Businesses across the globe are expanding their use of cloud-based Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) solutions to support hybrid work models, modernize IT environments and improve agility. In the process, many are also inadvertently putting business-critical data at risk.
One of the great challenges of remote work is that at-home employees are quite likely to encounter technical problems they can’t resolve themselves. They need responsive IT support to remain productive, but only the largest organizations are likely to have the resources necessary to provide around-the-clock remote support for scattered workforces.
As we enter National Cybersecurity Awareness Month, it is hard to escape the conclusion that cybersecurity has never been more important — or more difficult.
Threats are growing more frequent, sophisticated and costly. Data, devices and other assets keep moving beyond the reach of network perimeter defenses.
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To one degree or another, almost every business today is dependent upon technology. While smaller organizations may not require enterprise-class systems and platforms, they almost certainly are using communication and collaboration tools, networked computers, cloud services and a variety of applications.
The break/fix approach was once the standard model for acquiring IT support. When a company needed computer repairs, network tuning, printer support or any other form of tech-related service, they engaged a solution provider on a straightforward fee-for-service basis and paid the bill once the work was completed.
By some estimates, more than two-thirds of all businesses in the U.S. work with a managed services provider (MSP) to improve the efficiency, reliability and security of their critical IT operations. As technology environments become more complex, the demand for these services continues to build — analysts are predicting the market will grow by nearly 75 percent over the next five years.
The pandemic has forced organizations to rapidly implement remote work strategies in order to sustain operations. The transition has largely been successful thanks to an array of cloud-based applications, collaboration tools and remote access technologies.
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.
The answer to this question depends upon who you ask. If you ask a vendor who claims to be a managed services provider (MSP), there’s a good chance the definition you hear will sound exactly the same as that vendor’s marketing materials.
If you ask the average small to midsize business owner or IT manager, their definition of managed services will probably sound a lot like the traditional break-fix model of IT support.
Without access to business applications, data and cloud resources, many organizations can’t function. In a best-case scenario, operations are severely limited, which results in low productivity, missed deadlines, lost sales, a poor customer experience and high mitigation costs.
