Many companies are turning to IT managed services for help with keeping their data secure. If a security breach were to occur on company computers and servers, sensitive information such as personal client and employee information, trade secrets, or financial records could be compromised. This could lead to the loss of integrity of the company as well as loss of client trust.
This is where IT managed services come in handy. They can help with making sure servers and networked computers communicate with each other and with the outside world in a safe and efficient manner. More specifically, they can aid in ensuring that your networks, servers, and computers have the latest security software, can fend off malware and viruses, and can be protected overall from information security threats.
Types of Information Security Pitfalls
Here are some of the typical risks a managed services provider can help mitigate:
Attacks from virtual threats. If you use a hypervisor machine (the virtual platform that hosts operating systems), you must make sure to keep its security measures up to date with the latest patches because it is possible for it to be attacked from within the virtual world. If that attack were to occur, all of your servers would be compromised.
The transfer of harmful data packets onto your servers with your knowledge is another viral threat that your company may face. A managed services provider can set up virtual firewalls that will create boundaries between each server and will prevent servers from communicating with non-secure servers.
Lack of network oversight and mindfulness. When hiring an IT managed services professional, a clear line of security responsibility is set so that you and your employees can focus on your own tasks at hand instead of worrying over who is responsible for the company's information security.
Virtual sprawl. It can be easy to keep creating new servers when a company has virtual servers (even when you don't work in the IT department). When more servers are created than being tracked is when a virtual sprawl can occur. This leaves the virtual server susceptible to being attacked from outside forces (hackers). If a server is deliberately created and then forgotten about, the information on it may be at greater risk of being compromised.
IT managed services will help your company create only the servers it needs. A managed services provider can also help prevent virtual servers you aren't aware of from infecting your other servers by installing and updating security patches.
How an Experienced IT Managed Services Company Can Help
An IT managed services firm can help improve and maintain your information security so that, even though a virtual server is out of sight, the security maintenance needed to keep your business up and running is not forgotten about.
A managed services provider can do the following for your company:
-Install, maintain and update security systems on each server and computer.
-So that you are aware of the type of information the servers share, they can set up server scans.
-To help ensure that each new server has a purpose, they can design server-creating protocols.
-Without the proper formatting, a security patch will not be able to protect your server against attacks. Therefore, they can correctly install security patches.
The security of your network is highly important for your company. An IT managed services company can provide the proper support and security monitoring you need in order to prevent or address any potential issues before they impact the productivity, customer relations, and bottom line of your company.
Visit our website to read more about how IT managed services providers can help your company improve its information security. www.Prosum.com is an IT consulting and information technology solutions company that provides business solutions for IT staffing and IT consulting.
Smaller companies rely on various types of services to protect and assist in their business processes. Attorneys handle many of the legal processes and paperwork the business might require and accounting firms take care of all financial procedures and reporting. Managed network services add another consultant to the mix. This consultant is monitoring and enhancing the company's network services and security. Managed network services looks at what your business network needs are and takes the necessary time to make productive decisions. Internet access, security, hardware, applications, and virus protection are just some of the items these services put into practice and monitor. For smaller companies, finding an employee that can manage all these factors at an affordable price can be impossible. Hiring someone at a lower price with inappropriate skills is a risk that most businesses cannot afford to take. The costs incurred by using an outside company to service and maintain the network can be less than having a full time employee on site.
IT Consulting - An Explanation of Network Services
Network services are not as simple as a server and firewall. There are many other shared resources and applications that must be integrated to work with the network being put into place. Printers and scanners must be able to access and update data. Hard drives and other shared data sources have to properly work with the server and other network components. Businesses share resources in many locations and between offices. When data is being shared offsite, it must be protected from theft and loss while still allowing employees access. IT consulting sets up and manages the company network to permit this type of access and keep data safe at the same time. Many resources are not available without a fully functional network. This includes shared email features, documents, and data backups. Having a sound network in place allows employees to easily find company contact information, customer information, schedule meetings, and team up on projects. Files can be shared between employees without having to be emailed as attachments or postal mailing. Further more, this data can be accessed immediately and seen by multiple people at the same time. These are just some of the things IT consulting can do in regards to network services. When they are managed well, they can be one of the most useful technology tools of the company.
IT Outsourcing Services - Improving How Companies Do Business
What can an improved network provided by IT outsourcing services do for your company? They promote collaboration within the company. With network services, your employees can share files with specific permissions. Changes can be tracked on each file so that only the most current information is used. IT outsourcing services provide high end network security. Firewalls are set up to restrict who can access company files from the outside as well as restrict the access of certain employees. They make data recovery available for those times when someone accidentally changes or deletes a much needed file or directory. IT consulting services do much more than this, but all these functions are pertinent to businesses today. Without these capabilities, businesses struggle in their daily activities.
IT outsourcing services provided by IT consulting firms makes the integration of applications, hardware, and peripherals over a network simpler and more rewarding for a business.