More and more often, businesspeople find that they need to rely on the Internet to conduct their work. Even if you don’t use the Internet itself that often, you most likely handle a lot of things using technology like computers, tablets, and even phones. Many companies now loan out computers and smartphones to their employees for the duration of their time at the company. Technology makes life easier, so why not take advantage of it? The issue is that sometimes, technology can actually make some tasks more difficult. Technology is a great thing to have, but it can go wrong in a number of ways that are difficult for the typical person to fix. For that matter, the more important information we put on things like computers and tablets, the more risk there is that hackers can steal said information. This doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t take advantage of all that technology has to offer — simply that you should do so with the help of IT consulting experts. IT consulting technology companies can not only help you make your technology more secure — they can also ensure that you get the most out of the technology you use. Below, we’ll look into some of the top issues you should discuss with IT services should you choose to use them.
1. Security
Security is naturally the most important issue when it comes to technology in the business world; but for many, security in technological terms is somewhat abstract. After all, the technology we use isn’t necessarily always easy to understand, and since the information we store on devices like computers is “soft” (like a computer file) and not “hard” (like a paper copy) it can be difficult to understand how that information can be stolen. If a hacker is able to unlock your passwords and log on to your systems, they can conceivably steal almost any information that you keep on your accounts. A lot of companies store private information about their future plans or clients online or on their computer systems, and if this information is leaked or stolen, it can tarnish a company’s credibility permanently. It’s estimated that 20% of all small businesses will be hacked within one year — IT consulting experts can help lower your risk of being hacked, and secure your information in case hackers do gain access to your systems. It’s important to keep all of your passwords for different accounts unique, and to use security software. But at the end of the day, this is something that needs to be discussed with professional IT support companies.
2. Data Backup
There are a number of ways in which data can be lost — sometimes permanently. Data can be destroyed by a virus, or lost due to a system failure. Sometimes, data is lost simply because an employee accidentally destroyed it. This is why it’s so important to have backups available. It’s estimated that 47% of data losses were due to users deleting information, 17% were due to users overwriting data, and 13% were because hackers deleted information. Therefore, any measures that you can take to make copies in a secure way should be taken. Lots of companies utilize the cloud and think that it will be enough to help them store their data. But as IT consulting experts can attest, the cloud, while extremely useful, is imperfect. An estimated 47% of enterprises lost information on the cloud and had to restore it through backups. A backup could be a real lifesaver for companies.
3. Running Systems
Sometimes, it may seem that your systems are running extremely slowly; this can impact a company’s productivity. In fact, often the issue is not due to things like viruses or hardware issues, but simply because a system has too many unnecessary programs running. If your system is running slowly, talk to an IT network support expert before replacing it. A lot can be done to make your system what it needs to be without overspending.