SMART Blog

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.

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.

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.

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?

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Many organizations that don’t have the same breadth of funding and services might wind up spending more capital in attempts to compete with these larger organizations, but the way forward isn’t always clear. For small businesses that have trouble managing the many moving parts of their business, communication is key--especially in an age where so many businesses have remote employees who are not always in the office to speak to directly. We’ll discuss what the modern face of communications looks like with a particular focus on conferencing services.

Your business seems to be humming along nicely and, BOOM, a disaster hits. Whether this disaster is caused by an act of God, a cybercriminal, or one of your own employees, you have to be ready. Today, we will look at several statistics that show you just how important having a well strategized data backup and disaster recovery plan is.

Ransomware has now been a major threat to businesses and other organizations for a couple of years, and 2018 is no different. For those who don’t know, ransomware is a form of malicious software (malware) that threatens the elimination of hijacked and encrypted data if a user doesn’t pay a ransom. It is known to be one of the most prolific and pervasive threats seen on the Internet today. We will take a look at how ransomware has evolved over the past several years, what the future of ransomware looks like, and what you can do to protect yourself against it.

Phishing scams have one of the most descriptive names in all of computing, mostly because of how similar phishing is with fishing. Just as one does when one goes fishing, bait is dangled in the hopes of getting a bite - but to take the comparison one step further, different types of bait can be used, depending on the catch one is trying to make.

If your computer is running Windows 7 as its operating system, it’s time to start thinking about the future. Microsoft has officially unveiled the End-of-Life date for Windows 7, meaning that they will eventually stop supporting computers running the much-loved operating system. What does this mean for your business? Let’s find out.

The modern worker (or really, the modern person) spends a lot of their time looking at a computer screen. Considering this, it only makes sense that their screens and the items displayed on them are arranged in a way that they like. Our tip covers a few shortcuts to help you arrange and view the items on your workstation a little quicker.

Managing business technology is not easy, especially if your budget doesn’t accommodate an internal IT department. You want professionals who know what they are doing to be the first ones handling your organization’s technology solutions, but sometimes this simply isn’t possible. While the concept of outsourcing technology management and maintenance to a third party sounds strange at first glance, it sure beats just about any other alternative out there--and for good reason.