Network Security

There are a lot of dangers out there. Computer viruses are all around us, infecting email messages, computers, and files. Many viruses are just nuisances (such as popping up excessive advertising when you're surfing the web), but some can be very damaging and erase years of information. Furniture, tools, and inventory can all be replaced by insurance after the disaster -- your company's critical data can only be replaced if you are diligent about security today, before something happens.

We look at network security from a few standpoints:

• Education. Educating the users about "safe computing" is our number one priority, because it is the most effective way to avoid problems. Just think how many billions of dollars could have been saved if employees had been trained to not open strange, virus-ridden email attachments.

• Virus Protection. The Melissa virus, Code Red, and other nasty viruses are out there, and nobody is immune. Every computer should have a recent anti-virus software program installed, and the virus definitions should be automatically updated regularly. The newest software will scan email as well, reducing the chance of evil attachments creating damage.

• Firewalls. Any connection to the Internet represents a potential opportunity for someone from the outside to try and "hack" into your network. Although no network security is completely secure against a dedicated hacker (remember, Yahoo, the CIA, and other huge web sites have been hacked!), we will set up a firewall and security arrangements which will minimize the risks and deter evildoers.

• Internal Security. Statistics show that your own employees are far more likely to create security problems than any outside intruder ever would. Secure servers, user permissions, activity logging, and minimizing data stored on individual computers are all ways to minimize this threat.

• Backups. It is of critical importance to back up your data regularly to prepare for any number of catastrophes. Fires, floods, hardware failure, human error, hackers, viruses -- they can all ruin your day (or your career) without backups. Accounting systems, product designs and drawings, customer mailing lists, payroll records, marketing plans and files... When was the last time you backed up?

For more information or to schedule service, call (985) 871-0333.