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Case Study – Healthcare – Skyway Behavioral Health
Start Up Requiring Robust Infrastructure – From Planning to Implementation
The 7 Irresistible Qualities of Cloud ERP
Learn why ERP tools are an critical component for many businesses.
Why a Business Continuity Plan is Essential
Learn why your company needs a business continuity plan.
Ransomware 101
If you’re looking for ways to stop ransomware dead in its tracks, the experts at CCS Technology are here to help.
How managed services make the difference
Learn more about the benefits of partnering with a managed services provider.
Cloud Services and the SMB Revolution
Learn more about how Cloud Services from CCS make your life easier.
Office 365 Migration Made Easy
Migrating over to Office 365 has never been easier with CCS Technology.
The Advantages of Working with I.T. Pros
Learn how working with a seasoned technology pro makes your work easier.
Closing Common Cybersecurity Holes
Learn several critical cybersecurity tips and tricks any SMB can use.
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Choosing the Right Offsite Location for Backups
/in Blog, Business Continuity /by lindsayIt’s well-known that one of the best strategies for backups is to follow the 3-2-1 rule: have a least three copies of data, use two different storage media, and keep one copy offsite.
When it comes to deciding where to keep the offsite copy, cloud is an obvious choice today. However, cloud isn’t the only choice. The backup copy can be stored at your secondary data center, or at some storage facility.
How do you choose? The cost of the storage is one factor, but other factors should be considered as well. While the primary reason for keeping the copy offsite is to ensure you won’t lose it if your primary site it totally destroyed, there are other considerations as well.
The things to think about in addition to cost are the level of risk and the impact on recovery time objectives (RTO) and recovery point objectives (RPO).
Offsite storage can impact your RTO depending on how long it takes to access the data. If you use cloud for offsite storage, this will be impacted by both data access times (backups stored on a less expensive storage tier will take longer to access) as well as the time to transfer the data. That data transfer process will in turn be affected by network bandwidth. If you choose to store data offsite at a storage facility your RTO will be impacted by the time to locate the backup as well as either the network bandwidth or the time to physically ship the media to your data center. If your offsite location is a secondary data center and you’re failing over there, you may be able to recover almost immediately; otherwise, transferring the data back to your primary site requires either network bandwidth or physical transport capability.
The time delay in delivering offsite media also affects RPO. You’ll lose any data between the last backup and the outage. If it takes a day for a tape to be delivered and processed, you won’t be able to recover yesterday’s data; you’ll be recovering the day before yesterday, while yesterday’s is still in transit.
The final consideration is risk. Offsite storage that’s nearby is conveniently accessible by your onsite staff, but it’s vulnerable to being damaged by the same natural disaster that’s taken out your primary site. A more remote storage site reduces that risk but can increase delays or errors in accessing the data you need to restore.
Many times, if you’re following the 3-2-1 rule, you’ll have a second copy in your data center and won’t have to worry about accessing the remote copy. But if that onsite backup turns out to be bad, getting access to the remote copy will be extremely important. CCS Technology Group helps businesses develop comprehensive business continuity solutions that ensure you’ll have access to your backups when you need them. Contact us to learn more about what you should consider when developing your backup strategy.
Additional Backup Resources
Don’t Let Ransomware Destroy the Backups You Need to Recover from Ransomware
Effective Backups Need to Address These Challenges
The Differences Between Backups, Disaster Recovery, and Archiving Matter
7 Sources of Network Problems
/in Blog, Managed Services /by lindsaySolving network problems is a frequent task for IT departments. While there are many possible network problems, problems commonly arise from these causes:
1. Configuration problems
There are multiple places where misconfigurations can lead to network problems. These include IP addresses that are assigned incorrectly, firewall rules that block valid data, and pointing to the incorrect DNS server.
2. Hardware problems
Hardware problems can arise in any of the devices involved in networks, including bad network cards in users’ computers, bad routers, and damaged cables. These problems can be as simple to fix as tightening a loose cable or require replacing the whole device.
3. Overload problems
Overloaded networks greatly degrade the user experience. Buying a bigger pipe can help, but so can solutions such as blocking user access to bandwidth-intensive sites that aren’t required for business, such as video streaming services.
4. Network design problems
Bad network design can lead to both performance problems and security problems. Sometimes the problem is that the network wasn’t designed to provide the type of service being used, such as VoIP. Even a good network design that’s badly documented can make network support harder than it needs to be.
5. Security problems
Problems can be the result of malware or a targeted attack on your systems. Appropriate security tools can help block malware and detect attacks before they’re able to damage your systems.
6. Application problems
Poor application design can contribute to network overload.
7. Shadow IT
Although shadow IT is often used to describe unauthorized usage of cloud services, there can also be unauthorized use of applications and other technology resources on premises, and these can put excess load on network. Be on the lookout for unapproved applications as well as internet of things devices.
Many network problems can be diagnosed through real-time monitoring that shows where slowdowns are occurring. Applying policies to users and groups will help ensure the existing network capacity is properly used. Sometimes the best solution is upgrading the network to higher speed or higher capacity components, along with redesigning subnetworks to improve traffic flows.
One way to minimize the impact of network problems is through comprehensive managed services such as those offered by CCS Technology group. Managed services provide around-the-clock monitoring and resolution of system problems, as well as planning and preventative maintenance to prevent problems from developing in the first place. With network support, server support, and desktop support, managed services provide all your IT resources with the care and attention they need. Contact us to learn more about how managed services can help your network and your business run more smoothly.
Additional Network Resources
Know What’s Happening on Your Network with Network Monitoring
Is your network safe from cyber attacks?
Are QuickBooks Workarounds Putting Your Business at Risk?
/in Blog, ERP Software /by lindsayAs a software product built on delivering a simple accounting-focused solution for small businesses, QuickBooks does laudable work. But start adding other processes—sales tax, inventory management, warehouse, and the like, and the solution no longer delivers answers. Just questions, spreadsheets, and workarounds.
Following our last blogs on the annoyances that come with a QuickBooks file size limit that holds your business back and the challenges that come from a desktop software in a remote world, we would today like to turn our attention to another challenge—or should we say commonality—of using QuickBooks: The use of workarounds.
Shadow IT and the Necessity of Workarounds in QuickBooks
As discussed in a recent article on the risks of Shadow IT, “Shadow IT is any IT service that is accessed without the oversight of company information technology teams. It can be in the form of spending approved by business departments or it can be accessed by individual employees without the knowledge of their supervisors.”
Why Employees Use Shadow IT
These services are often used either as a workaround, a simplification, or an ad hoc integration, and any way that you look at it, they present risks to both security and visibility ranging from unforeseen audits and penalties to risk of data loss, breaches, and more. Employees use shadow IT to overcome some kind of limitation or annoyance that comes from using a software product. Though not limited to QuickBooks, the product’s limitations are often a common reason that employees use it.
If it sounds scary, unvetted technology is one of the most common parts of QuickBooks. Everything from Excel Macros to side products might be considered shadow IT.
Another Tradeoff for QuickBooks Users
Yes, they may help you work around the limitations set in QuickBooks, but the problem comes in the lack of vetting from IT, the unnecessary permissions or access given to the workaround, or vulnerabilities in these workarounds that leave blind spots and openings for hackers.
Pair this with a lack of good user permission control, and one poorly vetted application could start running rampant through your storage, leaving you high and dry.
This is bad enough, but remember, if you’ve been paying attention to our series, you know that there’s a difference between business as usual and the current environment where security and product ability is already stretched thin.
Shadow IT and the Demonstrated Need for New Technology
That said, the use of shadow IT does provide one fringe ‘benefit’. It helps you understand how your employees work, demonstrates that your current software isn’t standing up to its promises, and points to the necessities that will be needed in any future solution. If your goal is to eliminate the need for shadow IT, a new solution can take you there.
Better yet, with many new solutions delivering a marketplace-based source for vetted and easy to set up applications, it’s much easier to overcome the dangers of shadow IT.
For example, the Acumatica Marketplace gives users an easy way to find the right add-ons or integrations for the specific needs of the business, taking the shadow out of shadow IT.
Secure, Easy to Use and Configured for You: Get to Know Acumatica
Growing businesses need to handle growing challenges—and QuickBooks is rarely built to handle these. Built on modularity and easy customization, Acumatica helps you get what your employees want and need.
Acumatica delivers a full-featured accounting suite that addresses the most complex requirements for companies of all sizes. Plus, it integrates with Project Accounting, Customer Resource Management (CRM), Manufacturing Management, and other product suites offered by Acumatica.
We invite you to learn more about your journey from entry level to the cloud by reading Seven Signs You Need ERP Software, 5 Benefits of ERP for Accounting and Financial Management, and How to Improve Efficiency with a New ERP Solution. Read to learn even more? Contact us for a free consultation.