Trending in 2020

1. The Internet of Things

The Internet of Things (IoT) has seen a huge rise throughout 2019 (with even the egg trays in the fridge having a WiFi connection) and it isn’t likely to slow down in 2020. According to research by Software Testing Help, by 2021 there may be approximately 20 billion connected smart devices on the planet. That’s over double the world’s population!

So, what exactly is an IoT device and should your business invest in any this year? The basic principle of the Internet of Things is the ability connect everything via the internet, allowing it to be controlled and monitored. You may in fact already have some IoT devices in your home or office, such as a smart speaker.

2. 5G

5G is already set to be one of the biggest technological changes in 2020, even at this early stage in the year. Spiceworks project that two thirds of large enterprises plan to deploy 5G technology by 2021. A full 5G upgrade will see the complete overall of the existing wireless data system into a newer, cheaper, more sustainable model. This global project has been subject to ongoing political debate over the companies involved and their jurisdiction over the networks. But what actually is 5G and how will it affect your business from this year onwards?

In a nutshell the completion of 5G’s installation means that, if all goes to plan, once the systems are fully in place and operational, mobile and fixed devices can become fully wireless.

3. Multi-cloud

While most businesses will be familiar with cloud computing, the IT trend set to sky rocket this year is multi-cloud. Essentially, multi-cloud is just that, multiple cloud services working in unison. Businesses can now incorporate private, public and hybrid clouds into their networks. A multi-cloud system is defined by Avi Networks as ‘the use of multiple cloud computing and storage services in a single network architecture.’ So, why adopt a multi-cloud strategy? The benefits include:

• Vendor lock-in avoidance
• Multiple cloud services
• GDPR compliance
• Resilience

4. Industry 4.0

You may have heard of Industry 4.0 but do you actually know what it means? Tech Radar defines it as “the growing combination of traditional manufacturing and industrial platforms and practices with the latest smart technology”. Industry 4.0, hailed as the fourth manufacturing revolution, can support automation and lead to better communication across sites.

Industry 3.0 saw the introduction of computers, but this new revolution is seeing computers working together and communicating with each other to work without human direction. This digitally connected network of machines is set to revolutionise the industry this year. Watch this space!

Troubling in 2020

While there are many exciting developments in the IT sector for 2020, there are also a number of challenges that businesses will face in the coming year . . .

1. Ransomware

We may have all heard of ransomware, but in the coming months ransomware attacks are set to rise. McAfee reported that in the first quarter of 2019, ransomware attacks grew by almost 120%. These shocking figures are only set to increase.

2020 has already seen ransomware attacks target schools, legal agencies and currency exchange firms. However, if businesses are proactive when a threat is identified and keep on top of staff training and updates, they will be in the best position to avoid an attack.

2. AI is a Target

More and more businesses are taking on artificial intelligence (AI) systems, and why not? From autonomous vehicles to smart speakers and chatbots, most of us will interact with artificial intelligence on a regular basis. However, with these fantastic developments comes enormous risk. There are a number of ways in which AI can be dangerous; as these new systems are developed, effective and reliable safety measures aren’t always available straight away.

While we can programme AI devices to help with day-to-day tasks, these devices can be manipulated to act in a dangerous way. These devices do not possess a moral compass as humans do, they are simply following their code. This makes AI devices a prime target for hackers and cybercriminals.

3. Skills Shortages

While there are so many incredible discoveries and advancements being made in the IT industry every day, many businesses are struggling to adopt these new technologies due to a lack of skills.

Edge estimated that in 2018 there were 600,000 tech vacancies in the UK alone, with that figure set to total one million in 2020. A lack of skilled professionals could lead decision makers to automate roles, removing the need for skilled individuals altogether. Look at ways your business can develop the skills of your existing staff as well as ways to inspire young people to get into the industry. A fantastic way to do this is through school visits, work placements, apprenticeships or mentoring schemes.

4. Data Privacy is Just as Vital as Ever

While GDPR will celebrate its second birthday in May 2020, data privacy and processing are just as important as they were two years ago. With all these amazing updates to technology and systems, companies will need to ensure new methods are compliant. Technology plays a crucial role in collecting, processing, storing, accessing and monitoring data. Any changes to these systems will need to be fully compliant. We are still seeing massive businesses being handed huge fines due to improper use, storage or distribution of data. It is estimated that, since its introduction, EU regulators have dished out fines worth £97.29m for GDPR related issues.

All things considered, 2020 is set to be a fantastic year for the IT industry. Yes, there are challenges to tackle, but with new developments come new problems that must be addressed – this has and will always be the case.

If you have any concerns about what 2020 hold for your business’s IT, get in touch with a member of our team here.

The post IT Trends and Challenges for 2020 appeared first on IT Support Services in Huddersfield, Yorkshire.

The year was off to a brilliant start from quarter one as we reported a growth of 39% compared with the same period last year, against projected annual growth of 32%.

This year we have provided and managed telephony and IT services for over 40 clients on retained monthly contracts. We also offer training programmes, and throughout 2019 we delivered a series of FOC Cyber Security awareness events for the third sector and commercial clients.

As well as offering our services, we were invited to become a member of the University of Huddersfield’s Manufacturing Supply Chain Advisory Group as well as joining the National Physical Laboratory’s Manufacturer Measurement Network. Of course, all of this kept us busy and enabled us to take on two new members of staff, increasing our workforce by 50% to a team of six.

2019 saw us installing a number VoIP systems for our clients, six of which were installed in the last six months! This is an increasingly popular service as more and more businesses are moving towards a fully connected, flexible model of working.

Always striving to uphold our ethos of honesty, integrity, knowledge and excellence, our customer service is top of our list of priorities. We are thrilled to have received an average 94.88% ‘good’ rating from our clients for the entire year! We also processed 11,128 helpdesk calls throughout 2019, advising and supporting our clients.

We strive to do our bit and give back to the communities we work in, so over the last 12 months we have gifted services to Holme Valley Mountain Rescue, setting up a wireless communication grid which is now used during rescues. We have also worked with Inspire Oldham this year, joining other businesses in sponsoring their volunteers, attending the National Diversity Awards in September.

In 2019 we embraced social media and communications, working with an agency to help tell our stories and communicate our message. Since January, we have posted 13 blogs, helping to increase web traffic and gain a total of 6,356 page views this year, with a 144% increase from January to December.

We also posted 294 times on social media. Across Twitter and LinkedIn we received a combined total of 67,609 organic impressions and 1,047 engagements.

We’ve had a fantastic year here at Probado and can’t wait to continue in 2020. If your business is looking to improve your IT support and cyber security in the new year, get in touch with our team.

The post 2019 Probado Business Growth and Successes appeared first on IT Support Services in Huddersfield, Yorkshire.

You may have heard a lot of talk about data centres, but what actually are they, can they benefit your business and are they really secure enough to process and handle your data?

What is a data centre?

How Stuff Works define data centres as ‘centralised locations where computing and networking equipment is concentrated for the purpose of collecting, storing, processing, distributing or allowing access to large amounts of data.’

There are generally two types of data centre, internet facing or enterprise. Internet facing data centres, also known as external data centres, typically support fewer applications but are accessible by a larger number of individuals. However, enterprise, or internal, data centres will have fewer users but support more applications.

How do they work?

Also called server farms, data centres are rooms or buildings comprised of multiple servers that host a range of applications needed to keep a business running. These include collaboration services, file sharing, email networks, firewalls and databases.

Data centres can house vast amounts of servers, even into the thousands. According to datacenters.com the largest data centre in the world is in China at 6.3 million square feet in size, which is equal to 110 football pitches.

All physical servers and components are stored in one location allowing them to be connected by cables and maintained in one secure place.

Data centres connect all these services to the user locations, allowing access to specific data and platforms across a company.

With more and more businesses moving to digitalisation and cloud-based services, data centres are having to expand and incorporate more servers, therefore taking up more physical space. However, the rise of cloud networks has presented increased, international cyber security risks, leading many to question if accessing data this way is really the safest option for their business.

How reliable and secure are data centres?

Protecting a data centre is essential with many becoming physical targets for hackers and thieves.

Naturally, having an external data centre with all these assets in one location presents a security risk, to both the intangible data and the physical servers. While the data centre can deploy firewalls and security programmes to the end user, just how secure are data centres themselves?

Most data centres will have round the clock surveillance, with security personnel present at all times. They will be accessible to a select few people, which, at more advanced sites, will require fingerprint, voice or DNA authentication to access control systems.

Data security and external data centres

Using an external data centre means that the servers will have increased, specialised physical security as well as allowing greater flexibility and growth potential for your business.

This method, known as colocation, where businesses outsource to professionally managed data centres, has a number of benefits, including improved data security.

As well as installing your own firewalls, antivirus and protection programmes throughout your network, external data centres will have additional, specialist measures in place to protect its clients’ data. By outsourcing your data centre, your business will benefit from professional expertise in both data security, physical security and GDPR compliance.

In the same way that cloud accessible data centres centralise data and applications, they also centralise security programmes. Managing all these attributes from a central location means that all security protocols and programmes can be deployed across the entire network from the main source. Many are opting for a security information and event management system (SIEM) to run throughout the data centre, offering a real-time view into the data centre’s position as well as allowing control throughout the network of cyber security procedures.

If you’re thinking about using a data centre for your business, get in touch with a member of our team here for advice on how to ensure your data is safe.

The post What are data centres and can they keep my information safe? appeared first on IT Support Services in Huddersfield, Yorkshire.

Technological advancements mean there are various data storage options available, whether on-premise or in the cloud. Each solution has advantages and disadvantages – so which storage solution is right for your business?

On-premise Solution

The term “on-premise” refers to local hardware, meaning all company data is stored on servers, computers and other devices within the company site.

One of the main advantages to on-premise solutions is the security, which is of critical importance today. According to a report by Risk Based Security, over four billion data records were compromised in 2016 alone.

Whilst no single method can ever be 100% effective at preventing breaches, storing data locally can help keep remote hackers out of a system.

Having said that, it is imperative that organisations implement safeguards to protect their on-premise device. A study conducted by the Ponemon Institute found that 59% of disgruntled employees will take sensitive data with them.

Many organisations remain reluctant to opt for on-premise solutions due to higher upfront and lifespan costs. Like all computers, on-site servers do not have an infinite lifespan and they will need to be serviced regularly.

Besides maintenance costs, on-premise storage solutions also come with some significant indirect costs. Their very nature requires them to be running constantly to ensure accessibility, which in turn has an impact on monthly energy bills, particularly for larger companies with more than one device.

Cloud Storage

Unlike on-premise storage, cloud services are remote servers or hardware maintained by a third-party provider. This provider will sell storage space, bandwidth and access requests to organisations, depending on company needs.

It is unsurprising that cloud data is almost always cheaper than on-premise solutions. By using cloud storage, an organisation can tailor its solution to suit its specific needs. If the organisation only requires 14TB of storage space, it can purchase that exact amount.

Most reputable cloud providers will allow companies to change their plans simply. At the touch of a button, organisations can add more space to a plan, or alternatively decrease storage, ultimately saving the company money.

Another benefit of cloud data storage is the ability to access data remotely at any time. When an organisation purchases cloud storage, it is given access credentials which can be used to access data via the internet, offering a great deal of flexibility.

A major drawback of cloud storage is the risk of security breaches. Unfortunately, remote servers are accessible by anybody at any time, leaving organisations without proper encryption open to cyber-attacks. In order to ensure safety, it is of high importance that companies ensure their systems are fully secured and only accessed by authorised members of staff.

Whichever solution you choose, it pays to talk to a professional who can help you decide the best solution to suit your business. For more information, drop us a line or, for more on online security, see our previous blog.

The post On-premise vs Cloud storage appeared first on IT Support Services in Huddersfield, Yorkshire.

Keeping on top of your data security means protecting digital information from unauthorised access such as that which occurs in a cyber-attack or a data breach.

Here are some tips on the issues that businesses should be aware of in order to protect their data in 2019.

Multi Factor Authentication (MFA)

With the proliferation of Cloud delivered services businesses should be using MFA to provide a second layer of authentication (usually a code to a device that you carry with you). This ensures the person accessing the service is who they purport to be.

Security Services

This includes devices such as web cams and CCTV. It might seem a contradiction to the prime function of such equipment but using them to ramp up your security can actually end up undermining it if they are being accessed from the internet, as this requires ports to be left open making them, in fact, more vulnerable.

Passwords

When it comes to data security, we often think of password strength, but the biggest issue here is apathy. Businesses often have confusing and sometimes unworkable password policies, requiring staff to change their passwords every time they sneeze! This leads them to use ever more memorable passwords, inevitably feeding the online databases that collect them.

Training

This is an often undervalued line of defence. No matter how good the IT security policies and devices a business has in place, if its staff are not aware of the dangers and how to avoid them, they are often the route in for cyber attackers. All too often, untrained staff ‘leave the keys in the door’.

General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)

Becoming GDPR compliant with an accreditation such as Cyber Essentials serves two purposes. It gives businesses and their staff the tools to get organised and manage some of the security risks with things like new starter and leaver procedures, breach logs and information on previous investigations which they can learn from. It also enables businesses to ensure their partners and suppliers are doing their part to keep data safe. Organisers should know what data they are sharing with suppliers and what the suppliers are doing with it – this can make all the difference in your defence against cyber-attack.

Backup

The need for a good, solid and reliable regular data backup cannot be over stressed. This is often the only way back from any data security issues such as ransomware or malicious data tampering.

The post Data security in 2019 – the good news and the bad news for business appeared first on IT Support Services in Huddersfield, Yorkshire.