Let?s discuss how these devices can be manipulated to the detriment of the user. First, let?s start where the majority of these devices are now found: in the home. Is a Smart Home a Dumb Idea? The entire concept of a smart home is based on a singular premise: to simplify life for the homeowner by automating many of the things that they would ordinarily worry about. Running late to work in the morning? Your smart coffee maker has already prepared your cup of joe, and you can run out the front door without having to worry about turning off any lights or even locking up behind you, as both can be scheduled to happen automatically, or be triggered with a brief command to a smart speaker. This all seems pretty useful, and that?s just a very small example of the devices that now come in smart options. However, no amount of utility can outweigh the pretty serious security risks that these devices are notoriously prone to. Think about the havoc that a cybercriminal could raise if they got access to the devices that we?ve discussed in this blog. Even if they were only motivated to torment you, it would be simple enough to do — commanding your coffee maker to continuously brew more java, waking you in the middle of the night by lighting up your home, or locking you out of the house when you only meant to step outside for a moment. Those with more malicious intent could use your devices in other ways – spying on you, learning the layout of your home, and as a means to many other nefarious ends. Problems in the Workplace Of course, these problems aren?t content with being left at home. You and your employees may unwittingly bring them (and their associated threats) into the workplace. This actually makes sense, when you consider how many devices today are now created to be ?smart.? You may have decided that the break room should have a smart refrigerator or a smart coffee maker, or that smart lights make sense in your workspace. You and your employees probably have some smart devices up your sleeves (literally, if you wear a smartwatch), as many of them do offer a legitimately useful utility. However, just as they can in the home, these devices can foster threats in the workplace–perhaps even introducing them, as they move in and out of the office environment and potentially pick up malware. The IoT, or the Tiger? The 1882 short story ?The Lady, or the Tiger?? describes the kind of paradox that the IoT can create for businesses and personal users alike. In the story, the king of some land puts people through a public trial of ordeal based on chance. An accused man is put into an arena and is given the choice of two soundproof doors. One hides a woman chosen by the king to be the accused?s new wife, while the other contains a hungry tiger.  The door with the woman means innocence and immediate marriage, and the door with the tiger? I?ll let you come to your own conclusion. As it happens, the king?s daughter is in love with a man of lower social status, so (as you would expect in a story like this) the […]

Custom onboarding plans We create a custom onboarding project for each new client. This provides the foundation for all of the systems and documentation needed to adequately support your business.  We lock down your network, gather information, and roll out tools and software.  During this process, our team gets to know your staff and creates standard operating procedures to define and standardize critical functions like employee onboarding and separation. In addition to the standard technical work, our client onboarding process includes steps to help ensure that we are always considering your business needs, such as: Conduct initial security audit and lock-down procedure Implement and test a comprehensive data backup system Secure critical data in a secure offsite backup location Setup monitoring and alerting for all key systems Notification to all 3rd party vendors about the change Discuss and plan password changes for all users (if applicable) Obtain user census for the network Implement and customize ticketing system, documentation platform, and user portal Implement management and monitoring tools Complete network support and workflow documentation Inventory and document all hardware, software, and hosted apps Identify and document all key third party vendors Identify all single points of failure for key business processes Remove  unnecessary complexity Establish employee onboarding and separation procedures Conduct basic end-user orientation and training Consider a Virtual CIO plan  

This is thanks to something known as vendor management. What is Vendor Management? Take a moment and consider how many vendors you deal with, in terms of your business? IT. Chances are pretty good that there are a few different ones that you use for your different solutions, based on who could give you the best deal at the time. You could have a vendor who supplies you with workstations, one for your server infrastructure, and so on and so forth? once they are all taken into consideration, your business relies on you reaching out to quite a few providers, each on a fairly regular basis. Here?s the challenge. Reaching out to your vendors isn?t always the most efficient process, so while working with them is critical to your operations, it can be difficult to justify the time spent to do so. At the very least, you will have sacrificed time that could have been spent attending to other critical facets of your business? which means you?re effectively sacrificing money, in order to spend money. Vendor management helps to alleviate the issue significantly. As an IT provider and resource, White Mountain IT Services has naturally needed to work with vendors very consistently. As a result, we have formed solid working relationships with them, which frequently allow us to enjoy better deals from these vendors. This is just one of the benefits that companies have seen from allowing us to act as their representative with these vendors – which is essentially what vendor management is. How Vendor Management Benefits Your Business? Bottom Line So, at this point, we?ve established what vendor management is? so how does it help reduce your investment into procuring the resources you need to operate? There are actually a few features of vendor management that contribute to your cost savings. Better Use of Time As we went over above, dealing with your vendors yourself can be a time-intensive process. Once the time comes, you have to reach out to the proper vendor (or vendors) that provides the resources needed, which is time that isn?t being spent on revenue-generating endeavors. However, by working with White Mountain IT Services and allowing us to manage your vendors, all you have to do is notify us of your needs and we?ll handle the rest. We?ll reach out to your vendors on your behalf, allowing you to invest your valuable time elsewhere in your business. Benefits and Bargains We?ve already discussed how we?ve cultivated working relationships with many vendors, which can be to your advantage. Due to our continued dealings with them (not to mention our ability to negotiate from an informed standpoint), we are often given access to better deals than one of our clients would be. This allows us to pass these benefits on to you. Simplicity Again, not to harp on this point too much, but with us managing your vendors for you, the entire process becomes so much easier on your end. We serve as your single point of contact for any of your needs, not only freeing up more of your time, but also significantly decreasing the hassle of placing orders and keeping up on your business? needs. Does vendor management sound like something that your business could find to its advantage? Reach out to White Mountain IT Services today to learn more. Call (603) 889-0800 to […]

Defining a Hosted Desktop A hosted desktop is more or less what it sounds like – a system that is more or less indistinguishable from the typical desktop, but is actually operating via cloud-based virtual machines. Sometimes referred to as a virtual desktop or a Desktop-as-a-Service (DaaS) solution, a hosted desktop resides in a centralized location and is deployed to special workstations called thin clients. With a hosted desktop, a user can access all the software they need to be collaboratively productive, as well as secure, all in a familiar format. Some Benefits of Hosted Desktop Solutions Using a hosted desktop can provide a variety of benefits, including: Efficient deployment – Since all of a hosted desktop?s resources are centrally stored, any software to be added only needs to be added to the server. Centralized storage – All data used and produced by a hosted desktop is kept in a central storage facility, protected by regular backups. Improved mobility – As a cloud-based solution, applications can be accessed from anywhere an Internet connection can be established. Scalability – As a month-to-month subscription service, your DaaS subscription can easily be adjusted to meet your needs. Cost savings – Not only does a hosted desktop diminish the need to invest in new hardware, it is billed on a per-user basis, meaning you will never spend money purposelessly. What Businesses Can Use Hosted Desktop? Some of the most common use cases for hosted desktop solutions are for jobs where your users may not necessarily need a dedicated workstation of their own; or, do a lot of work remotely. Many of the businesses that see the most utility from hosted desktops are classified to be in the professional services industry, or hospitality, or tech-centric endeavors, although nonprofits will commonly use them as well to avoid excessive hardware investments. If you are searching for a way to reduce the impact that replacing hardware can have on your business without hindering your employees, give White Mountain IT Services a call at (603) 889-0800.

Hardware Costs If you planned on moving to a VoIP platform, spending capital on hardware would likely go against the intention of cutting costs. A hosted VoIP solution makes it possible to get a powerful business phone system without having to go through the headaches and expense associated with installing new phone lines. Anyone who has ever run telephone wire from a distribution hub through the walls of a building knows that it can be quite tedious.  Even for a smaller PBX roll out, you are looking at a substantial capital investment that is transformed immediately into an operational expense once you choose to introduce a hosted VoIP solution. By utilizing your company?s existing broadband, hosted VoIP removes the upfront expense of purchasing PBX hardware, running phone lines, and buying dedicated phones.  Fee Structures The largest expense for any telephone system is the minutes the phone is being used. Every traditional phone bill will feature costs for long distance calling, which the way it is set up most of the time are calls that you would consider local. Eliminating this recurring expense is one way that hosted VoIP is able to present the business that?s looking to cut costs an opportunity to do so. In comparison, broadband Internet is relatively inexpensive and is basically mandatory nowadays. It is also offered by quite a few ISPs, allowing your organization to buy the resources you need as an operational expense. Additionally, any VoIP service rates are very competitive with the rates that you?d pay if utilizing a traditional phone system, without the need for constant management and maintenance of the system. The VoIP subscription is typically paid per user, which also provides efficient scalability if you need to add or subtract accounts for any reason.  Mobility Another way VoIP helps the modern business stretch its dollar is by promoting mobility.  Many reputable hosted VoIP systems have mobile applications available through the Google Play Store or Apple App Store. This provides organizations the mobile flexibility they need without paying extra for individual phones and service plans. Since these applications can be effectively run over Wi-Fi, or through the organization?s virtual private network (VPN), it can save plenty of financial resources normally spent on the deployment of a typical mobile strategy.  If you would like more information about VoIP or if you would like to know how White Mountain IT Services can help you with your business? communications, call us today at (603) 889-0800.