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SMB’s Turning to Outsourced IT in Greater Numbers

SMBs turn to managed IT services to cut IT costs

Managed IT ServicesIn these trying economic times, small- and medium-sized businesses are turning to an outsourced IT solution (Managed IT Services) in ever greater numbers.  This kind of service gives companies the freedom to enjoy technologies that were previously the exclusive domain of their larger competitors.  They find that their productivity levels are boosted, without the issue of having to find space in an already squeezed IT budget for specialist staff and hardware updates.

Going back a number of years, it was expected that businesses would adapt and upgrade their private IT resources as required.  Although it was not cheap, investing in IT was vital if they were to meet the changing demands of their client base.

Thankfully, all that has now changed with the emergence of the managed service provider (MSP) and a whole raft of data center hosting options.  These offer an ideal alternative to costly and complex IT ownership, ensuring every type of enterprise benefits from the latest technological advances.

SMBs are also attracted to IT outsourcing for the accessibility aspect. When you encounter a problem there is no longer any need to call out a member of your IT team or pay for the services of a freelance expert.  Instead, the majority of providers ensure their helpdesk is manned around the clock.

There is far less of a security risk when a firm of specialists is monitoring your IT infrastructure. They not only take care of your data, but also back up your files, so in the event of a hardware failure, they can get you back on your feet quickly.

Finally, as Sophie Devonshire, the founder of Babes with Babies, a SMB out of London, England points out: “As a business owner I’d rather spend more on my staff and my customers than on my IT support and a traditional office set up, so the cost savings are critical.”

Learn more about the author Bob Martin

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An Easy Way SMB’s Can Use the Cloud to Save Money

Cloud IT Support to Save Capital Expenditures

Managed IT ServicesIt is invariably true that no single business strategy is appropriate for all firms.  When it comes to cloud computing, however, the vast majority of businesses do find that it lives up to its central promise of reducing IT expenditures by reducing costs associated with on-premises infrastructure.

Earlier this year, a survey was conducted by RackSpace in the UK, and it involved interviewing more than 1,200 businesses in both the US and UK.  All of the businesses in question had made use of cloud strategies in one form or another.  Remarkably, only the small minority of 17% felt that cloud computing had failed to save them money.  In contrast, nearly four times as many business users – some 66% – reported that cloud computing had indeed allowed them to trim costs associated with IT.  The remainder of respondents offered no opinion on the cost issue.

The survey also provided much more detailed information regarding business use of cloud computing and in particular the cost savings that could be garnered by moving applications to the cloud.  For example, nearly 20% of companies queried indicated that IT cost savings had exceeded 25%, while a further 41% reported slashing IT costs between 10% and 25%.

Nor was cost savings the only benefit of cloud computing.  More than half of respondents indicated that using cloud services helped them to implement projects faster, and a similar proportion said that cloud computing had helped them to increase their profits.

A similar survey arranged by Intermap focused on businesses that have yet to make the switch to cloud computing, but who may be considering running applications that run in the cloud.  Optimism is high among such businesses, with 41% anticipating cost savings in their IT departments.

The Simplest Cloud Based Application

It is a no brainer application of the cloud:  Using the cloud for Data backup and recovery.  By using the cloud, SMB’s can avoid having to pay large costs of purchasing and maintaining servers to replicate their data.  Having the process take place by a hosted cloud service frees up capital, utility costs, and office space for network replication.

A recent article by Jasmina Vermezovic from LiveBackup on Asigra’s Blog entitled “How backup centralisation reduces the risks and the costs of the cloud” supports this.

“Centrally managed backup that supports all platforms and devices allows companies to focus on business goals, users, and data, instead of technologies and devices. It also makes sure that information is safe all the time and, most importantly, accessible and restorable whenever needed.

With a single point backup overview it is becoming increasingly easier not only to manage, but to plan future data protection directions.

Centralisation therefore adds to the intangible value of the company that can be hard to calculate without taking some facts into consideration. Just think how much each hour of downtime would result in lost opportunity, shaken customer loyalty, damaged reputation, and lowered employee morale.”

Great Lakes Computer’s IT Support and Managed IT Services can help you strategize how to take advantage of the cost savings of cloud backup.  Contact us today to discuss using Asigra as your cloud based disaster backup solution.

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Learn more about the author Bob Martin

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Recent Cyber Crime Attacks and The Importance of AntiVirus Updates

Stay alert and protect your business from virus infiltration

Data ProtectionsAt a recent cyber security summit, the Attorney General of Nebraska, Jon Bruning admitted that even he had fallen victim to the crime of identity theft, underlining the very real possibility that anyone could be next.

A second, possibly even less likely target was Schrock Innovations, a computer maintenance firm that experienced a so called “ransom virus” attack.  Here, the perpetrators restricted access to the company’s records, refusing to hand them back until a substantial sum was handed over.  Luckily, in a move that should be a valuable lesson to all business owners, Schrock had backed up its data in two separate locations.  This saved them paying out $500 for each file they would have wanted released.

In reference to an attack that targeted credit card giants Visa, Thor Schrock, the CEO of the company, pointed out that: “People don’t seem to make that connection that we’re transitioning from a world of physical theft to a world of digital theft,” adding, “This is a real crime that costs real money, but a lot of people don’t see the individual responsibility to protect their individual machine…Protection costs money.”

There are measures you can take to prepare your business for the inevitable approach of cyber criminals, however; starting with an awareness of your company’s weak spots.  Your security solutions should be manifold, beginning with installing a reliable and tested antivirus and antimalware program on your system and once it is there, be sure to keep it updated regularly.  Next, investigate the stability of any third party providers that are involved in your enterprise, check that they too are managing their safeguarding responsibilities effectively.

Finally, bear in mind that for each size of business, from multinationals to local start-ups, your staff are the first line of defense when it comes to computer safety.  Include them in any briefings, take their concerns seriously and act upon any tip offs they give before it is too late.

Is your Anti-Virus doing what you paid for it to do?

Give us 30 minutes of your time, and we can run a full agentless network scan to give you peace of mind, knowing your network is optimized and secure.

Our scan includes:

    • Vulnerabilities & Security assessment  – what users have access to what systems, and what systems are configured with what permissions
    • Network Assessment – Network Assets, settings and configurations
    • Exchange Assessment – A comprehensive scan of the entire MS Exchange or Office 365 platform

All the things that ensure your systems are running at peak performance.  You will also gain peace of mind that your IT Service and Network Service providers are doing what you are paying them to do.

NO OBLIGATION – JUST 30 MINUTES OF YOUR TIME

This is a new service for Great Lakes Computer, using the powerful Network Detective Tool.  We are offering this for free for a limited time, with no obligations.  We are simply asking for 30 minutes of your time to run the scan and offer suggestions on how we can help.

Call us today at 877-578-5285, or click on the button below.

Schedule Your Assessment

Learn more about the author Bob Martin

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AppAssure: End-to-End Data Protection

AppAssure is a unique backup software product

Dell AppAssureIn this white board video you’ll see how we’ve captured the capabilities of our product in a straight-forward yet interesting way.

When you eliminate the data protection gaps found in most backup and recovery solutions, your organization can have even more assurance that it can access critical data when it needs it most. That’s why Dell AppAssure protects not just data, but the applications and operating systems required to access that data.

So how exactly do we ensure total data protection without the gaps?  AppAssure:

    • Keeps backup batches lighter with block-level protection
    • Provides near-instant recovery of your entire server
    • Deduplicates content before it goes to storage
    • Verifies the success of every backup

See how AppAssure’s end-to-end protection helps you protect data continuously, move data anywhere and recover everything.

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Learn more about the author Bob Martin

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How to Determine the Hidden Costs of Printing

MPS Providers more financially beneficial in terms of TCO

Managed print servicesWhether your business houses just a couple of printers, or an entire roomful, it’s likely that the running costs are a drain on your resources that you’d rather avoid.  When you take the time to add up exactly what you are spending in terms of the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO), it’s likely that you’ll find a managed print services provider to be a more financially beneficial option.

When it comes to working out the TCO of a printer, you’ll need to factor in not just the cost of each machine, but also the cost per page, its dependability and maintenance charges.  A printer is one of the most high-maintenance of all computing devices, as it has so much mechanical action going on under the lid.  Certain components, such as the transfer belt, are expected to produce a specific volume of work before needing to be replaced, while others will become worn in a less predictable fashion, due to everyday wear and tear.

A second factor to consider is the working practice of your end users; are they mindful of which device to use, or are they inclined to use printers in error?  Staff cannot be expected to get it right every time, but sending documents to the wrong machine wastes time as well as resources.  Moreover, printers that are ill equipped to cope with a high demand may require higher levels of paper and ink to cope.

Reduce print costs by 30%

The president of the outsourcing company eMazzanti Technologies, Jennifer Mazzanti, explains that: “With managed print services, a company may be able to reduce print and supply costs by as much as 30 percent while improving the company’s document production capabilities.”  When you consider the associated costs, outsourcing your printing needs may be a sensible way of streamlining and optimizing your print output.

How much are you truly spending on print costs?

Great Lakes offers a FREE PRINT COST ASSESSMENT that provides critical inforrmation, helping you reduce your overall IT spending, and determine the hidden costs of printing.

Our trained technicians identify areas of your print operations where you can save money, become more efficient, or both.

    • What is your cost per page, and what should it be?
    • How much are you spending on paper, ink and toner cartridges, and how productive are they?
    • What is the cost of printer repair and maintenance?
    • Have you recently reviewed your print network strategy?
    • Is data on your print network secure?

This assessment is completely free, with no obligation.  Start saving up to 30% today!

Free Print Cost Assessment

Learn more about the author Bob Martin

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200,000 New Cyber Attacks DAILY

War against cyber attacks thunders on

Data SecurityAccording to research carried out by antivirus and antimalware experts Kaspersky, unfamiliar types of cyber attack are on the increase, with 200,000 now being reported on a daily basis, in comparison to just 25 per day in 1994.  The problem of safeguarding an IT system is now twofold; not only are the hackers becoming increasingly sophisticated in their attacks, but conventional antivirus software is designed to look for known issues and can, therefore, miss the latest bugs.

Jeremiah Grossman works at WhiteHat Security, which is based in California.  He believes that in terms of online safety; “The cards are stacked in the bad guys’ favor.”  He explains that “Every couple of months you see there’s this major virus outbreak that everybody missed,” and most enterprise software is struggling to keep up.

The fact is that worldwide we are spending a fortune on services designed to protect us online, $8.4 billion this year alone, as reported by Gartner.  As Mr Grossman says: “people are paying more money to be less secure,” when it comes to their computer protection.

However, technology companies are continually working on behalf of their corporate clients to make the online world a safe place to do business.  They suggest using protection that wraps around your software in layers, allowing your IT department to monitor the operating system effectively.  Moreover, the latest antimalware is designed to watch for any inconsistencies and anomalies in a computerized network.  Activity that the program considers to be suspicious or unexpected is immediately frozen out.

Remember that a comprehensive approach is vital, so adopt a strategy that is observed by every employee.  At each level, staff should be aware of your business’s internet safety protocols so they avoid basic errors, such as clicking on random links and opening attachments from an unfamiliar source.  Computer protection and data security are vital requirements for every size of company and a multifaceted approach to online security will lessen the threat posed to both your software and sensitive information.

How to Know if your Computer has a Virus?

Follow these computer repair steps by Great Lakes Computer should you suspect your computer’s data protection has been compromised with a virus or malware.


From: http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=012000E3WF30

Learn more about the author Bob Martin

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