• Welcome to Demakis Technologies! We are waiting to help you!
Get A Quote

Working Hours

Mon- Sat: 9am to 6pm (CST)

24 Hr Support

[email protected]

Our Location

332 S Michigan Ave, Ste 9000, Chicago IL 60604
WE OPERATE WORLDWIDE!

Monthly Archives: August 2021

it consulting and managed services
Posted on Author Roxanne Demakis Categories Managed Services

Managed Services vs. IT Consulting: What’s the Difference?

In this post, we will explain the difference between managed services and IT consulting, and the key benefits of both approaches.

Let’s begin.

What Are Outsourced IT Services?

IT outsourcing happens when a company hires an external service provider to handle some of its IT functions. 

IT consulting and managed IT solutions are both types of outsourced IT services.

What Is IT Consulting?

IT consulting is the practice where companies seek advice from domain experts on different areas of information technology. 

The goal is to gain insight and make the best use of IT to achieve their business objectives.

managed it solutions

Benefits of IT Consulting?

Here are 3 key benefits of using IT management consulting:

Access to Highly Specialized Experts

IT outsourcing allows you to cooperate with experts that would be too expensive to hire full-time. 

Reputable IT consulting companies employ IT professionals with high expertise in their field. 

Their deep knowledge and experience will ensure that your team uses the latest technologies and most effective procedures to get the task done.

Cost-Effectiveness

Hiring full-time employees comes with costs such as paying salaries, workspace, benefits, and more.

IT consultants usually charge by project or per hour, and this type of flexibility helps organizations control their costs.

Since consultants tackle a specific problem in a particular timeframe, hiring them is a cost-effective use of time, too..

Focusing on Your Business

Whatever your industry is, your employees will be more productive when they are focused on their core competencies. 

Trying to tackle unknown IT tasks can be frustrating and not productive at all.

When you hire IT consultants, you and your team can focus on what you do best, and continue growing the business.

Who Are Managed IT Providers? 

Managed IT providers are firms with a team of domain experts in a specific area of information technology.

IT managed services is a practice where companies outsource one or more of their IT segments to a managed IT support company.

What Kind of Services Do They Provide?

While big companies form in-house teams that manage their IT infrastructure, smaller ones turn to IT managed service providers. 

Common examples of services offered by managed IT providers are: 

  • Software development and maintenance
  • HR management
  • IT support
  • Network security management and monitoring
  • Systems management
  • Data backup and recovery
  • and more
it management consulting

Benefits of Using Managed IT Services

Take a look at 4 biggest benefits of hiring a managed IT provider:

Scalability

Scaling within the IT infrastructure requires lots of coordination, high-quality staff, and equipment. It comes with great cost and can shift your team’s focus from other important tasks.

Training just one new employee in your IT department costs a lot of money, and no one can guarantee that they will stay with your company.

Managed IT service providers help organizations expand their systems without having to bring on and train new employees.

Controlled Monthly Costs

IT investments and operations often lead to unplanned additional costs for staff training, equipment, and more.

Managed IT services are usually paid on a subscription basis. It is a predictable expenditure that comes with no extra costs and very little initial investment.

The subscription cost depends on the type of services used, and the number of persons involved.

Faster Implementation of New Technologies

In order to introduce new technologies to your workspace, you need to hire the right staff, provide them with training, and then give them adequate support and resources. This can turn out to be costly and quite time-consuming.

Managed IT service providers already have all the resources needed to implement new software and tools quickly. 

Managed IT teams can also help you stay on track with the latest technologies.

Reduced Labor Costs

When you use managed IT service, there are fewer employees that you need to hire in-house. 

Hiring just one IT professional means paying annual salary, vacation days, insurance, and more. If your organization needs more IT experts, this can take a huge part of your budget.

With managed IT services, you do not spend any money on training and the future development of the experts. 

Moreover, you invest and spend less on office space.

Managed Services vs. IT Consulting 

outsourced it services

IT consulting and managed services both help organizations finalize their IT tasks and projects in a more efficient way. 

However, there is one significant difference between the two types of services. 

IT consulting is about getting advice and professional suggestions from experts, while with managed services external teams are involved in completing tasks and projects.

Why Hire Managed IT Support?

When you hire managed IT service providers, you get the best possible quality in the given area, without paying the full price for it. 

You are able to invest time and resources in growing your business while still enjoying great productivity, security, and the latest technologies.

If you are interested in learning more about IT news and best practices, visit Demakis Technologies and follow our blog. 

1
Managed IT Services
Posted on Author Roxanne Demakis Categories Managed Services

Avoid These 7 Common Mistakes When Using Managed IT Services

When searching for managed IT services, it’s easy to make a mistake and hire the wrong company. 

So with this post, we want to help you. 

Here are the most common mistakes you’ll want to avoid when outsourcing your operations to a third-party IT provider:

Let’s begin!

#1 Poor Selection Processes

outsourced it services

With the global market at their fingertips, companies can easily become overwhelmed with the variety of options when it comes to choosing their managed IT provider.

In order to make the right choice, you need to take into consideration different financial, company culture, technical specs, and communication. 

Try to learn as much as you can about the team you are looking to hire. 

Some of the questions that can help you make a smart decision are:

  • Do they have the resources required for the project?
  • Did they work with businesses of similar size before?
  • Do they have a stable business themselves?

Not being selective enough can lead to problematic partnerships and low performance.

#2 Focusing on the Cost

Many companies still see outsourcing as a way to cut their labor expenses. 

Although outsourcing can turn out to be cost-effective, choosing the team primarily based on their cost can lead to lower quality of work. 

Make sure you estimate the value and the quality you will receive in the process. 

cost managed it support company

Focus on different qualitative factors such as proven experience in your industry, innovation capabilities, advanced technologies they use, quality of customer service, etc.

Paying a bit more for a team that brings more knowledge and experience to the table can come with invaluable returns. 

#3 Hiring Based on Technical Skills Only

Although technical skills are the central criteria when choosing the team for managed IT solutions, there are other factors you should consider such as personality traits, cultural differences, processes they use, and more.

A lot of success of the outsourced operations lies in effective communication. 

The new team must be able to present and discuss their ideas, report problems, give feedback, etc. 

Team members from both sides need to communicate frequently in order to maintain high productivity and stay on track with long-term goals.

#4 Poor Operations Management

When outsourcing certain operations, the idea is not that IT managed service providers should take over the business and make key decisions. 

Instead, they are supposed to complement your organization by helping you improve productivity and efficiency. 

it management business consulting

The best way to make sure that the outsourced tasks are in line with the company’s overall goals is to hire knowledgeable managers who will help streamline the workflow.

Companies also need to be prepared to provide security training for their employees, enforce IT policies, and make sure IT best practices are implemented, 

#5 Hiding Vital Information

Access to relevant information is one of the prerequisites for successful outsourcing. 

Sometimes companies fear for their sensitive data and fail to provide managed teams with essential information, which leads to lower efficiency. 

Having appropriate Intellectual Property mechanisms and data protection procedures in places will allow you to be transparent and able to share data crucial for each project 

Although this might increase the cost of the outsourcing procedures, it will bring value by providing smoother and faster operations. 

#6 Not Specifying the Terms of Work

The contract between your company and the managed service provider should define the terms of collaboration. 

it management consulting

The company’s decision-makers must make sure that the terms are clear and well-explained, covering different points such as: 

  • Scope of work 
  • Budgeting
  • Communication
  • Feedback channels for potential issues 

If the managed IT services consulting team will be exposed to the company’s sensitive data, you should include an NDA clause in the agreement. 

#7 Seeing Outsourced Teams as Vendors

When you hire a managed IT support company, you should see them as new internal team members. 

They should be expected to provide the same standard of professionalism and dedication as your employees.

The more you treat them as internal resources, the more open they will be to express new ideas and contribute to the overall progress of the company. 

Seeing outsourced teams as one-time vendors or distant service providers creates a gap in your workflow that prevents you from reaping the full benefits of such collaboration.

If you’d like to know more about the managed services that we provide, please CONTACT US.

Our team will be more than happy to schedule a meeting with you, and answer any questions that you may have.
Follow Demakis Technologies and our blog to stay informed about new technologies and IT best practices.

0
cyber insurance
Posted on Author Roxanne Demakis Categories Cyber Security

What Is Cyber Insurance? And Should You Get It?

Cyberattacks of all kinds are becoming a big threat for all businesses.

That is why many organizations are turning to cyber insurance to protect themselves from some of the consequences of a breach.

In this blog, we’re going to explain what cyber insurance is, how it works, and if it’s worth getting it.

Let’s begin.

What Is Cyber Insurance?

Cyber insurance, often referred to as cyber liability insurance, is a sort of a policy that protects businesses from the threat of cyberattacks and hacking.

The insurance policy transfers some of the risks to the insurer in exchange for a monthly or quarterly charge.

How Does Cyber Insurance Work?

cyber security insurance

Many of the same companies that sell related business insurance also sell cyber security insurance.

Most plans provide first-party cyber liability coverage for losses that directly affect a business, as well as third-party coverage for losses incurred by others as a result of a cyber-attack or incident.

Cyber insurance policies assist in the coverage of financial damages caused by cyber threats.

Furthermore, cyber risk insurance assists with the costs of restoration, such as legal support, investigators, communicators in crisis, and reimbursements.

What Is Covered by Cyber Insurance?

Although different policy providers may provide coverage for different items, cyber insurance is more likely to cover the immediate expenditures involved with becoming a victim of a cyberattack. 

You should look for insurance coverages that are tailored to your specific business requirements.

Some basic coverage includes the following:

Extortion and interruption –  Cyber attacks can disrupt your company’s daily operations, resulting in lost income. 

Your policy will cover loss of business, crisis management, and cyber extortion with this type of coverage.

Fraud – If you or your staff are misled and end up moving or diverting money to a fake account, this insurance compensates for the money lost in those situations.

fraud cyber insurance

Data loss – Identity recovery, data compromise liability, and data compromise response fees such as fines and penalties are all covered.

Lawsuits – Your coverage will cover potential lawsuits if a security incident harms your network and it affects a third party.

What Isn’t Covered by Cyber Insurance?

The majority of cybersecurity policies don’t include human-caused security vulnerabilities, such as inadequate configuration management and irresponsible digital asset mismanagement. 

Additional problems that aren’t covered by cybersecurity policies are:

  • Cyber events caused by employees
  • Cyber incidents that happened before the policy was purchased
  • The cost of improving security systems
  • Inability to address and correct a known vulnerability

How Much Does It Cost?

Cyber insurance policy cost is determined by a variety of criteria, including the size of the company and its yearly income.

It also depends on the industry in which the company operates, the network’s overall security, and the type of data it regularly handles.

A company that has a history of being hacked or experiencing a data breach will likely pay a higher price than one that has a strong track record of keeping its data safe.

Top Cyber Insurance Companies

AIG

AIG is one of the market’s most successful cyber insurance companies.

AIG offers personal identity protection and a plan, which covers first- and third-party recovery, loss prevention, extortion, and other issues.

ABA Insurance

ABA Insurance provides first and third-party coverage to protect organizations from risks related to computers, networks, and the internet.

Chubb

Chubb provides loss mitigation and incident response, as well as customized risk management policies that cover privacy, network breaches, media, and claims for errors and omissions.

BCS

Data and network breaches, as well as data loss caused by an outsourcer or vendor, are covered by BCS Insurance.

It also covers third-party legal protection, as well as administrative capabilities that manage breach notifications and incident response.

What to Consider When Getting Cyber Insurance?

Identify your risks

cyber risk insurance

Businesses should customize their insurance coverage to the risks they face. 

Purchase only what you require.

Consider whether your company requires all of the coverages available and decline to purchase those that it does not.

Secure appropriate limits

The crucial step a firm can take to determine the value of cyber insurance is to evaluate the expected expenses of a data breach to the existing limits of liability and associated expenditures.

You should aim to match its liability limitations to its realistic risk.

Check the exclusions

The policy language is not standardized because cyber insurance is a newer product.

Exclusions from other insurance forms may be cut and copied into policies, and the exclusion may not belong. 

Negotiate with the insurer if this occurs.

Is It Worth It?

cyber insurance coverage

As cybersecurity problems become more frequent and severe, it may be worth the money to buy the proper insurance policy to reduce liability.

But if you truly want to protect your sensitive data, tech stacks, and networks, you’ll need more than that.

You’ll need a sound cybersecurity team to back you up.

Look no further than Demakis Technologies.

Our cybersecurity and managed services can protect all your data and other technology assets, and you don’t even have to lift a finger.

Please CONTACT US to reach out to one of our IT professionals who can explain our offer and answer all your questions.

0
managed security service provider
Posted on Author Roxanne Demakis Categories Cyber Security, Managed Services

How to Find a Qualified Managed Security Services Provider

As businesses around the world attempt to improve their security postures, managed security service providers (MSSPs) are in high demand.

In this blog post, we’re going to show you the steps you can take to find a qualified MSSP for your organization.

Let’s begin.

What Is a Managed Security Service Provider (MSSP)?

mssp help your business

A service provider that sells IT managed security services to organizations is known as a managed security service provider (MSSP).

MSSP’s job is to assist organizations to protect themselves from security risks, whether by offering software and services that keep firm data safe or by establishing a network of security professionals who can respond to attacks as they occur.

What Do MSSPs Do?

MSSPs offer cybersecurity monitoring and administration services.

Those services include anti-virus and anti-spam protection, intrusion detection, firewalls, and virtual private network (VPN) management.

System changes, adjustments, and upgrades are typically handled by MSSPs.

How Do MSSPs Help Your Business?

MSSPs can be used to outsource all or part of an organization’s IT security operations.

MSSP companies provide services such as:

  • Continuous security monitoring
  • Vulnerability risk assessment
  • Threat intelligence
  • Intrusion management
  • Video surveillance
  • Access control

MSSPs can also offer security guidance and provide some amount of ongoing security, as well as specifications to further protect a company’s infrastructure.

MSSPs are a cost-effective and efficient approach to safeguard your data and network from invasions while also decreasing the process’s complexity.

How to Find an MSSP?

Some MSSPs are so focused on delivering services as quickly as possible that their customer connections are mechanical and transactional.

However, the majority of clients recognize that they require more.

Businesses require trusted partners to help them navigate the complexities of digital transformation while also ensuring their continuing security.

MSSPs that only provide contracted services are unable to provide such advice and support.

Choose a managed security provider that can assure the strategic advice and day-to-day monitoring, management, enforcement, and pre-authorized containment that you want and need.

That way you can get the best of both cybersecurity technology and experience, support, and talent.

MSSP CYBERSECURITY

How to Evaluate an MSSP?

We’ll go over some important factors and criteria to consider when choosing a managed IT security services provider for your organization.

Understanding compliance and regulatory standards

A managed security company should be well-versed in numerous compliance and regulatory requirements.

It’s difficult for a company to keep ahead of the curve in today’s continuously changing regulatory environment and threat landscape.

As a result, selecting an MSSP with qualified and certified security experts who understand the significance of these standards and can correctly apply the proper security measures to the organization is critical.

High-level security intelligence

If you choose MSS, you should expect the provider to have the most up-to-date knowledge and expertise in the industry when it comes to cybersecurity strategies, the latest threats, and vulnerabilities.

Proactive research on current threats is keeping your company safe from evolving attacks.

Furthermore, ensure that managed security services have a sole focus on MSSP in addition to standard security services.

If security services are not a major component of their business plan, they may not continue to invest in their customers’ security.

Devoted infrastructure

A credible MSS should own and administer their Security Operations Centers (SOCs), which should be operational at all times.

If a managed security company does not provide this degree of coverage, you should be wary of the level of help provided and the speed with which events are dealt.

To support analysis, correlation, and prioritization, an MSSP’s devoted infrastructure should be designed with the newest technology.

To have a thorough knowledge of their processes, ask your potential provider what forms of infrastructure make up their Security Operations Center.

Threat detection and response

managed security service provider threat

By permitting change management on your systems and providing you with warnings, the MSSP managed security service provider should have the technology and infrastructure to facilitate threat detection and response.

The strongest value proposition for your organization’s managed services will be if the MSSP can deliver managed detection and response.

Customer satisfaction on a global level

The skills of the vendor you choose will be validated by an MSSP approved by clients around the world and acknowledged by industry-leading honors.

Look for a managed security service that has analyst recognition, annual rankings, and awards.

You might feel more secure in your decision to choose this MSSP if the organization has won honors for its security services.

If you’d like to know more about managed services and cybersecurity, we suggest that you CONTACT US at Demakis Technologies.

Our IT professionals will be more than happy to answer any questions that you may have about our services, and give you a customized offer based on your needs and those of your company.

0
data protection internet
Posted on Author Roxanne Demakis Categories Security

GDPR and CCPA [EXPLAINED]

Thanks to data mining and user data exploitation by Facebook and Google and other big tech companies, data protection and privacy have become burning issues for consumers.

To protect their rights and limit the misuse of big data in business, governments are creating laws to protect their citizens.

In the last five years, two major pieces of legislation have emerged as front-runners in the regulation of data usage by business and the protection of consumer data:

  • General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)
  • California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA)

In this post, we’ll explain and explore the GDPR and CCPA to help you understand their effects on how you and other companies will gather data in the future.

Let’s begin!

What Is GDPR Compliance?

GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) is considered the strictest privacy law in the world. It was put into effect on May 25, 2018, and although it was drafted by the European Union, GDPR affects any organization in the world that targets or collects data from people in the EU.

Fundamentally, GDPR is designed to help EU citizens have more control over their personal information.

According to GDPR, organizations are allowed to collect personal data solely under strict conditions, while also being obliged to respect data owners’ rights and protect the data from misuse. On the contrary, they are faced with severe penalties.

What Does GDPR Regulate?

Under GDPR, companies and organizations cannot collect personal data without user

consent.

According to GDPR regulations, personal data is information that can be used to identify a person. It includes the following information:

  • Name
  • Location data
  • Personal identification number
  • Photos
  • Biometric data
  • Healthcare information
  • IP address

Who Does GDPR Affect?

GDPR Compliance

GDPR affects any organization that operates within the European Union and any entity that operates outside of the EU but provides goods or services to individuals or businesses in the EU.

Therefore, all the world’s major corporations need to have a GDPR compliance strategy in place.

The law applies to all means of personal data collection, not just using the Internet.

GDPR recognizes three different roles in the process:

  • Data subject. The owner of personal information.
  • Data controller. The party that decides which data to collect and how to use it.
  • Data processor. The party that performs data processing for the controller.

How Does GDPR Affect Privacy Policy?

Your GDPR Privacy Policy needs to be transparent about:

  • Type of data that you collect
  • Purpose of data collection
  • Legal reasons for processing the data
  • How long the data will be stored
  • Whether it will be transferred internally
  • Whether it is used for automated decision-making
  • List of third parties you share the data with
  • How you will notify consumers about policy changes
  • Name and contact of the controller and the data protection officer

How Do You Meet GDPR Requirements?

Take a look at the following tips to stay on track with GDPR requirements:

  • Get consumers’ consent for data processing
  • Collect data for legitimate purposes
  • Only collect the necessary data
  • Make sure the data is accurate
  • Only store data as long as necessary
  • Protect data from unauthorized access and processing
  • Be able to demonstrate GDPR compliance
  • Use transparent methods of data processing
  • Review data protection policies
  • Respect user privacy rights
  • Appoint a data protection officer

GDPR Fines

The severity of the penalty is dictated by several factors such as gravity, nature, and duration of the infringement, character of the infringement (intentional or negligent), actions taken to minimize the damage caused, types of data involved, measures put in place to protect the data, infringement history, and more.

Less severe infringements are punished with the fine of 10 million euros or 2% of worldwide turnover from the preceding fiscal year (whichever amount is higher).

Companies that have caused more severe infringements are faced with a fine of 20 million euros or 4% of worldwide turnover from the preceding fiscal year.

What Is the CCPA?

California Consumer Privacy Act

CCPA or The California Consumer Privacy Act is California State’s privacy law that regulates the way businesses worldwide handle the personal data of California residents.

CCPA came into effect on January 1, 2020, as the first law of that kind in the United States.

What Does CCPA Regulate?

Under CCPA regulation, the following types of information are seen as personal data:

  • Direct identifiers (real name, social security number, physical address, alias)
  • Unique identifiers (IP address, account names, cookies)
  • Internet activity (search and browsing history, interaction with an app or webpage)
  • Biometric data (voice and face recordings)
  • Geolocation data (location history)
  • Sensitive information (medical and health information, sexual preferences, education, and employment data, religious beliefs, financial information, etc.)

Who Does CCPA Affect?

The California Consumer Privacy Act affects all for-profit organizations doing business in California that meet any of the following criteria:

  • Have an annual gross revenue of over $25 million.
  • Collect, buy, receive or sell personal data of 50,000 or more California consumers, devices, or households.
  • 50% or more of their annual revenue comes from selling that data

What Are the CCPA Compliance Requirements?

Here are the points you should cover to be compliant with California’s consumer privacy protection act:

  • Privacy Policy that complies with CCPA requirements, updated at least once a year
  • Be transparent about how the consumers’ personal data is used
  • Keep data inventory that tracks data processing history
  • Ask consumer for permission before data collection
  • Provide consumers with rights to access their collected data
  • Explain to consumers how they can request their data to be deleted
  • Ensure consumers know their rights under CCPA
  • If you sell personal information, create a Do Not Sell My Personal Information page
personal data privacy

How Can You Comply with GDPR and CCPA?

After reviewing all the requirements for both GDPR and CCPA, and determining your key compliance requirements, the following steps will help you stay on track:

  • Assign compliance responsibilities to a specific employee or a team
  • Regularly update your Privacy Policies
  • Implement information-related security best practices
  • Introduce procedures to respond to consumers’ requests to access personal data, opt out of its sale, or have it deleted.
  • Update vendor contracts to comply with both laws
  • Have separate procedures for the use of minors’ personal information
  • Organize privacy training for your employees

If you would like to learn more about data privacy and protection, visit Demakis Technologies and follow our blog.

0
1 2