Take Advantage of Comprehensive Network Security with UTM
Network security is one thing that rarely stays the same for any business–especially with the ever-changing threat landscape on the Internet. No matter how much time you spend preparing for security troubles, you’ll always be caught unawares if you never assume that the worst will happen. You should be taking advantage of both traditional security solutions, as well as new and emerging tools that help you keep advanced threats at bay.
Regardless of how much your business’ technology grows, there is always going to be the possibility that even some basic threats could cause trouble for your organization. For example, your workstation will be vulnerable to threats like viruses, malware, spam, and many others if you choose to forego traditional protection solutions like an antivirus or firewall. Furthermore, even consumer-grade protections are often not enough to keep more advanced threats at bay.
It’s all a matter of cost. Managed service providers make these services more affordable for small businesses. A Unified Threat Management (UTM) tool is the ideal solution for many SMB security woes. A UTM includes enterprise-class solutions like a firewall and antivirus that keep threats from making an impact against your business, as well as spam protection and content filtering to keep issues out of your infrastructure in the first place. This saves you a considerable amount of time and money, as eliminating threats after the fact can be both wasteful and risky.
There are also other security solutions that you’ll want to consider, namely two-factor authentication and biometrics. Two-factor authentication allows your organization to add a secondary credential to any login portal so that hackers have more trouble accessing sensitive information. An example of a two-factor authentication system is having a code sent to your smart device, which would then be input following your password. Hackers don’t want to do more work than necessary, so if you make accessing your account challenging, they are less likely to pursue the opportunity.
Biometrics make things more complicated for hackers as well. Biometric technology uses your body’s natural identification systems to ensure that only you are accessing your accounts. Scanning your iris or fingerprints are two examples of biometrics that keep hackers from cracking your security protocol. Unless a hacker has a picture-perfect copy of your eyes or fingers, they’ll have a difficult time stealing anything from your accounts.
How does your business keep itself safe from hacking attacks? Regardless, Catalyst Technology Group can help. To learn more, reach out to us at (317) 705-0333.
Take Advantage of Big Data to One-Up the Competition
Your business’s IT strategy is of incredible importance, especially when you consider how much your operations stand to benefit from a functional infrastructure. More than anything, though, IT can ensure that your business remains competitive in a world where the slightest advantage can mean all the difference.
With big data on the rise, let’s take a look at how it can help your business stand out amongst the crowd.
Big Data Changes the Rules
Big data is capable of affecting an industry on a large scale. Let’s say that one business starts to look at the way in which data trends affect the way that they approach their services and business model. They will start to see ways in which they can improve the way they do business. In turn, more and more businesses will look toward implementing big data, which makes it a new industry standard, completely changing the way that the industry operates.
Big Data Allows Businesses to Outperform Rivals
Being “in-the-know” is of the utmost importance in the business world, and the more data that you collect, the more information you have at your disposal. It’s as simple as this; big data allows businesses to gain a competitive advantage against their rivals. Being able to strategically look at statistics and analytics helps businesses to make better, more educated decisions about how to move forward.
Big Data Can Outright Create New Businesses
Big data has the opportunity to change business models so drastically that some organizations may split themselves up to create new business opportunities. Alternatively, businesses may create new departments within their organizations that focus on the analysis of this data. These departments can then deploy the data for a number of functions, including improving operations as a whole internally, or looking at external factors that could bring in more revenue, such as consumer behavior patterns.
Does your business leverage big data to its advantage? It could be just the thing you need to get a leg up on the competition. Catalyst Technology Group can consult you on how best to take advantage of data collection and delegation within your business and consumer base. To learn more, reach out to us at (317) 705-0333.
3 Significant Ways Your Business Can Take Advantage of Virtualization
With cloud computing on the rise, more businesses than ever before are taking advantage of great new tools that allow them to get the leg up on the competition. With virtual technology services at their disposal, they are completely changing the way that they approach computing, and the best part is that these services are affordable even for smaller organizations with limited budgets. Here are three of the best ways your organization can implement virtualization solutions.
Software as a Service (SaaS)
Cloud-hosted software is part of a trend that is increasing the accessibility of applications designed to improve the way you do business. Thanks to this type of software, SMBs are able to grow more dynamically and achieve more flexibility in the way that they function. Examples of Software as a Service include well-known solutions such as Microsoft Office 365 and Google’s G-Suite, but just about any software that is offered through the cloud on a subscription basis can be deemed Software as a Service. The main attraction of SaaS is that businesses make smaller monthly payments to use the same software that would otherwise require a full-fledged license purchase. If you’ve ever had to purchase multiple licenses for multiple users, you know how this can be a great way to save money for any small business.
Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP)
Virtual telephone solutions like VoIP are actively replacing the traditional telephony infrastructure in the office environment. This is mainly due to the fact that they decrease costs overall and provide a level of flexibility that’s never been seen before, both in and out of the workplace. Since you use the Internet to make and receive calls, you’re using something that you already pay for to eliminate an unnecessary expense. Plus, you can use VoIP apps on a traditional handset, a desktop or laptop, and even your smartphone, allowing you to take your office phone number on the go.
Hardware Virtualization
If you have been managing an entire in-house IT infrastructure on your own, you know how challenging it can be to manage servers and other networking components. Due to this immense responsibility, many organizations are choosing to outsource the care of their networking components through a hardware virtualization vendor. This allows companies to consolidate their servers to make better use of their resources, as well as save on energy costs, like air conditioning and electricity. Plus, you’ll be able to access any of these resources through the cloud, and you’ll be able to simplify your in-house network considerably.
If your business is ready to take the next step toward technological advancement, reach out to Catalyst Technology Group at (317) 705-0333. Our trusted technicians are happy to discuss what we can do for your business.