Backup Your Computer With These Cloud Computing Tips

backup your computer with these cloud computing tips

In the business world, there are plenty of ways you can backup your data and keep it safe from threats. As an example, some people use a USB flash drive for securing their data, while others use cloud computing. Speaking of which, the latter option is one of the best ways to backup your computer data. Here are a few cloud computing tips to back up your computer and stay safe.

Cloud Computing tips

First of all, when you store your data via cloud computing, it’s impossible for that info to be physically lost. If a flash drive is one of your common storage methods, for example, it’s easy for the device to get misplaced or stolen. Flash drives aren’t particularly large, after all. With cloud computing, however, you never have to worry about losing track of your stored information.

Another benefit of using cloud computing to backup your computer, is that your data is accessible from anywhere, and an attack on your hard drive would have no affect on it. For example, let’s say that your computer became infected with ransomware, and your files were threatened with deletion. You could still access stored copies of your files from any device that has Internet connection. The biggest factor in these attacks isn’t destroying your computer, but erasing your valuable info. In the long run, cloud computing makes your data pretty much untouchable.

For more information about the best way to backup your computer, feel free to contact us today at AE technology Group. We look forward to hearing from you, and assisting you in the best way possible.

These Should Be The Key Steps In Your Business Continuity Management Cycle

these should be the key steps in your business continuity management cycle

Strong business continuity management helps ensure that your company will keep functioning even when hit with a serious IT disaster. Businesses frequently name cyber attacks as a top threat, but there are other potential disasters as well, including IT infrastructure malfunctions and employee error and negligence.

Business Continuity Management

How do you keep your business running under such circumstances? Consider how different steps of the business continuity management cycle come together to give you resilience against attacks:

Coming up with a coherent plan. Develop your business continuity plan based on the specific needs of your company and its key functions, the details of your IT-step, and the likelihood of various risks you face. The plan requires active involvement from your company’s management and should extend to partners and vendors; employee training is also an important part of it, with employees assigned specific responsibilities during disasters. Make sure to check that your plan works; for example, if part of your plan involves restoring data backups, does the restoration process go as expected, or is it slower and more inconsistent than you can afford?

Maintaining channels of communication. Before any disaster strikes, you’ll need to prepare channels of reliable communication between employees and between your company and individuals and organizations outside of it (ranging from customers to first responders to business partners). What kinds of messages will you send, and when? If your email system is down, can you rely on texts? Consider all possibilities.

Initiating a response. Once a disaster has struck, your plan should specify how your company reacts. This will depend on the nature of the disaster. For example, a physical disaster such as a violent weather phenomenon could prompt an evacuation, with employees ultimately working from outside your office to keep your business running. Your business continuity plan should specify responsibilities, so that there isn’t confusion about who needs to handle what.

Ensuring recovery. If a disaster has knocked your internet out, sent malware rampaging through your systems, or damaged your office equipment, what are the steps you need to take for recovery? At this point, you’d be retrieving or restoring data backups, for instance, or switching to backup systems. Disasters vary in the kind of recovery they require.

Resuming business. After the response and recovery, you should be at a point where you can function as a business, particularly when it comes to your most critical applications and services. This is also an opportunity to look back and see how your preparation and response could have been stronger; you can then make the appropriate changes to your business continuity plan.

Business continuity management encompasses this whole process; it’s vital, if you want to avoid prolonged downtime and permanent destruction of data following a disaster. Please contact us for further advice and assistance with your company’s business continuity plan.

Making Sure Your Software Is Integrated Properly

making sure your software is integrated properly

Managed Services For New York Businesses: For your business to run smoothly, the various components of your IT infrastructure need to work well together – whether it’s two different software programs sharing data or a reliable connection established between pieces of network equipment.

Managed Services For New York Businesses

One example comes from a recent Business 2 Community article on integrating your CRM and CTI solutions.

CRM (customer relationship management) plays a critical role in marketing, sales, and customer retention, including strengthening brand loyalty, timing email marketing campaigns, and following up with customers who have voiced questions or concerns. CTI (computer telephony integration) refers to solutions for coordinating computer and phone interactions.

The article points out examples of how CRM and CTI software can work together to help you field customer calls more efficiently and maintain more accurate, comprehensive records of call times and conversations.

The result is a better understanding of your customers, why they phone in, and what each call has achieved, such as closing a sale or resolving a problem with a customer service representative. The data provides you with potentially powerful insights that help you cater to your customers’ needs more consistently and effectively.

How can your IT managed services provider (MSP) help?

Your MSP will monitor, maintain, safeguard, and improve your IT infrastructure. These responsibilities include helping you integrate software, ensuring that the programs work together properly. They’ll also respond quickly to any problems and help you avoid costly downtime.

From your MSP, you can also receive suggestions for how to make the most of your software – such as combining your CRM solution with Microsoft Outlook or other programs containing relevant customer information. Your MSP can implement automated processes and other shortcuts that improve efficiency and reduce the chances of human error.

To further discuss what an MSP can do for you, please contact us. Gaining an advantage over competitors means, in part, ensuring that all the software and hardware you rely on work together seamlessly.

Make Safer Decisions Involving The Internet of Things

make safer decisions involving the internet of things

Have you heard of The Internet of Things? ZDNet recently published an article called “The Internet of Weaponized Things,” highlighting the potential dangers posed by Internet-enabled devices and services.

Many businesses focus on the convenience and efficiency of such devices (which are undeniably beneficial), while not understanding the full extent of their vulnerabilities to hacking and data leaks.

For example, Internet-enabled security cameras have been hijacked and turned into bots that can launch massive DDoS attacks, bringing down business websites and causing various kinds of downtime and disruption. Devices can be hacked as a way of infiltrating a company’s network and obtaining confidential information, ranging from credit card numbers to personal identifiers.

How can we make these devices safer?

One major step would be to demand and enforce certain cyber security standards for these devices. Currently, many Internet of Things manufacturers disregard cyber security to an alarming degree. An important step in improving standards came recently from Consumer Reports, which plans to include information about a product’s security and privacy as part of its influential reviews.

But businesses need to take the appropriate steps to protect themselves now. They can’t wait for standards to be established at some future point.

The following are some of the steps businesses can take:

  • Carefully evaluate devices before purchasing them.
  • Configure devices properly. For example, make sure to switch from the default password to a more complicated one, use firewalls, and check that the devices aren’t exposed to the public Internet.
  • Understand how the devices are connected to the rest of your network, and ensure that they don’t have an unnecessary connection to sensitive parts of your IT set-up, such as your point-of-sale system.
  • Continuously monitor the activity from these devices to detect signs of cyber attack.

For further advice and assistance, please contact us. As experienced IT professionals, we’ll help you set up, configure, and monitor your devices to help prevent costly cyber attacks and data breaches.

IT Support For Your Business: Four Critical Components of IT Support

it support for your business four critical components of it support

Strong IT support is essential for business growth and success. But how do you know if your business is receiving high-quality IT services? Learn about IT support for your business.

Companies sometimes wind up spending more money in a particular area, such as cyber security, only to find out they haven’t made the right decisions and received comprehensive services.

The following are some of the critical components of IT support for your business:

  1. A proactive stance. Proactive IT support personnel don’t merely react to problems; they anticipate and do everything possible to prevent them. They rely on strategies such as round-the-clock network monitoring and timely maintenance and updates for hardware and software. They also help you with strategic planning, making IT decisions that lay the groundwork for future developments in your business.
  2. Multi-faceted, layered cyber security defenses. These include training employees in safer computing habits, installing firewalls and anti-malware software on company devices, implementing strong and accurate anti-spam programs, managing complex user log-in credentials, and remaining vigilant for suspicious network activities.
  3. Simplified support. Whether you’re having a problem with a piece of equipment or a software program, you know exactly who to call. You don’t need to start talking to multiple technicians or support specialists from a variety of companies. Just contact your IT support team, and they’ll handle the situation in a timely, reliable way.
  4. Dependable data backups. Your data is valuable, and your business development depends on avoiding permanent data loss, particularly for sensitive or critical information. IT support professionals can help you come up with reliable ways to regularly back up your data. The backups should be comprehensive and easily retrievable in the event of an IT disaster.

If you wish to find out more about the critical components of high-quality IT support for your business, please contact us. We’re dedicated to protecting your company, safeguarding your data, and ensuring productive and efficient business operations.