Tag: Orange County Managed IT Services

Managed IT Services in Orange County: Important IT Fundamentals When Launching a New Business

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managed IT services Orange CountyNowadays, information drives just about every business. The proper use of IT empowers a business to analyze information in bulk and make truly informed decisions. If you are starting a business, a large part of your focus should be on IT. Here’s a quick look at the IT basics as provided by our managed IT services team in Orange County:

Software

Every system requires software. Do not assume Microsoft Windows is the optimal operating system for your business. You might be best served with an office suite or another program. There is also the matter of email software and the unique software specific to your niche and industry.

Hardware

Every employee needs hardware. From personal computers to mobile devices such as tablets and smartphones, employees need to be connected with reliable devices. Accessories such as keyboards, mice, printers and monitors are also necessary.

Connect to the Network

Networks sync up computers to devices, allowing for the easy sharing of data. The number of employees dictates whether a simple or complex network is required. Wireless networks are quite popular, yet they are not completely reliable. Furthermore, you will need an internet connection for online access. Opt for broadband high speed to ensure your team can transmit and download information with ease. Our managed IT services team in Orange County can help you set up, maintain and troubleshoot your internet connection.

Take Advantage of Cloud Computing

Cloud computing services have gradually started to replace conventional software. The cloud is preferable as it provides more flexibility, allowing access from any web-connected device. Furthermore, storing data on the cloud has become quite reliable and secure as the technology has improved.

Security

The data stored on your IT system must be secure. Add firewalls to safeguard your system against attacks. Have users change their login information at regular intervals. It will also help to have a data backup system.

IT companies in Orange County, like us at Advanced Networks, are available to help with nearly all your tech problems. If you need any sort of assistance with networks, software, hardware, or other tech, contact our managed IT services team in Orange County today.

Orange County Managed IT Services: Understanding and Utilizing the Cloud

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Orange County Managed IT Services: Understanding and Utilizing the Cloud

Benefits of Decentralized Operations

Orange County managed IT servicesOrange County managed IT services can be essential in helping you determine the best possible cloud solution for your business. If you’re unfamiliar with the cloud, it’s worth studying up on. Following are a few items worth familiarizing yourself with in this regard:

  • As-A-Service Solutions
  • Public, Private, and Hybrid Clouds
  • Reduced Cost, Increased Security, and High Availability

As-A-Service Solutions

Orange County managed IT services providers often advise businesses to apply as-a-service solutions. A cloud-based solution is basically playing surrogate to traditional on-site solutions. Platform as a Service (PaaS), Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS), Software as a Service (SaaS), Desktop as a Service, Device as a Service (DaaS)–etc.; these are all profitable echelons of cloud support which surrogate internal tech of the same kind. The difference is, with the cloud, you get such solutions faster, more reliably and more affordably.

Public, Private, and Hybrid Clouds

A cloud computing array is a collection of servers across which data is processed in a shared way. Think of pixels on a computer screen. There are thousands of them, but when you lean back, you see one picture. If a pixel goes out, it could be fixed without hampering the total image. Cloud computing is like that. Public clouds offer shared space among this network of servers at a monthly cost. Private clouds do the same, but only for specific companies on specific networks, or internally (like an intranet solution). Hybrid clouds combine both.

Reduced Cost, Increased Security, and High Availability

IT consulting firms provide information on how to reduce costs and expand security by adopting cloud computing solutions. In-built core prerogatives built around competitiveness and serving multiple clients surfeit cost reduction with security and availability expansion.

Optimizing Your Operation

Using Orange County managed IT services can help you increase security, reduce expenses, expand availability, choose the right cloud, and apply cost-effective as-a-service options. Get in touch with an IT consulting firm to help you find what will serve your organization. Contact us at Advanced Networks for more information.

Cybersecurity Insights from Our Irvine IT Support Team

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Cybersecurity Insights from Our Irvine IT Support Team

Irvine IT support

Businesses need to be on the lookout for data breaches and work with Irvine IT support and cybersecurity experts. The average cost of global data breach is $3.92 million. Data breaches have, for some time now, been a significant source of crippling financial losses and business’ reputation. The consequences of data loss in organizations are severe.

Here are cybersecurity insights that will help you understand how much in danger your data and business could be:

A Data Breach Attempt on Flight Booking Platform, Option Way Exposes Customer Data

In the process of finding loopholes in Option Way flight booking platform, data security experts discovered 100GB of unencrypted data consisting of customer details. While customers book flights to various destinations in the world on this platform, they provide their email addresses, home address, names, phone numbers, and other relevant information. The experts also discovered that Option Way email passwords could be accessible through reset links. Credit card details were also viewable.

Using technologies and platforms that make an effort to protect your data is crucial. Businesses need to employ data security measures such as encryption protect data in transit or at rest. This way, the data will be unreadable even if it lands in the wrong hands.

BEC Attack Leads to a Loss of $37 Million in a Toyota Subsidiary

Toyota Boshoku Corporation subsidiary in Europe lost millions to a breach resulting from an email containing payment directions. The corporation had also suffered a breach before, which exposed data belonging to 3.1 million customers.

BEC attacks are on the rise. Protect your business reputation and finances by working with Irvine IT support firms to deploy email sandboxing techniques to detonate malicious files before they get to your inbox. If your business suffers a similar breach, it will not survive six months after the attack.

CafePress Suffered a Breach that Exposed 23 Million Customers

CafePress, a t-shirt and merchandise company, suffered a breach that led to the exposure of 23 million customers details. Compromised data in this breach included passwords, names, physical addresses, and telephone numbers. The breach was blamed on base64 encoding, which looks to store the passwords in the database rather than securing it.

Conclusion

It takes about 197 days to identify a breach and 69 days to contain it. To prevent such incidences, partner with IT support experts to educate your customers about multifactor authentication and how to use password managers to generate strong passwords. Businesses also need to do regular tests on their data security systems and make the necessary improvements.

Cybercriminals target both big and small businesses. Small businesses are usually not prepared for attacks, which makes them soft targets. You need reliable Irvine IT support experts to help you protect your business from cybercriminals. At Advanced Networks, we take data security with earnest intent. Contact us for more information about our data security solutions.

Managed IT Services in Orange County Provide Distinct Operational Advantages

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Managed IT Services in Orange County Provide Distinct Operational Advantages

Using managed IT services in Orange County is essential in helping your business net every good technological solution possible. You’ve got to be intentional in this area of your business’s management. Following are a few things that IT support in Orange County can do for your operation:

  • Reduce Expenses
  •  Facilitate Proper Security and Compliance
  • Reduce Normal Operational Risks

Reduce Expenses

Managed IT services providers in Orange County cut costs of equipment, they cut costs related to downtime which result from a security breach or natural disaster, and they help you to avoid retreading the same ground in an unprofitable way. To put it in a phrase: they help reduce negative trial-and-error approaches to technology.

Facilitate Proper Security and Compliance

IT support providers in Orange County must maintain security and legal compliance of the tech paradigms making up their client base. There are a number of reasons for this; not least of which is a concept called shared liability.

Most recognizable in HIPAA regulations, as related to the medical industry, shared liability basically means that if the client of an MSP is found to be out of compliance, then that MSP is fined alongside the healthcare institution that was operating erroneously. Subsequently, there is added natural incentive toward compliance.

Reduce Normal Operational Risks

Security is a big issue, and the goal posts of reliable security protocols are always shifting. Technology is always changing in conjunction with this reality, so there’s no way around this except to retain cutting-edge operations. You’ll need to have security profiles updated in terms of patches, antivirus software, firewall protections, and internal practices. Some of the biggest security risks come from internal practices that leave you wide open. MSPs can help you avoid such basic incidental risks.

Operational Advantages

A managed IT services provider in Orange County can help you reduce operational risks internally, facilitate better compliance and security, and reduce operational expenses. Contact us at Advanced Networks for more information on how you can better secure operations while reducing associated costs of your business. With the right MSP, you can really maximize your operation.

Does Your Business Need Orange County Managed IT Services?

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Does Your Business Need Orange County Managed IT Services?

Orange County managed IT services

There is no reason to employ an entire in-house IT staff when our Orange County managed IT services team is available. Unfortunately, plenty of businesses experience the telltale signs that outside IT assistance is necessary yet some refuse to ask for assistance due to stubborn self-reliance. Below, we identify these common signs that additional IT assistance is necessary and explain why it is better to rely on the outside experts rather than attempt to solve IT issues with limited in-house IT staff.

Frequent IT Problems

If it seems like there is never an end to your tech problems, it is time to take action. There is no sense letting these issues pull you away from important work projects when our Orange County managed IT services team can lend a helping hand. Let us tackle your tech issue and our assistance will ultimately help your organization overcome tech hurdles and expand as a business.

You are Constantly on the Prowl for Ways to Save Money

Every business is looking for ways to save money. However, a constant focus on minimizing spending minimizes the attention your business can devote to internal projects and other things of importance. Overhead costs including IT worker salaries are one of the best ways to minimize spending. If you hire one or several in-house IT workers, you will have to pay their salaries, benefits and additional overhead costs.

Alternatively, you can outsource your IT work to the specialists and you will strictly pay for the amount of resources you actually use. An alliance with our MSP provides you with the expertise, knowledge, bandwidth and other specialized assistance necessary to tackle tech problems in a truly prudent manner. The bottom line is our assistance will ensure the tech you pay for enhances your business rather than allow tech to become a burden.

Tech Issues Continue to Worsen

There is no reason to let IT problems spiral out of control when our team is a call away. After all, your company is growing or at the bare minimum, you intend for your enterprise to expand at some point in the future. A growing business needs reliable tech in order to meet its true potential. Our MSP is here to help you assess tech and implement it to perfection. We will help you use tech in a manner that maximizes your growth potential rather than allow complicated hardware, software or networks to hold your business back.

We are at Your Service

If you notice any of the signs listed above, our Orange County managed IT services team at Advanced Networks will provide the proper tech solutions. Reach out to us today to discuss these solutions and learn more about how we can help your unique business.

Irvine IT Support: Save Your Business from Data Loss with a Cloud Backup

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Irvine IT Support: Save Your Business from Data Loss with a Cloud Backup

Irvine IT support

A major loss of data is the biggest threat to any business. Fortunately, Irvine IT support firms can save your business from such a catastrophic event by providing cloud backup services that prevent any data loss.

Huge loss of data can be disastrous for your business. It will cost you a lot of money, time, and a great deal of work to save the situation. Research shows that 60% of small businesses that lose huge data close within six months if they don’t have a data recovery plan.

The safety of your business data should be your top priority. Instead of risking to suffer huge losses, it’s better to be safe than sorry. A cloud backup for your business will help you avoid any data loss.

Unforeseen events such as natural disasters like hurricanes, lightning, fire and other cases like malware and hackers can threaten your company’s data. A cloud backup can significantly reduce the risk of losing your business’s vital data.

With many companies experiencing data loss, most of them are improving their backup and data recovery efforts by moving to the cloud. According to research, 78% of small businesses will back up their data using the cloud by 2020.

Here are some of the reasons why cloud backup is vital for your business:

Cloud Backup is the Safest Place to Store Your Data

Unlike storing your data on onsite premises, the cloud stores your data on off-site locations. This protects your data from theft, system crashes, and natural disasters like fire and floods.

Easy Data Access

With cloud backup, you can access your company’s data from any place at any time through the internet.

Increased Data Security

Cloud backup enables encryption of your data to multiple locations. This is for transfer from one end to another which minimizes any risk of your data being compromised.

Cost-Effective

With cloud backup, you can get tailored solutions depending on the needs of your business. You don’t have to spend hundreds of dollars on hardware and software backup. Cloud backup by Irvine IT support companies are highly scalable with monthly or annual payment plans.

Use of Advanced Technology

One of the greatest advantages of cloud backup is the use of the most advanced technology for your business. This includes things like data mirroring and file sync which are not available on traditional onsite data backup solutions.

Cloud backup by an Irvine IT support company, like us at Advanced Networks, is the only solution to avoid data loss that may lead to the death of your business. We will help your business to handle data loss cases by providing cloud backup services. Contact us today to learn more about our cloud services.

Reasons to Use Remote Monitoring with Orange County Managed IT Services

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Orange County managed IT servicesIn the past, companies could get by without much help from technology, but that time has since passed. It’s now more important than ever to ensure that your company’s IT systems are working around the clock, so your employees can provide customers with great service. A provider of Orange County managed IT services can help you set up remote monitoring, so you never have to worry about outages, even if you aren’t in the office. Here’s why you should set up remote monitoring if you haven’t already:

Remote Monitoring Increases Financial Efficiency

When your systems experience downtime, your business can potentially lose thousands of dollars in revenue. By using remote monitoring with help from IT consultants, you’ll ensure that your company never misses a sale just because your website went down. Remote monitoring also allows your IT team to identify potential maintenance issues before they happen, which will lower your total cost of tech maintenance overall.

Remote Monitoring Keeps Your Data Secure

Remote monitoring not only helps you prevent internal IT issues, but it can also help your team keep an eye on potential outside threats. With remote monitoring, your Orange County managed IT services provider can easily spot potential hackers or weak points in your security system and prevent threats from getting in.

Remote Monitoring Helps Your Employees Stay Productive

When your company experiences system outages, it becomes very difficult for your employees to get their work done, which can be very frustrating for everyone. With remote monitoring, your employees won’t have to deal with these frustrating outages, so they can get more done and focus on what’s important— growing your business.

Here at Advanced Networks, we offer Orange County managed IT services for businesses in all industries. Our goal is to keep our clients’ systems running safely and efficiently. If you’re interested in implementing remote monitoring in your company’s systems, contact us to learn more.

Managed IT Services in Orange County: Can Your Business Survive Without a Firewall Protection?

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Can Your Business Survive Without a Firewall Protection?

A firewall is often overlooked. Until your computer is attacked, you might not know the importance of a firewall. Firewalls are a link between the inside and the outside of your computer. Even when you have other virus and ransomware protection applications, a firewall is always recommended. If your business operates without a firewall, it might be time to seek assistance from a managed IT services provider in Orange County.

However, even though firewall protection is needed for all businesses, the protection offered by a firewall is often not enough. Usually, all the data that gets into your computer will pass through a firewall. The application scans the data to verify which data is safe for your computer and which information is potentially harmful to your system. You can achieve this through managed services.

Even Simple Firewalls Help

When you do not update and patch your firewalls, you open your systems to attacks. The case of the Wannacry ransomware is an excellent example of how failure to update and patch a firewall will result in attacks and loss of data. The ransomware, which attached more than 200,000 computers, could have been easily prevented had the computer owners updated their firewalls. Even when running the simplest firewall application, as long as you keep it patched and updated, your system is safe.

Beware of Misconfigurations

One problem that most computer owners and businesses face is firewall misconfiguration. You might update and patch your firewall, but when doing so, you misconfigure the application and open your system to attacks. A managed IT services provider in Orange County can help you patch or update your firewall.

Simple errors will render your firewall useless. The right firewall configuration needs to have less permissive settings. Errors in configurations will leave holes in your firewall, making your system vulnerable to hackers.

The Bronx Lebanon Hospital Center in New York experienced a case of a misconfigured system and ended up with compromised data. Hackers gained access to the hospital’s records and changed HIV statuses and other medical records. If you fear your system is not configured correctly, or it is more permissive that you’d want, seek managed services today.

Expanding Your Firewall Protection

The pre-installed firewall in every computer is enough to keep your systems secure up to a point. However, when you are running with a high number of employees, and your network infrastructure has grown, your existing firewall will be strained. Most of your employees will have their own devices, and this may push your firewall, leaving it open to attacks.

When such a time comes, you will need a new protection solution for your systems. A Unified Threat Management (UTM) system can help keep your systems secure. A UTM system will keep your company data safe from all potential threats.

Keep your systems safe by seeking managed IT services in Orange County today. Contact us at Advanced Networks to learn more about cybersecurity and other IT solutions for your business.

Building a Better Bridge to Technology with Irvine IT Support Companies

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Building a Better Bridge to Technology with Irvine IT Support Companies

Irvine IT support

Businesses that partner with Irvine IT support companies have an edge over competitors who either ignore IT or try to run their own tech support. Without IT experts to turn to for help, a company can experience severe downtime.

Here are types of IT support it makes sense to partner with to run a smooth operation:

Remote IT Monitoring

When you outsource managed IT services in Irvine, you have a much better chance at protecting your data so that it’s not compromised by cybercriminals. By using 24/7 monitoring software, your remote IT team can track your network to make sure it’s not penetrated by intruders. The team can send you alerts and take actions to block unwanted visitors. They can also track your employees to ensure they are using your network properly based on your security policy.

Phone Support

One of the key advantages of Irvine IT support companies is that they can provide 24/7 phone support whenever your system has a slowdown or other disruption, meaning a regular IT consultant will learn your infrastructure over time and give you faster results. Phone support is a major strategy for avoiding company downtime. It’s the key to resolving many simple problems that don’t require onsite activity.

Onsite Availability

Every business that runs equipment onsite needs some type of relationship with certified IT experts who are able to appear on site to inspect and fix problems. Turning to inexperience for help is an unreliable and potentially costly solution. It’s much more effective to work with an IT team that you trust has the experience and knowledge to resolve your issues quickly. Preferably it’s a team that already understands your hardware, software, and wiring.

Conclusion

The smoothest way to manage your business technology is working with Irvine IT support companies that know your infrastructure. Contact us at Advanced Networks to learn more about how we can improve your technology, business continuity, and digital work environment.

Why It’s Important for Orange County Managed IT Services Providers to Analyze Your Cybersecurity

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Orange County managed IT servicesThe demand for cybersecurity products is skyrocketing with each passing year. It is clear businesses and other organizations are becoming that much more cognizant of cybersecurity and digital threats as time progresses. What matters most is whether your business invests in cybersecurity in a prudent manner. Orange County managed IT services providers can help with regular cybersecurity evaluations.

Risk Identification

Orange County managed IT services providers know exactly what to analyze and how to identify the most glaring areas of risk to keep your systems protected. There is no sense dividing up resources evenly across all systems when it is possible to zero in on high-risk segments. We will perform an assessment, determine the systems most at risk and strengthen weak points.

Highlight Threats

It does not matter what type of business you own or manage or how many people you employ. Your cybersecurity should be assessed for risks at least once per year. Your cybersecurity risk assessment will be completely different than the one performed for other companies due to the idiosyncrasies of your unique business.

Evaluating Current Products

Your business has likely spent a good amount of money on digital security products, maintenance, and support. Regular cybersecurity risk assessments enhance strategies currently in place and pinpoint the areas in which resources are being wasted or used inefficiently. It might be necessary to upgrade certain systems and replace others. Don’t feel bad about spending for upgrades or replacements. Your current digital security products were originally bought to suit your nuanced needs at that point in time. Your current needs might be better served with new software, hardware, etc. An IT services provider can help you identify the best digital security protections for your unique systems, applications, hardware, and other techs.

Are you in need of a cybersecurity evaluation, improvement, or replacement? At Advanced Networks, we can help you with your business needs. We’re one of the leading Orange County managed IT services providers, after all. Contact us today to learn more about our services and schedule an appointment.