Here are three ways that managed IT services can help your business improve operations. Managed IT Lowers CostsLet?s say that you don?t have a dedicated IT department that resolves issues as they happen, as it is rather expensive. You generally only contact tech support when you have already experienced a problem, reacting to an issue rather than preventing it altogether. This is what managed IT services attempt to resolve. By taking proactive measures that keep issues from happening in the first place, you spend less on hardware replacement, service fees, and downtime, making it practically imperative if you want to cut unnecessary costs. It?s like having a full in-house IT department without paying all of their salaries. Managed IT is Hands OffOne of the biggest perks of managed IT is that the issues are often resolved without you even knowing they existed in the first place. Through the power of remote monitoring and management, your managed IT provider can keep an eye on your systems without even being on-site, which allows them to identify and resolve the issue as quickly as possible. Rest assured that you will be notified of major issues that need your attention and awareness, but know that most problems can be resolved without an on-site visit. Managed IT is FlexibleThere are so many services offered by managed IT providers that you can practically pick and choose the perfect service level agreement that suits your needs. Whether you need something as simple as implementing a new email solution or the management of an entire infrastructure, managed IT services has a solution that can make your organization?s operations run just the way you want them to–if not better! Your business shouldn?t be wasting time managing its own IT infrastructure–not when you have much more important things to be doing. After all, you?re a business owner, and you need to be running your business, not focused on resolving technology problems. Still, this doesn?t diminish the importance of proper IT maintenance. Managed IT services from White Mountain IT Services is one of the many opportunities your organization has to improve your return on investment for your technology. To learn more, reach out to us at (603) 889-0800.

Businesses can benefit from the use of personal mobile devices in the workplace, yet there are also potential dangers in allowing mobile and Internet of Things devices to access your network. In order to reduce these dangers, you need to put some limits and guidelines on the use of such devices in the workplace. Defining Limitations and Acceptable DevicesIn order to avoid your network being used for purposes that don?t apply to your business, you should set limitations as to what kind of devices are able to access it. Take, for example, the Internet of Things. While the security of some IoT devices has been improved, there are still many with no defense of which to speak that pose considerable risk to your network. Limiting network access to devices that can specifically be used in a professional manner can help protect your network. However, even if devices are allowed in the workplace, they can still serve as a distraction. Assume that each of your employees has a smartphone, laptop, tablet, and wearable device that is in the office with them every day. Not only can these all serve as interruptions and distractions, they can take up valuable bandwidth in the office, reducing the efficiency of the office as a whole. However, you can also limit how many devices each person can have linked to the network at a time, so that strategy can help as well. Develop An Access PolicyHuman error is one of the leading causes of data loss. To help combat the ill effects that irresponsible or abusive mobile device use can have to your business, help your employees to grasp their role in–and their importance to–the company?s success in keeping your network secure. Access policies can assist you in achieving this outcome. Remind your employees of their accountability to the rest of your team by instating password requirements and privacy terms, antivirus expectations, and data loss reporting processes. You could even discuss penalties that they are apt to face if caught using a company device as they are driving. Using A Mobile Device Management SolutionTo truly ensure that your company is not at high risk due to the mobile devices your employees use every day, consider implementing a mobile device management (MDM) solution. MDM applications give you the control you need to ensure your business is protected, allowing you to enforce the device?s proper use and to ensure that all necessary maintenance and patching takes place. Many MDM solutions also allow you to preserve your data security with remote wiping capabilities, should it turn up missing, or worse, stolen. Mobile devices have been cemented permanently into today?s business-as-usual, allowing for greater productive mobility and job satisfaction. However, they can?t be adopted without preparation and forethought. Cybercrime forces SMBs to keep close tabs on who can access their network and what device they?re using to do so. Want to learn more about mobile device management, and how White Mountain IT Services can assist you with yours? Call us at (603) 889-0800.

Managed IT has its roots in the 1980s, which saw a deal between Eastman Kodak and IBM that would create a large data center for Kodak?s needs. IBM?s role in this endeavor was to design, build, and implement a data center specifically for Kodak. This is a significant moment in the history of IT outsourcing specifically because it?s one of the first times that a company outsources a project of this scale to an external provider. During the implementation of this project, it?s said that Kodak transferred many of their staffers directly to IBM–and if such a major figure can do something like this, the industry would take notice and grow in an entirely different direction because of it. Where companies preferred to keep their services in-house whenever possible, they now sought to find value in the service of other organizations. IBM became a major service provider for its time and ushered in an era unlike anything ever seen before in the business technology environment. Eventually, application service providers called ASPs were brought to the forefront in response to businesses? evolving software and service needs. Examples of such software solutions include payroll software or timesheet keeping solutions, while others include productivity suites such as Microsoft?s coveted word processing and spreadsheet solutions like Microsoft Word and Excel. Sometimes these services were offered through a download by the user, while other times they were accessed through an online interface. Regardless, the end result was the same–the business acquired a solution that solved a very specific need. The need for professional technology assistance gave way too many organizations offering what are called managed IT solutions. This was due largely in part to break-fix IT being such an inconvenience for small businesses due to restrained budgets and a general inability to manage IT as effectively as can be. Often times, companies would have their own employees perform IT responsibilities in an attempt to save some money. This could have unforeseen circumstances, including responsibilities not being performed adequately, forcing companies to undergo the same project multiple times (and losing money each time). Managed IT solves these problems by providing a single point of contact for the various needs of your company. Cloud computing, network security, data backup and disaster recovery, you name it–if you can think it, it can be outsourced for your company?s IT infrastructure. To learn more about what a managed IT service provider like White Mountain IT Services can provide for your organization, reach out to us at (603) 889-0800.

Are you ready for some football… technology? When you think about NFL technology, you probably think that their budget and innovative capabilities is way out of your league. Surprisingly, some of the most important parts of the game rely on technology that many of us use every day. Tablets: Gone are the days of coaching staff printing black-and-white images during the game. Available to the entire NFL in 2014, coaches are given league-provided, specially configured, and weatherproof Microsoft Surface tablets that allow them to access high resolution images in real time. NFL provides these tablets to ?dissect? the opponent’s offense and defense. The adoption of tablet use is strictly controlled by the NFL in order to maintain the traditions and integrity of the game. In fact, it?s so important that the NFL commissioned Microsoft to develop an application exclusively used by coaches from the sideline. Additionally, each club can provide tablets to players to be used as electronic playbooks or to view position-centric game film. Electronic Medical Records: Over the past few decades, the NFL has been taking steps to protect players from both the long and short term effects the game has on their body. Many retired players feel repercussions of game injuries decades later. The NFL has put an emphasis on the health and wellbeing of their players. One of the ways they do this is through the use of pads and helmets that have the capability to record physical activity and relay it to the individual’s electronic medical records. In the event of an injury, it’s possible for doctors and athletic trainers to use data recorded by the gear to evaluate and diagnose possible injuries, like concussions. Proactive Monitoring: When watching a Football game, you?re actually watching the product of a massive infrastructure that is properly maintained and monitored. It?s probably not something most people think about – but it?s true. Stadium technology is closely monitored and any issues must be resolved as quickly as possible, especially on game day. Imagine if officials couldn?t access their instant replay because someone failed to notice that a wireless signal between the live feed and replay booth had an issue. Needless to say, NFL operations are vigilant about preventing technology issues. Bonus – Funding Innovation: There are other technologies that the NFL puts to use that have no place in the SMB Market. Through the HeadHealthTech Challenge, the NFL tasked doctors, engineers, and scientists to come up with innovative methods of preventing, treating and diagnosing a concussion. After submitting an idea, the NFL and their partners review the technology and determine a winner. Even though funded by the NFL, the innovations submitted are not proprietary and available to the medical community. As stated on their website, the NFL Football Operations ?faces a delicate balance: determining how to innovate while respecting and preserving the game?s traditions, integrity and competitive equity.? All use of technology is heavily regulated by the NFL. What are your thoughts on the use of common technology by the NFL? Let us know in the comments.

If Security Isn?t Top-of-Mind, It Should BeIt is no longer any secret that data security is a crucial consideration for any business, big or small. Whether its financial information, personally identifiable information, or any other kind of data that a business might accumulate, it has value to a cybercriminal and therefore needs to be protected. An MSP like White Mountain IT Services is well aware of the risk of cyber threats, and so will have the solutions to help protect your business from them. Whether they assist you in properly configuring a firewall or monitor your solutions for any indication that something is out of place, your MSP can help maintain your security solutions and ensure that anything that slips past them is detected and resolved as quickly as possible. With a managed IT approach, business owners can worry less about their business? security– and more about running their business–because the responsibility of ensuring the business network is secure falls to the MSP. Is The Continuity Of Your Business Ensured?Sure, securing a business against online threats is all well and good, but what about the other factors that threaten a business? survival? Factors like natural events–storms, tremors, floods, fires…all of these events can put a business in jeopardy. Additionally, once the event has passed, a business will need to be sure they can still access their critical files or the business will die a painful death. White Mountain IT Services has the solutions to keep this from happening as well. With a focus on both backup and disaster recovery, a business can be sure that their data is safe from hazardous events and weather conditions. We make sure a backup is taken at regular intervals throughout the workday, ensuring minimal productivity loss if something were to happen, and we store that data in multiple locations to help keep the disaster from wiping out both data and backup. A company can even access and work from their data directly from their backup until it can be restored to their new location. Regular Reporting To Keep You Up-To-SpeedWhile in business, it is ideal to know just where your business stands. White Mountain IT Services?s reporting can help you do just that. Whether it helps you keep track of your inventory or helps you ensure that your systems are all protected, our comprehensive reports will allow you to track your company?s progression and status. Keeping Your Business CompliantDepending on your industry, you may be beholden to assorted regulations and compliances meant to preserve your employees?, your clients?/customers?, and your own safety and security. A managed IT approach from White Mountain IT Services can help you to be sure that your IT is in line with these regulations and compliance measures, allowing you to focus on improving your business in other ways. White Mountain IT Services is always here to help you improve your IT. Give us a call at (603) 889-0800 to discuss the solutions we can offer you.