Neglecting the IT aspect of your company could have a devastating effect on your business.

Every day, you see New York businesses running into issues because of IT problems. For example, local restaurants have been victims of a data breach, causing customers’ confidential information to be revealed.

Make sure your company’s IT is up to scratch by working with professional IT departments. Here are 5 things NY IT departments should be able to do for your company.

1. Security

Cybersecurity is an essential part of running your business. Cyber attacks on your company could have some serious consequences. In fact, many small businesses that get hacked actually end up shutting down, as they’re unable to recover.

A professional IT department can help to ensure your security systems are tight. They’ll make sure your networks are protected with a firewall and that all workstations are fitted with quality anti-virus software.

The world of cybersecurity never slows down. New vulnerabilities in software are always being found and exploited by hackers. An IT department will keep you up-to-date with all the latest security threats.

For example, Ransomware has been a popular form of malware for attackers recently. A reputable IT department would have a plan for how to deal with a ransomware attack on your business.

2. Virtualization and Cloud Computing

Virtualization is the process of making physical hardware into a virtual emulation. For example, it’s possible to run multiple virtual servers on a single piece of hardware.

This means you could get away with running all the necessary servers for your business on a single hardware server. This can cut down on cuts significantly. An IT department can help you virtualize your servers without causing any disruption to the day-to-day runnings of your company.

Cloud computing is another way you can reduce costs and increase flexibility. It allows you to run processes on another machine, which another company runs on your behalf.

For example, you could use a cloud storage system such as Dropbox or OneDrive.

This allows you to upload your files onto a cloud-based backup server. There’s no need to buy any hard drives or backup servers of your own; cloud computing means another company is responsible for that.

Data storage is only scratching the surface of what cloud computing has to offer. A good IT department will help you to use cloud computing to optimize your workflow and save you money.

3. Network Administration

The internet and computing have been miraculous for businesses. Thanks to computer networking, it’s possible for two departments operating on opposite sides of the country to work together.

Of course, the downside to this is that network connectivity issues can be devastating to your workflow. A good IT company can help to ensure your network is always running smoothly.

They’ll do everything they can so your service never goes down during the workday.

A decent IT company will know which ideal software and hardware to use so your network runs as efficiently as possible.

When hiring an IT company to help you with your computer networking, you should look for a company with a tried-and-tested reputation rather than one with the fanciest certifications.

Technology is constantly changing, and as a result, the technology holding your networks together are in a constant state of flux. Key certifications can become irrelevant over time, so you should look for a company with the right level of experience.

4. Project Management

Not only do good IT departments need to have a solid grasp of technology, but they must also be good at project management.

As you can see from this article, an IT department has a lot of responsibility. They need to handle the day-to-day runnings of the network, secure that network, and also troubleshoot any issues as soon as they come up.

Since there’s such a variety of things to do, a qualified IT department needs to have great project management skills.

For example, if you’re running maintenance on the network, it’s essential it isn’t disruptive to the normal working hours. If an IT department needs to reset servers, for instance, they should do it at a time when no one’s working.

When the IT aspects of your business are well managed, you’ll hardly be able to tell the IT department is there. When you’re looking to hire an IT department, you need to look beyond their IT skills and qualifications.

They should also be able to demonstrate their project management credentials.

An IT department full of knowledgeable individuals is no good if they don’t have the ability to properly manage themselves.

5. Data Backups

Backing up your data is vital; for many companies, suffering from data loss could be so devastating it would force the business to close. IT departments should strive to create a watertight data backup strategy.

There are so many options available for backing up data it’s possible to run more than one at a time. With a proper backup system in place, IT technicians can restore workstations to a previous state.

Maybe someone’s managed to install a virus or a hard drive’s failed; with an optimal data management strategy, you should be able to recover quickly from hardware failure or a cyber attack.

A lot of people fall into the trap of not really thinking about backing up data until data loss happens to them. Make sure your data is secure and hire a professional IT department.

They can also help you with keeping customers’ data confidential and complying with the law.

IT Departments Can Help You Make Money

Doing business in New York is tough; you need to do what you can to rise above the competition.

When you work with qualified IT departments, you ensure your network infrastructure works smoothly every day and that your company can’t be devastated by any tech problems.

Need a professional IT department now? Then get in touch with us.