Outsourced IT services save you time and money! When you outsource your IT services with Integrinet IT, we team up with you to manage your technology so you can focus on the rest of your business. We optimize your network, quickly get your systems up and running when they are down, and increase your cybersecurity shields.
If your technology is not optimized, your business loses money. For instance:
A sluggish inefficient computer network ends up costing you a lot of time and money.
When your systems are down, your business loses money.
Vulnerable networks are being hacked into more and more often. Victims of ransomware pay hundreds of thousands of dollars to get their confidential and proprietary data back.
Take advantage of the benefits of specialization by partnering with a professional IT company.
Specialization Makes the Best Financial Sense
In 1776, the year our country became a nation, a Scottish economist and moral philosopher named Adam Smith published a book called, “The Wealth of Nations”. Since that time, it has become a part of classic economic thought.
In this book, Adam Smith evaluated the benefits of specialization. By observing pin makers at a factory, he found that one worker could hardly produce one pin a day. But 10 people working together and performing different pin-making tasks could produce 48,000 pins a day.
It makes sense that productivity increases with specialization. This is true because a person’s ability to perform the same task improves with practice. Additionally, repetition and iteration usually result in the improvement of tools and processes.
Outsourced IT Services = Specialization
With outsourced IT services, a team of seasoned and licensed IT professionals manages your computer network while you focus on what you do best.
Outsourcing your IT services saves you time by delegating the care of your IT environment to a team of IT service engineers. These professionals are highly efficient at what they do because they are trained, certified, and experienced. They work on IT all day, every day. And for small to medium-sized businesses, outsourcing is much more budget-friendly than paying for a full-time IT technician.
To sum up, the result of choosing an IT Managed Service Provider is metaphorically equivalent to 48,000 pins a day for your company!
We bring expertise to our Outsourced IT Services
Try us out for a month or two at no risk to your company. If you are not satisfied with our services, you are not held to any contracts. We are that confident that you will be pleased with the IT expertise we bring to your team.
If you are looking to outsource your IT services, we want to be your IT company. One of our technical consultants will come out and do a free assessment of your network and go over all your IT needs. Give us a call:
Does your small business provide resources to the Federal Government or the Department of Defense (DoD)? If so, you have had to jump through many hoops. You have had to legally qualify as a small business and officially register as a government contractor. And in order to register, you have had to comply with all the laws and regulations in the Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR).
And some of those regulations that you most likely know about are the NIST 800-171 standards, the cybersecurity guidelines for government contractors. Not only are the NIST standards helpful to businesses working with the government, but they are also a valuable resource for small businesses in general.
Adherence to the NIST 800-171 standards is vital to your organization’s wellbeing
While these standards may seem like just another hoop to jump through, on closer inspection adherence is vital to your organization’s wellbeing as well as the government’s. This is true because of the fact that we are fighting a new type of war against cybercriminal gangs. These gangs are engaging in cyber-terrorism through ransomware attacks on our businesses, our government, and our nation. And it only seems to be getting worse.
permission inheritances that are not functioning properly
Vulnerabilities in business networks are common and threat actors know it. Because of that, businesses cannot afford to be negligent in cybersecurity. And we need to work together to protect sensitive information and proprietary data. In today’s Internet-connected business world we are all connected. Bad actors who hack into one business’s network, can then access other networks that they are connected to. To strengthen our defenses, it is critical to increase our cyber awareness and establish effective security controls.
Advantages to implementing the NIST SP 800-171 standards
It is also important to know that implementation of the NIST cybersecurity standards results in an advantage over competing contractors. This is true because government entities are required to do business with contractors that are diligently working to implement these standards. The more secure your network, the more you have to offer them.
The good news – you are not alone!
The good news is that you don’t have to figure it out by yourself. As an IT Company that specializes in helping businesses improve their cybersecurity, Integrinet IT can reduce the time, money, and stress it would take you to do it alone. We understand the technical lingo and guidelines in the NIST standards. So if you work with the Federal Government, we can assess your current cybersecurity compliance level against these standards and then help prepare you for the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC).
Is your SMB working on assessing your company’s cybersecurity model for NIST 800-171 compliance? Are you preparing for the upcoming Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC)?
All contractors that provide resources to the Federal Government or the Department of Defense (DoD) will need this certification. And the NIST 800-171 regulations were designed to help you know what you have to do.
NIST stands for the National Institute of Standards and Technology. It is an agency that issues recommendations under the US Department of Commerce. Its primary role is to develop standards that apply to various industries. One set of these standards is Cybersecurity.
NIST 800-171 is a practical program that gives businesses a plan of action to improve their cybersecurity. And when these are implemented, the result is increased business, economic, and government defenses.
NIST’s goal for NIST 800-171 compliance
NIST’s goal for NIST SP* 800-171 r2** is to “protect Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) in nonfederal information systems and organizations.” These organizations provide services, goods, and R&D for the government, but are not actual government entities. They have their own servers, computers, and ways of managing their data and CUI.
*SP stands for Special Publication **r2 stands for the updated NIST SP 800-172 version
More specifically, NIST 800-171 was designed to help organizations figure out if their security controls are sufficient to defend their CUI against attackers. The process is about developing a plan to improve your infrastructure security over time. Ideally, your business should do this as quickly as possible to protect yourself, your clients, your partners, and the government. However, it takes time and money that many businesses can’t immediately pull from their budget.
This is why it won’t be a requirement until the beginning of 2026. Thankfully, there is time to establish a budget-friendly plan of action.
What is the current state of your NIST 800-171 compliance?
The following questions are examples of what network assessments you will need to make:
Has your IT company designed your infrastructure according to RMF* standards?
Are your company policies and procedures in place that address security issues?
Have your teams received cybersecurity awareness training including CUI?
Do your teams know what an insider threat is and what to do about it?
Does your company have a forum where you and your staff can discuss issues like phishing attempts?
Do you need to upgrade your networking equipment and software?
Are your security controls decreasing the risk to your resources and sensitive data?
Do you know who has access to your files and documents that contain CUI?
What kind of measures are you taking to audit access to CUI?
Have you taken steps to physically limit access to the computers or servers that store CUI?
*RMF stands for Risk Management Framework. It is a set of criteria that dictate how the U.S. government’s IT systems must be architected, secured, and monitored.
Don’t despair – we can help!
We know that it is important to every SMB to keep their proprietary and CUI data safe. And business owners are stressing about what to do in a world of increasing cyberattacks. The bottom line is that compliance to these security standards is not an easy accomplishment for small businesses. You are busy trying to run your business. It is difficult to put that on hold while you determine what you need to do.
But you are not alone. Integrinet IT can assist you in preparing for the CMMC. We know the NIST 800-171 standards and how to apply them to your unique business. We are here to take the load off your shoulders and save you time at a budget-friendly cost.
If you are a government contractor, strengthening your cybersecurity defenses is now a top priority. We can help you implement the necessary security controls that will tighten those defenses against threat actors who are working 24/7 to break into our computer networks.
As an IT company for Utah and Idaho small businesses, we specialize in providing IT Services for 3PL organizations (Supply Chain Logistics & Fulfillment Center). For the past four years, we have managed Elite OPS‘s network and have identified 5 critical IT services that every successful 3PL company should have.
API integration to offer 100% customization
Experienced personalized network management
Clear WiFi coverage throughout warehouse
Strategic network configuration for times of growth
Business to business cybersecurity
“We are a supply chain management business in the Greater Salt Lake area and offer outsourced logistics. We would highly recommend [Integrinet IT] to any company in need of IT services.”
Elite ops
1: API integration – 100% customizable
Firstly, API Integration is one of the most critical services 3PLs should have. Elite OPS seeks to be 100% customizable to their customers. Every one of their clients has customized branding, software, and business operations. In order for their customers to manage business finances, operations, and customer relations, they use a variety of software and services. For example – their CRM software: some use Amazon Prime Seller Fulfilled, others use Magento, and still others use Oracle NetSuite to name a few. Elite OPS manages these integrations with a state-of-the-art warehouse management system. It translates the orders coming from each of these CRMs so that Elite OPS can efficiently process them.
That is to say, it takes a lot of strategy behind the scenes to allow the different network configurations and software packages to play nicely together. Incompatibilities between unique businesses with unique computer networks are inevitable. API, or Application Programming Interface, is a tool that connects two or more applications and allows them to exchange data. In other words, it enables Elite OPS and other fulfillment centers to organize the multitude of incoming orders and outgoing shipments. And that increases their productivity. If you haven’t yet taken advantage of these technology tools and want to learn more about them, here are 2 videos and one article:
“One of the greatest benefits of using API technology in a 3PL business is that APIs are capable of transmitting data back and forth across the supply chain in milliseconds, making real-time supply chain management a reality.”
Elite Ops
2: IT services for 3PL organizations require experienced personalized network management
Secondly, like most logistics companies, Elite OPS has a complex network with many moving parts:
In order for Elite OPS to get the most out of their infrastructure and warehouse management system, they need all of these components to work together seamlessly. They need them to be consistently up and running. For this reason, Integrinet IT’s service engineers work behind the scenes to manage their network. They know downtime is revenue lost and work hard to prevent it from happening.
Our engineers monitor their systems 24/7, provide onsite and remote helpdesk services, ensure their WiFi coverage is clear and consistent, back up their data regularly, and tighten their security. When we first started taking care of Elite OPS, our engineers spent months getting to know the ins and outs of their infrastructure. They created network maps to document their extensive configurations. So, when something happens (and it always will), they can more efficiently troubleshoot it.
We Provide Elite OPS with:
IT Consultancy
Onsite & Remote Services
Hardware Care & Procurement
Cybersecurity Protection
Email Health & Maintenance
Data Backup & Business Continuity
Personalized & Professional Pro-Action Team
If you don’t have an IT company with expert service engineers that get to know your computer network personally, you most likely are experiencing a lot of unnecessary pain.
3: IT services for 3PL organizations must include clear WiFi coverage throughout their entire warehouse
Thirdly, most supply chain organizations have huge warehouses to manage their customers’ inventory. Elite OPS has a 450,000 sq ft warehouse with 60 ft Ceilings. They also have huge 30 ft shelves to safely store their customers’ goods. But these shelves end up blocking WiFi signals generated from low-level access points. And while large spaces and shelving units are perfect for their fulfillment services, they always present a challenge for WiFi coverage.
When we first began services for Elite OPS a few years ago, they didn’t have WiFi coverage at all. So one of our first major projects with them was designing and building a powerful wireless network. It provides them with Internet access at every square foot of their space. Mounting several access points from the 60 ft. ceilings has enabled their teams to stay in continuous communication with their customers, their management system, and each other. We implemented tools to remotely monitor the hardware on the ceiling to keep it fine-tuned, ensuring it works with all devices. Rarely do our technical engineers need to physically get up there to service them.
If you don’t already have a powerful wireless network that reaches every square foot of your fulfillment center warehouse, you need to find a good IT company to design and build it for you.
Read more about Integrinet IT’s WiFi/Internet Solutions:
4: Strategic network configuration for times of growth
Fourthly, with the E-commerce, logistics, and distribution boom over the last year, 3PLs have experienced an intense spike in growth. While this has been an exciting journey for Elite OPS, it has given them a lot to manage. Our service engineers worked long hours to assist them with their rapid expansion of services. They recommended and installed new hardware, software, cabling, security, and WiFi system in their new Georgia warehouse.
“Since we have been with Integrinet our business has quadrupled in size and we have expanded into another state – we added an additional warehouse in Georgia. Integrinet has been with us throughout our journey and has facilitated our growth with innovative solutions every step of the way.”
Elite OPS
So, if your 3PL business is expanding exponentially, you need an experienced managed IT service provider that has already set up the infrastructure for other businesses like yours. Choosing an IT company that is familiar with your specific industry’s needs and has actual experience taking care of 3PL organizations will reduce the time it takes to set up your network and thus your costs.
5: IT services for 3PL organizations & business-to-business cybersecurity
And last but definitely not least is cybersecurity. As a large 3PL company, Elite OPS interacts with countless businesses. They have the responsibility to keep their confidential and proprietary data safe. With ransomware attacks on the rise, it is more important than ever to fortify your network to safeguard your business as well as your clients’ and partners’ businesses. Integrinet IT’s service engineers and remote tools are working 24/7 to secure Elite OPS’s network. We monitor their servers 24/7, ensure they have a strong backup and disaster recovery plan in place, and administer employee security training.
Additionally, we perform security patches, operating system updates, hardware drive/firmware updates, and server monitoring. Server monitoring includes weekly checks of event logs. We ensure their hard drives have plenty of disc space to store data and data backups. Our service engineers watch for alerts that signal it’s time for equipment replacement. They make recommendations to purchase new equipment before the old fails or warranties expire. This minimizes downtime and cost. In the event of a crash or hard drive failure, they are covered by their warranties and backups.
Because you do business with other businesses, you need to keep your network cyber secure. Cyber gangs are working 24/7 to hack into large and small businesses. Don’t make it easy for them. Did you know that if you are hacked, they can potentially hack into your customers’ networks through your portal as well?
If you don’t have a strong defensive cybersecurity strategy that consists of multiple layers of protection, make the move now to reach out to an experienced IT company to help you get started.
In conclusion, while we haven’t been the reason Elite OPS has been exponentially growing, we have been behind the scenes supporting and securing their network so that they can.
“It’s important that our IT network runs at peak efficiency at all times so we can keep up with the demanding process this industry requires. Integrinet IT does that for us. They have been our managed service provider since 2017. Our service engineers are the best that we have ever had. They keep us at the top of our game.”
Elite OPS
If you are a Supply Chain Logistics & Fulfillment Center and in need of IT Services, give us a call.
With our Backup Solutions, we can help you decrease the severity of a cyberattack and minimize the impact on your business operations and proprietary data. Consistent off-site data backups will reduce the monetary impact of system and data recovery if a cyberattack is successful.
If you have been watching the news, you know about the recent onslaught of ransomware attacks on businesses. Due to cybergangs’ advanced strategies and widespread incidents, we highly recommend that you have an offsite backup solution. It is no longer just larger companies and billion-dollar enterprises that these gangs are targeting. They are now going after smaller companies like ours and yours.
While cybersecurity solutions significantly increase our defenses, bad actors are out there searching 24/7 for any vulnerability they can use to penetrate our networks. Some of the most security-diligent companies have recently been attacked. There are even several local small businesses that these gangs have infiltrated.
How Cybergangs Work
When cybergangs find a vulnerability in your business’s network, they hack in, encrypt your data, and lock you out. In every file they have encrypted, instead of finding your data, you will find a .txt note that might begin like this: “Your files – photos, documents, and confidential data have been encrypted.”
The only way to recover your data is to enter a unique key that the cybercriminal gang will provide once you pay them an enormous fee – we’re talking $40K and up. If you pay, sometimes they will restore your data. Other times they won’t. And sometimes they will publish confidential files online or sell them to third parties who will use them for their own nefarious purposes.
REvil (also known as Sodin or Sodinokibi) is a ransomware gang that hacks into businesses’ networks and encrypts their valuable confidential data and then holds it for millions of dollars ransom. If the company doesn’t pay, the gang either permanently destroys their confidential data or publishes it online.
DarkSide is a cybercriminal gang that encrypts sensitive data including backups through Recovery as a service (RaaS).
Conti ransomware uses a double-extortion technique to encrypt data on an infected machine. Attackers from this group usually send a phishing email from an address that the unsuspecting employee trusts.
Backup Solutions: Tighter Security & Cloud Backup
After a breach, the outcome is never good, but we can help you decrease the severity of it by implementing tighter security and cloud backup solutions. If you have offsite cloud backup, you can at least recover your data without having to pay their ransom demands.
Because your current environments, quantity of data, and budget vary, the backup solutions we recommend are different. We strongly encourage you to talk to your service engineer today to identify the solution that will increase your defenses against these ruthless attacks.
Malicious emails are up 600% since the onset of COVID-19 and organizations are actively searching for solutions on how best to implement security awareness training for their teams. Business Managers are struggling with the following questions as they consider implementing a plan to train their teams:
How do we train our teams?
What is their current awareness level?
How can we motivate them to take the training seriously?
The Root Cause of Security Breaches
The root cause of security breaches is a lack of awareness. Cybercrime groups are always looking to penetrate a network through our natural weaknesses and vulnerabilities. The frequency, cost, sophistication, and size of cyberattacks have been dramatically increasing over the past few years. Human error is the number one cybersecurity threat to businesses in 2021. It was a major contributing cause in 95% of all breaches.
Phishing Email Statistics
As mentioned before, malicious phishing emails have gone up 600% in the last year. Cybercriminals choose to use this technique because they know that most companies are not yet up to speed with security awareness.
About one in every 6,000 emails contains suspicious URLs. Phishing campaigns are among the most common tactics used by threat actors for ransomware attacks.
The bad news is that the statistics aren’t looking any better for 2021. The trend continues with breaches such as the Colonial Pipeline, Marriot, and Nintendo.
So, cybersecurity is a serious issue for organizations in today’s world. Unfortunately, even one small click on a link in a phishing email can lead to crippling consequences. The costs are too high to ignore. Security awareness training should be one of an organization’s highest priorities.
Call us to learn more about Security Awareness Training.
RAM stands for Random Access Memory. This is the short-term memory your computer uses to store all the information it is actively using. So, if you are a multitasker with several applications open at once, your RAM enables you to quickly switch between them. You don’t have to restart every application anew when you come back to it.
RAM allows your applications to run smoothly. Your applications include your email, browsers (Chrome, Safari, Opera, etc.), word processing (Microsoft Word, Apple Pages, etc.), data entry (Microsoft Excel, Apple Numbers, etc.), and many other programs and tools you use that make your job easier. So if you are alternating between writing a document, creating a spreadsheet, and browsing the Internet during a normal workday, your RAM streamlines these processes to make your workflow efficient.
Because RAM determines the performance and speed of your computer, it is one of the most important variables to consider when shopping for computers.
The Classic RAM Metaphor
A common metaphor may help you to remember what Random Access Memory is. Most companies still work with paper and file cabinets even though they predominantly work with and store data on computers. On your physical desk, you may have a number of projects you’re currently working on. This is like your computer’s RAM. You can’t have everything in your file cabinet there. That would be confusing and overwhelming. You just have what you’re working on this week. So, your file cabinet is like your computer’s long-term memory. This is your hard drive or SSD (Solid State Drive). When you are finished with a project or filling out a form, you file it away in your file cabinet for easy retrieval when you need it again.
The Goldilocks Principle
Too little RAM causes your computer to run sluggishly.
Too much RAM for your computing needs is overkill and isn’t cost-effective.
Just the right amount of RAM for the way that you use your computer is what you need.
How much RAM do you need?
If your workflow includes running a number of programs at the same time, you will need a greater amount of RAM. For most users, 8GB is enough. The more programs you have open at the same time on your computer, the more RAM you need. Additionally, the more complex your programs are (i.e., graphic software applications like Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, or Premiere), the more RAM you need. 16GB is usually plenty for graphic designers, web developers, videographers, gamers, and other users of programs at that complexity level. Any more is overkill.
If you are running a large database, Vendor Management System (VMS), or using a RAMdisk, you need more than 16GB. Extremely large amounts of RAM (I’m talking TB) are possible for 64-bit processors, but they will cost you.
One common sign that you need more RAM is a sluggish computer. Are you are pulling your hair out waiting for it to complete tasks? Or are you sitting there, chin in hand, watching the spinning beach ball (pinwheel, flipping hourglass, etc.) more often than not when you have major deadlines to meet? If so, it may be time for that upgrade.
Upgrading Memory vs. Upgrading Your Whole Computer
You can upgrade your memory on your current computer or buy a new computer with more short-term memory. The amount of RAM you get should be compatible with your other computer components. Since tech is always evolving in speed and efficiency, upgrading just your RAM on an older computer may not be the best way to solve the problem. Without that compatibility, adding more RAM may not give you any substantial improvement. You may have to purchase a new computer.
I know buying new computers isn’t always fun. It’s expensive. And we remember all too well how much we paid for our current computers. We want to put to good use, for a good long time, the investment we have already made in our current technology. This is why we don’t need to buy too much RAM but instead, we can use the Goldilocks principle of finding just the right amount for our needs.
If you are going to upgrade the RAM on your current computer, you can use Micron’s Crucial System Scanner to determine what is compatible. If you don’t feel comfortable having an application from the Internet scan your computer, ask your IT Company to safely and securely walk through this process with you.
High-Speed Internet is constantly evolving. What was once cutting-edge speeds have now gone the way of all dinosaur technology. Newer technology gives businesses the highest speeds and the most reliable connections. But integrating the new solutions with your business’s infrastructure can be tricky.
One of our clients wanted faster Internet speeds to handle synchronous off-site backups and other cloud processes for three separate locations. One of their locations is in the middle of a desert. Another is in a small rural town and the last is close to a large city. Their Internet Service Provider (ISP) was a global media and technology company. They had been providing them with Broadband Internet services with maximum speeds of 150 Mbps. A few years ago these speeds were at the high end but with advancements in Broadband and Fiber Optic cabling technology, it’s now possible to get up to 1,000 to 2,000 Mbps. There are even some companies offering, on a very limited basis, up to 10,000 Mbps and more (Fastest Internet Providers 2021).
The ISP’s Proposed Solution
The ISP promised they could provide Fiber Optic Internet to all three of our client’s locations. They also included in the plan the promise of:
There were many problems with these proposed solutions, but our client didn’t spot them right away because they are not IT professionals. The first was bringing Fiber Optic Internet to a location in the middle of the desert. It’s starting to become more widely available but it is not yet available in such remote locations.
Additionally, their ISP’s progress in implementing any of their solutions was incredibly slow. They were unresponsive and their project management was nonexistent. Eighteen months into the project, they told our client that they couldn’t do many of the things they had promised:
Upgrading their desert location to Fiber Optics Internet was not a viable option.
They never provided the VPN tunnel.
VoIP phones were never installed.
The backup Internet solution was provided but never discontinued even after it was no longer needed so our client was paying for services they didn’t need.
Integrinet IT’s Solution
As a service engineer for Integrinet IT, I was asked to take over the management of the entire project. Because I was personally familiar with our client’s complete network and knew the ins and outs of Internet services, I understood what they needed versus what they didn’t and I understood what was possible versus what was impossible.
Discovering that many of the solutions the ISP had proposed were not attainable, I worked with them and our client to develop customized and cost-effection solutions that were.
High-Speed Internet Services In Remote Locations
Because it was impossible to get Fiber Optic Internet in the middle of the desert, I came up with a viable solution that would speed up their Internet. I upgraded their satellite Internet to faster speeds. I also discontinued their DSL connections which were costing the company an exorbitant $3K a month.
Additionally, their satellite Internet provider has its dishes on top of a couple of local mountains. A hawk made its nest on one of the dishes. Because the hawk is a protected bird, moving the nest was out of the question. It took two weeks for the provider to install another dish up there. Meanwhile, our client’s Internet was incredibly sluggish.
Consequently, I consulted with our client about backup Internet solutions for future protection. We ended up deciding to pre-order Elon Musk’s Starlink Satellite Internet. Elon Musk has been launching Starlink satellites for the last 3 years with his company SpaceX. They have nearly 1,500 satellites in orbit. It’s just starting to go live this year (SpaceX continues Starlink deployment with latest launch).
Fiber Optic Internet Services
Fiber Optic Internet was available through our client’s global ISP for their city location. I worked with them to get it set up, which was time-consuming because they were slow to respond. But now that it is up and running, our client enjoys speeds of up to 1 Gbps. There was also Fiber available in the small town but through a local provider. Instead of paying higher fees to their global ISP to piggyback on the local provider, we were able to acquire Fiber Internet directly from the local provider at a significantly lower cost.
VoIP Phone Systems
I brought in our VoIP provider who we partner with. They came in and installed everything needed in a timely manner. I also worked with our client to consolidate various redundant services. Discovering that certain lines, connections, and services were not even needed, I advised them on what was needed and what wasn’t. These efforts resulted in a savings of roughly $1K in their monthly bills.
Duplicate Charges Refunded
In regard to the backup Internet solution, I worked with their accounting department to evaluate the plethora of bills and communications from their ISP. I unearthed some costly duplicate charges. Our client had been receiving five different monthly bills, each with a different account number. These totaled over $6K a month!
I then navigated a consolidated solution, which reduced their number of bills to only two. Their total monthly cost was reduced from $6K to $2K. On top of that, they had been paying over $3K a month in duplicate Internet charges. And for that, I negotiated a refund of over $13K for the backup Internet services that should have been discontinued sooner.
IT Managed Services: Viable, Cost-Effective, Time-Saving Solutions for High-Speed Internet
In order to manage major projects like acquiring High-Speed Internet, it is much more cost-effective and time-saving to hire an IT Managed Services company that assigns your business a team of service engineers. These service engineers should oversee your entire infrastructure. They should understand the ins and outs of computer networks in general. And they should personally come to know the uniqueness of your specific network and how everything works together. It is not wise to leave the management of it up to an ISP or any other vendor because the software and hardware of various vendors are interwoven and interdependent on each other. They also may not be aware of your locations and specific limitations.
It has been a pleasure to become part of our client’s team. I have seriously enjoyed the opportunity to use my experience and education in computer technology to bring solutions that saved them time and money. Even though they have to pay for our IT Services (which, by the way, ends up being much less than hiring in-house IT staff), they ended up saving more than $24K with the elimination or consolidation of redundant and unnecessary charges, equipment, and services. And not only did they save that much money, but they also have much faster Internet connections at all of their locations and a more streamlined, secure system to boot.
What is Fiber Optic Internet? You are a business owner and you have heard of Fiber Optic Communication. But you don’t know exactly what it is or how it compares to your current way of accessing the Internet. If you’re in a hurry and don’t have time to read the full article, here is the short description:
Fiber Optic Internet* is a new way of connecting to the Internet via laser light signals. These signals propagate through cables filled with glass filament. This amounts to speeds 100 times faster than the original copper wire Internet. But availability is still limited. You may or may not be able to get it. It’s mainly in big cities on the East Coast. But a few other startup companies also offer it in other places. And even though the overall long-term bill is lower than traditional cable, the upfront costs can be pricey.
*Note: You may have heard of Fiber Optic Internet referred to as Fiber Internet, Fiber Optic Network or Fiber Optic Communication. It’s all the same thing.
Fiber Optic Internet vs. Broadband vs. DSL Points of Comparison
How Internet Cables Work
We can access the Internet through telephone wires (DSL), through coaxial cables (Broadband or traditional High-Speed Internet), and now through fiber optic cables. DSL and Broadband both use copper wires, through which electricity passes to transmit signals to and from the Internet. But fiber optic cables are filled with glass filaments through which light is propagated to transfer signals to and from the Internet.
DSL uses the same wires that your telephone service uses. Broadband uses separate copper cables with a larger bandwidth. The larger the bandwidth, the larger the capacity to download and upload your favorite websites as well as other valuable data and images. With fiber optic cables, specialized technicians install two concurrent thinner and delicate cables. Your computer sends data out through one and receives it through the other.
Fiber Optic Internet Speed
Fiber Optic Internet speeds can get up to 1 to 2 gigabit per second (1000-2000 Mbps). Broadband speeds are usually between 100 Mbps and 1 Gbps. And DSL speeds are usually between 25 and 100 Mbps. Higher speeds translate into faster load times, higher-quality streaming, and less time wasted watching the spinning beach ball on your screen.
Reliability
There are a number of variables that affect the strength and consistency of copper-wire Internet signals, which don’t affect the strength and consistency of Fiber Optic Internet signals. Three of those variables are:
Distance from your local node and your ISP (Internet Service Provider)
Your data download/upload speed
Electromagnetic Interference
Distance from your local node and your ISP
The longer the copper-wire cables for DSL and Broadband, the higher the distortion and attenuation of the signal. That means that the further your business is located from your local node and your ISP, the lower your signal strength. Attenuation is the reduction of the force of your Internet signal or electrical current. You want that force to be strong and consistent.
Your data download/upload speed
Additionally, the data download/upload speed affects the quality of your Internet connection. The faster the speed combined with limited bandwidth, the more distortion to the signal.
Electromagnetic Interference
Lastly, anything that carries an electrical current has the potential to interfere with a copper-wire cable Internet signal. Electromagnetic interference can come from power lines, radiation, or even the sun.
None of these variables affect the strength and consistency of Fiber Optic Internet signals, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t other things that do. For example, if imperfections in the glass filament cables receive an overload of light energy, the fibers can fuse together. This is known as fiber fuse. If this happens, it can ruin long strips of cable before the problem is even detected, which will subsequently have to be replaced.
The bottom line is that Broadband and Fiber are both reliable and fast, but Fiber is the most reliable and the fastest.
Upfront vs. Long-term maintenance Costs
The installation of Fiber Optic Internet is more expensive upfront than broadband or DSL. This is because the technology is new and those who service it have to be specially trained on how to set up and maintain the equipment. Furthermore, the equipment itself requires specialized equipment for monitoring and troubleshooting.
However, the long-term maintenance of Fiber Optic Internet is less expensive. The overall costs of maintaining and scaling Fiber are less than those for DSL and Broadband. Additionally, costs are projected to reduce over time as the technology becomes more widely available (Fiber Optic Market by Cable Type).
My family and I live in an area where Fiber Optic Internet is available (UTOPIA – Utah Telecommunication Open Infrastructure Agency) so we opted in for residential service. The upfront cost for us was not bad because our city is part of an 11-city co-op that joined together to build, deploy, and operate the infrastructure. We pay $30/month to rent our portion of the infrastructure and then $39/month to our ISP. We chose this service over Broadband because we were sick of their yearly plans ending and rates going sky high until we noticed and called in to get their next special offer.
Conclusion
If Fiber Optic Internet is already available in your city, the upfront costs are manageable. So that is most likely your company’s best option. Because it is not yet widely available, you may need to choose high-speed Broadband, which still offers premium speeds and services. DSL is outdated. If you have it, know that you have superior options available at reasonable rates.
Updating technology is a major concern for today’s businesses. Technology has rapidly developed over the last 40 years. And these days, it seems like tech companies are coming out with a new hardware or software version before we’ve even learned how to use the previous one. It sometimes feels like we are being manipulated into buying the newest fandangled devices and software features even though we don’t really need them. While it’s true that some of the new features solve real workflow issues, there are others that don’t seem to make any significant improvements.
On top of that, software updates usually outpace the need for hardware updates. There always seems to be a tradeoff when it comes to updating: If I update now, will my desktop computer, laptop, mobile phone, or tablet be able to handle it, or will I have to buy a new one?
And even with all the tech companies now offering monthly plans with “free” software updates, replacing hardware can get pretty expensive. This is why most of us resist updating our technology.
We don’t want to spend money on something before we actually need it.
We want to put to good use, for a good long time, the investment we have already made in our current technology.
We remember all too well how much we shelled out for it.
Plus, we like to stick with processes we know. And it’s usually not just us that have to learn the new system. Our entire staff needs to learn it too. Learning a new way of doing things initially slows down our productivity even if it later improves it. So, long story short, there are many opportunity costs to taking the time to retrain everyone.
The real reason for updating technology
The truth of the matter is, there is a balance between hanging on to the old and buying the new. That balance amounts to 3-5 years. Holding onto devices longer than five years means significantly increased issues, repairs and patches, and security vulnerabilities. This basically adds up to increased costs and slower, clunkier workflows
Here is why this is the case: Software applications are meant to interact with other software applications and hardware. And computers are designed to interact with other computers and devices. When there are incompatibilities between them, things get messed up. The result: Network Vulnerabilities. And cybercriminals are always searching for these vulnerabilities. That’s how and where they hack into our network to steal our valuable data.
Computers keep us connected
Computers connect us with the rest of the world – our clients, customers, partners, wholesalers, resources, and every other person we interact with and do business with. Because this is true, we have to keep our computer network compatible with the computer networks that belong to those people.
It is also the hard truth that if our competitors are updating technology, and it increases their speed and decreases their delivery time, our potential customers get used to being treated that well. They will come to expect that of businesses in our industry. And they usually come to expect it of businesses in every industry. This may not be a pretty picture, but it is the way it is. We all know it because we also play the consumer role in many of our relationships.
So, the bottom line is that we all are reliant on each other for personal and business relationships. We do a lot of interacting and communicating through technology. This is especially true in business. We conduct most business transactions over computers, phones, email, and the Internet. Speed and quality of communication and delivery are highly dependent on our level of technology. To achieve a high level of efficiency, it’s important that our hardware and software remain compatible with each other’s. Incompatibilities slow and break down the lines of communication. They also create vulnerabilities in networks.
Many of us (myself included – proud owner of an iPhone 7) avoid updating because we like to keep it simple and we don’t like to make purchasing decisions based on the latest craze. But now that we know that updating isn’t about that, we can make smarter decisions. (After writing this, I think I’m going to update to the iPhone 12 or maybe wait for the 13 coming out in September.)
There are actually signs we can watch for that indicate it is time to update technology. Three to five years is still a sizeable window. And four to five years is usually pushing it. Within this window of time, it would be good to know when our hardware is getting to what they call “End-of-Life” or EOL. When hardware or software reaches EOL, it means that the companies that design them stop making the parts and security patches for them. And again, most software companies now offer monthly plans which provide automated updates. So, our real concern is when to replace our desktop computers, laptops, tablets, smartphones, and other network devices.
The signs to watch for
The device is regularly running out of storage.
Updates cause your computer to have increasingly more issues (e.g., white, black, blue, green screens of death, colored stripes in places they shouldn’t be).
There are strange lovely noises coming from your computer.
You can’t even install the updates for your critical software.
Because we’re all on this ride together, we need to keep our technology current. So, hang on to your technology for the full three years before replacing it if everything is working fine. In years four through five, be extra vigilant in watching for the signs. Incorporate the necessary technology updates into your budget. One idea is to replace a percentage of your devices each year so you don’t have to replace everything at once.
If you need help with monitoring your software and hardware, choosing good machines, and keeping them fully functional within their life spans, give us a call: Idaho (208) 510-0967 or Utah (385) 316-7202.
You don’t have to be an IT expert to understand the basics of your business’s computer network. In fact, the more you know about it, the smarter the decisions you will make on how to care for it.
A computer network is a collection of computers and other devices connected together to communicate and share resources. For example, several computers often share the same printer. And shared resources reduce business costs. A small to medium-sized business usually has a variety of devices connected to one another. That may include:
one or more servers
desktop computers
laptops
printers
tablets
phones (landlines and mobile)
other specialized industry-related devices
Additionally, there are devices on a network specifically designed to facilitate the connection between devices as well as the connection to the Internet. These devices are called switches, routers, and modems.
What is a Switch?
Technicians use switches to connect computers and other devices within a network. Switches enable communication and data sharing between devices. So, even if your computer workstation is in a different office than another team member’s, you can still communicate with her via computers and send her information. In short, everything in a network links together through switches.
What is a Router?
While switches connect devices within a single network, routers connect multiple switches (and thus multiple networks) together. Technicians connect two or more networks using a router to form a larger network. Metaphorically, each network is a solar system. Multiple solar systems combine to form a galaxy.
What is the difference between a Router and a Modem?
It is easy to confuse a router with a modem. Let’s look at the differences between them. While routers connect multiple switches and their respective networks together, a modem connects your network to the Internet. Modems give you the power to connect with other networks connected to the Internet. The modem connects to your network through your router and switches.
Smaller businesses can use routers that have built-in switches. They play a dual role by connecting your devices to each other and to the modem. And even more convenient, wireless routers enable laptops, tablets, and mobile phones to connect to your computer network as well as the Internet.
However, if your business only has one device that needs to connect to the Internet, you don’t need a router or a switch. You can connect directly with the modem to access the Internet.
Modems connect to the Internet in two different ways:
Coaxial Cable (think Comcast and other providers of cable television)
DSL (phone lines like CenturyLink)
There are modem/router/switch combination devices.
Business computer networks usually connect to the Internet through a coaxial cable modem and a business router. If your router doesn’t have enough ports (places to plug the connecting cables into), then you can add a switch to give you more.
We’re here to partner with you
We hope that after reading this article you know a little more about your computer network and feel more confident about this part of your business. We’re here to partner with you in caring for it. We know your business is unique and requires a customized setup. We have experienced and friendly service engineers who can work with you to design and care for your computer network.
Your IT staff can lock down your network like Fort Knox, but it only takes one accidental click in a phishing email to give a hacker the keys to walk right through the front door.
What is a phishing email?
Have you ever received an email that prompts you to do something like change a password or provide credentials, phone numbers, or email addresses? These are clues that the email may be a phishing email.
A phishing email is a scam email. It is “the fraudulent attempt to obtain sensitive information or data, such as usernames, passwords, credit card numbers, or other sensitive details by impersonating oneself as a trustworthy entity in a digital communication” (Wikipedia).
Typically, phishing emails appear to be from a trusted source like Microsoft or your IT department. They might claim an account has been compromised or that it needs to be verified. If you click on a link in the email, it takes you online to the attacker’s spoofed site, which then prompts you to enter your credentials. If you fall for this, you put your own credentials right into the hands of cybercriminals.
Phishing emails pose a growing threat to enterprises as well as small businesses worldwide. The increasingly sophisticated strategies of threat actors make it difficult to recognize them. These types of attacks are some of the most virulent security threats out there. Clicking on one little link in an email or downloading an attachment may not seem like a big deal, but it could potentially cause considerable damage to your data, your business, and its reputation.
Differentiating a phishing email from an authentic email
It is especially important to be able to identify these fraudulent emails. Threat actors strategically design them so that it is difficult to tell them apart from authentic emails. If you are not sure something is real, get a second opinion from your manager or IT service engineer. It is better to be safe than sorry.
Below is an example of a phishing email that can be very believable.
Can you identify if this email is real or fake? It looks like a real Microsoft notification. However, you will notice the sender address is:
“department-service_msn@outlook.com.”
This email is not from Microsoft and should be deleted and ignored. Here is another example:
The above image is a screenshot of a real phishing email that was received a few months ago. Although this email was easy for the recipient to identify as a scam, it is a good example of what you can look for. The red comments point to each of the clues that identify it as a scam.
Is it real or fake? Check out these clues
The sender appears to be within your organization, but you have never heard of him/her
You or your team do not use the services they are claiming you do
You trust the source, but the message is unexpected
The sender’s message does not make sense or uses poor grammar
The name of the sender is someone you know within your organization, but the email address is strange
The email looks official, but it is coming from outlook.com or gmail.com
The sender is asking for sensitive information
The email claims to be from someone within your organization, but the style and manner do not match routine communication protocols
A Phish Story
Recently, a business was hit hard by a phishing email opened by a single user. The scammer that sent the message logged into an employee’s email and sent an email to not only his coworkers but also his clients. The hacker said he was in a bind and needed someone’s help who had an Amazon account. He configured the email account to forward all emails to a spoofed email that was similar to the victim’s account using the same name and contact information.
Unaware of the situation, many of the recipients responded that they did have Amazon accounts. The scammer sent out another email to these individuals asking them to buy a $500 gift card for him and he would pay them back. Fortunately, someone figured out what was going on and the employee’s email account was recovered before anyone sent a gift card. But still, there was damage done.
Part of this business’s services included collecting and safely storing their clients’ financial data. When the clients realized that this company had been hacked, they feared their financial data and email addresses were not safe with them.
This was a hard lesson for the business owners to learn. Anyone can get hacked. But you and your team can reduce the chances by becoming more educated about phishing emails.
You have a part to play in fighting against email phishing
Your IT company secures your company using firewalls, data backups, antivirus, and a host of other tools. But these cannot protect your business against breaches caused by end-user vulnerabilities.
You and your team have a part to play in proactively protecting your organization and its data. As a team member, you are given privileges that, in the wrong hands, could cause a lot of potentially irreparable damage to your business and day-to-day workflow.
Crucial action steps to protect your company
Create and follow guidelines for communication within your company
Identify what should be communicated through email, phone, in person, or in text messages
Never give anyone else your password outside of the strictest circumstances
Emails from Integrinet IT will always be from integrinetit.com or integrinet.net
Emails from your team members and other departments within your company should only come from known email addresses at your domain name (i.e., yourdomainname.com, yourdomainname.org, etc.)
Watch closely for the clues mentioned in this article that alert you to phishing emails
Report suspicious email to your management and team
Participate in end-user security training
If you are unsure if what you are facing is a threat, avoid responding, clicking on suspicious links, or opening attachments and contact your management or service engineer.
If you feel your organization is not doing enough or needs help in securing your network from potential threats like phishing emails, contact your service engineer and start a conversation about it. We are always here to help and want to work with you to ensure your digital work environment is safe.
