Month: July 2020

As the modern model of IT support, managed services continue to grow in popularity. Why? Because they give businesses the opportunity to outsource each and every IT need that they may have.

Doesn’t that sound like a good deal to you?

Maybe – perhaps you’re still unsure about what managed services specifically include. After all, the term itself seems a little general.

Why Should Your Dallas IT Services Be Managed?

This is one of the most common questions we get asked.

It’s a good question. “Managed services” is a common term that’s used a lot but isn’t strictly intuitive to those outside the IT industry.

So, let’s clear it up – managed IT services take care of everything IT-related for your organization, proactively preventing problems instead of fixing them after the fact. Simple as that. You should have Dallas IT services that provide this service for you.

The type of outsourced IT support you’re likely most familiar with can be referred to as “hourly IT support”. This type of support fixes IT problems after they occur, and charges by the hour.

Managed IT Services are generally considered to be a more effective model. In practice, instead of waiting for something to go wrong and stepping in to correct it, an IT company that provides Managed IT Services takes on all the responsibilities of a traditional in-house IT department. This means working to prevent issues from happening in the first place.

What Should Your Fully Managed Dallas IT Services Include?

• Support Services
  These are the traditional Help Desk features, such as a helpline, ticketed support, or even an online support portal. Support services get offered in tiered models, typically provided in blocks of hours or unlimited time frames. Layered models regularly get offered in bundled, On-Demand or On-Site, support packages.
• Cloud Services
  Moving to the cloud is as necessary as it is challenging. With an IT company’s assistance, your team can harness the strategic advantages offered by the cloud — efficiency, agility, and scalability — without taking on any risks that come with a poorly planned and executed migration. Your Dallas IT services can manage cloud infrastructure by standardizing interactions between cloud environments. It also allows greater control over specific services to outsource while achieving interoperable cloud infrastructure management between consumers and service providers.
• Modern Phone Systems
  Traditional phone systems are a thing of the past. Landlines are expensive, rigid and inconvenient, which is why many businesses opt to modernize their services by merging them into a unified system. Modern communications solutions use cloud technology to make calls instead of a traditional phone line, granting you greater connectivity, more features, and reduced costs. This service covers the merging of data, voice, and video on the same IP Network. Along with that comes a managed contact center. The center will combine two sections into one. On one side there are the traditional call center features. On the opposite side, is the intelligent IP call routing, integrating email, phone, web, IM, and fax.
• Networks & Infrastructure
  It doesn’t matter how new and expensive your desktop computers are if they’re not connected to anything. Especially given the prevalence of cloud computing in today’s business world. Whereas at one point, locally-stored data on desktop computers that weren’t connected to a network were “good enough”, these days it’s more likely than not that you’re storing data in the cloud. That means a functional network is a must. Networks and Infrastructure management includes IP Virtual Private Networks widely used for secure, high performance, cost-effective networking. When handled it eliminates the cost of maintaining a data center via a Service Level Agreement (SLA), as Wide Area Network (WAN) and Local Area Network (LAN) services do.
  
• Security Services
  Perhaps more than any other IT service that you could have managed, security is likely the most valuable. Unlike printers or communications, security requires ongoing monitoring and maintenance, all of which can best be delivered as a managed function. Managed Security Services are network security services that get outsourced to a service provider. The “defense-in-depth” functions include 24/7 monitoring and management of firewalls and intrusion detection systems. Your IT company will also respond to emergencies, performs security assessments and security audits, oversees patch management and upgrades.

Are Dallas IT Services The Right Choice For You?

Which type of service is right for you depends on what you need out of your technology in terms of uptime and efficiency, what your technology budget looks like, and how technology issues could potentially impact things like security and compliance.

Before you think about going through the stress of trying to find a computer technician or even a computer engineer to support your network and technology infrastructure, speak with a local managed IT services company.

Ask some questions about the services they offer, what their prices are and other concerns you may have. When you find the right Dallas IT services– a reliable partner who will work with you – you’ll see the benefits first hand.

Contact our experts at Data Magic to start fully managing your IT services, call (469) 635-5500 or click here to speak with our representatives. 

Is Your Dallas IT Director Overworked Due To Layoffs?

It’s no secret: the coronavirus pandemic has brought about many changes to the way we live, work, and connect. Many organizations were required to shut down in response to social distancing requirements, or if possible, embrace remote work to continue operations safely.

Naturally, returning to some sense of normalcy means struggling to stay afloat for many organizations. In turn, layoffs are often done as a way to cut costs in an economic downturn.

But what happens when layoffs take place throughout the technology department?

Unfortunately, many organizations decide to get rid of some, if not all, of their technology department as a way to minimize expenses and remain afloat – leaving the IT director to handle the ongoing management of information technology systems on their own. This is a decision made alongside many others:

• Reprioritizing current and planned projects
• Implementing hiring freezes
• Focusing on collecting outstanding payments

Ultimately, it’s a tough decision for many organizations, and if possible, it’s always best to look for other ways to stay afloat before laying off staff members. For instance, organizations can cut costs by transitioning some or all of their staff to remote work in situations wherein this is an option. This reduces costs through:

• Switching on-premises technology to cloud-based technology – meaning there’s no upfront costs, expensive upgrades, and costly troubleshooting fees to worry about. Instead, you pay a monthly fee for what you use, and everything is managed for you.
• Eliminating the need for a large office space – meaning you’re able to either downsize or get rid of that space altogether. This frees up cash flow because you no longer need to worry about a large mortgage, heating and cooling costs, and upkeep.

If this isn’t possible and cutting costs through layoffs is necessary, what can IT directors do to manage their workload?

Managing A Heavier Workload With Less Staff Can Quickly Become Overwhelming

First and foremost, information technology shouldn’t be overlooked during this difficult time. After all, information technology has likely played an integral role throughout the pandemic – allowing organizations to embrace remote work through:

• The ability to access important files, applications, and systems from home with remote access solutions
• The ability to collaborate face-to-face on a virtual level via video conferencing solutions and VoIP business phones
• The ability to maintain security against threats on home computers with enterprise-grade security solutions and virtual private networks

We understand the need to cut costs, but IT directors will be left with an overwhelming workload in the aftermath of technology personnel layoffs. They’ll be focused on stabilizing the business and preparing for greater resiliency from a technology perspective – a huge task for any single person to take on.

Are You an IT Director in Need of Assistance in the Aftermath of Technology Personnel Layoffs?

Data Magic Computer Solutions can assist you with stabilizing the business in a post-coronavirus world, as well as preparing for greater resiliency, so you’re ready to face any sort of disruption in the future. We’ll augment your efforts – working alongside you to manage your workload. Our team can help you with:

• Handling the day-to-day, routine tasks like maintenance, monitoring, data backups, and other time-consuming work so you can focus on more strategic initiatives
• Handling the strategic initiatives like embracing the cloud for remote work or ensuring business intelligence with real-time access to data while you handle day-to-day tasks

You can keep managing the areas you excel at and have time for while we offload the rest – giving you the ability to handle the heavier workload that comes along with technology personnel layoffs. Our team is available at a flat-rate monthly fee that gives you all of the support and services you need, as well as:

• Access to the skill-sets and expertise of an entire team of technology professionals.
• Access to discounted rates on tools and technologies due to our range of partnerships.
• Access to greater availability in the event you need assistance after-hours.

For more information on how Data Magic can best serve you, click here to get in touch with our representatives or call us at (469) 635-5500.

Which IT Department Should CFOs Hire In Response To COVID-19: Internal Or Outsourced?

As the coronavirus pandemic continues to change the way we live, work, and connect, it’s an important time to consider what’s next. In truth, the event we’re living through is unprecedented with school closures, large-scale lockdowns, and businesses being forced to shut down or embrace remote work.

It’s an uncertain time, especially for CFOs in charge of handling the finances amongst the fear, panic, and economic changes happening right now and into the future. Naturally, the CFO plays an integral role right now – determining what’s necessary to keep their organization afloat, despite the majority of businesses facing difficulties associated with:

• Less cash-flow available
• Supply chain disruptions
• Decreased revenue
• And much more

So what do CFOs need to know about hiring internally vs. outsourcing when it comes to managing their information technology? Well, for many, the most important thing to keep in mind is that information technology shouldn’t be overlooked during this difficult time. Information technology has played a crucial role in many organizations tackling the challenges associated with remote work.

How Information Technology is Keeping Many Organizations Afloat

Many organizations have embraced remote work in response to social distancing and shelter-in-place orders. Naturally, information technology has played a crucial role – allowing them to:

• Access files, applications, and systems from the comfort of their own homes
• Collaborate with colleagues, partners, and customers via video conferencing solutions
• Stay secure against the influx of phishing attacks related to the pandemic
• Maintain communications with cloud-based phone systems that keep staff connected

Although information technology has played a critical role in maintaining the safety and survival of many organizations across the nation, CFOs must not overlook the fact that information technology should also play a role in the next two steps they need to take:

• Stabilizing the business in anticipation for the end of lockdowns
• Preparing the business for greater resiliency before another disruption occurs

Hiring an Internal IT Department or Outsourcing to an MSP

As the duration of the coronavirus pandemic remains unclear, it’s time for CFOs to optimize cash reserves as much as possible. Although information technology is incredibly valuable right now, who should manage that information technology? Financially, what makes the most sense: hiring an internal IT department or outsourcing to an MSP?

Although there are many qualified, talented technology professionals out there for hire, the following costs will be required:

• Training and certifications
• Vacation time
• Salary
• Benefits
• Sick days
• Workstations and other necessary equipment

An MSP, on the other hand, is available at a flat-rate monthly fee – delivering all of the services and support you need without the additional expenses. This means you gain the following benefits:

• More training and certifications as they keep their team up-to-date on the latest skills, education, and knowledge at their own expense
• Greater availability for support as they’re available around-the-clock with a team of experts who have varying skill-sets
• Lower, more predictable costs that can be accurately budgeted for every month while preventing downtime with proactive measures

So what makes the most sense financially? The MSP tends to be more affordable – giving you more cash-flow available as well. There are no upfront costs associated with setting up a workstation for them or providing any necessary training or certifications.

How An MSP Helps CFOs Stabilize The Business And Prepare

As we mentioned above, the CFOs’ primary goal right now is ensuring the safety and survival of the organization. But afterward, they must focus their efforts on stabilizing the business in anticipation of the end of lockdowns and preparing the business for greater resiliency before another disruption occurs. An MSP can assist with both of these steps – as outlined below:

• An MSP assists with stabilizing the business as they turn the ad-hoc remote work approach into an organized, cohesive strategy that incorporates the right tools and technologies, such as:
  • Microsoft Office 365 for any time, anywhere access to word processing, spreadsheets, calendars, contacts, email, and video conferencing
  • VoIP business phones that ensure communications as employees can access their work lines, along with transferring and extensions, from home
  • Virtual private network (VPN) technology that provides a secure, encrypted tunnel for employees accessing the network
  • Cloud-based line of business applications to ensure ERP systems, accounting programs, CRM solutions, and more are still accessible
• An MSP assists with preparing for greater resiliency as they can assist with reforming and reimagine business processes and procedures from a technological standpoint:
  • Automating time-consuming, routine tasks to minimize the reliance on human resources as much as possible
  • Safeguarding internet connectivity now and into the future with backup lines, redundancy, and alternative connectivity protocols
  • Ensuring business intelligence with real-time insight into data for the ability to make well-informed decisions

For more information on how an MSP can serve the needs of your business, click here to get in touch with one of our representatives or call (469) 635-5500 today!