TaylorWorks, Inc. Blog

Data backup is foundational to every business continuity plan. Despite this, many businesses don’t realize that data backup and disaster recovery are two very different solutions. This oversight could leave a company high and dry in the face of a disaster causing data loss.

What would you do if a significant sum of money magically disappeared from your account due to a “miscommunication” between accounting and someone pretending to be you? Wire transfers have made it extraordinarily easy for scam artists to make large transactions, which are augmented by the ability to impersonate authority figures within the office; the c-suite staff, also known as management.

Since the late 19th century, office environments have used the filing cabinet to keep records stored in an efficient order. However, today’s workplace environment contains more technology than ever before, allowing for more efficient document management solutions. This begs the question, what’s better; the traditional file cabinet, or the digital document management solution?

The traditional break-fix IT model may have worked for businesses years ago, but today it holds them back from fully leveraging their IT to its fullest potential. Managed IT, the superior alternative, aims to take the difficulty out of managing IT so that you can focus on running your business. Here are just a few managed IT services that free up your business in this way.

Regardless of your security protocol, there will always be threats. One of the most often forgotten outlets for attacks comes from insider threats. Sometimes these threats may be from angry employees wanting to sink your business, but more often than not, those behind insider threats don’t have malicious intentions. Still, it’s best to cover your bases and ensure that your organization isn’t at risk from careless or negligent employees.

Ransomware is as unpleasant a malware as they come, and can ruin your day by encrypting your files until a ransom is paid. Unfortunately, the threat is getting worse, seeing as it’s now capable of infecting smartphones, too.

When it comes to network security, we often see organizations having one of two approaches: 1) They make security a priority by implementing airtight solutions, or 2) They have no clue what network security means. Of course, if a company doesn’t have security put into place, employees might take matters into their own hands and implement unauthorized solutions. This is called shadow IT, and it has unfortunate results, even if the user has good intentions.

Fact: if the technologies an organization depend on become unreliable, then widespread problems and losses in productivity persist. Therefore, it’s crucial for every modern business to have some kind of IT support plan in place. What’s your IT plan look like?

As well-prepared as you might believe your business may be against disasters, the reality is that this is not always the case. In truth, you have no idea when you could fall victim to a data loss incident. As a business owner, you need to understand that it’s not a question of if you’ll experience a data breach, but when, and you need to be prepared for anything.

Dennis Ciabatoni is the new Virtual Chief Information Officer (vCIO) for TaylorWorks. He is originally from New Jersey where he studied Criminal Justice at Middlesex College.

With all of the major data breaches making the news these days, it’s not very surprising when you hear about a new one. However, what is surprising is just how much the average cost per breach has skyrocketed in recent years. The cost of data breaches is up 29 percent since 2013, which equates to roughly $4 million per data breach.

Computers have evolved from giant machines that take up an entire room, to compact devices that can fit in your pocket. In fact, today’s smartphones are more powerful than computers built a decade ago, which is an impressive testament to the growth of computing. This mobility trend is a huge factor that every modern business must consider.

Running a business is challenging, especially when it comes to juggling your assets and your IT budget. That’s not even mentioning managing your workforce, or delegating tasks out to those who are qualified to perform them. While you’re busy with all of these responsibilities, chances are that there will always be one task within your organization that’s better handled by a professional: your IT management.

Computer hardware doesn’t last forever. Sooner or later, you’ll need to replace your equipment, or risk operations slowing to a crawl due to outdated equipment still in use. Do you have a timetable for replacing your equipment? Do you have a procedure in place to properly dispose of your old hardware? Every organization needs to think through the end-of-life and the afterlife of their computer hardware.

Businesses are volatile entities that can change drastically at any given moment. All it takes to eliminate data and cause disaster is an unexpected natural disaster, like a flood or fire, or a hardware failure that wipes out mission-critical data. The fact remains that your organization could face significant downtime from data loss, and the future of your business could hang precariously in the mix.

Mobile devices have grown extraordinarily popular in the workplace. Organizations find them to be of considerable value for staying connected and getting work done while outside the office. This trend has presented a serious risk in the form of network and data security. How can businesses support mobile devices in the workplace, without compromising on the security of the device and the data it holds?

Thanks to the advancements of virtualization and cloud computing, many businesses are hosting key parts of their IT infrastructure off-site. While this move is great for mobility and productivity, it makes operations extremely dependant upon a working Internet connection. If this scenario describes your organization, what’s your plan to stay productive should your Internet connection fail?

Hackers of all shapes and sizes use brute force attacks to gain access into accounts and infrastructures, but do you know how they work and what your business can do to protect against them? Failing to understand brute force attacks could put sensitive information in the crosshairs of hackers, and leave it vulnerable to ongoing attacks.

The traditional telephone system has been a staple in the office for decades. However, your typical landline telephone system hasn’t aged well, and has been left relatively useless in the wake of better, more flexible solutions, that are designed to save your business money. Voice over Internet Protocol, or VoIP, is a great tool that can be used to improve your business’s ability to grow.

If you’re like every other business in the world, you rely on a set of software solutions that you use to ensure that all work gets done properly in your office. In order to effectively use this software, though, users have to purchase a software license, an agreement with the developers pertaining to the use of the software. Without having the proper licensing, your business can no longer access mission-critical applications, which could result in downtime and other risks to your infrastructure.