Four IT Goals We Recommend For All Small/Medium Businesses: Start 2017 With A Strong IT Plan

It's time to take steps to ensure a smooth and prosperous new IT year!

Now that we are well into the new year and things begin to return to normal, I want to recommend four IT goals that you may choose to adopt. This is a good time to review all of your IT policies, technologies, and procedures to ensure your business operates securely and optimally.
 
We partner with the best of the best technology providers so we can help you achieve your goals in each of these areas:
 
1. Storage capacity and system performance: What are the key performance indicators for your business? Your IT systems performance is a contributing factor in the company's ability to meet certain metrics. System storage impacts performance. Keep in mind that data storage requirements grow each year as new information and expanding backup requirements grow. We can help you plan and manage your data storage systems to meet the demands of your business. We can help you measure and monitor your storage performance. 
 
2. Data protection and disaster recovery: Let's talk... before a disaster strikes, please. Of all of the risks you take in business, gambling on the integrity of your data protection and data recovery plan is a risk we recommend you avoid. Too many of the businesses we serve fail to fully implement, test and enforce a strong data backup plan. Policies are usually inadequate. Backup technology and procedures are out of date and often untested, and should a real disaster occur they are hardly prepared. Power surge protection goes hand in hand with data protection!
 
Your company's Backup and Recovery Policy is intended to ensure that computers are regularly backed up to prevent loss of data. This Backup and Recovery Policy is designed to protect data in the organization to be sure it is not lost and can be recovered in the event of an equipment failure, intentional destruction of data, or disaster. 
 
3. Network security and access control: Are your private WiFi access points really private and secure? Do you have a separate public WiFi for visitors and guests? Do you have stringent policies in place for the ever-growing number of mobile devices? Have you installed mobile device management (MDM) software on each device? MDM is the administrative area dealing with deploying, securing, monitoring, integrating and managing mobile devices, such as smartphones, tablets, and laptops in the workplace.
 
4. Cyber-security: We really do not need to tell you that cyber-security is important. You know it already. It's the never ending story in business, and in our personal lives as well. Cyber-security, also known as information technology security, focuses on protecting computers, networks, programs, and data from unintended or unauthorized access, change, or destruction. All small and medium businesses are as vulnerable as larger enterprises.  
   
Aside from vigilance and constant security monitoring (and a solid back-up plan), we recommend taking these two steps to increase your knowledge and comfort level:

1. Grab this cyber-security planning guide courtesy of the Federal Communications Commission. Review it in the context of what you are already doing or what you are not yet doing then...
2. Call us at 508.528.7720 (or reply now) to schedule a phone meeting or a meeting at your business to discuss what makes the best sense for your business.

Our expertise in these areas, and the depth of experience in implementing modern, best in class solutions for our clients combine to enable us to provide you with exceptional guidance and support.

At the very least, test your back up and restore functionality and policies.

To a great 2017!

Michelle Carlow
President, CTS Services, Inc.