8 Key Components of a Disaster Recovery Plan

Unexpected challenges are part of running a business. Although some companies have security measures in place to protect from potential threats, this simply isn’t enough to prepare against potential disasters. Contingency plans for risks and potential disruption are a tried and true way of expecting the unexpected in today’s digitally focused world.

Disaster recovery plans are designed to help get you up and running after a crisis. They are vital for every business and can make the difference between a company that recovers rapidly and gets back to functioning efficiently and a company that crashes and is unable to bounce back. Here’s a list of some essential components of a disaster recovery plan that will help you create one for your organization:

Take Inventory of Everything

First, make an inventory of everything you have in the company. In particular, your IT systems, premises, software, data storage, hardware, and other assets. Add some scenarios to the inventory, such as fire, system failure, flooding, and others. Think about what would be affected in your business in case of any disaster and how you could mitigate the risk.

Communicate

It is vital to speak to your team about disaster recovery plans and what needs to be included. They most likely will have a different perspective or notice something you don’t. Employees also need to know what to do if disaster strikes.

Set Goals and a Recovery Time

Once you know your systems and possible challenges, start thinking about recovery times. What would be the ideal time to get back up and running again? Some systems might be able to be back up and operational within minutes, but others could take longer.

Do a Risk Assessment

Not all your tasks will be critical. Which elements are essential and need to be prioritized? By working out the risks and priorities, you will organize your disaster recovery plan with the most critical factors at the top.

Look at Insurance

The best time to look at insurance cover is before a crisis. Catastrophe insurance helps with replacements of equipment, IT systems, and other assets. Buying a robust policy helps with the recovery of your business should the worst happen and can save you a significant amount of money.

Data Backups

Data backup and recovery should be a fundamental part of your disaster recovery plan. Regardless of a disaster recovery plan, you should back up your data systems regularly. You can either choose a cloud-based system or a managed data system. Backing up on your premises is not advised in case there is a natural disaster.

Review Offsite Support

If you have offsite support like a managed data system, this is the time to review the service you get. If you don’t already have offsite support, you should consider the functions from backup to updates that will help keep your business functioning at a cost-effective price. You will find there are lots of practical ways that a managed system can help you!

Test the System

Once you have written your disaster recovery plan, it’s time to test it out. This is a valuable learning experience as you will see what works well and what needs to change. Be sure to schedule time in your diary each year to review the plans and make any adjustments. You also need to check it after an incident such as a fire or system failure.

Now that you know the key components of a disaster recovery plan, you’ll soon be able to identify which components you still need to work on before you can create an effective plan for your business. A disaster recovery plan is essential as it will help protect your business from any catastrophic failure.

Work with Nuvek

At Nuvek, we offer proactive, data center-based solutions according to industry best practices. Get in touch with our team to learn more!

Cloud vs. Data Center Solutions

All aspects of business today rely on data, and it is a critical part of the functionality of any organization. Collecting data securely and storing it safely is a priority for business owners. Get it wrong and you could face legal action or lose valuable intelligence. You know there’s more than one way to store your company’s data, but how do cloud vs data center solutions stack up against each other?

Cloud or Data Center: The Difference

Whether you opt for a cloud solution or a data center, the crucial difference between the two facilities is the location. Data centers store data either on your premises or at a physically remote location. Data is stored under a managed service setup. Cloud-based services store data outside of your physical building and can be accessed anywhere on the internet. Both systems have advantages and disadvantages that you need to consider when deciding which one is the best solution for your company.

Security

Security is one of the major factors when deciding between cloud vs data center solutions, and it is vital. In a cloud-based solution, a business entrusts its data security to a third party that will need to have all the required security certifications. There are advantages, as the data is accessible from anywhere by anyone with the correct credentials. 

However, this also means that all access points need to be protected. As opposed to the virtual connection of the cloud, data centers are physically connected to the company’s network. Only people from the company with the correct credentials can access the network. Data centers are also responsible for their own security.

Management

Another issue to consider is the management of the system. In a virtual setup such as the cloud, there is a consistent platform and the company doing the hosting of the service is responsible for security. However, in a managed data center there are professional teams that maintain the service and ensure updates and other security measures are in place and regularly checked. That could save a significant amount of work and worryfor your business.

Size

When choosing the right type of data storage for your business, the amount of information and data you currently have or will generate in the future makes a difference. A data system, mainly when housed on your premises, has limited capacity. Managed data systems operated remotely have the capacity for significantly more data storage. A cloud-based system has unlimited storage abilities based on the package you buy. However, you have very limited control over the hardware, as the cloud vendor manages the system.

Cost

The price of managing your data is another important factor to consider, as it affects your business expenses. A cloud-based system is generally cheaper, but you need to look at what you are getting for your money and whether the deal covers all the services you need. Data center system management may be more expensive but will include security and other managed services such as staff training and IT updates that will make the investment worth it.

The Right Partner

Whether you choose a cloud-based system or have a managed data center solution for your company, the vital thing is making sure you secure the right IT management for your business. Reach out to Nuvek to learn more about our managed services and data center solutions.

Are Online Backup Services Safe?

Leveraging the power of multi-layered security with a focus on high-grade encryption, secure connections, physical security, and more, when done correctly, bring peace of mind. Are online backup services safe for your business’s data?

Businesses run on data, and that data needs to be protected. There’s even a World Backup Day, an annual reminder for people to back up their data. As technology changes and develops, so do the ways organizations store their data.

For years, external hard drives and USBs were the go-to methods, but that all changed with the cloud. In particular, cloud hosting services from secure data centers have become increasingly common.

What Are Data Centers?

Malware, hacking, spyware, and other cybersecurity concerns remain obvious threats. However, for the physical aspect of IT security, companies should consider data centers. Acting as a physical location to store and compute data, data centers offer secure, temperature-controlled facilities. This is imperative for disaster recovery.

Simply put, data centers are the location where your data is stored. They focus on two fundamental things: data storage and network infrastructure. These data centers allow businesses to concentrate less on managing the infrastructure and more on critical business operations.

How Do Data Centers Keep Data Safe?

Data centers take several security measures, implementing everything from surveillance systems to security guards. At the very least, data centers will require:

  • Uninterruptible power supplies (UPS). In the event of a power outage, servers and other equipment keep running with UPS units and backup generators.
  • Environmental controls. Due to the immense amount of heat generated by high-powered technology, data centers implement controls to keep equipment cool. This helps prevent failures and the reduced lifespan of server components.
  • Security systems. To ensure the highest level of privacy and security, several measures are taken, such as locked server cages, biometric access systems, and high-tech surveillance.

How Does an Online Back Service Work?

The basic rule for data protection is that if losing the data will affect your ability to do business, you need to back it up. If you decide to store data at a data center, you do not need to choose this option over online backup services. There are “hybrid” options to ensure the highest level of security and efficiency. In this case, you can opt for a combination of public and private cloud storage. Working with a service provider that offers custom IT support solutions will be your best bet.

When you partner with an online backup service, your files are encrypted before they’re uploaded to a data center’s storage servers, through a secure connection, of course. Methods such as SSL encryption help establish a secure connection so that data successfully transfers without fear of being interrupted or hacked.

Once your files reach the cloud, additional layers of protection are added so that others cannot access your data. While working with online backup providers, your data will be encrypted at your location, during transit, and at rest in your data center.

When backing up to a service provider, a cloud service provider offers backup services in a managed data center.

Partner with a Data Center

If you rely on your hard drive to store critical data, you risk losing that data, or worse. After all, employees are, unintentionally, the number one cause of data breaches. Research from Stanford found employees’ mistakes cause 88% of data breaches.

Make online backup services a priority! In today’s digital world, there will always be risks. Nuvek’s tried and true support model assists your business as it moves forward. Our tailored IT solutions will give your team an advantage over the competition! Get in touch with Nuvek today.

The Best Locations for Data Centers

There has been a major shift to digital working in the last two years, and many companies are beginning to rely on proactive managed IT services, including data center services. There’s an assumption that a data center can be located almost anywhere, just like a remote worker, but a lot plays into what makes the best locations for data centers.

When you’re looking for somewhere to store your data, location plays a bigger part than you think. Here’s why you need to prioritize as you try to locate a data center provider.

Security Matters

Your data center provider needs to be in a safe environment where security is high. Choosing a center that is somewhere with ongoing civil disturbances, for example, is a risk not only for the building but also for maintenance engineers needing to update and manage the system.

In the USA one of the biggest risks to security are natural disaster zones. Areas prone to earthquakes, tornadoes, hurricanes, tsunamis, and other natural disasters should be avoided in favor of lower-risk areas. A natural disaster can wipe out the system where your data is stored.

Network Providers and Connectivity

Always check out network providers when you plan to partner with a data center provider. Your potential data center should rely on a minimum of two to safeguard against failure and price monopoly. A successful data center needs to be able to make a lot of connections with fibers. The best way to achieve good bandwidth is to have connections to several network providers. Making sure the center has this capability before you sign any contracts is critical.

Check Out Your Customer Base

When you are choosing a data center, you need to focus on the general area where your customer base is. This affects the performance of your website and data access. You can do a ping test to determine latency. If your customers are spread across both the east and west coasts of the USA for example, choosing a provider in a central location will enable a good spread and low latency.

Cooler Climates

Data centers produce heat that needs to be removed with cooling technology. If the heat generated from the servers is not removed, there is a risk it will break down. One of the best ways to eliminate the heat efficiently is to use outside air. 

Data systems located in cooler climates like Idaho are where it is easier and more efficient to remove hot air using the outdoors. In hotter climates, this method can only be used in colder months, but where temperatures are lower such as in Scandinavia, it can be used year-round.

Energy Prices

Data centers use a lot of electricity, and energy costs make up a significant proportion of the running costs. That will affect the charges you receive from the provider. You could also be faced with a price hike if the energy costs suddenly increase. 

When looking for a data center, check out the energy costs in a region as it affects overall charges and your overhead costs. If your business is environmentally conscious, going to locations where there are renewable energy services is another way of reducing environmental impact.

There are several factors that affect the best location for a data center. By doing some research beforehand and checking out issues such as risk and climate, you will end up with the ideal place to support your business requirements.

Idaho Data Center

One of the most ideal locations for a data center in the United States is Idaho. Nuvek offers Idaho data centers that tick all the boxes! Get in touch with our team today to learn more about what we can do for you.

What Is a Tier 3 Data Center?

Data centers centralize your IT operations so you can process and share data at scale and speed. There are different kinds of data centers that come with different benefits and provide you comprehensive options based on your needs for protection against power outages, cybercrime, and human error. Have you heard of a Tier 3 data center?

A Tier 3 data center guarantees more uptime, availability, and performance than lower-tier facilities for much-needed peace of mind. No longer will you need to worry about downtime jeopardizing your business reputation.

Learn more about Tier 3 data centers below and the benefits these facilities can bring to your business.

What Is a Tier 3 Data Center?

Such a data center provides you with the resources to collect, process, and distribute business-critical data. These facilities have advanced power and cooling capabilities that improve performance and reduce downtime, making them a worthwhile investment for any local business.

Working with a local Tier 3 service provider gives you even more value because an experienced professional updates and maintains this equipment without taking it offline. 

What Are the Benefits of a Tier 3 Data Center?

A Tier 3 data center has an expected uptime of around 99.98 percent. For the average business in Idaho, that’s only around an hour-and-a-half of downtime every year. Compare that with a tier 2 data center (with an expected uptime of around 99.74 percent) or a tier 1 data center (about 99.67 percent), and you can see why so many business owners are keen to upgrade. For an outsider, it might seem like there’s little difference in these percentages, but a data center of this caliber truly offers advanced protection.

Other benefits of a this category of data center include:

  • A Tier 3 data center is N+1 fault-tolerant, meaning it provides at least 72 hours of power outage protection. 
  • You can protect more of your data from cybercriminals when you invest in one of these data centers. 
  • A local Tier 3 expert can maintain this operations without interrupting your day-to-day IT operations. 

How Does a Tier 3 Data Center Work?

This kind of data center improves uptime and optimizes performance in various ways. It has multiple power circulation paths that enhance capacity and powe IT components like network links and dual-powered servers with independent energy and cooling resources. The result? A data center that serves your business needs.

Before You Go

A Tier 3 data center solves some of the biggest challenges associated with IT maintenance for your business. These facilities come with greater uptime, availability, and security benefits than lower-tier data centers, helping you improve continuity and reduce downtime across your organization.

For excellent data center services, contact Nuvek today!

Does Your Business Need Co-Location Hosting?

You might be interested in co-location hosting, an offering that boasts advanced security, scalability, uptime reliability, and data backup and recovery for businesses like yours. It’s a type of data center facility where organizations purchase equipment, bandwidth, and server storage space from a vendor. If you’re not familiar with co-location hosting, you need to know more about it.

This concept is relatively new, but it’s turned the traditional data center model on its head by improving resource allocation and expanding interconnectivity options for millions of businesses worldwide. It significantly reduces downtime, hardware failures, power outages, and other seriously stressful interruptions to your business.

Here’s everything you should know to decide if your business needs co-location hosting.

Co-Location Hosting: Explained

Think of co-location hosting like an enormous housing complex where tenants lease individual apartments. Those apartments exist in the same space, but each unit houses different residents. With co-location, businesses don’t rent apartments; instead they rent bandwidth, server storage facilities, and other data center components from a vendor. The concept is like managed hosting but with a few differentiating nuances.

The main reason an organization would invest in co-location hosting is for extra protection against power outages, hardware failures, and other common IT infrastructure challenges. Or, maybe they don’t have the time, staff, or resources to manage their data center infrastructure anymore.

Co-location hosting provides them with a solution, and it could revolutionize your IT operations, too.

Why Your Business Needs Co-Location Hosting

Imagine you had to build and maintain your own data center. Now imagine someone did all the building and maintenance for you. With co-location hosting, you rent the server space and resources you require from a third-party provider. You bring the servers. The provider brings everything else—building, cooling, storage space, security, backup and recovery, you name it. IT maintenance suddenly becomes much, much easier.

Benefits of Co-Location Hosting

The benefits of this data center model are almost limitless:

Security/Data Governance

The best co-location vendors take security seriously, ensuring that cybercriminals can’t get their hands on your data. These vendors also comply with data governance frameworks like GDPR, HIPAA, and CCPA to make compliance easy for you. You’ll avoid expensive government penalties for non-compliance, and you’ll take a significant load off your shoulders. 

Uptime

Downtime can seriously jeopardize your business, resulting in lost sales, angry customers, and a damaged reputation. If constant downtime is stressing you out, you need better uptime reliability across your organization. Co-location hosting provides you with exactly that. Leading co-location sites guarantee at least 99 percent uptime reliability, and they’re well equipped to deliver on their promise.

Resource Allocation

Outsourcing data center resources lets you free up both storage space in your organization and funds in your bank account. You can spend all that money you’ll save on data center maintenance on far more exciting things, like scaling your business. Why spend time, space, and finances on this aspect of your IT if you really don’t have to?

Before You Go

Solve common IT challenges when you invest in a co-location hosting solution from a reputable co-location vendor like Nuvek. You can reduce downtime, improve resource allocation, enhance security, optimize data backup and recovery, and scale IT infrastructure according to your business’s unique needs but with none of the hassle. 

Get in touch with our friendly team at Nuvek today!

Why Your Retail Business Needs a Data Center

Retailers play a significant role in driving economic growth and technological advancements. According to the International Finance Corporation, the average modern retail business invests primarily in technologies and processes that enable them to achieve greater economies of scale and drive down costs, both which contribute to lower prices. Retail industries are now opting for Idaho data center services to help them manage customer information, store data, and analyze transactions.

Digitalization is redefining business operations, and customers are keen to shop where their needs are prioritized and experiences are personalized. Whether you are offering services online or run a physical store, you need an innovative and reliable technological system to generate information about customers, process payments, and facilitate product delivery.

Why Does Your Retail Business Need a Data Center?

Online retail serves as an extension of your physical shop. Although some businesses operate solely at physical locations, many brick-and-mortar stores are now shifting their operations online to reach a wider audience. To market your products online, you need a robust IT infrastructure, reliable network, and support.

That’s where data centers come in. Most Idaho data center services will offer advanced IT solutions to help you meet your business goals and boost your productivity. Here are some of the most convincing reasons your retail business needs a data center:

Increased Reliability

Storing your data onsite increases the risk of data manipulation, theft, or loss if a disaster occurs. An off-site data center provides security, increased uptime, and network availability. A system downtime of even a few minutes a day is costly in the long run. You may lose your profits, reputation, and customers. A data center will reduce the likelihood of such outages and ensure you enjoy maximum uptime and remain competitive.

Scalability

In the retail industry, market trends are constantly fluctuating due to promotions, seasonal events like the first day of school and holidays, and more. For instance, the start of a new school year typically results in a school shopping rush that generates high traffic in retail shops. 

Data centers have equipment that can handle fluctuations and heavy loads while facilitating smooth transactions to give customers consistent experiences. The ability to respond to spikes in traffic with little or no customer interruptions makes data centers ideal for scalability support.

High-Level Security

Outsourcing to data centers guarantees you security because they are fully equipped with the latest security software configurations in physical and digital components to ensure your data is secure. It also protects your business from incurring losses as a result of data breaches. For instance, the data breach at Target in 2013 led to a loss of more than $148 million and caused their CEO to resign.

New Technologies

In addition to cloud hosting services, secure network infrastructure, and personalized services, Idaho data center services provide a wide variety of new technologies that you can use to bolster productivity and improve customer experience. 

For example, with the support of data centers, the Amazon Go concept store allows shoppers to walk in, grab an item, and walk away without cashiers. The process is made possible by the trackers on the item and a mobile application.

As more retail businesses embrace advanced technologies like virtual and augmented reality, which are expected to set off in the next few years, data centers will be crucial in handling remote operations.


Contact Nuvek for custom IT support solutions and comprehensive data center solutions that will take your retail business to the next level. We look forward to hearing from you!

4 Trends in the Data Center Industry

Digitalization has seen more businesses shift their operations to the online space to improve service delivery. The COVID-19 pandemic has also significantly contributed to growth in the digital economy and the adoption of new technology as more businesses work remotely. Data centers have played a crucial role in facilitating a seamless integration between business applications and strengthening their network infrastructure to enhance security.

Since the shift towards digitalization is expected to continue in the coming years, the data center industry is poised to grow remarkably. Industry experts project a data center market value of almost $59 billion by 2025. Some of the trends that will shape the data center industry in the years to come include the following:

Greater Need for Data Center-Specific Talent

Getting suitable candidates for data security services in data centers is becoming a big challenge. However, some shortages can be attributed to the accelerated growth in unstructured data, complexity in applications, and the existing infrastructure’s continuous evolution. There is a need to train your staff to handle the sophisticated applications and deliver value to the customers. You can hire industry-specific talent by partnering with universities and other training organizations to find someone with a fresh skillset.

Increased Colocation

As digitalization gains traction, there is an increased demand for colocation data centers to help support the cloud architecture, social media, machine learning, and other servers that provide web interconnectivity. Hyperscale data centers should have high network speed and transmit large volumes of data around the world in a matter of seconds. Also, as healthcare focuses on shifting its operations to the cloud, a colocation data center will be ideal for security and efficiency.

Increased Automation

The ongoing global pandemic has accelerated automation in an attempt to make systems less human reliant. To minimize contact during maintenance, upgrading, system patching, and monitoring, you will need to deploy automation and robotics in facility management while your staff is working remotely. As hyper-scale data centers continue to grow, automation will be automated, and robotics will be used to install servers in racks, swap out servers, monitor sites, and facilitate interconnection.

Automation is also bringing a solution to staffing issues. A recent Uptime Institute survey on data center managers found out that staff issues are still a challenge and that many positions could be automated. When you realize that you can achieve more with a smaller team and limited hiring issues, automation becomes the ideal option.

Data Center Capacity at Internet Speed

The data center industry has rapidly advanced thanks to solid computing power, internet connectivity, and the realization of 5G technology. Edge computing is already taking shape and transforming how data is processed and transmitted across interconnected devices around the globe. 

With the internet of things (IoT) growing rapidly, the need for speed and reliability, and new applications requiring real-time computing power, edge data centers will play a significant role in driving edge computing systems. Data security services are using faster networking technologies to accelerate the creation of real-time applications because that’s what businesses need to remain competitive!

To keep your business at the forefront of data center trends, contact Nuvek. We are committed to helping you stay competitive.

6 Tips for Preventing Ransomware Attacks

Keyboard with red "ransomware" button

Proper data security can help you meet your business goals as well as ensure regulatory compliance. A constant threat against protecting critical data is ransomware.

It’s no secret that ransomware attacks are on the rise and constantly changing in the way they present themselves. This blog post will provide you with six tips for preventing advanced threats against your business and information on helping you to recover data after an attack. Many companies lose valuable data because they don’t have backup files or they didn’t back up their data on time.

How can ransomware be prevented?

Ransomware is malicious software designed to block access to data on your computer until you pay a ransom. It sounds simple, but it’s an extremely effective way to compromise data. Ransomware attacks can be prevented with the following tips:

Update Your Operating System Regularly

New operating systems safeguard sensitive data and protect against the latest hacking methods by cyber criminals.

Install Antivirus Software

Install antivirus software on every device in your network. This includes laptops, desktop PCs, mobile phones with wifi access, and smart TVs.

Lately, antivirus programs have become much more effective at stopping ransomware attacks and protecting data security because they can identify known malware before it has a chance to do any harm.

Keep Applications Up to Date

To ensure ongoing data security, all applications need to be kept up-to-date for maximum protection against ransomware attacks. This includes things like office productivity suites, browsers, and even email clients. It also includes antivirus software and other security tools you might use regularly. 

Enable Two-Factor Authentication

Enable two-factor authentication for all possible accounts. This will help you avoid reusing passwords and prevent hackers from gaining access to your account even if they steal the password because a one-time code sent directly to your personal device is required as well.

Use Strong Passwords

Strong passwords prevent unauthorized access to your account by brute-force attacks. Password managers will help you create and store strong passwords for all of the accounts that need them, which means you don’t have to memorize them or write them down somewhere they can be found by someone else. They also offer extra layers of protection, like locking out an account after too many failed login attempts.

Limit Access to Your Data

Data loss prevention starts with ensuring secure access to your network. The easiest way to do this is by installing a firewall, which will block unauthorized connections from the outside world. Internally, limit access to those team members who need it ona  regular basis.

How can you recover data if a ransomware attack does happen? 

If you find ransomware installed on your computer, you should never give in to the criminals’ threats and demands. They’re counting on your fear! The best way to stop them is to supply law enforcement with as much data about the attack and its perpetrators.

Here’s what you can do to recover your data:

Back Data Up As Soon As Possible

Backing up your data will prevent the loss of critical data. It’s important for backup copies of all data to also use encryption technology for protection against unauthorized access in the event they’re lost or stolen.

Shut Down Infected Machines

This allows these machines to be isolated so they can be cleaned without spreading the virus further.

Change Passwords

To keep your data safe, change logins for websites, email accounts, and social media sites.

Scan Your System with Antivirus Software

This will rid your organization of malicious files.

Hire an Expert

A data security services specialist like Nuvek can provide your organization with the right training and tools to prevent ransomware attacks. We can also help you implement the right solutions when your data has been compromised.

Being Proactive Is Key

At Nurek, data protection solutions for your organization are built into designing, constructing, and maintaining computer systems.

Preventative support will protect your enterprise network and safeguard privacy risks without having to resort to reactive updates, saving you time and money.

Contact us to help with your data security needs. Our experts can implement data security services to protect data across your entire organization.

4 Security Protocols Your Data Storage Needs to Stay Safe

Server room

It is more imperative than ever that your company has its data stored safely and adequately. Data breaches happen every day to businesses just like yours. Proactive solutions are the best way to protect against malicious attacks and unexpected disasters. Act now to secure your data storage!

Here are four essential security protocols that your business should follow to keep its data safe.

Run Regular Backups

One of the easiest ways to keep your data storage safe is by running regular backups. Backups protect against hardware failure, accidental deletion of files, and other unanticipated events.

When disaster strikes on location, backups kept in-house are typically rendered useless. There should be copies in different locations from where they originated. If an event such as fire or flood destroys all copies of your data at one site but leaves another copy untouched, you’re still covered.

To completely erase the risk that physical storage presents, you can look into cloud solutions and data center services. One of the most popular data storage services is backing up information to the cloud because it is safe and reliable.

Use Multi-Factor Authentication and Encryption

Multi-factor authentication is a security practice requiring two distinct forms of identification to access something. For multi-factor authentication to work, the person trying to access the information must submit two of the following:

  • Something you know: a password
  • Something you have: an access card or one-time code
  • Something you are: your fingerprint and biometrics.

Encryption is data scrambling—it transforms data into encrypted code so that only authorized users can decrypt them.

Using multi-factor authentication and encryption together guarantees security by requiring not just one but multiple forms of authentication before accessing important information or data.

Implement an Intrusion Detection System

An intrusion detection system (IDS) is a system that monitors your network and, in the event of an intrusion or attack, alerts you immediately. A well-implemented IDS will detect “indications” such as new connections to ports not used by a computer, data packets arriving from outside the perimeter firewall, and login attempts using invalid usernames and passwords.

When logging detected intrusions, ensure that the attacker does not get alerted so security personnel can follow up on them later for analysis and response if necessary. An effective intrusion detection system is one of the most powerful ways to protect data against unauthorized access.

Keep All Software Up-to-Date

Hackers use vulnerabilities in websites for breaches. Whether it is software, apps, or websites, ensuring that all external applications are up-to-date and frequently monitored is a critical component of data security.

Users should install software updates as soon as they become available from the vendor.  These updates close vulnerabilities that hackers have discovered in their products. 

When you keep all software up-to-date, and you have the latest security patches installed on each machine, you’ll be able to dodge a cyber attack when hackers are targeting the outdated, unpatched versions of your data storage solution.

Good cybersecurity is one of the most important things that a business owner can invest in for their company’s safety. If you are trying to figure out how to secure your company correctly, turn to IT experts who have the services your business will need.

To start implementing these protocols at your business, contact our team at Nuvek. We will help your business simplify data storage and security.