Business is a fickle thing, as acquisitions can be the end of both major and minor vendors. This can also lead to the untimely demise of some of your partnerships with these companies. Take, for example, a recent acquisition by Fitbit, which acquired a former Kickstarter project Pebble, showing the world that these types of acquisitions can be major problems for consumers. Pebble, a hardware company, made the announcement on their Kickstarter page that, ?due to various factors,? the company ?could no longer operate as an independent entity? and had ?made the tough decision to shut down the company? after Fitbit completed the purchase of some of Pebble?s assets. Pebble went on to admit that they would no longer be building hardware and cutting production of their wearable products. Of course, you have to take into account all of the devices that have already been sold. Pebble has claimed that the devices will continue to operate as intended for now, but these devices will go without critical software updates, making them vulnerable to all manners of online threats. Furthermore, these devices will no longer be available for return or exchange, so the user is basically stuck with a device that?s both without updates and without the possibility for financial reimbursement. In other words, you?ll notice how this isn?t a decision that affects just Pebble, but all of the users of their products. Pebble fans are stuck with devices that have a limited lifespan, no warranty, and no support, making you wonder why Pebble would have agreed to such a thing. Granted, this exchange probably won?t affect your business much, but you need to think about it in a more broad sense. What if your workstation were dealing with a software vendor, which was one day bought out by another company out of the blue. If these devices aren?t supported any longer by your vendor, since they are no longer offering support or services that were agreed upon, your office will be filled with devices that have no real practical use. As was seen with Windows XP?s end of life event, custom service might be available, but at an unreasonable and expensive cost. If you want to ensure that you don?t fall victim to a random acquisition in the tech industry, reach out to White Mountain IT Services and have our professional technicians be your single point of contact for your IT vendors. To learn more, reach out to us at (603) 889-0800.
The Network Operations team, and our associated tools, systems and processes, make up the Network Operations Center (NOC). The industry term for the Network Operations Center is usually just NOC (pronounced ‘knock’). We have two primary functions, the first is to build, manage and maintain the infrastructure that we use to manage our clients infrastructure. The second is to work with the engineering team on the most complex and involved client projects. The Network Operations team’s responsibilities include: Managing multiple monitoring and alerting systems Monitoring of thousands of network devices, servers and firewalls Responsible for Windows updates and security patches for all client systems Security configurations and motoring for client firewalls, VPNs and servers Anti-virus and anti-malware systems across all client networks Data backup systems and management for all client data Managing multiple private cloud platforms Round trip email monitoring for client email servers Producing reports for management and client review Compliance and security audits Offsite data backup infrastructure and systems Performance monitoring of client database systems And on and on, you get the point. Network Operations is the team that provides the back end systems, automation, and management platforms that the rest of the team uses to manage our clients technology. We also help with escalation for the engineering team and assist with more complex client migrations and projects. Engineering & Support Help Desk Services Onsite Services Server Support Network Management Data Backup Disaster Recovery System Engineering Network Operations Network Security Project Work Staff Augmentation Cloud Services Computer Consulting Professional IT Management Service and Support Management Project Management Standard Operating Procedures IT Policies Systems Documentation Technology Consulting Cyber Security Training Reporting and Metrics Co-Managed IT Services Planning & Consulting Virtual CIO Services Strategic Alignment Budgeting IT Road-Map Business Continuity Workflow Analysis
Cyber Security is ingrained in all roles and in everything we do. From help desk and field services all the way through systems engineering, NOC, and the consulting team, we take network security seriously. Security starts during the interview process, everyone on our team has been subjected to comprehensive background checks and has been checked and registered (including fingerprints) with the national CJIS FBI databases as a prerequisite to being hired. Our offices are protected by monitored alarms, electronic access control, and video and audio recording systems. Our entire team follows industry best practices and are enrolled in ongoing cybersecurity training and testing. We offer a wide range of Cyber Security Services from the basics required for safe computing and IT management, all the way through penetration testing and advanced network security audits. White Mountain IT Cyber Security services include: Event and security log monitoring and alerting Password management system Management of anti-virus, anti-malware, firewalls and server permissions Vulnerability audits Penetration testing and reporting Data encryption Secure email and message encryption User monitoring and activity recording Honey pot systems and monitoring A complete end-user cybersecurity training curriculum Ongoing Phishing test campaigns and reporting If you are concerned about your current level of network security, give us a call for a confidential consultation. Engineering & Support Help Desk Services Onsite Services Server Support Network Management Data Backup Disaster Recovery System Engineering Network Operations Network Security Project Work Staff Augmentation Cloud Services Computer Consulting Professional IT Management Service and Support Management Project Management Standard Operating Procedures IT Policies Systems Documentation Technology Consulting Cyber Security Training Reporting and Metrics Co-Managed IT Services Planning & Consulting Virtual CIO Services Strategic Alignment Budgeting IT Road-Map Business Continuity Workflow Analysis
We are available to help with all of your technology projects. From a simple office move across town to a full CRM system migration, or move to the cloud, White Mountain can provide the resources to get the job done. Depending on your needs, we can simply provide a helping hand, or provide consulting and project planning services, or even full project management, overseeing other vendors and internal resources. Typical IT Projects that we help out with include: Office moves, new locations Mergers and acquisitions Deployment of new workflow and software systems Integrating tablets and mobile technology Wireless network design and deployment Overseeing Web development and digital marketing projects Cloud migrations and readiness audits Video conferencing system installations Security camera and door controller installations Choosing and evaluating new vendors for security, telephone and internet services New VOIP system migration and roll-out Compliance and audit projects If you have a new project coming up, or if your old project list just seems to never get finished, give us a call, we are happy to help out! Engineering & Support Help Desk Services Onsite Services Server Support Network Management Data Backup Disaster Recovery System Engineering Network Operations Network Security Project Work Staff Augmentation Cloud Services Computer Consulting Professional IT Management Service and Support Management Project Management Standard Operating Procedures IT Policies Systems Documentation Technology Consulting Cyber Security Training Reporting and Metrics Co-Managed IT Services Planning & Consulting Virtual CIO Services Strategic Alignment Budgeting IT Road-Map Business Continuity Workflow Analysis
Staff Augmentation, because sometimes you need a helping hand. Staff augmentation is when a client needs an onsite tech resource on a regularly scheduled basis. This might be to help out with deployment and training of new hardware or software systems, helping out with onboarding new employees, or to help open a new office. Whether your need is as little as four hours per week, or a full forty, short or long term, we can provide the help you need when you need it. Advantages of having White Mountain help with your staffing needs include: Our technicians are trained in industry best practices We provide management and oversight Detail of all work performed will be documented in our ticketing system Configuration changes will be documented in your IT documentation portal When your project is finished, the tech is still available as a member of our team If you are considering bringing on part-time help, or an IT contractor, to help out with a long term project, give us a call first, we may be able to offer much more value than just a hired hand. Engineering & Support Help Desk Services Onsite Services Server Support Network Management Data Backup Disaster Recovery System Engineering Network Operations Network Security Project Work Staff Augmentation Cloud Services Computer Consulting Professional IT Management Service and Support Management Project Management Standard Operating Procedures IT Policies Systems Documentation Technology Consulting Cyber Security Training Reporting and Metrics Co-Managed IT Services Planning & Consulting Virtual CIO Services Strategic Alignment Budgeting IT Road-Map Business Continuity Workflow Analysis
