Macro Systems Blog

Your business may have a need that requires you to bring in an external resource, including assistance with the technology it leverages. Let's take a look at how a managed service provider can act as a consultant for your various business needs.

Technology is trending, but if you are a decision maker at a small business, technology solutions aren’t usually developed for your business in mind. As a result, it can often be hard for the SMB to get tools that are scalable enough to make sense for them, while also getting powerful options that will actually work to enhance some part of the business. Listed below is a look at three trending technologies that small businesses are starting to utilize regularly. 

It wasn't too long ago that we had to haul a computer into the shop to get it fixed if there were problems. However, with the pace that modern business is conducted, this approach just isn’t effective for businesses any longer. Today, with the support of a managed service provider, support is available much more efficiently and affordably than ever.

In business, having contingency plans for potential issues tends to be advantageous for the business that wants to fend off catastrophe. When you are dealing with information technology (specifically data), ensuring that it is protected against loss in the face of the variety of threats out there is an undertaking in itself. A disaster recovery strategy governs the processes a business develops to recover to restore operations in a manner that will keep the business in business. Below is a look at two of the core variables of a disaster recovery strategy: RPO and RTO.

Data loss is a nightmare for your business, and ransomware is the boogeyman. Once your data has been breached, your organization's reputation is damaged in perpetuity; that’s why it is imperative to confront these fears and start prioritizing data security. 

If you asked the layman on the street about cloud computing, you would probably get some surprising answers, including some who believe that the computing resources are stored in the clouds in the sky. Clearly, that isn’t the case, but one thing is certain: not all cloud strategies are comprehended by the people that use them. Below is a look at the different types of cloud computing and how they can actually work for business.

A basic equation: the more productive a business is, the greater the value that its actions will have. This is just one way that managed services provide a business value, by helping to make its actions more productive. Below is a closer look at productivity and the additional value that managed services offer.

Chances are that you know what a URL is, but if you don't: it is the address of a website. It usually starts with “http//:” or “https://” and directs the Internet browser on where the user would like to surf. What you need to always be aware of is that these days a threat can be created by manipulating the URL. 

To keep your organization's network secure from threats your software working effectively, patching the software it uses is absolutely imperative. The reason is that the threat landscape is constantly evolving. Recently, Microsoft announced that they have released an emergency out-of-band security update to fix two security issues, an atypical act for the software giant. 

Google is an absolute behemoth in computing; it moved from web search functionality to a much wider variety of applications. These applications now make up the G Suite, and are utilized by many, many businesses to accomplish their goals. Listed below are some of the G Suite features and how they can benefit your business.

Phishing has swiftly become the most popular form of cyberattack due to the method’s simplicity; it solely relies on a user’s gullibility. The weakest link to any business is usually the employees. In order to protect your business, you and your team need to recognize these social engineering cyberattack attempts. Below are a few tips on how to identify a phishing attempt.

How worried are you with your organization's cybersecurity? When you envision your business in the future, do you see yourself constantly fighting cyberattacks, or paying ransom? Hopefully not, but what if cybersecurity turns into one of the hardest parts to maintaining a steady business? Below is a look into the future and hypothesize what your organization may need to do to defend against cybercriminals. 

People have been talking about the oncoming AR trend for almost a decade now. Google Glass was supposed to dramatically alter technology, but because of security and privacy concerns, it has never come to pass. On the other hand, AR (Augmented Reality) is a growth market and applications for the technology are rapidly increasing. Below is a look at AR and what to expect from the technology in the coming years. 

If you were tasked with looking up a phone number, calling a business, and navigating a new-to-you area, would you be able to without your smartphone? For some of us the answer will still be yes, but for a majority of us the answer is no. Smartphones have swiftly transitioned from a calling device to one of our most valuable tools. Shopping, navigating, video streaming, and an incredible amount of other capabilities are all at the palm of your hand. 

The way a company approaches its network security is a very important consideration - especially to a company that is planning to have a future. This has contributed to cybersecurity becoming a multi-hundred-billion-dollar per year industry. In its short history, cybersecurity has had a significant impact on businesses, so it would be useful to go through some of the highlights of its deployment.

Is your organization equipped with the required tooling to adopt remote working strategies? Remote workers have a remarkable amount of benefits to contribute to your business’ operations. Remote work is not feasible without a well-thought-out strategy, however. Do you know what your business needs in order to capitalize on remote workers? 

Despite its eccentric name, phishing is a very significant threat to everyone, especially modern businesses. Thus, you must be prepared to identify its warning signs and circumvent risky situations. Listed below are a few tips to prevent you from becoming a phishing victim; make sure you share them with your employees as well!

Carrying cash around is uncommon for many modern consumers. Debit and credit cards have taken over as the most widely used payment method. The convenience of not being given a handful of loose change must come at a price -- so how much will it cost you? 

Businesses are always looking for a more efficient way to manage their data. For the today's manufacturer, there is a ton of data to manage. For some time, the best process was to fill up clanky file cabinets and pay people to oversee the process. This is no longer the case. With much of a company's groundwork being accomplished on computers, storing transactional and clerical data on digital systems only makes sense.

Manufacturers are fascinating businesses; not only do they rely on manpower and technology to produce goods, they also depend on IT to power processes, organize their supply chain, and improve organizational efficiency. Since October is Cybersecurity Awareness month we're going to focus on what a manufacturer’s cybersecurity efforts look like.