Six IT Changes to Watch For in 2016

The year 2016 will be a challenging one for CIOs and IT decision makers in the workplace as mobile and the cloud force them to adopt a more flexible information security model. As a result, 30 years of IT tradition are going to need to be overwritten and 2016 is the year that transformation is going to start. Here are six big IT predictions for 2016.

Battle between modern and legacy

Tension between mobile and desktop IT teams has been building for a while now. Windows 10 will act as a catalyst by allowing organizations the ability to adopt enterprise mobility management (EMM) solutions to secure the next generation of laptops and desktops. This will disrupt existing desktop operations and create tensions between mobile and desktop teams.

End-user identity issue

Microsoft and Google are the two big players when it comes to end-user identity. Both believe that identity is the basis for determining which services are provided. In 2015, Google didn’t support Google’s Android for Work initiative because it brought Google identity into the enterprise. Microsoft and Google are going to continue to do battle over end-user identity issues.

The OS vs. the hacker

The year 2015 saw a huge surge in mobile malware such as Stagefright, KeyRaider, XcodeGhost, and YiSpecter. Continuing into 2016, hackers will continue to find new ways to make apps appear “trusted.” As a result, Apple,  Google, and Windows will have to shut down untrusted ways of distributing apps to mobile devices such as side-loading.

Emerging IoT

The Internet of Things (IoT) will remain experimental for most of 2016 but expect by the end of the year to start seeing commercially useful IoT solutions. The biggest subset of IoT to watch in 2016 will be smart watches which will finally begin to reach its potential. As the first generation of apps is replaced by a second generation of better ones that make better use of the new form factor and interaction methods, the smartwatch market is going to explode.

Data sovereignty debate

When the European Court of Justice invalidated Safe Harbor in 2015, the data sovereignty debate came to a head. Scrutiny of cloud data will intensify going into 2016 and regulating bodies will debate various actions that might make it harder for cloud vendors to scale and innovate.

Neutrality is key

CIOs are going to begin to realize that neutrality is crucial for their mission. They will need to provide end-users with the best solutions rather than restricting choice otherwise the user community is going to seek out its own solutions.

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Source: bsminfo.com/doc/it-changes-that-will-bring-true-transformation-in-0001

What do CIOs and IT Management Expect from a Managed Service Provider?

IT decision makers team up with managed service providers (MSPs) for all kinds of reasons. But what is it they hope to get out of that partnership. A recent survey was sent out to discover what it is CIOs and IT decision makers hope to get out of a relationship with a managed service provider.

The top result was responsiveness and quick issue resolution with more than half (52%) of CIOs and other IT management reporting that nothing else was as important. The survey seems to suggest that the most important trait that a prospective managed service provider should have is good service delivery, the ability to quickly respond when there’s a problem. The same survey also revealed a few other interesting things about managed IT services and managed service providers. For instance, only 20% of respondents believed that regular communication between client and MSP was important. Here are some other findings from the survey.

Top three reasons that drive managed IT services use

The survey asked IT decision makers what it was that led them to partner with a managed service provider. The top response was a desire to become more efficient with 36% saying this was a factor. Right behind efficiency was the need to keep up with the increasing complexity of information technology with 34% reporting that this was a motivating factor.
Improving reliability and reducing the downtime of the network was the third most important factor with 32% reporting that this led them to use managed services.

Top three managed services

The most popular IT services offered in 2015, according to survey respondents were wireless service (88%), virtualization (81%), and managed services (79%). That managed IT is so high on the list is a good sign because it has grown significantly in recent years. Further down on the list in fourth place was security services (62%) though another 23% reported that they planned to use security services in 2016 suggesting that that’s an area that will see a lot of growth in the near future.

How businesses select a managed service provider

Finally, the survey revealed what it is IT decision makers look for when selecting a managed service provider. The most important factor businesses look for in an MSP is 24/7 support (46%) which really isn’t optional anymore in today’s world. A close second was the reputation of the managed service provider (40%) suggesting that one of the most important things an MSP can do is to form a good reputation by providing excellent service for current clients.

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Source: prnewswire.com/news-releases/whats-important-for-managed-service-providers-to-deliver-after-the-sale-300199508.html

Five Tips for Keeping your Customer’s Data Safe this Holiday Season

The holidays are upon us and while it’s important to keep your customer’s personal data protected all year round, it’s especially critical during the holidays when it’s at most risk of being stolen. In a recent survey of IT professionals, 75% said that their organizations were vulnerable to cyber-threats and man-made disasters or incidents. Additionally, 60% believed that their organizations weren’t investing enough in IT security.

Unfortunately, resources are usually pretty limited for small and midsized businesses (SMBs) and they can’t always afford the top of the line security measures needed to keep customer data safe. Fortunately, there are managed service providers who can handle the IT security needs for many SMBs for a fixed monthly cost that is more affordable.

Here are five ways that an MSP can assist your business in keeping customer data safe while being compliant with federal regulations.

Education

Managed service providers know a thing or two about IT security and all that knowledge can be passed on to you and your employees through a partnership with an MSP. They can discuss security dangers and teach you ways to minimize the risk of losing customer data.

Evaluate needs

MSPs have worked with numerous clients from numerous industries. They can assist you in determining what types of data need to be protected. They can help you to determine what your IT security needs are and what services you’ll need to be safe and secure.

Evaluate threats

An MSP can also help your business by regularly testing your defenses. By regularly running tests, they can determine how vulnerable your network is to a variety of cyber-threats such as malware, viruses, and other cyber-attacks. By helping you to evaluate threats, they can make sure those vulnerable areas are patched up.

Provide backup/storage solutions

Theft of customer data isn’t the only thing you have to worry about as a business owner. Human error, natural disasters, or equipment malfunction can also lead to lost data. In some cases, critical data loss could completely cripple your business and force you to close your doors. MSPs will encourage you to adopt online storage and backup services to make sure that your data is always backed up securely so you can recover important files if you ever need to.

Offer specialized services

MSPs can provide your business with a level of specialized service that no in-house IT team could offer. Because they work with so many clients, an MSP have entire teams of personnel that specialize in various aspects of IT including security and backup and storage.

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Source: mspmentor.net/managed-security-services/5-tips-protect-customer-data-during-holiday-season