SMART Blog

If you don’t think that your business is under attack from the Internet, you’re likely to be running an organization that will be decimated by a cyberattack. If you want to avoid this scenario, you will have to be prepared to do what you can to keep it safe. This entails following some strict rules and being smart about where and when to deploy security checkpoints. We looked at what today’s cyberattack entails and what an organization needs to do in order to keep the threats that are bandying about from having a marked effect on your business.

In today’s age of mobile work, employees are taking data outside the safety of your infrastructure and using it to be productive. This comes with the unfortunate side-effect of the data being more at risk than ever before. Thankfully, modern technology provides solutions to this dilemma--chief among them being the virtual private network, or VPN.

Innovation in the workplace has changed the way that operations have been handled over the years. These days, office technology innovation might seem like it’s hitting a lull compared to previous jumps, but there are still plenty of ways that it’s improving the quality and productivity of the workday. With the right tools, your business can improve its access to data and enhance its productivity in ways previously unseen.

Some parts of running your business’ infrastructure involve a lot of time… time that you simply don’t have in the day. Applying patches, monitoring network traffic, and updating software solutions are all the usual culprits. In light of this, we recommend that businesses implement a solution that allows for management to occur remotely, as it can provide a great benefit for businesses with both limited workforces and budgets.

Innovation takes many forms, whether it’s implementing automated solutions to ensure tasks get done or implementing new ways to get work done by your in-house staff. Collaboration is one of the ways that your business can benefit from innovation, as the right solutions can make a world of difference. We’ll discuss some of the more innovative collaboration solutions that you can implement for your business.

It’s not something that we as business owners like to think about, but the fact of the matter is that no technology you implement will last until the day you close up shop for business. To mitigate the costs of your technology failing, you need to take measures now, including proactive monitoring for the various signs of failure. Be on the lookout for the following.

There are countless threats out there that your business could fall victim to, but they generally all have one thing in common: more often than not, the user is a weak point in the defenses of your organization. We’ve put together a list of some of the most devastating hacks that your users should be aware of so they can best respond to them.

Data backup is a critical component for businesses, as damage control is needed by just about any organization that has day-to-day interactions in risky environments like the Internet. Furthermore, some organizations are located in high-risk areas where natural disasters are a considerable threat. Regardless, there is one situation where all businesses need to be wary about data security, and that’s user error. Our point is that it doesn’t matter where your business is located or what industry it’s in; there will always be situations where data backup will be helpful, so consider how it must be implemented now before it’s too late.

Cutting costs in the workplace doesn’t always mean eliminating services you don’t need or eliminating positions that aren’t necessary. One of the easiest ways to make it happen is by taking a closer look at printing costs. By carefully analyzing and controlling your printing resources, you can minimize the amount of assets you invest in printing and save a considerable amount of revenue.

All businesses need to take preventative measures to secure their futures, but did you know that data backup isn’t just about making sure your business survives in the event of a disaster? While natural disasters, user error, and other means of data loss can all be reduced through the development of a substantial data backup plan, your organization will find use for your backup even during normal everyday operations, providing a significant return on your investment.

Researchers are always on the lookout for the latest and greatest in network security technology, and artificial intelligence is one of them. While it has the potential to be a major benefit to your business’ network security, it does so at a steep cost. Is there a way to meet somewhere in the middle?

Depending on your perspective, traveling for work can be exhilarating or frustrating. Wherever you land on it, there are certain truths you have to face when traveling, especially when it comes to your IT. We all know just how important data is, and if you are traveling for work, keeping your company’s data safe has to be made a priority. Since travelers have a tendency to use Wi-Fi accounts that seem secure enough until something bad happens, today we will go into detail about working life on the road, and how to prepare for situations without putting your client’s or company’s data at risk.

While modern security solutions have made great strides to protect businesses, there are still a lot of threats out there that can create problems for your organization. If you don’t take a proactive stance on security, you could potentially expose your network to incoming threats of all kinds. We’ll help your business understand what threats are out there, why they are dangerous, and what you can do to keep your organization secure.

The cloud has helped many businesses push beyond their limits, but is your organization taking advantage of it? Depending on the needs of your specific business, the cloud can benefit your organization in ways you could never dream of just 20 years ago. We’ll go through some of the best ways the cloud can help your organization.

Nowadays, businesses take advantage of so many solutions that it can be challenging just to keep them all in line, let alone managing and maintaining them all. Of course, the most difficult part of using so much technology is affording it. While you could certainly invest in software licenses for each and every one of you users’ systems, there is an alternative that you should certainly consider.

Were you among the 55.3 percent of employees who took their work devices on the road during this past holiday season? Chances are that if you have employees who find it difficult to complete their duties in the office, they’ll take it home with them over the holidays to make sure they don’t fall behind. Yet, they could potentially be exposing important data to risk, even if it means getting a little bit of work done here and there in the meantime.

One of the best reasons to implement managed IT services is the value it presents for your business compared to the alternatives. Businesses may have once depended on unreliable and expensive services to keep their IT up and running, but nowadays, it’s more efficient and, in most cases, more affordable than ever before. We’ll explain how managed service providers can create value opportunities for your business.

Hosted solutions are used in modern business practices for a variety of reasons, but by far the most common reason is because the business doesn’t necessarily have the staff or resources to take care of the solution in-house. The process of implementation will vary by business, but we can walk you through the process nonetheless, including building the solution, renting the solution, and buying the hosting space.

Cybersecurity has changed considerably since 2017, and any business that wants to survive in the evolving online environment needs to consider how they are protecting their assets. We want to take a look at precisely how cybersecurity has changed since 2017, including some of the notable statistics regarding the current state of online threats for today’s businesses.

A technology roadmap is a key asset to use when planning your business for the near future. IT is volatile and demands that you always think ahead, so if you want to make sure technology doesn’t become a major pain point for your organization, it’s best to start thinking ahead. We’re here to help you get started thinking about how your business technology should change and adapt over the course of 2019.