How Well Have You Planned for Your Company’s Future?
Even in the dark days of recession, you are keeping your company running. Your planning and resources have made the difference, and even now you are making it through. You’ve planned for growth as well as for lean times, and even for a disaster.
Good for you. But just how well have you planned for your future IT capacity needs?
Your business relies on quick turnaround and even quicker communication. Your employees need to access data, to process it, and also to store it. They need to communicate with you and your customers as well as with each other. Knowing your system needs and how you expect them to grow will allow this to continue.
Think of your business as running along a pipe. With your current needs, you’re flowing along with some extra room. If there’s a spike in volume, you can handle it. What happens when your business grows? Will you invest in a huge pipe and let your business trickle along the inside? While you’ll certainly have the space to keep things moving, you’ll have wasted a lot of resources buying and installing far too much infrastructure.
Capacity planning is all about finding the balance between what you need today and what you’ll need tomorrow, while not wasting time and money purchasing too much. Your IT system keeps your business running, and it’s important to make sure that it continues to flow. By taking a look at your capacity needs and making plans for the future you can make sure that your data is can keep to its course without flooding over or backing up.
Are You IT Tip: Don’t Put Too Much Trust in Your Vulnerability Tracking Software
Vulnerability tracking software can be a tremendous help when you are looking to tighten up security. When you run it regularly, you can find out if you need to update applications or if there are gaps in your security structure. You can take the data, implement it and go on your merry way, right? Sadly, this is just not the case. If only vulnerability tracking were this easy, IT security would be a breeze.
The truth of the matter is that while vulnerability tracking software can be a great way to find some weaknesses, it can’t do everything. It’s just not comprehensive enough, and it cannot think. A true system security review requires perspective, expertise, and creativity. The software, no matter how advanced, isn’t a flexible human mind. In order to fully secure your system, you need the help of a security specialist. This person has the knowledge and ingenuity to implement the best security protocols out there.
The fact that vulnerability tracking software has limitations doesn’t mean that you should stop using it, of course. It can still be a vital part of your security plan when you understand its limitations. Understanding that it has limitations and that you still need human reviews of your security is what really matters. The software is still a great tool, and you should be using every instrument at your disposal to secure your business.
Combining software with human experience is what it really takes to take your security to the next level.
Should You Develop Your Own Software or Buy What’s On the Market?
Depending on the size of your business and how tight of a niche you fill, you may find that your existing software isn’t meeting your company’s needs. There’s some tinkering you can do with most applications, but it isn’t always worth the headache. Is the loss of time and energy working with lackluster software worth creating a proprietary system that truly meets your needs?
Existing software can be very expensive, and finding and evaluating it takes vast amounts of time. While it’s faster to find software that meets your needs than it is to up and build a new program, how can you be sure you’ve seen all of the options?
- Working with an experienced IT consultant can smooth out this process. They know the ins and outs of what’s on the market, and may know ways to tweak what’s out there to make it fit your needs. They also may be able to help you piecemeal a system so that you aren’t paying for more software than you actually need.
- Another option is to build your own software, but that can be time consuming. If it’s the best answer for your company’s productivity, however, then it is absolutely worth the investment. You can focus on the exact specifications you need and build a system tailored to your business. Your IT consultant can help you to evaluate your needs, make suggestions, and walk you through this process. Consultants also have contacts, resources, and knowledge you don’t, all of which can help you decide what option is best for you.
In our tech-heavy business world, the software you run is key to your productivity. It’s important to find a way to maximize your company’s potential efficiently while keeping cost effectiveness in mind. Regardless of whether you buy a system or build it, an IT consultant can lead the way and help you make the right decision.
Telecommuters and Data Loss
It seems like most businesses allow telecommuting these days. Your employees are home working in slippers, or are catching up in a hotel room after a day at a conference. Either way, their productivity is growing, they are enjoying their jobs, and you are reaping the benefits.
Sadly, it’s not all a day in pajamas for remote employment. Telecommuting has some serious security risks that you should be considering.
No matter what they are doing, your employees need to be connected to your network. They are sending emails and data and working with others in a complex environment. Your data is at constant risk. It’s not necessarily in more danger than it is being accessed in the office, but the situation has changed. Your company laptops may have extensive security features in place, but they won’t help a bit if your employees are using their home computers for company business. They need to be trained to only access the network from company machines, and to not allow any company data on their home computers.
Another huge risk is a missing laptop. It doesn’t matter if it’s lost or stolen, your data and access to your network are out there hanging. There are a few steps you can take to make this less of a risk, however, beyond chaining the computer to your employees’ wrists.
For example, you could install software that allows a computer to be permanently disabled from the network if it is lost, and you could ensure all applications and the desktop are web-based. If there’s no data on the machine and no way of getting to the network, all you’ve lost is a computer.
Telecommuting is a radical change in how businesses are run, but it’s worth the risk. For a few tweaks in security you get happier employees and greater productivity. Your data can be safe and network can be secure, and all you have to remember to is ask them to change out of their pajamas before the next video conference.
Information Security for Your Home Business
So you’re looking to run a business out of your home, but you’re worried about securing your site. If you’re selling goods online, you’ll have access to financial data, names, addresses, and other sensitive data. Thieves would love to get a hold of this information, so how do you keep it safe and your business prospering?
The simplest answer is to make sure you have an adequate firewall and anti-virus software. You may be answering emails from around the world, and if a virus gets into your computer, it could allow an attacker access to all of your data as well as your store. Anti-virus software and a firewall are a bit like having locks on your front door. They work to keep most people out, but what about thieves who won’t stop at a lock?
It’s time to think about a comprehensive security system. Just like in a home, a security system helps keep intruders out, and sounds an alarm if the perimeter is breached. If a thief gets in, protocols are in place to call for help and to minimize what can be taken. Doing the same for your home business is the least you owe your customers. The majority of small businesses that suffer a major data loss never recover—don’t let that be you!
If you’re concerned about implementing greater security features, get a little help. You can ask an IT consultant for ideas that will get your security in better shape and keep the thieves out. Your business is an extension of yourself, after all, just like your home. Doesn’t it deserve the best protection it can get?
Can Hacking Tools Improve Your Security?
Right now, someone is scanning your network, looking for gaps in your security. They are reviewing your system for any weaknesses to exploit, hoping to find a few ways into the system that they can use to get inside. The software to do this is easily available if you know where to look, and it’s almost as easy to use. A download, a few keystrokes, and they have a chance of worming their way in and accessing your data and resources. If it’s this easy, why not just do it yourself?
You can get the software, run it, and get intricate details of your capabilities and vulnerabilities. Better yet, since it’s your system, it’s perfectly legal to run the scan. You can discover holes in your security, uninstalled patches, you name it—and fix them before an attacker finds the same loopholes. Think of it as a game, and discover how many ways into your network you can plug. If you find these gaps before they are exploited you can firm up your security with a minimum of effort. It’s amusing as well as useful, so why let the hackers have all the fun?
If you’re worried about how to find these vulnerability exploitation programs, contact an IT security consultant. They can help you find the best programs to safeguard your information network and provide routine checks to make sure everything remains in good working order.
Rethinking the Etiquette of File Sharing by Email
Email etiquette—how 1994! Although it might seem like email etiquette is a thing of the past, most of the same rules still apply. Don’t type in all caps, don’t open attachments from strangers, and, of course, don’t bog down someone’s network with huge files you wouldn’t be happy to receive yourself. In today’s world, however, sending those files can be a business necessity. What’s a company to do?
The easiest plan is to compress the file. Think of compressing like putting the file in one of those storage bags you vacuum the air out of. It’s smaller, easier to pack and send, and requires an extra bit of effort to open it back up. By virtue of being smaller, it’s less likely to clog the recipient’s system or be blocked by their firewall for being too large.
If compressing isn’t the answer, check to see if you have a shared network resource you can place the file on. The recipient can then easily pick the file up without any compressing, unzipping, or hassle. If the recipient is a client or customer you are comfortable with, ask them if there is a shared location you can send the file to. Again, with a minimum of effort they can retrieve the file without any email program getting cranky about it. This is especially important with executable files. Firewalls and anti-virus programs tend to flag these files and may quarantine them if you are sending them by email, whereas with a shared location you can avoid all of the interference.
Last but not least, always explain any attachment you send either by email or to a shared resource. Viruses love to tag along on as attachments, but it’s far less likely one is hooked to a known attachment. That’s old news, but you’d be surprised how often it’s forgotten. Do yourself a favor, and be kind to the people you send files to. It makes good business sense, and that never goes out of style.
Could You Be Enabling Distributed Denial of Service Attacks?
Taking care of network security is getting more difficult, and it’s also getting more dangerous all the time. You know your system is at risk to viruses and attackers. They could find a loophole and gain access to your system and resources, taking you down. But what if they don’t stop there? Did you know they could use your computers as a jumping off point to attack other businesses?
A distributed denial of service attack is when just this sort of attack happens. Denial of service is when your network is attacked and taken out. It becomes a distributed denial of service attack when your resources are then used to attack a third party. It may be emails being sent to crash their network, or massive hits to their system to crash it with the volume of requests, but either way you’ve been compromised and this exploitation is harming others.
It’s one thing to have to secure your own network, but it’s extra important when it comes to protecting others. Not only that, but if your safety standards are found to be lacking, you could be on the hook legally for the damage done to the third party being attacked. Can you believe it? On top of recovering from your own attack you may have to take responsibility for the damage done while you tried to stop it.
Do both yourself and others a favor—make your system security a top priority in your network IT management. It could save you a lot of hassle, and help keep the law off of your case at the same time.
IT Tips: You Might Need to Back Up Your Back Ups
Backing up your data is common practice these days. We’ve all lost a document or a file, and no one wants to go through that again. We certainly don’t want to experience it on a grand scale, trying to recreate staggering amounts of data due to an oversight.
But where do you keep your backups? What are you storing them on? In the event you need them, will they be ready to access so you can get back to business?
We almost all know that a system could crash and our most recent data could be lost, which is why regular back up is part of our standard daily operations. But where do you store your backup? Having it on the premises sounds like a great idea because it’s convenient, since you can access it and get back to work as soon as possible. But what if there’s a fire or a flood? Not only are your systems down, but your data backup is likely destroyed as well, and that’s a terrible position to be in.
Storing your data off site is a much smarter solution. It’s safe if your main facility is destroyed or compromised, and if the backup is somehow destroyed, you still have access to your system and can create a new backup. Keeping this backup off of your network is also a smart plan because you want to keep it safe from hackers and viruses. If it’s not accessible, it can’t be trashed.
Backing up your data is so common it’s hardly thought of, and for good reason. You want to be protected, but you also want to make sure that your data and network aren’t going down together. The only thing worse than having to re-upload your lost data is trying to painstakingly recreate it. Do yourself a favor, and call your IT consultant today to learn how to keep your information off site and off of your network.
Are You At Risk for a Denial of Service Attack?
These days, just about every company poses an Internet security risk. Do your employees use email? Do you have a website? What would happen if either of those were inaccessible or if your entire system crashed? If this idea is making you nervous, you’re probably at risk for a denial of service attack.
Think of your security as the umpire at a baseball game. Balls are being thrown, players are running, and the game is going strong. What would happen if the umpire were taken out? In a denial of service attack, your systems are intentionally asked to handle more input than they possibly can with the goal of shutting you down. It’s like a team of pitchers showing up and throwing balls at the umpire until they knock him out, leaving the game in tatters and the rules by the wayside. The game stops, but the cheaters have access to the field and equipment — your resources. What they plan to do with them is anyone’s guess, but it can’t be good. It’s not a comforting thought, is it?
What if you could enforce the rules and keep the other team from cheating? The good news is, you can.
By knowing you are at risk for a denial of service attack and taking the steps necessary to prevent it, you can keep your game running smoothly. Reviewing your procedures and getting some reliable, specialized help can keep you playing ball. Keeping your security in check and your umpire in action can help you win the game with ease and style. Now that you know there’s a risk out there, how will you step up to the plate?