Monitoring: Why it matters

What you need to know about Monitoring and Maintenance:

Network monitoring continues to be crucial for businesses in order to be productive and avoid serious threats from network failures and server downtime. 

What is monitoring?

Monitoring is the practice of routinely monitoring all the components within an organization’s network to track, measure, and troubleshoot performance issues, failures, or deficiencies.

The advantage of automated monitoring software is that it speeds up the very time-consuming areas of network monitoring. These tools help uncover what might be overlooked with manual network monitoring.

Why monitor your network?

  • To optimize network performance
  • Eliminate the need for manual checks
  • Take a proactive approach to staying on top of any potential issues.
  • Diagnose issues
  • Report issues

Some of the most common performance issues include:

  • Poor network visibility: If you do not have the right monitoring abilities, your system can malfunction for hours before you are aware of what’s happening. 
  • New additions to your system: If new devices are not installed and configure correctly, this can cause complications.
  • Reactive monitoring: To keep your network running well, you need to anticipate issues and be proactive.

How should I monitor?

When establishing your monitoring practices, you need to consider which reports you use as measurements. These are some common ones:

  • Bandwidth usage: The maximum rate your system can transmit data. If you reach critical levels of bandwidth usage, your system will be overloaded and impaired. 
  • Connectivity: You need to monitor this metric to identify issues such as a broken connection or malware.
  • Availability:  If your system routinely experiences downtime, or periods when your network is not available, your productivity and profits can be impacted.
  • Packet loss: This metric measures how many data packets are “dropped” during your network’s data transmissions. The more data packets lost, the longer it takes to fulfill data requests. Monitoring this metric allows your IT professionals to improve your network’s processing speed.

Failure to monitor your network will cost you lost time and profits. Your IT Alliance member will establish a comprehensive monitoring program to meet the many challenges that your system faces. At a minimum, your monitoring program should employ the following steps:

·         Install Sophisticated Monitoring Tools 
·         Monitor Incoming Traffic
·         Universal Remote Device Monitoring
·         Real-time Network Performance Monitoring
·         Track Video and Voice Performance
·         Automation

In Summary:

There are many involved reports that can be automatically generated by the monitoring software. The good thing about having all of this done automatically by your IT Alliance member is that anything outside of the parameters of normal will (mostly) be flagged immediately, and automatically fixed.

Failure to monitor in this modern way of working with remote users now becoming an everyday occurrence could cost your company in downtime as well as many other issues.

To discuss your monitoring needs please feel free to reach out to us here.

Data Breaches – What you need to know!

In the most recent quarter, CERT NZ responded to 2,001 incident reports about individuals and businesses from all over New Zealand.

Internationally well know companies such as Apple, Meta, Twitter, and Samsung have all disclosed cybersecurity attacks this year.

In New Zealand Phishing and credential harvesting remains the most reported incident category (from CertNZ)

This graph shows the breakdown by incident category for the past quarter in New Zealand.

Australian telecoms company Optus – which has 9.7 million subscribers, suffered a “massive” data breach this year. According to reports, names, dates of birth, phone numbers, and email addresses may have been exposed, while a group of customers may have also had their physical addresses and documents like driving licenses and passport numbers accessed.

IBM found the cost of a breach hit a record high this year, at nearly $4.4 million.

So how does a data breach happen?

Data breaches happen mainly when hackers can exploit user behaviour or technology vulnerabilities.

A data breach involves any unauthorized access to confidential, sensitive, or protected information, and it can happen to anyone.

The threat surface continues to grow exponentially. We are increasingly reliant on digital tools such as smartphones and laptops. With the Internet of Things (IoT), we’re adding even more endpoints that unauthorized users can access.

Popular methods for executing malicious data breaches include:

  • Phishing – emails in which hackers persuade users to hand over access credentials or the data itself.
  • Brute-force attacks – hackers use software and sometimes even hijacked devices to guess password combinations until they get in.
  • Malware – infects the operating system, software, or hardware (often without the user knowing) and steals private data.
  • Disgruntled employees or political hacktivists can also be behind data breaches. However, more often than you would hope, the breach is due to poor cyber hygiene.

How to reduce risk to your business:

Here are some key tips for mitigating risks to your business. If you require help with these, contact your IT Alliance provider.

  • Identify what is exposed to the internet: to help mitigate this risk, it’s important to identify what is being exposed to the internet. Your IT Alliance member can help you do this. You can also use scanning tools like Nmap and Nessus to help assess your situation.
  • Only expose what you really need to: Reducing the number of services you use lowers the number of targets that attackers have access to. This is known as reducing your attack surface.
  • Segment your network to stop – internet-exposed services from reaching your internal network. If your more vulnerable services get compromised, a segmented network will make it harder for attackers to reach other devices.
  • Patch services and devices exposed on the internet. Having the latest version will fix many of the vulnerabilities known to the vendor, and that means attackers have fewer known vulnerabilities they can use to gain access.
  • Turn on multi-factor authentication (MFA) to add an extra layer of security and help prevent unauthorized access.
  • Use logging and alerting to help monitor devices and services, especially any that may be exposed on the internet. These are potential weak points that attackers may target. This can help notify you of an incident and provide details of what has happened.

Don’t risk data breach damage

Data breaches cause business downtime and can cost your reputation and bottom line. Once you’ve had a data breach and it has been made public, your customers may lose faith in your ability to protect their private information.

Our team at Ultra IT can install protection and take precautions against data breaches. Contact our team to discuss

Cyber Security Policy

Cyber Security policy for your business – what do you need to know?

It is important to have a cyber security policy if you own a business.  This is not only a guide and reference to be used internally with your employees, but also as a reference point to deal with any external data from customers. 

Your Cyber Security policy should be thought of as a moving, changing entity that will need to be updated regularly to keep up with technological advancements, and any changes within your business. 

What does your Cyber Security policy need to cover?

Firstly no two cyber security policies will be the same. Your Cyber Security policy will be unique to your business, depending on your particular type of business, and what kind of data you deal with. 

The first thing you need to do is to identify the particular risks for your business. If you are an accountant for example, your focus is on how you deal with customers’ personal information, bank details, IRD number etc. 

Once you have worked to clarify your specific risks, you can then prepare for what to do if something goes wrong. Our team has knowledge of a wide variety of industries, and will be able to assist you to clarify what you need to be mindful of. 

Having a clear plan in place, means that everyone in your organisation knows what to do, who is responsible for what, and what processes you have in place to mitigate the risks.  

You will also need to create two cyber security policies. One, an internal one for employees, and the second one is a public one for customers. 

What needs to be included in the Policy?

The below information has been taken from the Cert nz website

Cert NZ suggests that you break your internal policy down into different areas.

Data

This should cover how you handle data safely and securely — both your business’s data and your customers’. Think about:

  • how much to collect
  • where you’ll store it (locally or in the cloud)
  • how to protect it, for example keeping data at-rest (when stored) and in-transit (when communicating) encrypted
  • how often you’ll back it up, and who’s responsible for doing backups.

Systems

It’s important to identify what systems you have, and which ones are critical to your work. Consider:

  • setting some rules around updating, or patching, your systems — how to make sure they’re done regularly and who’s responsible for making sure it happens
  • what systems your staff can use, including any cloud applications or software running inside your business’s network
  • how much access your staff need to your systems. You should make sure your staff only have the minimum level of access in each system they need to do their job. This is what’s called the ‘principle of least privilege’.

Security and protection

Security and protection covers how your staff and customers access your systems and data. It means thinking about:

  • how they can access your systems. For example, your staff may want to work remotely. They should do this by using secure tools, like VPN with 2FA.
  • how they authenticate themselves on your system. This includes your password policy and use of two-factor authentication
  • what devices your staff can use at work. This covers whether staff can use personal devices for work, or if you’ll provide devices to them.

People and users

You need to think about what you consider to be acceptable use of your business’s systems. How do you expect your staff and your customers to interact with them? Make sure you set expectations so they know:

  • what their responsibilities are
  • what kind of things they should report to you
  • how you expect them to take ownership of their accounts and their devices.

Physical devices and systems

When you think about protecting your business’s devices and systems, make sure you cover both:

  • protection against loss — if something is stolen, and
  • protection against the environment — for example, if your business is flooded during a storm and your devices are water damaged.

You can set rules around how your staff can protect their devices against theft by defining guidelines for their use. As an example, you could have all staff protect their devices by:

  • having strong passwords on them
  • using device encryption
  • setting rules for them about use outside the office.

Problems and incidents

You’ll need to define what you and your team will do when things go wrong. This means creating an incident response plan to map out what you’ll do during, and after, a security incident. It can be a stressful time for both you and your staff, so it’s good to be prepared in advance.

What next?

The Ultra IT team are used to helping companies like yourself with creating a Cyber Security policy for your business. Reach out to us here and we can assist you.  

The Cloud – To cloud or not to cloud

What is the cloud? 

The term ‘cloud’ can cause confusion as it can make us believe that data is stored somewhere in the sky. So what is the actual cloud? The truth is that data is still physically stored by companies who offer cloud storage. The cloud is basically “a large computer somewhere else.”  

Cloud storage warehouses are huge business. They have dedicated servers whose sole job is to send and receive data all day. The spaces are massive, with rows and rows of servers, sometimes upwards of 1 million square feet.  

There are two key types of cloud-based services: 

  1. Data centre hosted cloud: This is often used to run application servers or host large volumes of data (too big for 365 for example), that would otherwise need a physical server locally. 
  2. Cloud Apps: These store your data for you on their own cloud, for example Xero or Windows 365. 

Why would you move to the Cloud? 

Storage Space: 

When you move to the cloud, you no longer have to store all that data on your own hardware. You still have access to your documents, media, or reports, but the third-party provider will likely have more storage space and processing speed, making your onsite technology function better.  

Minimising Risks: 

By moving to the cloud, you are cutting out common cybersecurity risks. You don’t risk storing data on laptops, which can get lost or stolen. You also end the need for thumb drives (or USB drives), which can also be stolen or lost. Plus plugging in these external devices can also expose you to viruses or other risks. 

Security: 

Sometimes we feel our data is more secure having our data on-premises, but these days that isn’t always the case. Data can be safer in the cloud than on-site at your business. 

Advantages of the Cloud: 

  • Backing up to the cloud stores data on an, external, secure server. If thieves take your computers and USB backup, you can still access your data on the cloud.  
  • Cloud storage providers build in redundancy to ensure your backup remains safe.   
  • The Cloud providers also encrypt data during transit to further ensure compliance and security.  
  • Migrating to a third-party cloud storage service also cuts the clutter at your premises.  
  • You can count on expert help to ensure security and compliance. 
  • Plus, you can cut operational costs by offloading in-house storage or external hard drive expenses.  
  • A hacker can use malware or phishing emails to target the data on your business devices. These cyberattacks don’t work in the cloud. Ransomware may work on an individual user’s device; however, it is a lot harder to access the larger data stored in the Cloud. 
  •  If a natural disaster hits one server site, they will offer continued access from another site. 

 When the Cloud might not be your best option: 

Internet Connectivity: Cloud migration makes your business reliant on internet connectivity. If you have frequent outages or slow speeds, these conditions are not great hosts for cloud computing. Make sure to get this sorted out with your IT Alliance member first. 

Large amounts of Data: For some companies that have huge amounts of data transfer, such as video editing, the cloud may not be the best option.  

Limited local support: A lot of the Cloud storage centres are overseas, which may mean that the support is limited, and service sub-par.  

Costs of the Cloud: The costs can be high with cloud hosting and sometimes. In talking with your IT Alliance member, you can work out what is the best option for your business.  

“One IT Alliance member moved their client from Cloud hosting to a physical server as the client had experienced such rapid growth that the fees for the cloud were becoming hefty. The savings worked out to be over $50,000 to purchase a physical server and pay for the IT Alliance members services” 

Making your data more secure in the Cloud: 

Encrypt your data: Make sure you contract with a provider who will encrypt data in transit. This makes it more difficult for hackers to get at your information. 

Multi-Factor Authentication: Enabling multi-factor authentication can also help secure data by adding layers of security. It moves your data security beyond just asking for a username and password.  

Compliance Regulations:  Depending on your industry, there may be particular standards for data storage. Encryption is a common compliance expectation. 

Training your team: Training your team on the importance of securing data is important, especially with people working remotely and connecting from off-site locations. 

What next? 

To cloud or not to cloud is a question that requires discussion. Our team can help you find the right solution for your individual needs and assist you with the process.  Contact us here

Websites: Costs + Hosting

The costs of owning a website are complex, and a lot of people are surprised by the number of hidden costs. Let’s break it down:

1) Hosting: this can be either a monthly or annual fee. 

2) Regular maintenance, security, and updates: A service provided by your ITA member to help stop your site failing, glitching or getting hacked.

3) Routine backend maintenance of your site.

4) Keeping your website updated and fresh: This includes adding fresh content and articles, for example updating photos and keeping product details updated. 

5) Small change requests: Whilst many web development companies might build you a site, they may not be equipped or even well suited to handling small change requests. Finding someone who handles IT tickets all the time every day means that you can just email your request and it will be done.  

6) Knowing who is visiting your website. This is crucial to the success of your website. You must analyse who is visiting and how you can improve your organic reach. You can get reports for as little as $5 a month, or more detailed custom report which help to understand who is visiting your website. 

7) Marketing your website: In other words, actually getting visitors to your website 

  • Marketing can be as simple as having standard SEO added during the website build and then updated as things change. 
  • Having your website on your business card and email signature.
  • More advanced options include: Advanced SEO (Search Engine Optimisation)
  • Ad campaigns.
  • Remarketing goggle ads set up.  

This list helps to give you a more realistic distinction around “website costs” . While the costs are not huge, some customers are surprised because they assume that after they have built the site there are no more costs. 

More on website Hosting:

Once your website is developed you may find that there are so many web hosting options, that it feels slightly overwhelming. 

Before you go with the one with the cute adverts, or the cheapest ones, here are a few crucial things to consider:

  • Having a strong and reliable web host is important for an effective website.
  • The right web hosting should be considered the foundation of your website. 
  • The wrong web hosting can cause loss of sales and security nightmares. 

What you need to know about Web Hosting?

  • A web host provider is a company that will host those files for you on their servers.
  • Going with a reliable web host ensures your website is web-accessible 24/7. 
  • Web hosting providers guarantee server maintenance by making sure that all the software and equipment is always updated and tested for functionality. 
  • The right web hosting keeps your website up and running with limited issues.

Ultra IT will ensure that the hosting they provide for you is high functioning and gives you good value. With the myriad of options that are available, this saves you valuable time and money.   

In Summary:

Knowing some of the costs of owning a website at the outset helps with budgeting for success with your website. 

The advantages of having a good quality web host are many. It really does help with the success of your website in the long run, as well as stand you in good stead with your website security. For more information or help, feel free to contact us here for a friendly chat.

Cyber Security – What you need to know!

By Paul Caldwell – Microsoft Security BDM 

What should I be doing to secure my business? 

One of the first things about Security is realizing that security is much more than stopping people “hacking in”. 

It is fundamental to any business to have a business continuity plan (BCP). If you plan for a power outage what happens? Your IT systems will be down.  

Can I use the same plan if an outage occurs to my IT systems and it’s not a power problem?  

Security is the foundation of resilience. 

The hardest part about security is getting started. Often, it’s on the “to do list” until it’s too late.  

Hopefully you have already talked to your IT partner and had the security business continuity conversation.

If not “What should I do first” is a common question? Rather than recommend one single thing, the answer should be – “Have a plan”  

So, what does your plan need to cover? 

  • Firstly, look at any existing business continuity plan. Is it up to date has it been tested? 
  • Look at not just the worst case but also the best case and know that when an incident occurs it will lie somewhere in
  • Most importantly have a plan, know what to do and who to call. 
  • Understand your risks and apportion the appropriate resources to minimize those risks.
  • Make the plan proactive. Be a fence at the top of the cliff and don’t rely on an ambulance at the bottom. 
  • Prevent rather than recover.
  • Inventory is a crucial starting point of any plan. What equipment do you have? what software do you have? What data do you have?
  • Then look at where are the biggest risks. Is there a single point of failure?

Look at your plan as being a holistic business continuity plan, that is a living document. Continually revisit, update, fire drill, and improve.  

Many of the incidents we see disrupt business are due to poor Cyber hygiene not some advanced nation state hack.  

Do the following to enhance your security: 

  1. Keep the software for your devices and applications up to date.
  2. Access? How do I verify my user is in fact who I think they are? Is MFA (Multi factor authentication) on!!!
  3. What information do I have? Where is it stored? Who has access?
  4. What are my essential services?
  5. What are the financial implications of these risks?
  6. What are my obligations to customers, employees, and shareholders?
  7. If I was breached, how would I know and when?
  8. Am I running Microsoft 365 Business Premium?

Can my staff trust that the Cyber workplace is as safe and secure as possible? If it is, you will see productivity and creativity flourish, staff retention rises as well as the ability to recruit new staff. 

“She’ll be right” –  Is not a plan! “No surprises” is a plan. 

For further advice, contact us here to discuss creating a plan for your business.  

How “Software as a Service” can help your business:

How SaaS Can Save Your Business Money

When you see the acronym SaaS you may not immediately think of dollar signs, though the S’s are pretty close. Yet Software as a Service, what SaaS stands for, can save business money.

What is SaaS?

For SaaS to save you money, you need to understand what this solution involves. Think back to a few years ago: installing software from discs was one of the first things you had to do with a new computer. Depending on how old you are, you might remember doing so from a CD or maybe even a floppy disc!

A business might have paid for several licenses and uploaded the software to many computers, but each copy was unique, whether uploaded to on-premises computers or laptops.

The SaaS solution offers greater flexibility. The business user gains online access to whatever software applications they need. There is no need to install each specific app on Jamal’s computer and then do the same for Janice. Instead, the software is available whenever users want and on the device they choose. It doesn’t matter, as long as they have internet connectivity.

This means workers no longer have to be on-site to use all business tools. Plus, since applications aren’t installed on business machines, you don’t need the same storage space or processing power.

How SaaS saves you money

Software as a Service reduces your upfront costs. Under the old model, you needed to pay for the physical disc or download the software from the internet. You also needed to ensure you had the appropriate hardware to run the applications. Plus, you would pay to maintain the license and support the software.

With SaaS, you pay only the monthly or annual subscription fee. The vendor providing the software has the servers and hardware. That means they cover the costs for its maintenance and upkeep. Meanwhile, you get the advantage of a set fee that covers licensing and support.

Cloud-based SaaS is also economically priced for the number of users you want to access that software. Since it is in the cloud, you can scale up or down as your business needs change. If you’re not using the software as much as you expected, drop that application. You’ve paid only a subscription fee rather than investing in a lifetime license, hardware, and maintenance.

Starting with SaaS

The one big concern businesses have about SaaS is data security. Having control of the software on-site can feel safer. But SaaS providers invest more in cybersecurity than your small business could. Their business depends on reliability and resilience. They build in redundancy, have backup tech, and keep the software upgraded and secure.

Making the move to SaaS doesn’t have to be difficult, especially if you partner with another acronym, an MSP. A managed service provider can help you find software solutions for your needs. We’ll advise you on SaaS options and support your transition to the convenience and cost savings of SaaS.

To find out more please contact us here

Bad Weather? How to protect your IT equipment

Given the recent spate of storm events in Northland and NZ wide, and weather experts saying we’re going to get more in the future, now is the time to check your IT gear is protected.

New research from NIWA (National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research) has shown that extreme events have occurred four to five times more frequently in the last decade.

Many IT technicians had call-outs from clients after the recent storms. Thunderstorms can literally fry electronics, and this causes not just replacement cost, but also work disruption and even possibly data loss. 

Many technicians carry surge protectors in their cars, so that whenever they are working, they can ensure that sensitive IT equipment is at least surge protected. But for clients we see less often, or who are not on a managed service agreement, it’s easy for IT devices to not be surge protected. Your staff, cleaners or others will sometimes move plugs about. Be aware that this does matter.

Now is a good time to have a look at your computer equipment, or ask our team to do it for you next time they are onsite.

Here are our top tips to protect your IT – how do you stack up?

Surge protectors

A surge protector guards against the damage that sudden power surges can cause.

  • It’s recommended for almost any piece of IT hardware plugged into a power outlet.
  • It will help protect against power spikes which can sometimes happen, especially if the power suddenly goes off. This happens more often than you might think; for example, your local lines company may be doing maintenance or upgrades to their system and will turn the power off for a period overnight.
  • The surge protectors can protect against more distant lightning strikes but will not provide protection from a close or direct strike.
  • Surge protectors can be built into power boards, so several devices can be plugged into them.
  • Do NOT plug anything other than IT equipment into surge protectors / surge protected power boards. We have seen heaters plugged in to surge protectors! These types of devices can fry your electronics. Make sure non-IT gear uses a separate power point.

Things that people often forget to surge protect

  • The Optical Network Terminal (ONT) that brings your fibre internet into your premises. The ONT is the little box that your provider installs. If the ONT blows will have no fibre Internet until they replace it.
  • Network gear in the cupboard, or wherever it is located at your place – routers, powered network switches, etc. If the network gear blows up, you will lose the network around your premises.
  • Phones – while they are not as mission-critical as your ONT and network gear, it’s still annoying when they get fried.

UPS or Uninterruptible Power Supply

An uninterruptible power supply (UPS) is an electrical apparatus that provides emergency power when the mains power fails.

  • Critical pieces of IT hardware, such as servers, key computers and network storage devices, should normally have a UPS between them and the wall power supply
  • The UPS does more than a simple surge protector, but they do also provide some surge protection.
  • This article does not cover UPS devices, but do make sure that they are regularly checked and batteries replaced.

Unplug IT from the wall

  • This can be difficult to achieve as computer equipment is often in use. If you are concerned enough about an approaching storm, then consider properly turning it off and then physically removing the plug from the wall.
  • If in any doubt – ALWAYS check with Ultra IT first, as some IT equipment should not be unplugged.

Last thoughts

  • If the surge protector has experienced a significant power surge, or a lightning strike, it may have done its job and no longer work. Replace it. Often they will have a little light which indicates they are working, so if the light goes out – probably time to replace.
  • Don’t use the very cheapest devices and expect them to protect you.

In summary

Thunderstorms and lightning are real threats to IT and can cause not just cost, but also disruptions to your business. Surge protectors can last for years and all your IT equipment should use them. 

While surge protectors can last for years, it pays to keep a close eye on them and replace them if needed. 

If you need help making sure your IT is protected against weather events contact Ultra IT here .

IT Hardware: Tips for planning and budgeting

Nothing is more true than the fact that IT moves quickly these days! 

Part of keeping up with IT and the rapid changes is making sure that your business has the right equipment to do the task. 

In this article we will be providing a few ideas for how to make a plan/budget for new or replacement equipment, as well as offering you some information on leasing.  

Firstly budgeting for IT hardware

Most businesses will have a budget for IT hardware and other goods and services that they need to operate. 

Our advice is that if you have more than a handful of computers, you will benefit from forecasting and budgeting for IT expenditure. 

Once your business is established, there is a very good chance that you will need to replace your IT equipment every few years. Such a good chance, in fact, that you can plan on it! 

Drawing up an IT replacement schedule helps you plan well, and helps ensure you have the funds when you need them.

This can be done in conjunction with the team at Ultra IT. If you have a list already, we can do an audit of the IT equipment that you have, the date it was installed, and therefore when it is likely to need replacing based on its expected life. 

This asset management plan needs to be revised every year for budgeting purposes.

We strongly suggest that you do this years in advance of when you actually require upgrades. It’s not hard to do. 

This list can help you have a clear and actionable plan on existing equipment, when warranties expire, and the requirements for a staggered plan for new hardware.

A look at leasing

Whilst many of our clients purchase outright as the overall cost is lower, leasing can be a good option for when you are starting out, if your business is expanding rapidly, or if cash flow is wrapped up in other parts of the business. 

Leasing turns capital expenditure which has to be depreciated, into a monthly payment that is immediately expensed. It can also be an advantage in keeping assets off your balance sheet – speak with your accountant or advisor about this.

Obviously the disadvantage of leasing is that you are using someone else’s money and so they will need to charge you for that, as well as for their efforts! You could arrange your own finance and purchase, instead of leasing, in which case it pays to do your research on interest rates. 

Upgrading your technology for modernisation and expansion and to get more reliable up-to-date technology is very important, as using outdated technology can cost money and time (and expensive IT call outs!). Sometimes it is a case of weighing up your options here. 

Using leasing options, your business may be able to move forward more quickly then it otherwise may have been able to, financed in a way that suits your budget or cash flow. 

Whilst leasing is more costly than buying in the long run, one of the advantages is that you can establish predictable payment structures aligned to your needs, taking the stress out of an upfront payment. 

This all means that you can get the technology you need with the budget you have today by utilising IT leasing arrangements.

“When I became self-employed 20 years ago, I got my first laptop and setup via Flexirent, as it meant I didn’t need to spend the cash and then have the asset/depreciation. Instead, I kept the cash, and the entire cost was a relatively small monthly expense. So, sometimes, especially for new start-ups, it means you can save your cash for something you do need, or as a reserve. For more mature companies, taking a lease for gear, means that the cash can stay with you, which can help with liquidity.” Comment from ITA member.

Leasing options: 

These are just a few of the leasing options that some of our clients use. This is by no means conclusive, and we are not aligned with any of these companies. All of our advice is simply that, advice. Please make sure you do your own thorough research on this subject.  Never before has the saying ‘read the small print’ been more applicable. We strongly advise that you speak with your financial advisor and or accountant about this. 

Feefunders
From Fee Funders website: Your business receives 100% of the customer invoice paid upfront, whilst your customers enjoy the flexibility of monthly installments. Fee Funders manages the monthly customer’s payments by direct debit over three, six, nine or twelve months . Your business achieves upfront cash flow at no cost. Your clients pay a basic interest rate to achieve a spread of their outgoings. It’s like outsourcing a spread payment option for free!A simple, hassle free approach to funding for your business and your clients.Your business has the money in the bank within three working days of the customers first direct debit, giving enhanced cash flow with no debtor management distractions. Staff can remain focused on core business activities.
Flexicommercial
Flexicommercial offers your business flexible equipment finance solutions. The credit criteria for finance varies depending on whether you are an existing or new business and the required amount of finance.Choose the equipment you need.Choose the type of lease that best suits your needs.Select the payment term to best suit your budget.Apply over the phone or through your supplier in store.Sign and return the paperwork for approval

Of course these are just suggestions and all leasing arrangements should be thoroughly considered before being entered into. 

Hint – Leasing companies will usually be quite happy to include IT engineer setup costs in the value of the lease. For larger or more complicated systems, this can be quite a substantial part of the project costs. This means you can also expense those costs as well.

In summary 

Working closely with Ultra IT to do an audit of your current equipment, and make a plan for future expenditure, makes good business sense. 

Something that makes this type of IT cash-flow of forecasting easier, is if you work with an MSP (managed service provider). Being on a Managed Service agreement removes many of the fluctuations of IT budgeting as generally you pay a fixed monthly fee for IT support. 

Please feel free to reach out to us here to speak about this further.

How a Managed Service provider can help your business

In IT we love to use fancy jargon, and Managed Service provider or MSP is no exception.

In this article we will break down what an MSP is, how it can help your business, and use some real-life examples of businesses, like you, who have made the switch to an MSP.

Firstly, what is a Managed Service Provider???

In a nutshell an MSP is your ‘outsourced IT Dept’ that provides proactive IT support. An MSP provides preventative measures, detecting most issues long before they become a problem.

The mission of an MSP is to protect your business from costly downtime and ensure that business continues seamlessly.

What is the break-fix model of IT support?

In contrast the ‘break-fix’ model of IT support is when you call an IT company when something breaks, and they come and fix it, on an adhoc pay by hour model. There is no ongoing support or preventative security measures taken. This is a bit like the ambulance at the bottom of the hill.  

Top advantages of an MSP for your business:

We become an IT partner to your business: As an MSP we are interested in understanding your entire business. We see ourselves as a business partner who wants to help your business to succeed and grow. This is quite different from the ‘break-fix’ model. We anticipate a long-term working relationship with your business. 

Proactive IT Support: As an MSP, our mission is to keep your business technology safe and available, and to anticipate your needs and requirements. This means minimum costly down time, and maximum business continuity.

Knowledge of your needs: As we have a long-term relationship with your business, we become closely acquainted with your IT systems, and your personnel. Because of this we understand how the parts make up the whole, rather than just offering a quick short-term solution, which may be costly in the future.

Cost savings: By outsourcing your IT management to us, you get a well-informed IT department on your team, without the cost and responsibility of training, recruiting, and retaining staff.

Case-Study

“An IT Alliance member had a company who was reaching out to them on a ‘break-fix’ basis. During Covid the IT Alliance member reached out to them to discuss becoming their MSP. They sat down and discussed what this actually meant, the services that the MSP offers, and the priority that is given to MSP clients. The client has been using them as an MSP for over two years now, and happily sings their praises, saying that having an MSP has revolutionized their business. No more waiting for IT support, no more downtime and so much more alignment”

So, what does an MSP actually do?

Remote Monitoring: An MSP proactively monitors, patches, and updates your software on an ongoing basis with 24/7 monitoring. This is all done in the background on an ongoing basis and requires no input from you.

Security: As an MSP we constantly review your systems to identify and address vulnerabilities. We can keep up with system updates, software patching, antivirus and more. It would be difficult for any business to keep up to date with all the daily security alerts. With an MSP this is all taken care of and is one less thing to worry about, so you can focus on your business.

Optimising hardware: An MSP provides information on optimal hardware that synchronises across your business. This includes laptops, desktops, and mobile devices, plus your network and servers.  We can work with you to understand your growth requirements and work on the best timeline for your budget.

Strategic advice: As IT is our passion, we hear about a myriad of tools that may be of benefit for business goals. We share this advice with you, rather than you having to research or find out how you can optimise technology for your needs.

Regular reviews: As an MSP client, you are a priority which means that we schedule in regular proactive reviews. No more waiting on the phone to talk to someone to get IT support.

Business Continuity and disaster-recovery strategy: Nowadays it is crucial that you have a solid data-backup plan. We can help you with this process and ensure that everything can be efficiently restored should the need arise.

So what do I do now?

So now you have an overview of what an MSP is, and how they can help your business. The next step is talking to our team at Ultra IT about your specific needs. Many of our members tailor packages to suit your business requirements. Please feel free to reach out here for further advice.