Andrew Hartman – Page 3 – Syndeo Communications

Buying vs. Leasing Computer Hardware

Desktops, servers, networking equipment, storage and other IT-related needs are often a business’ biggest expenditure. A handful of desktops could cost a few thousand while a major upgrade on the server side could cost hundreds of thousands. Many companies, especially small to medium-sized businesses in San Diego, are weighing the benefits of buying versus leasing hardware.

Why Buy?

Buying equipment is a better choice for ease of execution. See something you want? Buy it outright and you’re good to go. Leasing involves more paperwork, credit checks, submission of financials, negotiation of lease terms and more. Some San Diego IT consultants recommend purchased hardware because it is also fully tax deductible, where lease-related deductions have specific guidelines and limitations.

Why Not Buy?

It sounds obvious but it bears mentioning that buying is expensive. Purchasing new equipment outright may be cost prohibitive, especially for smaller companies who may not have the kind of budget required for a large, one-time outlay of cash. Another strike against buying is obsolescence. Hardware is aging faster and you don’t want to be stuck with expensive, outdated hardware in just three years.

Why Lease?

The biggest benefit realized by leasing computer hardware is its impact on a company’s budget. Instead of a budget-busting, one-time payment, a lease allows for predictable low monthly payments. This allows for more effective budgeting and less initial outlay of funds. Leasing also levels the technology playing field for smaller companies. It’s easy to afford better technology when you’re only paying a reduced monthly expense to a professional managed IT services provider in San Diego.

Why Not Lease?

The downside of leasing is that it can be more expensive in the long run. For example, a $5000 server leased over four years at $130 per month would end up costing $6240 by the end of the lease, over a thousand dollars more than it would have cost purchased up front. Therefore, it’s also important to factor in any other benefits of leasing, such as on-site, remote desktop, or emergency IT support in San Diego.

Buying and leasing computer equipment both have their benefits and drawbacks. The decision to buy or lease depends on a company’s financial and technological needs, and should be made carefully in order to get the right hardware at a cost that works for your business. For more information or a free consultation, call (760) 650-3300 and speak with one of the experienced and trusted IT consultants from Syndeo Communication San Diego.

Health Care Data Breaches Are at an All Time High

While data breaches show no signs of slowing, there’s a new trend in who is being targeted. While retailers like Home Depot grabbed headlines last year, hackers are shifting their focus to healthcare in 2015. Healthcare accounted for over 42 percent of data breaches last year and the number continues to grow. Leading the way as cautionary tales in this new era of hacking are healthcare firms Anthem and Premara.

Reviewing the Notorious Breaches

Anthem is the second-largest healthcare provider in the U.S. and the recent attack was commensurate with its size. With as many as 80 million Anthem customers were victims of the breach, this is now the largest data breach in history and was a great surprise to IT support specialists throughout the nation. While no medical information was stolen, clients’ social security numbers, income information, birth dates, and other identifying data were taken.

What the Premara Blue Cross breach lacked in size compared to Anthem – “only” 11 million customers’ data was compromised – it made up for in the stunning amount of time the hack went undetected. The breach dated back to early 2014 but was not discovered until January 2015. Financial and medical records were taken, though the FBI says there’s no evidence the stolen information has been used yet.

Protecting Your Business

With healthcare data breaches are expected to make up half of all hacks this year, what are healthcare companies and other businesses concerned with data loss to do? The first step is to come up with a post-breach action plan. This must include a communication plan for stakeholders and customers, a detailed list of contacts, including a vetted IT services firm who can provide post-breach support and forensic help, and a step-by-step explanation of the post-breach process.

Another way to avoid a breach is to formulate a data loss prevention process for internal associates. This plan must outline procedures for safeguarding systems, from laptops to smartphones, from the desktop to the server room. Breaches aren’t often the result of a focused hack on the data center. Rather, they’re crimes of opportunity, such as the wrong person getting their hands on a laptop and the employee being afraid to report the theft. Data loss prevention is everyone’s responsibility, not just the IT staff, and companies need to come up with a plan to make employees aware and keep them vigilant.

Schedule a Free Consultation Today

If you’re interested in learning how to tailor a plan to protect your business against cyber crime, call (760) 650-3300 and schedule a free consultation with the IT support and consulting experts at Syndeo Communications in San Diego.

Finding an Email Archive Solution for Your Business

Email archiving is the process of gathering, storing, and archiving content in an email message that can be found using a search function at a later date. This process often happens as the message is being received by the server or immediately after the message reaches the user’s inbox. Once all data has been extracted, it is stored on a magnetic hard drive, in the cloud or on a service for future use. Security and ease of access are the two most important factors to consider when searching for a reliable email archive solution.

The Importance of Email Archive: Reliability

Data stored within an email account is essential to the user because the message might contain important information regarding business matters, financial issues, client information, and more. The potential for financial loss is huge if any email data is lost, stolen or corrupted. Because of this, reliability is something that must be considered when searching for an email archive solution.

Network and Database Security Risks

In recent years, there have been a large number of network and database intrusions around the world. Hackers are often looking for information that could potentially damage the reputation of an individual, company or country, or are looking for some type of financial gain. While free email programs often use archiving solutions, they won’t have the same level of security as a professional-grade solution offered by a top San Diego IT support company.

Ease of Access

Once an email is archived, it might take the user a long time to retrieve it, depending on its age. Professional email archiving solutions solve this problem by deleting duplicate email files within the system before each message is archived and allowing the user to access archived emails while both in online and offline status. Users will also be able to easily access archived emails through a mobile device at any time when a professional email archiving solution is being used.

Have other questions about email archiving or email security for your San Diego business? Call (760) 650-3300 and speak to an experienced IT consultant from Syndeo Communications and learn how you can streamline your business with the newest technological advancements.

What to do After Your Company’s Been Hacked

Your company has just been hacked. Cyber criminals have made off with customer data. Phones are ringing off the hook and emails and instant messages are arriving faster than your computer and smartphone can handle them. What’s next?

Don’t Panic

Remember, as terrifying as this is, a data beach is a common occurrence and there are ways to deal with it. A record 783 companies reported data breaches in 2014. Big names like Home Depot, Target, and Neiman Marcus were among those hit, so you’re in good company. They handled it. So can you.

Contact the Pros and the Police

There are IT support companies in San Diego that specialize in data breach investigation and remediation. Hopefully you already have a breach plan in place and have researched which company would suit your business. Contact them right away so they can get started. Companies like this can handle they key concerns, such as preserving the chain of evidence, researching the breach, making sure the hole has been closed and helping to ensure it won’t happen again. Also, file a police report. Your local agency may not have the tools to pursue it, but this is a crucial first step for insurance purposes and for escalation to agencies like the FBI.

Get the Lawyers Involved

Data breaches are inextricably linked to the various laws regarding privacy, banking, contracts, and insurance, to name a few. Your corporate lawyer will be vital to navigating the post-breach process. They will also be able to help minimize liability from lawsuits or fines and, in general, guide your business through this complicated situation.

Form and Execute a Communication Plan

It’s key to decide what to tell customers, employees, partners, and shareholders. In varying degrees, they’ll need to know what happened, what you are doing about the problem, and what they have to do on their end. This is especially important for maintaining customer loyalty. Customers need to understand how you will protect them from the breach. Offering a year of free identity theft monitoring is a common tactic and a good start.

When it’s time to look at how to protect your business from a data breach in the future, call (760) 650-3300 and request a complimentary, no-obligation consultation from the trusted San Diego IT consulting company, Syndeo Communications. We are experts in IT support and can help you create a plan to mitigate short and long-term risk for cyber attacks.

Top Antivirus Software for Businesses

Viruses are big business for hackers. A recent study showed viruses and hacking cost companies worldwide over $1.6 trillion last year. As a trusted San Diego IT support company, we know it’s crucial to maintain an effective antivirus solution to keep your company from becoming part of this year’s statistics. Regardless of size, all companies need to look into antivirus software packages.
Mid-Size and Larger Companies: Symantec Endpoint Protection

Symantec has been in the antivirus game since 1991. In “IT years,” that’s a lifetime and plenty of time to fine-tune and get it right. Symantec Endpoint Protection is simple to set up regardless of network size and provides easy management and deployment through a centralized installation. Key features include antivirus/anti malware, intelligent firewall, USB control and browsing protection. With its client/server model, it may not be ideal for smaller businesses, but mid-sized companies and larger should at least think about a trial.

Any Size: Bitdefender

Bitdefender is newer than Symantec and was ranked number one in recent studies. Bitdefender’s strength lies in its variety of offerings, with flexible choices available for businesses of every size and level of IT complexity. Bitdefender Cloud Security is a cloud-managed antivirus tool suited for smaller businesses who want the strength of a client-server product without the cost of maintaining a server. Click here for more information about cloud computing and security.

For larger companies, Bitdefender offers their GravityZone line, available in three flavors with escalating features and pricing, depending on a company’s needs and size. Bitdefender’s various models can protect everything from individual desktops to mobile devices to the entire server room with complete datacenter licensing. The only negative might be difficulty narrowing down which is right for your company without buying too much protection.

Smaller Companies: Avast

If you just have a handful of desktops to protect and want to do so with minimal overhead, Avast Endpoint Protection is the way to go. The corporate version is available for $375 for a two-year subscription for 10 desktops, so the per-desktop price is cheaper than paid home antivirus services. The price includes simple management tools, desktop and mobile device antivirus, firewall and spam support. With a rating of almost 99% in a recent report by AV-Comparatives, It’s a good, inexpensive alternative for smaller companies who need great protection at an affordable price.

Have other questions about IT or network security? Reach out to Syndeo Communications, a trusted IT managed services provider in San Diego, and speak with one of our experienced consultants. Call (760) 650-3300 and schedule your free, no-obligation consultation today.

Understanding Mobile Phishing

Everybody has a smartphone today and most individuals are using their smartphones for just about everything. Unfortunately, the increased prevalence of mobile devices means greater opportunities for cyber criminals. Mobile phishing is on the rise, and the San Diego IT support experts at Syndeo share a few tips for how you can protect yourself.

What is Mobile Phishing?

Phishing is phishing regardless of the end device, be it a computer, laptop or smartphone. Someone fools you into clicking a link in what looks like a legitimate email, website or message, tricking you into revealing personal information. This data, including credit card numbers, social security numbers, passwords, banking information and more is then used by criminals for profit.

For example, you could receive an email claiming to be from your bank. A link in this email takes you to a site, expertly crafted by cyber criminals to look just like your bank’s page, where you’re asked to verify personal information. Once you’ve done that, the criminals can drain your real bank account, open new lines of credit in your name and more.

How Can I Protect Myself?

Mobile phishing is on the rise due to smartphones. Most of us simply don’t treat them with the care we would with our home desktops. Today, mobile users are three times more likely to be victims of phishing than home users. So how can you protect yourself?

The rule of thumb to protect against mobile phishing is to apply the same guidelines you would at home to your mobile device. At home, when you receive an email from your bank asking for personal information, it’s advised you don’t click on anything. Call your bank instead. The same applies here. The immediacy of smartphone messages makes it easy to just click a link, however it’s recommended to wait until you have time to verify the sender. You may also look into email security services to help reduce the amount of spam received on your email accounts.

Other things that you can do to protect your smartphone:

Don’t install apps unless you’ve done your homework
Double check addresses when running searches from your smartphone
Be wary of calls from unknown callers
Register your phone with donotcall.org
Don’t connect to unknown networks
Install a valid antivirus/antimalware app from a known provider

Have other questions about IT support? Call (760) 650-3300 and speak with a professional tech expert from our San Diego IT consulting firm. We’re more than happy to answer questions and we offer free consultations, so reach out to us today!

How SMBs Can Use Tech to Compete with “The Big Guys”

The business world has revolutionized almost beyond recognition in the past few decades, with technology most notably changing the face and the pace of business. Because of this, SMBs can successfully compete with larger competitors by using technology to its fullest capacity. Syndeo Communications, an IT consulting company in San Diego, share some of the ways SMBs can compete with the “big guy”.

Online Advertising

There are many cost-saving benefits for SMBs when it comes to using technology to promote business. Not only will advertising in this way be cost-effective but it will reach a much wider consumer base, with only a fraction of the price of traditional advertising methods.

If you compare the initial investment of implementing a website to traditional advertising methods such as newspapers and radio advertising it does make financial sense. Professional websites can be costly, but the pay-off in terms of a global presence can be worth the money. Reports have shown that advertising online increases customers by around 50%. Profits have also shown an increase by around 60%.

E-Commerce

Enter e-commerce, SaaS-style. Now SMBs have the ability to add very sophisticated, end-to-end e-commerce to their websites with little-to-no technical know-how. Now shopping carts, product catalog management, shipping, taxes, and mechanisms for receiving payments are all just a few mouse clicks away for any business that wants to sell online. Not only that, these platforms enable SMBs to surface their online stores on Facebook, share product purchases on social media networks, manage their stores via mobile phone, and more. And all of this functionality can be had for as little as a few dollars per month.

Cloud Computing

For many smaller businesses, cloud functionality is only about storage and backup, but it can also be utilized to streamline finance functions, i.e., processing invoices, managing payments and planning cash flow, reducing the time needed to ensure compliance. All a business needs to achieve this is access to a scanner. Cloud services enable SMBs to scan every invoice when it arrives at the office, immediately ensuring that there is a secure and backed up copy available to find online.

Automation and Streamlining Software

A real business breakthrough comes from new complex software that extracts the information on an invoice and automatically imports it into a payment system or workflow. Cloud-based invoice systems enable small-to-medium businesses to take advantage of services that were previously only available to larger companies.

While this may sound like a small change, it can have a transformational effect, particularly if the Cloud service also has a Mobile App. Staff are freed from processing invoices and Managers are able to approve invoices wherever they are, rather than spending valuable office time processing piles of invoices. The most sophisticated systems will be able to handle invoices that arrive from different sources: email; pdf; paper; XML or any other format.

Virtual Offices

SMBs are on the forefront of embracing Virtual Offices to boost business efficiency, cut costs on rent, IT equipment, phone service and supplies, while providing more flexibility to their workers.

Affordable mobile devices and ready-access to Web and company resources enable SMBs to utilize the Virtual Office, presenting themselves to the public sector as one of “the Big Guys.” VOs can offer a variety of services such as a prominent mailing address, mail and package handling, complete phone and messaging/answering services as well as the use of conference, meeting and party rooms. Virtually, everything an SMB needs to operate.

Virtual PBX Technology

A Virtual PBX, or hosted Internet phone system is an advanced PBX technology that many SMBs are using to help them (cost effectively) project a larger image and enjoy advanced telephony services at the same time. With a Virtual PBX, a third party communications company hosts phone services, routing all calls through an Internet connection. There are no high installation or maintenance charges or equipment upgrades, since the software that manages VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) system is resident with the provider.

In addition to routing calls to other phones, many virtual PBX services provide a host of other features, such as text message alerts on your mobile or smart phone or email alerts. When someone dials that number, the IP telephony system routes the calls to other numbers (desk phone, cell phone, etc.) If, after routing the call to all the selected numbers and there’s no answer; the system can leave the call in voice mail where can be read, or with speech-to-text capabilities, listened to. With new mobile devices and a headset, an SMB can be available to customers and prospects anywhere at any time.

Leveling the playing field so that SMBs can effectively compete with larger companies is a lot easier today and a Small-to-Medium Businesses should take advantage of applications and services normally associated with larger organizations by utilizing emerging technologies. For more information about the best technologies for your business, call (760) 650-3300 and schedule a free consultation with an experienced IT consultant from San Diego IT support company, Syndeo.

What are Managed Firewall Services?

In a world that relies heavily upon IP based communications, the concern over network security will undoubtedly remain a topic that must be addressed and considered by businesses. One of the most basic layers of defense commonly used at the network edge is the firewall.

The challenge of today’s IT infrastructure is that firewalls are no longer simply a means of allowing the right traffic in and keeping out the wrong traffic out. Due to the evolution of technology, firewalls have had to adapt and often include advanced features like Intrusion Prevention, threat analysis, application layer filtering, URL filtering, and even anti-virus. With the implementation of these and other advanced feature sets, the firewall is no longer something that is configured once and can be left alone. As part of a layered security approach, firewalls must be monitored, updated, and maintained. Unfortunately, the type of expertise needed to perform such tasks does not come easy and hiring in-house IT security professionals is often beyond a company’s budgetary means.

Fortunately, there is an easy and effective solution to this challenging situation. The need for maintaining a robust network infrastructure can now be easily addressed with managed firewall services delivered by reliable and experienced IT support companies in San Diego. Rather than having to be concerned with the financial burden and general administrative overhead requirements of maintaining IT security professionals on staff, there is now an option to turn to qualified specialists who can provide the monitoring, configuration, and maintenance needed to preserve network security in a fluid and ever-changing landscape of IT related security threats.

If you are interested in learning more about protecting your network and enhancing overall IT security, reach out to Syndeo Communications today. We offer remote support so there’s no need to wait to get the assistance you need, as well as on-site support to asses vulnerabilities and threats that may have already compromised your system. Call us today at (760) 650-3300 and request a free consultation.

How to Create Security Awareness at Your Company

In today’s world of big business and large databases, there is always the potential for security breaches. As we all know, the best way to maintain security on a network is to put in various different security measures such as passwords, firewalls and using antivirus software. But none of these options are 100% effective at preventing data from being stolen or compromised. As long as there are people using network resources, there exists the potential for a security breach. So the question is, how do you create security awareness at your company?

One way to prevent security issues at your company is to train employees on best practices of computer security. This can include informing employees of the importance of strong passwords, how to spot suspicious emails, and how to avoid malicious websites. Each employee should be informed on how to use network resources safely and securely to prevent security breaches. The better informed an employee is the more likely they will be to be able to prevent security issues before they happen. Employees should also be retrained periodically to make sure they know how to follow the security policies of the company.

Social media is becoming another not so obvious threat to business organizations. For instance, if an employee posts status updates that are related to the company, they may be unknowingly releasing information to competitors. Hackers may also use social media to tailor emails to a specific person within an organization, a technique known as spear phishing. This increases the chances that the person will open the email and open attachments or reply to the email and give away confidential information. The potential threat that social media plays in today’s world of IT security is not fully known and is always changing.

Setting up monitoring devices can also help stop malicious activity on a business network. Some web browsers and antivirus programs can prevent users from accessing malicious web pages if they are unsafe. This is an excellent tool for regulating which sites employees are able to access. Manually blocking sites with known security issues can also help improve security. Network firewalls can also be used to accomplish this task on a higher level if needed.

Security awareness is one very important factor that business must consider if they want to keep their organization safe from outside threats. There are many different threats for people to look out for. Weather it is an intentional attack against a company or an accidental leak of information, all must be taken seriously to prevent security breaches. Training and use of technological tools can play a large role in security awareness but must be constantly updated and revised to keep up with emerging threats.

If you have recently experienced a security breach or are updating your IT security protocols, reach out to the San Diego IT support experts at Syndeo Communications and learn how our on-site, over-the-phone, and remote desktop support can help protect your company from internal and external threats. Call (760) 650-3300 and schedule a free consultation today.

Learn About Your IT Consultants: 3 Great Background-Checking Tips

In the modern business world, a good IT consultant can play a vital role in managing and expanding a profitable company. You’ll need to work with reliable professionals, and that means learning how to separate the great IT firms from the mediocre ones. Syndeo Communications shares three terrific ways to tell the difference.

Go Deeper With Past Clients – You’ll want to speak with past San Diego clients who have worked with the IT team you’re considering. Most IT consultants will provide you with client references, but you should make an effort to go beyond their suggestions if at all possible.
When you speak to former clients, try to get a feel for both the positives and negatives of working with the IT consultants in San Diego. Were they easy to communicate with? Did they respond promptly to deadlines and stay on schedule? Were they flexible about payment or very demanding? Most importantly, when you’re talking to a client who no longer works with the IT firm in question, ask why the relationship ended. This can speak volumes about a consultant’s possible weaknesses.
Learn About Applicable Credentials – In the IT field, many industry leaders operate extensive certification programs to verify the skills of technicians and programmers who work with their products (Microsoft and Cisco are excellent examples). Certifications are available for a wide range of industry-standard software and hardware.
If you already know what programs and machines your IT consultants will need to work with, you should investigate the certification field for those particular products. Look for appropriate credentials on your prospective IT team. Bear in mind that having one certified employee doesn’t translate into universal expertise; you may want to specify that your work must be handled by professionals with the right credentials.
Ask About Professional Development – IT is a constantly evolving industry. Good consultants understand this and work hard to keep themselves and their teams at the cutting edge. In responsible, growth-oriented IT firms, owners and managers will do a great deal to foster their subordinate’s development and make them more capable workers.
Ask your potential IT consultant to outline what steps their company takes to encourage employees to cultivate their professional skills. The answer to this question is very telling; you want to work with firms that invest in their workers’ professional development. They are typically dedicated to higher standards of service and usually prioritize the quality of their work over accumulating maximum profits.

If you’re not sure exactly what kind of IT consulting services you’ll need, sit down with the prospective company and discuss immediate needs, budget restrictions, and future goals. A company that understands your requirements for services such as email security, on-site support, and data recovery will be better positioned to help you grow and succeed. To schedule an appointment with Syndeo Communications, a reputable and experienced IT consulting firm in San Diego, call (760) 650-3300.