Do You Need A Managed Service Company? Find Out, Today!

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Do you need a managed service company? You may be doing reasonably well running your business’s own systems. You know something about computers, and the network isn’t very elaborate.

managed service company

Still, there are good reasons why a managed service company can better suit your business.

  • Your focus should be on running the business. There are lots of things you can do, but it makes sense to devote your effort to the important management tasks and delegate other responsibilities.
  • Your systems will run more reliably. A managed service doesn’t just respond to problems; it prevents them. Keeping software up to date will make your systems more reliable. Monitoring the network will detect sporadic problems before they become serious.
  • Regular offsite backup will keep your data safe. Loss of data due to hardware failure, user errors, or physical disasters can destroy a business. Reliable, well-managed offsite backup will allow quick recovery.
  • Security measures will stop data theft. Keeping computers safe from intrusions and malware is a difficult task. It requires paying attention to a lot of issues, including firewall configuration, account and password management, email filtering, and anti-malware software. Managed service companies keep up on the latest threats and countermeasures so that you won’t suffer data breaches.
  • If something goes wrong, you want to fix it quickly. A managed services company will address any problems promptly, minimizing the impact on your business.
  • When you need to upgrade your systems and software, you want expert advice. Your managed service provider can tell you what the best current technology is, and how to avoid ineffective or obsolescent products.

For a reasonable cost, a managed IT service company lets you devote your time to running your business and keeps your computer operations efficient, up to date, and safe. Bluwater Technologies provides managed services tailored to your business.

Please contact us for details.

Four Major Benefits of an MSP

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When so many of your business operations depend on computers and digital communications, high-quality IT services are essential for your company’s success. Hiring a managed service provider (MSP) to oversee critical IT functions can help your company grow and thrive.

What are Some of the Key Benefits of an MSP?

The services an MSP provides are flexible and can change with your business’s evolving needs.

Sometimes, MSPs serve as a well-run, outsourced IT department, managing a wide variety of IT functions and precluding your need to hire in-house IT staff. On other occasions, MSPs manage a smaller set of IT tasks or are hired for specific projects. If you already have in-house IT personnel, the MSP may work as their partners and share responsibilities with them.

They enhance your abilities to handle complex IT issues.

MSPs bring their support and expertise to bear on a range of areas, including cyber security, cloud computing, communications (e.g. email and VoIP), vendor management, network maintenance and monitoring, and data backups and restoration. Their round-the-clock management and support give you reliability of service, improved productivity, compliance with regulations, and stronger security.

They can provide you with a more proactive approach to IT services.

Rather than merely reacting to IT emergencies, your MSP works to anticipate and act on problematic issues before they develop into disasters. MSPs can also help you with IT planning, guiding you in IT-related decisions that best serve your company’s short-term and long-term needs.

They save you on various expenses.

When working with MSPs, you pay only for the services that you need, and often you can sign up for deals that include a bundle of essential services. Furthermore, with the reliable support and management you receive from MSPs, you minimize costly downtime and reduce the chances of suffering devastating IT disasters. By taking over different IT functions, MSPs also free up more of your time, so that you can focus on growing your business.

Don’t hesitate to contact us for more information about our managed services. Working with an MSP will give you reliable, high-quality IT services tailored to your business needs.

Computer Tips: The Right Anti-Virus Software for your Business

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It’s no surprise how important it is for businesses to keep their information secure. Regardless of your business size, you need to take the proper security measures to make sure your data isn’t compromised. Some companies like to invest in more expensive software protection, while others (such as small businesses) invest in cheaper software. Keep in mind that every business is different, and the security suitable for one establishment may end up being excessive for you and your company. With that said, what are some computer tips when choosing the right anti-virus software for your business?

For today’s computer tips, here are a few things to keep in mind.

As I briefly mentioned before, cost is an important factor when choosing the right anti-virus software for your business. It’s important to want your company protected, but don’t overdo it if you’re on a budget. This is especially true for those who own a small or medium-sized business. Larger companies typically can invest in more advanced security, since they usually have more resources available.

However, also check and see how well-known the security product is. Is it frequently used among other businesses? Does the product have a lot of reviews? If so, is the feedback positive? Believe it or not, not every anti-virus program can be trusted. In fact, some may be harmful programs in disguise. Always make sure the product you’re downloading can be trusted.

For more information, feel free to contact us today at Bluwater Technologies. We look forward to hearing from you.

Computer Tip of the Day: Avoid Data Obsolescence

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Are your older files safe? We’re talking here not about viruses or disk failure, but just not having software that can read the data any more.

This can make you lose important information.

Sometimes this happens because the only application that opens the files won’t run under the latest operating system. If the company that created the application went out of business years ago or abandoned it, you could be stuck with no way to open the files.

In other cases, the latest version of an application doesn’t support old versions of the format any more. Microsoft Office is a prime example. The current release can’t open the oldest versions of the Word format. With some format versions that aren’t quite as old, its default is to refuse to open them, but you can change that setting. The reason it does this is that some old file versions have known security risks, and a spammer might trick you into downloading a file that exploits the issue.

To avoid file obsolescence, you should periodically look at files that are in old formats. If you still need them, you can open them and re-save them as the latest version.

Another safety measure is to “print” files as PDF. PDF is a well-known, stable format, and it’s not going to become obsolete for many years. Old versions are fully compatible with new ones. You can’t edit those files, but at least you’ll always be able to read them.

It’s difficult to keep track of all your files this way, but you should review files which contain critical information at least once every couple of years and check if they’re in danger of becoming unusable. If they are, you can migrate them to a newer format while it’s still possible.

Bluwater Technologies offers IT services to keep all your data under control. Please contact us for more information.

Computer tip of the day: Virus Protection

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In today’s computer tip of the day, the topic of protecting your PC is at hand and we would like to touch on the importance of virus protection. Whether you are browsing the net, making purchases, doing a bit of online banking or exchanging emails — a quality virus protection software is a must.

There are hundreds of thousands of individuals all over the world who want something from you — and that something may be money, sensitive data or just to simply wreak havoc on your system.

Many hackers, unfortunately, accomplish this by sending out computer viruses through email attachments, download files, and false websites or advertisements.

What is a computer virus anyway?

There are numerous types of viruses out there on the worldwide web. Thus, the way in which they can affect your computer may vary. Nonetheless, a virus is something that is created by computer hackers all over the world, who ultimately want to do harm to your computer. Here are a few examples of what can happen in the absence of virus protection:

  • Send out unauthorized messages and information
  • Damage portions of the system
  • Steal personal data such as passwords, banking info, etc…
  • Slow down computer performance

Just like a person with a lowered immune system, your computer without virus protection system is just as susceptible to falling ill. Quality virus protection can be your first line of defense against any potential risks of attack. Below are some listed features to look out for in an antivirus program:

  • Real-time scanner
  • Webmail protection
  • Scheduled scans
  • Compressed file scanner

If you, unfortunately, think or know you may have contracted a computer virus, don’t hesitate to contact us today. We are more than happy to discuss removal options and how we can help you secure your network.