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By now, it's abundantly clear: every business has to budget for technology. Save for a few unique or old fashioned business models, most companies today rely on technology for nearly everything. Technology accepts customer payment, it tracks hours, it keeps the payroll. It makes things easier for employees and customers alike. But, technology also moves (and changes) rapidly, making it exceedingly difficult to account for. There's high value attached to being able to budget accurately. If you find yourself asking, 'How do I budget for technology for my business?,' it's time you found some answers. Below are a few important aspects to keep in mind: flexibility, predictability, and scalability. 

Here's why each of those aspects are important: 

Integrity's Learning and Collaboration Center (@ITSconnects) is a community resource that offers educational and networking opportunities that aren't easy to come by. Below is a run down of some select upcoming community education classes that you can book a seat in today! Integrity Connects brings courses with a wide range of topics to Illinois communities. It provides the business community with a place to gather and collaborate. It also provides the community-at-large with educational opportunities that can enrich all. Check out the courses below and if a topic interests you, consider booking a spot and adding it to your calendar. Learning should be a lifelong journey. Integrity Connects can help:

Unless your business has been personally affected by a cyber security breach, it can feel like an abstract topic. Sure, you see it in the news, but it won't happen to you, your thinking goes. That's a dangerous mistake to make. The threat of cyber crime is growing and there are several angles that it needs to be examined from. Is your business safe? Is your network secure? Do you have a plan? Even if those questions don't feel relevant now, they can become hyper-relevant in a split-second. 

Below are a handful of statistics that help tell the story of what the current cyber crime climate is like. Make sure you share them with your team:

Companies across Illinois need to implement Cyber Security Awareness Training. Businesses share many challenges. Every business wants to keep costs low, keep efficiency high, and stay competitive in the market. But, there is another, less obvious, challenge that all companies share: the threat of cyber crime. Cyber crime is increasing, but the majority of businesses nationwide aren't responding appropriately. Without an increase in security measures, businesses are left vulnerable and become a prime target for criminals looking to steal data. 

You have options for IT support and you have options for choosing a partner to help you manage and leverage your business technology. But one option stands above the rest: it's time to partner with a Managed Security Services Provider. An MSSP will have experience in and the skills necessary to help you keep your business technology (and data) secure. Tech security is by far the biggest issue of the day for businesses. With a rise in technology in business, has come a rise in cyber criminals seeking to exploit it. Any IT support company will be able to keep your technology in working order. But few IT companies can offer the deep security strategy and complex execution that will keep your business safe and your sensitive data secure. That's why partering with an MSSP makes the most sense.

If you have somebody (or a few somebodies) on staff 'in charge of IT,' it can be easy to dismiss your IT support as 'covered.' But, that's rarely the full story. Most in-building IT teams are understaffed and overworked. IT has turned from a niche office role (keep those computer running and printers un-jammed!) into a position of increasing importance. As technology is now central to how most businesses operate, your IT support is critical. Is your company's IT team truly prepared to handle massive responsibilities that sit on its shoulders? If not, it's not because they're not capable. It's that their role has shifted underneath their feet. IT is no longer about light maintenance of a computer network. It is about strategy, growth, hardware, software, training, security, and more. It's a wise idea to start considering adding third party IT support to your team to share in those roles. 

This is an ACTIVE EMAIL THREAT – PLEASE FORWARD TO YOUR NETWORK USERS.

On Friday, May 12, 2017, cyber criminals released what has been the most malicious ransomware attack in history.  The ransomware named WannaCry has infected over 10,000 organizations in over 150 countries so far.  Several European health systems and major manufacturers were forced to shut down by the initial wave on Friday.  To compound matters, at least two new strains of WannaCry have been released since Friday as the cyber criminals continue to leverage this latest threat.

"What's the worst that could happen?" That's actually not a bad question to put to yourself regarding your business operations. It's not pleasant to think about, but considering it now can save your business later. For most businesses, the biggest disaster would be technology failing spectacularly and simultaneously, resulting in data loss and grinding operations to a halt. Because most businesses rely heavily on functioning technology and data storage, those systems going down suddenly is unthinkable. Unfortunately, it happens all too often. From grand theft to natural disasters, data can be stolen or destroyed and reliable systems can come crashing down. The best defense is a good plan, in this case. That's where it's helpful to find and use an IT Disaster Recovery Plan Template. 

The first half of this year, Microsoft has been rolling out a new application for its Office 365 platform, Microsoft Teams.

Tech security remains the top topic of conversation for modern businesses. Business and technology are now inseparable and the ramifications of that evolution are still being parsed. One thing has become clear: security strategy in the majority of businesses is sorely lacking. A sharp spike in cyber crime and hacking demonstrates that the bad guys have figured out that businesses aren't prepared to adequately defend sensitive data. Fortunately, there is plenty of hope, but it starts with communicating the right things to your team. Start with the 4 tech security tips below: