Technology Assessment & Planning
The staff at Infotech can provide your company with a roadmap for your company’s technology investments. We don’t just consider performance; we also consider how the technology we recommend affects your productivity and ultimately your bottom line.
A typical plan will involve:
A fact finding meeting to discuss the technology issues or challenges you face today
and the what you would truly like to get from your company systems and network.
An on-site evaluation of your existing technology. Production of a document that presents our recommendations and the associated costs. A meeting to present the document, discuss vulnerabilities and priorities.
We at Infotech are committed to your long-term success, and we are ready to be your trusted IT partner today. Contact us to learn more about our Technology Assessment service.
Network Infrastructure
Design and Installation
A professionally designed, installed and well-maintained network infrastructure
will keep your staff productive, protect and preserve your data and extend the life
of your PCs and printers. This should always include appropriate yet scalable software
& equipment with the correct specifications.
Does this sound expensive? Not so in comparison to employee downtime, loss of your important data or even the loss of clients due to your inability to meet their needs or deadlines—not to mention emergency support and data recovery costs. The staff at Infotech will take into consideration your business needs, goals and budget in designing a network for your business. Whether you need a LAN, WAN or VPN solution, our professional technical staff will ensure that your network is properly installed and will stand behind our work. At Infotech, your success is our business! Contact us for a free initial consultation and let us help your business get to the next point with a reliable network infrastructure.
Network Security
Infotech recommends a comprehensive approach to protecting your important business information & equipment from outside intruders. It is somewhat like locking the doors to your business and activating the alarm when you leave for the day. You wouldn’t set the alarm and leave the door open, right?
A quality firewall to protect against hackers and an up to date network antivirus are key to protecting your network. A sophisticated virus can take your network down and could corrupt or even delete your data. These things along with using the security features in current network operating systems and establishing some guidelines or policies for the users of your systems is a simple but well rounded approach to securing your network.
Most viruses are inflicted through email however not the only thing you need to be prepared to defend against. Another important element is Spam Prevention.
Contact us for your Network Security.
Anti-spam and Anti-virus Solutions
Viruses and unwanted email ("spam") have evolved from simply being a nuisance to become a significant problem, especially for businesses. Viruses and spam affect employees’ productivity. They introduce legal liability issues and real costs. By some estimates, the amount of spam will triple over the next few years. Anti-spam software in combination with your firewall or antivirus are worthwhile however do require some configuration or maintenance to keep from blocking valid mail and to stay current on new attacks.
At Infotech, we recommend all of these methods and can take them a step further by using an filter that uses a comprehensive approach to blocking all spam before it gets to your server. This filter utilizes multiple layers of protection to analyze each piece of email and to detect and act on suspected spam. Contact us to get a quote for an anti-spam solution.
Data Protection and Disaster Recovery
Whether your business has 3 or 300 PCs, the data you are managing could be the most important asset you own. Infotech will build redundancy into your network to protect against system or component problems. Protecting your data from system failure is the first step in data protection. Are you also protected against fire and/or theft? If you did lose your data for any reason, how quickly can you retrieve it? Can you retrieve it at all?
At Infotech, we are serious about protecting your data. System redundancy, a scalable and reliable backup solution, a consistent backup schedule and a plan for disaster recovery are key to protecting and retrieving your data. A solid plan for backups is a critical member of Infotech’s suite of pro-active Technology assesment services.
Remote Access Solutions
Virtual Private Networking is a great way to connect remote offices and remote users to your corporate network. Using the internet as a transport mechanism VPNs create a secure "tunnel" for network data to travel back and forth. Infotech offers Software VPN Solutions, Firewall-to-Firewall VPN Solutions, and Thin Client Solutions.
Another type of remote access is when your system allows your IS partner to access your systems or network for support or maintenance. This system is one way to keep your support costs down. Contact us now to learn more about remote access or the many Support solutions we can provide.
E-mail Solutions
The experienced staff at Infotech can migrate, upgrade or install your Microsoft Exchange email solution. For businesses with less than 50 clients, talk to us about Microsoft’s Small Business Server 2003 as a cost effective network solution that includes Exchange email services. For email that is not hosted at your offices, let us assist you in properly setting up and configuring your email. Whether you use exchange or have email through your ISP, Infotech can assist you with protecting your network from spam and viruses. Contact us today to ensure your email is working for your business.
Technology Project Management
The staff at Infotech can coordinate and oversee the more difficult projects. Office moves, remodels or additions require a variety of contractors. Your Technology Partner should be involved from the outset to ensure careful planning for any changes to your electronic infrastructure. We make sure that your project is completed in a timely manner and with the fewest possible errors. Server rooms and wiring closets require attention to detail. Important details like temperature control or having enough electrical outlets and dedicated circuits may be missed without knowledgeable management. Timing of the various project stages is an important consideration. With Infotech on your side, you can have your computer network in place at the right time and properly tested before you begin to use it.
Software Audits and Compliancy Service
Infotech can provide an audit of your current software and licensing to ensure that you are current and compliant. We can assist you in deciphering the complex software licensing schemes and advise you as to any changes or upgrades you might need along with the associated costs. Our buying power and software expertise allows us to make the right recommendations and to provide you with the products you need at competitive prices.
For a no-obligation network consultation, Contact us today.
Hosting Services: Managed
To start with, you probably want to know what exactly managed hosting is. And you probably want to know what options are available to you other than managed hosting. How do they compare when it comes to security, expertise, included services, cost and value? It’s just the beginning of the questions, but it’s a good starting point for us to explain the differences between what we do, and what other types of providers do or don’t do.
We’ve compiled brief, but thorough, descriptions of the most common types of hosting solutions you’ll encounter as you research your hosting options.
Managed hosting
Rackspace concentrates solely upon managed hosting, an advanced type of dedicated hosting (see below). Unlike basic dedicated hosting, managed hosting offers system level administration and support, comprehensive Internet infrastructure and extensive services that relieve IT departments of many critical, but costly responsibilities. These services typically include advanced monitoring, load balancing, elevated security, data storage, stress testing, industry-leading technical expertise and content delivery. The provider owns the data centers, the network, the server and other devices, and is responsible for installing, maintaining and monitoring them. The customer retains full control of their operating systems and applications. This balance of responsibilities allows for levels of security, scalability and uptime that far exceed basic dedicated hosting and other hosting options.
Although seemingly expensive, managed hosting is the smart and cost-effective hosting solution for those needing 100% network uptime, responsiveness, technical expertise and a secure, high-end infrastructure. The cost of building and maintaining these capabilities in-house is far too demanding for most IT budgets and staffs.
Dedicated hosting
This form of hosting allows customers to lease pre-configured, high-end equipment and connectivity from the provider. Offering greater flexibility than shared hosting and less responsibility than colocated hosting, the customer generally retains control over their hosting environment. They choose their operating system and software and tailor it to their needs. The provider, however, remains responsible for administration.
Customers using a dedicated hosting solution require an overall competency in IT and server administration issues. It also requires a more significant investment of finances, time and human resources than shared hosting.
Colocated hosting
For webmasters who desire complete control over their server, colocated hosting is an option. The provider offers only space for a server on their rack and usually a low performance bandwidth. The customer is responsible for everything else — purchasing, configuring and maintaining the physical hardware (servers, firewalls, etc.), software and the operating system.
Setting up and maintaining a colocated server is not a simple undertaking. It demands that the customer have a great deal of IT expertise and time. Any extra services or assistance by the provider also incurs extra costs.
Shared hosting
Sometimes known as virtual hosting, this is the most basic and the most inexpensive of hosting alternatives. With shared hosting, numerous customers host their websites on one server, sharing the cost of an Internet connection that’s generally faster and more secure than dial-up connections. An range of basic bundled services at a low monthly fee makes this a popular choice for first-time webmasters.
While economically sound, this type of hosting typically cannot handle large amounts of storage or traffic and the provider offers little to no IT services or flexibility.