Do you view IT spending as simply an expense rather than an investment in your business? Some organizations we come across still adhere to that way of thinking. Computer equipment is allowed to age to its last breath, new, more efficient technologies are not embraced, and a blind eye is turned to the increasing security threats to their data. With technology advancing at such a rate (including that of cyber criminals looking to steal sensitive data and lock your files for a ransom), we are concerned for the future of these organizations.
Keeping your computer equipment up-to-date absolutely improves productivity, as does embracing new technologies such as Microsoft Office 365 cloud services. Keeping current also means, for example, that adding a new critical software application for your business, won’t become a much larger expense than anticipated. We’ve observed situations where the existing PC’s and/or Server operating systems are not compatible with the new software. The project now becomes a much bigger, more disruptive one with a much more significant price tag. This often results in delayed or cancelled projects, so nothing moves forward.
IT Security threats are increasing at an alarming rate, so besides a business-class firewall, virus and malware protection, plus regular software patching, all organizations need to have a reliable, image-based backup of their data. These backups should be stored locally as well as in the cloud, for disaster recovery purposes. Take a moment to consider:
- How long could your business function while data is being restored?
- What is the cost to your organization for every hour without access to your data?
- What would the consequences be if your data was lost for good?
With respect to IT Security, we recommend to our clients that additional measures be taken involving regular scanning and reporting on unusual activity, changes on the network and new vulnerabilities. Educating employees on the dangers of Phishing emails (most of which contain ransomware attacks), is also critical.
If you are looking to upgrade any of your IT systems or to improve on your IT security, give us a call.
