the cloud · Page 3 of 8

Cloud Technology: Visibility and Security Among Top Cloud Technology Concerns

According to a recent survey from IDG of about 1,000 IT decision makers, visibility and security rank high among the concerns for businesses considering adoption of public cloud technology.

43 percent of respondents to the survey wanted to know where their data was being stored. 41 percent worried about how their data is protected. Nearly half of the respondents stated that they could not move ahead with deployments until they were ensured that their cloud service provider’s security satisfied their compliance requirements.

Cloud Technology

Visibility and security are very valid and important concerns. At 4 Corner IT, we began providing cloud solutions long before many of our competitors. We have a time-proven method that includes selection of the best vendors and partners for your business. We use redundant, reliable data centers with disaster recovery systems.

We have been providing managed data security services for ten years. During that time, we have partnered with top-notch security technology firms to offer you the most secure environment available for your data. We don’t just offer a one size fits all approach to your security. Instead, our approach begins with a personal consultation in which we work alongside you to determine the best approach for your cloud migration and managed services.

Many of the satisfied clients of 4 Corner IT are in fields where compliance with security measures is heavily regulated, including healthcare, legal, and financial firms. We have plans that can be tailored to suit the need of nearly every industry and businesses of any size. We offer 24/7 support and encourage those interested in our services to come by and meet our team.

For more information on the services we provide and how we can work to ensure that you get the security and visibility you need, contact us today.

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Manage Your Cloud Infrastructure: Top 3 Tips

You have heard all about the Cloud and SaaS, and were convinced enough to get the software for your business. Now what do you do? How does someone manage this software successfully for the growth of their business? Learn how to manage your cloud infrastructure.

Here are three hot tips in cloud infrastructure management that will put you on the right path for greatness!

Manage your cloud infrastructure

Develop Your Strategy

Strategy is everything when managing cloud infrastructure. Successful strategies include information such as the how and what of managing the cloud infrastructure (adopting a Cloud software platform, etc.) as well as what the goals are in having the software at your disposal. Think through everything. Plan it out. Make sure it is clear as crystal; your business depends on it!

Build Your Awesome Team

We may all have hated the very idea of group work in school, but in the business world, working in teams is a must! Build for yourself an A-team of people who are not afraid to roll up their sleeves and get to work helping you manage your cloud infrastructure. Having an awesome team of people to back you up and help you resolve issues that will arise is crucial to your sanity and can make or break your business.

Don’t Be Afraid to Start Small

Starting small is a wise idea, as it is always possible to build upon the infrastructure at a later date. Starting small also helps you and everyone on the team have time to get used to the software, learn how it works, and be able to manage it better. In other words, this maintains sanity in the workplace. Don’t bite off more than you can chew!

Pay attention to these three tips, and you are sure to have great success managing your cloud infrastructure! Want a few more tips on managing the cloud?

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Why Should You Hire HIPAA Compliance Consultants?

Some of the most sensitive personal information involves our health and medical history.

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) lays the groundwork for safeguarding health-related data by providing standards that companies need to meet.

If you work with any data of this kind – even as a subcontractor to another company – you must comply with HIPAA standards.

What can happen if you don’t follow HIPAA regulations?

Violating HIPAA standards can result in a range of financial penalties. These include steep fines amounting to tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars. The amount you pay depends on the number of violations, whether they’re repeat violations, how quickly you correct them, and whether or not they stem from a relatively innocent misunderstanding vs. more deliberate forms of neglect. In some situations, you may face the threat of a prison sentence.

It’s imperative to avoid HIPAA violations not just a spare yourself the legal penalties. HIPAA compliance also makes you more trustworthy to consumers and business partners. By protecting sensitive healthcare data, you reduce the chances of a costly data breach that can destroy your company’s reputation.

Hiring HIPAA compliance consultants

HIPAA compliance consultants will guide you through all the necessary steps to making your business compliant. They can assist you with implementing every safeguard. These security measures include encrypted transmissions, restricted access privileges, safe data disposal methods, audit reports, and secure data storage and backups.

As discussed in a recent article from Beta News, verifying your company’s compliance involves multiple complex steps. Including identifying your vulnerabilities and determining the risks of various security lapses. Consultants are invaluable throughout this process and with ensuring your continued compliance.

Don’t hesitate to contact us for our assistance connecting with HIPAA compliance consultants.

The Best Office 365 Features For Businesses

With their release of Office 365, Microsoft aims to help businesses that currently rely on Microsoft’s Office applications. Office 365 is a new suite of programs that will help businesses become more productive, along with keeping their information secure. If you are a business owner/manager, here are just a few of the office 365 features that may interest you.

Allow For Greater Productivity

When it comes to productivity – something every business manager is after – it all comes down to one thing: how easy is it to do your work? If something makes your job easier, it will increase productivity. That is essentially the goal of Office 365. Microsoft designed this suite of programs with simplicity in mind, so that your employees can spend more time worrying about their own tasks, rather than the technology performing them.

In The Cloud

One of the ways that Microsoft made these programs easier to use is by connecting everything through their cloud storage system. This means that employees can share files more quickly, make changes to those files, and access them from anywhere. As long as you have a computer, tablet or smart phone and an internet connection, you can access everything you need.

Administrator Control

Lastly, Microsoft has made it so administrators have a high level of control over the product, something that will make your IT department happy. By giving you more control over the system, you can monitor what is going on within the program, and correct any problems on the spot, should they arise. This means less time waiting for your IT guy to get off the phone with Microsoft’s support team, and more time being spent getting work done.

As you can see, there are some great features that can benefit your business, and there are many more. If you would like to learn more about how this suite of programs can help your business to become more productive, please feel free to contact us at any time.

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How Managed Services for Medical Practices Differ From That of Businesses

Managed service providers are an increasingly common and sought after amenity for businesses, as they specialize in all things IT. Companies often utilize managed services so they can put more focus into their services, rather than being blindsided by servers crashing, hardware and software malfunctioning, or their website going down. While these should all be of concern to any practical business, medical practices often require a more specific and specialized service provider.

Managed Services for Medical

Here are several ways in which managed services for medical practices will and should differ from that of a typical business.

Ensure You’re in Compliance with HIPAA and HITECH

All medical practices must abide by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act (HITECH). Not being in compliance warrants severe consequence. Individuals often lose their license to practice medicine, and practices can be fined heavily. A good managed service will make sure all your equipment complies with HIPAA and HITECH.

Familiar with the Systems Your Practice Uses

Whereas hardware and software implemented within businesses are often not too complex, the systems medical practices implement can require pundit knowledge. Any managed service your medical practice uses should be familiar with these systems and be able to offer business-specific advice about them, along with providing regular upgrades when necessary.

Prioritized Patient Privacy

The seriousness of patient files being lost or leaked can not be stressed enough. Your practice’s managed service provider should be accustomed to email encryption and be capable of secure medical record transfers when referring patients to physicians.

There are many reasons why it’s important to find a managed service provider specific to your business or practice.

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