With the new year here, do you have a plan for your technology, cybersecurity, and communications tools? Do you know what are the types of IT solutions? It’s essential to have a strategy in hand, and IT solutions and Secure Networks can help with that. That’s why we recently sat down with our president, Kevin MacArthur, to ask him a little about what he thought of the past year and what he thinks 2022 holds for security, the cloud, VoIP, and more. See what he had to say below.
A Year in Review
What did you see other companies learning over the course of 2021?
Kevin: I would say companies really needed to keep learning how to handle remote workforces. Organizations either struggled or thrived. Many businesses had to take it back to fundamentals and optimize for the long term, relearning how to lead their team. We already had 40% of our team working remotely so, thankfully, it didn’t affect us much.
We has a few smaller weather incidents that cut power for a day or two but seeing that we live in New England that next big one is around the corner. Businesses always need to be prepared for the weather and the problems it can bring. It takes time to recover, and the cost to recover is actually 3X more than prevention.
The hardware pinch, also, is ongoing at the moment. But overall, there have been plenty of mergers and acquisitions – a lot of companies did have a good year.
Looking Forward to 2022, What Are The Types of IT Solutions, Support, and Technology Consulting?
What do you think companies should be thinking about for security in 2022?
Kevin: I think businesses are going to have to increase their spend. The time of $2, $3 tools is going away. Liability insurance costs are going up, and so are the requirements needed to even get the coverage. Secure Networks and our Security Suite help organizations meet those needs in order to get insurance. We ensure you’re doing certain things you need to protect your network and overall company.
The Kaseya breach is an example of more hackers attacking organizations and supply chains.
A free cybersecurity scan could help ensure your IT network is absolutely ready for 2022.
What do you recommend for BACKUP, the cloud, and WiFi? Is there anything new in these worlds?
Kevin: There’s nothing new we’re recommending in the backup and backup and disaster recovery plan world – we have a solid vendor: Datto. We require our clients to have it when working with us.
For the cloud and WiFi, I think the next phase is the virtual desktop. No matter where you are, just turn it on. Having a virtual desktop on every device keeps your team connected.
What is Secure Networks going to look like in 18 months? Are there any areas you’re going to be focusing on in the near future?
Kevin: I think a lot of it will depend on the technology and what it looks like. Everyone is on the cloud. It’s getting to the point where your device is just a brick with a monitor. Our services will definitely be focusing more on technical and technology consulting as a result. We’re a trusted consulting partner that is and will be helping organizations improve productivity and get the most benefit from their tools.
Our approach to managed IT services differs from the competition. Learn more about our services and solutions here.
Is there anything new on the communication side of things that businesses should note?
Kevin: Unified communications is thrown out, where everything is tied in. Here, we mostly focus on vendor tools when it comes to UC.
I think, eventually, there’s going to be no phones, just laptops and headphones. We’re just going to see more integration with everything.
Are you going to be offering new training solutions? Or is there anything new companies should be thinking about adding to their training?
Kevin: We absolutely recommend, as new things are added to a company – whether that’s a new accounting service or a new team, training should be a part of it. Security definitely needs to be baked into the training solutions too.
How Can Secure Networks Help in 2022? Why Should You Work With Us?
We understand what organizations need and are looking for in their IT solutions. And we wholly believe you get what you pay for. Our work is not just an endcap for IT and security. Secure Networks starts with a tech assessment, and it’s not just a cursory measure. Our approach is much more robust than our competitors. We go through what you have at the moment, what’s working, what isn’t working, and any gaps. We’ll then come back with a plan that helps ensure you’re making the most of the IT solutions out there and benefiting from our technology consulting expertise.