The Cost of IT Support for Small Organizations

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Practices for IT Service Management

The familiar adage, “If it sounds too good to be true, then it probably is”, often holds true for many different types of services and products. Especially for newer, rapidly growing industries like information technology, it is not uncommon for small organizations to be somewhat unfamiliar with what constitutes a fair cost, what level of service to expect, and so forth. Unfortunately, when searching for an IT vendor, some companies still allow themselves to be dazzled by extraordinarily low fees, coupled with a vague promise such as “we’ll always be there for you”. Later on they find out the quoted fees were merely a teaser rate, good only for a short period of time and the promise of “we’ll always be there for you”, well, that was only true if the client was willing to shell out quite a few extra $ to pay for steep overtime rates.

Fixed Costs – Buying Peace of Mind

More and more companies are realizing just how dependent their organization is upon technology. That dependence is likely to continue, and perhaps even increase, if an organization hopes to remain competitive. Just as with many other aspects of running a business such as a mortgage, utilities, salaries, etc., IT costs are now simply an integral part of running a successful organization.

It is probably safe to say that most businesses do recognize the incredible value added by IT, including both software and hardware — it’s just a matter of finding the right IT vendor that does an outstanding job on delivery of their peace of mind guarantees.

Delivering Exceptional Value and Service

An IT vendor that refuses to perform the proverbial bait-and-switch tactics is the ideal IT vendor to look for. This premiere type of vendor will instead provide a comprehensive contract clearly defining all the services they provide. The emphasis will be on 24/7/365 availability in order to keep their clients’ IT processes running seamlessly and dependably. The ideal IT vendor stays on top of the latest technology trends, current issues, and challenges specific to the field in order to provide proactive advice and support to their clients. For a clearly defined fixed fee, a top notch IT vendor will provide all the technical expertise required by today’s competitive organizations, so these organizations can do what they do best — that is supporting and growing their own business. 

If you would like to know more about negotiating a contract for reliable, comprehensive IT services, please contact us.

Early Preparation for the 2019 Hurricane

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Early Preparation

It is a great idea that everyone has a good plan in place for the upcoming 2019 hurricane to protect their IT systems. We understand the massive damages that hurricanes can do when it gets us unprepared.

Below are some steps you can follow in preparation for a hurricane:

  • Property check – Ensure your property is well protected from water damages as it is the main thing that affects IT  systems during a storm.
  • Regarding your building protection, ensure any openings near the IT systems are well covered to keep water at bay. These openings include doors and windows.
  • Disable the restart feature of your electronic devices. This is because, once power is back after a blackout, the presence of water can cause a short electric circuit. This, in turn, can lead to unexpected damages.
  • You can also back up your data and files in case computers fail. Offsite backup is more advisable since you’ll still retrieve them in case of damages at your data center.
  • Most importantly, have hard copies of some relevant documents that may be needed when your IT system is still offline after the hurricane.
  • Good communication plan

Check out 7 Tips for Preparing Your Business for a Hurricane

When disaster strikes, you’ll probably need a reliable way of communication for emergency purposes. That is why you are advised to use cell-phones as they are quick ii matters of emergency and you need immediate help.

Landlines and VoIP phones need aren’t much convenient during this time as they use electricity which is likely to be absent during a hurricane.

Remember to charge your cell-phones earlier before the hurricane.

To conclude, a hurricane is something that needs appropriate preparedness to avoid damages which means extra costs to repair and even replace some valuable assets. It is therefore crucial that you keep the above measures in mind and the earlier, the better.

Contact us if in need of professional information regarding hurricane preparedness.

Building a Solid Cyber Security Foundation – 6 Essential IT Security Services

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As with any well-built system, effective cyber security begins with building a solid security foundation. Without thoughtful attention to building a good foundation, a business will remain vulnerable to hacks and breaches until they finally decide to face cyber security issues head on.

Assessment

When first addressing an issue, one must first assess all the security issues, both the obvious and the potential ones. Assessing a company’s technology vulnerabilities must be performed by someone with a high level of expertise in evaluating the company overall for sub-standard IT practices.

Planning

After determining all the holes that need attention, the next step is to create an pro-active plan that will address each potential threat. The plan should include both steps that can be taken in order to avoid a security problem altogether, as well as a solid recovery plan to initiate in the event the worst should happen and a breach is discovered.

A comprehensive security plan will consist of several key components, including:

Combating Intrusion

Sometimes there is a delicate balance between applying security measures to ward off the threats of intrusion, yet still providing enough openness in a computer system to allow employees to actually complete their daily tasks. A good security team will assess what their client needs in terms of effective security, but in a balanced manner, thus preventing their security efforts from hindering daily operations.

Addressing Mobile and Remote Access

Even if all employees in a given company work on-site, it is a rare company that does not allow at least some off-site mobile and/or remote access to corporate systems by their staff members. As work life becomes more and more intertwined with personal time, if not addressed, the security risks associated with off-site access means a company will remain vulnerable to hacks and data breaches.

Securing Endpoints

In the past, ensuring that all corporate PCs had anti-virus software installed might have been enough to combat threats. With every passing year however, hackers and data thieves become more ingenious in their behavior. A good security plan will include securing endpoints through configuration and patch management, solid firewalls, application controls, data loss protection, and in some areas, data encryption.

Enforcing Multi-Factor Authentication

More and more businesses are enacting multi-factor authentication in order for their employees to access corporate systems and data. Many breaches have occurred from the use of woefully inadequate passwords such as “1234567” or “ABC”. Of course, companies should also support their multi-factor authentication measures by enforcing the use of strong passwords.

If you would like to know more about how to build a good security foundation in order to protect your corporate IT assets, please contact us.

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Managed IT Support Can Reduce the Risk of Cyber Theft from Miami Businesses

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Network security breaches have been in the news lately. Hackers have targeted such large organizations as the federal government’s Office of Personnel Management and the Bank of Bangladesh. While security breaches at large institutions make the news, cyber theft from small businesses quietly takes place in the background.

Many of Miami’s small businesses handle more money through their computers and networks than through their cash registers. Credit card credentials, ACH transactions and emailed wire transfer instructions can all be targets for thieves. Over the past two years, cyber thieves have stolen nearly $800 million dollars from over 8000 small businesses. Regulation E, the federal rule that requires banks to reimburse consumers for unauthorized transactions, does not apply to small business accounts; individual businesses have lost over a million dollars to cyber theft and not been reimbursed.

Managed IT support for Miami businesses can help to reduce your risk of cyber theft. Instead of reacting to an incident after it occurs, your managed IT support vendor can examine and secure your network to reduce the risk of a breach. They can conduct a survey of your network to identify systems that need to be patched, and can look for systems with default passwords that a hacker might be able to guess. Developing a patch management plan and eliminating systems with default passwords can reduce the risk of a network breach.

Cybertheft is a serious issue for Miami businesses. Companies that import or export goods are especially vulnerable as they often send wire transfers. A fraudulent wire transfer is very difficult to cancel or recall.

For more information about computer and network security, please contact us.

Network Support: Don’t Be Left Stranded

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  • Network Support

Have you ever compared your business’s network and IT systems to your car or truck?

You may not realize how much you use and depend on them until they actually break down and you are left stranded with no help. When your car or truck is in working condition, it may not always require a great amount of maintenance and repair. However, there will come a time when it will need attention and regular maintenance to ensure that it continues to work properly. 

Well, you can think of your computer network in the same way. Your networks will need continuous maintenance and attention to ensure that there will be no disruptions or expensive downtime. Your desktops, mobile devices, server, and virus protection will all need proper maintenance and attention if you want to continue having a smooth ride. 

With the right network and IT support plans, your technology will be proactively managed at all times so you can have the peace of mind you need in the workplace. When your networks are working properly, your workplace productivity will increase because there will not be any disruptions and downtime. 

Spending time trying to find a solution to your network and IT problems no longer have cause frustrations and headaches on your staff. While proactive monitoring can significantly reduce some of the technical issues you may have in the workplace, problems can still arise that will require the skills and experience of trained technicians.

At 4 Corner IT, we will have a team of experienced IT professionals who will be there to solve your technology-related issues. We understand how important it is to keep your network and your data safe and secure at all times. We will ensure that your data remains safe and that your productivity will not decrease by monitoring your data and your network 24/7. When you can avoid downtime, what does that mean? More work time. 

As your business grows, so will your technology. 4 Corner IT has the tools, plans, and a team of professionals you need to keep your network working at all times so you will not have to worry about being stranded ever again. 

Contact us today for more information.