6 Common Commercial IT Concerns
A professional IT provider should have answers to all of your information security and productivity needs. You spend enough mental energy working to advance your own professional goals and the goals of the organization.
Commercial IT Services
There are a variety of ways to categorize the professional IT services a managed service provider can offer. IT touches every part of a modern organization, so it’s critical that your provider can keep your organization safe, functional, and operating efficiently should disaster ever strike.
Cybersecurity
Cybersecurity is a critical part of what every managed service provider should include in their suite of services. Below is a broad topic to inquire about when you’re choosing a commercial IT provider (network security) and a specific suggestion to help improve the security of your organization (multi-factor authentication).
Network Security: Network security starts with a network designed from the ground up to be functional and efficient while also resisting bad actors’ attempts to intrude. Network infrastructure management from a managed service provider should include everything from the management of your physical infrastructure (servers and other hardware) to data traffic prioritization. When all your bases are covered, you can be confident that your communications network isn’t a critical security hole for your organization.
Multi-factor authentication: 2-factor authentication is just one tool available to ensure that only the right people have access to critical business systems. By using more than just passwords to access your servers, cloud services, or even restricted physical spaces, you can have yet another block in place to mitigate threats. For example, access to company email can require a password and a verification code sent to an employee’s device. Most platforms today make this process easy.
Operational Efficiency
Technology is the main driver of productivity in business today, and having your IT optimized for your business’s specific goals is a big part of what separates you from the competition. An effective managed service provider should be able to guide you through selecting the right cloud-based systems for your organization.
Public vs. Private Cloud: Depending on the needs of your organization, a private cloud set up by your IT provider might be the right solution. There are also enterprise-scale cloud solutions from Microsoft Azure and Amazon Web Services to take advantage of. Of course, many businesses choose to implement a hybrid solution that leverages the advantages of either technology.
Office 365 Migrations: Microsoft’s Office 365 platform offers a suite of tools—from email to word processing—that businesses rely on every day. But gone are the days of simply installing Word or Outlook on a computer and signing in. Office 365 can be incredibly powerful for connecting your organization both internally and to your clients, but getting all of your employees on board can take some doing. Fortunately, experienced managed service providers such as Virtual Technologies Group are able to migrate your systems over to Microsoft’s platform while limiting downtime or interruption.
Business Continuity
From ransomware attacks to natural disasters, a number of potential problems can cause business interruptions. Even with airtight cybersecurity and redundant systems, there is always an active risk of operational interruption. How much risk and how long an outage will last depends on your IT provider’s business continuity planning.
24/7 Monitoring: If your systems aren’t being monitored throughout the day and night, your business has an inherent weak spot. So much of data loss prevention is determined by quick response times. If hackers have several hours with which to steal data or wreak havoc, much more damage can occur than if a breach is noticed immediately and work on remediation can begin.
Data Backup and Disaster Recovery: Before the advent of robust data backup and cloud computing, a power outage could mean a significant loss of productivity or even major data loss. In the event that there is some sort of major breach, being able to recover quickly can mean the difference between some lost productivity or catastrophic damage to your business.
Hook: There are countless ways that a managed service provider can make a difference in your business. A capable technology support team can mean the difference between success and failure.
Not All Providers Were Created Equal
A consultative approach to technology that takes your business’s current and future needs into account is far different from a technician coming in and installing a firewall. Virtual Technologies Group offers a holistic technology solution that is tailored to each of our clients’ goals, not just their existing needs.
Connect with us today to learn more about what a complete technology solution could mean for your business.