Managed IT Solutions Eliminates the Need For In-House IT

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Let’s face it – you need IT support. A company’s infrastructure is the core of their business operations. A managed IT service provider is able to responsibly manage and provide technology solutions in order to keep your network performing efficiently. At first glance, it might seem as if the transition to managed IT solutions could lead a company down a dark alley. However, when an organization starts to understand managed IT solutions – they begin to experience the positives.

In-House – The Dark Ages

There are pros and cons in both managed IT solutions and in-house support, but it is evident why most companies choose outsourcing compared to operating a service in-house. In-house is expensive; they are full-time employees at an IT professional’s salary. No matter what – their paycheck remains steady, even if your needs may vary. They have limited skill sets. It’s highly unlikely that one IT professional will be able to provide the right expertise for your technology needs.

Managed IT Solutions – The Days of Light

All things considered – outsourcing is here to brighten up the way you see IT. Managed IT solutions is extremely cost efficient, as IT consultants typically charge a flat, monthly fee. Lower expenditures mean a better bottom line, and more ability to pass those savings on to your customers. They lower overhead and eliminate the need for you to worry about excessive technology costs, such as training and certifying IT staff. Companies who take advantage of managed IT solutions increase their profits by ultimately simplifying how they protect their network. Lower expenditures mean a better bottom line, and more ability to pass those savings onto your customers.

LUZ Technologies Illuminates You

We provide technology that will brighten up your business. We strive to personalize IT security specific to your business in order for it to effectively work. We strive to work seamlessly with your business and function as an extension of your staff. Get the network security solutions you need and take your business productivity to the next level. Light up your technology today!

 

Peeling Back the Layers of Managed IT Services

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For most companies, infrastructure is an essential component which allows them to process daily business operations. However, businesses don’t solely revolve around their web hosting capabilities. Businesses venture down plenty of paths during the day, and it is definitely not easy to handle alone. The opportunity to do business the way it should be done can become a reality with managed IT services. Here, we will peel back the layers of managed IT services and display the added supplement they will give to your business.

Peeling Back the Layers of Managed IT Services

A managed IT service provider delivers application, system, and e-management services across a company’s entire infrastructure. Managed IT services is the practice of outsourcing day-to-day IT management and other computer network technical support. Outsourcing a company’s IT is an improved method to handling a company’s unique set of technologies that support everyday workload and operations. A managed IT service provider assumes responsibility for providing a defined set of services to their clients and acting as their trusted advisor every step of the way. Through a proactive process, your company will gain an efficient way to stay up-to-date on technology. You will also experience access to necessary skill sets and knowledge required to address a wide-range of issues related to cost, quality of service, and potential risks on your network.

LUZ Technologies and Managed IT Services

The evolution of managed IT services began in the 1990’s with the emergence of application service providers. Here at LUZ Technologies, we continue to pave the path to a new and improved way to support IT infrastructures. With managed IT services, there is little room and time for error, which gives you the ability to focus on what really matters – your core business values. We provide worry-free IT and network security solutions and work together to solve your IT problems. Find out more how we can help today!  

 

Stress Less When Working Remotely

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It’s that time again the moment in the morning where we wake up and get ready to start our day. We all have our own specific morning routine, and we all have that final destination – work. Numerous studies show that job stress is far and away the major source of work-related stress for American adults, and that it has progressively escalated over the past few decades. According  to the The American Institute of Stress the leading cause of major stress is their workload, roughly 46%, and is continuing to grow. Remote work is disrupting the traditional technology industry “9-5” industry. You can still reach high business standards and continue down the road to a healthier you while working remotely.

Benefits of Working Remotely

Less Stress

Daryl Wilkinson, group head of digital development at Nationwide Building Society, said he wanted to encourage remote working to empower his staff and as a demonstration to the rest of the company. “There’s less stress in the office and the workplace — people feel empowered to work in a way that suits them and suits the business.”

Companies Benefit As A Whole

Companies who have happier employees tend to be more profitable. Employees who love their work and can produce the same level of quality are able to impact their employers in a positive way. They work harder, work longer, and actually produce more quality work.

No More Commuting

Even before the workday starts, telecommuting employees are better off than their physical commuting colleagues. According to the UK Office of National Statistics, “Commuters have lower life satisfaction, a lower sense that their daily activities are worthwhile, lower levels of happiness and higher anxiety on average than non- commuters.”

Stress Less with LUZ Technologies

At LUZ Technologies, we know IT might seem a little overwhelming, and we want to provide you with worry-free IT and network security solutions. Get in touch with us, and see what we can do for you!

How Technology is Allowing More People to Work Remotely

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Ahh, to work remotely – it’s the new American Dream. The opportunity to simply slide out of bed in the morning, get dressed and ready, and sit down at your own home computer is incredibly appealing to many modern-day workers. While it’s still technically in its genesis, those who work from home are becoming more and more commonplace. Here’s how:

Work Remotely from the Cloud.

Nowadays, you’re not restricted to leaving all (or any!) of your work files on your office desktop. Just by logging in, you can access your cloud hard drive from anywhere, download or upload any file you like, and work remotely regardless of where you might be. Plus, having your work in the cloud protects your files against hard drive corruption or any other local issue that may have caused problems in the past.

Work Remotely and Collaborate.

Another great technological modern marvel is the ability to collaborate, brainstorm, even socialize with your coworkers when you work remotely from anywhere. With today’s online collaboration software, you don’t even need to download anything: just go to the website, sign in, and there’s your team! Send chat messages, videos, links, images, documents, and any type of file you may wish to share, and they’ll see it instantly. Feedback comes more quickly than ever, and you’re left with a great deal of productivity.

Work Remotely and Stay Organized.

Afraid something might fall through the cracks when you work remotely? There’s online work organization software, too. Simply sign in from wherever you might be, click on your assignments for the day, and get to work! If you happen to miss something, the online program will give you a reminder. Most in-house offices aren’t even this efficient!

LUZ Technologies has Solutions to Allow Your Team to Work Remotely.

With all this incredible technology that allows you to work remotely, who needs an office anymore? It can quickly become a reality for you and your team. Give us a quick call, and we’ll be happy to show you all the things we can do to keep your business productive no matter where your coworkers may be!

Smartphone Users Beware – Tips to Keep Your Information Safe

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Recently the leading smartphone maker made the news for refusing to turn over backdoor access to their mobile devices to a federal agency. 

The reality is that mobile devices are already easily compromised. A major gap in mobile device security is the administrative access that must be granted when certain applications are installed. Email clients standout since almost everyone reading this has Outlook and other pop3 or IMAP hooks into their phone.

You may only get a brief acknowledgement to grant this access when installing such programs but it provides a huge security gap for bad actors. 

Modern Spyware 

Modern spyware leverages this administrative access to take control over your microphone, camera and calendar and location services. 

If you are an Apple user there is a distinct lack of 3rd party software to protect you because iOS is locked down at the folder level. 

Android devices grant the user more access at the folder level and are easier from a software development standpoint to build security products for. 

 

Here are some best practice things you can do to protect your privacy. 

Pay attention to your smartphone

Compromised devices will behave strangely when being remotely accessed. The older generation Apple devices may chirp and briefly display the lock screen for no reason. Ever hear your phone chime while charging?

Unknown Links

 Don’t click links in email from unknown or untrusted sources. Spyware software is often embedded in links and tiny urls. While the link may lead you to a legitimate site the spyware is granted permission to install by your administrative acceptance of clicking the link. 

Temperature

Smartphones may become inexplicable warm when being remotely accessed or drain the battery when your device features such as microphone are remotely enabled. A popular exploit is to enable the microphone whenever your calendar shows you are in a meeting. 

Enabled Applications

Check to see if you have enabled background programs such as GPS apps or accelerometer-reliant programs for legitimate sources of this problem. But in the absence of such programs you should take note of excessive heat and battery use. Obviously hunting for a tower or wireless signal contributes but a phone that suddenly or oddly starts become warm in locations where it wasn’t before should be looked at. 

Location

Turn off Location services for any application that does not absolutely need it. Opt out when possible when new applications request it. 

 Software

Install trustworthy security software when possible. 

Work and Personal Usage

Separate work and personal email and usage on different devices. If you don’t need your Groupon offers on the same phone as your work email then we advise disabling one or the other. 

Email Applications

Consider using webmail instead of discrete mail applications on your mobile devices. 

For Android users direct attachments to be stored on SD chips instead of your internal storage. 

How Scary Are Breaches in Network Security?

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Terrifying. Horrific. Dreadful. Ghastly. Petrifying.

Even if we added more synonyms, it wouldn’t do it justice. Network security breaches are pretty much one of the worst things that can happen to your company, and if you’re not taking network security seriously, it’s time to look at a few possible (nay, probable) consequences to a data breach.

Network Security Breaches Can Shut You Down. Permanently.

Suppose an ambitious hacker breaks into your network. Why? Any reason in the world. Let’s just say; he decided he just doesn’t like you. So, he’s going to show you a thing or two. He slips into your network, finds all your files, and – ZOT – gone. Maybe he decided to implant a few destructive viruses so your network would destroy itself? Perhaps he thought it would be fun just to delete EVERYTHING. It doesn’t matter. He did it simply because he could. And now he’s giggling while you’re left with nothing. Many, MANY companies cannot recover from an attack like this, and have to close their doors forever. Getting scary yet?

Network Security Breaches Can Cost You A TON of Money.

Ever heard of a little thing called ransomware? Oh, it’s neat: it’s a program that captures ALL of your data, makes it completely inaccessible to you or anyone within your company, and refuses to release it until you pay a ridiculous amount of money for the release code. They also often tell you your data will be deleted instantly if the police are involved. So – guess what many businesses in that situation do? Yep, they pay the ransom – so that they can get back to work and not lose their business. Hackers, 2 – you, zilch.

Network Security Breaches Can Ruin Your Reputation.

Chances are good you retain or transfer many of your clients’ sensitive information – billing information, business transactions, etc. If that data experiences a breach and your clients found out – how likely are they to continue trusting you to care for their information in the future? History has already given us that answer – many companies who suffer sensitive data loss find themselves in hot water not only with their clients but also with the government. Does PCI DSS compliance ring a bell? Fall out of compliance with it due to a lack of network security, and you – my friend – are in a heap of trouble.

LUZ Technologies Can Protect You Against Network Security Breaches.

Now that we’re all done scaring the ever-loving life out of you, you can breathe easy. It’s time to be proactive. We’re very, very good at protecting organizations like yours against network security breaches, and we can make some fantastic protection for yours, too. Reach out to us, and we’ll formulate a plan that will help you sleep easy at night knowing your data is safe.

Three Great Ways to Beef Up Your Network Security

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When it comes to network security, you can never be too careful. The data companies store and transmit every day can be invaluable, and in the event it’s ever lost – or worse yet, falls into the wrong hands – it easily can turn into a nightmare situation. Thankfully, there are a few simple steps you can take to reinforce your network security.

Prevent the Possibility of Data Loss with Cloud Computing and Backup Recovery.

A combination of cloud computing and backup recovery is a great way to bolster your network security. With your data both immediately available for access on the cloud, along with a safe, recent backup of all your data offsite, the possibility of data loss instantly becomes next to nil. Enjoy your restful nights knowing your data is safe from spontaneously vanishing into oblivion.

Encryption, Encryption, Encryption.

Now that we’ve covered data loss, let’s look at another aspect of network security: data theft. Even the greatest network safeguards and securities can potentially be bypassed, leaving your data ripe for the picking. Or is it?! Imagine a sneaky hacker finally wriggles their way into your network and finds your data – only to realize that very data is so heavily encrypted, they’ll never make heads of it? That leaves you with one very hacked-off hacker . . . and one very satisfied customer. (That’s right, we’re talking about you.)

Hire an IT Consultant Team Who are Experts in Network Security.

While all the above network security measures are great, it’s also imperative to have a team who knows the ends and outs of network security. Doing so prevents any potential holes in you network security framework, and allows them (and you!) to keep close tabs on how secure your data is at all times. Now, all you have to do is locate one of those network security experts!

LUZ Technologies are Experts in Network Security.

Lucky you! You’ve already found one! Give us a call, and we’ll discuss all the network security measures we can take for you organization – even beyond those mentioned here! This looks like the beginning of a beautiful and secure friendship.

The Top 4 IT Solutions Your Business Needs for Security

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Security is big news these days. Without proper IT solutions in place, who’s to say your company is safe? Honestly, if you aren’t taking your security into account, you’re painting a target on your business. Hackers are always on the look out for sitting ducks, and without the proper security solutions in place – that sitting duck is you. Luckily, LUZ brings you four IT solutions you can use to protect yourself.

 

IT Solutions #1 – Risk Management Dashboard

For many companies, file sharing is an important part of production. Unfortunately, sharing files can let in threats that have the potential to destroy your infrastructure and steal your data. It’s tough for companies to establish a common framework needed to normalize data that supports large file sharing. According to Microsoft, a good Risk Management Dashboard should:

  • Aggregate, normalize, and correlate data from disparate sources
  • Provide automated information gathering and risk assessment
  • Map regulatory requirements to policies, support auditing, and reporting
  • Provide a unified framework that can be modified to fit business needs

 

IT Solutions #2 –  Anti-Malware Technologies

Nearly everyone who owns a computer has heard of malware and anti-malware software. Anti-Malware technology protects your infrastructure against unknown threats that may be hiding in code or user actions. Both anti-virus and anti-spyware monitor your infrastructure in real-time by watching classic entry points, periodically scanning and reporting known and unknown malware and typical risky behavior. Anti-malware technology should cover more than just host security, though. A good anti-malware solution should watch all forms of collaboration including instant messaging. It must constantly be updated to provide the best possible prevention.

 

IT Solutions #3 – Network Anomaly Detection

This IT solution works with the Risk Management Dashboard to report threats. A network anomaly detection solution monitors common pathways to watch for well-known indicators of suspicious behaviors and reports those threats back to the Risk Management Dashboard. This provides an early warning to threats so users can remediate them before they become a problem to your network. Having network anomaly detection is useful for industries who need to protect information in an environment concerned about data leaks and regulatory compliance.

 

IT Solutions #4 – Desired Configuration Management

Businesses realize a slew of benefits from system configuration. Some advantages companies see are

  • Ease of management
  • Simplified Scalability
  • Ensuring Compliance
  • Lockdown against intrusion
  • Increased productivity

Many companies decide to opt out of this IT solution because it’s costly and complicated to implement. Unfortunately, for them, having a system that configures your network to it’s desired state can save businesses money in the long run due to its reliability. How it works is relatively simple. The solution automatically scans the network to assure new systems are deployed correctly and in compliance. It configures and analyzes your systems, and then generates reports on how close they are to ideal. Any new or unknown systems are automatically blocked until validated.

 

LUZ and FireEye have teamed up to make sure your network is as secure as possible. Give them a call and transform your business from a sitting duck to a protected organization.