IT Archives - TeleConsult Solutions

Cloud-Based Digital Transformation Solutions for Improving Business

July 9, 2018 by The Christine Advantage dba TCS

Without a scalable IT infrastructure, you’re not going to get everything you can out of your data. In this age of digital transformation, data is amassed quickly and is key to business processes at your organization. Cloud-based solutions can give you the scalability you need to improve workflows and improve how your business functions.

Going Off Site

Part of the power of the cloud is to eliminate the need for investing in more infrastructure and software. Rather than take up physical space at your location with expensive servers and software, which requires frequent updating, all of that is taken care of off-site by your cloud vendor.

The cloud is truly disrupting the way organizations spend on IT. According to experts, approximately a quarter of the IT market will be in the cloud by 2020.

Security Concerns

With digital transformation comes the threat of being compromised by enterprising cybercriminals. However, in order for a cloud-based provider to stay in business, they have to maintain their reputation as a safe and secure business partner.

Organizations that provide solutions in the cloud do everything they can to ensure your data will be safe. Cloud storage is becoming more common, and increasingly, the data is being encrypted so prying eyes can’t make any sense of it if they are able to access it.

The fact is, your data is probably safer in a cloud-based environment than it is on local servers. Many times, your employees are the gateway for cybercriminals getting access to your data. This is often due to weak passwords or clicking on a suspicious link in an email. However, with your data locked down tightly in the cloud, you can better remediate a breach and experience no loss of data.

Analyzing Threats

Thanks to powerful cloud-based tools, advanced threats can be analyzed and locked down, which is an important part of digital transformation. All suspicious files, which include digital communication, will be thoroughly analyzed.

Distributed networks need to be protected, especially as organizations see their workforce demand more mobile opportunities, which is another product of the digital transformation brought on by improved mobile technology.

At TeleConsult, our managed data centers will save your organization all the headaches associated with embracing digital transformation, and we can also save you time and money. We’ve provided small- to medium-size businesses with telecom and IT solutions for nearly two decades, and we can assist you as you take on evolving technology. Contact us today and we’ll further explain our value to your operation.

The Difference Between Failure and Success With Digital Transformation

June 18, 2018 by The Christine Advantage dba TCS

Digital transformation is shaping many of the strategies across enterprises for improving productivity, reducing costs, and organizing business processes, all with a focus on optimizing the customer experience. Companies recognize that remaining competitive comes down to engaging with customers for a personalized experience, and a digital transformation strategy will help them get there.

Until it doesn’t. All the promises of sales growth and dramatic cost savings often fall short of expectations when an enterprise’s digital strategy becomes clouded and then either stalls out or fails altogether. How can an organization avoid a disappointing digital transformation? Here are the key steps to success:

Know the why behind digital transformation. If an enterprise hasn’t clearly defined the why of its digital transformation, or if there is a failure to communicate it effectively across the organization, the strategy will likely fail. If the staff has the perception that they’re implementing technology simply to save money or grow revenue, there will be some major dragging of feet.

Instead, have a clear understanding of what digital transformation will do for the enterprise and get buy-in from staff. Digital transformation is about improving the customer experience and ensuring the company stays competitive.

Know how the enterprise is going to get there. A clear path for digital transformation doesn’t mean that it won’t ever change along the way, but it does help the team stay focused. Otherwise, line of business managers competing for resources can derail the strategy as they hear about new cloud solutions and push for their department to receive earliest attention.

Knowing how the enterprise is going to get there includes knowing what kind of transformation will yield the most momentum for the organization. The priority may be to roll out a better experience for customers, but the enterprise may need to get better control over the data first in order to know what will help predict customer buying patterns and the types of offerings that need to be prioritized to serve customers’ needs.

Likewise, there could be an operations department asking for Internet of Things (IoT) devices that monitor inventory or provide feedback on production efficiency, but IT knows that the network can’t handle the expected congestion. They’ll need to find a way to segment out IoT traffic before they deploy the devices.

Know when the enterprise has arrived. A good digital transformation strategy requires measurable goals on a set timeline. As an enterprise achieves milestones along the way, the company must be sure to celebrate the improved productivity or cost savings captured with these efforts. This also goes a long way to secure buy-in from the team for the long haul. Digital transformation can take years, so breaking it into shorter-term goals can help the team keep focused.

Successful digital transformation begins with understanding the why and the how, and it also starts with the right technology partner. Contact us at TeleConsult to help ensure your clients experience a digital transformation that meets their goals.

Are You Prepared in the Event Your Cloud Provider Goes Out of Business?

May 7, 2018 by The Christine Advantage dba TCS

The cloud technology market is still relatively new, and the industry is exploding with new providers offering solutions. As the market matures, it’s inevitable that some of these companies will not be able to survive in the face of competition. It’s important to be prepared in the event your provider is one of the unlucky companies that doesn’t make it.

The risk: Using any provider comes with a certain amount of risk, but with on-premise technology, you weren’t faced with a data retrieval scramble or the need to immediately replace software, because you owned it.

With a cloud provider, you may receive only a couple weeks’ notice that they’re closing shop and that you need to find another solution. This means a quick choice of another provider, plus data retrieval and all the complexity of network configurations and security planning.

Preventive medicine: As part of a comprehensive business continuity strategy, you need to have a contingency plan in place. It should include considerations such as the course of action to take if the provider were suddenly unable to operate, as well as the functions that are necessary to run your daily business processes.

When evaluating a cloud services provider, you should have conversations about their own business plan. Evaluate whether their company will be able to achieve long-term profitability and if their plans fit well with your own trajectory. You should also ask the hard questions, such as what their plan would be for your business continuity if their company experienced difficulties.

It’s important to note that some cloud providers operate with a proprietary file storage platform, meaning that it will not transfer to a new provider.

Make sure your contract with the provider includes information about what will happen in the event that your provider faces bankruptcy or default, or if they simply decide to no longer support a technology that your business uses.

Multiple providers: Many enterprises are avoiding much of this risk by partnering with two or more providers. This offers protection in case a provider goes out of business, because not only will you have a ready partner that can shoulder all business workloads, but your IT staff will already be familiar with the technology, taking many of the unknowns out of the equation. Having multiple cloud providers isn’t just a safety measure for the possibility of a provider going out of business. Doing so provides protection surrounding a variety of disaster recovery and business continuity objectives.

To begin working with a stable provider that will prioritize your business continuity, contact us at TeleConsult, where we will create a custom plan for your technology needs.

Identifying Security Risks in a Next Generation Firewall

April 2, 2018 by The Christine Advantage dba TCS

When security specialists run tests on a network protected by a next-generation firewall, they often discover weaknesses that all but invite hackers into the network to do a little digging. These tests are conducted using a sort of hacker’s playbook that contains a variety of known methods that hackers use to access a network and the vulnerable data traveling through it.

In many cases, enterprises using next-generation firewall tools are not getting the full benefit of the firewall because of configurations that are not up-to-date for the current network or because of legacy security approaches.

The benefits that a next-generation firewall offers are due to its ability to prevent a breach at the application and user level, rather than through ports and protocols. In general, these types of policies should be easier to administer, but mistakes still abound. Errors often occur when the security team employs auto-migration tools when they migrate an existing firewall policy. A breach test can help identify these problems and ensure that any potential weakness in security is addressed.

Many users also run into problems when they simply implement the firewall with vendor-supplied defaults. Like any other tool, the updated features are only helpful if you utilize them. In some situations, those features that make it “next generation” are never turned on.

Another common problem occurs when the security team doesn’t decrypt encrypted traffic, such as TLS, SSL, and SSH, because it can act as a blind spot. IT team members won’t spot the malware hidden in the traffic. While a next-generation firewall can prevent and detect this type of problem, the feature often isn’t utilized.

There is growing momentum to address these kinds of problems, whether it’s voluntary or not. For instance, to rank well in Google’s search engines, companies must comply with Google’s HTTPS encryption requirements.

Another growing area of concern surrounding firewall preparedness is the Internet of Things (IoT). Enterprises are launching fleets of devices that gather and transmit data via sensors, but security teams may not be taking the necessary precautions to protect their networks. These devices are exchanging heavy loads of data with the cloud, with many touch points along the way. In addition, the risk of loss or theft with these devices means that there needs to be a policy established in key areas, such as the length of the hibernation timer on a device.

Simply deploying a next-generation firewall won’t make your enterprise breach-proof. To learn more about security testing and the options available for security services, contact us at TeleConsult. We look forward to discussing network security with you.

Improving Your Cybersecurity in 2018

March 19, 2018 by The Christine Advantage dba TCS

Despite initial reluctance on the part of some telecom vendors, cloud computing is now key for improving business for many companies. When you adopt a cloud-based solution, you’re bringing on board more safety assurances, because you’re not relying on on-premise servers that either break down or are easily accessed by cybercriminals. In fact, cybersecurity is one of the main reasons more organizations are moving to the cloud.

If storing data in the cloud has not been something that’s crossed your mind, consider these two benefits, particularly in light of how pervasive cyberattacks are today:

1. Security
There is still the potential for a hacker to break into your database. However, cloud-based data is far more secure than data on your local server.

2. Quick Access to Data
With the cloud, your data and cloud-based applications are available to you as long as you have a connection. This gives you greater mobility to do what you need to do when you’re not in the office.

Controlling Access to Data

One of the biggest considerations to make where cybersecurity is concerned is who has access to what. Some organizations will completely avoid putting highly sensitive information in the cloud, but regardless of what you’re putting on it, be sure to control access so that employees who don’t need to see specific data do not have clearance to access it.

When you control access to data, you’re closing windows of opportunity to cybercriminals who target systems that aren’t tightly locked down. Keep in mind that when your employees have access to documents from anywhere at any time, so do the hackers, which is why “access only” limits must be set.

Encryption Is Your Friend

When you look at cloud-based solutions, disregard those that don’t offer encryption services. Furthermore, those that do offer encryption services should go above and beyond encrypting files that are going between your systems’ computers and the cloud. For example, a robust encryption service also includes an added layer of protection, which protects data that is “resting.”

Practice Better Passwords

Yes, this is still part of the conversation with cybersecurity because so many people continue to use weak passwords. Nearly half of all users will keep the same passwords for five years or longer, while nearly a quarter have been found to keep theirs for a decade. Make it a rule that nobody with access to your system can use a password with birthdates or names of pets or one that is less than 12 characters long, or use the same password for more than one account.

At TeleConsult, we work with more than 100 IT, telecom, and cloud vendors to provide the best telecom services. We offer customer support 24/7/365, so our clients are never without the assistance they need. Contact us to learn more.

Planning for Successful IT Transformation

May 8, 2017 by teleconsult

When a company plans to shift from one IT state to another, its IT transformation must be overseen by a CIO or qualified technical expert. One of the main expectations of a CIO is to improve business efficiency. In order to upgrade IT to a better state, the CIO must also stay updated on security vulnerabilities and technology compatibility. Here are ways to ensure proper IT transformation toward a new framework.

Planning Ahead

The main concern of the planning stage is to make sure IT and business goals are in sync. It’s a time to evaluate how IT can help bring strategic value to the company. Certain workloads or applications may need to be improved. Management may decide it’s easier to outsource certain services.

Careful Assessment

Beginning with IT inventory, management must assess which processes are helping the company meet its goals and which ones create a strain on the system. Every type of technology from data centers to applications must be examined thoroughly. Utilization rates and operational costs must be compared with industry norms to learn where budget cuts are necessary. It’s a time to ask questions about scalability and IoT issues.

Designing the Framework

The design phase applies to application, workflow, and process transformation. During this phase management must establish a budget and timeline. It begins with a vision of how the ideal IT department will look, and involves long-term decisions on merging IT with business.

The decision makers for each element of IT must be identified and considered for the expertise they bring to the organization. Their input will help shape a sustainable business strategy and plan. During this phase the CIO must sort out how security, hardware, and networking are organized. It’s helpful to create a list of potential service partners and answer questions about ROI.

Migration Phase

Migration is the key turning point in IT transformation. This stage begins with management deciding what needs to move, whether it’s data centers, databases, or applications. Usually starting small, such as moving email to the cloud, then easing into the migration process works well.

A move will be much more organized if it involves a continuity and contingency plan that allows the company to continue running its business during migration. It’s a time to create strategies for eliminating or reducing downtime during the transition. A migration service provider can help pressure test the migration plan. Technicians must test the code of applications to make sure it will work in the cloud.

Refinement and Optimization

Once the migration is complete, the next phase is to work out the nuances of new management processes. By this point either administrative responsibilities have been streamlined or they’ve been taken over by a service provider. CIOs need to make sure at this stage that their system integrates well with external service providers.

The optimization stage completes the IT transformation project, as it ensures that IT and business goals are aligned. The CIO must further evaluate how well IT is focused on application performance and that workload optimization has continuity. IT must also be driven by measurable performance and work as an empowering culture for employees.

Conclusion

IT transformation is the process of moving from one IT state to another in the most efficient way. The end result is a more cost efficient business in which processes are optimized. These improvements should help companies attract the best possible technical talent.

Energizing Business by Moving to the Cloud

April 17, 2017 by teleconsult

Game-changing technology has opened new possibilities for businesses over the last decade. The new landscape is filled with start-ups that wouldn’t have been possible five or ten years ago, and the major player in that evolution is cloud technology. Rather than requiring costly hardware investments, virtual machines and pay-as-you-go applications offer the flexibility and agility demanded in today’s global marketplace. Yet, some companies are still hesitant to embrace the change, and the delay can be costly.

Established organizations with in-house systems often cite concerns like security, cost, disruption to daily operations, and a lack of knowledge about how to make the move when justifying their reluctance to migrate systems and data into the virtual arena. However, those concerns are largely unfounded.

Security

Companies hesitant to adopt cloud computing have vague impressions that security is lacking, but nothing is further from the truth. Providers that host data in a virtual environment take security concerns very seriously because their reputations depend on confidentiality.

Operational Fluidity

In-house data centers are typically the result of years of investment. Hardware, software, and systems that support daily operations seem too intricate to move to a virtual environment, so companies often think that migrating data and applications will present a set of difficulties that will be costly to overcome. However, since legacy systems must be evaluated and updated to meet changing needs, cloud services offer a significant reduction in upkeep expense. Companies that resist the change often find themselves falling behind competitors that have transferred service to cloud computing and can operate on smaller budgets.

Getting Started

Knowing how to begin cloud migration is one of the biggest challenges for many organizations. For those companies, making small changes is the best way to get started. For example:

Move data archives to a cloud storage facility. Instead of storing data on tapes and other methods, the cloud offers a low-cost alternative for storage compliance.
Move one application. Start small by moving something like email. This will give businesses the confidence to move other applications.
Deploy a new application virtually. Keep legacy systems running, but introduce new applications virtually so that mission-critical operations remain in-house.
Employ a hybrid approach. Private options allow businesses to choose which applications to augment virtually for the best performance.

Moving data to a virtual environment offers reduced costs, increased scalability, and dependable business continuity in a secure environment. Businesses that embrace this technology benefit from lasting improvements.

The Business Case for Fiber Optics

February 6, 2017 by teleconsult

Fiber optics aren’t new. First developed in the 1970s, they’ve been known for high-speed data transfer for decades. But many CEOs are used to thinking of their business application as limited; aside from a few specific markets, like stock trading or telecommunications, does data speed really have a significant impact?

As the economy becomes ever more digitally supported, the answer has swung to a resounding “Yes!” Fiber optic networks offer benefits to businesses of all sizes, including the following:

Increased employee productivity. Downloading reports, sending files across departments, accessing shared documents, and other business tasks are just one component of the fiber optic benefit. Employees also feel more engaged and can support a faster working pace when the systems they use are more responsive. In the digital age, that often comes down to network connectivity.
Improved VoIP support. Voice over IP is a technology that underpins a number of modern communications technologies, including Google Talk and Skype. VoIP offers numerous benefits over traditional phone services, including lower costs and increased flexibility, especially in BYOD environments or environments with a number of remote workers. And the speed and bandwidth of fiber optic networks puts professional-quality VoIP services within reach for many businesses.
Better disaster recovery prep. It’s all well and good to have a disaster recovery strategy in place, but if a disaster does strike, backing up the company’s data will have been only half the battle. The speed with which a business can recover from a disaster is limited by the speed at which data can transfer from offsite data storage to production servers. Fiber networks can speed this transfer, reducing downtime in critical moments.
Better cloud access. With Software as a Service (SaaS), Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS), Disaster Recovery as a Service (DRaaS), and numerous other business applications as services flourishing on the cloud, businesses can take advantage of high-quality, well-managed resources with lower overhead costs than in-house management and support. But accessing the cloud requires data transfer, and a slow network can hamper business processes that touch the cloud. High-speed fiber optics alleviate this considerably.
Increased flexibility. Site traffic isn’t a constant, especially for businesses whose demand fluctuates seasonally, or businesses that are launching large sales or promotions. Fiber networks offer increased ability to scale bandwidth without costly additional installations.

Fast data networks are no longer just an impressive technical toy, or an investment that benefits the IT department while leaving other departments unaffected. Instead, they can dramatically increase the overall functioning of a business.

Posts Tagged: IT

The Difference Between Failure and Success With Digital Transformation

Identifying Security Risks in a Next Generation Firewall

Planning for Successful IT Transformation

Stay Connected