Learn from an IT Services Company in Austin, TX About the Top Tech Trends for 2022

Efficiency. Automation. Evolution. As our world becomes ever more digitized, these three words are critical for every technology trend that arises. For businesses, non-profits, and healthcare practices alike, advancements need to be seen in order to remain productive. However, there may not be anyone on your in-house team that is highly knowledgeable about IT. This is exactly why it is so important to hire managed IT services in Austin, TX.

Having someone beside you that can keep your organization in the loop about innovative technologies will only continue to be important. Not only will a managed IT service provider be among the first to know about this progress, but they will manage the tech for you. They follow IT best practices to keep your organization agile. Let’s dive into ten of the top tech trends that you need to know about this year.

Cloud-Native Platforms

Organizations across the world are incorporating the cloud into their IT strategy. Already, it is transforming operational models. The technology of cloud-native platforms enables users to build resilient application architectures. These automated, container-driven applications can be run in public, private, and hybrid clouds. Developers and operational teams have a greater opportunity to collaborate this way. By building on a cloud-native platform, you can even optimize the lifecycle management of your application, easily responding to digital change.

Artificial Intelligence (AI)

AI dates back to the 1950s. Because of the longevity of the concept, we have seen incredible advances through the decades, making it one of the most consistently evolving technologies. Natural language processing, in particular, has made big moves. This is a branch that helps computers be able to better understand human language. AI has changed the landscape of IT services in Austin, TX because of the automation technologies available today. They make infrastructure management even more precise and efficient.

Adoption of 5G Technology

When 5G was announced approximately three years ago, it was met with a considerable amount of worry. People believed that it was going to have health effects, and may have even been the cause of the pandemic. Ultimately, the conspiracy theories came from baseless claims. In fact, 5G technology is expected to revolutionize our day-to-day lives. 4G had brought us better bandwidth, better streaming capabilities, and better data-driven services. But 5G offers data speeds at approximately 100 times higher. That means we can expect data transfers to only become more seamless.

Quantum Computing

Computing power is the ability of a computer to effectively perform. When it comes to quantum computing, the computing power is exceedingly faster than traditional computers. It could even reach one trillion times the power of modern supercomputers. Billions of dollars from major companies like Google have gone toward research and development for this technology. Commercial quantum computing is slowly coming into reach. Some of the ways that it will be able to help businesses is through problem-solving, forecasting, pattern matching, and even medical research.

Emphasis on Telehealth

One of the specialties of professional IT services in Austin, TX is telehealth services. Because these involve monitoring, evaluations, and diagnoses, breakthroughs in telehealth have resulted in improved predictions and interactions between physicians and patients. With machine learning algorithms, there is now better control over treatments at every level. The pandemic has caused the world of telehealth to boom, with more and more patients embracing it. Alongside the advancements in medical robotics and AI-powered virtual assistance, we can expect the continued growth of support and guidance through telehealth.

Internet of Things (IoT)

Consumers are benefitting from the IoT in so many ways. For instance, we are able to lock up the doors to our offices straight from our smartphones. This goes hand-in-hand with physical security, which is another IT service in Austin, TX. Having extra ways to monitor and secure your place of business means that your on-premise technology can experience greater protection. But, as we look at forecasts, it is clear that this is only just the beginning for IoT devices. Increased network agility and the integration of AI will accelerate the improvements we see in these devices.

Augmented and Virtual Reality

AR and VR both involve manipulating how we see the world around us. Where the former enhances the environment, the latter immerses us in it. In 2022, there is going to be a greater push for extended reality capabilities. The healthcare industry, in particular, will see VR in remote inpatient and home-based care. Patients will be able to educate themselves on their own health by easily monitoring their vitals. Businesses will also enhance their training sessions and make conferences more accessible.

Rise of the Metaverse

At the end of 2021, Facebook’s CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced their rebranding as Meta. With this, he officially brought their focus on the metaverse to light in a new version of the internet. The metaverse is a digital world that combines physical and virtual reality. It is described as being a place to “socialize, learn, collaborate, and play” in never before seen ways. Essentially, it offers a life outside of our own that utilizes blockchain technology to own virtual assets.

3D Printing

An additive manufacturing process for bringing digital models to life, 3D printing is fundamentally different from traditional techniques. Although it has been around since the 1980s, automated processes are still relatively new. They are more complex than the traditional techniques of manufacturing, with robot technology and machine computers. Mass-produced customized pieces are expected, as well as the creation of composite materials. The potential is growing across medical, automotive, and aerospace industries.

Smart Security

Leveraging layered cybersecurity architectures in the modern day is extremely critical to the success of any organization. This is yet another thing that IT services in Austin, TX can easily implement into your strategy. Smart security deals with both the physical and digital space. Your networks are able to be monitored in real-time, with more impressive guarding capabilities. Public key infrastructure (PKI), multi-factor authentication (MFA), and AI are being adopted at a fast pace. The reliance on conventional passwords is also shrinking as biometrics take over.

How are these transformative technology trends going to impact you? The answer to this will differ between industries and specific organizations, on account of the fact that you have unique needs that your neighbor doesn’t. When you decide to work with IT services in Austin, TX, you will be able to better understand which innovations best fit you. Regardless of what you end up with, the future is going to oversee enhanced protection, monitoring, and control. 

Are Remote Desktop Support Services Right for Your Business?

Working from home, or even from hundreds of miles away, can be a big transition for some teams. Especially after the introduction of COVID, figuring out the best way to go remote has been critical for many types of businesses. But it can be simple with the help of remote desktop support. It’s convenient, fast, and secure. Both you and your employees should feel confident about accessing the contents of your work computer from anywhere else in the world. Keep reading as we explain the IT solutions that remote desktop support services provider to give you peace of mind.

How Does Remote Desktop Work?

Rendered to access a specific device from another device, remote desktop support delivers access to network resources, files, and applications. All you need is a connection to the internet. Whether it be desktop, mobile, or virtual machine, this access is as if you were working on the local system, making the exchange of data run smoother. Remote desktop software captures your mouse and keyboard inputs, then sends them to the host machine. No additional hardware is needed to link the user to the server, but you may require additional software if your tasks have heavy use of graphics.

Quick Tip: Don’t trust just any stranger to access your computer remotely! Only your trusted IT service provider and internal IT employees should manage this important service.

The rise of technology and globalization has resulted in the perfect environment for cyberattacks to occur. Cybercrime is a major concern for any business, so you need to be proactive with detection and mitigation. With remote desktop support services, you can streamline cybersecurity processes by safeguarding your network. This solution will also adhere to compliance standards, such as with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) or the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS), to protect your customers and business at large.

Benefits of Using Remote Desktop Support Services

There are two primary issues that remote desktop support solves—remotely accessing files on a local network and eliminating problems with bandwidth. With file access, the IT team is capable of making all corporate applications available. Cybersecurity vulnerabilities are reduced because the data never leaves the corporate confines. With bandwidth, issues are restricted to the user interface. This means that, if an employee is working from home, they don’t have to send the data back to corporate servers.

With remote desktop support services, IT teams can more easily apply fixes for hardware and software issues on another device. It’s a more flexible way to work and provides employees with on-demand IT service. You simply have to contact your managed IT services provider, who will have network techs available 24/7. Having access to professionals, regardless of if they are in-house or outsourced, will inevitably increase your productivity. When you are not having to troubleshoot your computer issues, you can stay focused on your primary job roles.

What About Remote Desktop Environments?

Microsoft Windows offers Remote Desktop Service (RDS), which is a platform for building virtualization solutions. It lets users remote in to another computer or into their employer’s network. Within the virtualization environments, you have the flexibility to deploy applications that your users need in a secure way. With desktops, your users get the full experience. This is ideal for those that rely on computers as their main workstations. Alternately, RemoteApps are ideal for managing key applications to make them appear local. Then, users can customize for their own desktops. With RDS, you can easily leverage the Windows Server to drive your users’ daily workloads.

Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) and Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDIs) come with their own benefits and disadvantages. With VPNs, in particular, users can connect to a private office network from their desktop through the internet. To do this, they implement an encrypted tunnel that enables the machine to run as if it was in the office. It is a familiar technology to many in-house IT teams. However, because they rely on the client, you are limited with the devices you can use a VPN on. Remote desktop services are a great solution when it comes to performance, maintenance, and cost. That being said, the service you should use depends entirely on your business’s budget and needs.

As businesses continue to send their employees to work outside of the office, they need to find secure ways to share their files. This is a benefit of setting up the remote desktop environment for clients. With regard to security, performance, and monitoring, businesses of all sizes benefit from having remote desktop support services.

5 Benefits Your Organization Gets From Using IT Infrastructure Management Services

 In recent years, IT has become much more powerful. Consumers have a higher expectation of what IT has to offer, making it important for your organization to have strong IT infrastructure management services. Your organization’s IT infrastructure consists of its computers, servers, and data, just to name a few things. The scope of managed services, on the other hand, lean into the administering and maintenance of security, storage, and networking. At the end of the day, the most significant aspect of allyship between your organization and IT infrastructure management services is goal completion. Let’s discuss some of the advantages that these professional services will bring.

Streamline Your Daily Functions

Automation and cloud technologies are no longer optional. In fact, your organization will fall behind if it isn’t reinvented with these core components. By outsourcing your IT services, you acquire the expertise surrounding these technologies and gain back time for your internal staff. They can then focus on business strategy while your IT team covers the updating and hardening of your servers. Having someone to manage your IT infrastructure enhances performance by simultaneously maintaining predictability and anticipating future needs. No longer will downtime be a major issue. Instead, your service provider will act as a hero behind the scenes to monitor and support your devices and networks.

Optimize IT Investments

IT infrastructure management services should be proactive at every level. After all, they aim to save your organization time and money by applying IT best practices. This means that you no longer have to make the decisions about and handle the maintenance of tools, personnel, and processes on your own. Your service provider has the responsibility of choosing the optimal software and hardware, per your budget. Outside of IT infrastructure monitoring, a couple of examples of services consist of updating schedules and documentation protocols to fulfill your investments. At a fixed monthly rate, you are capable of reducing overhead as your system works more efficiently with the advanced methodologies.

Meet Your Organization’s Demands

The scalability of your IT infrastructure is critical to your organization’s success. Your service provider will work alongside you to maintain growth without sacrificing quality. Customized solutions allow your organization the liberty of deciding the tasks that are needed from outsourcing. For instance, you may appreciate the opportunity to shift the burden of compliance. Organizations are expected to meet lawful standards regarding security and reporting. When placed in the hands of your service provider, you get well-established frameworks to achieve online safety that will fulfill any such requirements.

Receive Consistent Support

Technology problems can occur even when you are off the clock. The same goes for threats to your network. IT infrastructure management services provide you with 24/7 support so that you can receive a quick turnaround when something goes wrong. It is impossible for organizations without teams dedicated to IT infrastructure management to predict disasters. This results in them solely having a reactive approach. Understand that this could cost you, in regard to both money and reputation. Partnering with an organized, ever-available service provider will, alternately, mitigate risks from the beginning and provide quick response times toward compromised systems.

Leverage the Latest Technology

Service providers are always on top of the trends in technology. Because it isn’t practical to frequently upgrade your IT infrastructure, your well-funded service provider will integrate the latest tools and techniques into your strategy. Instead of having to get quotes with high up-front costs, they immediately provide these resources to you. Examples include web filtering, vulnerability scans, and inventory management. You also won’t have to continuously train new internal staff members. By combining specialized engineers, virtualization, and cloud-based capabilities, you can keep your IT infrastructure protected and efficient.

When your organization takes on IT infrastructure management services, it is backed by certified providers with years of experience. They are able to create a strategic plan that aligns with your goals and budget. Work with a service provider that offers agile procedures so that you can experience the most positive impact on your in-house performance, on top of the satisfaction of your customers.

Managed IT Service Providers: Edge Computing

With IoT devices and 5G wireless services, the case for edge computing seems to be growing and growing. Edge computing is driven by these new devices that come up, but what is it exactly?  Read on as we dive into what edge computing is and its advantages being utilized by managed IT service providers.

What is Edge Computing?

IBM defines edge computing as “a distributed computing framework that brings enterprise applications closer to data sources.” Data is processed by a local computer/server or the device itself instead of a data center as used in cloud computing. Edge computing takes away the factor of latency issues that can ultimately cause issues in application performance.

Edge computing was developed out of the implementation of the 5G network and the growing presence of IoT devices in recent years. IoT devices use large amounts of data, and the network transporting that data needs to have the bandwidth to be able to operate. Edge computing aids in that bandwidth, as well as allows the use of certain features that an advanced digital framework requires.

What is the difference between Edge Computing and Cloud Computing?

Edge computing is a newer program that essentially shifts the computations to the edge of the network -it is moved as close to the source as possible. Cloud computing is where the data is generated and gathered from multiple locations and moved into a centralized cloud.

Cloud computing can be easier when processing data at scale. However, in situations where there is limited access to the internet or the data cannot have an off-site transfer, edge computing can come in handy.

Edge computing is not a replacement for cloud computing, though. It is simply an extension of cloud computing. Cloud computing is located at the center of the network while edge computing is at the network’s perimeter. Edge and cloud computing work best hand-in-hand.

Advantages of Edge Computing

The main advantage of edge computing is the reduced risk of outages in the network and delays in the cloud. Edge computing can also provide better management of data, lower connection costs, reliable connection, and great security practices. These improvements in speed, security, and reliability at a low cost make edge computing a great potential asset for your company.

The Future with Edge Computing

Over the next few years, edge computing will continue to grow. Technology continues to evolve, and the criteria each company needs continues to adapt. Things like IoT, 5G, AI, and cloud computing have become invaluable services in our technology world today, all of which is complemented by computing.

If you would like to learn more about edge computing, contact your managed IT service provider.

What Do Managed IT Service Providers Do?

 

Many businesses have IT services because it is becoming essential. There are outsourced as well as in-house services that companies have the option of using. Even though IT services are everywhere, do you know what we do for companies? Read on as we explain what IT services are and what we do as a managed IT service provider.

What Is a Managed IT Service Provider?

A managed IT service provider is a third-party company that provides technical services to companies to monitor and manage their IT infrastructure. The services that are provided depend on the package you choose. There are many different terms used to describe them; however, they are essentially the go-to for anything technical within your company.

What Do They Do?

The job of IT services includes a variety of different tasks and skills. Here are a few services that are provided with IT services:

·        Remote Desktop / Office support

·        Cybersecurity

·        Network Monitoring

·        Maintenance

Services vary on the packages that are chosen from the provider. They are customizable to meet the needs of your business, no more and no less. Each business is different, so specifically what managed IT service providers do is monitor and manage your network; however, they can do more if that is what you require.

Is Outsourcing Beneficial?

Outsourcing a managed IT service provider has many benefits. Not only is it cost-effective, but your company can focus on the core business rather than just the technical. These providers are highly skilled professionals that can help with any technical advance or issue that arises.

Having the right people to take care of your network is important. Your business is precious and having the very best watching over it can bring some ease to your mind, knowing that any issue and update will be taken care of by professionals that have been extensively trained.

How Do I Choose the Right Company?

This is a very important question to ask when looking for a managed IT service provider. Before answering that question, your company must evaluate what is needed out of a provider. Define the goals and expectations that you have for them. After those are defined, working with a personable company is important. Being able to talk to multiple people to fix an issue at any given time will come in handy.

That is why at TXSG we pride ourselves on providing team-based service to our clients. We believe that having a trusting relationship with our clients is essential to provide services for our clients to thrive. If your business is looking for a managed IT service provider, contact us and let us know how we can help your business got to the next level. 

Data Loss, Explained by A Managed Cloud Service Provider

 

Backing up your data can seem trivial when everything is going smoothly. However, if a system crashed or the power went out in the middle of a project, it can become a very big problem. Especially for startups, backing up your data is an essential part of your network.

According to a 2019 study, 1 in 5 small businesses close when they experience an attack by malware. When a cyberattack happens to a startup or small to medium businesses (SMBS), the recovery is very costly in time and money. Read on as we explain what the real cost is of not having data backed up and how you can utilize managed cloud service providers to prevent shutdowns.

What is the financial cost of data loss?

The average cost of data loss fluctuates by the year. A study done in 2018 by IBM shows that in 2018, the average global cost per data breach incident was around $3.9 million. Recovery costs can be significantly higher or lower depending on the amount of time passed between the initial breach and resecuring your network.

In 2021, the average cost rose almost 10% from $3.9 million to $4.2 million. This is the highest average cost of data breaches in 17 years.

Downtime due to data loss can, also, provide financial loss. When your network has been breached, the company’s normal operations come to a complete stop. Depending on the company’s size, there can be a loss of thousands of dollars per hour if the network is offline.

What is the non-financial cost?

Losing data can cause a major loss in money; however, there can be additional non-financial consequences as well, such as in the case of a network halt. There can be a stop in production which can affect productivity, reputation, and push out of product.

Service interruptions can cause users to be irritated and can damage loyalty. The reputation of the business is vital. Especially with social media these days, a small negative interaction can cause a large pushback.

What factors can cause the loss of data?

Several different factors can cause the loss of data. Every business is different and there will not be the same cause across each business. Here are a few common causes:

-        Failed Power

-     Accidental / Intentional Data Removal

-    Network Malfunction

-      Natural Disasters

-      Hacking / Malware

-       Theft

What can be done to prevent data loss?

Data loss can be prevented by having backup services in place. Many companies benefit from using managed cloud service providers to set up a cloud to back up data. These services can provide cybersecurity as well as extra storage just in case your companies network shutdown or is compromised. This is what we provide with our Bright Cloud Private Cloud Hosting Service. Contact us today to learn how to secure your data. 

How to Get the Most Value Out of Your MSP Services

Managed service providers (MSPs) offer a lot of value to enterprises that are otherwise unable to carry out IT-related activities on their own. Many MSPs provide multiple types of solutions, so it is important that you and your provider are both aware of the scope of the services you will receive. A service level agreement (SLA) is designed to just that, as it is essentially a contract that outlines the details of the ongoing services that an MSP will perform for your company. That said, just because an SLA exists does not mean that you are taking full advantage of everything your MSP services have to offer. Read on as we discuss a couple ways to get the most value from your contract.

Cut Out the IT Middleman.

Businesses that are accustomed to a break-fix model prior to leveraging MSP services are often used to an arrangement where they have an internal employee screening each IT issue before it is handed over to the provider. This is because using the break-fix model means that every single time the provider is contacted, it costs the organization money. This mindset can act as a hindrance when businesses switch over to managed services if the appropriate changes are not made. In fact, routing tech problems through someone internally first as opposed to directly engaging an MSP can delay the MSP’s response, thereby preventing the company from maximizing the value of their contract. 

Part of your MSP’s job is to identify IT-related subjects that your team might need more training on and problematic pieces of equipment. Having an IT “middleman” perform these tasks undermines the need for a third-party provider at all. Therefore, firms should eliminate any in-house intermediaries that might exist and simply let their MSPs do what they do best.

Don’t Exclude Your MSP From Important Planning Stages. 

When a company is considering implementing a new technology (such as software, hardware, an online application, and so on), they often fail to consult their MSP prior to purchasing it. Failing to contact your IT provider beforehand can lead to a lot of headaches in terms of integrating the new tech into your business’s existing IT infrastructure. 

Instead, it is always better to involve your MSP in the early planning stages, as they can usually help firms choose the software that is best suited for their needs. Your MSP’s software selection and product evaluation processes can provide your enterprise with additional value because it helps you gain a better understanding of what is required for certain technologies to work in your current IT environment. This input can speed up the decision process, as it helps businesses narrow down their options. Moreover, your MSP can give you more insight on additional costs or risks that are involved with the adoption of new tech. For example, MSPs should be able to tell you whether the implementation will require additional security, another server, additional networking, or another adjustment in order to run smoothly. Including your IT provider in the planning process can help you ensure that your organization is fully aware of the total cost of ownership of the software/equipment before investing in it. 

Are you in the market for MSP services? If so, contact us at TXSG today to learn more about the value we can offer your business through our BrightStar Managed IT Services.