Preferred Blog

Smartphones and tablets have opened up a world of opportunities for small business owners, allowing them to streamline operations, enhance customer engagement, and boost productivity. Today, we'll explore how mobile devices are a great tool for small businesses and the myriad ways they contribute to success.

Technology advances at an incredible rate, and the successful business has much work to do in order to keep up with it. How does your organization’s ability to change and adapt hold up compared to your competitors? This concept, dubbed business agility, is of critical importance in today’s fast-paced business environment, and if you aren’t prepared to assess it, you might be falling behind the competition.

Productivity is a concept that has long been viewed as the gold standard in businesses. However, with so many businesses currently transferring to remote operations in the face of the Coronavirus pandemic, it can be challenging for all involved to work as productively as they would while in the office. On the other side of the coin, the right behaviors can make it quite effective. 

How much does your business rely on technology to keep your organization running forward? As business technology becomes more complex, it’s becoming increasingly popular for organizations to have their own internal IT departments to manage and maintain it. Yet, small businesses don’t often have the necessary funds for such a feat. How can your company afford quality IT service? You can start by pursuing managed IT solutions from a managed service provider.

Your network is arguably your business’s most valuable asset. It keeps your team connected to critical information and applications that are imperative to the continued success of your company. With complex cabling, however, your workstation and network infrastructure can quickly grow uncontrollable. Isn’t there an easier way to manage your network components that can help your business grow, unhindered by physical infrastructure?

One of the best ways that you can improve your business’s infrastructure is by implementing a virtual network. Basically, this process entails taking your current physical network infrastructure, virtualizing it, and migrating it to the cloud, making the deployment and access of data much easier. Doing so allows you to tie all of your IT components together without having to go through the painful process of cabling. Furthermore, a virtual network provides the following benefits:

• Mobility: Most notable is the fact that virtual networks allow business owners and their employees to access data from anywhere with an Internet connection. This is particularly helpful while out of the office. If you’re at a trade show or on a business trip, you can access data while on the road. Or, if you have a team of remote employees, they can access files that are critical to your company’s success.
• Flexibility: Playing off of mobility, adding new network users can be a huge pain, especially when cabling is involved. Instead of physically being connected to a network, anyone with an Internet connection and proper credentials can access the network. This makes adding new users and connecting new workstations to your company’s network much easier.

The Main Problem: Security
Of course, the biggest problem that faces virtual networks is by far security. If you’re accessing your network through a local wireless signal, you’re placing all of your faith on the wireless Internet connection to be secure. Particularly in public places, doing this can put sensitive data in the way of hackers. You need a virtual network solution that’s capable of encrypting your data while it’s in transit; otherwise, any hacker on the network can grab your data, which makes using public networks a liability.

A virtual private network (VPN) from Preferred provides a quality solution to this problem. A VPN encrypts data that’s transferred along your business’s virtual network, protecting it while it’s in transit. This allows your business to send and receive information from your virtual machine without fear of it being compromised by hackers. It’s an absolute must-have technology for business owners that are constantly on the move for work purposes.

To learn more about VPNs and other virtualization services, give Preferred a call at 708-781-7110.