Articles - Nessit

Make Finance Operations More Efficient with Better IT

Every industry has its unique challenges, and your IT infrastructure should be tailored to meet those specific needs. For financial firms, an efficient IT system can be a major driver of productivity and growth. Whether it’s managing client data, processing time-sensitive transactions, or ensuring compliance with evolving regulations, your IT infrastructure plays a pivotal role in keeping operations running smoothly. The tools and technology you rely on every day determine your ability to stay ahead of the curve and deliver results. But what does “efficient IT” really mean? It’s not just about having the latest tools; it’s about leveraging your technology strategically to streamline workflows, enhance security, and enable growth. Here’s how a customized IT strategy can transform your business.

Enhance Security and Compliance

In finance, data security and regulatory compliance are mandatory. And while it’s true that cyber threats are more sophisticated than ever, so are IT solutions. Better IT means using strict security protocols like multi-factor authentication, encryption, and regular audits to keep your data safe. Secure file-sharing platforms and strict access control will safeguard intellectual property and sensitive client information.

Better IT also means staying up to date with industry regulations to avoid fines and maintain trust with your clients and stakeholders. Working with IT professionals who understand the finance industry’s specific requirements provides the peace of mind to focus on your core responsibilities.

Scalable Solutions for Growth

As your firm grows, your IT infrastructure should grow with it. Scalable systems like cloud or hybrid infrastructure and modular software ensure that your technology evolves to meet your needs. Investing in scalable IT solutions means your organization can adapt without dismantling your entire infrastructure. Whether it’s integrating AI-driven analytics, adopting IoT technologies, or simply ensuring your systems are ready for future software updates, a forward-thinking approach is key. By future-proofing your business, you can avoid outgrowing your systems and facing costly upgrades or downtime.

Focus on Strategic Priorities

Implementing tools that can take on low-touch, repetitive tasks like summarizing documents and transcribing calls gives human teams time to concentrate on strategic initiatives. Chatbots and virtual assistants can handle many customer inquiries, offering instantaneous responses and personalized support. Tools that analyze vast datasets help drive innovation in product and service offerings, and predictive analytics can identify opportunities, enabling your business to develop solutions that set you apart from your competitors.

Streamline Daily Operations

Manual processes and outdated systems can slow operations and impact your bottom line. IT solutions like cloud-based platforms enable in-office and remote employees to quickly and securely access data and collaborate in real time. Automation tools that can handle repetitive tasks like invoice processing, payroll management, and data entry, allow you to focus on higher-value activities.

Reduce Manual Errors

Human errors–in data processing, analytics, document handling, or customer interactions–can be costly, both to your firm’s reputation and its bottom line. Automating tasks like customer onboarding, compliance management, and data analysis reduces the risk of errors.

Analytics tools can process vast amounts of data far faster than any human could, providing actionable insights for better decision-making. This speed is invaluable for tasks like risk modeling and trading communication, allowing you to respond quickly to changing market conditions and client needs.

Improve Communications

Clear communication is vital in finance, where decisions often hinge on real-time data, and your IT needs to ensure that teams can stay connected. By integrating tools that enable seamless collaboration into your workflow, you can eliminate back-and-forth email chains, reduce miscommunication, and create a more agile team environment. By centralizing communication and tracking tasks in one place, you can reduce bottlenecks, improve turnaround times, and maintain better oversight.

Minimize Downtime

Nothing disrupts a workday like a server crash, network outage, or data breach. For organizations that handle sensitive and time-critical information, downtime is more than an inconvenience–it can have devastating consequences. Proactive IT management means that potential issues can be identified and addressed before they escalate and become serious problems. Regular system monitoring, updates, and security patches will ensure your operations continue to run smoothly when challenges arise. And a good IT strategy will include robust backups and disaster recovery planning, so you’re never caught off guard.

Better IT doesn’t have to mean overhauling everything all at once. It’s about building a foundation for growth, resilience and innovation. Efficient IT not only streamlines day-to-day operations but enables your business to seize new opportunities and deliver greater value to your clients and stakeholders. With a custom IT strategy that leverages innovative technology, you can boost productivity, reduce risk, and position your business up for long-term success.

Why Password Management Matters

Did you know that the simplest, best defense against cyberattacks is a solid password? From business logins to online banking to email, passwords are the keys to our digital lives, and therefore valuable targets for hackers. Knowing how to create, manage, and protect passwords isn’t a “nice-to-have;” it’s critical to safeguard your information.

You might be shocked at how easy it is to obtain your personal login information, and you probably won’t know it’s happened until it’s too late. The dark web–that hidden corner of the internet–is teeming with stolen credentials. Hackers access compromised passwords through data breaches, phishing scams, and malware attacks, then put them up for sale to anyone willing to pay. This makes strong password management, including the use of secure passwords and two-factor authentication (2FA) more important than ever.

Creating Secure Passwords: Length, Complexity, Uniqueness, Unpredictability

No, “password123” definitely won’t cut it. Neither will the use of birthdates, pet names, or other personal details you may have used previously to answer security questions. Secure passwords should be long (think 12 characters at a minimum), complex (a mix of numbers, letters, and symbols), and unique for every account. The best way to create a password that’s easier to remember is to use a “passphrase,” a series of words or a sentence, rather than a random string of letters and numbers. It can feel overwhelming to keep track of so many passwords, and why many people fall into bad habits like repeating passwords in multiple places, writing them down, or choosing overly simple options. No matter how good a password is, if a hacker gets access to one, they’re likely to try the same password on other platforms, leaving you vulnerable to a more extensive breach.

Password Managers

Password managers like LastPass can store complex passwords, so you only need to memorize one master password to access the others. Serving as a personal vault for your digital keys, a password manager offers the convenience of auto filling your login details, generating random, hard-to-crack passwords, and notifying you if a saved password appears in a data breach so you can promptly change it. And most password managers sync across devices, so you always have access to your logins. When choosing a password manager, look for features like encryption, ease of use, and compatibility with your devices.

Adding a Layer with 2FA

Two-factor authentication is like adding a deadbolt to your front door. With 2FA, logging in requires both your password and a second form of verification, like a code texted to your phone or generated by an app. That way, even if someone manages to get ahold of your password, they’ll still need that extra code to access your account, making it more difficult for hackers. Many platforms now offer 2FA and enabling it wherever possible provides a powerful layer of protection.

Keeping Up Good Password Hygiene

Password management can feel tedious, but regular password changes, avoiding reusing passwords across sites, and using a secure password manager makes a world of difference. Think of it as a routine task, like updating your software or cleaning out your inbox. The steps to secure your passwords and add a second layer of protection are relatively easy and ensure that you’re doing your part to keep both your personal and work-related information safe.

As data breaches become more and more common and cyberattacks more sophisticated, securing your passwords is one of the smartest moves you can make. It’s just a piece of the larger cybersecurity puzzle, but it’s essential for keeping the doors to your digital information locked. To learn more about how Nessit can help your business protect sensitive data, train and educate employees, and implement password management best practices, get in touch.

Business Continuity Planning — Why It Matters

Planning for the unexpected is a key part of IT management for every organization, large or small. A solid business continuity plan that includes a disaster recovery process and secure data backups can make the difference between bouncing back or shutting down in the face of a disruption. Why are these strategies so crucial? Image a scenario where a cyberattack or extreme weather event suddenly halts your operations. Without a continuity plan in place, this could lead to lost data, costly downtime, and potential damage to your business’s reputation.

Business continuity planning ensures that procedures are in place to keep critical operations up and running when the unexpected happens. Disaster recovery, a big component of your plan, kicks in when things go wrong and ensures you can restore essential functions as soon as possible. Having processes in place means your team knows exactly what steps to take to get your systems back online and protect your data. It’s like having a well-rehearsed fire drill–everyone knows their role, minimizing panic and saving valuable time.

Backups Are Essential

Another essential element of a good continuity strategy is secure backups. From documents to sensitive customer information, regular backups provide insurance, so you won’t lose crucial data even if systems go down. The first step in designing a backup system is to identify your Recovery Time Objective (RTO), or the amount of time it takes your business to resume normal operations after an outage. You’ll have to make the call about how much time you can afford to be offline, and the impact it will have to determine your RTO. For companies like financial institutions the answer may be minutes, while for businesses whose operations are less time-sensitive it may be hours. A backup plan will also take into account your Recovery Point Objective (RPO), or the amount of data loss your company can tolerate. Again, this amount varies based on the nature of the business. It could mean aiming to restore data from as little as one minute before the disruption occurred, or it might be okay to restore from an hour, or even a day, earlier. Determining your RTO and RPO will help you choose the best backup frequency and data redundancy strategy.

Backup solutions are numerous and depend on the needs of the individual organization. Failover, a process that switches to a backup server when the primary source goes down, will allow business operations to continue smoothly without significant downtime. A managed IT provider should include failover capabilities when working with companies where even a few minutes of downtime will have a serious impact. Failback is the reverse–when the original system is restored, data gets transferred back to the primary server–ensuring a seamless recovery after a disruption.

On-site, cloud-based, or hybrid?

Data storage options include on-site backup, cloud backup, or a hybrid of the two. On-site storage involves physical hardware like external drives, tape systems, or dedicated servers. This can be beneficial for businesses needing rapid RTO because they don’t rely on internet connectivity, but this also makes them vulnerable to natural disasters, fires, or theft. Backing up your data to the cloud provides flexibility, security, and off-site redundancy, making it convenient for dispersed workforces and companies that prioritize off-site storage. However, cloud backups require stable internet access for recovery, which could affect RTO. Many businesses choose to combine both on-site and cloud backups. This hybrid solution may be the best fit, allowing them to fine-tune their RTO and RPO, and getting the advantages of both storage methods.

How much time and data can you afford to lose?

Choosing the best plan for your organization can be a complicated undertaking–one that involves determining your data protection needs, recovery speed requirements, and storage preferences. Having the right RTO, RPO, failover, and failback processes in your business continuity plan will ensure that data recovery aligns with your business’s operational needs. Business continuity, disaster recovery, and backup planning aren’t just add-ons to your overall IT strategy. They’re essential practices that will allow your business to weather any emergency. While it can be tempting to see it as a “just in case” precaution, it’s truly an investment in your company’s future. And when the unexpected does happen, you’ll be grateful you planned ahead!

How an IT Managed Service Provider Can Benefit Municipalities

Municipalities face unique challenges when it comes to managing IT infrastructure. From safeguarding data to maintaining compliance with local and state regulations, effective IT management is necessary to ensure municipal operations run smoothly. Budget restrictions can make it difficult to fully staff an IT department that can meet the complex needs of schools, fire, police, planning, clerks, and more. Partnering with a Managed Service Provider can offer valuable support in navigating these challenges through scaled IT solutions that fit your specific needs.

Municipal Case Study

How can managed or co-managed IT help your municipality?

Comprehensive Cybersecurity

Because of the sensitive information involved, government organizations are prime targets for cyberattacks. A data breach can compromise citizen data, disrupt essential services, and cause widespread harm, making comprehensive cybersecurity a priority. MSPs provide proactive security measures, including employee education, advanced threat detection, continuous monitoring, strong encryption protocols, and disaster recovery planning. By staying on top of emerging threats, your MSP can ensure that government data and systems remain protected.

Regulatory Compliance

Government agencies have to adhere to a wide range of regulations related to data security, privacy, and accessibility. Failure to comply can result in hefty fines, legal challenges, and loss of public trust. An experienced MSP will understand the complexity of these regulations and ensure that your organization remains compliant by offering guidance on best practices for data management and implementing policies that meet regulatory standards. An MSP with expertise in navigating the regulatory landscape will allow government agencies to stay focused on their core mission without the added burden of managing compliance.

Improved Efficiency and Productivity

Efficient IT infrastructure is essential for government organizations to maintain productivity and reduce downtime. A proactive MSP can conduct regular audits to assess IT maturity, address potential vulnerabilities, and optimize performance. Timely support to resolve technical difficulties will enhance day-to-day productivity and ensure the smooth delivery of essential public services.

Cost-Effective IT Management

Budget constraints are a common concern for government organizations. Partnering with an MSP can be a cost-effective solution by providing access to expert support and supplementing in-house IT staff. An MSP can manage your equipment and licensing, eliminating wasted spend on unnecessary technology, and freeing up valuable resources that can be directed towards other priorities.

Scalable Solutions

As government organizations grow or their needs shift, IT systems should evolve accordingly. An MSP can offer scalable solutions that seamlessly adapt to your changing needs, whether that means expanding IT infrastructure, integrating new technologies, or enhancing cybersecurity. By providing flexibility and a customized strategy, MSPs ensure that IT systems can scale up or down with your organization.

Reliable Support and Expertise

Government organizations in particular require reliable IT support to provide uninterrupted public services. MSPs deliver 24/7 monitoring and support to make sure any IT issues are addressed swiftly. From routine maintenance to emergency troubleshooting, MSPs help prevent downtime and keep services running smoothly.

Partnering with a Managed Service Provider offers many benefits for government organizations–who need reliable, secure, and effective IT systems to fulfill their mission. From robust cybersecurity to regulatory compliance, cost-effective management, and scalable solutions, an MSP can provide tailored solutions to meet your unique needs. By outsourcing IT management to trusted experts, your government agency can focus on serving the public, confident that their infrastructure is in good hands. Learn more about how Nessit’s services can benefit your organization.

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IT Case Study: New Hampshire Municipality

Municipal governments are responsible for managing and delivering a wide range of essential services in the communities they serve. For all the departments involved to function effectively–from police and fire to social services and public works–a secure and reliable IT infrastructure is essential. The technology necessary to safeguard sensitive data, enable seamless communication, ensure compliance and accessibility, and keep large networks running smoothly can be difficult to navigate.

At Nessit, we understand the unique needs and challenges that can make IT management complex for local governments. Experience has taught us that these clients often have to contend with budget constraints, aging infrastructure, unnecessary or redundant technology, and–most crucially–the threat of cyberattack. Effective management requires a trusted partner who knows how towns run and can see the big picture while meeting the client where they are.

So, when a New Hampshire town became dissatisfied with their longtime IT vendor, they went looking for a second opinion. We were one of three managed service providers to submit a bid with remediation plans, and our bid was selected to become this municipality’s IT vendor.

How did we create a custom proposal for their specific IT needs? First, we took a close look at their current infrastructure to identify and prioritize the issues we’d need to address. We also spent a lot of time listening, so we could begin with a thorough understanding of how the municipality worked and where their system was failing them. We came up with a comprehensive plan to fix the immediate problems, within budget, with the long-term goal of IT maturity. We assured them that Nessit would be an extension of their team and a partner they could count on to pick up the phone when they called.

The Problem

The municipality’s IT environment wasn’t well-maintained, and because their tech infrastructure had been cobbled together, different departments couldn’t share resources or communicate with each other. The Water and Police Departments couldn’t talk to City Hall; the Highway Department didn’t have high speed internet, while the library was paying for internet they didn’t need. The town had no centralized print services, and employees were sharing login credentials and using a variety of cloud providers. File sharing was an issue, so that sometimes the employee at desk A couldn’t see updates from the employee at desk B. All of this created unnecessary complexity, with too many disconnected silos and no cohesive IT strategy. This system also left the town more vulnerable to cyberattacks, which is a growing problem in New Hampshire. The client needed an MSP who understood dispersed networks and could design and implement a unified IT infrastructure.

How Nessit Fixed It

First, the system upgrade that their previous MSP attempted had to be reversed and re-done. Nessit reconfigured their server, putting together a unified stack to replace their piecemeal system. By centralizing services, all departments now have high speed internet and can easily communicate and collaborate. We provided everyone with their own login credentials–a crucial factor in improving security.

Our job was to make their jobs easier by implementing technology that works seamlessly, requiring very little support and eliminating the downtime they had experienced while waiting for help. As the municipality’s budget increased, they asked Nessit to improve efficiencies in other environments, upgrading systems, networks and workstations. Our team ensured that all data was backed up and put a failover system in place. We created a data retention policy to reduce risk and ensure they maintained compliance with regulations.

Most importantly, we built a personal relationship with the client, showing them what a true partnership is by listening to their questions and responding quickly to issues that arise. Our work is ongoing, and we continue to move the municipality towards IT maturity, spacing work out to fit their allocated budget.

At Nessit, our clients’ success is our success. Every municipality faces different challenges and IT solutions need to be tailored to their unique needs. A Managed Service Provider should have a thorough understanding of dispersed networks, how towns run, and how to invest wisely in IT while respecting budget constraints. The need for robust security to counter the ever-growing threat of cyberattacks is critical, and often underestimated until a breach occurs and it’s too late. Nessit’s comprehensive management includes everything from employee education on security best practices, disaster recovery and continuity planning, and 24/7 monitoring. An MSP can provide a wealth of benefits for municipalities, ensuring smooth day-to-day operations so employees can focus on their core duties–ensuring safety, wellbeing, and quality of life for their community.

If you’re a local government administrator looking for efficient, cost-effective IT solutions and support, we would love to put you in touch with other towns so you can hear firsthand how they’ve been positively impacted. Contact us.

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Managed IT

6 Ways a Finance Company Can Benefit from a Managed Servicer Provider

Financial services companies experience unique challenges when it comes to IT and security, as every aspect of your business–from operations to regulatory compliance to processing transactions–depends on having a mature IT infrastructure in place.

Finance companies need a strong internal IT team and/or a responsive IT partner who can ensure your data, and your customers’ data, remains secure.

Here are 6 things finance companies should be focused on when it comes to your IT infrastructure:

Enhanced Security

With sensitive financial data at stake, the risk of cyberattacks is an ongoing concern for financial institutions. Companies should ensure they have proactive security measures in place to protect against breaches, malware, and other emerging threats and offer training so employees can recognize phishing attempts and practice safe password management.

Finance companies need to adhere to state and federal security standards regarding data privacy and security. Your IT provider should be well-versed in government-regulated standards, and able to implement a layered security solution to safeguard sensitive information and control access.

24/7 Monitoring and Support

Financial operations run around the clock, and so should your IT support. 24/7 monitoring ensures your systems are always up and running. In the event of an issue, you want an IT team that will be available to provide immediate assistance, minimizing disruption and maintaining efficient operations.

Your IT services provider should begin with an audit to identify any vulnerabilities in your current systems and design a plan to fix them. Long-term management will include ongoing updates and patches to maintain security and avoid costly emergency fixes.

Business Continuity

Downtime can have a disastrous impact on financial firms. When a system failure occurs and employees are unable to work for an extended period, the consequences are costly. That’s why it’s important to have a business continuity plan in place. Your IT service provider should have an in-depth knowledge of the finance industry and take the time to understand how your company works. That will allow them to identify potential points of failure and create a plan to get you back in business with minimal downtime.

Depending on your company’s needs and the potential severity of an interruption to operations, your business continuity plan may include a failover recovery system. Failover is a backup system that syncs all your data to a server at an offsite location so the duplicate system can take over if the primary server is disabled.

Proactive Management

Rather than waiting for problems to arise, finance companies need to take a proactive approach to IT management. With continuous monitoring, potential issues can be dealt with before they become significant problems. In an industry where timing is crucial, being proactive will reduce the risk of system failures, data loss, and downtime that can impact day-to-day operations and damage your company’s reputation.

A well-thought-out backup plan is essential to any financial firm to eliminate the possibility of lost data or work that has to be re-done. To make sure your data can be quickly restored, your IT provider should run regular recovery system tests.
Your in-house IT team or managed service provider is responsible for keeping your company systems up-to-date and patching potential points of failure. They will also recommend and facilitate hardware, software, and system upgrades when necessary to maintain IT maturity.

Scalability and Flexibility

Finance companies should have an IT infrastructure that’s flexible and scalable so it can easily grow with your business. Fluctuations in demand can mean greater volumes of data, transactions, and storage requirements, and the ability to adapt to changes quickly is essential.

Your IT provider should be able to scale your resources–from cloud storage to network capacity–so your company stays competitive, agile, and prepared for future growth. Whether you’re expanding your markets, onboarding employees, or integrating new technologies, effective IT management will ensure that your systems can seamlessly adapt to meet your business needs.

Expertise and Innovation

For finance companies, it’s important to have an IT infrastructure that can keep pace with change in order to handle everything from cyber threats to new industry regulations to rapid market fluctuations. You want a provider with deep expertise who is always looking for new ways to improve your systems and streamline operations.

Whether your IT is managed in-house or by an MSP, your team needs to be proactive in implementing the latest technologies, security solutions, and best practices to ensure your business needs are supported by your infrastructure. Having an IT partner who brings both experience and innovative ideas can make all the difference in keeping your company efficient, forward-thinking, and future-ready.

Technology is the backbone of the finance industry and effective IT management is critical to success. You need a trusted partner that will tailor their services to meet your company’s specific needs, ensuring your infrastructure is secure, reliable, and efficient. Contact us to learn more about how our managed IT services can give you peace of mind and enable you to achieve your business goals.

Understanding IT Maturity

Why It’s Important for Your Business and How Nessit Can Help

The effectiveness of your IT infrastructure greatly impacts the success of your business. Having basic IT systems in place is not enough. Achieving IT maturity is critical for long-term growth, innovation, and competitive advantage. So, what exactly is IT maturity, why is it important, and how can Nessit help your business get there?

IT maturity refers to the development and optimization of your organization’s technology infrastructure, processes, and capabilities. As your business evolves, so should your IT strategy, moving from reactive problem-solving to a proactive, streamlined, and strategic approach that integrates technology into every facet of your organization. The more mature the infrastructure, the better your business can adapt to changes, ensure security, improve efficiency, and innovate.

IT maturity is typically categorized through stages, ranging from basic operations to fully optimized systems. The level of maturity usually predicts how well an organization’s IT infrastructure supports its employees, processes, and end-users. The more mature the system is, the less likely a business is to be affected by security breaches, disruptions, and lost productivity. Identifying your organization’s current level of IT maturity is the first step toward optimization.

Stages of IT Maturity

Initial: At this stage, IT is often ad hoc and reactive, addressing issues as they arise without a cohesive strategy. Processes are inconsistent, insufficiently defined, and poorly documented, and overall IT support is ineffective.

Managed: IT systems are more structured and managed, but still largely focused on day-to-day operations. Some processes and procedures have been implemented, but there is no overarching strategy. IT is still reactive, rather than proactive.

Defined: Processes and framework are standardized and documented. IT is more predictable and there is some alignment with business goals. IT is more proactive and progressing toward standardization.

Quantitatively Managed: Metrics and performance indicators are used to assess and improve IT systems and processes. Objectives are defined and align with business goals. Processes can be measured, duplicated, and tracked, and overall efficiency is improved.

Optimized: IT is fully integrated with business objectives, driving innovation, automation, and long-term growth. Processes are monitored, updated and continually optimized. Performance is improved and risk is mitigated.

Why is IT Maturity So Important for Businesses?

Achieving IT maturity provides several key benefits for your business.

Increased Efficiency: Mature IT systems streamline workflows, reduce downtime, and boost productivity by automating repetitive tasks and eliminating bottlenecks.

Enhanced Security: As your business grows, so do your security risks. IT maturity ensures a robust, proactive approach to cybersecurity, minimizing vulnerabilities, preventing data breaches, and protecting sensitive information.

Cost Savings: Well-optimized IT systems reduce waste, duplication, and unnecessary IT expenses, providing cost-effective solutions that maximize ROI.

Scalability and Agility: With a mature infrastructure, your business can easily scale operations and adapt to new market demands or technological advancements. This makes it easier to grow, innovate, and stay competitive in a rapidly changing environment.

Alignment with Business Goals: Optimized IT means that your technology supports and enhances business goals and objectives, rather than being an afterthought. This alignment promotes a forward-thinking company culture and ultimately drives success.

How Nessit Helps Your Business Achieve IT Maturity

At Nessit, we understand that achieving IT maturity is an ongoing process, not a one-time fix. Every business is unique, and we take the time to really get to know you and your long-term business goals. We work closely with you to assess your organization’s current IT capabilities and create a tailored roadmap to help you reach the highest level of optimization. Here’s how we help:

Assessment and Strategy Development: Nessit begins by evaluating where your business stands in terms of IT maturity. We identify gaps, inefficiencies, and security risks in your current systems, and then develop a comprehensive IT strategy that aligns with and supports your business goals.

Proactive IT Management: We take a proactive approach to managing your IT infrastructure. Rather than waiting for issues to arise, we continuously monitor, maintain and optimize your systems to ensure seamless operations and prevent potential problems.

Security Solutions: Nessit implements cutting-edge cybersecurity measures to protect your business from attacks. We ensure that your security systems are robust and proactive to eliminate any vulnerabilities before they can be exploited.

Scalable IT: As your business grows, we provide scalable IT solutions to meet new demands and opportunities. Whether you need to add new systems, upgrade infrastructure, onboard new employees, or improve cloud computing capabilities, we help your business stay ahead of the curve.

Data-Driven Insights: Using advanced analytics and reporting tools, we help you gain deeper insight into your IT performance. This allows you to make smarter business decisions and continually refine your strategies.

Ongoing Support: Nessit doesn’t just implement solutions. As your IT Managed Service Provider, we provide continuous support and guidance. As industry trends and technology evolve, we make sure your IT systems are always aligned with the latest best practices and innovations.

IT maturity is essential for your business to succeed in a competitive landscape. With the right strategy and support, you can successfully transition your company from reactive IT operations to a fully optimized system that drives efficiency, enhances security, and drives long-term growth. Nessit is here to help you on that journey, from initial evaluation to ongoing support. Our comprehensive IT services ensure that your IT systems evolve with your business. Contact us to learn how we can help your business use technology to thrive. Your success is our success.

Why Cybersecurity Training is Essential for Employees

The single most effective way to safeguard your business from cyberattacks is through employee training. Human error due to inadequate training accounts for the vast majority of data breaches. To foster a collective security-first culture, awareness about potential threats is essential. Nessit’s Managed IT Service includes comprehensive cybersecurity education that will allow you to rest easy knowing your company’s assets are protected.

Employees can unknowingly become the gateway for cybercriminals by clicking on malicious links, using weak passwords, falling for phishing scams, or accidentally sharing sensitive information that can compromise your entire network. Here’s what you need to know to protect sensitive data and maintain the integrity of your IT infrastructure:

Understanding Common Threats

Employees should be familiar with the most common types of cyber threats, including phishing, ransomware, malware, and social engineering. Training sessions should include real-life scenarios and case studies to illustrate how these attacks happen and their potential impact on your business.

Safe Online Practices

Everyone within your organization should be able to recognize suspicious emails, avoid clicking on unknown links, and verify the authenticity of email senders and domain names. Employees should also be instructed on how to create secure passwords and the importance of multi-factor authentication.

Data Protection and Handling

Cybersecurity training should include instruction on the principles of data protection. Employees at every level should understand how to securely store, transmit, and dispose of sensitive information. Training should also emphasize the importance of keeping software and systems up to date to eliminate vulnerabilities.

Incident Response Protocols

Knowing how to respond to a potential security threat is crucial. Employees should be given clear guidelines about what to do if a data breach is suspected, including their first point of contact and what steps to take to mitigate the impact.

Ongoing Training

Maintaining security is a constantly evolving undertaking, and staying updated on the latest threats and best practices is critical. Ongoing training sessions and refresher courses will help ensure that your employees’ knowledge remains relevant and effective.

Invest in Success

Investing in cybersecurity training is an investment in the overall success of your business. Most security breaches are not the result of complex hacking schemes, but simple human error. Ongoing education empowers employees to become your company’s first line of defense rather than its weakest link. Knowledge about how to identify and respond to cybersecurity threats protects your organization from the inside out. Partnering with a Managed Service Provider like Nessit will ensure a secure and resilient IT environment for the long term.

Cyber Security

Cybersecurity – An Ongoing Process, not a One-Time Fix

Cybersecurity is a critical component in any organization, large or small. The increasing frequency and evolving nature of threats means that simply installing antivirus software or setting up a firewall isn’t enough. Security is an ongoing process that requires constant vigilance, regular updates, and proactive measures. As a Managed Service Provider (MSP), Nessit understands the complexities of maintaining robust cybersecurity and is dedicated to safeguarding your business.

The Continuous Nature of Cybersecurity

Unlike a one-time software installation, staying on top of your cybersecurity is a continuous process. Threats emerge rapidly, exposing new vulnerabilities and attack vectors. We ensure that security protocols are regularly updated, unusual activities are monitored, and adaptations are taken to address new threats.

Regular Software Updates and Patches: Cybercriminals often exploit vulnerabilities in outdated software. Ongoing updates and patch management are essential to close security gaps and protect against potential attacks.

Continuous Monitoring: Proactive monitoring of your network for suspicious activities can help detect and mitigate threats before they cause significant damage. An MSP provides 24/7 monitoring to ensure your systems are always protected.

Security Audits and Assessments: Periodic security audits and assessments identify vulnerabilities in your IT infrastructure, allowing for timely remediation.

Staying a Step Ahead of Hackers

Hackers are always looking for new ways to breach security defenses. Staying a step ahead requires a combination of technology, education, and proactive strategies.

Advanced Threat Detection: Your MSP can implement advanced threat detection tools like intrusion detection systems (IDS) and intrusion prevention systems (IPS) to help identify and block malicious activities in real-time.

Ongoing Employee Training and Awareness: Educating employees about cybersecurity best practices is crucial. Regular training sessions on recognizing phishing attempts, using strong passwords, and safe internet practices will significantly reduce the risk of a security breach.

Incident Response Planning: Having a robust incident response plan ensures that your business can quickly and effectively respond to a security incident, minimizing damage and downtime.

Spotting Phishing Attempts

Phishing remains one of the most common and effective methods used by cybercriminals. Employees are the most common point of entry to sensitive information, and the ability to identify phishing attempts is crucial to prevent data breaches.

Recognizing Suspicious Emails: Be wary of emails from unknown senders, especially those that contain urgent requests, grammatical errors, or unusual links and attachments. These emails are getting harder and harder to spot, so staying vigilant is key.

Verifying Links and Attachments: Always hover over links to see the actual URL before clicking and examine URLs and email addresses closely, as hackers often purchase domain names that are very similar to those of legitimate businesses, with a single letter changed. Never open attachments from unknown sources as they might contain malware.

Using Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA): Organizations should implement MFA to add an extra layer of security. This makes it harder for attackers to access accounts even if they manage to steal login credentials.

How Nessit Can Safeguard Your Businesss

Partnering with Nessit provides you with comprehensive cybersecurity solutions tailored to your organization’s specific needs. Our team brings a wealth of knowledge and experience in managing and mitigating cyber threats. We stay up to date on the latest cybersecurity trends and technologies, giving you the peace of mind to focus on your business, knowing that we have all the bases covered.

Comprehensive Security Solutions: We provide a range of services, including firewall management, antivirus protection, data encryption, and secure backup solutions, to create a multi-layered defense strategy.

Proactive Threat Management: With continuous monitoring and threat intelligence, we can identify and neutralize potential threats before they escalate into major incidents.

Customized Security Policies: We help develop and implement customized security policies and procedures that align with your business objectives and regulatory requirements.

Disaster Recovery and Business Continuity: In the event of a cyber-attack, we ensure that your business can recover quickly with effective disaster recovery and business continuity plans.

Nessit isn’t your average MSP–we’re hands-on partners acting as an extension of your team. We understand that safeguarding your business is an ongoing process requiring constant attention, and we implement and maintain proactive measures to protect your digital assets. Don’t wait for a security breach to happen. By making cybersecurity a priority today, you can protect your business from tomorrow’s threats.

5 Common Questions to Ask Managed IT Service Providers (MSPs)

Technology isn’t just a tool–it’s the backbone of your business operations. From managing your network infrastructure to safeguarding your data and enhancing productivity, effective IT support is crucial. The benefits to partnering with an experienced IT service provider–one who is invested in your company’s long-term success–are numerous.

The Nessit team had the pleasure of attending the Small Business Expo in Miami recently, where we got to meet and talk with lots of business owners about all things IT. Here are the top questions we heard from small business owners, and our answers!

1. What Exactly Does an MSP Do?

Whether you’re a small startup or a large organization, your Managed Service Provider (MSP) acts as your go-to IT partner. Your MSP’s comprehensive services are designed to keep your technology running smoothly and securely. Strategic guidance, proactive monitoring and maintenance, and round-the-clock support are all part of the package. A provider can offer solutions about how to better leverage your existing technology and make recommendations about cost-effective upgrades and improvements. Your MSP essentially becomes an extension of your in-house team, ensuring that your IT infrastructure aligns with your business goals and objectives.

2. Why Do I Need IT Support?

Having proper IT support for your small business can prevent costly downtime and cyber threats and maximize efficiency and scalability. IT support is the cornerstone of your company’s success. An effective Managed Service Provider will handle your organization’s tech issues as they arise, optimize your infrastructure, and safeguard your data. As your business grows and evolves, so do your technology needs. With the right MSP by your side, you are free to focus on what you do best and leave the complexities of IT management to an expert.

3. I’m just getting my business started. What should I be doing now to prepare for an IT partnership as I grow?

As you lay the foundation for your new business, now is the perfect time to start thinking about your IT strategy. Begin by assessing your immediate and future technology needs. Outline your business’s growth objectives and identify potential pain points. Partnering early on with a Managed Service Provider will ensure that your systems are optimized and save you time, money, and headaches in the long run. Your MSP will help you scale your business as it grows and support you on your journey from startup to long term success.

4. I have an IT provider, but it’s an informal partnership. What should I be asking them?

If you already have an IT provider but feel like the partnership lacks structure, support, or accountability, you should address your concerns head-on. Schedule a meeting to discuss your expectations, service level agreements, and areas where there’s room for improvement. Ask your provider about their approach to proactive maintenance, the typical response time for support requests, and their plans for scaling your technology as your business grows. Transparent communication and clearly defined expectations are essential to a successful IT partnership.

5. How can a great MSP help my business grow?

A great MSP is a strategic partner who is invested in your company’s success. Your provider brings expertise and industry insights to help your business grow in many ways.

Increased Productivity – Proactive monitoring and maintenance will keep your systems running smoothly, minimizing downtime and improving overall productivity.
Robust Security – Cybersecurity solutions and round-the-clock monitoring, as well as regular vulnerability assessments and technology updates, will ensure your data and assets are protected from cyberattack.
Scalability – As your business grows, an MSP provides scalable IT solutions that grow with it. With an IT strategy in place, your organization will be able to adapt to changing needs and new opportunities.
Cost Savings – By outsourcing your IT management to an MSP, you reduce overhead costs associated with office space and equipment, hiring and training in-house staff, and reduce the likelihood of unexpected tech expenses. Your provider can help your company leverage its existing technology and propose cost-effective IT solutions.

Partnering with a Managed Service Provider is a strategic investment in the future of your business. Your MSP will streamline operations, enhance security, and provide solutions to enable growth and innovation, while increasing productivity. You’ll have peace of mind knowing your IT management is in experienced hands, so you can focus on what matters most–your thriving business.

Talk to Nessit about how we can help your business succeed with our Managed and Co-Managed IT services.