. Some IT experts state that the credit card thieves will soon get morphed into information dealers as financial institutions have already adopted Chip and PIN technology to trim down financial crime rates. They further added that the cybercriminals will now look forward to collecting a broader range of data about victims, consisting of multiple credit cards, geographic location data, personal information, and interests.
5. New Vulnerabilities Will Soon Emerge
Every year comes with new inventions, discoveries and technologies to impact user’s experience and their work environment. Some technologies like fingerprint, UltraHD, wearables and others enhance user’s experience in a positive manner, while some source codes like OpenSSL, Heartbleed and Shellshock make users worried. Software development is growing at a rapid rate and so does the cyber crime. Malware authors, software developers, and hackers may come up with new features and integrations to impact the base code and exploit the vulnerabilities to steal away your private information.
Conclusion
Undoubtedly, cybercriminals will continue to adopt evasive techniques and methods to break through the security systems and enter into your devices to steal the valuable information. But, it becomes highly important to stop them right now as the future will experience interlinked things and impacting any one of them may lead to the violation of the whole environment. Some tech experts claim that the malware authors will continue innovating malicious codes that can effectively escape from AV tests, after analyzing recent cyber crime trends and tactics. According to the results derived from the common AV tests, experts predict that the year 2015 will see a tremendous increase in the Internet crime rates, but with greater frequency and sophistication. If you think that your devices don’t feature optimal AV protections, then simply research the web and find efficient online computer support companies to handle your PC security issues.
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