How Secure Are VoIP Calls?

VOIP is a top-rated phone service because it offers many perks over traditional landlines. They’re generally cheaper and more convenient, but are they really any more secure? You should know a few things about VOIP security before making the switch.

VoIP is great for small businesses. Its advanced features allow small businesses to compete with the big boys in customer service. VoIP has many features that will enable your staff to stay connected to your customers in various ways, including missed call texting and automatic call distribution. These features are ideal for any business, especially those that travel frequently. But how safe is your business from hackers when you commit yourself to VoIP?

Why Should Businesses use VOIP?

To keep your VoIP communication secure, you’ll need to protect it from hackers. These hackers can steal confidential information from your network, including customer and employee information. They can also use this information against you – blackmailing you or selling it to your competitors. The same is true for the internet. In addition to these issues, you should also make sure that your VoIP service provider encrypts all your data with SSL.

For starters, VoIP eliminates long-distance charges from your communication bill. Because VoIP uses the Internet, you won’t pay extra to call long-distance. Just like your ISP won’t charge you for visiting websites from around the world. Compared to the traditional circuit-switched telephone network, VoIP calls are 60 percent cheaper. International calls are 90 percent cheaper. And with fewer phone lines, your company’s infrastructure can also grow. This makes VoIP the best choice for businesses in a growing economy. In addition to lower costs, it’s easier to manage. You can set up and operate your phone network with a single service without hassles.

Because VoIP allows you to work from any device, your staff can use the same number from anywhere in the world. The same software is used in call centers so that telecommuting employees can work from their home computers. Employees can use their phones in the office or on the road. If you need to reach a large group of people, VoIP is a great option. You can even use VoIP for a small team, and you won’t have to worry about the quality of the call. With the flexibility that VoIP gives you, your staff will work more efficiently.

Furthermore, they can make important business calls from anywhere. Your mobile devices can connect to your VoIP provider over a hotspot with VoIP. This means you can stay connected even when you’re out and about. It’s one of the best ways to save money. It’s also easy to manage.

How secure is VoIP?

As businesses embrace cost-saving VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) technology, they must also address its limitations. Suppose you’re working with sensitive information, such as private client data or intellectual property. In that case, you need to know that the method of communication you choose will protect your data and keep it private.

The security of a VoIP call depends on the network it’s travelling over. The two most prominent protocols in use today are SIP (Session Initiation Protocol) and H.323. But, as always, the devil is in the details. To signal and govern interactive communication sessions, the Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) is employed. Voice, video, chat, instant messaging, interactive games, and virtual reality are possibilities for such interactions. H.323 is an ITU Telecommunication Standardization Sector (ITU-T) guideline that specifies protocols for audio-visual (A/V) communication sessions across all packet networks.

Is VOIP Cyber-secure?

First of all, it’s essential to consider the source of your VoIP. Are you using a public WiFi connection? If so, it’s possible that hackers could hack into your network. And if you’re using a secure office connection, your data could be compromised. You should also check whether the provider’s IT infrastructure is protected against different types of network attacks. Ultimately, the answer to that question will affect the security of your calls.

Another way to increase your VoIP security is to keep your VoIP network updated. Most VoIP phones offer a default password for their users. You’ll want to change this to something more complex. For instance, you should set a password at least ten characters long. You can also add extra security measures like firewalls and VPNs to your VoIP network. These steps will significantly improve the security of your network. Just check for updates and make sure they’re running the latest versions of this software.

VoIP Encryption

Voice encryption is an important and necessary measure. It prevents hacker access to your call information and encrypts the content of your call. Advanced encryption is also used to protect your call information from hackers. SRTP is a protocol that applies the Advanced Encryption Standard to data packets. It offers message authentication and additional protection against replay attacks. (For more information, visit https://securevoipcalls.org)

SRTP (Secure Real-time Transport Protocol) is a security protocol that protects the contents of voice calls. It is an important security measure, as SRTP adds message authentication to protect sensitive company data. Moreover, if your employees steal confidential company data, a phreaking attack can be a significant security risk. Encrypting and adding layers of security is the only option. Therefore partnering with a VoIP service provider could be a viable option.

You might think that VOIP calls are not secure and could be intercepted by a third party listening to what you are saying. However, encryption is often used to protect data as it travels on the internet, including VOIP services such as Skype and FaceTime. While encryption cannot guarantee that no one will listen in, it will make it much harder without some very sophisticated equipment and software. The most common protection is through 256-bit Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) encryption. This is used by Apple, Microsoft, and some other tech giants.

Conclusion

VoIP has proved some high-level security features leaving many to believe that it can be safe for business discussions and non-sensitive conversations. However, this is not always the case. Improperly using your phone can allow eavesdroppers to listen in on your conversation. Suppose you would like to remain secure while using VOIP, but if you want the value of VOIP and are still unsure about the security, there are always extra steps you can take to increase safety, connectivity, and reliability.

All VOIP providers will create a unified VoIP solution that is easy to use at a lower cost than traditional business phone systems. Next-level providers know how to take it a step further. Ensure your business VoIP service is connected throughout your business phone, video conferencing, employee cell phones, customer service chats, and your employee’s remote workstations. Additionally, these providers offer accurate managed phone services, including advanced technology and cybersecurity solutions.

For instance, at Protected Harbor, we give each client a dedicated VoIP phone system and their VoIP server within our data center that we own. They are managed, programmed, and monitored by Protected Harbor full-time engineers allowing us to avoid outages before they happen and instantly modify systems and setting for optimal use.

Protected phones by Protected Harbor is one of the best unified VoIP solutions providers. High-quality, low price, and easy-to-use services have made it incredibly popular among consumers. But that’s not it; features like Live 24×7 support, dedicated remote system, highly configurable, and SIP forking make it the ultimate choice over the VoIP providers. Experience the quality yourself; book a call now.

IT lessons learned from the Covid-19 outbreak

The Covid-19 pandemic transformed the IT industry beyond the thoughts of our economies and societies.

It’s the end of the year 2021, and the world is still recuperating from the effects of the Covid-19 crisis that significantly impacted the technology sector. The Pandemic fluctuated the supply chain technology and came as an unusual shock.

The crisis transformed the lives of people around the globe digitally. We started being more dependent on technology than exposed. Now it’s almost two years, and the technology adoption we have seen is revolutionary.

At the pandemic’s beginning, companies opted for temporary solutions for their work and operations. A few months later, it was transparent businesses would need to find new ways to adapt for the long term. This started a rise in digitizing workplace applications and operations.

A recent pandemic news report by Mckinsey concluded that the Covid-19 pandemic brought about years of technology change and innovation in just a few months. Customer relationships and supply chains have been digitized, and internal operations have been moved to the cloud three to four years early. In the last few years, companies have multiplied their digitally enabled products in their portfolio by sevenfold.

Potential long-term impact on the technology sector

• Forecasts indicate that cloud infrastructure services and specialized software will be in demand. As organizations motivate employees to work from home, the telecom services and communications equipment market is also anticipated.
• IT departments and solution providers will play a more significant role in transforming businesses to digital. The need for reliable, secure, and flexible network systems is evident.
• Demand for cybersecurity software will increase 37% as companies need to secure endpoints, particularly from employees working from home on less-than-ideally secure Wi-Fi. With the increase in report work came a massive increase in attacks. Attacks from home computers connected over VPN are difficult to stop because a VPN is a trusted connection. Still, computers at home, even company computers, are difficult to keep clean from viruses and attacks when there are no corporate firewalls or other layers of protection.
• It’s proven that most employees would continue working from home even after restrictions are lifted. During the pandemic, we saw a productivity improvement. Studies show that during COVID, people worked more hours than they previously did when they worked in the office. The organizations must see this as a long-term impact and invest in creating a digitally sustainable environment. Read more here.

Practical next steps

Organizations across the country and from every industry reported a significant increase in customers’ and employees’ needs and remote working. We also saw a rise in advanced AI technologies in operations and business decision-making. Services such as DaaS, ransomware protection, and data centers are most likely to stay in the long term. After living through the impact of Covid-19 on technology and business, CIOs will be defined by their ability to respond, recover, and thrive.

Here are some practical next steps to make your business pandemic proof

• The rise in remote work and co-working spaces will push the need for Remote Desktops (RDP) so employees can take their desktop images of apps, documents, and folders anywhere. Therefore developing a budget for technology improvement and implementation to prepare your company for the future sounds like a plan.
• With a rise of remote workers comes a drop in in-office workers. Companies will be able to save on office space costs. The reduction in real estate also allows companies to reduce their hardware profile by switching from on-prem to off-prem servers and hosting. Besides saving physical space, off-premise servers are also secured and maintained by the provider.
• Flexibility is the key to innovation and understanding how disruptions can be minimized in future events. Because the shift will have long-term ramifications that no one can foresee, custom networking and server hosting are critical to gain the flexibility your company needs for whatever comes next.
• In the future, we will see a digitally enabled work environment and advanced tools for business processes, including back-end office functions. The Tech boom has advanced all technology integrations such as artificial intelligence and machine learning. Adapt and make use of technology for an edge over the competition.
• One of the most important steps is to make your infrastructure and technology sustainable and focus on mental health during pandemic. Because going digital is a new normal now, we are moving towards a highly technology-driven environment. Businesses have to be agile, which means understanding, changing, and adapting quickly to the environment. Consider a solution provider who spends time understanding your needs and provides customized solutions.
• If you are ready to migrate your data and applications to a protected cloud network and still own your data, you need to look past a traditional MSP and find a Managed IT infrastructure and design partner.

Take the final step

Post Covid-19 business IT priorities have changed. More than half of the business leaders say they invest in digitization and technology for competitive advantage, creating the entire business strategy. The needs of customers and your employees have become more digital, and as an organization, you must ensure the best of the services.

Remote work is no longer a culture of experimentation; it is a culture of necessity. The companies that invested in cloud technologies and figured out how to fit remote work into their processes were rewarded because the small work culture is here to stay long-term.

With businesses moving to virtual and cloud servers, it’s wise to opt for reliable, flexible, and secured data centers. And what’s even more brilliant is to take the help of one of the industry experts. Protected Harbor works with businesses to create personalized solutions. We keep your data on our internal servers with 99.99% uptime and 24×7 monitoring, ensuring you don’t crash and your team stays working. Remote work has left businesses vulnerable to malware and ransomware.

All Protected Harbor solutions employ custom-solution cyber security protocols to protect your business and your data. We made extra investments into air-gapped servers and triple-backed-up images, so your information is always on and always protected. Does your managed IT provider do that?

AWS global outage; disrupts services and aftermath

Facebook, Alexa, Reddit, Netflix, and more apps were affected by the AWS outage.

If you faced problems logging in to Amazon.com for shopping ahead of Christmas, you’re not alone. On Tuesday, December 7, large parts of the internet and apps reported disrupted services based on the AWS platform. Netflix, Alexa, Disney+, Reddit, and IMDB are some of the services reported downtime.

UPDATE: 19:35 EST/16:35 PST, The official Amazon Web Services dashboard published the following affirmation. ” With the network device problems resolved, we are now operating towards the recovery of any impaired services. We will roll out additional updates for impaired services within the connected entry in the Service Health Dashboard.

AWS down

Users began reporting issues around 10:45 AM ET on Tuesday about the outage and took to Twitter and other social media platforms to discuss. More than 24,000 people reported cases with Amazon, which included Prime Video and other services, on DownDetector.com. The website collects outage reports from multiple sources, including user-submitted errors.

3 hours later we have a detailed message with the important information like the real affected services. #awsDown pic.twitter.com/t3ooQohWn1

— José Antonio Ruiz (@joseant_ruiz) December 7, 2021

The AWS global outage recovery problems came from the US-EAST-1 AWS region in Virginia, so users elsewhere may not have noticed as many issues, and even if you were affected, you might have seen a slightly slower loading time while the network redirected your requests.

Peter DeSantis, AWS’ vice president of infrastructure, led a 600-person internal call about the then-ongoing outage. Some said it was likely an internal issue, and others pointed to more nefarious possibilities.
“We have mitigated the underlying issues that caused network devices in the US-EAST-1 Region to be impaired,” AWS said on its status page.

What caused the outage?

Engineers at Amazon Web Services (AWS), the enormous cloud computing provider in the US, are still unsure of AWS global outage causes on December 7. AWS does not list any issues on the status page currently. Previous outages have also not been reflected on the status page or even brought down the site entirely, so it is not unusual.
There is, however, a 500 Server error on the specific page for the us-east-1 AWS Management Console Home, instead of information about the Northern Virginia region.

A 500 server internal error means their server is trying to show the requested web page (the technical answer is delivered rather than the web page). But it can’t show the webpage because something within the server failed – for example, the storage failed, so the file is unavailable.

“Possible causes are internal routing problems within Amazon, a defective Amazon-wide update, an Amazon-wide misconfiguration. A defective API (application programming interface) or network device issue might also be a cause of the amazon console down,” said Richard Luna, CEO, Protected Harbor.

Amazon global outage comes just a few months after Meta Platforms, Inc. (FB) went offline due to network problems, affecting some of its most popular apps, including WhatsApp, Instagram, and Facebook Messenger.
The research firm Gartner Inc. estimates that major cloud platforms suffer significant outages once per quarter per year. Many people felt the AWS service disruption; however, since AWS controls about 90% of the cloud infrastructure market and many people continue to work and study from home during the pandemic, the outage was widely felt. Gartner vice president Sid Nag told The Wall Street Journal that these guys have become almost too big to fail. Our day-to-day lives rely heavily on cloud computing services.

Hasn’t This Happened Before?

Yes, AWS downtime is not a new occurrence. The last major AWS global outage happened in November 2020. Numerous other disruptive and lengthy cloud service interruptions have involved various providers. In June, the behind-the-scenes content distributor Fastly experienced a failure that briefly took down dozens of major internet sites, including CNN, The New York Times, and Britain’s government home page. Another cloud service interruption that month affected provider Akamai during peak business hours in Asia.

In the October outage, Facebook — now known as Meta Platforms — blamed a “faulty configuration change” for an hours-long worldwide AWS downtime that took down Instagram and WhatsApp in addition to its titular platform.

Credible solutions

On Tuesday, the world received a reminder of just how much we rely on Amazon Web Services and AWS global outage recovery. A simple outage for a brief period disrupted the operations and services of millions of people. Amazon is in the monopoly and would never partner with another provider. So the simplest solution is to opt for a service provider who puts customers first.

Amazon, as big it is, is still just one location and provides a single server location to the clients. At its core, it is one batch of servers. Protected Harbor solves this problem by spreading the customers across multiple server locations, preventing a site-wide misconfiguration. We protect our clients by using various services; we expect one service to fail- that gives us time to resolve and repair the situation quickly.

We differentiate from other providers by being proactive and planning for failures like this. We do it all the time- partner with other providers to deliver unmatched services to the customers because their satisfaction comes first.

Key Takeaways:

• An hours-long AWS outage crippled popular websites and disrupted smart devices, as well as creating delivery delays at Amazon warehouses.
• Companies like Facebook, Netflix, Reddit, IMDB, Disney+, and more were affected by the outage.
• Amazon stated that it “identified the root cause” but yet to reveal what precisely the root cause was?
• AWS controls almost 90% of the cloud services market, and the outages are not uncommon.
• Now is the time to choose the provider which satisfies you and your business needs.

Go complete risk-free

Protected Harbor is the underdog player in the market that exceeds the customer’s expectations. With its Datacenter and Managed IT services, it has stood the test of customers, and “Beyond expectations” is quoted by all customers. Best in segment cloud services with optimum IT support, safety, and security, it’s a no-brainer why organizations choose to stay with us. This way to the crème de la crème.

Learn the Fundamentals

After the inception of the cloud in the world of technology in 2006, we saw a rise in the number of providers delivering ascendable, on-demand customizable applications for personal and professional needs. Identified nowadays as cloud computing, in most basic terms it is the delivery of IT services through the Internet including software, servers, networking, and data storage. These service providers differentiated themselves according to the kinds of services they offered, such as:

• Software as a Service (SaaS)
• Desktop as a Service (DaaS)
• Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS)
• Platform as a Service (PaaS)

Cloud computing enabled an easily customizable model of strong computing power, lower service prices, larger accessibility, and convenience, in addition to the newest IT security. This motivated a large number of small and medium-sized firms to begin using cloud-based apps to perform specific tasks in their businesses.
The Cloud computing world can be a confusing place for a business, should they use DAAS, SAAS, PAAS, or something else.  As a first step we will explain each service and what is it best used for.

SaaS

SaaS or Software as a service is actually a cloud-based version of one piece of a software package (or a software package) that’s delivered to final users via the Internet. The final user or consumer does not own the app, also it is not stored on the user’s device. The consumer gets access to the application via a subscription model and generally pays for the licensing of the application.

SaaS software is simple to manage and can be used as long as one has a device with an active internet connection. One benefit is that end-users on SaaS platform do not have to worry about the frequent upgrades to the program as this is handled by the cloud hosting service provider.

DaaS

DaaS or Desktop as a service, is a subscription model service that enables businesses with efficient virtual desktops or RDP (Remote Desktop Protocol). Licensed users will have access to their own applications and files anyplace and at any time. Nearly any application you are already using or intend to use can be integrated into a DaaS model. DaaS provides you any level of flexibility your little, medium, or enterprise-level business requires while still permitting you to take care of the management of your information and desktop.

In the DaaS model, the service provider is accountable for the storage, backup, and security of the information. Only a thin client is required to get the service. These clients are the end-user computer terminal only used to provide a graphical user interface to the user. Subscriber hardware cost is a minimum and accessing the virtual desktop is possible at the user’s location, device, and network.F

PaaS

Platform as a service is an application platform where a third-party provider allows a customer to use the hardware and software tools over the internet without the hassle of building and maintaining the infrastructure required to develop the application.

IaaS

Infrastructure as a service is a cloud computing service where the infrastructure is hosted by enterprises on a public and private cloud and is rented or leased saving the maintaining and operating costs of the servers.

DaaS vs SaaS: The Key Differences

SaaS and DaaS differences: They are both applications of cloud computing but they have their fundamental differences. In simple words, the SaaS platform focuses on making software applications available over the internet, while Desktop as a Service enables the whole desktop experience by integrating several applications and the required data to the subscriber. DaaS users only need a thin client to enjoy the services, while SaaS companies provide the services through a fat client. SaaS software users need to store and retrieve the data produced by the application themselves but DaaS users don’t have to worry about the data as the service provides is responsible for the storage/ backup of the data.

You’ll find few who will disagree that ease of use is a reason why “Software as a Service” is a staple of businesses and has risen to popularity among enterprises both large and small. As for convenience, the rollout is more effortless than that of a DaaS situation. SaaS is the more versatile option of the two, and best of all, there are very affordable options if you’re trying to pinch those pennies as a smaller entity.
One of the key components of utilizing DaaS is security, closely followed by efficiency. From a security standpoint, since information is housed in a data center it helps lend itself to increased and more reliable security, removing all the risk that comes along with data being hosted on devices themselves.

Working
Managed DaaS provides virtual desktops for managing applications and associated data, with user data copied to and from the virtual desktop at log in and log out. SaaS delivers web-based software accessible via internet and browser, with backend operations and databases managed in the cloud.

Control
DaaS offers a complete desktop experience and allows users to store information within their own data center, providing full control. SaaS, however, follows a “one-to-many” model, offering access to specific applications shared across multiple clients, without a full desktop environment.

Interoperability
DaaS virtualizes the entire desktop, enabling smooth application integration. SaaS applications can also be integrated but may face challenges due to their hosting location and delivery method.

Mobility
DaaS is typically used with a PC and full-size screen but can be accessed from mobile devices. SaaS applications are designed to work well on both PCs and mobile devices like smartphones and tablets.

Ideal Use Cases
DaaS is ideal for resource-limited businesses seeking cloud solutions. SaaS suits businesses needing access to individual applications from any device, without hardware updates.

Understanding the differences between SaaS and DaaS for business helps in choosing the right cloud service for specific needs.

Ideal Use Cases: SaaS vs DaaS

Which one’s for you?

So, you’re in all probability wondering: Should your company adopt SaaS or DaaS? Our question is why not use both? It is correct that the cloud-based SaaS business model offers the flexibility to use their features while not needing to host the applications, However, the DaaS model has its own advantages. The reality is most businesses need a hybrid solution that utilizes the capabilities of both SaaS and DaaS. Using both the services allows them to access the functionality they need to be efficient while maintaining the ease and security of having all their business and applications on one dashboard with a single sign-on, equipping staff auditing capabilities.

Ultimately, the decision to adopt SaaS or Desktop as a Service depends on your company’s specific needs and resources. It’s important to weigh the benefits and drawbacks of each option and consider factors such as cost, security, and compatibility with existing systems. It may also be helpful to consult with a technology professional or service provider to determine the best option for your company.

Some additional benefits of using both SaaS and DaaS:

• Best of cloud computing world: SaaS enables dependable cloud applications, DaaS delivers full client desktop and application experience. Users lose none of the features and functionality, Dedicated servers for cloud hosting is an add-on.
• Application Integration: DaaS adds another layer to the flexibility by allowing users to integrate a large number of applications into a virtual desktop.
• Customization and Flexibility: The users can customize the application according to their requirements and the flexibility to use the applications from any device anywhere is the top feature in cloud models.
• Security and Control: DaaS permits users the choice of storing all application information, user data, etc. at their own data center, giving them full control.

Migrating your business to a DaaS or SaaS platform

Since every service provider has its own set of processes to migrate the existing businesses to a cloud platform. We cant represent everyone but generally, it’s a reasonably simple process to switch over to a cloud environment.

Contact Protected Harbor for a customized technology improvement plan that includes technologies like Protected Desktop, a DaaS service for the smaller entities which delivers the best of the solutions and aspects of Protected Harbor including 24×7 support, security, monitoring, backups, Application Outage Avoidance, and more. Similarly a Protected Full Service for the larger entities enabling remote cloud access and covering all IT costs. No two TIPs are the same as they are designed specifically for each client’s business needs, we believe that technology should help clients, not force clients to change how they work.

Virtualization vs cloud computing

Cloud computing and virtualization are both technologies that were developed to maximize the use of computing resources while reducing the cost of those resources. They are also mentioned frequently when discussing high availability and redundancy. While it is not uncommon to hear people discuss them interchangeably; they are very different approaches to solving the problem of maximizing the use of available resources. They differ in many ways and that also leads to some important considerations when selecting between the two.

Virtualization: More Servers on the Same Hardware

It used to be that if you needed more computing power for an application, you had to purchase additional hardware. Redundancy systems were based on having duplicate hardware sitting in standby mode in case something should fail. The problem was that as CPUs grew more powerful and had more than one core, a lot of computing resources were going unused. This obviously costs companies a great deal of money. Enter virtualization. Simply stated, virtualization is a technique that allows you to run more than one server on the same hardware. Typically, one server is the host server and controls the access to the physical server’s resources. One or more virtual servers then run within containers provided by the host server. The container is transparent to the virtual server so the operating system does not need to be aware of the virtual environment. This allows the server to be consolidated which reduces hardware costs. Less physical servers also mean less power which further reduces cost. Most virtualization systems allow the virtual servers to be easily moved from one physical host to another. This makes it very simple for system administrators to reconfigure the servers based on resource demand or to move a virtual server from a failing physical node. Virtualization helps reduce complexity by reducing the number of physical hosts but it still involves purchasing servers and software and maintaining your infrastructure. Its greatest benefit is reducing the cost of that infrastructure for companies by maximizing the usage of the physical resources.

Cloud Computing: Measured Resources, Pay for What You Use

While virtualization may be used to provide cloud computing, cloud computing is quite different from virtualization. Cloud computing may look like virtualization because it appears that your application is running on a virtual server detached from any reliance or connection to a single physical host. And they are similar in that fashion. However, cloud computing can be better described as a service where virtualization is part of physical infrastructure.

Cloud computing grew out of the concept of utility computing. Essentially, utility computing was the belief that computing resources and hardware would become a commodity to the point that companies would purchase computing resources from a central pool and pay only for the number of CPU cycles, RAM, storage and bandwidth that they used. These resources would be metered to allow pay for what you use model much like you buy electricity from the electric company. This is how it became known as utility computing. It is common for cloud computing to be distributed across many servers. This provides redundancy, high availability and even geographic redundancy. This also makes cloud computing very flexible.

It is easy to add resources to your application. You just use them, just like you just use the electricity when you need it. Cloud computing has been designed with scalability in mind. The biggest drawback of cloud computing is that, of course, you do not control the servers. Your data is out there in the cloud and you have to trust the provider that it is safe. Many cloud computing services offer SLAs that promise to deliver a level of service and safety but it is critical to read the fine print. A failure of the cloud service could result in a loss of your data.

A practical comparison (Virtualization vs CLOUD COMPUTING)

VIRTUALIZATION

Virtualization is a technology that allows you to create multiple simulated environments or dedicated resources from a single, physical hardware system. Software called a hypervisor connects directly to that hardware and allows you to split 1 system into separate, distinct, and secure environments known as virtual machines (VMs). These VMs rely on the hypervisor’s ability to separate the machine’s resources from the hardware and distribute them appropriately.

CLOUD COMPUTING

Cloud computing is a set of principles and approaches to deliver compute, network, and storage infrastructure resources, services, platforms, and applications to users on-demand across any network. These infrastructure resources, services, and applications are sourced from clouds, which are pools of virtual resources orchestrated by management and automation software so they can be accessed by users on-demand through self-service portals supported by automatic scaling and dynamic resource allocation.

Protected Harbor’s New PBX Phone System

Protected Harbor is proud to introduce a state of the art phone system 3CX.  It is available to all our current clients and anyone in the market looking to upgrade their current set up.  Protected Harbor partnered with 3CX, and provides system configuration and support.

The benefits of this new phone system are plentiful, starting with the end-user being in complete control.  This PBX can be installed on-premise and virtualized on a Linux or Windows platform.   It is easily set up via iOS and Android apps for remote work via QR code.  Staff can easily be added, and voicemail can be set up in minutes.  The user management is simple and easy which will save countless hours of work.

The biggest benefit perhaps, of our system is that it has a softphone so you can make and receive business calls from your PC, tablet or smartphone.  There is no need to be tied to a hard physical phone in your office.  It’s perfect for businesses that have employees working from home during COVID-19.

Moreover, many of the phone features that other vendors classify as add-ons, such as video conferencing, iOS and Android mobile apps or call center features, are included with Protected Harbor’s PBX. So, there are no hidden costs for the features you need.

Switching to this configuration makes complete sense when you compare pricing to that of other PBX vendors such as 8×8 and Avaya. Our system provides a complete unified communications solution that is easy to manage, flexible and affordable. Whether you are a small business or a large enterprise, you can save thousands and avoid all the hassle of purchasing additional extensions and add-ons as your business grows.

Think less about maintaining your PBX, and more about your business – call or email us today to find out more about Protected Harbor’s new phone system! www.protectedharbor.com

WHY IS 99.99% UPTIME IMPORTANT?

Today, businesses of all sizes have grown more reliant on their technology and no business, no matter the size wants to see their systems or site offerings offline – even for a few minutes.  This is why uptime has become vital.  For many companies, uptime is not a preference, it’s a necessity.

Uptime is important because the cost and consequences of downtime can cripple a business, however, no business in any industry can guarantee absolute perfection. Even with tremendous precautions and redundancies in place, systems can fail.  Natural disasters or other mitigating factors out of our control that may require a quick re-boot can’t always be predicted or prevented.

In order to evade debilitating periods of downtime, businesses must employ the most current technologies, designed with uptime in mind, or utilize a managed service provider well versed in the latest technology and long term solutions.

It is no secret that businesses look for 99.99% uptime.  If this percentage seems unrealistic, the additional decimals make a huge difference. The reality is that .1% of downtime is an unacceptable percentage for most companies.  When businesses encounter downtime, they cannot provide services to their customers.  Customers have short memories and as a result, may be tempted to take their dollars elsewhere if they cannot get what they want in a timely manner.

Not only is losing customers disastrous, but productivity can suffer as well.  This is never a good combination.  The average cost of downtime across businesses of all sizes and all industries is around $5,600 per minute.

When a customer selects a company, they need to trust that they are working with a professional and capable organization. Not being able to access a company’s website or employees telling customers they cannot help them at the moment they called does not ensure shopper confidence. This damage can be irreversible to a business’s reputation.

Given that the consequences of downtime are so costly, it’s easy to understand why achieving near-perfect uptime is so important. In order to completely avoid all of the costs and consequences associated with downtime, businesses need to be aiming for uptime of at least 99.99%. While these consequences may seem a bit disheartening, the good news is that there are ways to avoid them. Get connected to our data center and solve your issue.

Protected Harbor helps businesses across the US address their current IT needs by building custom, cost-effective solutions.  Our unique technology experts evaluate current systems, determine the needs then design cost-effective solutions. On average, we are able to save clients up to 30% on IT costs while increasing their security, productivity and durability.  We work with many internal IT departments, freeing them up to concentrate on daily workloads while we do the heavy lifting.  www.protectedharbor.com

Keep Your Business Running – Prepare for The Worst

Since the face of how we do business has changed because of COVID-19, businesses should think about (and hopefully prepare for) cyberattacks and security breaches. Having a disaster recovery plan in place to restore critical information is a good place to start.  However, in these times this is simply not enough.

This is why it’s important to have a 360 business continuity plan ready.

Here are some devastating facts from Bureau of Labor, PC Mag, Gartner, Unitrends and TechRadar:

• Every year, 20% of businesses experience system loss from events such as fires, floods, outages, etc. These types of occurrences not only result in loss of data, but they displace employees and shatter operations
• 60% of companies that lose their data will shut down within 6 months
• Only 35% of Small Businesses have a comprehensive disaster recovery plan in place, according to Gartner
• The cost of losing critical applications has been estimated by experts at more than $5,000 per minute
• Network downtime costs 80% of small and medium businesses at least $20,000 per hour

If these facts are not enough to ensure a business continuity plan is in place, then you are rolling the dice in a game you will not win.  It is not a matter IF something will happen its WHEN.

A business continuity plan creates a means of keeping your business operational during a crisis. In addition, the plan should include protocols for your devices, communication channels, office setup – including employees, and more.

If you’re currently experiencing unexplained system slow-downs, unexplained outages and trying to maintain normal computer functions, then your system needs definite attention, and you probably don’t have a continuity plan in place. It’s not too late to start, but understand it’s going to take some time and effort but the end result will be invaluable.

This is where Protected Harbor can help. We deliver end to end IT solutions ranging from custom designed systems, data center management, disaster recovery, ransomware protection, cloud services and more.  On average, we save clients up to 30% on IT costs while increasing their productivity, durability and sustainability.  Let our unique technology experts evaluate your current systems and design cost-effective, secure options.

With us, you can be sure your systems will run during a crisis.  Contact us today to find out more.  www.protectedharbor.com