Understanding SaaS Data Protection

Software as a Service (SaaS), a platform supporting office work through applications available from MS 365 and other software, enables companies to communicate, collaborate and drive business outcomes. Companies using SaaS applications need to backup critical workload to ensure comprehensive data protection. Read on to learn what SaaS Backup has to offer to protect your valuable data.

 

The Need for SaaS Backup

 

With expansion of the availability of Software as a Service (SaaS) cloud computing model and its business applications, comes an expansion of the amount of data generated and needing protection. Threats to data include accidental deletion, data leaks due to insider threats or compromise from cyber attacks. The very cloud model that powers business applications and keeps companies running also provides backup of data via SaaS Backup. Data needs to be protected for the sake of customers and other stakeholders as well as to help companies comply with data-handling regulations such as HIPAA and GDPR. Data mishandling can result in fines as well as the loss of customer trust.

 

The Benefits of SaaS Data Protection

 

Software as a Service, along with making work more efficient, creates a shared responsibility between your company and the SaaS provider. It is important to consider if your SaaS provider capability is in line with data protection strategy. Email, user data, financial records, customer data and more may reside in the cloud and be managed by your SaaS provider. You may need longer periods of data retention to comply with your industry regulations and your business requirements. SaaS data backup protects files, email, website and more to fill the gaps.

 

Considerations in Use of SaaS Backup

 

When discussing needs with a cloud service provider, it’s smart to have some questions answered ahead of time. What is the mission-critical data that needs to be backed up first? How frequently do you need to back up this data? What data-handling regulations do you have to follow, and how will your provider help you do this? 

 

With the use of cloud-based Software as a Service, data protection is critical to avoid fines and penalties as well as maintain customer trust. For further guidance, contact your trusted technology advisor today.

What you need to know about 5G

Fifth Generation (5G) networks can expand data capacity, bandwidth and boost reliability. Read on to learn more about how the expansion of 5G networks can enhance your business telecommunications and improve user experience, and the role cybersecurity plays.

 

The Evolution of 5G Technology

 

Since its release in 2019, the use (and use cases) of fifth generation (5G) cellular networking has experienced remarkable growth and continues to grow. The market has expanded by trillions of dollars, and 5G has applications across numerous industries. At this time, it has superseded all previous generations, from the first in the 1980s powering analog voice communications to the fourth which ushered in mobile broadband. 

 

And how does 5G surpass previous generations? It offers an increase in internet connection speed, along with increased bandwidth (it can function on low, medium and high bands). It has an even greater capacity for data, and offers low latency so data can travel at even higher speeds. Telecommunications applications will function more quickly and reliably. Video conferencing and telephone calls run smoothly, delighting both workers and customers. Files can be shared quickly, helping you serve customers more efficiently, giving you a competitive edge.

 

Private 5G – A More Secure Choice

 

Another trend to watch is the use of private 5G networks. Though similar to public 5G, private 5G offers a personalized experience that fits your company’s needs. For example, access can be limited to a single entity (your company) and you can control the network and protect your data. Since 5G is cloud-native, the provider handles the infrastructure and saves you capital expense. You can deploy and control your own data, an advantage in this age of increasing cybersecurity risks.

 

Considering Cybersecurity

 

With its capabilities, 5G can present cybersecurity challenges. Along with the potential of 5G, your company needs a plan for handling security challenges. First, the increased capacity for data means considering how to store that data. Second, more data is moving from place to place. Third, with more devices connected, the threat surface increases. Vulnerabilities might be introduced by components of previous generations, and these could threaten data security. Future concerns might be present that are as yet unknown. As always, your company needs to thoughtfully consider 5G and what telecommunications use cases fit with business goals. 

 

The latest generation of wireless technology offers both potential and challenges. For further information and guidance, contact your trusted technology advisor today.

From Chatbots to AI Agents: A New Trend for 2025 and Beyond

Chatbots, also termed conversational AI (artificial intelligence), have made AI more popular than ever. They can help with simple tasks, though AI agents have greater power and a wider range of use cases. Read on to learn more about the prospective move from chatbots to AI agents to provide a better user experience as well as save time and money. 

 

Just What Are Chatbots? 

 

Chatbots are automated programs that use artificial intelligence to interact with humans via text, graphics, video or voice. They are programmed to help with simple, routine tasks and questions. They can vary  in sophistication to be digital assistants that can handle requests in a more personalized way as well as process information. The more sophisticated chatbots can use data to be more interactive and personalized. 

 

Chatbots bring value through productivity enhancements. They can augment writing, research and graphics to free up workers for more complex and strategic tasks. Where humans can only perform tasks one at a time, chatbots can handle multiple requests simultaneously, or serve multiple customers. Customer research has shown that messaging applications are becoming the preferred method for some transactions, according to an Oracle article

 

How an AI Agent Differs From a Chatbot

 

A higher level of sophistication is a key difference between agents and chatbots. Chatbots can certainly elevate performance by automating tasks and workflows, as long as tasks aren’t terribly complex. Agents powered by AI can be even more efficient, acting autonomously based on data, natural language programming, and machine learning.  Human workers can equip agents with algorithms, sensory inputs, data sources and even other agents to perform tasks like perceiving context, taking action (through completion), and using this experience in the future. Agents can be taught to learn, as well as tailored to set goals and act on those goals. Unlike chatbots, agents don’t depend on keywords or scripts.

 

Business Benefits of AI Agents

 

Via continuous training, along with more data, agents can even recognize when they don’t have enough information to make a solid decision, and can gather more data. They can work even outside office hours, allowing businesses to get more work done, since they aren’t prone to downtime. They can complete tasks the same way every time, increasing accuracy, like making sales calls and scheduling meetings. Agents can automate processes and save costs, and even find ways to further optimize processes to eliminate possibly costly errors for the company.

 

Return on Investment in AI Agents

 

How will you know if your use of AI agents is paying off? Are you experiencing more conversions and serving more people? How many more? How much revenue are you bringing in as a result of automation? How many minutes per customer interaction are you saving by using the agent? Spending for AI can be justified if it alters the bottom line, increasing it by at least 3% according to some experts. 

Agents and Chatbots Working Together

 

While perhaps it remains to be seen, agents and chatbots could work together, but for different purposes. Perhaps chatbots could take an initial question and answer it, but if the situation becomes more complex, it could be transferred to an AI agent. 

 

The future of artificial intelligence is exciting. Stay tuned, and keep in touch with your trusted technology advisor. 

 

Building a Culture of Cybersecurity

Cybersecurity, more than just being about tools, is about people. People can, on the one hand, be a weak link in your company’s cybersecurity chain. On the other hand, if they understand the importance of cybersecurity to your organization, as well as what it means for them personally, they can be an asset. Read on to learn more about making cybersecurity a business decision as well as part of your company culture,

 

The Why of Cybersecurity

 

The need for cybersecurity seems clear, doesn’t it? Cyberattacks are growing in frequency and complexity, with threats like ransomware and the phishing emails that can introduce ransomware into your system. Add to this the possibility of security incidents that can threaten your company’s bottom line and reputation. Compliance with data protection regulations like CMMC and HIPAA needs to be part of your cybersecurity plan, too, in order to keep from having to pay fines and from losing trust. These reasons may seem abstract to the average employee; if your company has best practices, and workers are following these practices, they may not understand clearly why they are doing so. 

 

Establishing a Culture of Cybersecurity

 

If executives and managers understand the importance of cybersecurity (the “why”) they can set the tone for the entire company. Knowing that the entire company values cybersecurity and understands what it takes to make it part of the culture can motivate everyone to participate. Showing every employee that it benefits them may be the key to winning hearts and minds. What is it your employees want? For example, some may want to be efficient and not worry about downtime. Others may especially want the peace of mind of knowing their own employee data is secure. Once everyone is clear about the “why”, your company can move on to specifics of tools and training. 

 

The Role of Tools

 

Once everyone understands the overarching reasons for cybersecurity, your company can then decide which tools to use. Managed detection and response (MDR) and extended detection and response (XDR). Extended detection and response is a more comprehensive, efficient way to protect your network, since it integrates detection, investigation and response capabilities over a wide range of domains–endpoints, cloud applications and workloads, and data stores. Automation enabled by artificial intelligence (AI) can gather information from many different sources, and even stop a cyber attack in its tracks. What’s more, these tools can be a part of your compliance picture should you decide to purchase cybersecurity insurance.

 

Do You Need Cyber Insurance?

 

Do you? Perhaps so. Cyber insurers’ requirements, while strict, can correspond with protections a company may already have in place. For instance, insurance companies assume you’ve already assessed risks and have an incident response plan to address them. Doing so suggests a proactive stance, as does instituting common-sense precautions like multi-factor authentication for everyone in the organization, including for privileged accounts. Depending on needs, cyber insurance may be a good fit for your company.

 

The cybersecurity puzzle can be complex, but having a plan can help you with compliance, incident response and cyber insurance requirements. For additional assistance, contact your trusted technology advisor today.

Boost Telecommunications Performance Using a Software-Defined Wide Area Network

With web video conferencing, email, internet-based telephony and file sharing everyday activities for businesses of all sizes, your network needs to support your telecommunications offerings (telco) at all times. Read on to learn more about how software-defined wide area networking can keep things moving and provide a seamless user experience

 

Business Operations Require Strong Telecommunications 

 

With people working anywhere and everywhere, remote work is here to stay. Your telecommunications applications need to be up to the task, for collaboration among workers and customers’ interactions with your business. Efficient telecommunications can help enhance collaboration and make communication seamless, improving the user experience and garnering more revenue as well. Software-defined Wide Area Networking (SD-WAN) is the best option for making such things happen.

 

Software Defined Wide Area Networking Improves Efficiency and Security

 

A software-defined wide area network is a cloud-based approach to the management of a wide-area network. SD-WAN brings together multiple networks to make connection seamless, using business class broadband as well as MPLS already used in simple wide-area networking. With the cloud provider maintaining the infrastructure, all that is needed for the users is an Internet connection and an appliance like a laptop computer. Users and devices can easily be added, making this way of networking scalable. What’s more, SD-WAN eliminates the need for data to travel to a data center before reaching its destination, thus making the data less liable to loss, compromise and latency. A built-in firewall and centrally managed security policies protect you from bad actors accessing your network. If something happens and policies need to be changed, the changes can be programmed and easily go out to all devices attached to the network.

 

Considerations in Choosing a Provider

 

What if you are considering SD-WAN to boost your telecom offerings, but aren’t sure where to start? When looking for a provider, ask them if they can work with your current network while getting the new one started. Will they work with you to set security parameters around network traffic? Some key security features to think about are next-generation firewalls and encryption, to prevent bad actors from intercepting and reading data exchanged on the network. Repeated testing is another offering to look for.

 

Software-Defined Wide Area Networks can position your telco offerings to be even more efficient. For further assistance, contact your trusted technology advisor today.

Bring Information Technology Spending in Line with Business Objectives

We’re headed for 2025, and it’s time to consider technology spending for the next year. How will you know the best allocation of your technology dollars? Read on to learn about how to align your tech budget with your business goals.

 

Getting Started with IT Budget Alignment

A LinkedIn article presents steps to follow in planning your IT budget. A good first step is understanding your overall business goals. What do you want to accomplish in the next year, and beyond? Broad goal categories include upgrading existing systems, reallocating spending to more critical areas, and investing in new technology. How will you use trends in technology–automation using artificial intelligence, for instance–to improve processes? Your company’s goals will be unique to you, and need to be prioritized according to what’s most vital.

 

Artificial intelligence offers great potential for increasing efficiency for your company. On the customer service front, it can automate processes like virtual chat, allowing conversational AI to handle routine questions and free up representatives for more complex tasks. Data analysis is streamlined and can efficiently provide insights. Network monitoring is improved, with automation allowing constant scans and identifying possible problems. Email messages are sorted, hence removing spam and forwarding the most important messages to the proper recipients. 

Assessing Your Current IT Spending

 

What is the state of your current technological ecosystem? Are you overspending on areas you don’t need to, and underspending in more important areas? What does each element of your technology contribute to business objectives? For example, you might need to move some systems and data to the cloud for greater flexibility and reduced costs. Do legacy systems you maintain still add value relative to what you spend? Answering these and other questions gives you a clear picture on where you need to focus technology dollars. 

 

The Role of Cybersecurity in Your Technology Budget

 

According to a LinkedIn article analyzing Forrester’s cybersecurity spending benchmarks, the average percentage of cybersecurity spending is only 5.7% of annual IT spend. Rather than being just a part of the IT department, spending on cybersecurity should be a decision made by the business as a whole. Ideally, spending on cybersecurity will be with a view toward proactive rather than reactive defense. Categories of spending include:

 

  • Processes like audits and cybersecurity measures
  • Technological tools including software purchases and network monitoring, and some outsourcing to third parties for businesses without an in-house IT team
  • Employee cybersecurity training

 

Once you have a clear picture of what you want to change, prioritize according to business objectives, such as improving customer experience, enhancing operational efficiency, or even driving innovation. Perhaps you want to increase efficiency in operations, which could involve using AI for automation of certain processes. 

 

Next Steps to Take

Communicate with Stakeholders

After setting priorities, communicate with and engage your stakeholders. They likely will have valuable input that you may not have thought of. Department heads, executives and end users inside and outside the business can tell you if any current initiatives are not meeting needs.  End users can tell you how technology you’ve adopted makes their job easier and improves experience. Department heads and executives can inform you about what is working and what isn’t. Keeping lines of communication open lets everyone know you value input and will use this input to align the tech budget with their needs.

 

Tracking and Fine-Tuning Your Progress

 

To keep track of your progress in alignment of IT spend, establishing KPIs (key performance indicators) as benchmarks for how IT projects contribute to broad goals will help make these goals measurable. Examples of KPIs include how much a certain IT initiative contributes to growth in revenue or promotes greater operational efficiency. How might adopting AI help automate tasks translate to how many minutes are saved through automation

 

Alignment doesn’t end when an IT budget is drawn up. Rather, it’s a continuous reassessment–obtaining feedback, analyzing it, and acting on it. Having a plan and being able to follow it will help you navigate changes in business priorities, market conditions or technology advancements. Then you can be agile and change spending priorities to drive your business where you want it to go.

 

Any new technology adopted should aid your business strategy and goals. For further guidance, contact your trusted technology advisor today.

Technology Trends for 2025 Provide New Possibilities and Require Consideration

Gartner has released a tech trends report for 2025, and automation (especially through artificial intelligence) is a keystone. While technology has great potential for companies, depending on goals, it also carries challenges. Such challenges include costs in time, money and effort; legal and ethical considerations and guardrails for use; and adaptation of the workforce to changes. Read on to learn more about upcoming trends and why they matter for your business.

 

The Role of Artificial Intelligence

 

Artificial intelligence has been enabling automation and enhancing creativity for several years, and is a powerful tool. It has potential for numerous industries and every sort of business within those industries. One trend, agentic AI, can help you with automation of processes, which may save costs and time, augmenting or even taking over human tasks when appropriate. Nevertheless, guardrails are needed to ensure that the virtual agents operate according to parameters set up by humans. Not only that, you will need to assess how to harness AI to help meet your business goals, and make sure that its use is in accordance with your goals.

 

Platforms for AI governance will be another trend in technology. These platforms can help companies create and enforce policies for responsible use as well as show users how the AI systems work. For example, how do the systems remain free from harmful bias? And how to avoid disinformation? And what about those “deep fakes” we keep hearing about? You can bet that if you are using AI, so are malicious actors. They can combine pictures and audio to make it seem as though a customer is saying something negative about your brand. Disinformation security is another emerging technology trend that will help assess risk and prevent harmful narratives about your company.

 

Other Trends Making Using of Artificial Intelligence

 

A few other trends make use of artificial intelligence. Ambient invisible intelligence can provide a subtle and seamless customer experience, by the integration of technology into the environment. A business benefit is knowing more about the customer’s purchasing journey and user experience, yet customers might feel surveilled. Consent policies need to be created, so that users can choose what they share, and transparency will be needed.

 

Hybrid computing is set to become more popular, and will provide different mechanisms for computing, storage and networking. While hybrid computing can help artificial intelligence perform beyond present boundaries, it poses challenges. Security risks are created by autonomous models, and the cost of such experimental technology is high. Once again, it is up to you to determine whether this and other trends will align with your business goals and benefit your company and its stakeholders. Setting up guardrails for use of these technologies will require thought, time and effort.

 

While technology moves forward, you will need to evaluate the trends coming up in the next few years, and how you will harness technological innovation while navigating its challenges. For further guidance, contact your trusted technology advisor today.

Assess Spending with a Telecommunications Audit

Communications and collaboration are vital to your company’s operations and success. But how do you know if your spending is effectively allocated? Read on to learn about the role of a telecommunications expense audit in shaping up your telco budget

 

Telecommunications and Why it Matters

 

In short, telecommunications means the exchange of information across long distances–via phone, email and videoconferencing. It incorporates the use of various devices–cell and landline phones, internet and email, for instance. With remote work being an established practice, your workers need to be able to communicate and collaborate, and help keep your operations humming.

 

Evaluate Your Telecommunications Expense

 

How do you know that you’re spending wisely on telecommunications? With the complexity of telecommunications (many companies have multiple carriers), money may be slipping through the cracks without your awareness. This is where a telco audit comes in. The audit is a process that surveys an organization’s telecom expenses, identifying areas of overspending or poor allocation. Expenses include local and long-distance telephone bills, wireless services, and Internet services–how do you know the charges are accurate? It may be time to bring in a qualified telco auditor with the needed expertise.

 

How a Telecom Expense Audit Can Help Your Company

 

A telecom audit can show where your company might be needlessly spending money. For example, with multiple carriers, different invoicing systems are involved, and your company might be incurring late fees. Small miscalculations can cause errors, including overbilling. An audit can uncover which services you might no longer need, via a close examination of invoices and payment records. Better understanding of your telco expenses leads to the creation of a proper budget, which helps your company’s bottom line. An audit can even help uncover anomalies that might indicate fraud. What’s more, the auditor can even contact carriers on your behalf, so you don’t have to spend time doing so.

 

Considerations for Hiring a Telecommunications Audit Provider

 

An ideal telecommunications audit company will take the work of examining telco spending off your IT department’s to-do list. The auditor should have a track record of expertise in analyzing telecommunications spending patterns so they know what to look for and how to interpret invoices and billing records. Free audit reviews and free quotes are indicators of a reliable company, and a good auditor will provide a portal for your company to track the audit’s progress and to access reports.

 

Your company’s telecommunication system is vital, and so is your bottom line. To find out more about an audit of your system, contact your trusted technology advisor today.

Become Aware and Prepared During Cybersecurity Awareness Month

There’s never a bad time to examine your company’s cybersecurity posture, and even improve your strategy. Threats abound, including security incidents resulting from weak passwords, phishing attacks, and the lack of strong authentication. Read on to learn how you can assess and improve your preparedness for security incidents–it’s not if, but when.

 

Preparedness Starts with Awareness 

October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month. Starting in 2024 the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency’s (CISA) theme is “Secure Your World.” Cybersecurity Awareness month is a time for understanding the threats that face all businesses, and perhaps especially small to medium-sized companies. The good news is, you can learn more about what threats affect your network, applications and data, and how to protect your business.

 

Protect Your Business from Common Threats 

 

Common threats include phishing as well as the ransome ware that can infect your network and steal your data. If your data isn’t stolen, it can be encrypted away from you via a ransomware attack. Security incidents can occur as a result of weak authentication of account access (weak passwords and lack of multi-factor authentication). Mishandled operating system updates can lead to not having the latest security updates and bug fixes. 

 

Phishing threats are growing in frequency and sophistication, and can come in through emails designed to trick recipients into giving up security credentials, which can then be used to gain access to a company’s network and data. Phishing attempts, along with variants like “smishing” (attacks via text messaging) and “vishing” (attacks by phone and voicemail) rely on fear and a sense of urgency to trick the recipient into action. Such attacks may include malicious links. Knowing how to recognize and deal with a possible phishing attack includes knowing how to report the email before deleting it, and knowing not to click links. If in doubt about the sender’s address, the recipient can point their mouse arrow at the URL to determine if the address is legitimate. 

 

Weak authentication can also put your company’s network at risk. Security incidents can occur when a password is guessed and the attacker penetrates the network. Examining your company’s password best practices and making sure workers know the practices, can help defend against intrusion. By creating strong passwords (e.g. twelve characters, with a variety of numbers, letters and special characters) individual workers can protect the company’s network. A password management system can help generate and store passwords, and only the password to that system needs to be remembered.

 

Multi-factor authentication (MFA) adds an extra layer of protection. To verify identity, a one-time code or even biometric like fingerprint recognition can determine that the request to access your network is legitimate. Even if a bad actor guesses and uses a password, they can’t access the network. 

 

Keep Current on Operating System Updates

 

On the company level, updating operating systems and applications can help protect your network and data. Operating system updates often include bug fixes and updated security features. Managed updates keeps them happening on schedule and compatible with your network environment. 

 

With its “secure your world” theme, CISA’s cybersecurity awareness campaign can be a template for your company’s efforts to prepare for possible attack. For further assistance, contact your trusted technology advisor today.

Protecting Your Business from an Evolving Threat Landscape

Whether man-made or natural, threats to the security of your company’s network are on the rise. Not only do effects of climate change (such as wildfires and floods) pose threats to businesses, but cyberattacks including ransomware via phishing emails, jeopardize your network and data. Read on to learn more about threats and how to overcome them.

 

Common Risks For Businesses

 

Risk management professionals have their hands full! Natural disasters like floods or wildfires can damage, even destroy, security operations data centers, homes and businesses, and infrastructure like power lines. Even a winter storm can keep workers from accessing work systems, and break the connection between a technical problem and its solution. At the very least, natural disasters can result in costly downtime.  According to a CSO Online article, the number of climate change-related incidents with damage exceeding $1 billion dollars had occurred by October 2023. 

 

As if the consequences of natural disasters aren’t serious enough, bad actors are seeking access to business networks to steal data, infect the networks with malware, or both. These cybercriminals might also use a natural disaster to take advantage of a company’s vulnerability. Data breaches are also very much in the news. According to a 2021 cybersecurity threat trends report, phishing emails are responsible for roughly 90% of data breaches. These data breaches come from unsuspecting recipients giving up confidential information when they are tricked into doing so.  

 

Phishing schemes are becoming more sophisticated, too. Another threat is escalating cyberattacks using the same artificial intelligence tools your business might be using to automate processes and make work more efficient. If your company is using the tools, so are the bad actors. Cyber criminals can create more sophisticated phishing schemes, drafting emails lacking the usual spelling and grammatical errors in social engineering messages. Not only that, criminals can create videos (“deep fakes”) that mimic the voice and/or image of someone the recipient knows. 

 

How You Can Protect Your Business

 

It’s said that the question is not if your business is attacked, but when. You may know what your business is up against, but how do you protect yourself? You need a plan. A good place to start is taking inventory of technological assets, including data. Taking a risk management approach by assessing the most likely threats first helps prioritize your response. Partnering with a provider for Managed Detection and Response (MDR) and mobile device management can protect your network and its connected devices.

 

Tools for Protecting Your Network 

 

Two solutions for protecting your network include managed detection and response and mobile device management. Managed detection and response is a cybersecurity service that proactively protects organizations from cyber threats with a combination of technology and human expertise. The provider serves as a partner, taking on time-consuming tasks and using human expertise to hunt down and destroy threats. The end result is the preservation of your company’s reputation and brand. Mobile device management provides visibility across multiple devices and applications, protecting the devices with security features, in accordance with company policies.

 

Threats are escalating, including malware that takes advantage of unprotected devices as well as sophisticated phishing schemes involving artificial intelligence. For advice on shielding your company’s network, contact your trusted technology advisor today.