The current pace of technology continues to pick up speed in the business and consumer communities, creating an even greater need for IT professionals to keep up with the certifications needed to manage these rising trends.  A role Axxys has played for quite some time with businesses has been to fill the “knowledge gap" for IT departments who do not have personnel designated to handle specific IT roles/needs. This requires Axxys to ensure that our technical team is focusing on areas that fulfill those needs. 

Below are several of the "roles" needed in today’s IT department:

IT Manager/Director

This is the "strategic" role of the IT department. This person is in charge of documenting workflow and business processes to align them with IT initiatives. All direction is driven from this position in accordance with other departments. Axxys uses and maintains a set of physical and logical documentation that is focused on the vision of a business’s IT department. From IT Recovery Plans to Business Process Workflows to Active Directory reviews, these pieces of information are needed to maintain and look at the strategic side of IT initiatives.

IT Security/Compliance Administrator

This role is used to fulfill the need for protecting your IT assets, as well as your proprietary information. It is important that each business establish an Acceptable Use Policy that is designed to protect your "information." This comes in the form of Internet use policies, mobile devices (including all smartphones and tablets), file level access to corporate data and client information, password protection/management, and many others. The important thing is that a policy is in place to hold employees accountable by and that it is updated at least twice a year or more should major changes occur.

IT Server Administrator

This role is as much reactive as it is proactive stretching from the management of user rights, folder/directories, print management,  and server log reviews.  From a proactive standpoint a server administrator should be concerned with physical checks on disk space management, processor and memory utilization, server operating system patching, backup management, and many other proactive checks on system resources. While there are software packages that allow for several of these tasks to be automated and alerts to be sent in the event of issues, Axxys still believes that physical checks need to be done monthly. It is simply good practice.

IT Desktop Administrator

This role is a very reactive role. When there is an issue the desktop administrator is called into action. He, or she, must be savvy on common end user software, end user mobile devices, virus/malware removal, basic local area and wide area networking, hardware diagnostics, print management, and many other issues. They are the interface between IT and the end user so naturally they will get a lot of requests and will need to be able to train end users on the functionality of the technologies being used.

IT Voice Administrator

This role should really be changed to "Communications Administrator." Over the last few years we have a seen a really big shift in how we communicate with each other within the workplace. From regular voice calls (land lines), video calls/conferencing, single number reach (simultaneous cell phone ring with business number), and integration with email systems, we are able to communicate in a number of new ways and determine which ones work best for the business. This is advancing quickly and requires quite a bit of knowledge across several different systems. Knowledge in networking, email systems, VPN connectivity, smartphones, video technology and many other tightly integrated areas.

Seem like quite a bit for one person or even one department? There are days when it is a monumental task simply maintaining the IT department, as well as the forward thinking that is required to keep it advancing. This is why it is very important to engage with an IT partner who has experience in leading edge technologies, relationships with top technology partners, and who has the core values of "education" and "certification" always at top of mind.

Axxys is that partner.

We are continuing to build out our offerings to meet the advancing needs of our clients. We are dedicated to educating our team, as well as clients in the technologies that are the building blocks for the long term business goals. Our resume is strong and I invite you to look at our certifications to see that we have the entire department covered from data to voice. "Interview Axxys" and see what role we can help fill in your IT department.

Yes, as you've doubtless heard umpteen times, even the smallest business is vulnerable to a PC or network security breach. But you can find some peace of mind simply by taking some preventive measures. Better yet, by taking action before an incident occurs.

IT consultants believe that the most effective data security policies are those that treat security not just as an IT problem but as an underlying business process. What good are firewalls, for example, if you don't have a way for trusted business partners to access your network from a remote location? How effective is a software patch management service if telecommuting employees who are rarely in the office aren't encouraged (or forced) to update?

Step one for any security strategy means getting your entire organization involved in the discussion. If you're an IT type, find yourself a champion who has line-of-business responsibilities; someone who understands your company's customers. If you know very little about technology but want to protect your company's most precious intellectual property assets, find someone who can approach the problem both tactically and strategically.

"You can't just put locks on the windows," says Rory Sanchez, president of SLPowers, a security consulting services provider in West Palm Beach, Fla. "You need locks on the doors, bars around the windows, a dog in the yard. And, just in case, you need a shotgun by the bed."

Five questions to guide your security soul-searching

Before his company even thinks about recommending specific products, it focuses on understanding potential customers' business concerns, says Ralph Figueiredo, director of sales and business development for Aurora Enterprises, a data security consultant in Torrance, Calif., says.

Here are five questions that Figueiredo requires his sales team to ask business prospects. They may help to provide a logical framework for your own security soul-searching.

1. Who are your customers and business partners?

For Figueiredo, this question serves two main purposes. First, it helps him understand which data is most critical. For a services company like Aurora Enterprises, customer records are its most valuable assets. A manufacturing organization, however, might be more concerned about safeguarding certain pieces of intellectual property or product information. By asking about business partners, Aurora can determine how "virtual" a company's business operations are. If a company relies on a large number of subcontractors who need network access to confidential information, the security architecture will take on a different shape.

2. How do you communicate information with customers and business partners?

This question helps gauge the sophistication of a company's IT operations as well as the flow of information throughout an organization. Are communications mainly relegated to e-mail exchanges? Or do customers and partners interact through online portals that require a password for entry? If so, what information is created and kept there?

3. Is your business in a regulated industry?

The ramifications of a breach of security are more severe for some business segments than others. In certain states, such as California, certain types of companies are required to disclose certain sorts of security breaches publicly. Figueiredo says most businesses are understandably eager to avoid this sort of publicity. "No company of any size can afford for 25% of their customers to go elsewhere," he says.

4. Does your company currently subscribe to a policy for physical/facilities security or any other access control guidelines?

The moment you block access to information, you have to list exceptions to the rule. If a small business has already considered a system for controlling physical access at its sites, this can serve as the foundation for a data security project. Your facilities manager (if this isn't you) can help identify pitfalls and benefits that may help better make your case with those within your company who may need extra convincing on the budget side.

5. Do you know where confidential data is stored?

In the past year, we've all read countless examples of respected companies who deployed extensive network security strategies, only to have valuable records walk away via lost or stolen notebook computers loaded with unauthorized information. This is, in part, an access-control problem. It also suggests a need for better data management policies, the foundation for any workable security plan.

Five ways to be proactive

1. Make sure hardware — especially firewalls, networks and IP telephone systems — is configured properly.

At a minimum, invest in a firewall and antivirus software that stops viruses at the gateway into the network.

How many times have you heard about an insecure wireless network that was secured simply by readjusting or turning on the basic settings? The same goes for setting up network servers and firewalls: Hire a technical person who can install them properly.

"A lot of security simply has to do with proper configuration," says Alex Zaltsman, partner and cofounder of Exigent Technologies, an IT consulting firm in Morristown, N.J.

"I think security concerns need to be part of every project you do in technology," echoes Kevin Geiger, manager of network integration for Acropolis Technology Group, another IT consulting services company in Wood River, Ill.

Acropolis offers a managed maintenance and monitoring service that does just this behind the scenes, keeping track of changes to all devices across the network including servers, desktops and laptops, and making sure updates for firewalls are handled promptly. The updates are tested in a lab setting before being dispatched at a client site, and changes are made at night so there is a minimal impact on the company's day-to-day operations.

Security breaches are easier to track this way. Consider the case of one Acropolis client who had his laptop swiped. Because the laptop could be monitored from a remote location using Acropolis's service, law enforcement officials were able to trace the alleged thief when he logged on to the Internet using the stolen computer. Kind of like the LoJack system for cars. "It's now possible to offer small businesses something that rivals what larger companies have," Geiger says.

2. Standardize your operating system.

It's simpler to manage your desktops and servers if they all have the same basic profile and software, rather than trying to keep up with a hodge-podge of different versions.

Zaltsman says it's less important to have the latest operating system, but it is vitally important that the operating system being run by a small business be supported by the manufacturer. "For small businesses, as a matter of practicality, Windows is really the easiest thing to maintain and secure. Having a qualified person work on it is really the best way to secure it," he says.

3. Invest in ongoing patch management procedures.

Of course, widely used operating systems are also those targeted most often by hackers who want to compromise your data security, infect your systems with all manner of malware such as viruses or spyware programs that capture information, or barrage your company with spam. Windows XP and Vista, by virtue of their installed base, are probably the most widely targeted operating systems.

No doubt, Windows 7 will be an attractive target for hackers. But Microsoft went to great effort to build security features into the new operating system.The company also offers a range of tools to protect your computers and network against the latest security threats.

4. Consider using "hosted" applications.

Although this option isn't necessarily for everyone, some small businesses are exploring the notion of making data storage-and by extension data security-someone else's problem by using application services and keeping software off their desktops. One example is e-mail. About 44 percent of small- and mid-size businesses handle messaging via a service, rather than their own server. Likewise, about 40 percent use a software service for customer relationship management, according to statistics from Forrester Research.

More software vendors, including Microsoft, now offer their applications as subscription services rather than packages you load onto your computer. "By opting for a service, you are offloading some of the risks," says Geiger. "In theory, these services have all the right stuff on the back end to be hosted securely."

5. Adopt an integrated approach to security technology instead of trying to plug holes one at a time.

Even if you can't invest in security products you'd like, it's best to consider individual components that work together well-from firewalls, encryption software and antivirus services to spam filters. That way, as you add different features over time, they won't mess up what's already installed. Those in the IT industry refer to this philosophy as unified-threat management. "When we recommend security products, we talk about a platform approach and we try to recommend things that work together," says Figueiredo.

One example is data encryption, which can be handled at many different junctures: in e-mail, on servers, on desktop and laptop hard drives. If a company invests in different point solutions to handle each piece, its overall protection will likely be less effective than if it had considered technology that addressed these problems in an integrated fashion.

Protecting Your Wireless Network
reprinted with permission from the HP Small Business Center

Why wireless security?

When you have a wireless network, you need to make sure it's kept secure. An unencrypted network presents the potential for security breaches.

Wireless technologies that provide long-range connectivity can't be contained within an office. When you use a network that's not secure, hackers could potentially "capture" the information you're sending back and forth. This means passwords, records, and more.

Isn't my network already secure?
With some older wireless technologies, like Bluetooth, access is limited by physical proximity to the corporate network. However, wireless technologies that provide long-range connectivity, such as 802.11n, can't be contained within an office space. That means anyone within range of a non-secure network can gain access.

What happens if I don't secure my network?
It may seem harmless to offer your network's access to outside users, but it's more than just letting people surf the Internet for free or accidentally send print jobs to your printer. There are actual hazards:

• Breach of privacy: When you use the Internet, you are sending "packets" of information back and forth. Hackers could potentially capture and open these packets. This means access to passwords, financial records, customer information, private data, and more.
• Slower access: Additional users on your network, especially those who may be downloading and uploading content, will slow down Internet access for all users.
• Illegal traffic: Unwanted users may access your network for illegal Internet activity. If this happens, you may be caught up in any legal action taken.
• Data usage overages: Many ISPs limit your monthly data usage. Unwanted users can cause your account to be in violation of those limits.

Basic wireless security: Encryption
When it comes to wireless security, encrypting your network is the most important security measure—it also may be the only measure you need. Whether sending confidential documents to the Internet or to your printer, encryption will scramble this information to outsiders.

What is encryption?
All of your wireless devices, including wireless printers, connect to your computer through your wireless router. When you encrypt your network, the information transmitted to and from your router is scrambled, making your network's information unreadable to outsiders.

How do I encrypt my network?
Encryption means creating a difficult network password, also known as an encryption code or passphrase. Note that there are many methods of encryption, though not all of them are secure.

Read on to learn which encryption methods are secure and how to create a strong password.

Types of encryption
There are many methods of encryption, though not all of them are secure.

• WEP (Wired Equivalency Privacy)
  This basic level of encryption isn't considered secure. Because some older wireless printers only support WEP, you may have to choose between lowering the level of security for your entire network to WEP and connecting your printer using an Ethernet or USB cable.
  
  You might also consider upgrading your printer. Remember, though, while using WEP is not encouraged, WEP encryption is better than no encryption.
  
  To create a WEP password: Make a case-sensitive password using 10-58 digits (use the numbers 0-9 and the letters A-F).
  
• WPA and WPA2 (Wi-Fi Protected Access)
  Created in response to WEP's weaknesses, WPA and WPA2 are the preferred methods of encryption, which use passwords and passphrases. What's the difference?
  
  A password is generally one grouping of letters, numbers, and/or punctuation without spaces. Example: p@ssw0rrd
  
  A passphrase is a string of grouped letters, numbers, and/or punctuation (almost like a sentence), including spaces, longer than anyone could reasonably remember. Example: +hI$ 1s An 3xAmpLe 0F @ Ba$iC pa$sPhRa$3!
  
  To create a WPA or WPA2 password or passphrase: Make a case-sensitive password using at least 13 characters, including upper- and lowercase letters, punctuation, and numbers. If using a passphrase, include spaces.
  
  Tip: By including spaces, a passphrase is much harder to break than a password. There are many online sites that can generate random passwords for you.