IT, Technology and Computing Blog | The ITeam

The ITeam gives Calgary businesses peace of mind

The ITeam Delivers Peace of Mind to Calgary Businesses

January 27, 2020/0 Comments/in Managed IT, News /by James Wagner

It is virtually impossible to overstate the importance that IT and digital security play in today’s business world. With a constantly expanding market and a price tag expected to top $5 Trillion in the last 5 years, cybersecurity must be a concern of businesses large and small.

According to the same study, the average cost of a cyber attack to a small business is around $200,000. Fortunately, there is at least one step all business owners can take to make this possibility far less likely: hiring an outsourced IT and security team.

Email security: Protect yourself and your business with an email security protocol customized for your business and using the latest security technology.
Disaster recovery: We work to understand your needs to develop customized backup and recovery solutions.
Asset management: Let us manage your IT assets. We’ll keep your team working efficiently and ensure updated licensing and patching of software.
Backup management: Every business is different. With experience across a range of industries, we know how to manage unique compliance requirements in healthcare, oil and gas, accounting, legal, and more.

IT firms like ours serve a variety of functions, from backing up and protecting sensitive data to 24-hour monitoring to ensure nothing goes wrong. When we do our job right, the business owners we serve get to spend their time focusing on being successful in what they really care about instead of all the little logistical steps in between.

At The ITeam, we’ve provided that peace of mind for over 20 years, and our loyal customers recognize the dedication that we have shown over that time. Thanks to their feedback, we have achieved a 4.8 star rating on Clutch, a B2B service platform that helps us showcase our technical capabilities by hosting analyst-conducted and verified reviews.

In our most recent review, we helped a dairy producer to migrate their hosting platforms, as well as providing security and integrating data sources. They not only praised our technical work, but also noted our responsiveness and availability as major bonuses to the engagements.

“Everyone internally on our team feels that they’ve been fantastic. They answer all of our questions and go above and beyond for us, so we’re thankful for that. They have a 24-hour support system service, so every question is answered, even after hours. We’re never left in the dark.” – Breanne Kramer, Digital Marketing Coordinator

Besides Clutch, two sister sites host directories of B2B services in Calgary. The Manifest provides article-based industry explanations along with company rankings, whereas Visual Objects organizes Canadian firms by their portfolio collections.

If you are looking to make the jump to a more secure system or are tired of taking care of tedious infrastructure tasks yourself, don’t hesitate to reach out to us! We can’t wait to get started.

Can Your Small Business Afford the Risk?

January 13, 2020/0 Comments/in Small Business IT /by James Wagner

The average cost of a cyberattack now exceeds $1 million, reports Security Magazine. Can you afford to lose that kind of money and remain in business? Most small businesses can’t, but more than half of those small businesses responding to a recent security report survey experienced a breach last year. In fact, according to Accenture, 43% percent of cyberattacks are aimed at small businesses, but only 14% of small businesses are prepared to defend themselves. According to Kaspersky, more than a third of small businesses fell victim to cyberattacks in 2019. Even more concerning is the fact that more than two-thirds of small business leaders do not believe they are a target.

Steps Your Small Business Must Take Now to Survive

Every organization needs to take the threat of cyberattack more seriously, especially in light of recent tensions that make cyber warfare more likely than ever. Start with these 5 steps:

Backup and disaster recovery. Avoid paying ransoms and losing access to your data, by having a comprehensive backup and disaster recovery plan. This plan should include offsite backups of your data that are isolated from and not accessible by your network, as well as contingency planning for how your organization will handle data recovery, designating specific people for specific rolls. Read our guide on creating an effective disaster recovery plan.

Regular updates. Not only should you have strong anti-virus and malware protection, but you should also ensure that you regularly install patches, upgrade software, and manage apps to avoid security risk. In particular, there should be no instances of Windows 7 operating at all.

Strong policies. In addition to limiting data access to only those employees who actually need access to perform their jobs, you should implement strict policies for using personal devices to access the company network from public Wi-Fi, strong mobile device security requirements for all devices used for work, and ongoing training requirements for all employees.

Email security. In addition to securely hosted email, establish policies regarding payment and information requests sent by email. Email security and training are essential.

Multifactor authentication. Password security is no longer adequate to protect your network and your data. Require multifactor authentication for access to any part of your network. This should include a password that is combined with a secondary, required security protocol, such as a mobile authentication app for quick push notifications, as well as some form of biometric security.

Whether you are a healthcare firm, an oil and gas company, a legal firm, or a part of the many other industries The ITeam supports, such as construction and accounting, organizations need strong IT security. The ITeam understands the IT security issues facing Canada businesses. We are committed to helping Calgary- and Alberta-based businesses develop proactive, cost-effective IT strategies that minimize risk and maximize efficiency. Contact us to learn more.

Better IT = Better Business

December 23, 2019/0 Comments/in Managed IT /by James Wagner

Business leaders around the world were surveyed about their concerns going into the next decade. The top concerns included risk management, talent strategy, and innovation. One way for business leaders to ensure that they remain on the competitive edge as they work to address these concerns is through a well-aligned, proactive IT strategy. Better IT is good for business.

Risk Management

From data breaches to regulatory concerns, risk management is a key factor in business strategy. It is also one area in which an organization’s IT strategy can be used as a tool to limit, and in some cases, eliminate, risk. These are the top 10 risks as rated by Protiviti:

Regulatory changes and scrutiny may impact operational resilience and production and delivery of products and services;
Economic conditions may significantly restrict growth opportunities;
Succession challenges and ability to attract and retain top talent may be more difficult;
Limited operational resilience of legacy IT infrastructure and digital capabilities may restrict the organization’s ability to compete with ‘born digital’ players;
Resistance to change may restrict organizational agility;
Preparedness to manage cyber threats may be insufficient;
Ensuring privacy/identity management and information security/system protection may be challenging;
Company culture may not empower timely identification and escalation of risk issues;
Sustaining customer loyalty and retention may be increasingly difficult;
Adoption of AI-enabled technologies may require new skills that are either in short supply or require significant upskilling/reskilling of existing employees.

Talent Strategy

Attracting talent in today’s tough and competitive environment is more difficult than ever. It’s not just IT talent that’s hard to find; but acquiring and retaining skilled talent in every area of business has become and ongoing challenge. With a robust IT infrastructure and a well-planned IT strategy, you can attract stronger talent by offering more workplace flexibility and demonstrating your ability to stand apart from the crowd by offering innovative and cutting-edge technology and tools for your employees.

Innovation

If your organization is always putting out fires, worrying whether or not your server will crash or that someone will click on the wrong link, you simply don’t have the brain space to be innovative. When your business is functioning at peak efficiency, you and your team have time to think creatively and develop solutions that give you a competitive edge.

Working with a managed IT team can:

Increase uptime for better customer service
Ensure timely updates to software for better security
Improve competitiveness and increase speed to market
Increase budget flexibility
Improve efficiency and productivity to allow for innovation
Improve your ability to attract strong talent

The outlook for Canadian businesses is improving, and you can capitalize on this opportunity. A better IT strategy supports your business by reducing risk, as well as improving your ability to attract talent and your opportunity to innovate. We are committed to helping Calgary- and Alberta-based businesses develop proactive, cost-effective IT strategies that minimize risk and maximize efficiency. Contact us to learn more.

Your Password IS a Problem

December 10, 2019/1 Comment/in Managed IT, Small Business IT /by James Wagner

Data security is something every organization in Canada must contend with. Implementing layers of security and 24/7 threat detection can help provide protection, like leaving the your door locked at all times so no one can just walk into your business. But when your staff (executives included) reuse passwords across a variety of different sites and apps, they’ve essentially left the keys to your most valuable information in the lock.

The Password Problem

Hackers have passwords, and they know that people use them on multiple sites. As well, hackers use social engineering to know which executives in your organization have financial roles. And they can use the password they stole from a shopper’s club loyalty card account database, for instance, and try it on your network. And this method often works. Hackers also know that the more complex passwords become, the more likely people are to come up with two or three variations of one that works (i.e., it meets all the criteria for one capital letter, one number, one symbol) and reuse it everywhere – from their grocery store loyalty card accounts to your network.

But it’s more than just the repeated use of the same passwords across different apps and sites that poses a risk to your business; it’s the fact that many people don’t change their passwords even after being notified of a breach. How many of your employees are still using the same passwords (or variations) following the Yahoo data breach? The LinkedIn breach? The Capital One breach?

It Takes More than Passwords to Keep Your Data Safe

Yes, you still need to have strict password policies. But in addition to that, you must:

Provide ongoing, in-depth training to your staff about threats, including common email threats
Establish and follow a strict patching regimen so that you prevent potential access to your data through a back door
Implement as many barriers as possible against a data breach, including layers of security (firewalls, malware detection, network security)
Monitor your systems 24/7 for threats
Delete access immediately – including remote access – for any employee who leaves the company
Require a multi-factor authentication to access any secure area of your network
Have the capability of logging and monitoring who is doing what inside your network

Protecting data is one of the most complex issues facing organizations today. It’s not just about PIPEDA compliance, although that is a significant factor, but it’s also about protecting proprietary data, customer information, trade secrets, and financial information. Complicating all of this are the hackers who continue to develop more insidious ways to penetrate your defenses, gain access to your data, and either sell it or use it for financial gain. Employing best practices does make a difference.

Data breaches are not going away, but you can minimize the risk to your organization with strong IT security and a comprehensive disaster recovery plan. You can’t just address one of these issues; you must have a comprehensive, proactive data security program that addresses all of these risks and more.

The ITeam understands the IT security issues facing businesses in Canada. We are committed to helping Calgary- and Alberta-based businesses develop proactive, cost-effective IT strategies that minimize risk and maximize efficiency. Contact us to learn more.

Does Your IT Strategy Support Your Business Strategy?

November 25, 2019/0 Comments/in Business Continuity, Small Business IT /by James Wagner

As the year hastens toward its final days, most organizations are gearing up for 2020 with a renewed sense of purpose and solid business strategies. While developing your strategy, you may have some concerns about the unknowns facing your business and industry. But if you are preparing your plan for the coming year without including your IT strategy and infrastructure needs assessment, you’re missing a core piece of your ability to remain competitive, differentiated, and functional. Does your IT strategy support your business strategy?

IT Deserves a Seat at the Planning Table

Business strategy and IT strategy are two sides of the same coin. Yet most businesses look at IT and IT investment as a cost, not an opportunity. Whether you’re launching new products in 2020, planning to hire new staff, rolling out an app, or adding a new location, IT strategy is an essential piece of every goal. Do your new products include IoT components? What resources will be required to launch a new product or service? What kind of equipment will you need to add new people to your network? How will you handle security and training? As you plan for changes, growth, and the future of your business, IT should be a factor in every decision. Your IT team – internal and outsourced – should be part of your planning process.

Proactive IT Planning Saves You Time and Money

If you don’t include IT in your strategic planning, ultimately it will still be something you have to deal with. Unanticipated needs and adjustments will just end up costing you more, slowing you down, or complicating your plans. Proactive IT planning is essential for ensuring that you can meet your strategic objectives. It forces you to consider how your current infrastructure and support will enable you to deliver on your goals, identify where gaps are in your IT support, and establish what will be required to accomplish your strategic plan.

A Symbiotic Relationship

The more closely you can align your IT to your business strategy, the stronger your organization will be. It’s not just about cybersecurity, although that is certainly a piece of the puzzle. It’s about having a mindset in which your IT infrastructure, security, technology, and assets are considered integral pieces of your entire business strategy puzzle and not simply an afterthought.

The ITeam partners with businesses to ensure that their IT strategies and business strategies align. We understand the challenges facing Canada businesses and are committed to helping Calgary- and Alberta-based businesses develop proactive, cost-effective IT strategies that minimize risk and maximize efficiency. Contact us to learn more.