What would you do if you turned off your computer and all your files were gone? What would you do if none of the programs worked or had also vanished?

This is stressful on a personal computer, but what if this happened on your work laptop? Or for your office?

Would you have to start from scratch? Or would you have copies of the data saved and ready to reinstall?

Backup and recovery systems safely store data from a designated timeframe in case data is erased or compromised.

Internet connections are not one-way streets. Websites “talk” to your computer, sending and receiving information.

But is there any way to tell if the information source is dangerous? If it is, how do you stop it from sending malware or stealing your information?

Firewalls were invented to tackle these exact concerns.

Cybercrime is a growing industry. Every 39 seconds, there’s a new cyberattack somewhere on the web. These aren’t just targeted attacks at major industries and name brands. If you’re connected to the internet, you’re a potential target.

So, what can you do to protect your company data from cybercriminals?

In the last ten years, both cybercrime and cybersecurity have changed drastically.

Have you recently hired a developer to create software for you but find the lack of deadlines confusing? Or maybe your IT provider is working with strict deadlines, but you feel the lack of communication is frustrating?

These different approaches are due to two main project management styles: Waterfall and Agile.

When a new employee joins your business, do you know what they need to get their email up and running?

If you're using Microsoft 365, purchasing licensing can be tricky the first time you sign up. However, even experienced buyers may be frustrated when setting up licensing for multiple employees.

IT providers often describe their relationships with their clients as “partnerships.” But how do you know if your IT partnership is helping your business? Is it saving you money, time, and frustration?

Or is your partnership increasing your stress and draining your budget dry?

A good partnership will not only save you frustration, but, in the long run, it can help save money and protect your business from ill-fitting IT investments by using a customized IT strategy.

As technology becomes a more significant part of our daily lives, it also becomes increasingly important in business. But how do you know if you’re spending too much or too little on technology for your organization?

Spending too much on technology and IT infrastructure can decrease your profits through unnecessary spending.

What happens if, suddenly, one of your IT systems fails? Who do you call? How do you respond? How long until you can come back online and continue working?

If you don’t create response plans for IT system failures and emergencies, you could lose valuable data, time, reputation, and profits while gaining immense frustration.

When IT systems fail, companies lose profits until systems come back online. If data backups aren’t set up or fail, data vanishes, deleting hours, days, or even years of work and information.

So, what can organizations do to minimize downtime and protect data in a crisis?

Your company’s internal IT department or IT provider can help you create an incident response plan.

When selecting IT investments, it can be difficult to choose when and how to make wise purchasing decisions. You don’t want to spend too much on a poor investment, nor do you want to fail to act and lose money.

Regarding IT system and security risks, failure to decide could have disastrous consequences.

Have you ever received a warning or notice that your computer operating system was reaching End of Life? Or that a software program you use would be at the End of Support soon? What do these phrases mean, and how do they affect your business?

End of Life and End of Support for technology means that it is no longer supported by the makers of these products.

What happens if your business grows significantly, and you don’t have the right hardware or software to accommodate the growth? You might find yourself faced with ill-matched technology and productivity delays, not to mentioned significant frustration from both your clients and employees.