When you’re doing a great job, your CEO doesn’t notice.

That’s an annoying component of your IT job but, rest assured, you’ll get their attention when your performance is off.

Take the issue of data loss and downtime, the unfortunate fact is that the costs incurred for a business interruption can spell the end to any small business. According to consulting firms IDC and Carbonite, downtime issues can potentially cost businesses from $82,000 to $256,000…for a single outage.

If you’re employed by an SMB, where your tasks are doubling but you’re still only one person, you need IT supplementary assistance. 

IT Impacts Your Bottom Line

You might be surprised to learn that your approach to distributing your IT budget can affect your business in many ways.

Ideally, your IT strategy is custom-crafted for your company’s particular needs; one that not only proactively minimizes downtime and provides protection against security breakdowns and cyber threats, but that also streamlines employee costs and creates convenient, secure customer experiences. If your IT doesn't look like this, you're losing money.

Unsure if your IT plan is profitable? If you’re doing any of the following, it probably isn't.

Taking advantage of managed services to save money on IT costs is the perfect method for maximizing your business’s profitability.

We’ve compiled five compelling reasons MSPs are beneficial to your bottom line.

Tools IT Professionals Need to Succeed

How you feel about your IT job now:

How you’ll feel about your IT job after you read this blog:

We know what you’re going through

Business owners sometimes mistakenly believe that their IT teams are there primarily to fix computers when they’re running slow, but we — and you — know your value to the organization transcends rebooting desktops. You’re responsible for engineering the company’s technology infrastructure, reconfiguring its functionality to cater to the company’s specific needs, and creating governance regulations for how employees engage with the networks and their components. 

The CEO may have erected the brick and mortar, but you’re the one who’s spun the cybernetic web that keeps the company’s systems secure. 

To help you thrive in your IT role, we’ve compiled a list of skills that you’ll want to have in your bat belt (no shark repellent needed):

The frightening thing about phishing emails is that they look almost identical to ordinary emails.

At first glance, they appear to have come from a reputable source and include realistic-looking bank or credit card company logos, headers, and footers. In fact, they’re from slick scammers trying to bait you into sending them money or downloading a virus-filled script. 

Take the case of Kelsie Moak. In 2017 she received an email from “James Moak,” who happens to be Gulf South Technology Solutions’ founder and CEO, in addition to being her father. From the very first email exchange, Kelsie, being a tech-savvy business development manager, was immediately aware she was being targeted by a phishing scammer. With her background, Kelsie knew she could handle this hacker while trying to elicit damning information as to their identity or location that might help authorities curtail their criminal operations.

Ransomware Is No Joke

You may be aware that ransomware attacks have doubled this year.

If you’ve been the victim of such an attack, or you want to take preemptive measures to prevent one, you’ve come to the right place. At Gulf South Technology Solutions, we’ve rescued many businesses from ransomware — in fact, the businesses we protect haven’t experienced a ransomware attack in over three years.

To understand options for resolving ransomware issues, first let’s discuss how individuals are targeted with ransomware, and what factors make them vulnerable.

As the January 14, 2020 end of life date nears for Windows 7 and Server 2008/2008 R2, there are many things to consider before you start upgrading to Windows 10. Cost is a major factor, which is why it’s important to assess your network and plan your upgrade now instead of waiting until the end of the year. Assessing now allows you to spread out those expenses over several months.  Here's what to consider when assessing the cost of upgrade:

Along with Windows 7 operating system, Server 2008 and Server 2008 R2 will reach end of support with Microsoft on January 14, 2020. Servers are a big investment – typically $10,000+ with an average lifespan of 5-6 years. Ensure you’re making the right decision by thinking about these things first. 

Windows 7, Server 2008 and 2008 R2 will reach end of support on January 14, 2020. However, you should not wait until the last minute to upgrade your device to Windows 10. You’re not saving time, money, or headaches by waiting. Instead, you’re missing out on the great features and increased security that Windows 10 has to offer. It’s also worth noting that the Windows 10 OS has been around since 2015 – it is tried and true, and ready for you!

Every Microsoft product has a lifecycle. XP expired in April of 2014, Vista expired in April of 2017, and soon Windows 7 will be coming to an end.