How schools can upgrade their online infrastructure

/0 Comments/in , , , , , , , , /by

Nothing is perhaps more important to the U.S.'s future than maximizing the potential of education. It is through mass schooling that children learn the essential social and learning skills that will prepare them for adult life and professional work. While education is a complex process with many different factors affecting outcomes, access to technology clearly plays a role in children's learning.

It is unfortunate then to learn that 6.5 million students in the U.S. still lack broadband, according to Education Superhighway. Broadband is an essential communication medium for educational facilities with large student and teacher populations, as it allows for messages and online actions to be completed simultaneously.

However, broadband is only one crucial aspect of improving online infrastructure in schools and other educational facilities. Further complicating the matter are tight budgets that many of these institutions must operate within. As the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities reported, state and local funding is still recovering and is well below what it was in 2008.

With this in mind, schools may have to focus on the most essential upgrades first, spreading out the investments in a way that maximizes learning potential.

The advantages of a fiber connection
Sites like Education Superhighway are big on the advent of fiber in the classroom. According to Techno FAQ, one of fiber's biggest advantages is its reliability. Fiber functions on symmetrical connections, allowing downloads and uploads to happen at the same time without impacting connection speed. The system also tends to be more passive and separated from power lines, meaning that it will likely remain operational during a storm.

Time is precious in schools and fiber is designed for high-speed connections, typically over 1Gbps. This allows educators to stream video content in seconds, without having to pause constantly for buffering videos.

A fiber connection allows for high bandwidth and enables faster broadband. A fiber connection allows for high bandwidth and enables faster broadband.

Planning for increased bandwidth usage
Think of bandwidth like a highway: the more lanes there are, the more easily traffic can flow. In a school situation, every student and teacher is a car on that highway – meaning that things will slow down very quickly with only a couple of lanes. Without proper bandwidth, hardware investments will not work the way they should. Even the most up-to-date tablet cannot magically conjure efficient internet connection on its own. 

Bandwidth management can keep everything flowing smoothly. While schools can (and should, up to a point) purchase more bandwidth, management will help reduce the amount of spending while maximizing efficiency. Techsoup for Libraries recommended bandwidth management to help prioritize which programs get access to the connection speed first.

For instance, a student wrongly downloading a new mobile game should never receive the same bandwidth as a teacher trying to stream a news program for a class. Student devices can even be put on a separate, slower network, freeing up room for the educators to use on lessons.

While schools can have their own servers – many universities do – a cloud services provider can help alleviate this investment. Just be sure that any contracted third party has the proper security certification to be a trusted partner.

"Wearable technology like smartwatches are starting to enter the educational space."

Factoring in IoT and BYOD
Whatever the plan, make sure spending accounts for more than just the computers in the classroom. Everyone, student and teacher, has a smartphone. Numerous other wearable technology like smartwatches and similar products are also starting to enter the educational space. As the internet of things continues to grow, each one of these devices could sap bandwidth away from where it is needed.

This represents a cybersecurity issue, especially as most faculty and students are bringing their own devices. School online infrastructure should carry a layered password system to ensure that access is restricted to authorized users. In addition, the principle of least privilege should be applied.

This will ensure that students on have as many permissions as they need, keeping them away from confidential teacher data. Ideally, the IT team will have oversight and the only administrator privileges on the network. This way if there is a breach, the potential damage will be contained.

Remote monitoring programs are useful tools for school systems that cannot afford to keep a dedicated IT staff in every building. While this software is convenient, schools should be wary of investing in any solution without doing the proper research. A report from Schneider Electric analyzed a possible danger in certain solutions as, if compromised, they provide an open window for cyber criminals to inflict damage.

Students can be placed on a separate network, freeing up bandwidth and reduces the likelihood of a school data breach. Students can be placed on a separate network, freeing up bandwidth and reduces the likelihood of a school data breach.

Preparing for 5G
Any education institution investing in wireless internet infrastructure needs to consider 5G. While not readily available now, 5G has already begun limited rollout and is expected to start becoming widespread in 2020, according to IEEE 5G. This will serve as not only the next telecommunication standard but will also empower higher capacity, massive machine communications.

Essentially, the bandwidth concerns of today may be outdated and a whole new set of possibilities and problems will open up. While it is still too soon to definitively say with certainty what kind of wireless internet infrastructure 5G will bring, schools that need to design systems between now and 2020 should incorporate easy scalability into the infrastructure. It makes no sense to optimize exclusively for platforms that may soon be obsolete.

As schools and other education establishments begin improving online infrastructure, a solid IT solutions provider can help smooth the transition and reduce cost spending. ISG Technology stands ready to do its part in ensuring that the U.S. education system empowers the most complete learning experience in the world. Contact us today to learn how we can help update your infrastructure.

Putting the “Innovation” in CIO

/0 Comments/in , , /by

Chief Innovation Officer.  That’s the future for IT leaders seeking to place technology at the center of the conversation of how to grow their businesses.  The modern-day IT leader is more than just the technologist who understands how the network works or the executive who can explain why cloud matters.  Today’s IT leaders add value to the business and identify the opportunities where technology-driven business models can propel the enterprise forward.  The fastest growing taxi service in the world is a technology business.  So is one of the highest profile hospitality and lodging businesses.  Uber and Airbnb could not exist if not for the visionary leadership of founders who understood how technology could revolutionize a traditional business transaction. These disruptive businesses underscore the need for organizations to develop a solid and agile foundation to react to new opportunities.

Applying the Lessons of Innovation

The same principles apply to any business competing on a regional or global scale.  Healthcare organizations in America’s heartland can connect local resources to national experts via the cloud and high-speed broadband, bringing in the best and brightest talent for data-driven diagnosis.  Cities can harness the power of IoT and analytics to improve the quality of life, keep traffic flowing, and deploy public safety resources where they are needed.  Local schools can connect with universities across the country or across the world to expand both learning and cultural experiences for their students.  But getting to this reality requires thinking beyond just boxes and buzzwords.  Hybrid cloud might be a compelling technology, but if it doesn’t match your requirements, then it becomes a complicated way to spend more money.  Just because a technology appears in every article you read in the computer trade press, you still need to consider if it’s right for you.

Getting there means asking the right questions and understanding not only the “what and how?” of your technology decisions, but also the “why?”  It’s in asking the question, “why?” where the value of innovation comes to light.

Partnering for Success

At ISG Technology, innovation is at the heart of our mission.  But not innovation for innovation sake.  Innovation starts with the right technology foundation, allowing businesses to focus on opportunities, instead of constantly patching and maintaining an IT Infrastructure designed for the past.  Only with a solid foundation to work from, is innovation possible.

Innovation can take many forms, including developing a “Bring Your Own Device” policy, for example.  For a financial firm, it might mean building a data center foundation on converged infrastructure based, for example, on our partnership with Hewlett Packard Enterprise for the HPE Hyper Converged 380 solution, powered by Intel® Xeon® processors.  A local service business may reimagine its core value proposition based on a technology-driven business model.

IT Making a Difference

Wherever IT leaders start their journey to innovation, the measurement of success will be to close the gap between the current state and the destination.  In this journey, IT leaders must be mindful of balancing time, money, and resources to achieve their goals.

Technology for technology’s sake adds little value. The newest server, the faster storage like the HPE 3PAR StoreServ all-flash storage array, or the most hyped software is not always the right answer.  ISG is a partner who can help ask the right questions and build solutions which are aligned to the organization’s long-term goals and solve real business challenges.  Whatever the final answer is, ISG is prepared to help you innovate; that’s when IT makes a difference.

Visit our resources to learn more about how you can modernize your infrastructure with ISG.

#

 

The information contained herein is subject to change without notice. The only warranties for Hewlett Packard Enterprise products and services are set forth in the express warranty statements accompanying such products and services. Nothing herein should be construed as constituting an additional warranty. Hewlett Packard Enterprise shall not be liable for technical or editorial errors or omissions contained herein. 

Intel, the Intel logo, Xeon, and Xeon Inside are trademarks or registered trademarks of Intel Corporation in the U.S. and/or other countries.

© ISG Technology. All rights reserved.

 

3 ways managed services provide access to the most advanced IT tools

/in , , , /by

An increasing number of businesses are turning their focus to managed IT services. These solutions, when maintained and updated by a team of trained professionals outside of the core business, can offer numerous benefits, including cost savings, enhanced security and access to a growing number of advanced tools.

Those are just a few of the reasons businesses across many industries have adopted managed services as part of their critical IT infrastructure. As a result, the market for these solutions has been on the rise – MarketsandMarkets reported that by 2021, the global managed services sector will reach a value of $242.45 billion, a considerable increase over 2016’s $145.33 billion.

One of the most attractive advantages of leveraging managed services is the ability to access some of the most innovative, state-of-the-art IT tools and components. Let’s take a look at three ways managed service providers make this benefit possible for today’s enterprises:

1) Leveraging advanced infrastructure as a market differentiator

As the market for these services continues to grow, competition among solution vendors will only ramp up. Currently, there are more than a few service providers existing in the marketplace, with more breaking into the sector every day.

This not only creates more options for business decision-makers, but also helps ensure that companies have access to the most advanced infrastructure tools possible. In order to compete, solution vendors utilize their modern infrastructure components to differentiate themselves in their industry vertical. The most advanced tools become feathers in the caps of service providers, helping them grow their client base.

“The most advanced tools become feathers in the caps of service providers.”

“[A]s customers seek to adopt these new capabilities, managed services offerings must adapt too,” wrote MSP Alliance contributor Charles Weaver. “Offering higher value advanced services not only helps to overcome the potential revenue loss, it also helps MSPs differentiate and grow their businesses more profitably by providing greater customer value.”

In this way, having the most up-to-date infrastructure that takes advantage of the newest network components and management strategies enables service providers to make a name for themselves in a growing marketplace. Best of all, clients get to utilize the most advanced equipment possible.

2) Bridging internal technology gaps

One of the top reasons businesses adopt managed services is to leverage innovative solutions in a way that works with the assets the company already has in place. Managed service providers can provide technology that integrates with the enterprise’s infrastructure, helping to bridge any caps in capability or functionality that might have existed previously.

This is especially pertinent as vendors expand their reach, offering access to an increasing number of advanced solutions. In today’s market, an array of critical processes can be outsourced, allowing enterprises and small businesses alike to create a holistic technological approach.

“[W]hile companies are increasingly relying on outside providers for part of their IT needs, MSPs generally complement rather than replace internal IT,” noted CIO senior writer Thor Olavsrud. “Instead, especially in larger companies, bringing an MSP into the mix frees up existing IT staff to focus on more strategic projects.”

This is a considerable boon, not only for the service provider, but for its client partner as well.

Managed service providers can offer access to advanced tools that might otherwise have been too expensive for businesses to implement internally. Managed service providers can offer access to advanced tools that might otherwise have been too expensive for businesses to implement internally.

3) The most cost-efficient IT resources

Building upon this is the fact that managed services can help even the playing field among businesses of different sizes, providing access to advanced tools that might otherwise be out of reach for smaller organizations. Many solution providers offer innovative solutions at an incredibly cost-effective price, enabling businesses to eliminate the need for up-front investments while supporting predictable IT costs.

This benefit is especially powerful for small businesses, but can be a significant advantage for organizations of all sizes.

“Some small businesses just don’t have the capital to purchase new hardware,” Netswitch pointed out. “Instead of figuring out whether you want a lightning-fast server to work with your databases or your web hosting, you get access to high-end servers working in a distributed resource environment. This gives you an even better performance boost. You avoid paying the overhead for expensive servers while still reaping the benefits.”

This only scratches the surface when it comes to the advanced IT tools offered by today’s managed service providers. To find out more, contact industry-leader ISG Technology and check out our managed service solutions today.

New Call-to-action

What to consider when selecting a network monitoring tool

/in , /by

The underlying network that supports a company’s most important technologies now represents the lifeblood of a business. This resource helps ensure that applications are accessible, communication is possible and collaboration is supported across the organization. With so much depending on the network, it’s imperative that this system is in top-notch condition at all times.

This is where network monitoring comes into play, helping to ensure performance and prevent network issues. Currently, there are more than a few network monitoring solutions available for enterprises, and it’s important that decision-makers select the one that will best suit their corporation’s needs. Let’s take a look at a few of the most important considerations to make when choosing a network monitoring tool:

Understand what the technology can do

When undertaking this process, it’s helpful to begin with the basics and glean a full understanding of what network monitoring tools do and the benefits they can offer a business.

CIO gathered answers to some of the most pressing network monitoring-related questions and noted that network monitoring helps resolve issues that can impede performance. These solutions monitor traffic and network activity, and can pinpoint problems like slow downloads, suspicious processes and bad connections. The best network monitoring platforms can also send notifications to a company’s IT team to ensure they are aware of any issues and are in the best position to address them.

This technology is able to monitor all servers, routers, switches and devices connected to the network. What’s more, an array of different network types can be monitored, including local area, wide area and wireless networks. In this way, no matter what type of system underpins the business’s IT architecture, a network monitoring solution can provide the critical oversight network administrators need.

Network monitoring solutions can help support security and performance. Network monitoring solutions can help support security and performance.

All-in-one or add-on customizability

It’s also imperative to take a look at the capabilities each potential network monitoring solution can provide. There are different kinds of systems available, including those that come as all-in-one solutions, support an array of functions or provide base-level capabilities and can be customized with feature add-ons.

This choice will hinge upon your organization’s requirements as well as internal expertise. An all-in-one solution can prevent deployment challenges and ensure the business’s technology is up and running as quickly as possible. Add-on solutions, on the other hand, are typically more complex and demand a significant level of knowledge to support proper integration. These also offer more opportunities for tailored configuration. If your business has a capable, talented IT team on hand, an add-on solution may be more attractive. Smaller companies with less internal expertise are usually more well-suited for all-in-one solutions that don’t require as much interaction.

Hardware considerations

Another important factor to keep in mind is the type of hardware included in the company’s network architecture. TechRepublic contributor Nick Hardiman pointed out that some organizations may have specialized components within their infrastructure, or other instruments that demand unique considerations. Decision-makers should connect with IT stakeholders to ensure that the solution they select will match the company’s hardware needs.

“One of the most attractive capabilities of any network monitoring tool is the ability to notify IT staff of any problems.”

Alerting features

One of the most attractive capabilities of any network monitoring tool is the ability to notify IT staff members of any problems or suspicious activity. In order to support this critical function, it’s important to look for monitoring solutions that include customizable notification settings that will align with IT employees’ processes. For instance, it is helpful to be able to leverage an array of alerting types like email and text messaging to ensure that network admins always have the visibility and oversight they need.

Proactive network monitoring from ISG Technology

ISG is a leader in network technologies, and our Net Alert solution represents the gold standard in network monitoring. Net Alert provides real-time notifications sent by our expert technicians as well as custom reports unique to your company’s network. With our seamless integration and proactive approach, your IT team will be in the best position to consistently understand the health and condition of your mission-critical network.

To find out more, check out our solution page and contact us today.

Could a network assessment have saved Southwest from major downtime?

/in , , , /by

Southwest Airlines has been having a pretty turbulent few weeks. First, starting on July 20, the organization had one of the largest IT outages ever to affect a major airline. Now, two unions associated with the company are demanding that CEO Gary Kelly step down or be fired, according to David Koenig of The Tribune of San Luis Obispo.

Although it was originally estimated that the downtime cost as little as $5 million, one Southwest representative stated that it’s most likely going to be “into the tens of millions.” With so much money being lost to a technical failure, the question remains: How did this happen, and was it preventable?

One router started all the trouble

Koenig reported that all of these IT issues stemmed from a single router. Basically, this piece of equipment failed in an unpredictable way, which eventually led to other systems being knocked offline. Southwest is keeping specific details about this undisclosed, but the scale of this particular outage suggests that the network associated with this router was not properly set up.

“Companies need multiple points of failure to accommodate for a singular outage.”

As their name implies, these devices route information to their intended destinations. Data generally is bounced between multiple locations before arriving where it’s being sent. Generally, this means you have multiple points of failure to accommodate for a singular outage. If it’s true that one router’s downing caused this event, then Southwest most likely had a poorly engineered network. FlightStats stated that around 8,000 flights were affected in this incident, and a single router simply should not have the ability to affect that many planes.

The conclusion to be made here is that Southwest should have tested its network more rigorously. Network assessments are incredibly important in order to determine weak points within a particular IT system, such as how one router could be made accountable for thousands of flights. Simple tests such as these could have easily uncovered this point of failure, allowing Southwest to take actions to mitigate the risks of such a catastrophic outage.

Network assessments can prevent more than downtime

Although downtime is certainly something businesses should work to avoid, it isn’t the only problem that network assessments can unveil. These tests also help companies determine their preparedness in terms of cybersecurity. Perhaps the best recent example of this is the massive heist levied against Bangladesh Bank.

At its most basic, hackers gained access to a global banking system and basically tricked financial institutions into sending money to fraudulent accounts. When all was said and done, the criminals involved in this got away with $81 million, according to Serajul Quadir of Reuters. After some investigation, it was discovered that the bank was relying on $10 network switches for the banking system. On top of that, Bangladesh Bank had no firewall protecting private financial data.

This is one of the biggest heists in history. Hackers got away with millions from Bangladesh Bank.

IT companies are generally surprised to hear when small businesses don’t have firewalls, so the thought of a multi-billion dollar corporation lacking these most basic of cybersecurity tools is simply mind-boggling. To top this off, the heist could have been so much worse. The criminals were originally trying to get closer to $1 billion dollars, but their plans were foiled when they accidentally misspelled the name of a financial institution.

Simple mistakes such as those made by Bangladesh Bank are exactly what network assessments are designed to catch. IT employees at these organizations often need to focus on keeping systems running, and cybersecurity can sometimes take a backseat. As this incident shows, this can often have disastrous results, and companies need to be aware of the consequences of letting something like this go under the radar.

Let ISG Technology help preserve your company’s image

Clearly, missing even the smallest detail in your network’s setup could seriously affect both your company’s finances and its client-facing image. No one wants to put their money in a bank that can’t keep it safe, and consumers certainly don’t want to spend money on an airline that has a history of leaving passengers stranded. As such, it might be time to have your company’s IT infrastructure checked out by an experienced professional.

ISG Technology’s experts have spent years investigating and solving some of the most complex network problems out there, and we can help make sure your company’s name isn’t dragged through the mud. If you’d like to find out how you can benefit from a free consultation, contact one of our representatives today.

Schedule Your Free Consultation with ISG

Tech in law

/in , , , , , /by

Technology today is all about doing more with less, and nowhere is that more apparent than in the legal industry. This sector’s market in the United States has been valued by the Legal Executive Institute to be worth around $437 billion, and with so much money invested, administrators in this field are doing everything they can to streamline the legal process. But what kind of technologies are law firms adopting?

“The cloud has quite a lot of benefits for those working within law.”

The cloud and e-discovery

Like in every other industry, the cloud has quite a lot of benefits for those working within law. Although this technology has a wide range of uses, perhaps the most relevant for legal firms is its ability to quickly and efficiently implement e-discovery applications.

When legal proceedings begin, lawyers start what is called the discovery process. As the name entails, this is where employees at the law firm comb through hundreds or thousands of documents in order to uncover any wrongdoing and to get to the heart of the matter. This is often an extremely inefficient way to handle discovery, and can very easily result in a worker missing a crucial piece of evidence.

Computers are better at discovery than people. Computers never skip a sentence or fall asleep on the job.

E-discovery applications work to cut through this process by using specific searching algorithms to find what the lawyers are looking for. Computers are infinitely better than humans at searching large amounts of data, which is why many law firms have opted to include this technology in their arsenals. However, when choosing to work with e-discovery applications, these organizations have to make a choice between on-premises computing or accessing this technology through the cloud.

Even though e-discovery is revolutionizing the legal industry, it has also increased the risk of a data breach. These documents are often extremely private and contain personal data that a hacker could later use for personal gain. This need to keep information secret certainly isn’t specific to law, but it’s something that is keeping many firms out of the cloud.

However, as many experts have noted, the cloud really isn’t as unsafe as many believe it to be. In fact, Big Law Business contributors Daniel Garrie and Yoav M. Griver stressed that on-premises computing systems can be hacked just as easily as the cloud. Considering the initial costs associated with setting up an in-house computing solution, avoiding the cloud because of a false sense of danger is a mistake.

Contract management software

Another technology a lot of law firms are seeing the benefits of is contract management software. This is a platform through which administrators can easily view the progress of each contract they have created. Modifications can be made quickly and easily to unsigned contracts, allowing everyone with access to the system the opportunity to read and comment on the exact same document. Lawyers can even view how well signers are following up on their obligations on existing contracts.

That said, perhaps the most interesting part of this technology is its ability to manage digital signatures. One of the biggest issues holding legal firms back from adopting more advanced solutions is the fact that a physical ink signature is seen to hold more weight in court than a digital one. This viewpoint is rapidly changing, however, thanks in part to contract management software.

BYOD

The bring-your-own-device trend is sweeping just about every industry, whether company administrators know about it or not. In fact, a Gartner study found that around 37 percent of people currently using their own gadget for work purposes don’t currently have permission. Considering how people often don’t protect their mobile devices, this is an absolute nightmare for the IT department.

In fact, quite a lot of organizations have had to deal with hackers due to the increased use of personal gadgets for work purposes. A study conducted by IDG Research Services discovered that just under three-quarters of respondents saw a data breach event as a result of poor cybersecurity measures concerning mobile devices.

That said, BYOD has some amazing benefits for legal firms. Lawyers often meet with clients outside of the office, and carrying around important documents is cumbersome and can result in lost or stolen client information. What’s more, other staffers who aren’t lawyers are seeing similar advantages. While this is good in terms of flexibility and mobility of the workers, it’s also putting a major strain on the IT team. Employees should be able to use their own devices to access company data, but only after having implementing certain safety guidelines.

This is why any organization wishing to ensure the security of company records should contact an ISG Technology BYOD specialist. Our experts have years of experience with this trend, and we know what it takes to keep a law firm’s data safe.

White Paper: Best Practices For K-12 Tech

/in , , , /by

Register to receive the ISG white paper



k-12Done right, IT can ensure a strong return on investment and have a proven positive impact on Education Success Measures (ESM). This free report will teach you the common pitfalls to avoid, along with best practices for network implementation, including:

  • 5 benefits of converged technology
  • A sample strategic IT hierarchy for planning
  • 2 critical factors for successful Wi-Fi upgrade
  • Wi-Fi purchasing tips
  • Keys to successful video surveillance and access control systems
  • 3 security benefits of IT as a Service

Implementing an Effective Hybrid Cloud

/in , , , /by

Register to receive the ISG white paper



Getting a hybrid cloud right starts in the data center. It also means knowing potential headaches related to multi-vendor management.

This free report answers your questions related to hybrid cloud, including:

  • What are the advantages of hybrid cloud over pure public cloud?
  • 3 common hybrid cloud use cases
  • 4 roadblocks to identify and overcome
  • Going beyond “checkbox” comparisons of vendors
  • The importance of bandwidth and network connectivity to the hybrid cloud

hybrid-cloud-whitepaper

Registration required to view – Implementing an Effective Hybrid Cloud

White Paper: Big Data & Virtualization

/in , , /by

Register to receive the ISG white paper



Thumbnail_Image_VirtualizationWP2014.jpgA 10% increase in data accessibility adds more than $65 million in net income for the average Fortune 1000 organization. This free report helps you navigate through the complexity of virtualization, including:

  • The one critical mistake hindering progress
  • 3 key drivers addressed by virtualization
  • 5 common objections, and why they are wrong
  • ROI calculator

White Paper: Big Data & Virtualization

/in , , /by

Register to receive the ISG white paper



Thumbnail_Image_VirtualizationWP2014.jpgA 10% increase in data accessibility adds more than $65 million in net income for the average Fortune 1000 organization. This free report helps you navigate through the complexity of virtualization, including:

  • The one critical mistake hindering progress
  • 3 key drivers addressed by virtualization
  • 5 common objections, and why they are wrong
  • ROI calculator