• Secure Network Design on Long Island – One Size Doesn’t Fit All

    Secure Network Design on Long Island – One Size Doesn’t Fit All

    In order to run the most efficient business possible, you need to have certain things working in your favor. You need to take care of everything that is in your control, and your network – which can mean modems and routers to ransomware security and IT support – is essential to the efficiency of your business. And, thankfully, your network design is something that you have total control over. However, having a secure network design spans a wide range of items and unless you are in the IT business, you will not be able to design your own network. This is where Hi-Tek Data comes in. If your business is located anywhere in the Tri-State area – Connecticut, New Jersey, Long Island or New York City – let Hi-Tek Data help you design an effective and sensible network.

     

    What is Secure Network Design?

    Network design is the process of implementing and managing everything from your hardware to your software, your wifi connections, IT support, and digital marketing needs. A secure network design will map out and implement a digital infrastructure that works for your business. Especially in today’s environment, your business needs to be taking advantage of modern technology. You may think your business is running just fine, or that changing things up may do more harm than good, but you need to think again. Your business can be totally revitalized with an effective, secure network design.

     

    What Can Hi-Tek Data Offer You?

    Some IT businesses will offer the same network design to many of their clients. After all, similarly-sized businesses in similar niches probably need a similar network design. However, this is not the philosophy of Hi-Tek Data. At Hi-Tek Data, we are firm believers in providing a unique, tailored approach to provide your business with the most secure network design possible.

     

    The Best in Cybersecurity

    By working with Hi-Tek Data, you will have access to an extremely secure network design. With our CISO Services, Risk Assessments, Ransomware Security, and Staff Security Training, you will be able to leverage the best in cybersecurity in a way that is feasible from both a financial and security perspective. 

     

    IT Services

    Instead of hiring a new IT department, or hiring someone to train them on new methods and procedures, you can simply outsource your IT needs to Hi-Tek Data. This way, you will not need to worry about hiring new employees and re-training them. Instead, Hi-Tek Data will offer your business with the most up to date technologies – on both a hardware and software level. 

     

    Additional Services

    In addition to cybersecurity and IT services, Hi-Tek Data can offer even more to your business in the way of a secure network design. We can help install hardware – like cabling your office and setting you up with routers and modems, which will ensure that your business has access to fast and reliable high-speed internet. Also, we can even assist you in installing security cameras and computer and printer repair. 

    Whatever your vision is for your business, Hi-Tek Data can get you there. Our team will work with you to tailor a secure network design that is cost effective. For over 30 years, Hi-Tek Data has been providing Connecticut, New Jersey, Long Island, and New York City businesses with the IT support and the secure network design that they need. Contact us today to see how we can help you.

  • 7 Tips to Help You Find Professional, Reliable IT Services

    7 Tips to Help You Find Professional, Reliable IT Services

    Finding reliable IT services can be daunting. After all, the IT company you outsource to will have access to your most sensitive information, control over how your technology functions, and the security to protect both your technology and your data. You want to make sure that you are in reliable hands because you have a business to run, and you should not be hassled with also maintaining your IT services – which clearly is a job in itself. So, what should you look for in an IT service provider when you’re looking for reliable IT services?

    A Company that Stays Current

    As you may have already recognized, technology moves fast – faster than any amateur can keep up with it. And for that matter, some professionals too. Not all professional IT services stay with the times – they can get complacent and tell their client that they do not need to update their operating system, or whatever the latest iteration or innovation is. You’ll want to make sure that when you’re looking for reliable IT services, you partner with a company that stays up-to-date with the latest technology and threats. Hi-Tek Data stays current and can make sure that you are, too.

    Experience Level

    It goes without saying how important experience is. Without it, how can a company trust you? Experience is the cornerstone of trust and reliable IT services. And Hi-Tek Data has been in the industry for over 30 years, helping Long Island, New Jersey, Connecticut, and New York City businesses – both small and large – have the reliable IT services that they need.

    Comprehensive Services

    When you hire an IT Service, you want to make sure that they can handle anything that comes their way. You do not want to have to hire additional help, or worse yet, not have complete confidence in their capabilities. You want an IT Service that is proficient in all the relevant cloud programs, relevant laws and regulations, and understands the latest threats and protections in cybersecurity. You want an IT Service that can do it all – and that is exactly what Hi-Tek Data does.

    Core Values

    Whenever you enter into business with someone, you want to make sure that you have compatible beliefs and outlooks. You do not want to enter into a business with someone who does not share a similar outlook. By looking at a business’s core values, beliefs, or mission statement, you can get an idea of what doing business with them might look like.

    Social Media

    What do their social media accounts look like? Do they even have social media accounts? By checking in on their LinkedIn or Facebook, for example, you can get a deeper understanding of what type of work they do, and if it fits your business’s needs. A company’s social media accounts will also help you understand what that IT service values.

    What do other businesses use?

    Ask other colleagues and businesses in the industry and see what reliable IT services they have found. Word of mouth reference is something that will never go away – no matter how advanced technology gets. 

    Check Online Reviews To Find Reliable IT Services You Can Trust

    Are there Yelp or Facebook reviews about the company? Anything on Google? Most companies leave some sort of footprint behind – poke around on the internet and see if you can find any reliable IT services. In most cases, there will be at least a star-rating available for the business.

    Over the past 30 years, Hi-Tek Data has proven itself to be a reliable IT service provider. Hi-Tek Data has been helping many businesses, of all sizes, across the Long Island, New Jersey, Connecticut, and New York City area. If you need a strong IT service, look no further than Hi-Tek Data. Contact us today to find out more.

  • Why the Break/Fix Support Model Doesn’t Work

    The break/fix IT support model has been around for as long as businesses have been using technology for day-to-day operations. Maybe you’re working with a managed service provider (MSP) who takes a break/fix mentality to your IT needs, or your team hasn’t yet moved to a more proactive service model. Either way, a break/fix approach to your technology needs only ends up restricting your business’s success in the long run. Here’s why.

    What is a Break/Fix Support Model?

    A break/fix service model is when an IT provider only delivers services on an as-needed basis. The name came from the idea that when something broke, an IT provider would be called to fix it. Using this model, your IT provider only performs services as required to sustain normal network operations. These services generally include repairs, upgrades, installations, component replacement, and network management.

    Once things are up and running, however, the IT services provider takes a hands-off approach to your organization’s daily technology needs. At that point, it’s up to your team to handle network operations, and you only call them when you need their help. As a result, you only pay for IT services when or if they’re required.

    When planning IT expenses, many businesses are looking for ways to cut technology costs. This goal often leads companies to adopt a break/fix mentality, since they don’t have to spend any money on their IT until they have to. While this mentality can save you money today, it can end up costing you more tomorrow should anything involving your network go awry.

    Break/Fix vs. Managed Services

    The alternative to a break/fix service model is the managed service model. With managed IT services, customers pay a fixed amount for IT services each month. This model allows an IT partner to take a more hands-on approach to your technology platform with comprehensive services that continually optimize and protect your network. When things go wrong, you know exactly who to call, and you often don’t have to pay anything out of pocket other than the monthly fee to cover repairs and other network problems. Managed IT providers design their services to end up saving you money in the long run by protecting you from surprise IT costs and network downtime.

    How a Break/Fix Model Limits Business Success

    You may be thinking, “Why spend money on technology today when I could save it for tomorrow?” The answer: taking a break/fix approach today ultimately ends up costing you more tomorrow. Here’s how:

    Support Constraints

    When something goes wrong with a break/fix IT service model, and your network goes down, your team’s productivity is immediately impacted. From there, you have to call your IT provider and explain the problem to them. Depending on their availability, they’ll then have to schedule to send someone out. Since your network likely isn’t their top priority, that may take hours or even days. All of that network downtime results in lost revenue, missed opportunities, and unsatisfied clients. Why not avoid the hassle with the 24/7 monitorization offered by a managed IT partner like Hi-Tek?

    Unpredictable IT Expenses

    One of the goals of a managed service plan is to deliver a sustainable, predictable monthly budget for your IT needs. This spending plan not only makes planning IT expenses simpler—it also protects you business from surprise expenses when something goes wrong. And if you can’t afford the cost of a repair or replacement at that time, how can you restore normal network operations?

    Poor Network Performance

    A managed service provider continually looks for ways to leverage the latest technology and optimize network performance. With a break/fix IT platform, however, network performance and reliability either become static or worse over time as network demands increase. Poor network performance quickly leads to disgruntled employees, unhappy customers, and reduced productivity.

    An Unreliable Network

    On top of performance, a break/fix service model also leads to a less reliable network. An MSP works with you to identify ongoing upgrades and replacements to minimize the chance of a network outage or disruption in the first place. With break/fix services, you’re left to guess if or when your network will go down to make those necessary repairs.

    Break Away from a Break/Fix Model with the Long Island IT Support Specialists

    At Hi-Tek Data, our managed IT services are designed to help you break free from the restrictions of a break/fix mentality. We work with you to make your IT needs a predictable monthly expense while ensuring your technology never limits business growth. Contact our experts today to start exploring how much more you can expect from a long-term Long Island IT provider.

  • How A Managed IT Service Provider Can Help Your Business

    What can a managed IT service provider do for your company? Won’t you save money by using a break-fix model for your IT asset management and problem management? After all, if everything is working, it doesn’t need to be improved, right? Wrong. Partnering with a managed IT service provider can be more cost effective than the break-fix model. 

     

    Here are several reasons for adopting the managed service provider (MSP) model for your business’s IT management.

    Benefits of Using a Managed IT Service Provider

    A Wide Range of Customizable Services

    When you partner with a managed service company, they should be able to offer your business a wide variety of service options for you and your colleagues to choose from. For instance, if you partnered with us at Hi-Tek Data, you could choose our virtual server and network design  services, while another client might select security awareness training and hosted VoIP for their company. 

    A managed security service provider can focus specifically on network and cybersecurity, if that’s what you want your IT service management (ITSM) to center on. Managed services allow you to customize your IT management to fit your business’s needs. 

    Proactive Service With Updates and Upgrades

    One great benefit of using a managed service provider for your ITSM processes is that they can give you the ITSM tools to improve your IT operations. For instance, your provider can offer you structured cabling if they notice that your business would benefit from it. They can also help you manage your data centers if you have them or upgrade your network to cloud-based services so that you no longer need a physical data center. 

    How can your company afford to pay for all of these upgrades and updates? Unlike the break-fix model, where you pay for a specific set of repairs, businesses pay for managed IT services through a monthly fee or through a per service/per device pricing model. 

    When you pay a managed service provider’s fees, you are paying to maintain a professional relationship with them that lets you access their services. The upgrades, updates, and other improvements can be included in these pricing models. Rather than waiting for something to break and paying high prices to update your network, you can pay as you go and receive these improvements bit by bit. This proactive service model allows you to keep your network up to date instead of waiting for it to become out of date and then have it fixed and upgraded.

    Access to Business Continuity Planning (BCP) and Disaster Recovery Services

    Sometimes the worst happens, and it can put your network and your business out of commission for weeks if not months. Whether you face a ransomware attack or a natural disaster, you will want a partnership with a managed service provider when disaster strikes. 

    An MSP can help you develop a business continuity plan that will determine how your business will recover in the long run after a disaster occurs. BCP includes determining which systems are most critical to getting your business up and running again and which ones can be restored after the critical systems are back online. 

    Disaster recovery is one aspect of BCP, and it focuses on reviving those critical systems so that your business experiences minimal downtime. Your MSP will help you put these incident management plans in place, and they can help you recover in the aftermath of a disaster. 

    Managed Staff Support Services

    When you partner with an MSP, you don’t have to get rid of all your in-house IT staff. Instead, you can take advantage of managed staff support services that augment your in-house staff with temporary staff from the provider. The provider’s staff can work with your IT staff and show them how to improve their processes and implement new solutions. 

    Then, when the provider’s staff members leave, your IT staff members will retain the knowledge and skills that they gained during that period. When you take advantage of these support services, you can help your IT staff improve while implementing new processes and solutions for your business.

    Managed IT Services for NYC and Long Island

    When you search “managed IT services near me,” you should consider Hi-Tek Data for your new MSP. Contact us today if you are interested in the managed services we offer.