The way in which newly available technologies affect the delivery of goods and services has positively impacted just about every industry imaginable, and that effect has been especially apparent in the legal sector. In order to make their operations more efficient, many law firms have implemented solutions like Unified Communication and Collaboration as a Service (UCCaaS) offerings to pass along information to clients and the courts. It enables businesses and government agencies to facilitate enterprise adoption of UC&C in a fixed or mobile environment with predictable per-seat pricing. New capabilities include seamless call transfers from fixed to mobile phones and the use of “presence” technology, such as instant messaging, to initiate audio, Web and intra-company video conference calls both in and out of the office.

However, of all the new technologies available to lawyers, perhaps none have had such an impact on regular business processes as these trends:

BYOD (Bring Your Own Device)

As smartphone and tablet adoption rates rise, these devices invariably make their way into the corporate environment. This is especially the case in the legal sector, as industry professionals looking to always be available now have that option readily available to them.

Having a bring-your-own-device policy in place can make a law firm far more efficient and effective, but it also opens up attorneys to a number of security and compliance-related concerns. Since many mobile devices lack standardized security features, they are prone to data leakage that can put a client in serious jeopardy if BYOD is left unchecked.

Cloud computing

Of all the technologies currently available to legal professionals, perhaps none is as potentially powerful as the cloud. A quality cloud computing solution enables attorneys to more easily access stored information and communicate with clients via tools such as UCCaaS. Plus, since hosted solutions are often far more cost-effective than legacy on-site systems, even small firms can afford to implement cloud-based tools.

Virtualization

As legal professionals further utilize technology, their legacy IT infrastructure design can quickly become strained from the additional workload. After all, solutions designed with PCs and on-site hardware in mind will likely not be able to effectively run cloud-based applications or support mobile devices. To account for this rising usage, it is recommended that legal services agencies utilize a virtualized infrastructure to more effectively provision IT resources.

Microsoft Office 365

Lawyers have used Microsoft (MS) Office, including Word, PowerPoint, Excel and Outlook, for many years. While there are plenty of choices for productivity suites, Microsoft’s new Office 365 adds some intriguing options, including online collaboration, subscription-based pricing, lightweight browser-based editing tools and online file storage. Solo and small firms may have the most to gain because Office 365 adds functionality formerly only found in server-based applications such as Microsoft Exchange, SharePoint and Lync.

There are some major benefits to this new model. Added functionality is certainly one of them. Helping firms stay up to date with current versions of the MS Office suite is another. Unlike “pure cloud,” this hybrid approach of installed software and cloud collaboration/access addresses many law firms’ concerns about ownership versus access to firm data, backing up cloud-only applications and what happens in the case of a loss of access to the Internet.

With all of these new technologies suddenly entering the fore, law firms may not know where to begin in regard to implementation. Luckily, Magnet Solutions Group can help. As a Managed IT Services company, Magnet Solutions Group can assist internal enterprise legal departments and law firms maximize their IT investments to better succeed today and in the future. Whether an organization wants to revamp its IT infrastructure design, implement a quality cloud computing solution or start using UCCaaS, Magnet Solutions Group can assist organizations every step of the way.

David Blair ~ January 12th, 2015

The post Technology Trends Affecting Law Firms appeared first on Magnet.

Outsourcing frequently has a bad reputation, yet we do it more often than we think. We outsource to experts to fix our plumbing, repair our cars, build our houses and even cook our food at times. We are constantly leveraging the expertise of others so that we can free up our own time to focus on what we’re good at. From a business perspective, companies typically don’t think twice about outsourcing their legal needs or financial services. So why do businesses think they shouldn’t outsource their data center or managed IT services as well?
When it comes to running a business, managing all technical operations in-house is not is time consuming, but also strains staffing and financial resources. Businesses wishing to manage all of their technical operations and infrastructure – including everything that goes into their data center servers, storage solutions and hosting network – better have a really good reason. Otherwise, they should stop trying to be infrastructure designers and outsource their data center operations.

Is Your IT Dreams in the Cloud?

The trick when outsourcing is to find a service provider that is an absolute expert in the services that you need. Many company see the cloud as an easy entry point to hosted services, but the key word there is service. With the cloud, there isn’t any. The disadvantage to the cloud is that it puts all effort back on the company to manage its technical operations and troubleshoot problems. So what are the cloud alternatives for companies wishing to outsource their technical operations?

Outsourcing your Operations

Many service providers offer managed hosting solutions for companies that want to outsource their technical operations department. How do you know which one is a good fit? It is difficult enough for companies to trust another entity to run their data center, as any mishaps including downtime or slow service could negatively influence their business. This should only be of concern if the company they outsource to lacks industry expertise for managing technical and IT operations. Picking the wrong company to run your data center is what would negatively affect the business, not outsourcing it. Picking the right solution comes down to trust in the provider and services it offers that will meet your needs.

The Magnet Solutions Group Way

Selecting Magnet Solutions Group Manged IT Services  allows you to outsource your entire technical operations department – from managing concept and design, build and execution, as well as maintenance and ongoing support. The Magnet Solutions Group way lets you focus on tasks critical to your business, rather than spending time plumbing the Internet to maintain servers, install operating systems or upgrade software.

Magnet Solutions Group becomes your entire technical operations department. We are more than just a managed hosting provider or partner, instead, we become an integral part of your company’s technical operations, from concept and design to build and execution to maintenance and ongoing support. Our services let you put your people to work on tasks critical to your business, rather than spending time maintaining servers, installing operating systems or upgrading software. When you outsource your technical operations and hosting to our experienced engineers, solution architects, and support staff, your company is free to focus on your intellectual property, customers, or sales and marketing – the areas where you actually make money – because your core business people have better things to do than spend time on data center administration.

David Blair ~ January 7, 2015

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A strategy that includes expense management, technology and high productivity, among other things, are the hallmarks of a successful business model. More and more businesses are looking to technology to provide them the freedom and flexibility to spend their time on mission critical operations rather than spending time on the infrastructure that supports it. Technology, as a utility to the business owner, is expected to be there when you need it, it is a huge hassle when it’s not there and failing to keep an eye on it can cause multiple expensive problems. Managed services allow the business owner to set it and forget it.

Here are the top 10 reasons your business should take advantage of Managed Services:

1. Expertise
Small and mid-sized businesses often find it difficult to find and retain affordable IT personnel with skill and experience to work with a multitude of technologies that change very rapidly. Managed Services provide a team environment of highly skilled and experienced IT professionals that the business owner might not otherwise have access to.

• Reduced cost
In an effort to remain competitive and survive a tumultuous economic environment, many businesses resort to taking an axe to costs. Managed Services can offer businesses first in class technology that can be deployed expediently and efficiently. With managed back-up and storage services, businesses benefit from the back end upgrades to hardware owned and maintained by the service provider.

• Access to new technology, tools and best practices
Managed services provides the business owner with a network of expert partners who can provide the industry specific guidance using best in class tools and practices.

• Cash Flow management – predictable annual budget
With the guesswork and surprise of IT expenses taken out of the equation, the Managed Service business model will help businesses to predictably budget for a host of IT services and maintenance costs.

• Increased Productivity – decreased down time
In addition to relieving the IT staff to focus on mission critical functions instead of diagnosing and treating infrastructure problems, Managed Service introduces technologies to the owner that can have a positive effect on work flow ultimately increasing the productivity of staff.

• Extending infrastructure with monitoring and alerts on critical components
Managed Service allows the business owner to take a proactive approach to systems management. The health and maintenance of infrastructure systems and software are critical to keep the business running without interruption. Managed monitoring and alert service can provide real time information on infrastructure problems. Regular reports may indicate future problems with equipment that may be experiencing a problem or reaching its end of life.

• Risk Management
Backups. Business continuity planning isn’t just for the big boys. A small business is more susceptible to loss and is less likely to have the financial ability to weather a catastrophe. Managed Services can provide the necessary redundancy to keep your business running even if you have lost all of your data.

• Instant addition of an entire IT department to your organization
Businesses often have their trusty “IT guy” or employ a small staff to handle break/fix issues, server reboots and software installation. However, Managed Services provides that same business with an IT team capable of handling a variety of issues of various levels of complexity. It doesn’t have to mean full scale outsourcing; it can be augmenting at whatever level you desire.

• Industry leading consultancy & advice
Having a managed service provider is one stop shopping for advice and consult on a broad range of IT related issues. Business owners benefit from the Managed service providers’ network of partners. The Managed Services’ network of partners vastly expands the breadth and scope of topics and expert advice available.

• Efficiency
Aside from the efficiency of automated “push” down Firmware and software patch and update management, integrated service level agreements across network and IT infrastructure provide yet an even higher level of efficiency available through Managed Services.

Whether your business is facing challenges, is in transition or wants to increase productivity or save money, managed services can benefit your business. Magnet Solutions Group is positioned to offer your enterprise personalized service. Rather than wade through long-winded voice prompts to and frustrating wait times, contact Magnet Solutions Group. to get direct, up-front, accessible support.

David Blair

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Top 5 Advantages to Getting Proactive and Outsourcing Your Business IT Services

There are many reasons to outsource your IT service needs outside your business core. Managed Network, IT, and Hosting Services are designed to provide these solutions as well as provide other value added services.

Microsoft acknowledges that your business can save time and money by letting a MSP (Managed Services Provider), such as Magnet Solutions Group Managed IT Services, take care of those needs. A MSP serves as your IT department, enabling you to devote your resources to growing your business.

Look around your office and at your staff. Assuming you are not a legal firm or medical practice, do you have an in-house lawyer or doctor? For most of you, the answer to this question is no. These are business functions that do not require an in-house expert but are instead outsourced to individuals or firms outside your business that specialize in these areas.

Now look under your desks. Is one of your best employees, possibly an accountant, crawling around, banging on a computer trying, to get another employee back to work? Is your office manager collecting backup tapes or taking hard drives home so that you have an off-site copy of your backup? Do you log into the server to change passwords when people forget them or answer basic questions about how to print or do something in Excel?
What is wrong with this picture?

If any of the above scenarios sound familiar, the question you need to ask is what do these tasks have to do with servicing your customers or clients? While it may seem like it is the best solution to have your own in-house IT staff, would your time and money not be better spent working with your sales team to close new business, focus on generating more revenue and eliminating costs, hitting the golf course, or getting home in time for dinner with your family?

How much more productive might your accountant, office manager, or other valuable employee be if they did not need to spend time dealing with IT problems?

IT systems, both internal and external, are an integral part of all businesses today. While they have been getting smaller and more compact, the complexity has increased. Paper has given away to digital documents that live not in fire-proof steel cabinets but instead exist on hardware prone to failure and exposed to human error. The rise of mobile and cloud computing have brought with them additional concerns about security and privacy that require specialized expertise and skill sets.

You need to make sure your IT plan includes a strong maintenance schedule for your computers and servers. It doesn’t need to be done manually and it should be done outside of regular business hours. Maintenance should be happening at least weekly.

Here are 5 advantages your maintenance should include, and a MSP such as Magnet Solutions Group can provide, in order for you to get proactive about your IT services.

1. Microsoft Windows and Third Party Software Updates
Microsoft is regularly fixing bugs and flaws with their software and closing security holes. This applies to servers and computers, both their operating systems and other Microsoft programs like Office. If you’re not doing these updates, your systems will have more problems and you’ll get frustrated regularly. Many programs and web browsing rely on Java, Flash, or other Adobe products like Reader. In recent years hackers have targeted exploits within these programs to get viruses onto computers. These need to be updated regularly to protect your environment.

2. Device Firmware Updates
Your network devices have something called firmware running on them. Just like Windows updates, this gets updated regularly by the manufacturer for both functionality and security.

3. Server and Computer Optimization
An efficiently running server can make your business infrastructure run more efficiently and prevent downtime. There are numerous tasks you can do on servers to speed them up and increase reliability. It is the same with computers. If you ever feel your computer is running slow, you’re right and it’s probably because it needs to be better optimized

4. Implementation of a Multi-Layered Security Approach
Any businesses or non-profit should have a multi-layered approach to security, which includes:
• Strong gateway security to your network with a unified threat management firewall device
• Hosted anti-spam protection to eliminate email-born threats, the most common cause of viruses
• End-point anti-virus and anti-spyware security for computers and mobile devices
• Ongoing user education because your staff can be the weakest link in your IT security
• Rock solid backup system to protect your data in case your network gets compromised

5. Make Sure Your Backup and Disaster Recovery Plan is Rock Solid
Last, but definitely not least, you need to have a rock solid backup and disaster recovery plan for two reasons. First, without your data, you do not have a business so you need to invest in protecting it. With the quality of backup software and cloud technologies available, you have no excuse not to be protecting your data properly. Unfortunately many businesses are not doing that. A trend we are seeing that will continue to grow is many customers or partner organizations are asking those they work with for information on their backup and disaster recovery plans. If you are doing a big RFP and can’t confidently describe your backup and disaster recovery plan, it could hurt your ability to win a big deal.

The solution? Magnet Solutions Group

Much like lawyers and accountants, managing your IT systems and infrastructure no longer require in-house staff or personnel and the HR costs and concerns that come with them. Unlike legal opinions or completing year end tax returns, ensuring a smooth running, problem free IT infrastructure needs constant care and attention in the form of proactive and preventative maintenance.
As a qualified Managed Services Provider, Magnet Solutions Group, much like a law firm, can leverage specialized software and systems along with the vast expertise of their team of technicians to ensure that your computer systems are safe, secure and well supported allowing you to focus on what you do best… growing and profiting your business.

David Blair ~ January 1, 2015

The post Top 5 Advantages to Getting Proactive and Outsourcing Your Business IT Services appeared first on Magnet.

Cloud computing has accelerated with the wide use of mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets. Many people carry their portable devices when not on their desk and easily access their documents, media, and pictures on cloud storage via the Internet.

As more businesses look at new ways to increase profit and lower costs, the discussion of Cloud computing is often brought forward as a way to do both. “The Cloud” can be intimidating to those who don’t understand what it truly means so here are a few more common myths and misconceptions.

The Cloud is a security risk and accessible to anyone publicly

Accessing your company Cloud is the same as your own enterprise infrastructure. If you create a secure Cloud network with user accounts, strong passwords, and implement the proper file and folder restrictions, you are secure.

Also, in addition to using Cloud computing for daily operations, you will also benefit from the ability to back up data or easily access it when being remote. No more struggle responding to some of your clients because you didn’t bring your laptop with you on a recent trip from Texas to California.

If you are familiar with social media sites like Facebook, you can choose your security settings for your data on any Cloud technology. Magnet Solutions Group Cloud Services can help you set this up or answer any questions you have about this in more detail.

The Cloud is only for new and high tech companies

No matter how long you have been in business you can make the switch to the cloud. This is not something that you’ve missed the boat on because you started your company 25 years ago and can’t catch up to all of the new competition you have.

New start-up businesses use cloud computing because of its low cost start up and minimal space requirements. This doesn’t mean that an established business should feel they can’t move forward and change the way they operate. Moving to the cloud shows your customers, and prospects, that you are staying current and working to understand their changing needs no matter the industry.

However, if you are changing the setup of your IT systems, you need to ensure that the users are maximizing the tools they are being given and that processes are changed to meet these needs.

It’s All One Big Cloud

Outside of some public clouds such as Amazon, which just continues to add space to their servers for consumers and businesses to use, most businesses are using private cloud networks.

What you save in the cloud is your data and does not belong to your hosting company such as Google or Amazon or anywhere else you may use outside of your own network. These companies offer the space and a service to ensure uptime and to try and help save your business operating costs.

Cloud computing is still relatively new but offers some amazing benefits to businesses, but it has to be the right fit for you and your business. If you aren’t sure or want more information about how it can benefit you, please give Magnet Solutions Group Cloud Services a call to discuss.

David Blair ~ December 28th, 2014

The post Some Common Myths Of Cloud Computing appeared first on Magnet.

Sometime ago Microsoft found itself at a crossroads. At a time when more and more users were less willing to make pricey one-time software purchases, how could Microsoft still get Office into the hands of those who needed it? It answered this with a three-pronged strategy. The first part of this strategy was to compete head to head with Google Docs by making certain parts of Office absolutely free online. The second part of its strategy required Microsoft to continue offering Office in the ways it had before, with one-time purchases of different versions and single Office apps. It’s the third part of its approach that has gotten Microsoft the most credit with small businesses and users who’d become fed up with paying hundreds of dollars per user, which will be soon be obsolete when Microsoft cranks out the next latest and greatest version.

Enter Office 365. Launched just two years ago, Microsoft’s Office 365 has done to productivity apps what Spotify did for music. Pay for what you use, when you use it. Moving to the Office 365 cloud comes with some key features and benefits. Namely, your organization gets to continue to use the software you have been using for years, but you now get to shift the burden onto Microsoft. In addition to shifting the burden to Microsoft, there are some other key benefits:

Access from anywhere with Office 365

Accessing your enterprise software over the Internet has some big advantages. For one, all you need is your computer — desktop, laptop, tablet, or phone — and an Internet connection or phone coverage. Because the software is running in a Microsoft data center, you simply connect to the Internet to access the software.

Another benefit of accessing centrally located data is that you always have a single source. No duplicate files scattered across all your disk space real estate. If you make a change to a document from your tablet at home and then your colleague views the file from their phone, she will see the most up-to-date document. Gone are the days of e-mailing Excel documents between machines. Need to collaborate on the document in real time? No problem. You can do that by using nothing more than your web browser.

Work with what you know with Office 365

One thing Microsoft did incredibly right is recognize that users don’t want to give up the things that make them comfortable. Office 365 hasn’t changed your favorites one bit. The only difference is that now they are seamlessly connected to the enterprise software living out in the cloud. In other words, your favorite applications are cloudified.

Other benefits of moving to the Microsoft cloud include the following:

Outsourcing the hassle of installing, managing, patching, and upgrading extremely complex software systems.

Having predictable and known costs associated with procurement.

Keeping the lights blinking green and the software up-to-date and secure falls on Microsoft and your MSP.

Reducing cost in not only immediate monetary value but also in efficiency and resource reallocation benefits.

Backing up and securing your data.

No other product defines the new age of Microsoft than Office 365. It wholeheartedly addresses the concerns of real consumers and makes interacting with documents and presentations on mobile devices that much easier. All ready users are starting to embrace the service. Microsoft announced that it had roughly 3.5 million Office 365 subscribers just recently.
David Blair ~ December 22nd, 2014

The post Things You Need To Know About Office 365 appeared first on Magnet.

The World of Technology has created yet another acronym. IoT or Internet of Things is a rapidly growing network of everyday devices. Most people when thinking of “The Internet” envision going online with their computer, smart phone, or tablet. However, with the advancement of technology, more and more everyday devices can also access the Internet and transmit various types of data without our awareness. In fact, almost any item (even a special tag on your favorite shirt) can be connected. They can share information and improve our way of life and our businesses.

The Internet of Things refers to the ability of “things” with embedded computing devices to connect to the Internet without the need for any human interaction. Simply put, your everyday devices will communicate with each other and with you, conceptually improving our day-to-day lives

But what about the risks?

One privacy risk is the vast amounts of data that these smart objects continuously broadcast over the Internet. In effect, the Internet is rapidly evolving into an “always on” tool of surveillance. In addition, there are significant data security concerns to consider. Remember, if it’s connected to the Internet, it’s hackable.

What can you do to help prevent this?

• If you get a new device such as a gaming console, a smart TV, or anything  with a camera that isn’t necessary for the device to work, just put a piece of solid tape, such as electrical tape, over the camera.

• Your Internet connection is only as good as your Internet security and practices. Make sure you have good online habits.

• Make certain the firmware on your wireless router is up to date. Firmware is the software program or instructions for a piece of hardware. This information is usually on the device when you receive it and much like your anti-viral software, should be updated. Contact your service provider or hardware device manufacturer for instructions on how to do this.

• Change default passwords on all of your Internet connected devices. Hackers typically look for this as most people don’t think to change the default password that came with the device. Don’t make it this easy for the hackers to get in.

• Create strong passwords. The longer the password most experts say, the better. Extra characters are good, but it is the length of the password that makes it more difficult to hack.

• Use WPA2 encryption and a strong network key. Experts state that if you are only using WEP encryption scheme, any other security measures you take are meaningless because your network is wide open for hacking. Your device manufacturer should be able to walk you through this process

• Read through the privacy policy of the manufacturer and opt-out of data collection when you can. If no opt-out exists, at a minimum understand how your information will be used and what information is being collected so you can gauge your level of comfort.

For now, we can only hope that the hackers aren’t too interested in your favorite movies on Netflix or how fast you can run a mile, but starting good privacy habits now can help you in the future.

David Blair ~ December 17th, 2014

The post What Privacy Risks Are Lurking Under Your Tree appeared first on Magnet.

Sony Pictures’ computer system went down on Monday. Before screens went dark, they displayed a red skull and the phrase ‘Hacked By #GOP,’ which reportedly stands for Guardians of Peace, the Los Angeles Times said.
The hackers also warned they would release ‘secrets’ stolen from the Sony servers, the Times reported. According to one insider who spoke to industry website, TheWrap, “Every PC in the company is useless and all of the content files have either been stolen or destroyed or locked away.” No demands have been issued by the hackers but a Reddit thread outlined the data allegedly mined by the Guardians of Peace. This includes A-list actors’ passports, their bank details, salaries for film appearances, their password information and also email correspondences.

Also on Monday evening, the F.B.I. issued a confidential five-page flash warning to security administrators at American corporations about a recently discovered form of destructive malware. The F.B.I. did not name Sony in the warning, which was obtained by The New York Times, but said that the malware was written in Korean and was “destructive” in nature. It commands a computer to sleep for two hours, after which the computer is shut down, rebooted and directed to start wiping all of its files, the agency said.

So as some of us will find this entertaining and amusing (cheaper than buying Hollywood Gossip), this episode is growing to become one of the most serious cyber breaches in corporate history. It will certainly change the way people communicate with each other.

So how does this exploit affect you directly? In every way. It’s just another reminder that every person, every business, everywhere, is vulnerable. Although there is not yet a “100% Guaranteed Never-To-Be-Penetrated” solution available, you can still implement safeguards. Expecting that your data is safe and “it will never happen to me” mentality is not only dangerous, but could cost you your business. Could your business function without its financial information? Internal emails about business strategies and competitors, in the wrong hands, could devastate your market edge. What about “personal information” about employees? Nothing like a lawsuit to ruin one’s profitability and trustworthiness of your associates and accounts. It’s only going to get worse before it gets better.

What can you do to help prevent this?

• Follow forums – Stay aware of the latest methods being used.
• Change default passwords – It is extremely unwise to use built-in passwords on software.
• Identify entry points – Consult with Security experts who have taken special network training to perform this task successfully.
• Perform attack and penetration tests – By running the attack and penetration tests, you can identify those vulnerable points in the network that can be easily accessed from both external and internal users.
• Create user-awareness campaigns – All possible steps must be taken to make all the users of the network aware of the pitfalls of security and the necessary security practices to minimize these risks.
• Configure firewalls – A firewall if not configured properly can act like an open door for any intruder. From time to time proper analysis of the composition and nature of the traffic itself is also necessary to maintain security.
• Implement user password policies – Use strong password policies by having passwords of seven characters which are of secure length and relatively easy to remember. Passwords must be changed in every 60 days. The password should also be made up of both alpha and numeric characters to make it more unique.
• If you create websites, remove comments in website source code – Comments used in source code may contain indirect information that can help to crack the site, sometimes even usernames and passwords. All the comments in source code that look inaccessible to external users should also be removed as there are some techniques to view the source code of nearly all web applications.
• Install anti-virus software – Both intrusion detection systems and anti-virus software must be updated regularly and if possible on a daily basis. The updated version of anti-virus software is necessary as it helps in detecting even the latest virus.

In the IT service industry, most of these recommendations are common sense and no brainers. But in the business world, they may not be your interest or level of understanding. Just as you would hire an attorney for legal advice, and accountant for financial advice, you should hire a IT consulting company for your security needs. But then again, it’s just your data at risk.

The post Hacking Of Sony …. Just Another Reminder appeared first on Magnet.

If you use Hosted Exchange for your email, you eliminated a few hours a month of work and a difficult skill set requirements in your IT staff. Cloud technologies are decreasing the amount of time and skills required for IT support in many organizations. That means less money for technology support and more revenue for your business.

So when is it the time for your business to outsource?

If your business is simply not set up to perform a specific business function, it’s often more cost-effective to pay someone else than to set up your own system or gain the essential knowledge yourself. It depends on a lot of factors, of course. How often you’ll have to complete this task; how expensive set up is; how easy (or difficult) it is to outsource this task.

Here are a couple of general principles:

• If your business is not logistically set up to accomplish a particular business function, which must be done on a semi-regular basis but is very costly to do yourself, then you will probably save money by outsourcing.

• If there is no one in your business with expertise on a particular business function or need, you’ll get better quality by outsourcing and most likely save money over hiring a full-time employee to meet the need.

• If there is some business function/need which your business cannot perform quickly/easily and or professionally, you’ll often save money and improve quality by outsourcing.

• You need less than about 30 hours per week of support and maintenance services.

• You have industry standard applications and systems bought off-the-shelf.

• You need specific skill sets around technologies such as virtualization, VoIP, Cloud migration, etc. that your current staff lacks.

• You need surplus coverage your IT staff for vacations, sick days, training, etc.

So what is does this mean to your bottom line? If you find the right people who are trustworthy, do excellent work and deliver on time, you’ll save more money in the long-term by using them for your outsourcing, even if you have to pay a little more initially. Quality work deserves fair pay, and as you build relationships and establish ongoing work, you’ll be able to get high-quality work, and you’ll be saving time, effort, and money at the same time.

At the end of the day, that’s not just smart outsourcing. That’s smart business.

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