Flying Without Instruments? A Guest Blog

#1 – BACK UP & DISASTER RECOVERY FAILURES

Major data loss can threaten the survival of a business. And not having a recent backup can increase vulnerability to ransomware scams.

#2 – SERVERS NOT BEING PACTHED OR MAINTAINED     

This affects system-wide operational performance, user productivity and data security – and pertains to premise-based servers as well as cloud applications.

#3 – LACK OF DOCUMENTATION/BUSINESS CONTINUITY PLANNING

Every organization needs a digital blueprint of all technology assets and relationships spanning hardware, software, cloud services, contracts, licenses, encrypted passwords and network architecture. Having an updated and portable service catalogue is the ultimate business continuity plan. Think of it as a personal medical record for your organization.

Even worse, each onboarding scenario was also lacking a system of verification which suggests a number of companies with professional IT support resources are still “flying without instruments.” All of which puts assets at risk and opens the door for liability including but not limited to performance limitations, data breaches and compliance violations.

Two other trends are rampant in the small and mid-sized business space:

#1 – ONE PERSON AS THE POINT OF CONTACT

Having one person as the point of contact with your MSP – acting as an intermediary, managing all tickets and user support issues is risky. This affects user experience, productivity, morale and may limit the MSP’s ability to get direct visibility into serious system-wide problems brewing beneath the surface.

 #2 – NO INFORMATION LIFECYCLE MANAGEMENT POLICY

Design a policy to cover the creation, application, transmission, storage, archival and disposal of data. The benefits are at least two-fold – One: a structured file access routine creates improved work flows for everyone. Two: Since 1 in 5 businesses get hacked into every year, all companies should know what they are trying to protect, understand relevant threats and have standard operating procedures around early detection and response.

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