While faster problem resolution and better performance, along with reduced IT costs and complexity, are certainly valid reasons for deciding to outsource some or all your IT functions, it is becoming apparent to many that there is actually a lot more to be gained. When a company chooses a qualified managed IT service provider, either as the primary IT resource by outsourcing, or as a co-sourced resource assisting your in-house team, it is becoming more and more apparent that this out-sourcing does a lot more than save the company money or make the systems run smoothly. Outsourcing can play a major role in the growth of the business and sharpen its competitive edge.

Free up management time for more strategic levels.

Think about it this way: when a company outsources all or part of its IT management, they pick up the time, effort and resources that would have been tied up in this function. This outsourcing, or co-sourcing, frees up IT and other management personnel enabling them to focus on more strategic, higher-value activities. While this may sound somewhat obvious, many firms fail to realize this and don’t take advantage of this opportunity. Out-sourcing either sounds expensive to some, or a challenge to their own value to the company. Neither could be further from the truth.

If you are running a small company (10 to 100 employees) with a small in-house IT department (1-2 people), think about the productivity losses you suffer every time there is an outage, whether it is a single employee who can’t get her work done, or the entire company being all or partially down, even for a short time.

If you are running a very small company with IT handled by someone (maybe yourself) within the company without the proper skills to handle problem resolution so that every time there is an issue you are forced to call in a third party to correct it, you can be rather certain that the right managed IT service provider will save you time and money, as well as productivity, not to mention seriously decreasing your risk of cyber-attack.

If you have your own in-house IT team, no matter how good they are, it is highly unlikely that they will possess all the skills needed to resolve all the issues that arise. Today’s technology is so complex that you really need the availability of a number of highly trained technicians.

Strategic thinking leads to Digital Disruption as a highly competitive tool.

Remaining competitive in today’s business environment requires that all members of your team have the time and energy to focus on moving your business forward. This especially includes those responsible for technology. Recently, we at DynaSis have been focusing on “Digital Disruption”. Digital Disruption on a global scale is what happens when new technologies, such the computer or the Internet are created. On an industry-wide scale, think of Uber’s effect on the transportation industry, or Amazon’s effect on retail. Your company is not likely to become the “Uber” of your industry, but of a company level, Digital Disruption can a very positive force as you become a digital business…one that uses technology to power past your competition.

If you would like to learn more about Outsourcing or Co-Sourcing, check out our WEBPAGE. For more on Digital Disruption, download our White Paper on the subject HERE, or call us today at 678-373-0716.

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.

Recent studies show that as many as 93% of companies today are using at least some sort of cloud-based technology, although certainly some way more than others. Because of this, you may be thinking that these companies are also moving away from on-site servers and hardware, but this is not happening anywhere as quickly as you might expect. Many companies still keep their servers on-site, often running them as virtual machines. (Virtual servers: partitioning the servers into highly segregated segments and using each segments as if it were a separate server.) While keeping your servers on-self may not in itself be problematic, although there are certainly advantages to off-site storage, the problem we often see is that this equipment is aging, what we call “legacy hardware” – a nice way of saying it’s getting older and older.

There are a number of reasons why people hold on to legacy hardware from budget, to compatibility with older versions of software, to “it’s working fine.” While it has never been a good idea to hold on to aging equipment from productivity and uptime perspectives, today, such a decision could actually be catastrophic.

Even with all the discussion going on in tech circles about the necessity of multiple back-ups and off-site storage, estimates show that as many as 77% of companies are not actually prepared to completely restore their data in the event of a crash…and this includes companies using IT service providers. Smaller companies, which make up the majority of US firms, are more at risk than larger companies simply because they don’t have adequate personnel resources to manage, monitor and maintain.

Some of the lowest hanging fruit for cyber-criminals are legacy servers running legacy applications. In one survey taken just a few years ago, 96% of all the applications that were tested had at least one major security vulnerability, with a median of 14 vulnerabilities per application. While a company may save some money today by putting off upgrading to newer,  safer hardware and software, this could end up being a very expensive decision. Ransom ware is a major threat these days, and the vulnerabilities presented by legacy hardware and software often open the door to these attacks.

Legacy hardware also runs slower than newer ones. This decreases productivity by increasing response time. This affects competitiveness as well as employee frustration. Your older system doesn’t have the computing power of newer ones, which limits your ability to take advantage of powerful applications such as data analytics or collaboration tools.

A scary scenario: many companies believe they have been upgraded to newer versions of hardware and/or software, and only when there is a serious problem do they find out that many important functions are still being handled by an old server in the back of the office. If your company hasn’t had a recent IT assessment and risk analysis, you should speak to a managed IT support company that provides this type of comprehensive review free of charge. If serious vulnerabilities are discovered, this same managed IT services provider can outline short and long-term plans that can protect your company and your budget.

Selection of an outsourced IT company is a very important business decision. For more than a quarter century, Atlanta’s small to midsized businesses have relied on DynaSis’ for managed IT services, Internet security, IT assessments 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 678.373.0716.

Cloud computing can move a business forward.

Last week we began a discussion of myths surrounding business cloud computing. Here is a quick recap of the ones we tackled:

1: Data can’t be all that safe in a “cloud” – not true.

2: We lose control of our data in the Cloud – not true.

3: If I move to the Cloud it means that everything has to be in the cloud – not true.

If you missed last week’s blog, you can find it HERE. There are a number of other myths surrounding business cloud computing that we want to address, so let’s pick it up again:

4: Cloud computing is only for tech companies. First of all, the way we see it, today every company is a technology company. Are you using computers? Do you have email? Do you shop or do research online? Chances are you answered “yes” to every one of these question so, yes, you should be looking at cloud computing.

5: The cloud is harmful to the environment. Some people think this is so because large data centers use a lot of energy. They do. But when you add up all the energy saved by the companies that use the data center, there is actually a net energy savings and pollution reduction.

6: The cloud costs jobs. The fact is, the cloud has created jobs. Estimates are that by the end of 2015, the cloud was responsible for creating more than 13,000,000 jobs across the globe. Some jobs were lost along the way, but many more were created. But computerization in the cloud, and in general, has been responsible for such an exponential increase in productivity that the net effect has been extremely positive for almost every business.

7: Migrating to the cloud is just too much trouble. That depends on who is doing the migration for you. The right IT service provider can make the process virtually painless and with minimal downtime.

8: You should avoid the cloud for highly important applications. Again, this goes to unfounded fear of the cloud and whether or not it is truly safe. In reality, your mission critical apps are best run in the cloud, where they will also benefit from minimized downtime and automatic backups.

9: I’ll be locked in to my cloud vendor. Not true. A knowledgeable and reliable managed IT service provider or skilled in-house IT manager can get you quickly and safely up and running in the cloud, and, if the need arises, transfer your files and applications to another.

10: The cloud is for large companies – smaller companies aren’t moving there. Today, companies of every size are moving to the Cloud. Why? 94% of IT managers report that their tech security is better in the cloud. 75% of SMBs using the cloud reported better availability. 91% of companies that have significant compliance requirements use the cloud to satisfy them.

11: The cloud is best for everything in every business. Every company is unique and every company’s needs are different. We work with many great firms that keep all their data on-premises, many that are fully in the cloud, and others that are using a hybrid infrastructure that combine both on-premises and cloud. The goal of a managed IT support company should always be to find the very best solution on a client-by-client basis, and at DynaSis, we have been doing just that for Atlanta small to mid-sized businesses for 25 years. If you would like to learn more about our DynaSis Business Cloud services, click HERE.

We provide complimentary IT Assessments to determine the best course of action in implementing business cloud computing, in whole or in part, at once or over time, based on your needs, comfort level and budget. We can be reached at www.DynaSis.com or 678.373.0716.

It may be one of the most unfortunate names ever given to a form of technology. The Cloud. On one hand, it seems wonderfully ethereal. On the other, how can you trust all your data and applications to something so flimsy and unstable as a cloud? So here’s the thing:

The Cloud is not a “Cloud”.

It is a network of highly secure data centers that provide a level of cyber security that few small to mid-sized businesses could afford on their own. The cloud got its name back in the 60s when software engineers would draw diagrams of the components on which they were working, then enclose them with a hand drawn bumpy circle that came to be known as the “cloud.” The name stuck.

It is unfortunate because one of the most important advances in cyber availability, security and mobility is all too often looked upon as something as flimsy as…a cloud! Today let’s look at some myths that surround the cloud and hopefully by dispelling them, you may decide to take a closer look the next time your IT service provider asks you to..

1: My data can’t really be safe if it’s out there floating around in a cloud. That must be what they call “cyber-space.” No. Your data isn’t floating around. It’s in one of those incredibly secure facilities mentioned above. And cyber-space isn’t a real thing. It’s just a euphemism used when someone can’t figure out what they did with their email.

2: If we move to the cloud, we won’t have control over our technology. Actually, you will still have total control. The data center is just a storage facility and you control what goes on. You will also find that your headaches and time spent maintaining and upgrading hardware and software will be significantly reduced. Plus, you will no longer have to spend larger and larger sums of money on email and document storage.

3: It’s all or nothing. I if start with the cloud, I have to move everything. Not so. Many IT service providers will suggest that implementations actually start in hybrid fashion, moving just one application, like email. Then many companies decide to move their productivity software to the cloud. In fact, every company’s migration can be different.

More next week

If you follow DynaSis on Facebook, LinkedIn, or elsewhere, you are aware that we have been discussing Digital Disruption for some time now. If not, here is a 30-second overview: digital disruption on a global scale happens with developments like the advent of computers and/or the Internet. On an industry-wide scale, Digital Disruption comes from events such as Uber’s effect on the taxi industry or Netflix’s effect on video rentals. Since neither you nor I are likely to re-invent the Internet, nor create the next Uber, we are far more interested in how positive Digital Disruption (aka Digital Transformation) can affect our own businesses.

Inertia is a powerful force. It’s the reason why we can’t push a boulder uphill, or why you fall when you jump out of a car (your feet stop when they hit the pavement, but your body keeps going.) And it is emotional inertia that keeps us from making changes in our business when we know we really should. This is what keeps us from embracing Digital Transformation: using technology to transform our business, propelling us past our competition. The alternative is waiting for our competition to propel past us.

The first step in overcoming inertia and bringing digital transformation into your business is as easy as migrating from the Microsoft Office version you are currently using, to Microsoft Office 365. This is not merely upgrading to a newer version of Office. This is providing your employees with the ability to become more productive, to collaborate with colleagues, to function as powerful and effective teams, all while greatly increasing your network security.

But here is where inertia often sets in. You are using a version of Office that’s only three or four years old. It’s working fine. Everyone uses it; everyone is skilled in it; everyone is comfortable. Why change? Good question, so here are some answers:

1: Your people have left the building…they are working from home, in airports, clients’ offices, on the beach, etc. Microsoft Office 365 lets them work with anytime, anywhere access to all their files. It works on desktops, laptops, tablets and smartphones.

2: Up to five devices per user: desktops (home and office), laptops, tablets and smartphones.

3: Data loss prevention. Office 365 backs up data in its world-wide network of secure facilities, and you know that with Microsoft’s financial strength behind it, it will always be there.

4: New applications, like Delve. Delve acts like your personal secretary. It finds hard to find documents, does research, keeps track of your projects, and so much more. (There are many more new apps.)

5: Migration is easy and since Microsoft Office 365 updates itself, migration is a one-time thing, and never need be repeated as new versions come out.

Right now, it’s also especially cost effective as we at DynaSis have just introduced our Cloud Accelerator Program with great Microsoft Office 365 migration incentives. You owe it to your business to LEARN MORE.

With 25 years of experience providing Atlanta’s small to mid-sized business community with IT support, DynaSis continues to lead the way in IT security and managed support. Learn more at www.DynaSis.com or call us at 678-373-0716.

If you have heard of ransomware but are not exactly sure what it is, here is a quick explanation: essentially, ransomware attacks start when cyber criminals hide links in what seem to be normal everyday emails or website pages. When these links are clicked on, a malicious virus is unleashed that encrypts your files so you cannot access them. The only way to decrypt these files is with a “key” that is sent to you by the cyber-criminal once you have paid the ransom.

If your personal files are encrypted, you may be asked to pay $300-$500. (There are no rules; it’s the criminal’s choice.) A small business may be asked for several thousand dollars up to tens of thousands. Large businesses and government have sometimes been asked for millions. Ransoms are usually paid in bitcoins, which are completely untraceable. When the ransom has been paid, the key is sent, and the owner of the encrypted files can unlock them. Most of the time.

There have also been cases where the key has not worked. Why? We don’t really know, but we do know that the criminal vanishes, leaving the business owner’s records forever locked and totally useless. Hopefully, there were back-ups that can replace the locked files, but often, the backups get encrypted as well. In fact, in 2016, only 42% of companies that were attacked were able to fully restore their files and avoid paying ransom.

When we say that ransomware has hit the big time, consider this: in the latest report published by the SonicWall security team, ransomware attacks have grown:

2014:                3,200,000 attacks

2015:                3,800,000 attacks

2016:           638,000,000 attacks

No, that’s not a typo. Yes, attacks increased 167 times or approximately 20,000% in one year!

The obvious question is “Why?” The answer is that committing ransomware crime has become very easy. While it used to take advanced programming skills and sophisticated hacking to commit cyber-crime, today the kid down the street can easily, quickly and cheaply search for ransomware software online and for a few hundred dollars buy the software tools he needs to attack businesses all over the world. No experience required.

Another reason: Studies have also shown that 91% of these attacks start with employees who are tricked into opening email that they should have left alone. Advanced ransomware programs now are also able to rapidly spread the infection from computer to computer within an organization, quickly spreading to servers.

What can you do? We have found that in most cases, cyber-attacks get through because the proper precautions have not been taken. We have seen computers upon which tens of thousands of attacks have been attempted, with not a single one getting through. Here are some suggestions:

1: Ongoing employee instruction in cyber security, particularly concerning email.

2: Advanced business-grade security against all forms of malware

3: Crypto-containment software (isolates and shuts down encrypted files, preventing spread of virus.)

4: 24 x 7 x 365 network monitoring

5: Off-site (cloud) back-up

Call if you have any questions.

DynaSis has been serving the small to mid-sized business community for 25 years and is a national leader in development and deployment of crypto prevention and crypto-containment solutions. 678-373-0716. www.DynaSis.com/managed-security.

We have long preached that today, every business is a technology business. What business functions without computers, Microsoft Office software, or email? Because of the universality of technology, cyber crime is on the rise and the cyber criminal has become more creative and yet, at the same time, the “field” has become more enticing to amateurs, creating still more chaos. Below are some of the things we need to be aware of going forward.

PLEASE NOTE: We will be presenting a complimentary webinar on Cyber Security 2017 – SMBs are under attack. Are you prepared? Thursday, February 2^nd at 11 AM. Register at www.DynaSis.com/webinars.

1: The cost of cyber-crime is expected to hit $6,000,000,000,000  (yes, that’s trillion) annually over the next few years. This is double current loss estimates and includes the cost of the damage and/or destruction of data, stolen funds, decreased productivity, intellectual property theft, personal financial data, embezzlement, fraud, business disruption, forensic investigation, harm to reputations, and finally, the deletion of damaged data and restoration of backed up files…assuming they have not been harmed as well.

2: Spending on Cyber Security will grow to more than $1,000,000,000.

3: There will be 1,500,000 unfilled Cyber Security jobs by 2019. By the end of last year, there were already 1,000,000 unfilled positions, and this will just keep growing. Currently, the unemployment rate among cyber security professionals is 0%.

4: 91% of cyber attacks today start through email. Most employees of small to mid-sized businesses are not trained in cyber security best practices…or any practices at all, which make them rich targets. It is attacks like this that have started with a careless employee of a small business, then evolved into an attack on the business itself, and ultimately, by gaining access to the company’s links to its customers, have been able to infiltrate into the records of major businesses, such as Target and Home Depot.

5: By 2014 (the last full year for which we have stats), 71% of cyber crimes were against SMBs, up from 41% just the year before.

6: Access by amateur cyber-criminals. The kid next door can now go online and for as little as $150 dollars buy a “kit” that enables him to encrypt the files of a small business and hold them for ransom. If he does this 10 times for $5,000 per ransom, he just made himself $50,000. But as an amateur, he may not fully understand how to use the illegal software he just purchased and may not be able to unlock the files he encrypted. We know of just such a case where the small business agreed to pay a ransom of $8,000 only to learn that the incompetent thief couldn't deliver on his promise to decrypt, and they have lost all their files forever. ALL their files, including all their backups. All their trade secrets, legal and financial information, client records, etc.

7: By 2020, just three years from now, there will be as many as 200,000,000,000 IoT (Internet of Things) devices in dire need of securing. What is the Internet of Things? Simply put, it is “things” that are connected to the Internet: cellphones, coffee makers, Alexa, wearable devices like FitBits, door locks, garage door openers, jet engine parts that signal potential problems back to the manufacturer, and on and on and on. 200 billion of these in just three years. Look for another blog soon going into detail on this subject, but we think you can imagine the potential magnitude of the problem.

DynaSis has been at the forefront of Cyber Security Management for SMBs on a national level since 1992, and is responsible for a number of advances in the field that are currently in use across the country. Please visit www.DynaSis.com/managed-security or call us at 678.373.0716.

Technology is a powerful force in virtually every company today. In fact, we like to say, “Every Business is a Technology Business.” Can you imagine running your company without a computer? Without email? Without a website? (Actually, you would be amazed at how many small businesses (very small businesses) still don’t have websites. We are not web-designers, but…somebody wake these people up!)

Technology makes us more productive, more accurate, more responsive to market changes and customer needs, but it can also increase risk. Getting the most out of technology, while still keeping your business safe and secure, is a true balancing act, not meant for the faint of heart. What can go wrong? Computers can crash, data can disappear or be stolen/encrypted, networks can shut down, etc.

Assuming the people who work for your company are honest, hard-working and like to be productive while accomplishing great things for your business, any of these situations can be deeply troubling, especially if they are reoccurring. But many small to mid-sized businesses (SMBs) don’t want to address this problem pro-actively. In other words, they wait until something goes wrong, then they react…they call what are known in the industry as “break and fix” IT services. Something breaks, they come and fix. The more things break, the more money they make. By the way, sooner or later, things do break.

As a company grows, they often hire an in-house IT guy. We think that’s great. But there is still a problem in that technology is so complex these days that no single in-house IT person can possibly have all the expertise needed, nor can he keep up with the changes that occur on a daily basis. So let’s look at an IT solution that works whether you have been calling the break and fix people, or have an IT person (or even your own team.)

For those companies that do not have an in-house person, a fully staffed managed IT service provider is probably the answer. Unfortunately, too many business owners assume this is costly and never even look into it. Sad. The reality is that using this type of service, on a fixed monthly fee basis, usually costs the same, or even less, than what they have been doing. By properly maintaining the client’s equipment, there are fewer break-downs, fewer service calls, and longer equipment life-spans. Think of it this way: Since the IT Service provider is obligated to fix computers, servers, networks, etc., doesn’t it make sense that it is in their best interest to make sure that everything is always functioning at peak performance? It does.

For those companies that have one or more in-house IT people, they find that by using managed IT support, their in-house people are freed up to work on higher level projects, while the IT service can repair equipment, handled help-desk issues, and constantly monitor, manage and maintain the company’s IT infrastructure. Not only that, the right provider will have a full staff of certified technicians and management personnel that can handle almost any problem, as well as be available for technology consultations to plan for the future.

So as for the holiday present, think about how happy your sales people will be knowing that their online sales tools are always available, think about how happy your customer service people will be knowing that they can take care of your customers, think about how happy your accountant will be knowing that IT problems will not impact your bottom line, and think about how happy you and your IT people will be knowing that your IT network is running quietly and smoothly in the background, there when anyone and everyone needs it. That should help you sleep at night, and can you ask for a better present than that?

DynaSis has been providing IT support to the Atlanta small to mid-sized business community since 1992. The “DynaTeam” of 55 professionals, including 30+ highly trained engineers, provides live top level coverage 24 / 7 / 365. We can be reached at www.DynaSis.com or (678) 373-0716.

Your business is a technology business. And you are not alone. Today, virtually every business is heavily involved and invested in technology. Whether your office is here in Atlanta or anywhere else in the country…or the world…your dependence on technology is in great part linked to how forward thinking you have been over recent years. But please don’t think that dependence on technology is a bad thing. Far from it. Technology is a powerful force that can multiply the effectiveness, reach, profitability and longevity of almost any business.

Let’s look at it from a very simplistic approach. How successful do you think your business would be today if all your employees were using quills and blotters? Fountain pens? Manual typewriters? Electric typewriters? Word processors with magnetic cards that had to be inserted each time they were used? Or a 1988 AppleIIC computer with 128k of RAM (today’s typical computer has 33,000 times as much processing power)? The point is, as much as we may complain about it, we are completely dependent on technology in one form or another, and not many people really want to go in the other direction.

But not only do we, as business owners, want the technology that can power our businesses forward, so do our employees. Studies have shown that millennials, for sure, and even Gen Xers, often look at the technology they will be given to work with before accepting many positions.

However, we also have to face the fact that today’s complex technology, as powerful and rewarding as it can be, doesn’t run itself. In fact, as companies grow, their technology requirements tend to multiply and serious choices need to be made as to how to keep your IT infrastructure at peak performance.

The two most obvious choices are to either hire an in-house IT professional, eventually growing to a full team, or outsource this function to a managed IT service provider. There are advantages to each: an in-house IT person or team puts skilled people at your fingertips. An outsourced IT provider brings a team with a wide range of training and certifications that can handle most any need.

Because each of these scenarios has distinct advantages, more and more growing companies are opting for a hybrid IT management system commonly referred to a co-managed or co-sourced IT, with the in-house IT executive or team, and the outsourced team, working hand-in-hand to give the employer the best of both worlds. Typically, the in-house team will then have the time to focus on high level matters, such as long-term IT strategies, leaving the routine, day-to-day monitoring and maintenance, help-desk, and repair work to the out-sourced people. Certainly, this is not cast in stone and each company can make its own decision as to where each function is best handled.

Regardless of how the tasks are sorted out, companies that opt for this hybrid generally discover several benefits:

Increased Productivity: With co-management, you know that IT support is available 24 x 7. You also know that your IT infrastructure is being monitored and maintained, even if your in-house IT guy is on vacation in Aruba. That means that your sales people can sell and your customer service people can service. When managed by outside professionals, IT "uptime" of 99.999% is the goal, increasing productivity across the company.

Reduced Expenses: Fixed monthly fees let you know in advance what your expenses are going to be and because you are sharing the cost of highly trained IT personnel as well as storage capacity (especially if you choose a cloud solution), companies using IT management companies generally find their expenses less than before.

Minimized Risk: By having the latest technology available, including the latest in security, along with people with the most up-to-date training, your protection against the ever-increasing level of cyber crime is reduced to a minimum, while your ability to recover and restore in the event of cyber intrusion or a network problem is maximized.

Easy Scalability: As your company grows, your IT infrastructure easily grows with it. You also know that the financial burden of maintaining your infrastructure has transferred from you to the IT management service, so you know they are doing virtually everything possible to keep it running at peak performance.

DynaSis has been providing managed and co-managed IT support to the small to mid-sized business community in Atlanta for almost a quarter century. The DynaSis team of 55 professionals, including more than 30 engineers, is highly trained and experienced. We are happy to provide you with a complimentary IT Assessment to help you understand where your IT infrastructure is today, and where it needs to be in the future. www.DynaSis.com. 678.218.1769.

The digital world today is changing at break-neck speed. The protections that worked not that long ago become out-of-date in the blink of an eye. Cyber crime has also become a rapidly advancing and sophisticated “industry”. The more you rely on the Internet, and you are probably more reliant than you realize, the more you need to ensure that your business is protected.

Some of the easiest decisions can also be some of the most harmful. Why bother to install additional protection when your carrier (Comcast, ATT, CenturyLink, etc.) gives it to you for free with your bundled software? Answer: this level of protection simply is not powerful enough to provide the protection you need today, and you need to seriously consider upgrading to business grade firewall and software.

But lets take it one step farther. Even the best firewall is not going to give you the level of safety you need if the right people are not managing it. Like pretty much everything else in the IT world today, firewalls start to become outdated almost as soon as they leave the factory. The right managed IT service will monitor and maintain that protection 24 x 7 x 365, installing patches and updates on a regular basis.

So, here are 5 reasons why your SMB will be better protected with a managed IT service that maintains your firewall:

1: Your company is not an IT company. You are in business for an entirely different reason. You are a law firm, a group of CPAs, you manufacture widgets, run a call center, service automobiles, etc. Just like you would not expect an IT service provider to give legal advice or fix your car, you should not expect the people in your company to set-up, run or maintain your IT infrastructure. “But I have an IT guy on staff.” That’s great. We recognize the value in that. But does he/she have the depth of knowledge that a provider with 25 to 30 certified engineers will have? Will he/she be available 24/7/365? Think not.

2: Hiring consultants is very expensive. Here is the problem with consultants: while they may be very knowledgeable, they are expensive and since they are not involved in the day to day IT operation of your company, quite a bit of money will be spent on the time they take to get up to speed on your network, much less solve the problems. (This goes for all IT problems, not just your firewall.) And you still run into the problem that no single consultant can have the breadth of knowledge that a large team of certified engineers will have.

3: Stuff breaks. Yes, firewalls are equipment and equipment can break. The right service will be monitoring this 24 x 7 and can jump into action as soon as it happens, with technicians trained for the job. Most importantly, your service provider will have a disaster recovery plan in place and be ready to get your network up and running in the shortest amount of time. No business, large or small, wants to start searching, then waiting for, a consultant to figure out what is wrong, then try and fix it. You want a full team of experts at the ready. (BTW, engaging a managed IT service provider is often also the most cost-effective way to go.)

4: You also need protection from internal threats. Employees frequently expose their employers to viruses, worms, and other malicious attacks on their infrastructure through unauthorized use of gaming, gambling, pornography, social media and online videos. Of course, this is not only a network threat, but also a serious threat to office productivity. The right professional team can manage this and keep the filters updated.

5: New threats are being developed daily. While we are not going to do a deep dive into cyber security here (see our Cyber Security White Paper), suffice it to say that cyber criminals are today focusing more on SMBs than on big businesses. Why? The large corporations that make the news when they are attacked have invested millions of dollars in cyber protection that no SMB can afford, but your IT management company will have partnerships with the top companies in the IT world and have the best protection software available.

DynaSis has been providing IT Network protection for the SMBs of Atlanta for the past 25 years. Our resources include a team of more than 55 professionals, including more than 30 highly trained and certified engineers who specialize in IT infrastructure security. Firewalls and firewall management are just one of our "12 Layers of Protection", a unique and proprietary cyber security program we use for our clients.