4 Strategies for Saving Money on IT Services

Saving money on IT services doesn’t mean cutting back, it means implementing specific proven practices — you just need to know which ones.

Your company runs smoothly because of its steadfast, secure network, email, servers and data systems. There’s no denying that a smart approach to IT is necessary for overall business success. But smart doesn’t have to equal expensive.

Saving money on IT services is more than possible — it’s easy if you adopt these four strategies:

   1. Evaluate Current Processes

It’s vital to regularly examine your business’ protocols and the infrastructure in place to meet demands. You can pinpoint areas where improvements can be made to streamline performance and help maximize time and resources.

   2. Stay Proactive to Eliminate Employee Downtime

You don’t just need help when there’s a breakdown. You need proactive management that prioritizes prevention as well. Once you have a major IT failure, you realize that downtime means losing money. It’s better to prevent the issue in the first place so your employees and your business processes can stay functional and productive.

   3. Replace Outdated, Slow Equipment

It might seem counterintuitive, but saving money on IT services starts with updating all of your old, slow equipment. Yes, it can be cost-effective to make repairs and extend the life of your assets, but there comes a time when it benefits your company to get new systems. Between the jump in speed and efficiency and the reduced need for maintenance, you will find that the advantages outweigh the initial expenses.

   4. Stay Current on Security Updates

Cyberthreats can be a real problem for your business operations if you don’t have the proper security safeguards in place. Make consistent updates to plug-ins and patches and you will lower the risk of virus infection and make it more difficult for criminal hackers to infiltrate your system.

Work with a Managed Services Provider

Ultimately, a business owner or upper-level management executive does not have time to fully devote to these four strategies. Putting a priority on saving money on IT services is difficult even for an internal IT team, considering all the other tasks on their to-do list.

When you contract for managed IT services, your network, servers and systems will get the detailed attention they require for longevity, problem prevention and cost savings. You can return to focus on your company’s goals and you can pay one set price each month that you can count on.

Spend less time thinking about your IT services and more time taking action to grow your company.

Trust Rock Mountain Technology and get more information on how you could be saving money on IT services by relying on a managed services provider that has your organization’s best interests at heart.

How to Choose an Email, Server and Data Security Company

Trusting an email, server and data security company with your organization’s private communications and information is no small decision. When you make your choice, you must be able to do so with the utmost confidence in the firm’s ability to deliver on its promises.

Make sure the data security company you select makes these tasks a central part of their services:

They Constantly Update Patches and Applications

You know that cyber security threats never cease. They constantly evolve in an effort to exploit your system’s weaknesses.

The firm you choose should keep your systems, applications and browsers fully protected and updated with the latest plug-ins. They should keep meticulous records so they know when each device or program was last updated.

They Make Password Security a Priority

Password security is one of the main ways to increase email, server and data security. All user passwords must be changed every 90 days and they must not be repeated. Password generation must be governed strictly, and all employees and users briefed on protocol.

They Help Establish Authentication Procedures

Your security firm should establish a quality, two-step authentication procedure that all network users must follow. Users should be required to verify their identity in multiple ways, like through a PINs or random codes.

They Train Your Employees in Best Practices

Do your employees access your network from home? Do they use mobile phones or tablets? Your email, server and data security team should train employees on how to install the latest firewalls and anti-virus software and help them identify spamming, hacker and impersonation scams.

Training is key to helping all members of your organization ensure the security of personal and professional data.

They Pay Attention to User Access

Which members of your company have access to what data? If you are not well-versed in user access management, it’s likely that your employees can easily view and download confidential data. With a quality security team on your side, you can ensure each user’s range of access fits the requirements of his or her position.

They Maintain and Manage All Accounts

One of the primary ways that hackers gain access to your company’s data is by impersonating a current user or hijacking an outdated, unused account. You need a security team that will remove all inactive accounts and continually monitor user activity as a way to identify threats.

You can trust Rock Mountain Technology to protect your firm from threats with comprehensive, detailed email, server and data security management.