May 6, 2019
As businesses start to grow, so do their technology needs. Growing businesses often find that they save time and money by contracting with the right Managed Services partner. Managed Services allow you to augment your existing IT staff and infrastructure by partnering with a dedicated IT firm to take care of your network, servers, computers, and all your technology needs. This is the perfect solution for companies who need to operate at peak efficiency but do not have the resources to manage a large on-site IT staff. Choosing the right partner for your Managed Services needs is important. Here are 5 Things to look for as you are evaluating a managed services provider:
You would not be satisfied with a home security system that only works from 9 to 5, would you? The main function of IT is essentially to act as a security system for your business network. Although the majority of security breaches are caused by human errors like an employee unknowingly clicking on a risky link, cybercriminals are not limited to your work schedule. Your IT provider needs to be available beyond business hours as well, capable of detecting a breach and begin work to reverse the damage immediately. The longer an attack goes unnoticed, the more damage can be done that can cause irreparable harm to your business. For this reason, Milner monitors our clients' network 24/7/365 and leaps into action as soon as a breach is detected.
Network issues stem from a range of sources, and just as varying is the methods they are resolved. A serious problem can result in costly downtime and needs to be immediately attended to, but a small issue may be just as taxing to resolve during peak hours. Schedule system updates or minor patches in the middle of the day can slow your network; a good technician in our Network Operations Center (NOC), who prioritize tasks and solves tickets efficiently and effectively.
Should an emergency arise, a backup is essential for the survival of your business. This type of service should be offered by a Managed It provider as the two services go hand in hand as backup is a part of security. An IT provider makes the recovery process as seamless as possible, letting you deal with other consequences of the initial crisis. Another thing to consider is how often your IT service backs up your information. Considering that it can take 24 hours to remake a document, if a backup service is only issued on a weekly or monthly basis, the overall recovery process can take much longer.
This might sound like a loaded question, but IT involved more than just your business network and a good IT provider understands that. Technology normally not associated with IT, such as phones, copiers, and content management are no longer limited to their traditional functions and are now connected to wider digital systems. A good IT service will not only offer security solutions to office equipment, but also provide resource to educate and keep your team up-to-date on the latest technologies that could benefit your organization. Security assessments, eBooks, and educational quizzes are a few ways Milner works to include more to your IT experience with us.
Technology is always evolving and your IT Service Provider needs to stay up-to-date on the latest security threats and innovations that could improve your business. An It provider that continually strives to raise their standards is one that is sure to make your partnership with them worthwhile. Milner is constantly looking for new innovations to implement to our product and service lines, and researching solutions for current issues facing the IT industry. Most recently, Milner completed a comprehensive SOC 2 Type 2 audit to ensure our IT Service is up to the high standards.
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