5 Ways to Manage the IT Aspects of Your Small Business in Orlando

Every company relies on technology to operate effectively. From data storage to computers, you’ll spend portions of your day fiddling with online infrastructure and equipment. To ensure these resources function appropriately in your Floridian business, you’ll need to manage them.

How to Improve Business IT Support in Your Floridian Business

If you don’t know a thing about IT management, you may be confused about how to start your IT support journey, but we have you covered. 

Use these IT tips to better protect your business.

1. Hire a Local IT Support Company

Your small business may not have the cash flow to support an on-staff IT technician. Even if you did, it isn’t easy to screen candidates if you aren’t familiar with the industry. To make matters worse, on-call IT staff can take days to show up, which could disrupt your regular operations. 

If you’re based in Orlando, Florida, we recommend calling for an IT audit. Your local IT support company can evaluate your infrastructure, applications, and policies and ensure they align with your business objectives. They can also act as your IT department and support network.

2. Create Strong Passwords and Use 2FA

While your business likely uses passwords to encrypt sensitive customer data, there’s an even higher likelihood they aren’t strong enough to deter hackers. You’ll need unique, 12+ character passwords for every new account that includes numbers, symbols, and uppercase letters.

But don’t stop there. You can protect your files further by enabling two-factor authentication (2FA), which adds another pin number to an already encrypted document. You’ll want to make it as hard as possible for hackers to breach your systems to avoid data leaks and breaches.

3. Update or Delete Unused Software

Speaking of hackers, did you know that malicious actors can hijack your computer through software? If you ignore updates (patches) on your computer, gaps will form in your firewall that allows for easy access to your files. Make it a habit to check for software updates every week.

If you have programs you haven’t used in a while that you don’t plan to use again, delete them off your hard drive. It’s better to remove unused software off your computer for good than risk a potential ransomware, malware, or virus attack that could dismantle your entire IT structure.

4. Backup Your Files and Test Them

Widespread data loss can happen at any moment, but businesses like to think it will never happen to them. If you do lose all of your files, your employees will have to crunch for weeks, even months, to restore what was lost, and you may have to shut down for a while.

The risks associated with lost data are too great, so it’s better to be safe than sorry. Start by backing up your data in two places: the cloud and a second detachable hard drive. Once you’ve backed up your data, test to see if the data is in a usable state before storing it for the future.

5. Install Antivirus Software and Firewalls

Antivirus software uses threat-seeking algorithms to locate and safely remove viruses. However, you’ll need powerful software that’s constantly updating, as new threats appear every single day. As a general rule, free software won’t be able to keep up with each evolving threat.

Firewalls are another threat management tool, but instead of locating viruses on your computer, it stops them before they grab onto your internal data. They’re also used to scan emails and other files that are accessible on your side but aren’t considered threatening until opened.

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