Category Archives: Manage Service

How Businesses Benefit with Access to a Live Answer Help Desk

Manage Service, ,
20161216

SystemsNet offers businesses the ability to call in anytime of the night or day for support

Technology has opened up many opportunities for businesses, yet it’s also created more complexity in day-to-day workflows. Just about every department and function within a modern business relies on some form of technology, making efficient management of these systems imperative. Inevitably, questions and problems will arise, which leads us into our topic: how businesses benefit with access to a live answer help desk.

 

Local or Remote MSP

The scope and scale of technology will differ for each business, yet even a simple brick and mortar retail business will find a live answer help desk vitally useful at times. This live answer help desk connects businesses with a Managed Service Provider (MSP), either remotely or locally. SystemsNet, for instance, is located in Horsham, PA, offering on-site services to the tri-state area, including: Berks, Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Lancaster, Montgomery, and Philadelphia counties – and offering remote services across the country.

Each business’s IT needs are different, which will dictate whether they want to partner with a local or remote MSP. When it comes to having access to a live answer help desk, many issues can be resolved remotely through walk through answers/ instructions, or with remote access to systems. Partnering with a local MSP does offer the ability to ask for on-site services when remote help isn’t enough to solve the issue.

Continuous Support Anytime

SystemsNet offers businesses the ability to call in anytime of the night or day, in order to get IT help from a live technician with expertise; the live answer help desk will either be immediately available or within 2 minutes time. Continuous support 24/7/365 is vital when it comes to IT support, considering problems and questions are just as likely to occur during off-hour times.

The Practicality of IT Support

When it comes down to it, businesses can’t afford their IT systems breaking down or collapsing, so ensuring there’s proper support to keep them going continuously and smoothly is essential. SystemsNet maintains a diverse staff with technical expertise in many different applications and systems; network specialists, application developers, system administrators, and consultants are available to help businesses with products from popular industry leaders.

Access, anytime, to live IT support is helpful for remote clients in different time zones as well, because they may have a question or issue during their business hours. Whether local or remote, clients will benefit from having access to live answer IT support for: network troubleshooting, software installation, spam filtering, technical advice, and any other IT support need.

In this modern world, this is a practical need for any business using IT systems. The need for robust cybersecurity, maintenance, upgrades, and understanding complex back-end issues with software and hardware, all make the case for the practicality of having access to a live answer help desk.

As Needed IT Services and Support Partner

When partnering with SystemsNet, businesses will have access to as needed IT support. Being able to call our live answer help desk anytime, gives businesses the IT support needed to augment their internal IT teams or be a more comprehensive IT services provider. Either way, the cost structure is as needed, which means there’s no superfluous expenses.

Summary

Technology has become integral in modern businesses for day-to-day operations, which can either work for or against them. Security, compliance, inefficiencies, and maintenance issues can all become impediments to productivity and, even, cause total shut down. Many times preventative maintenance or timely information can thwart unwanted IT interruptions, which makes a good case for businesses to partner with a local or remote MSP.

Partnering with SystemsNet for a live answer help desk gives businesses peace of mind, knowing they have IT expertise only a phone call away 24/7. They’ll also gain a trusted consultant for popular and innovative software and hardware solutions if needed.

SMBs don’t have to risk IT issues or put up with inefficiencies because they have a limited IT department, instead they can partner with SystemsNet and get the answers needed through a live answer help desk. If interested in learning more please contact us today.

Resolution for 2017: Working with a Top-Notch Managed Service Provider (MSP)

Manage Service, ,

20161215

Its that time of year again with the holiday season quickly approaching.  Were all making those last minute purchases to be sure purchases gifts make it to our door before the Christmas and making plans to spend time with family members.

As 2016 draws to a close, consider how the IT services you rely on can improve in the coming year.

In recent months, have you experienced any of the following?

  • A cyber security incident that possibly endangered your sensitive data.
  • Wasted money on unnecessary IT purchases, such as equipment or software that your company didn’t really need.
  • A selection of substandard software that you’d hoped would perform better.
  • Devices or software long overdue for upgrades and updates.
  • Long wait times for resolving IT problems (including employees getting locked out of their accounts or computing devices that are crashing for unclear reasons).
  • Sub-optimal IT configurations that result in problems such as network slowdowns.
  • Sporadic or incomplete data backups that leave your business vulnerable to costly data loss.
  • A lack of strategic long-term IT planning.
  • In-house IT personnel who are overworked and over-extended.

Can you enjoy better services in 2017?

To benefit from better IT services across multiple areas, ranging from cyber security to network maintenance to software training for employees, consider hiring a Managed Service Provider (MSP).

MSPs handle a plethora of services, providing your company with round-the-clock support, monitoring your system, and helping you make wise IT decisions that will yield benefits now and in the future. Even if you already employ in-house IT personnel, they can share their responsibilities with an MSP.

What are some examples of how you can benefit from a high-quality MSP?

  • Improved cloud computing solutions. A recent article from ZDNet points out how MSPs often play a critical role in helping companies manage the cloud. For example, many companies rely on a mix of IT solutions – some of them hosted locally and others based in the cloud. MSPs can manage this mix and suggest cost-effective changes that would improve your IT set-up. If a company decides to move one of its IT functions to the cloud, MSPs will assist with the migration, along with offering advice on the cloud services that best fit the company’s needs.
  • High-quality network installation and maintenance. MSPs can set up, install, monitor, maintain, and defend your network. As a result, your company will be less likely to suffer from equipment outages, mismanaged network traffic, and undetected intrusions from cyber criminals and other unauthorized third parties. You’ll enjoy round-the-clock network monitoring, every day of the year.
  • Stronger cyber security. MSPs can evaluate your IT set-up for vulnerabilities and help guard it from cyber security breaches across multiple fronts. As Tech Republic points out in an article on 2017 cyber security trends, smaller businesses are especially vulnerable to cyber attacks. MSPs work on developing comprehensive security solutions that depend in large part on preventative measures and vigilance.
  • Reliable data backups. When businesses permanently lose data, or when it takes them too long to restore their data after an IT disaster, they can suffer serious financial losses, sometimes to the point where they can no longer survive. MSPs help you manage data backups from multiple devices. They also ensure that your most critical data can get restored quickly, minimizing downtime.
  • Ever-present support. Enjoy rapid responses to your IT problems through a live help desk or, when necessary, on-site visits.

One of the key benefits that MSPs provide is a proactive approach to IT solutions. They don’t limit themselves to dealing with existing, full-fledged problems. They work to anticipate, prevent, or minimize various difficulties and disasters, whether it’s the threat of a new kind of malware or the frustrations of a new employee whose log-in credentials have been rejected by the system. They help you plan for future IT developments and align your IT decisions with your business goals.

To find out more about how you can benefit from MSPs in the coming year, please contact us. We offer you a variety of essential services that will significantly improve your company’s productivity and security.

Proactive Monitoring of Network Infrastructure: Lessons from an October 2016 DDoS Attack

Manage Service, ,
20161202

The October DDoS attack on Dyn showed the world how truly vulnerable and fragile our network infrastructures can be.

“It can’t happen here.” These are some of the most dangerous words business owners utter when it comes to their company’s IT system.

CSO Online highlighted this point in a recent article that urged people to anticipate new IT dangers and prepare for them even when they still seem remote. Along with malicious cyber attacks, companies face the danger of other emergencies, such as malfunctioning devices and massive network failures.

One example: The October 2016 DDoS attack

The article mentions a cyber attack that led to a massive Internet outage this past October, denying consistent access to major sites such as Twitter, Amazon, and Netflix.

The attack, which came in waves over a span of close to 12 hours, hit an Internet services company. It was a Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attack that used millions of Internet-connected devices, including security cameras, to send unsustainable amounts of traffic to the targeted company’s servers.

What are some of the lessons we can take from this attack?

  • Scant protection for Internet-connected devices can cause serious problems. Cyber criminals used a malware program to infect the devices and control them, allowing the DDoS attack to launch in a massive way from numerous systems. These devices generally had deficient protection against malware. For example, they may not have had strong passwords or firewalls, and they may have remained completely open to the public Internet. If a device is left with poor defenses, it can get exploited for nefarious purposes. That’s why it’s critical to choose the best devices, configure them properly, and monitor their activity. Understand the vulnerabilities of each device, and introduce it to your network only as needed.
  • Attacks can come from anywhere and for many reasons. There’s a misconception that cyber attacks get carried out only by computer experts. The reality is that even people without much training can use relatively simple programs or buy services from a shady entity to perpetrate cyber crimes. In this recent DDoS attack, the malware program that infected the Internet-connected devices was straightforward to use; it didn’t demand a high level of skill. Another point to consider is that attacks may stem from a range of motives. The usual ones involve stealing sensitive data for financial purposes. But there are potentially other reasons as well, including vengeance and political protests. It won’t always be clear why you’re under attack or what the cyber criminals want.
  • Monitoring for unusual network activity is critical. It isn’t possible to anticipate or fully block every single attack that may come your way. However, the proactive monitoring of network infrastructure and activity can still give you a warning that something is wrong. The sooner you detect a problem, the more likely you are to either thwart it completely or mitigate its effects. You’re less likely to get blindsided and have to scramble unprepared for a solution. Even if an attack gets launched on a massive scale, like the DDoS attack in October, proactive monitoring and organized defenses may still curb some of the worst effects. You’ll be able to regroup more quickly and reduce the amount of downtime you experience.

Protecting your network can seem like a daunting task, and in many ways it is. Unfortunately there isn’t any one protection that works 100% of the time. However, there are still effective measures for preventing or limiting cyber crimes and other IT emergencies. Monitoring your network round-the-clock is one of the best decisions you can make to protect your company.

Don’t hesitate to contact us to further discuss our network monitoring services. Unlike a purely reactive attitude, which results in a costly lack of preparedness, a proactive approach for your IT activities will save you money and unnecessary frustration. It will decrease the chances that you’ll suffer from protracted downtime and suffer serious damage to your system.

How to Use Dynamic DNS

How To, ,
20161104

Using a dynamic DNS can help ensure your home business’s online presence is runs smoothly.

You’ve been building up the computer systems for your home business. It’s reached the point where it’s worth putting them on their own Internet domain. It’s a little tricky, but you can do it.

Here’s the issue. Every device on the Internet has an IP address. It’s a set of four numbers, such as 10.1.1.1. People don’t access the Internet by IP addresses, of course; they use domain names. A Domain Name Service (DNS) maps domain names to addresses; for instance, www.example.com might have the address 10.1.1.1.

If you’re a big company with a lot of money, you can get a fixed IP address that belongs to your domain. It will rarely change, if ever. But for most of us, there’s a problem: There aren’t enough addresses to go around. If you’ve got an account with an Internet service provider, it allocates an address dynamically to you, using a pool of addresses. It can change at any time.

If you want to register a domain for your home-based system, that’s a problem. The IP address which you have at the moment could belong to someone else in a few hours. Still, there’s a way to do it. Some DNS registrars provide a service called Dynamic DNS.

(There’s another IP address scheme, called IPv6, which eliminates the problem by providing a lot more addresses. It hasn’t caught on universally, though, and till it does you need an old-style, IPv4 address.)

Setting up Dynamic DNS

With Dynamic DNS, your registrar keeps your IP address up to date on its server through all its changes. Your equipment has to notify the registrar of each change. The software that does this is called an update client. There are two ways to set it up.

One way is to have your router act as the update client. Many routers support this feature. This is the simpler approach, since you don’t have to install any software in your computer. You just need to configure it according to your provider’s instructions.

The other way is to have the update client run on your computer. That’s more reliable, since you can install software tailored for or recommended by your provider.

When should you use Dynamic DNS?

Dynamic DNS has some problems. A dynamic IP address can’t be cached as much as a fixed one, so there’s more overhead looking it up, affecting performance. If your client misbehaves, you might disappear from the Internet. Free services are available, but they usually limit you to certain domains or subject you to ads and “nagware.” A paid account isn’t expensive, though.

When does it make sense to use a home-based system with Dynamic DNS, rather than getting a free or inexpensive hosted site? Everyone’s reasons will be different. Here are a few possibilities:

  • You want to access your own computer easily when you’re on the road.
  • You’ve got specialized software which is very resource-intensive or otherwise problematic for a hosted system.
  • You have unusual computer hardware which is essential to what you’re doing.
  • You just like having full control of the host computer.

If you’ve got a specialized service that you want to run on your own equipment, you can still have your website hosted and use a subdomain (e.g., myservice.example.com) for your unique software. Every subdomain that you control can have a different IP address and different DNS service.

Hosting your own domain means extra responsibility. Any published domain becomes a target for crooks cruising the Internet for sites to attack. You have to be extra careful to configure your firewall and set up strong passwords to keep intruders out.

If you really need your own domain for your own equipment, though, Dynamic DNS is the way to go, and it’s not that expensive or difficult.

SystemsNet provides support and managed services to keep your computer systems running smoothly. Please contact us to learn what we can do for you.