By the DynaSis Team

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With bad news about cybersecurity hitting the media nearly daily (including recent attacks on healthcare organizations), it’s hard for a business owner to know what to do. It’s also easy to think, “Let’s focus on securing what we have and not add anything else to the mix.” Certainly, securing corporate assets (along with training the employees not to expose them) is a sound idea. However, refusing to explore new ideas and technologies out of concern for security isn’t the safest strategy.

One approach that has proven security value is virtualization. With virtualization, a company’s files and other digital assets are distributed by designated criteria and stored, not all together on one physical or cloud server, but rather on multiple “virtual” servers. These are discrete partitions, each of which can have its own level of security, access control and other protections, yet all can reside on a single on-premise or cloud resource. Assets can be separated by user, with each department or employee having its own virtual resource; by security need, with public, private and sensitive/proprietary files each on different virtual servers; or by any other criteria.

It may be a bit confusing to imagine how a group of files on a single server can be separated so completely, so here’s an analogy. Consider an overcoat with one or more hidden pockets. The wearer can put his wallet and all other valuables into one hidden pocket, but if a thief finds the pocket, everything will be gone. He or she could also divide those valuables among several hidden pockets, reducing the chances of the thief finding all of them—and increasing the time it takes. One or more pocket could be secured with multiple defenses, making those valuables the safest, of all.

Expanding this example, imagine now that owner is carrying candy for his or her small children and a present for the spouse. He or she puts the candy in a hidden pocket at the waist, but puts the presents in a zippered breast pocket. Upon arriving home, the children can find the candy quickly, because they can reach—and know how to open—the right pockets. However, they won’t be able to reach or see the hidden present intended for someone else.

That’s exactly how virtualization works. It isolates data in the manner that the corporate decision maker desires, making it more difficult not only for outsiders to find it, but also for the firm’s own “children”—employees—to discover files they are not supposed to see or access. Virtualization also makes is easier and less expensive to secure mission critical resources, since the most aggressive security efforts can focus on a single “pocket” rather than the entire coat.

Virtualization used to be considered one of the more advanced IT solutions, but that is no longer the case. Managed services firms routinely orchestrate virtualization for their customers. However, the best, most experienced managed IT services companies proactively work with organizations to ensure virtualization solutions optimize security and productivity while minimizing cost and complexity.

Selection of an IT outsourcing company is a very important business decision. For almost a quarter century, Atlanta’s small to mid-sized businesses have relied on DynaSis’ for managed IT services, internet security, and 24 x 7 x 365 helpdesk support. Today, with cybercrime becoming an ever-increasing threat, DynaSis has become an industry leader in network protection and ransomware prevention. Please take a tour through our website at www.DynaSis.com or speak with a technical expert at 678.218.1769.

By the DynaSis Team

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We recently saw an article on virtualization that also discussed “data protection.” That is not surprising, given that a Google search of the term “data protection” returns 269,000 results. What caught our attention was the use of those two words to describe protecting corporate data from loss or corruption. While that is the traditional technology definition of data protection, it is different than data security, which is protecting your data from unauthorized and/or inappropriate access, storage or use by insiders or outsiders.

This distinction has been muddied recently by issues surrounding data privacy. One example is the demise of “Safe Harbor”– a policy agreement that governed how U.S. entities would handle the data of European Union (EU) citizens. The agreement expired and is being replaced with a new approach, Privacy Shield, which you can read about here. Articles about it, and the negotiations between the U.S. and EU, often referred to “data protection” as a quick way of saying “ensuring data privacy through clearly defined safeguards.”

The Scoop on Data Protection

To set the record straight from a technology perspective, data protection is a collective term for a firm’s plan to evaluate, catalog and protect information assets from application/user/machine malfunctions and errors, malware or other detrimental software, and facility outages/disruptions. Data protection encompasses such efforts as backup, storage and recovery.

As mentioned above, data protection also includes preventing or limiting data loss due to malware attacks. However, for the purposes of this definition, it doesn’t include data privacy or intrusion detection/prevention. Those efforts are vital to organizational safety, but from the viewpoint of an IT support company, they fall under the category of data security.

When managed properly, either in-house or through a managed services provider, data protection should include data lifecycle management (DLM). With DLM, organizations proactively control data not only during its effective useful life but also afterward, when they no longer need ongoing access to it but may be required to maintain it for compliance or other requirements. DLM covers data archiving as well as data disposal in a manner that does not allow its retrieval.

Data protection can also include such efforts as continuous data protection (CDP), where automated technology updates enterprise backups as changes to the primary systems are made. Backup generally occurs on a schedule that corresponds to the business owner’s risk tolerance, which might mean truly continual backup or could involve taking a “snapshot” of the data every hour, day or even week.

Data protection is a big, complicated and important topic requiring an in-depth IT solution, so we will discuss it frequently, sharing news we come across. Next week, we’ll discuss desktop virtualization, a type of virtualization that be a boost to data protection, when configured properly.

Specializing in managed IT services and network security, Atlanta based DynaSis has been supporting small to midsized business for almost a quarter century. Among the services we provide are cloud computing through the DynaSis Business Cloud, 24 x 7 x 365 helpdesk support, and real-time monitoring enabling us to deal with “issues” before they become problems. For more information, please call DynaSis at 678.218.1769 or visit www.DynaSis.com.

The Challenge

When Betty Lea, MBA, Chief Financial Officer, started at MAAC, the entire team consisted of two people, including

Betty herself. As the staff grew (there are now more than 40), and their IT needs expanded, Betty found that she became the go-to person for anything IT related. “I was spending too much of my time dealing with IT issues so we brought in a third-party IT service to handle these things for us,” says Betty, “but over time, as we grew, we simply outgrew them and needed to look for a larger, more diverse IT company that could handle our growing needs.”

The Solution

Betty asked DynaSis to perform a complimentary IT Assessment, the results of which revealed that MAAC’s desire to move to the cloud, while staying within a tight non-profit organization budget, was attainable. DynaSis immediately implemented its Managed IT Services full service support plan, and then laid out a plan to upgrade MAAC’s IT network over a 15-month period. The first upgrade came when MAAC’s email was migrated to Office 365. Along the way, file data was moved to DynaSis Blue, a cloud file share platform, and the overall server footprint was reduced. DynaSis also coordinated with Internet and cabling providers as they executed a smooth transition when MAAC relocated to a larger suite of offices. Upgrades came with this move in the form additional Wi-Fi access points, new firewall, switches, and printers.

DynaSis also assigned a personal Technical Account Manager to work with MAAC. The vCIO now meets quarterly with Betty and her team to discuss any issues that may arise as well as to plan for the future.

The Result

According to Betty, “DynaSis’s service is support centric and has gotten us to where we need to be, on budget with a much more stable system.” Importantly, DynaSis has taken the IT load off of Betty’s shoulders. “We have far fewer IT issues these days and for those that we do have, their centralized system takes care of 95% of the issues I used to deal with.”

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By the DynaSis Team

Almost as long as there have been heroes and villains, there have been stories about “super powers”—superhuman or supernatural abilities possessed by normal humans. So prevalent are these “powers” in history and fiction that Wikipedia lists more than 250 of them.

Organizations can have (or appear to have) super powers, too. While they may not be paranormal or supernatural, the most successful businesses all have attributes that make their customers and competitors say, “How do they do that so well?” “It doesn’t seem possible!”

Here’s an example. Some businesses not only anticipate when customers need to reorder products; they also project what other products and services the firms will want or need, next. They know exactly when to approach their customers, as if they were reading the decision makers’ minds.

In reality, these companies and their sales people are likely harnessing and analyzing available data to discern patterns and then making educated assumptions. Ten years ago, this wasn’t possible, but a new crop of business intelligence tools is revolutionizing the information and insight available to proactive firms.

Technology Has Super Powers, Too

Super powers can appear in any area of the business. Since DynaSis is an information technology (IT) and managed IT services firm, our President, David (Dave) Moorman, focused on technology when he began exploring super powers. At first glance, one might assume that technology super powers are all related to operation, such as the ability to keep systems and networks functional 99.999% of the time.

Although availability (along with mobility and security) is a cornerstone of business success, it’s not, by itself, a super power. Dave determined that the greatest technology super power is something most organizational leaders don’t consider. He calls it “technology capability,” which he defines as “an organization’s ability to create business value through its IT assets and competency.”

IT hardware and software can support business functions, but by themselves they don’t propel a company’s success. Similarly, having workers that can use technology at a basic level may get tasks done, but it won’t take a business to the top. Rather, companies that develop true IT capability are those that have adopted the most appropriate technologies and are using them in the most effective ways—and whose employees are working with them in a collaborative, connected fashion.

As Dave noted in his article, Technology Capability: Your Business “Super Power,” which you can download here, “IT assets alone do not equal capability. How a company makes use of those assets, and how well it integrates them—both with one another and across the enterprise—is what drives organizational prosperity, competitiveness, agility and innovation.”

Such an approach promotes outcomes where the total accomplishment is greater than the sum of its parts. In doing so, organizations can take a significant step towards becoming a business “super power,” themselves. In the article referenced above, Dave digs into the specifics of how organizational leaders can begin this journey by developing IT capability for their own firms. We hope you will enjoy reading it.

For small to midsized business owners and executives who are concerned about managed IT support services and network threat protection, DynaSis is one company that has been at the forefront since 1992. In this ever evolving world of cybercrime, crypto virus and network access protection have become critical to every company’s security. DynaSis also provides 24 x 7 x 365 outsourced managed IT services, with its own trained staff for helpdesk, real-time monitoring and the DynaSis Business Cloud, for highly secure data storage and backup. You can find out more by calling us at 678.218.1769, or checking out our website at www.DynaSis.com.

By the DynaSis Team

When we speak with companies for the first time, one activity we always suggest is an IT Assessment. Unless a firm has recently had an assessment—or is so well organized and disciplined that it’s systems and network are always up to date and running at peak condition—an IT Assessment can be an instrumental planning tool.

Yet, some business leaders don’t understand the value of an IT Assessment, or they are worried it will be too disruptive to their business. Others are concerned that the true purpose of the assessment is to sell them expensive upgrades they cannot afford.

If you have refused an offer of an IT Assessment for these or other reasons, and you have never experienced the benefits of an IT assessment, we hope you will read this article. In the rapidly evolving world of technology, firms simply cannot decide where they want to go, and then plan to go there in a cost-effective, practical fashion, until they have had an IT Assessment.

Many companies work with technology every day without any idea of the condition of their IT networks and whether their systems are functioning at an optimal, or even an acceptable level. Most do not fully know what IT assets (hardware and software) are in use. Without this information, a business decision maker cannot possibly prioritize and manage the technology initiatives that minimize downtime, security holes and other operating problems. An IT Assessment provides exactly the insight and visibility that organizations need to gain this knowledge and prepare for a brighter technology future.

As was pointed out in a recent article on IT complexity and reliability (an interesting, if fairly high-level read): “Since it is impossible to avoid failures in IT systems, modern IT operations strive to minimize the impact of failure by increasing the responsiveness of systems (i.e. automatic failover) and people (i.e. incident response) when problems arise.”

There is no better way to start the process of increasing system responsiveness, and to gain beneficial insight into the problems that affect people (and are caused by them), than with an IT Assessment. Best of all, the most proficient Managed IT Service providers can conduct an IT assessment with minimal disruption to the workforce or corporate operations. Much of the information gathering can be handled by running an assessment tool that only collects system and inventory information and does not collect any company data, causing little to no system impact.

DynaSis recently released a white paper entitled “The Value of an IT Assessment.” It offers more information on how organizations benefit from IT Assessments and details what they should expect when they engage in them. We invite you to read it at your convenience.

DynaSis has been providing managed IT support services to Metro Atlanta’s small to midsized businesses since 1992. We provide Availability—making sure your network is up and running; Mobility— allowing your employees world-wide access to your network; and Security—as an Internet security company, we resolve “issues” before they grow into problems. If you want to learn more, please visit www.DynaSis.com, or call us at 678.218.1769.

By the DynaSis Team

In looking at disaster recovery options, we recently came across an interesting article on “future proofing a colocated data center.” It offers suggestions for how companies can make the right choice when hiring another company to “colocate” their data (replicate it to a second location). It focuses on companies that are moving away from  maintaining their own data centers, and it’s an interesting read.

It made us think about the specific questions business leaders should ask an IT service provider regarding off-site data storage, not only for backup but also for disaster recovery. Increasingly, business decision makers are realizing that creating and storing physical backups, whether onsite or offsite, is a tedious task and often not the most practical choice. Especially in the case of a true disaster, like the tornados that swept through the south last week, being able to access business data quickly, if not immediately, rather than going through an arduous restore process with new equipment, can truly be a business lifesaver.

Three top issues in disaster recovery

Today, let’s consider three top issues that business leaders should never take for granted when purchasing hosted disaster recovery services—and yet, they often do.

Availability: Does the provider own or lease data center space at a location that is geologically, politically and economically stable? Many business owners know that weather is a consideration, but what about data centers hosted outside the U.S., or even data centers in economically challenged areas within the U.S.? Before you purchase data storage and retrieval services, make sure you are comfortable with the location where your data will be stored.

Resource Continuity: Does the facility have multiple independent power sources, on-site power generation that is reliable and can run for a long time (preferably, a week or more), and redundant Internet connectivity options, such as both Internet service and telecommunications providers? If the data center relies on a local water source for cooling, is the water source stable, year-round? A data center is only as reliable as the resources that service it.

Stability: How about the stability of the company running the data center? Does the firm have a long history of stable operation, or has it recently changed hands? Does the firm that will manage your data stores (whether they own their data center or lease it) have in-house personnel working for you, or do they rely on independent contractors or offshore assistance?

Furthermore, are you comfortable with the escalation process if a disaster occurs, or if you have a question or problem? It does little good to have your data stored in a safe, available facility if you cannot get anyone to help you in the middle of the night. Remember that during a true disaster, the provider’s staff may be the only team that's available to keep your business in operation.

All of these details, and more, should be spelled out in your SLA—Service Level Agreement. Don’t take anyone’s word or assurance that a feature or function is guaranteed. Get it in writing.

Specializing in managed IT services and network security, Atlanta based DynaSis has been supporting small to midsized business for almost a quarter century. Among the services we provide are cloud computing through the DynaSis Business Cloud, 24 x 7 x 365 helpdesk support, and real-time monitoring enabling us to deal with “issues” before they become problems. For more information, please call DynaSis at 678.218.1769 or visit www.DynaSis.com.

DynaSis, Atlanta’s premier provider of IT services and support for small and midsized businesses (SMBs), today announced it has launched an updated, redesigned website at www.dynasis.com. The site’s information and structure were specifically developed to target the questions and interests of a broad range of business professionals. Colorful, interactive visuals supported by crisp, concise copy will enable site visitors to find the answers they need, quickly, yet also will help them explore DynaSis’ offerings in greater depth.

“As a leading managed IT services and cloud provider for SMBs, our focus is on providing ‘IT for the Common Man,’ and we want our website to reflect that fact,” said DynaSis President Dave Moorman. “So many technology websites today are filled with confusing technical jargon and explanations that they might as well be written in secret code. The DynaSis website offers an approachable alternative—it’s straightforward, honest and well-organized.”

The site is divided into four main categories by type of offering—IT Support, Cloud, Installation Services and Solutions—so site visitors can easily find details about the type of assistance they need. For those seeking educational resources, an extensive news and information section, The Latest, offers articles, case studies and white papers about technology and the organizations that leverage it successfully.

“In addition to making the site easy to navigate and filling it with helpful information written in plain English, we have also put one of our most compelling offers—our complimentary IT assessment—on the home page,” said Moorman. “In fewer than two minutes, organizational leaders can be on their way to gaining the insights to harness technology in a solution-rich yet cost-effective and practical manner.”

About DynaSis
DynaSis is an Atlanta IT services and cloud computing provider for small and midsized businesses. All of our solutions focus on helping companies achieve the three fundamental IT necessities of the modern business—availability, security and mobility. We specialize in on-demand and on-premise managed IT services, managed cloud infrastructure, desktops and backups, and professional hardware and equipment installation. For more information about DynaSis’ IT support and services, visit www.dynasis.com.

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By the DynaSis Team

Of the many sources of organizational risk that business leaders envision, printers likely aren’t one of them. Admittedly, one could run out of paper or toner/ink right before printing a major presentation for a customer. But other than that, how much risk can a printer pose? In today’s connected environment, the answer is “a lot.”

If your printers are networked, which means employees can send jobs to them from their desks or devices, then your printer is tied in with your network, and anyone who can access your printer can access your network. If you are thinking, “but my printer isn’t connected to the Internet, so how could someone gain access?” think again.

If your personnel connect to the Internet, and they connect to your printers, then the two are tied together. Furthermore, some printers automatically send and receive information, such as driver updates, across the Internet without anyone’s knowledge. That creates an additional layer of vulnerability.

Another way your printer can expose you to risk is through storage. Do your printers have the ability to store jobs for later printing? If so, they can (and likely do) retain information after the fact. Most printers have a “cache” for storing information, if not a designated hard drive, and unless someone clears it, the information is there for the taking.

Even assuming no one steals data from the printer while it is at your office, what happens when you sell or trade the printer? Even if the drives and caches are wiped, in some cases it is possible to lift data images off drums and other printer components.

Protecting your printing transmissions and data is beyond the scope of this article, but we can refer you to a few good tips. Rather, our objective here is bigger. Your office printer is a concern, but it is just one example of how “risks” are all around business owners today, often in the most unexpected places. Savvy cybercriminals know this, and they are learning how to penetrate companies in odd ways, such as through a printer-driver update link that may not be detected by the “average” firewall.

We are not suggesting that business owners be cognizant of all these risks, themselves. We’re not even suggesting that they should take action to avoid all of them. Rather, business owners must be keenly aware that business risks can be anywhere and everywhere, and they must take prudent, considered action as risk relates to technology. That means:

• Hire qualified professionals (either in-house or as part of a managed IT services agreement) to perform extensive, meaningful technology assessments.
• Work with competent IT support partners who can help identify and prioritize the risks revealed by those technology assessments.
• Spend the time, money and effort to remediate or defend against the risks the business owner determines are unacceptable.
• Finally, develop a plan for addressing the damage from risks the business owner decides to tolerate, because at some point, that damage will occur.

To do anything less is to admit defeat. In that case, we recommend the business owner start planning an exit strategy, because that’s what he or she will need, next.

DynaSis has been Atlanta’s premier IT support services provider for more than 23 years. As an IT company working with small to midsized businesses (10 to 150+ users), DynaSis has developed a unique 12-layer approach to network threat protection, ransomware prevention and crypto virus threat elimination. The DynaSis Business Cloud functions through a highly secure environment with full real-time data backup. Please contact us at 678.218.1769 or visit our website at www.DynaSis.com.

By the DynaSis Team

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We have been fans of cloud computing for quite some time, and many of our discussions relate to its value, its growth and its outlook. Last week, we came across a recent article, from Computer Business Review, that does a good job of summing up several of its most fundamental benefits. In a nutshell, the article cites five top benefits of cloud computing, and then goes into a bit more detail about each:

1. Streamline collaboration
2. Convert capital expense into operational gain
3. Support BYOD
4. Simplify technology
5. Ensure business continuity

In the article, the writer describes the cloud’s role in “Support BYOD” at a fundamental level. He points out that BYOD, whereby employees own the mobile devices they use for work, would not have developed as rapidly without the secure, flexible access to corporate resources that cloud computing facilitates.

While this is true, it is important to recognize that the cloud plays a much larger role in maximizing BYOD—and for that matter, the adoption of remote working as a whole. When corporate resources are in the cloud, employees and other authorized individuals can connect via any device with an Internet connection.

Whether via a mobile phone, tablet, laptop, or desktop—or, increasingly, a personal device such as a smartwatch—the cloud connects workers with their companies around the clock and around the globe. The value of this benefit for propelling productivity, worker satisfaction, and even business innovation cannot be understated.

In addition to the five benefits addressed by Computer Business Review, we can add a few more:

1. Reduce worker downtime
2. Minimize or eliminate peripheral IT costs (such as those associated with floor space and electric bills for on-site operations)
3. Enable on-demand resource changes (e.g. increasing server space)
4. Promote document centralization and control
5. Minimize software licensing and management
6. Reduce or eliminate the need for on-site support staff

Depending on the managed IT service provider and operating model chosen, the cloud can offer additional benefits, as well. For example, some providers have the cloud certifications to guarantee audit-grade compliance of cloud resources. Many cloud models now enable separation of workloads, so companies can establish varied access controls based on the sensitivity and importance of materials and the authorization level of individuals that need access.

Of course, not all companies will take advantage of every cloud computing benefit. Some may focus on savings, while others will find the technology invaluable for the connectivity and collaboration it enables. Over time, many organizations adopt new, business-building approaches because they are available so readily in the cloud.

True cloud innovation can be more readily facilitated with the help of an enthusiastic, qualified cloud services provider, which makes it very important for organizations to select their cloud partners carefully. The open, mutable nature of the cloud also enables IT services providers to develop customized solutions for their clients, from dedicated private servers to all-inclusive, 100% IT support for both cloud and on-premise resources, such as desktops.

In today’s cloud computing market, when organizations work with the right cloud service partner and are open to new ways of thinking, the sky really is the limit (no pun intended). All a business owner needs to do is reach up and grasp the potential inherent in the cloud.

DynaSis is an Atlanta IT services and cloud computing provider for small and midsized businesses. All of our solutions focus on helping companies achieve the three fundamental IT necessities of the modern business—availability, security and mobility. We specialize in on-demand and on-premises managed IT services, managed cloud infrastructure, desktops and backups, and professional hardware and equipment installation. For more information about DynaSis’ IT support and services, visit www.dynasis.com.

By the DynaSis Team

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Only a decade or so ago, the biggest concerns when companies fired or laid off workers was whether they might take office supplies or talk negatively about the firm after they left. In all but the most extreme situations, ex-workers rarely caused trouble, post-departure. With the growing value of digital information—and the havoc caused when criminals possess it—this is no longer the case.

As the media reported in 2015, the crippling Sony hack was the work of a former employee. Furthermore, “cybercrime for hire” sites that match individuals and companies with resources eager to assist with criminal activity, from hacking a Gmail account to taking over a corporate server, have popped up on the Internet.

In the case of former employees, an organization’s competitor might post an ad looking for corporate trade secrets—and a disgruntled ex-worker might have the skills to obtain (or already possess) them. Former and current employee cybercrime has become so prevalent that in late 2014, the Department of Homeland Security posted an alert warning companies to be vigilant.

Fortunately, organizations can take proactive steps to minimize their odds of being victimized by former employees. These rules apply to all departing employees, no matter the circumstances.

• On a company-wide basis, implement clear post-employment policies and procedures as part of the overall employment lifecycle. These should be communicated to personnel—and implemented to the appropriate degree—at the start of employment, along with other on-boarding information.
• Wipe corporate data and applications from all devices when an employee leaves. This should include both corporate-owned and employee-owned (BYOD) devices.
• Remove ex-workers’ network access to corporate data and applications immediately upon departure. The best option is to delete user accounts. A second, slightly less effective solution is to change user names and passwords.
• Rely on automated tools. Companies like DynaSis use powerful automated platforms that make it easy to secure and wipe corporate data, so the task won’t “slip through the cracks” if the assigned worker is busy.
• Conduct exit interviews that include discussing data issues. When personnel leave, they should be reminded that any use of corporate data could result in criminal prosecution. It is far more effective to restrain a horse from running than to close the barn door after it escapes.
• Don’t forget the cloud. Organizations should not only ensure no cloud resources remain accessible to former employees, they also should have policies in place, up front, that prohibit personnel from storing corporate data in private cloud repositories. (Blocking unsanctioned cloud storage sites at the network level is an even better solution, but that requires advanced skills and technologies that may require a managed IT services provider.)

Selection of an IT outsourcing company is a very important business decision. For almost a quarter century, Atlanta’s small to mid-sized businesses have relied on DynaSis’ for managed IT services, Internet security, and 24 x 7 x 365 helpdesk support. Today, with cybercrime becoming an ever-increasing threat, DynaSis has become an industry leader in network protection and ransomware prevention. Please take a tour through our website at www.DynaSis.com or speak with a technical expert at 678.218.1769.