Category: Newsletter

Are You Confident Your Remote Workforce is Securely Connected to Your Network?

The coronavirus pandemic surprised employers throughout the world, who scrambled to deploy remote working solutions. Keep your staff connected and secure with solutions you can trust.  

If you are rapidly looking for options to help scale your remote work capabilities, you are not alone. Millions of organizations that have staff whose jobs can be performed remotely are offering this option at an unprecedented rate as America goes into full-on lockdown mode during the COVID-19 pandemic. Securing your enterprise data and applications has never been more critical, as you have staff working on personal computers and mobile devices that may not have the recommended levels of protection that you would like. Hopefully, you have already deployed cloud-based solutions for data storage and business applications and are simply working through Virtual Private Networks (VPN) solutions and how to provide productivity software to your staff. Whatever your level of readiness, here are suggestions on tackling the key issues facing IT departments in this rapidly evolving environment of remote work.

Scaling Secure Access Solutions

Considered the “great experiment” by some, the COVID-19 pandemic has created an unprecedented demand for technical solutions to support the 29% of Americans with positions that allow for remote work. Many companies have been nibbling around the edges of providing remote work solutions, but only a small percentage actively promoted this option to a wide swath of their staff members. Microsoft is one of the many software manufacturers issuing guidance and recommendations for companies that find themselves braving the waters of remote work. Some of Microsoft’s key recommendations include:

• Take advantage of the six-month free “premium” access to Microsoft Teams — collaboration software for secure chat and conferencing
• Remotely provision software using Active Directory with secure single-sign-on to reduce the possibility of users clicking infected links
• Provide proactive cybersecurity training and ongoing reminders to staff that hackers are taking full advantage of the current confusion
• Many software companies are providing free or reduced-cost access to their applications to help small businesses stay afloat during the economic downturn
• Review current security standards to ensure they fully cover individuals that are working from home
• Resist the urge to allow any users to bypass security controls, such as multi-factor access or single-sign-on solutions

What’s most important to note is that short-term workarounds are extremely dangerous, as they can lead to added complexities, greater confusion and myriad loopholes in your security over time.

Trusted Solutions from a Premier Dallas IT Company

If your team is struggling to pull together a secure suite of remote work solutions and get them deployed to staff members, there are local resources available to help keep your company’s IT infrastructure operational. It is important to be wary of individuals that are offering this type of service, as the demand can quickly overwhelm smaller IT service providers or individual contractors that are not prepared for the high volume of questions and support needed during this critical time. Working with an organization that has many years of experience in your community and offers a range of solutions to fit the unique needs of your business will help ensure that your company survives the challenging times ahead.

As the #1 IT services and support provider in the Dallas area, DataMagic Computer Services is always looking for options that will reduce risks for your company. Our highly-trained and qualified IT experts will help walk you through the proactive support recommendations that will protect your remote staff members as well as reduce pressure on internal IT staff members. With over 25 years of experience supporting Dallas organizations of all sizes, DataMagic experts always ensure that your IT infrastructure fully supports the needs of your business. Contact our team at (469) 635-5500 to take advantage of your complimentary initial consultation or learn more about the range of services that we offer online.

How IT Services Can Bring Out the Best in Your Remote Workforce

A remote workforce poses considerable tech challenges for businesses. Discover how an IT partner can optimize operations, even when you’re not on-site.  

The coronavirus pandemic is forcing companies worldwide to make a hasty transition from on-site operations to remote work. However, they may not have the technology infrastructure to support a large number of employees working full-time from home. Partnering with an IT company allows you to upgrade your network in ways that best fit your business model. Even if you’re managing some of your IT in-house, tech consultants can provide additional support as needed. Consider the benefits of including a third-party tech specialist on your team.

Cybersecurity

It goes without saying that a secure network is vital to promoting the health of your business. Additional security concerns arise when your employees are working remotely. They may be accessing your network from personal devices — possibly on public wi-fi — that don’t have the built-in safeguards embedded in employer-issued devices. An IT company monitors your network around-the-clock, intercepting any threats before they compromise your data. Additionally, you will have access to the most up-to-date firewalls and anti-virus software to minimize the risk of cyberattacks.

To educate your employees about data-loss prevention, IT specialists also provide cybersecurity awareness training. A significant percentage of data breaches occur internally. Most of these digital missteps aren’t intentional and can be prevented if employees understand how their actions may compromise data integrity. As a critical first line of defense, cybersecurity training teaches employees about network safety policies and protocols.

Video-Conferencing Capabilities

When your employees can’t interact face-to-face, the next best thing is to meet virtually. Tools such as Zoom and Google Hangouts allow your teams to simulate in-person meetings, even when they’re far from the office. It’s important to ensure that they have the bandwidth necessary to utilize these capabilities, especially when other household members may be using the Internet at the same time. An IT partner can help you integrate these solutions with your existing infrastructure and effectively meet the tech challenges faced by remote workers.

Task-Management and Collaboration

When your employees disperse to their home offices, task-management and collaboration can become fragmented. Platforms such as Slack and Microsoft Teams enable colleagues to seamlessly create virtual to-do lists, delegate tasks, and track their progress.

Additionally, software that allows you to sync and share files is vital for effective collaboration. Another way to promote teamwork is to create virtual workspaces, where employees can digitally come to the office, even when they’re working from their couch.

Support for Your Devices

Whether you use Apple or Microsoft products, your IT partner should provide the support you need to make the best use of them. IT experts ensure that all your devices are connected to your network, even when you’re working remotely. Accessibility issues may arise when you’re connecting off-site. IT experts can help at-home workers configure their devices to leverage all the capabilities they’re used to at the office.

Microsoft users can take advantage of cloud-based solutions — Office 365 and Azure. The latter is a public cloud platform that eliminates the need to maintain on-site servers. Additionally, Azure allows you to appropriately scale computing capacity and easily connect and manage your devices.

Strategic Consulting

Managed IT services provide quality consulting to help you meet your short-term and long-term goals. To ensure data loss never slows you down, tech experts develop a disaster recovery plan so that your data is reliably backed up and available when you need it. Tech professionals work with you to find the right tools for your business and help remote staff easily transition to using new platforms and applications, no matter their level of experience with technology.

Teaming up with an IT service provider allows you to implement practical, cost-effective solutions to meet and exceed your goals, now and in the future. Working from home may initially present some limitations, but when your employees have the tools they need, they’ll be able to accomplish more than they thought was possible.

Remote Work During Coronavirus Outbreak

On December 31, 2019, China alerted the World Health Organization (WHO) to a few dozen cases of unusual pneumonia in Wuhan. At the time, the virus was unknown. On January 7, 2020, officials announced they had identified a new virus belonging to the coronavirus family. This would become known as the “coronavirus” or COVID-19. A short time later, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared a global health emergency on January 30, 2020. They later labeled coronavirus as a pandemic on March 11, 2020 as the number of cases around the world continued to rise. Texas has more than 70 confirmed, known cases at the moment.

As Businesses, Schools, and Daycares Close in a Majority of Areas, Remote Work is More Important Than Ever Before.

During this difficult, trying time, the best way for businesses to remain operational is embracing remote work. This keeps staff members and our communities safe while minimizing the spread of the virus. But how do you achieve a remote workforce that works as efficiently at home as they do in the office? Here are the most important considerations to keep in mind:

What jobs and/or tasks can be done at home?

Take some time to think about what jobs and/or tasks can be done at home. Write a list so you’re able to start alerting the employees that can continue working from home of your plans. Then, make sure you’re prepared to audit their existing technology resources, such as:

• Computers
• Desktops
• Smartphones
• Internet connection

They should have up-to-date devices, as well as a strong, reliable internet connection to help them keep up with the workload.

Do you need to purchase any technologies?

Once you’ve audited your team’s existing technology resources at home, make sure you’re taking note of what, if anything, you need to purchase for them to work effectively. Aside from equipment for their homes, such as upgraded computers or internet packages, make note of any of the following:

• VoIP business phones that enable employees to access enterprise-grade features, as well as make and receive calls via the internet from their home.
• Cloud-based productivity suites, such as Microsoft Office 365, that give you the ability to share files, video conference, edit documents in real-time, and more.
• Cybersecurity solutions, such as VPNs that give employees the ability to connect to the corporate network in a secure, encrypted manner.

It’s important to ensure you’re providing the tools necessary to work effectively and maintain communications amongst staff, customers, and leadership teams.

Do you need to provide any sort of training?

If your employees aren’t familiar with how to use remote access tools or cloud-based productivity suites, it’s important to provide training, whether it’s via videos or emails, to help them better leverage what’s available. This means guiding them on:

• How to stay safe against threats, such as ransomware, malware, and other viruses.
• How to use video conferencing capabilities within any cloud-based productivity suites.
• How to leverage the softphone feature available through VoIP business phones that lets them connect via their smartphone.

For those with concerns, it’s important to address those concerns thoroughly so they’re confident in their ability to work remotely. If you’re in need of IT support in Dallas, don’t hesitate to reach out.

Embrace a Remote Workforce to Continue Operations During This Difficult Time. Data Magic Can Help You Get Setup and Provide Ongoing Remote Support to Your Employees While They Work from Home. Call (469) 635-5500 Now.