Category: Internet

Corporate ITInternetIT SecurityManaged ITTechnologyUtah IT Company
How to Implement Proactive Measures to Avoid a CrowdStrike Crisis

Data isn’t just valuable in the modern business landscape—it’s indispensable. Every aspect of your operations, from client records to financial details, hinges on the integrity and availability of your data. As threats like cyber-attacks, accidental deletions, and hardware failures loom, protecting this vital asset becomes a top priority.

This month, we delve into why regular backups and expert IT management are crucial to maintaining business continuity, with a particular focus on a recent high-profile incident and how our backup solutions can make a difference.

The Imperative of Reliable Backups

Consider the impact of a server crash on your operations. Without reliable backups, you face the grim possibility of losing all your data—years of work, critical records, and customer information could be gone in an instant. Such a loss can paralyze your business, strain your finances, and erode customer trust.

Backups are not a mere precaution; they are a critical necessity. They allow you to recover from unforeseen disasters and minimize downtime. However, backups alone aren’t enough. They need to be managed, tested, and verified to ensure they function precisely when needed.

A Recent Incident: The CrowdStrike and Microsoft Update Crisis

To highlight the importance of comprehensive backup solutions, let’s look at a recent incident involving CrowdStrike and a problematic Microsoft update. An update rolled out by Microsoft unexpectedly caused hundreds of millions of systems to fail to boot, creating a widespread crisis.

This scenario underscores the need for robust backup solutions. With our image-based backups, we have a complete snapshot of your system at any point in time. If your system encounters a similar issue, where a critical update or malfunction prevents it from booting, we can quickly restore your system using these images. Whether the issue is a software glitch or hardware failure, we can deploy the image to a new or existing system, allowing you to return to a fully operational state swiftly.

The Critical Role of IT Professionals

In addition to having reliable backups, having a skilled IT professional on your team is indispensable. A seasoned IT expert doesn’t just set up and maintain backups—they manage and monitor your entire IT infrastructure. They ensure backups are current, secure, and easily accessible while anticipating and mitigating potential issues before they escalate.

IT professionals also offer strategic advice to optimize your technology resources, keeping you ahead with the latest cybersecurity measures and data management strategies. Their proactive approach not only saves you time and money but also alleviates the stress associated with IT disruptions.

Conclusion

In today’s digital world, protecting your data and having expert IT support are not optional—they are essential to your business’s survival and success. Investing in robust backups and skilled IT management safeguards your operations, allowing you to confidently navigate any IT challenge.

Business ProductivityCorporate ITDigitalInternetIT for the Medical IndustryIT SecurityManaged ITTechnologyUtah IT Company
Do You Need a Disaster Recovery Plan?

If you suddenly lost access to documents and applications pertinent to your daily work life, how would you cope? Would you know where to go, or who to look to for help? Whether the loss occurs because of a natural disaster, hardware failure, human error, or cyber-crimes, a Disaster Recovery Plan (DR) is essential for businesses of all sizes!


A *2023 survey found that only 54% of businesses had an established company-wide disaster recovery plan in place. That is barely more than half of all businesses. Aside from having the plan in place, it’s also important to regularly review and test your plan to ensure your team knows how to execute the strategy. Ponemon Institute estimates the average cost of downtime at a staggering $9,000 per minute or $500,000 per hour. Being able to restore systems and operations quickly is imperative to recovery from a disaster. Those averages might look high for your small business, but the fact is downtime is expensive. It’s not just the direct financial losses but also the expense of lost productivity, missed opportunities, customer dissatisfaction, and long-term reputational damage.

Though most owners believe they are unlikely to suffer a cyber-attack, small businesses suffer 43% of all data breaches. Do you currently have strategies in place to protect your data? A solid DR plan is crucial as it aims to minimize downtime and data loss, enabling a company to swiftly return to normal operations following a catastrophic event. This guide breaks down the various elements of a disaster recovery plan, highlighting their significance and demonstrating real-world scenarios where such planning proves invaluable.

Understanding Disaster Recovery

At its core, disaster recovery involves preparing for and recovering from events that can significantly disrupt business operations. These events range from natural disasters like earthquakes to man-made challenges such as cyber-attacks. A well-structured DR plan addresses these threats by outlining steps to resume critical operations swiftly and securely.

Key Components of a Disaster Recovery Plan
Risk Assessment and Business Impact Analysis (BIA): This involves understanding a business’s specific risks and potential impact on operations. It helps prioritize the recovery of critical systems and data.

  • Data Backup Strategies: Robust data backup strategies ensure that critical data is regularly backed up to secure, offsite locations, allowing for the restoration of lost data.
  • Recovery Solutions: DR plans must detail the solutions for restoring IT systems, applications, and data, including both on-site and cloud-based options.
  • Communication Plan: A clear plan for notifying employees, customers, and stakeholders during a disaster is vital for maintaining transparency and minimizing panic.
  • Regular Testing and Updates: Regular testing and updates ensure that the plan evolves with the business and remains effective over time.

The Importance of Each Component

Each component of a DR plan plays a critical role in safeguarding business operations. For example, the BIA guides resource allocation during and after a disaster, while data backup strategies prevent catastrophic data loss. Recovery solutions bring data back into action, and the communication plan maintains trust and order. Regular testing guarantees that the plan will work as intended when needed.

Real-World Applications

Consider a business that experiences a severe data breach. With a comprehensive DR plan in place, the company can quickly identify the breach’s extent, revert to recent data backups, and effectively manage customer expectations and regulatory requirements. Regularly tested recovery procedures ensure a swift return to operation, minimizing downtime and financial loss.

The Value of Preparedness

In today’s digital age, disasters are inevitable. The examples above underscore the value of a DR plan, providing a blueprint for action that can mean the difference between a setback and a complete shutdown. Investing in a thorough disaster recovery plan is critical for responsible business management, ensuring resilience, and maintaining trust.

Avoid becoming another cautionary tale of poor planning. Please give us a call. We would be happy to help you implement your disaster recovery plan or review your current plan!

*Statistics are taken from the article “Disaster Recovery Statistics Every Business Should Know.” At https://phoenixnap.com

 

Business ProductivityDigitalInternetIT SecurityUtah IT Company
Beware the Ghosts and Ghouls Haunting your Digital Space

It’s that time of year when the air is thick with spooky tales and ghostly whispers. But in this digital age spookiness isn’t confined to lurkers and hauntings; it extends to the virtual realm. Just as you wouldn’t go wandering alone in a haunted forest without a flashlight, don’t navigate the digital realm unprepared. In this Halloween-themed guide, we’ll arm you with the knowledge and tools to ward off the menacing malware and other online threats, ensuring your online experience remains as delightful as a bag full of treats.

**1. ** Ghosts in the Machine: Protecting Your Digital Haunt
Ghosts in the form of malware, viruses, and spyware can haunt your system, slowing it down and compromising your personal information. To keep them at bay, invest in reliable antivirus software. Treat your computer to regular scans to ensure no lurking spirits are waiting to cause mischief.

**2. ** Spells and Charms: Install a Robust Firewall
A firewall acts as a protective charm, keeping out malicious entities from your digital realm. Ensure your operating system’s firewall is activated and consider installing additional firewall software for extra protection. Just like magical barriers shield Hogwarts from dark forces, your firewall will shield your computer from online threats.

**3. ** Update Your Spells: Ensure your Software is Current
Developers release software updates to patch vulnerabilities in their systems. Regularly updating your operating system, antivirus software, and applications will ensure you have the latest security spells protecting your digital realm.

**4. ** Goblins in Disguise: Watch Out for Spamware
Spamware, the mischievous goblins of the internet, can infiltrate your system through seemingly harmless downloads or attachments. Avoid downloading files from dubious sources and always verify the authenticity of software before installation. Just as you wouldn’t accept candy from a stranger, don’t accept files from unfamiliar websites.

**5. ** The Magic Potion: Use Strong, Unique Passwords
A strong, unique password is your best defense against hackers. Create passwords that are a potent mix of letters, numbers, and special characters. Avoid using easily guessable information like birthdays or pet names. For an extra layer of protection, consider using a password manager – your very own magic potion to keep your accounts secure.

**6. ** Back Up Your Broomstick: Safely Store Your Data
Just as you keep a spare broomstick in case the first one breaks, regularly back up your important files. Ransomware can be a wicked curse, but having your files backed up ensures you won’t fall victim to it. Use external hard drives or cloud services for secure storage.

**7. ** Stay Wary of Social Media Ghosts: Check Your Privacy Settings
Ghosts of the digital world can haunt you on social media if your privacy settings are not secure. Regularly review your privacy settings on social platforms to control who can see your information and posts. Be mindful of the information you share, keeping personal details hidden from prying eyes.

In the spirit of Halloween, let’s approach our digital lives with the same caution we use to navigate haunted houses and spooky forests. By following these simple guidelines, you can keep your computer safe from the digital spooks lurking in the shadows of the internet. Stay vigilant, update your knowledge, and enjoy the online world without the fear of malicious threats. Don’t know where to start or need help finding the right tools? Reach out to us at TEK Utah, we will be happy to help keep your digital adventures spook-free!

 

Business ProductivityCorporate ITInternetRemote AccessSoftware
Advancing Your Company Through Remote Access

It is no secret that there are many advantages to allowing your employees to telecommute. The benefits of offering remote access to your employees extend far beyond reducing the amount of money your business spends on energy at the office. Stepping into the world of remote access removes a number of limitations and allows your company to advance.

 

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