1. Identifying Outstanding Problems
The first step in the process is identifying any immediate issues or challenges. This is the point where we uncover any ongoing performance issues or downtime triggers. This step is entirely focused around the client's needs or encountered problems. We may take a cursory look at the infrastructure, but we like to keep the client's primary complaints a top priority. These specific problems are given high priority in our Action Plan.
2. Analyzing the Current Environment
This is where we bring in equipment and start surveying the infrastructure. We set up various pieces of technology to properly map out the environment and gain a high level overview of the layout. This is the stage where workstations and servers are located and identified. We document every piece of technology and build profiles around each of the discovered assets. Problems encountered in this stage are also rolled into a prioritized list of issues for the Action Plan.
3. Developing an Action Plan
From the information gathered from steps 1 and 2, we develop an Action Plan. This is the plan to resolve current client initial requests, and discovered issues. We'll propose process and procedure changes, new policies, and additional information that can be adopted by the client. Once approved, it becomes our working document for stage 5.
4. Onboarding
Our software is deployed across the entire network, and this is where performance and security data starts the collection and transport process. We set up and configure our remote access (For remote support whenever it is required). Antivirus and backup software gets installed, if the client opts for those services. We also register the new client with our ticketing system and provide training on how to submit tickets and reach out for support.
5. Implementation of Action Plan
We start progress on the Action Plan. The highest priority items are tackled first. The Action Plan can be a short-term or a long-term plan, depending on the severity of issues discovered, but generally a good chunk of these are resolved immediately after onboarding. Any larger issues are issued milestones and they become projects that are tracked over time. If new hardware is required, this is the point where we deliver the needed hardware and get everything set up.
6. Establishing a Technology Roadmap
This is where we look out over a longer time frame. This is where we coordinate with out client to define future technology goals and requirements. Training, new systems, server installations, and other goals are set. This roadmap also provides follow-up reports at set dates to follow up on milestones. Any larger projects that have overflowed from the Action Plan may be added to the roadmap if they are of substantial size.
7. Continual Monitoring and Support
This is the stage where we transition into more of a project, support, and preemptive support posture. This is the ongoing day-to-day support operations. We receive real time notifications from your infrastructure, and we continually monitor and maintain those assets. From here we send off reports at a regular timeframe to our Point(s) of Contact and focus on tackling tickets that get submitted. When we aren't working on tickets, we're working on the systems in the background, making sure they're functioning properly and ensuring a smooth and high quality experience for you and your end-users.
Provide a robust and world-class portfolio of technology services and maintaining industry-leading customer satisfaction.
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Portfolio of Technology Services
Finding the right company to provide technology services can be a challenge. Vetting those companies to find the best fit for your company can be even harder. We try to tackle this by offering a wide range of useful services to our clients. At the very least, it offers our clients options and flexibility. We use industry-leading professional tools to deliver the highest quality results.
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Customer Satisfaction
A company lives and dies by word of mouth. From launch, we decided we wanted to rely heavily on customer satisfaction and organic growth to drive our business success. Keeping our client base happy increases our word of mouth referrals, and establishes a strong relationship with those referrals. We believe that business success is achieved through customer satisfaction and a vibrant company culture, and we hope it shows.
What is a Virtual Information Technology Officer? (vITO)
In short, a vITO works to align technology with your organization's purpose. We develop a comprehensive technology strategy that enables technology to work towards your goals, and not against it. Collecting, measuring, and interpreting systems data is an important part of harnessing information technology, and we use this data to accurately measure if your process and systems are helping you reach your goals.
The vITO (Virtual Information Technology Officer) operates as your organization's virtual technology strategist. For small and medium sized businesses and organizations, it can be cost prohibitive to have someone dedicated to overseeing all your technological needs of the business. We work alongside your already established IT support to develop a comprehensive roadmap to the future.
-A trusted source of information regarding anything related to your IT strategy
Who has access to your data?
Is your network already compromised? Are your users inadvertently leaving the door wide open to your internal systems? There are plenty of questions when it comes to the security of a network, but we can certainly provide answers. The majority of attacks are unsophisticated and requires little to no technical training. With packages available on the "Dark net" available to for a nominal fee, anyone can rapidly learn to become a very real threat to your business.
Security is better visualized as an onion, rather than a wall. We can test and audit your current environment to identify weak spots in your infrastructure, and then develop a plan of action to remedy these issues. We can test your networks, provide training, implement security measures, and evaluate current security policies.
Easy to understand data
When we analyze your environment, we know a human needs to read and understand it. Our reports are designed with a human in mind, and we know those reports need to be actionable.
Keep your users safe
Often times an organization's weakest link are the hands behind a keyboard. We provide extensive training on avoiding common and not so common security weak points. We also have an advanced anti-phishing and social engineering tool to help your employees easily identify security threats, before they become an issue.
Security is a layered approach. The more layers, the better.
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Process
Procedures and process highlights the first layer of security. Through strategically defined process and procedures, a certain level of security can be attained. Process is the foundation of your security framework. Without a thoughtful process, most security strategies can fall short. Process is usually not enough to provide adequate security, but is an integral component when implemented as part of a security plan. -
Software
Software provides an automated way of protecting your infrastructure. From detecting malicious software through behavior analysis, to signature-based detections that automatically detect a threat before it activates, software provides protection around the clock. -
Hardware
Hardware is a powerful resource. Typically packed with high performance computational chips, it does the heavy lifting that software alone sometimes can't. Providing advanced deep packet analysis, hardware can monitor all data flowing in and out of the network. When malicious data is detected, it can be reported and acted upon. Bad data can be dropped and destroyed, while good data can pass through without issue. -
Analysis
All security strategies need a way to monitor performance, trends, and general analytics. Being able to detect rapid breach attempts can provide an invaluable early warning buffer. Being able to identify trouble before the trouble becomes a threat is the goal of analysis. Quantifying the specific effectiveness of your defense layers allows tuning of these layers, producing a more hardened network. -
Security
Security is fleeting, and always temporary. What was secure two months ago may not be secure now. Being able to detect states of security and insecurity is a cornerstone of our work. When the security model is vulnerable or threatened by new attack methods or exploits, we quickly update the layer and start our remediation efforts. Our security approach ensures to provide an accurate analysis of your current security profile, and to ensure your valuable data remains out of the hands of attackers.