How Managed IT Services Can Save You Time, Money, and Ultimately Drive Your Bottom Line

When most business owners hear the phrase "managed IT services", they think expense.

But in fact, hiring an IT management company is a great way to increase your bottom line. While this may seem counterintuitive, it actually makes a lot of sense.

After all, business management is all about delegating resources the best way possible. Outsourcing your IT solutions is a great way to reclaim an entrepreneur's most valuable assets--time and money--so that you can re-leverage them how you see fit.

To illustrate, let's start with the commodity that all things are slave to:

Time Gained

Entrepreneurs already have enough on their plate.

Being a great entrepreneur comes down to successful execution and attention to detail. Perhaps no one's time is more valuable.

This is exactly why it's so important for those running businesses to not get bogged down with duties outside of their expertise. IT is a great example. Information technology is complex and involved by default. On top of that, it is constantly changing.

So by hiring a managed IT provider, you can focus on being an expert in your field and managing your operations. This way you don't have to spend unneeded hours managing areas of the business you shouldn't be.

One of an entrepreneur's most important skills is the ability to delegate. IT is one of the smartest aspects of your business to delegate because it requires specialized skills and experience.

If you attempt to manage your IT solutions in-house, you'll be wasting hours that could be better spent increasing revenue. And if you aren't doing it personally, those hours are going to cost.

Money Saved

To a business owner, time is money.

Obviously, you have to pay your staff. But hiring a specialist full-time is unwarranted--not to mention too expensive--unless your company is a certain size or has a high level of need.

Pawning the responsibilities off on an unqualified member of your staff could also hold your business back. Buying proper hardware, software, and security is both daunting and expensive. Plus, it takes expertise and up to date knowledge of the industry.

For instance, one common pitfall when designing your own network is buying hardware without adequate scalability. If you want your business to grow, you need the right hardware and software.

In the Information Age, bad IT can stagnate your business. In the worst case, it can ruin it.

Poor network security can have devastating repercussions for your business. Failing to secure your network online leaves both you and your customers at risk.

Repairing the effects of a successful attack go beyond money. Ask yourself, can your brand's reputation handle this hit? Unless you're a huge brand, the answer is probably no.

So hire a managed IT provider. You'll keep your customers happy and your money in your pocket.

Now It's Up to You

From here, all that is left is for you to delegate your resources.

This is the entrepreneur's natural position. Not managing networks, not setting up servers, but delegating resources and growing their business.

If you're serious about increasing your bottom line, this is the only way to do it.

If you're looking to gain time and save money in your business, 1iX Network Solutions is a great choice. Contact us now to find out what we can do for you!

Let's continue the conversation. Let us know if you have thought about outsourcing your IT and how it worked out.

Also, if you liked this post please share with your connections on social media.

The post How Managed IT Services Can Save You Time, Money, and Ultimately Drive Your Bottom Line appeared first on 1iX.

IT Support: The Threats Foreign Hackers Pose and How To Protect Your Business

Chinese hackers have been stealing data from American companies for several years now.

While it’s not a new phenomenon, it continues to grow more troubling over time.  And truth be told, there may not be an end in sight.

The truth is, these attacks are state sponsored.  And China doesn’t look like it’s going to stop anytime soon.

A recent 60 Minutes story called it:

“The Great Brain Robbery”

In their story by the same name, they speak with assistant attorney general of National Security, John Carlin, who admits that thousands of private US companies have been affected.

Furthermore, this issue is far-reaching.  According to George Kurtz, (CEO of Internet security leader CrowdStrike) these thefts have occurred in “every industry, engineering documents, manufacturing processes, chip designs, telecommunications, pharmaceutical—you name it, it's been stolen.”

Obviously, this poses serious problems for US businesses who thrive by staying on the cutting edge and continuing to develop new technologies.

The lost revenue from cheaper fakes isn’t hard to see coming.  But what isn’t so obvious is how this could lead to a chain reaction down the line.  If the world’s biggest and best innovators have a harder time turning a profit, development timetables for new technologies will grow longer.

For American business, this situation could become dire.

Likely to Get Worse

Despite a September agreement to curb cyber espionage between President Obama and the Chinese President Xi Jinping,  American businesses have continued to report cyber attacks.

The fact is, China maintains that they oppose cyber attacks in accordance with law.  And no one really expects them to stop attacks that they won’t even admit.

The Chinese government is even suspected of helping to break into systems in order to steal information about legal cases being built against its individuals and organizations.

Throw in the fact that their economy has slowed over the last few quarters and one might instead assume that the attacks will probably increase.  At the very least, desperate Chinese businesses don’t help the issue.

It seems the only thing that can provide any remedy is that businesses take certain precautionary measures to reduce the likelihood that their or their clients information can be stolen.

Protect Your Business

Cyber security is a field that requires serious training and expertise.

Hackers are clever and relentless.  You need solutions that are as airtight as possible.

In addition to proper setup and intelligent implementation of security operating procedures, every business has its own unique set of challenges.  That’s why IT solutions are best left to the professionals.

In the modern climate, it is simply irresponsible not to protect yourself from the potential ills of cyber attacks.  There is too much on the line: your revenue, your proprietary information, your clients’ faith.  Why trust the job to an amateur (even if that amateur is yourself)?

If you’re looking for a partner in the fight against hackers in China and anywhere else in the world, 1iX Network solutions in Atlanta should be considered one of your premiere candidates.

Do you have any more insights on cyber security?  Continue the conversation and comment below. Also, make sure to share with your connections on social media.

The post IT Support: The Threats Foreign Hackers Pose and How To Protect Your Business appeared first on 1iX.

Managed Services: How Cloud Computing Can Benefit Your Business

How Cloud Computing Can Benefit Your Business

Several Advantages to Using The Cloud

A company seeks to find ways to keep itself competitive in the marketplace. There are several ways this can be done, especially with the help of managed services. One of these is the establishment of cloud computing services for the use of a company. There are several advantages to using the cloud.

Scale Up and Scale Down Depending on Current Needs

First of all, it provides a company with the ability to scale up and scale down depending on its current needs. For example, a business may receive a large contract that requires bigger storage and processing requirements than usual. The normal approach would be to upgrade physically, but, with the cloud, all that needs to be done is to call for additional resources allocated to the company. The difference is days and this can help save a firm a lot of money.

Offers Continuity in the Face of Problems and Disasters

Secondly, it enables a business to have continuity in the face of problems and disasters. It is easy to have a company crippled if something like a fire or an earthquake devastates the main office. Businesses need data to function nowadays like invoices, receipts, and documents. With a cloud service, data is stored offsite and can be easily accessed as long as there’s an Internet connection. This can keep a business running and earning even through the tough times.

Provides a Business with Flexibility

Third, the cloud provides a business with flexibility. Instead of being bound to a single physical location, the data an employee needs to work can now be accessed anywhere. This gives employees the ability to work from home or while on a business trip.

Keeps a Company Updated

Finally, the cloud keeps a company updated. Software nowadays need constant updates to be effective. The cloud enables this easily. With the right help from 1ix Network Solutions any company can benefit from these perks.

Sources:

Why Move to the Cloud? 10 Benefits of Cloud Computing, SalesForce

Benefits of cloud computing, Queensland Government

The post Managed Services: How Cloud Computing Can Benefit Your Business appeared first on 1iX.

Managed IT Services Can Help Keep a Company’s PCs Well-Maintained

Managed IT Services Can Maintain a Company’s PCs

Companies Depend On Their Use of Computers

Reports and more are written on them, while e-mails to clients use the company network; confidential data is also stored on the company PCs. It is no surprise then that it is important that they are kept in good condition. The trouble is that some companies don’t have a dedicated IT team to maintain their computers. Fortunately, managed IT services can help with that. Here are a few things that they can help with.

PC Hardware and Software Up To Date

Development is constant on both fronts; computers get faster and have larger data storage, while software is improved to become more efficient. Regular updates ensure that a business is performing at the top of its game. For example, the Windows OS has constant updates, especially the current versions. IT professionals would know what updates are necessary to ensure smooth business operations.

Good Condition of PCs

Computers can go through a lot of wear-and-tear. This means that they eventually break down; when this happens, an expert is the best person for a business to turn to. They have the knowledge and expertise to repair a PC quickly, lessening a company’s downtime. For example, when a company’s primary business computer breaks down, there are several possible reasons. It could be the power supply or any other parts. An amateur would have a hard time identifying what is wrong. A skilled professional can easily identify the problem and repair it quickly.

Companies should never try to go it alone when it comes to PC maintenance. 1iX Network Solutions provides services needed to help them out.

Sources:

Hardware Tips: Complete PC Preventive Maintenance Guide, PC World

Basics of Computer Hardware Maintenance, Tech Warehouse

The post Managed IT Services Can Help Keep a Company’s PCs Well-Maintained appeared first on 1iX.

Managed IT Services Can Help You Avoid Costly Data Security Mistakes

Managed IT Services Can Prevent Data Security Mistakes

Nowadays, with a lot of companies connected to the Internet and keeping confidential information for their customers, data security is an important concern. It’s a lot more difficult than people assume; there are a lot of mistakes that a business can make when securing their data. This can be a problem since the confidential info that they possess is often pursued by data thieves. Here are a few of the common security mistakes that companies make.

Lack of Awareness About Data Security

One of the popular ways that data thieves get in is via an employee’s carelessness. For example, a lot of people use personal e-mail when doing business. A personal e-mail address is a lot easier to hack into than a company one and employees using that to transfer private company data can result in a security breach.

Use of Personal Devices

People like using their gadgets at work, but personal devices can be a source for data breaches. This is especially so with people using wifi; confidential data stored on a personal device can be accessed when it enters a public wifi network.

Additional Security Measures

Finally, not taking additional security measures is another mistake. People often assume that their current security arrangements are enough. The truth is with the constantly changing trends in software and security, it would be best to have security measures constantly updated.

Managed IT services can help businesses avoid these mistakes and more. 1iX Network Solutions has the expertise and knowledge on how to properly implement data security and keep data safe. Get in contact today to see how we can help.

Sources:

4 Data Security Mistakes You Can’t Afford, Small Business Computing

Three Innocent Data Security Mistakes Employees Make (and one less-than-innocent mistake), SecureSpeak

The post Managed IT Services Can Help You Avoid Costly Data Security Mistakes appeared first on 1iX.

Managed IT Services: Provide Security and Convenience for Your Business

As the needs of organizations evolve, so do their data storage and security requirements. Companies once electing to store data on-site are quickly recognizing the practice is no longer the best option available. Today, cloud-based solutions are generally expected to provide the infrastructure contemporary businesses require to provide higher levels of service for clients. In addition, Managed IT Services provide the ability to foster improved collaborations with business partners. The question then becomes, where is the technology going in the future?

Matching Technology to Client Needs

IT services in Atlanta are rapidly changing as client’s needs evolve. Different industries are seeing changes occur at breakneck speed, which suggests Atlanta managed service providers must respond quickly to allow clients to successfully deal with their unique demands. To do so, careful monitoring of current strategies and how they are or are not meeting a client’s needs is incredibly important. When data is gathered on the results of current strategies, service providers use the technical information garnered to respond to client’s changing needs and arrive at new solutions to improve future outcomes.

Exploring New Ways to Achieve Goals

Once the revised or new solutions are implemented, managed service providers monitor the results, suggesting changes as needed to make sure client companies and their partners or customers are enjoying the level of experience needed to keep everyone satisfied. Cloud-based services, by their very nature, require monitoring to stay abreast of the results being seen and comparing those results with stated targets. With carefully deployed, client-based IT services, IT support professionals are able to spot issues and employ solutions to minimize any negative consequences for the client.

Managed IT Services Allow Greater Security and Reliability

Protecting data is, arguably, the most important aspect of managed hosting services. Clients depend on IT service providers to give reliable solutions no matter what the organization’s particular needs. Custom solutions are needed to ensure each client organization’s information system is functioning at optimal levels. Beyond that aspect, managed solutions must have the ability to spot issues and resolve them long before the client is even aware an issue exists.

As the managed IT needs of an organization evolve, the managed hosting service must provide solutions for new problems and opportunities that don’t even exist today. Top service organizations like 1ix Network Solutions are always looking to the future and planning for changes to enhance client services. That means the IT professionals will be ready to provide new services that are both convenient and cost-effective when client’s need new solutions as their organizations evolve and expand.

The post Managed IT Services: Provide Security and Convenience for Your Business appeared first on 1iX.

How Managed IT Services Provide Numerous Benefits for Small Businesses

Companies looking to leverage cloud technology often turn to Atlanta managed service providers to handle this task. When a company chooses this option, they have the ability to establish an information technology infrastructure making use of the cloud. The system may then be used to collaborate with other businesses or to deliver services, among other things. What are the benefits of using IT services in Atlanta?

Solutions

Solutions become available to companies more quickly when managed IT services are used. Service providers deploy a product or service and monitor its usage to determine how it responds. As a result, service providers find it easier to improve their design and deployment. They collect information on the user end, the underlying application programming interface, and the cloud design to make adjustments. The service also manages and monitors all equipment and software, including updates, patches, installs as well as managing firewalls, reducing the burden of the business owner.

Reliability

Users find managed IT services to be the most reliable option presently available. The provider ensures their products and services function at optimal levels at all times, as they are in complete control of these items. This allows them to quickly identify problems and fix them before clients become aware of the issue. Companies find the solutions to be both sturdy and reliable, thus they feel confident storing more data using this option.

The Computer Technology Industry Association recently found that it takes 96 percent longer to repair a network device or server that went down when managed services weren’t used. This leads to costly downtime and can have a significant negative impact on a company. In addition, they found that downtime is 88 percent longer for end users when devices and servers aren’t covered by this type of service. The money is well spent for managed IT services when these statistics are taken into account.

Cybersecurity

The world is constantly changing, and businesses may struggle to safeguard critical information. This includes financial information, intellectual property, and the company’s reputation. As cyber attacks become more sophisticated, it becomes harder to protect this information, and information security becomes more critical, yet companies may lack the funding they need for capital expenditures. In addition, chief executive officers often fail to provide the leadership needed to address information security. Security executives, in contrast, state the biggest problem lies in the fact their organization lacks understanding or actionable vision when it comes to securing information. Managed service providers can be of help in these and other areas.

Companies need to evaluate their IT services to ensure they aren’t at risk of a breach. If a company finds they struggle in this area or need additional help, managed IT services may be the solution. The IT environment continues to change, and these service providers are tasked with keeping up with improvements in the field. When a company chooses to employ a managed services provider like 1ix Network Solutions they find more time to focus on other tasks—ones they are better equipped to handle.

The post How Managed IT Services Provide Numerous Benefits for Small Businesses appeared first on 1iX.