I. Introduction
Robust and reliable IT systems are crucial for businesses today to maintain productivity and security. According to research:
The average cost of IT downtime per hour can be as high as £180,000 for large enterprises
The average cost of a data breach in the UK is over £3 million
Having appropriate IT safeguards in place is key to avoiding costly disruptions. This blog will provide an overview of essential technology services UK businesses can leverage to keep operations running smoothly, protect critical data, and reduce cybersecurity risks.
The services covered include:
IT support
Cloud backups
Managed IT providers
Cybersecurity
Firewall management
VoIP phone systems
II. IT Support Companies
Partnering with an external IT support company provides many advantages over handling technology internally for UK businesses, including:
A. Monitoring networks, servers, devices 24/7
- IT support firms continuously track infrastructure health to get ahead of problems, preventing minor issues from becoming major outages.
B. Help desk for troubleshooting technology issues
- Specialist teams are available to diagnose problems across hardware, software, devices when difficulties arise, speeding up repair times.
C. Onsite assistance for complex hardware/software fixes
- For major repair work on servers, networks, or systems, skilled technicians can provide hands-on help at company facilities.
D. Access to team of experts across range of technologies
- IT companies have personnel specialised in diverse technologies to cover the variety of systems businesses rely on.
Adding an IT services partner provides expertise and manpower that companies often lack internally. Having this backup support empowers organisations to keep technical operations running optimally.
III. Cloud Backup Services
Cloud backup services involve storing extra copies of data on remote servers accessed over the internet. This provides protection against losing files due to:
Hardware failure
Data corruption
Natural disasters
Human errors
Cyber attacks
Key advantages include:
A. Protection against permanent data loss
- By keeping backups in a different location, businesses shield themselves from catastrophic data loss when problems hit primary data stores. This safeguards important intellectual property, financial files, customer records and other critical information.
B. Flexibility to scale storage
- Cloud-based backups provide flexible storage capacity businesses can scale up or down as data storage needs change over time. This helps optimise costs relative to maintaining local backup hardware.
C. Backup/restore data accessibility
- Since cloud backup data is available online, authorised users can restore or replicate files from any device or location with an internet connection.
Caution should be taken to research providers’ security measures as backing up sensitive company data with a third-party carries risk. Rigorous cloud backup providers have safety protocols like encryption, multi-factor access authentication, advanced firewalls and other security measures. However, service quality varies significantly.
IV. Managed IT Providers
Enlisting managed IT service providers essentially outsources handling various technology infrastructure maintenance tasks. This can free up significant time for in-house IT staff. Services may include:
Installing system updates, patches, new software
Monitoring usage trends to flag upcoming hardware/software issues
Managing licensing agreements & renewals
Testing backups and security protocols are working properly
Letting specialised managed IT firms assume responsibility for this kind of administrative upkeep enables company tech personnel to focus their energy on more strategic initiatives that create value.
V. Cybersecurity Services
Given rising threats from phishing, ransomware, data theft and other cyber attacks, utilising cybersecurity services is no longer optional for businesses. Specialist providers deliver solutions for both preventing and detecting data breaches, including:
Security audits identifying vulnerabilities
Firewall configuration to continually block threats
Employee cybersecurity training
Dark web monitoring for stolen credentials
Email security filtration tools
Partnering with cybersecurity companies also gives access to seasoned professionals with the latest expertise on tools and tactics to implement a layered defence approach across infrastructure, policies and staff habits. This builds resilience against the growing sophistication of cybercrime.
VI. Firewall Management
Firewalls serve as gatekeepers filtering incoming and outgoing network traffic to block unauthorised access. When properly configured, they are vital for shielding against intruders looking to infiltrate systems and data.
However, effective firewall management requires substantial monitoring, updating rule sets, adding new security protocols, and diligent patch management as threats evolve.
For most companies, handling this critical but complex responsibility in house becomes unrealistic. IT teams are stretched thin, and struggle to dedicate sufficient resources. Outsourcing Firewall Management Service to a qualified third-party provider delivers the following advantages:
Continuous fine-tuning using dedicated personnel
Constant surveillance enabling quick response to intrusion attempts
Updates to address the latest known cyberattack tactics
VII. VoIP Phone Services
VoIP phone systems utilise the internet rather than traditional phone lines. This alternative allows businesses to benefit from advanced call handling capabilities, scalability to easily add extra lines, lower fixed monthly costs compared to conventional business phones and other features. However, potential reliability risks are higher depending on:
A. Quality of the internet connectivity
- Lagging internet Bandwidth can result in choppy call quality that frustrates customers.
B. Susceptibility to service blackouts if power fails
- Unlike legacy copper telephone infrastructure, VoIP systems won’t work in a power outage without backup options like generators or temporarily switching to landline phones.
C. Availability of backups
- Maintaining some traditional analog phone lines, at least during an initial transition to VoIP, limits vulnerability if the internet goes down and provides opportunity to revert back if the new system proves too unreliable.
VIII. Conclusion
This article summarises essential technology services and safeguards UK businesses can implement for resilient operations and data protection. Key areas covered included outsourcing IT support, implementing cloud backups, utilising managed IT services, employing cybersecurity solutions, managing firewalls and transitioning phone systems to VoIP.
These critical IT foundations empower organisations to avoid costly downtime while securing sensitive systems and information from rising cyber threats. Executing on the right blend of these technology services can fortify your operations for the long term.
Reach out to our expert team at OptivITy Limited for personalised guidance on the ideal IT service mix for the needs of your UK business.