When it comes to IT infrastructure and network reliability, there’s really only one performance metric that matters to your employees and customers: Is it working? IT managers, analysts and support specialists understand there’s not always a simple yes or no answer.

In Part 1, we explained why the benefits of a network refresh far outweigh the risk of continuing to operate outdated network infrastructure. Legacy networks weren’t built to support today’s demands. Automation is more difficult to implement, and compliance and security are tougher to monitor and maintain.

Many small to midsize businesses are hesitant to replace existing technology because they fear high costs and disruption to business operations. At the end of the day, they often decide to roll the dice with what they have rather than deal with the potential risk and uncertainty of the unknown.

Simple strategies to help get your backups into shape.

We know we’re supposed to eat right and exercise but putting that knowledge into practice can be a challenge. Unfortunately, the same holds true for data backups in many organizations.

Businesses without a sound data protection plan leave themselves vulnerable to ransomware and other cyber threats that can corrupt, destroy or deny access to critical information.

Cloud-based security from WatchGuard, combined with end-user training, helps to prevent cyberattacks on devices outside the network perimeter.

Thanks to technology, many workers no longer gather in a specific location to get things done. According to a recent survey by CITE Research, 92 percent of organizations allow employees to work remotely.

Industrial control systems (ICS) such as supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) systems are essential technologies in many industries, allowing organizations to collect, aggregate and analyze data, automate processes and monitor infrastructure over distance.

According to the State of Remote Work report from Buffer, 99 percent of workers would prefer to work remotely at least some of the time until they retire. That’s just about everybody. Another study from FlexJobs and Global Workplace Analytics found that remote work increased by 44 percent in five years and more than 90 percent in 10 years.

Organizations in virtually all industries are embracing technologies that allow them to analyze massive data sets in order to gain market insights, optimize operations and boost profits. However, such big data initiatives raise concerns about data privacy.

Remember about year or so ago when experts believed awareness of ransomware had increased, defenses were improving, and the number of successful ransomware attacks were likely to drop? Wishful thinking.

In a previous post, we discussed why ransomware attacks, after a brief decline, should be among your top five security priorities in 2020. The FBI shares our concerns, warning organizations that ransomware attacks were becoming more targeted, sophisticated and costly.

Data breaches hit an all-time high in 2019, with an estimated 8.5 billion records exposed in more than 5,000 reported breaches. It may not get any better in 2020 as organizations encounter increasingly sophisticated threats while dealing with chronically short-staffed IT security teams.