Network management encompasses many different areas, including performance management, fault identification, network provisioning and maintaining the quality of service. As the size and complexity of networks grow through new technologies, network managers are facing new challenges. Today, networks must handle more traffic moving in more directions from more devices. While each new connection provides more capabilities, they also create added potential vulnerabilities for network professionals to manage. The size and complexity of network management have led many companies to outsource their management to experienced third parties.

Here are some of the top challenges of IT managers in network management today across the following four categories — network security, configuration management, cost and network performance.

1. Network Security

Maintaining network security requires constant vigilance and the ability to respond to always-evolving threats. Today, network boundaries exceed traditional on-site perimeters, making it harder to protect against threats. Blocking unauthorized outside traffic is not enough to protect data, as threats can enter the network through phishing emails and insider attacks.

Service attacks don’t even have to connect to succeed, and while encryption helps to protect data, it also makes it more difficult to monitor activity on the IT network. Many firms use numerous data protection tools and must ensure they work together for maximum effectiveness. Using multiple tools in this way requires increased management and monitoring.

Data Breaches on the Rise

Data breaches are a significant threat to today’s businesses, and their associated costs are rising. According to IBM’s 2023 Cost of a Data Breach Report, the average global cost of a breach reached $4.45 million in 2023. The numbers are even more startling when narrowed specifically to the healthcare industry, with the average cost of a breach exceeding $10 million. The mean size of a breach has also increased steadily over the past seven years, with over 133 million records exposed in 2023.

More Users, Devices and IP-Based Systems

The growing number of users and devices on each network is making managing security more challenging. In addition to employees, security teams have to contend with unmanaged users such as business partners. Employees are also using more mobile devices, both managed and unmanaged. As virtualized software becomes more common, more employees are using their personal devices for work — a trend called bring your own device (BYOD). Protecting unmanaged devices creates new challenges, as the company does not control every aspect of these devices. 

Additionally, many users access personal emails on their devices, and less tech-savvy ones could easily introduce malware to their phone or tablet’s operating system. Once compromised, it’s easier for bad actors to gain system entry through piggybacking on legitimate user sessions.

The growth of internet protocol (IP)-based applications and systems — such as voice over internet protocol (VoIP), virtual desktop infrastructure and IP-based storage — also means that security teams have more endpoints and access points to monitor. As the network expands and becomes more complex, it becomes increasingly difficult to monitor traffic.

Constantly Evolving Threats

Cybercriminals are constantly coming up with new ways to infiltrate and disrupt networks, meaning businesses also need to continually improve how they protect their networks and data from cyber attacks. Because of this ever-changing threat landscape, cybersecurity requires constant attention and resources. Network managers need to stay current with the latest cybersecurity incidents, technologies and trends to keep their networks safe.

To reduce their risks, organizations should conduct penetration testing to determine where their security weaknesses are. Modern businesses also need to embrace advanced security tools that incorporate artificial intelligence, automation and other technologies and keep those tools updated.

Regulations

The changing regulatory landscape also presents challenges. Companies must keep up with regulation changes and ensure compliance with state and national laws, industry standards and international regulations. Healthcare companies must follow HIPAA and many other regulations. Recently, many companies have had to adjust to the introduction of the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), and some states are introducing similar laws. Complying with the various applicable regulations can be complex and expensive, but it’s necessary for successful network management and security. Proper network management can help support regulatory compliance by strengthening a business’s security posture.

2. Configuration Management

Another challenging area of IT network management is configuration management, which involves gathering and maintaining information about all the components within a computer network. This information includes the network address or IP address of every hardware device, information about default settings and which programs are installed on network devices.

Whenever the network requires repair, expansion, upgrading or modification, the configuration management database will help you determine how to approach changes. Activities involved in network configuration management include:

• Troubleshooting.
• Device discovery
• IT network inventory management
• Configuration database backup
• Change monitoring
• Compliance support
• User activity tracking 

Expanding Networks and More Devices

As with security, the increasing size of the typical network is another substantial challenge with configuration management. As the number of devices on each network grows, keeping all information and settings up to date can be an issue, and devices can sometimes conflict with one another.

One reason for the growing number of devices is the Internet of Things (IoT), which refers to the numerous connected devices, from smart thermostats to industrial machines to wearables. 

In 2023, there were 15.8 billion connected devices worldwide, and that figure is expected to soar to 39.6 billion by 2033. Beyond the challenge of the sheer volume of devices, the advent of IoT technology means network configuration managers now need to track a much wider variety of device types and keep them up to date, functional and secure.

Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) is another rapidly growing segment. As of 2024, the market has a value of $114.09 billion, and experts predict it will almost double to $238.49 billion by 2029. 

Network configuration managers have to figure out how to keep track of BYOD devices and integrate them into their management system. Employees may bring a wide range of devices into work, and the company can’t manage every aspect of these devices. Accounting for each device is still crucial, however, for network configuration management and security.

Despite these challenges, it’s essential that firms prioritize configuration management. Issues with network configuration negatively impact network performance, result in noncompliance with regulatory standards and compromise network security.

3. Cost and Available Budget

As more business functions move onto the network, companies need to upgrade their networks to add capacity and new capabilities. In addition to traditional IT applications, networks now need to handle other business services, like telephony and video conferencing, which require improved network bandwidth. Multimedia applications also require the addition of multicasting protocols, new endpoint devices require autoconfiguration protocols and adding new services to shared network infrastructure requires the introduction of IP virtualization features.

Adding these capabilities to the network, however, is expensive and often time-consuming. You may need to:

• Introduce new hardware to increase bandwidth
• Deploy new software releases onto existing hardware
• Update configuration on existing infrastructure to enable new protocols
• Upgrade cabling to higher-spec cable types
• Hire experts to help with setting up and managing network features

Even as more demand is placed on IT, there is a push to reduce the cost of ownership of network infrastructure. This means IT staff need to figure out how to improve the network and add capabilities without significantly increasing costs — or sometimes even while cutting costs.

Companies can’t afford to sacrifice proper network management to reduce costs, as it’s crucial to business success. The cost of downtime, data leaks and other issues can easily result in much higher costs than those of upgrading and maintaining the network. Limited budgets can make it difficult to maintain network security, yet many organizations are trimming their IT security budgets. A recent survey of over 2,500 IT professionals worldwide revealed that only 9% of the average business’s IT budget is earmarked for security, and 60% of participants had plans to reduce their current investments.

To help reduce costs, many businesses are turning to third-party network management providers. The complexity of today’s networks means many businesses are spending a significant amount of time and resources on network management, leaving less for their core business activities. Working with an experienced third party that provides network management services can help businesses save money and time and put more focus on their core activities. It’s also important to highlight that investments in IT can drive revenue and improve performance for the company, which helps offset and justify the costs involved.

4. Network Performance

Maintaining network performance is a crucial part of network management. Today, businesses rely on their networks more than ever before, and an outage can mean significant losses. Recent studies have pinpointed the average cost of downtime at $9,000 per minute. In higher-risk industries like manufacturing and healthcare, these costs can easily exceed $5 million hourly. These numbers don’t include fines, civil or criminal penalties, or the costs of any litigation that could result from lawsuits or noncompliance issues caused by the downtime.

Clearly, ensuring reliable network performance is vital for business success. However, as networks expand and become more complex, doing so is increasingly challenging.

More Traffic and More Complexity

Modern businesses rely on their networks for a huge range of activities, many of which are mission-critical. They’re essential for everything from internal communications to e-commerce sites to marketing campaigns. There’s more activity, and much of this activity — such as video conferencing — demands significant bandwidth from the network. Many businesses, especially online-based ones, also need their network to be available and reliable 24/7.

Today, networks need to handle more traffic from more directions. With more traffic and longer distances between users and services, there is a higher risk of poor network performance. Businesses need to have the right equipment and the right network management processes in place to ensure consistently high levels of reliability.

Ensuring adequate network performance requires careful bandwidth, latency and packet loss management because problems can occur if they drop even slightly below tolerance thresholds. Those managing the network need to constantly monitor network performance in real time and have the visibility to determine the bandwidth used by each application and the associated IP addresses. They must also efficiently troubleshoot and assess whether the network is ready for new services before deployment.

Time Spent Troubleshooting

Networks play a crucial role in strategic business initiatives, but network professionals often struggle to find the time to work on them because they need to spend so much time troubleshooting issues across the network. As networks become larger and more complex, troubleshooting becomes more time-consuming, especially with limited visibility and control.

To ensure network professionals have time to work on business initiatives in addition to troubleshooting, businesses can:

• Work with a third-party expert: There are many benefits to outsourcing network management tasks to a trusted and experienced provider, including access to expertise and cost-effective, customized strategies.
• Improve their IT network management tools: Introducing sophisticated solutions like artificial intelligence can help automate some routine and time-consuming troubleshooting tasks.
• Increase IT resources and personnel: Organizations can consider these options if their budget allows for new technology or team expansion.

Healthcare Network Management Solutions From Prelude Services

Today’s businesses face various network management challenges related to security, configuration management, costs and performance. As you navigate the quickly shifting business and tech environments, remember that Prelude Services is here to help. We provide network management, security IT strategic planning and around-the-clock support to healthcare companies across the U.S. Some of the IT network management services and solutions we provide include:

• Management tools that track usage trends across your network and alert our team when it needs an upgrade to maintain peak performance and security
• Design tools that help in planning upgrades and expansions to enable your network to grow with your company and introduce new capabilities
• Internet monitoring tools that prevent malicious software from entering your network from online sources, preventing potential damage to your business and saving your network managers time and resources
• Security tools that detect any malicious software on your network and alert our managers, so we can quickly address the issue and prevent damage
• Network backup and failover capabilities to ensure you don’t lose data in the event of a disaster, protecting your business and your data subjects

Partner With Prelude Services for IT Network Management Services

We help hundreds of senior living, long-term care, skilled nursing, community service, affordable housing and other healthcare organizations countrywide, set up their IT networks, protect their electronic health records and ensure HIPAA compliance. We take pride in supporting our clients so that they can better serve their communities. To learn more about how our services resolve the top challenges facing network management, contact us today.

The post Top Challenges with Network Management appeared first on Prelude Services.

Network scope and shape have been quickly evolving for the past several years, and changes continue to accelerate as new technologies emerge. With the modern reliance on mobile devices and the Internet of Things (IoT), network organization and security are leagues different from what they were even a decade ago. To help businesses prepare for the future of network security and identify the potential direction network technology is taking, Prelude has identified trends in network management, security and organization so enterprises can start taking steps to prepare for the future these technologies will bring.

What’s Changing With Network Management?

Five shifts and advancements impacting the direction of network management include:

1. Businesses Are Moving on From Wireless Network Controllers

Wireless network controllers evolved as a way to consolidate the functions of wireless network management into a single tool. However, they are quickly becoming obsolete due to their relatively high parts costs and their largely unnecessary function. As networks increasingly focus on simplicity and streamlining, such accessories will no longer be needed. In fact, many controllers at the forefront of cutting-edge technology less than a decade ago have now reached end-of-life and end-of-support status. The obsolescence of such items means organizations need to prepare and make changes to pertinent technologies as soon as possible.

2. Ethernet Switch Speed Keeps Expanding

Switches will remain within network organizations, as they provide power and connection at access points, but they will expand in per-port speed. Currently, switch speeds can vary widely depending on the type and the cables they leverage. Fast Ethernet (FE) switches typically provide speeds up to 100 megabits per second (Mbps), while Gigabit Ethernet (GE) switches can deliver speeds from 1 Gigabit per second (Gbps) to 800 Gbps when supported by fiber-optic cable. Though the path to accomplishing this will be expensive, functionality and speed will improve significantly with such changes, making them valuable for businesses to implement.

3. The Cloud Migration Continues

The cloud has revolutionized information technology across numerous industries, and organizations of every size are leveraging cloud-based technology to transform operations. Virtualization and software-defined networking are now the golden standards of modern IT network management, and this push will continue well into the future. Cloud-based network management software allows companies to manage their networks reliably from anywhere and also makes it possible for network management to be adeptly handled by third-party providers rather than network users. With this technology, network management service providers will become more common, allowing businesses to cut costs significantly while still ensuring high performance.

More businesses, especially healthcare organizations, are also adopting hybrid cloud solutions. This mix of private and public clouds delivers the agility and budget-friendliness necessary to meet their operational needs while supporting compliance. IT experts can carefully configure the network to ensure which applications deploy in which environment to manage data flow and user access according to regulations.

4. Uptime and Transfer Rates Take Priority

As companies and their customers become increasingly dependent on data and connectivity, the threat of downtime will increase. Minutes of downtime and slow transfer rates will quickly turn customers off, so ensuring 100% uptime will continue to be an essential consideration in network monitoring in the future. Wi-Fi 6 and 5G technologies are instrumental in meeting reliability and data transfer needs, and proper management and network security methods will be essential for ensuring satisfaction and connectivity.

5. Sophisticated Network Management Support Technology Becomes Vital

Artificial intelligence (AI) can do much more than quickly analyze data and generate answers. This technology is advancing us toward self-healing and self-optimizing networks through infrastructure automation. This transformation will substantially boost reliability, security and speed. Expect those improvements to create better user experiences and an increased competitive edge while slashing network management costs.

Similarly, virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) bring IT professionals new ways to analyze network data visually and in real-time. These immersive technologies enable more strategic decision-making, practical troubleshooting and improved optimization.

Along with these groundbreaking developments comes an increased focus on tools for advanced observability, the practice of understanding internal activity through examining outputs. With cloud-based and hybrid cloud networks becoming the new norm, sophisticated solutions for gaining transparency and actionable insights are necessary for effective and efficient network management.

The Bottom Line for Businesses

In the future, businesses can expect IT network management and organization to become more advanced yet simpler. The technology will expand and become more complex, but network management for the user will be easy, with self-configuring networks and network management as a service. These benefits will be particularly helpful for the long-term care and senior living markets, which need to ensure excellent speed of service for their customers while keeping healthcare costs down. To experience these benefits, however, businesses need to recognize and make the changes necessary to remain up to date. While it may mean increased costs in the short term, it will mean extensive savings and simplicity in the long term.

Prelude Is More Than Just a Healthcare IT Service Provider

Prelude Services is a trusted healthcare IT network partner that provides innovative information technology services and resources for senior living and long-term care organizations. Established in response to the healthcare industry’s increasing demand for IT services, Prelude aims to provide accessible and secure IT network management solutions that meet the needs of healthcare facilities. With over 700 facilities under our care, we work to provide solutions for our clients and can do the same for you. Contact us to learn more about how we can help you prepare for the future of network management.

The post The Future of Network Management appeared first on Prelude Services.

Senior living centers must protect information regarding patients’ medical records, prescriptions, diagnoses and medical history. Most of this information is private and sensitive, making it essential to protect it from potential hackers or cyberattacks. 

Learning about the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), its importance and who needs to comply with HIPAA can help your facility protect information at every step. Senior living centers can take critical steps for protection, including staff training and internet security. 

What Is HIPAA?

HIPAA is a United States law that protects patients’ medical records from being shared with other parties without the patient’s consent. HIPAA sets a standard for privacy that healthcare providers, plans, clearinghouses, and business associates related to healthcare must follow at every step.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) implemented both the HIPAA Security Rule and the HIPAA Privacy Rule. The Privacy Rule ensures that healthcare-related industries and companies comply with HIPAA regulations, while the Security Rule protects additional health information outlined in the Privacy Rule.

Why Is HIPAA Important?

HIPAA is important in the healthcare industry because it protects sensitive patient information. Many residents cared for in a senior living center have various health issues, whether due to aging or preexisting conditions. Senior living center patients often require various medical provisions or prescription drugs, making it integral to protect sensitive information related to resident records. 

Any nurse, employee or staff member who works with seniors at nursing homes or living centers must have easy access to residents’ information to ensure each patient receives appropriate care and medications related to their condition. Should something happen, it is essential to have medical records on hand with information about allergies, prior illnesses and health problems or other relevant information. 

At the same time, easy access to patient information requires extra protection to prevent leaks or violations of patient rights. This is why HIPAA was created. Many of the benefits of the Act include the following:

• Patient control: All patients have complete control over their medical information, including who can see it or when it can be shared.
• Boundaries: HIPAA ensures safe limits for sharing and distributing patient health information.
• Safeguards: All providers and medical professionals related to the patient must protect residents’ health information privacy.
• Accountability: Anyone who violates the rules and regulations of HIPAA will be held accountable.

All patients deserve to know how their private health information will be used. Even older adults in nursing homes require boundaries and limits on information release and have the right to receive copies of records whenever asked. 

Who Must Comply With HIPAA Guidelines?

All companies, organizations, businesses and operations that handle protected health information must comply with HIPAA guidelines. For example, the following organizations must remain compliant with HIPAA rules and regulations:

• Health plans: Plans might include Medicaid, Medicare or other specific health programs.
• Healthcare clearinghouses: Clearinghouses include any billing services and companies that collect sensitive health information and process private data.
• Healthcare providers: Providers may include a dentist, surgeon, physician, pharmacy, hospital, clinic or nursing home. 
• Business associates: Businesses that handle health information include document shredding, medical equipment, data processing and data storage companies. 

While HIPAA specifically requires nursing homes to follow their guidelines, other senior living centers and care facilities may not be held to the same laws if they don’t specifically handle health information. Many communities with different models have their own regulations, as HIPAA may not apply to every organization. 

However, if your senior living facility handles any form or amount of healthcare information, it must comply with HIPAA guidelines. It is best practice to follow HIPAA regulations at every step in the process, no matter how much health information you contain. 

In many cases, some organizations may be confused when specific departments or sections of the company work alongside hospitals and healthcare workers who must comply with HIPAA. Following HIPAA regulations ensures patient privacy, and while HIPAA may not specifically name some senior living facilities, it is best practice to follow their guidelines regardless. 

All residents, staff members and healthcare workers at the senior living facility must comply with HIPAA regulations, including refraining from discussing patient information outside the workplace. Keep medical history and patient information private to prevent accidental leaks. 

How To Protect Senior Health Information

Protecting sensitive patient information requires adherence to rules and regulations from every nurse, employee and healthcare provider. Here are four steps to protecting health information in a senior living center.

1. Increasing Internet Security

Increasing your facility’s internet security is a great way to protect senior health information. Many facilities have done away with traditional paperwork filing, mailing or data entry, meaning technology has helped reduce the need for manual labor. However, the possibility of hackers and cyberattacks comes with the increased usage of computer systems and the quick transference of confidential information.

To comply with HIPAA, your facility needs secure software for sensitive information. Ensure you have the firewall applications to block ransomware, malware and phishing attempts. Many IT security companies and outside sources offer the protection assistance you need to fend off possible leaks and attacks.

2. Improving Staff Training

Training staff members, nurses, and all employees in your facility on HIPAA guidelines ensures you maintain compliance at every point. Proper training in HIPAA regulations, data protection and rules allows employees to refer to privacy guidelines when unsure of the next step. You can even have staff members take courses on protecting patient and resident privacy. 

3. Making a Contingency Plan

Make a plan of action should your facility accidentally leak sensitive information or experience a breach in security. Adding security and training measures can only go so far. Data breaches and privacy violations may be possible, but an action plan ensures your company knows what to do in the case of a leak. 

Make sure you track every investigation of a data breach to completion. It should also be possible for staff members to report incidents anonymously when needed. 

4. Securing Outside Access

Due to the nature of your senior care facility, you may have to work with various businesses, care workers, nurses, facilities and individual family members. Third parties often have short-term access to your documents, patient information and sensitive data. The more outside sources gain access to your facility’s private information, the more you must take care to protect that data. 

To secure outside access, be sure all partners sign an agreement with your facility. Do so for any third-party vendors, including but not limited to” attorneys

• Consultants
• Accountants
• Software companies and technicians
• Document destruction services
• Malpractice carriers 
• Telephone providers

All third parties are prohibited from selling or sharing patient information, according to patient rights outlined by HIPAA.

Find Help With Information Security At Prelude Services

Our IT management, security and strategic planning services at Prelude Services protect sensitive patient information. Our services are meant for healthcare providers, whether you work in senior living centers, long-term care, community service or affordable housing. Our secure IT software lets you protect patient information at every step of your facility processes. 

Data security and reliable technology are essential to us. Consider partnering with Prelude Service for all your information technology needs. Contact us today to speak to a representative.

The post How to Protect Health Information in a Senior Living Center appeared first on Prelude Services.

When caring for older adults, post-acute care is a reality. More than 40% of Medicare beneficiaries are discharged to post-acute facilities — an essential step in their recovery. The post-acute care programs’ efficacy dictates patient health outcomes in many ways, so IT services and post-acute care go hand in hand.

Access to current information and the most effective IT tools can improve patient care and streamline information sharing. Focusing on improving care transitions can help ensure older adults receive the post-acute care they need. With the proper care, they can take positive steps in their recovery. IT services for post-acute care facilities are a critical consideration.

Types of IT Services for Post-Acute Facilities

For patients to achieve the best possible health outcomes, post-acute care facilities must have the capabilities to coordinate and manage high-quality healthcare specific to each individual. Much of this care depends on the reliable transition of information, internally and externally.

Access to critical health information allows post-acute care facilities to provide better quality care to patients, whether identifying patients at risk of injury or having access to indicators of their recovery timeline to make further adjustments. Caregivers can provide preventive care and stay current with patient needs.

Types of IT Services that can augment post-acute care include the following:

Network Management for Post-Acute Care

Most businesses use computer networks, and monitoring and managing them is essential to maintain optimal performance and care for patients. Upgrading your IT systems is vital for data safety and backup in the event of a critical failure. Your post-acute care facility will still have access to valuable patient data so you can continue to provide high-quality care.

Management tools can keep your facility providing optimal patient care by outlining upgrade requirements. The accompanying design tool tailors your network infrastructure to your facility’s needs, ensuring you can expand your networks and perform as needed to meet your specific requirements.

Security is necessary for any business that holds data. Network management tools identify malicious software entering your network and resolve the problem before you experience data theft or damage.

Cloud Computing for Post-Acute Care

Managing, processing, storing and communicating patient data is crucial in a post-acute care environment. When caregivers can access up-to-date patient data from web-based applications, they have flexibility and confidence in their work, knowing they can tailor their approach to specific patients. Storing your data in the cloud can help you achieve this.

Anyone with authorization can access patient data with this simple cloud solution as long as you have an internet connection. It’s easy to expand and upgrade and saves you money and space on physical infrastructure.

Service Desk for Post-Acute Care

Your IT systems must work for you to provide quality post-acute patient care. A 24/7 service desk may be the answer, as you can contact professionals whenever an issue might affect your ability to provide patient care. There is no need to compromise what you do best with expensive downtime.

Hardware and Software Support for Post-Acute Care

Both hardware and software are necessary to keep your IT systems performing well. Choosing the right equipment and hosting your applications can be daunting without an IT service that provides hardware and software support. IT services can help your team stay productive and focused on providing the best care for your patients.

Why Post-Acute Facilities Should Outsource IT Services

Providing superior patient care is a top priority for post-acute facilities. There can be a disconnect when patients are transferred, compromising their care, as you lose access to vital information about their treatment. Outsourcing specialist IT services can bridge that gap and provide your facility with access to information, data protection and faster processes.

Some of the many benefits of outsourcing IT services for post-acute facilities include the following:

• Elevated patient care: Providing quality patient care is the primary goal of any healthcare facility. IT services and patient care are linked, and patient care improves when healthcare facilities can access their data immediately. This is especially important with post-acute facilities, where caregivers exchange data from one facility to another. Outsourcing IT services streamlines this process so caregivers can focus on patients.
• Enhanced scalability: Outsourcing IT gives you more flexibility for growth and change, as these professionals provide full scalability for your business. Instead of investing in static IT solutions, you can update your services as your needs shift. If you need to expand, for example, your IT partner already has the infrastructure to streamline the process.
• Efficient billing: Healthcare professionals rarely have time to focus on complex coding and billing procedures. Outsourcing medical billing can decrease billing errors, provide accurate medical insurance claims and reduce the risk of denied claims.
• Improved cybersecurity: Cybersecurity is crucial for businesses. If you handle patients’ data, it needs to be protected. Outsourced IT services provide that protection with innovative security solutions.
• Increased productivity: Removing the focus on IT challenges allows your staff to focus on their core competencies and give acute-care patients the full attention they deserve. They also have access to the data they need in real time, and with the information at their fingertips, they can make informed decisions about patient care without delays.
• Decreased costs: Partnering with a professional IT service means saving on the high costs of an in-house IT team. Outsourced IT services also have up-to-date equipment and resources at your disposal. IT service providers can work within your budget to help you accomplish your goals.
• Advanced compliance: The healthcare industry is bound by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) privacy rule concerning data protection. Meeting these requirements can be challenging, but outsourced IT services have vast experience in data security compliance.
• Streamlined operations: IT challenges can be disruptive, especially for patient care. Outsourced IT teams can help prevent downtime and elevate your customer service — there is less chance of data breaches or inaccessible websites with professionals on your side.
• Enhanced access: Partnering with an outsourced IT provider gives you access to professionals in their field who can provide you with their specialized skills.

Contact Prelude Services for Post-Acute Care IT Services

Post-acute care facilities rely on IT services to provide patients with the highest standard of care. Prelude Services is here to assist you by providing IT services focused on helping healthcare providers navigate the rapidly changing industry landscape. Our innovative technology solutions are the perfect choice for post-acute care providers looking to improve patient outcomes and reduce unnecessary costs.

Our vast industry experience can strengthen your cybersecurity, manage your electronic medical records system and networks, and support your hardware and software. Our 24/7 service desk will help you reduce downtime, so you can focus on what you do best — caring for patients. We have a wide range of reliable options tailored to your specific need. Please reach out today to learn more about how Prelude Services can help you.

The post IT Services for Post-Acute Care appeared first on Prelude Services.

Your senior living facility has access to several types of sensitive information. When you want to dedicate the best care to your patients, include cybersecurity in your practices. Discover how you can evaluate your cybersecurity measures and risk level and build a stronger system. 

How to Assess Your Senior Living Community’s Cyber Risk 

As holders of highly sensitive information, healthcare facilities must protect their patients and employees. Your organization likely has access to several crucial pieces of patient information, from their name and financial data to their identification documents and Social Security numbers. Hackers often target healthcare organizations because of this data’s value. 

Recovering from a data breach can be costly for healthcare facilities. The healthcare industry has the highest costs for data breaches, reaching around $10 million in March 2022. Knowing how to evaluate your cybersecurity risk can help you better protect your organization and older adult patients. 

1. Identify Common Security Risks 

When determining how to assess cybersecurity risk for your senior living center, understand the daily threats organizations face online. Some typical cybersecurity risks include: 

• Phishing: Phishing scams are emails or texts sent by hackers claiming to be someone reputable. These messages will contain a link that takes individuals to login pages, asking them to put in their information. The link and page have spyware, allowing scammers to steal login credentials and access sensitive information. 
• Malware and ransomware: Malware is software meant to harm or disrupt operations. It might cause systems to crash or steal data in the form of ransomware. Malware might have immediate effects or go undetected for extended periods. You can encounter this breach through scammers, unprotected sites and insecure networks. 
• HIPAA breaches: Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) breaches are especially relevant in the healthcare industry. The act protects personal information, and a breach compromises the security of these private details. Healthcare organizations must adhere to HIPAA regulations, but a lack of education or proper procedures can cause accidental or intentional leaks. 

Once you understand your risks, you can begin to assess the systems you have in place. You might recognize a hole in your current protection, highlighting an increased risk. 

2. Audit System Accessibility 

Managing accessibility can be challenging for any organization, including those in healthcare. With increased usage of personal devices and cloud services, tracking accessibility helps ensure quality security for your patients. 

Auditing your online systems can help you understand current and past employee accessibility. While you might need to audit to maintain legal compliance, you can also use this data to locate past employees still accessing your systems on personal devices or unknown devices going undetected. 

3. Locate Legacy Systems 

Because technology evolves so quickly, your software and hardware vendors might stop supporting your systems. For hardware, this can include no longer selling parts or maintenance services. Software vendors might stop supplying updates with necessary security measures. 

Your legacy systems are these unsupported tools you still use. While they still might function well, they can pose increased security risks. Without modern updates protecting against new threats and attack trends, your software might become more vulnerable. Older hardware is more susceptible to crashes and outages. You can assess your cybersecurity risk by identifying how many legacy systems you depend on for daily operations. 

4. Evaluate Data Recovery Plans

While legacy hardware can crash because of its age, data loss and disasters can occur on many fronts. Power outages and natural disasters can damage hardware and servers, leaving you without the essential programs and data you need to function. Hackers and malware can disrupt operations by shutting down systems and causing them to malfunction. Equipment can be expensive to replace, so analyzing your data recovery plan can help you avoid costly disasters. 

You can assess your data recovery plan by examining: 

• Local threats: Your region might have unique risks that can lead to a higher likelihood of damaged facilities or equipment. Do you experience frequent natural disasters, like tornados or hurricanes? Are you in a flood zone? Even extreme temperatures can damage servers or require more intensive care. 
• Geographic diversity: Keeping all your servers in-house or in one region can increase your risks of local threats. If something happens to your server facility, a lack of storage diversity can leave you unable to operate for extended periods. Diversifying your server locations can help you continue functioning when one facility cannot. 
• Backup plans: Ransomware and malware attacks can hinder access via physical disruptions. If you back up your data, you can avoid paying large ransoms. Data replication can help you maintain operations during system crashes, ensuring you can always access what you need. 

Comprehensive data recovery and disaster prevention plans can protect you from many threats and obstacles. Assessing this aspect of your cybersecurity procedures can highlight how well you can protect your senior living center data. 

Addressing Your Company’s Cybersecurity Risks

After assessing your organization’s cybersecurity risk, you can begin to act. Identifying weaker areas can direct your efforts, providing you with a clear plan to follow. Some other aspects to consider when strengthening your cybersecurity measures include: 

• Training employees: Your employees’ precautions and actions can decrease your risks. Teach them how to avoid common threats, like phishing schemes and unprotected public networks. Keep them updated on recent cybercriminal trends, like rises in ransomware. When they know how they can keep the organization safe, they can become significant assets. 
• Educating residents: Older adults are becoming more tech savvy. In 2021, 61% of people over 65 had a smartphone and 45% used social media. Because malware and viruses can spread through shared networks to access and infect multiple devices, educating your residents about common risks and threats can help maintain cybersecurity. 
• Using multi-factor authentication: When phishing and spyware can leave login credentials vulnerable, multi-factor authentication can prevent hackers from accessing your systems. Multi-factor authentication might require users to enter a one-time code sent to a different device when logging in. 
• Writing out security and compliance policies and procedures: After training your employees, provide a written copy of your standards and guidelines. If employees forget, they can refer to their handbooks to check how to proceed. In the event of legal issues, physical versions of expectations and even signed understanding agreements can reduce liability. 
• Partnering with a cybersecurity management expert: Many healthcare facilities lack access to in-house IT teams, making preventing cybersecurity threats challenging. When you work with a cybersecurity partner, they can handle every aspect of cybersecurity and risk management, so you can continue to provide the best care for your residents. 

Protect Your Senior Center Residents With Prelude Services

When you want to increase your cybersecurity, you need the right teams. Prelude Services specializes in IT services for healthcare providers like senior living centers. From software and hardware management to senior living community IT outsourcing, we offer comprehensive care. Our 24/7 service desk ensures you can get the help you need, regardless of the time or day. 

Contact us today to request more information on our services. 

The post How to Assess Your Senior Living Center’s Cyber Risk  appeared first on Prelude Services.

Vishing attacks are just one of many types of cyberattacks that threaten everyone who owns a piece of technology. Vishing specifically focuses on the use of phones and targets innocent people through calls that are deceivingly trustworthy and can lead to identity fraud or other crimes. 

Though vishing attacks can happen to anybody, senior citizens are often at higher risk for being victims because they have less experience with technology and tend to have a more trusting nature. However, there are steps you can take through education and technology to defend yourself and others against vishing attacks.

Vishing attacks are so common and deceiving that the criminals often end up getting what they want. Following a vishing attack, there are steps you can take to recover quickly and help prevent others from being taken advantage of in the same way.

What Is a Vishing Attack?

A vishing attack is a cyberattack in which a criminal calls a victim and pretends to be someone they are not to gain money, information, access to your computer or accounts, or all three. The caller could be a real person or automation, but they often create a sense of urgency using social engineering tactics that make you trust them and feel like you must take action immediately at the risk of severe consequence.

Social engineering is a broad term used to describe malicious activities done through human interaction. Whatever the situation, it uses psychological manipulation to trick someone into thinking and doing something they normally would not. 

Social engineering has a life cycle:

• Investigation: The criminal begins preparing the ground for the attack and learning everything they can about the people they are trying to steal from.
• Hook: This is when the caller engages you and begins to tell you a story that you want to believe in some form or another. They want to have complete control of the interaction from the beginning. Being unaware and unprepared for the situation makes people vulnerable for this part of the cycle to take hold.
• Play: Once they’ve laid the groundwork, a visher will expand their tactics and begin getting into the technical details of their ruse. This is the stage when they will actually ask for your data.
• Exit: Vishers will finish their facade by ending the conversation without arousing any suspicion. They will cover their tracks and assure that if you weren’t suspicious already, you definitely won’t be at this point.

Vishing is short for “voice phishing.“ Phishing is a type of social engineering attack where a criminal uses email, social media, text messages or other programs and systems to gain access to personal information.

Vishing attacks can happen to anyone. You may have received a vishing call already today. Some are at much higher risk for succumbing to the attempt, especially if their job requires them to provide information to callers often. Vishers also tend to prey more heavily on the emotionally vulnerable.

How Are Vishing Attacks Performed?

Vishing always occurs over the phone, and the goal is always for someone to act and often give up some sort of information. Vishing attacks use a lot of psychology. Attackers target average people by posing as a person of authority.

Sometimes, vishers approach the situation acting like they are trying to help, while other times, it is a much more forceful conversation. Regardless, they want the person on the end to feel they are doing the right thing or have no other choice. 

How Do You Identify a Vishing Attack?

You can identify vishing scams through the caller’s use of scare tactics. They may attempt to create a sense of urgency, like telling you you’re behind on bill payments, to encourage you to act without questioning them.

Typically, though, vishing attacks are a process. They often start with a “validation call,” which is the visher’s way of validating how real your number is. When you answer, they know to call back because they know a real person owns the number. Letting unknown numbers go to voicemail can help limit the number of vishing attacks you get. 

Knowing what type of information vishers will ask for will also help you identify when a vishing attack is happening. Often, vishers will be seeking your social security number, bank or credit card information or passwords to various accounts. Vishers might even make up an issue with your computer, which is also a red flag. With the ability to control your computer, vishers can access personal data, like logins or credit card details.

You should also be aware that vishing attacks happen more often at certain times of the year. For example, vishers often impersonate the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) or tax prep firms during tax season. You may get more calls from people pretending to be political organizations or campaigns seeking financial support in an election season. In the wake of a natural disaster or tragedy, vishers may come out stronger and under the guise of charities looking for financial support to provide relief to the victims. 

Over-the-phone scams outside of those times can also include calls about a vehicle’s warranty or about loans. 

Types of Vishing Attacks

Criminals performing vishing attacks can take on a number of personas. Here are some common examples of vishing attacks:

• Government: Attackers will pretend to be from the government and say they are calling due to your unpaid taxes. They often threaten quick and severe consequences like jail time if you do not act quickly. They will ask for your credit card information over the phone to complete the transaction. However, the government will often only send official tax notifications by regular mail.
• Tech companies: Other times, callers will pretend to be from a tech company such as Amazon, Apple or Microsoft and tell you your device has been infected. Their goal is either for you to try to buy new software or give them remote access to your computer.
• Bank or credit card: Another common tactic for attackers is to pretend to be your bank account or credit card company. They often leave a voicemail that gives you a number to call back. When you call the number, they ask you to confirm your identity using questions that will allow them to hack into your accounts and commit identity fraud and theft.

How Do You Defend Against Vishing Attacks?

Apart from knowing the signs of a vishing attack, there are other things you can do to defend against attacks when they happen:

1. BE WARY OF CALLER ID

Though caller ID is a great tool, vishers know how to make the number seem trustworthy when it is not. Even if a caller has a trustworthy or recognizable area code, it is safer to send it to voicemail if you are unsure. 

2. DON’T GIVE THEM COMPUTER CONTROL

Never give a caller control over your computer, no matter their reasoning. If you’re having issues with a piece of technology, take it to a reputable repair company or contact one for yourself. If you haven’t been having technology issues, you have all the more reason to be suspicious of calls claiming you do.

Similarly, avoid navigating to a website the caller tells you to go to or offering your email address to suspicious callers.

3. HANG UP

The best thing you can do to protect yourself from a scam is to simply hang up as soon as suspicions arise. If the call doesn’t seem suspicious at first, consider who the caller says they are and what they’re asking you.

Your bank or credit card company will never ask for your account information unless you placed the call to them and they are serving you. If you receive a call that asks for this information, it is a scam. If you’re unsure if a company is actually returning your call, it’s best to err on the side of caution and hang up.

If you are concerned that it could’ve been an organization you trust, hang up and then call that organization yourself so you can know for sure.

4. LET IT GO TO VOICEMAIL

If you do not recognize a number, simply let it go to voicemail. This gives you the ability to make the judgment call without someone asking you questions and pressuring you. If it is an organization you trust, you can simply return the call.

5. ASK FOR PROOF

There is no reason you cannot ask the person on the other end of the line to prove their identity. This will settle your mind if you are unsure if you are experiencing a vishing attack or not. If the organization is legitimate, they will have no problem proving their identity.

6. PROTECT YOUR INFORMATION

A good rule of thumb is simply to never share sensitive or personal information over the phone, no matter how confident or official the caller sounds. Never offer your social security number, credit card or bank information to someone who’s called you. Avoid answering personal questions that could be security queries for accounts, as well, like grandparents’ first names or streets you’ve lived on.

How Do You Recover From a Vishing Attack?

If you have been the victim of a vishing attack, there are steps you can take to minimize the damage as much as possible:

• Report to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC): The FTC asks people report vishing calls to them so they can eliminate them when possible. They will ask you for information like the caller ID that appeared, what time they called and what information they asked you for.
• Contact service providers: Contact the people who store the information you believe was compromised, such as your bank, credit card company or phone provider. 
• Review multifactor devices: Some accounts let you authorize or remember certain devices, like a phone you log into a social media account on. If you use multifactor authentication (MFA), check the authorized devices and make sure there aren’t any that shouldn’t be there, such as a new phone or browser in a different location.
• Change your passwords: You should go through your accounts and change your passwords to lock out whoever got access to your information. 

How to Protect Senior Citizens From Vishing Attacks

Senior citizens can be more vulnerable to vishing attacks. According to the FBI, victims of fraud over 60 years old accounted for $835 million in losses in 2019. 

Some senior citizens might have trouble adapting to technology quickly as it has advanced rapidly in their lifetime. Their passwords may not be very strong or protected by multifactor authentication. When alerts and warnings come up, they may not be as likely to pay attention to them. Senior citizens might also be more trustworthy and willing to talk to whoever calls. 

The best thing you can do to protect senior living facility residents from vishing attacks is share with them what you know about cybersecurity. Patiently teach them about it so they have the same defenses you do. You can also take it upon yourself to implement safety measures onto their various accounts if you can and they allow it. From there, take these steps: 

• Enable multifactor authentication: Teaching senior citizens how to use multifactor authentication is a worthwhile investment of your time. Multifactor authentication could include facial scans or fingerprint reads, or it might involve getting a code from a phone call, email or text. Once they get used to the extra step when logging in, it won’t be a hassle and will keep their accounts more secure.
• Check passwords: Ask senior citizens what their passwords are like. Check that they are secure passwords and explain to them what could make them stronger. Also, find a secure way to help them remember their new passwords if they change them. A passphrase can offer greater protection and be easier to remember since it involves multiple words that make a sentence.
• Offer resources: Encourage them to learn more about technology and how to be safe with it. Show them resources they can use, like from government websites, to learn more in their own time.
• Teach awareness: The best thing senior citizens can do to protect against any sort of cyberattack is to simply be aware that it can happen. Since they did not grow up with technology, it can be difficult to understand the risk. Making them aware of the different types of attacks and how common each one is can help protect them from falling prey to one.

Contact Prelude Services for Coverage From Vishing Attacks

Prelude Services seeks to provide innovative and secure IT solutions to the healthcare industry in the senior citizen setting. We strive to improve healthcare organizations’ data security and quality of service. The senior living and care market has seen a demand for IT services that we seek to fill. We want those organizations to focus on providing the best care possible to their patients while we handle their technological needs.

At Prelude Services, we have the technology to help you protect against vishing attacks. Our team is equipped with experts ready to help you find the best prevention plan for your needs and implement it into your workflow. 

Throughout the process, we have a 24/7 service desk to answer your questions as soon as possible so you don’t have to wait should you encounter a problem and need a fast resolution. 

Contact Prelude Services today to get your organization set up to be best protected from cyberattacks. 

The post How To Defend Against Vishing Attacks appeared first on Prelude Services.

As nearly every industry becomes more and more digitized and more and more reliant on internet connectivity, networks and network management continue to take on increased importance. Because of the complexity of network management, this is a specialized field that requires a considerable amount of knowledge, skill and troubleshooting ability. 

Network management includes both hardware and software, and for some of the more complex systems, it can mean connecting very large, involved networks across different geographical locations. It’s understandable that network management may seem intimidating and overwhelming for people who do not have a background in IT. Nevertheless, for most professionals and small business owners, some level of network management ability will be crucial for both metaphorically securing your professional and financial future as well as literally securing your electronic data and information. There is no reason why anyone can’t learn about network management, the benefits and basic principles behind the practice, and the benefits of a network management system. 

What is Network Management?

Essentially, network management refers to a practice of overseeing, monitoring and controlling all aspects of a computer/data network. In doing so, the network manager is able to ensure that all of the network’s components — both hardware and software — are running correctly, efficiently, productively and securely. In most cases, network management is administered by a person, usually a network manager or network administrator, and in some cases, a managed service provider (MSP). This individual or team of individuals is responsible for using the most up-to-date protocols, systems, applications and devices to collect and analyze network data. Using that data, the network manager can then create and push out network configuration demands that will increase productivity, keep up with business demands and ensure the reliability and security of the network.    

Network management, then, is an incredibly important job that entails many different responsibilities. These responsibilities include the security of the network and its data and the productivity which the network allows, along with the overall user experience. To alleviate the complexity of this task, many businesses and companies choose to use a network management system, which essentially automates the primary task of network management.

Typically, a network management system comprises switches, routers, access points, and wireless controllers, which are all connected to a centralized server. The server itself can be either physical (on the premises of the business or located in a secure data center) or virtual (for example, located in the cloud). With the use of a network management system, clients, applications and devices can communicate directly with the server about their status. Network managers/administrators can then monitor the status of the network as a whole by connecting to the server. From the server, they can evaluate productivity and security and are able to troubleshoot as needed. 

What Does Network Management Involve?

Network management, then, can be a highly involved and complex line of work. To better understand what network management entails, it can be helpful to use the acronym FCAPS, commonly used in the industry to describe the basic components of network management. 

• Fault management. The “F” in FCAPS stands for “fault” and it is generally the most common and time-intensive aspect of network management. In network management, a fault — more commonly called an error or an issue — refers to any type of problem in the network that prevents the user from completing their desired task. When it comes to fault management, it is the network administrator’s responsibility to resolve the fault as quickly as possible. In most cases, a network administrator will first detect the problem, then isolate the issue and identify its cause(s). Then, the network administrator will use their knowledge and skills to troubleshoot until the process is resolved. Lastly, the network administrator will document the problem and the steps they took to address it.  
• Configuration management. The “C” in FCAPS stands for “configuration.” In order for networks to work the way in which they are intended to work, they must be configured. Proper configuration dictates how devices on the network communicate with each other and with the server. There are a few different types of configurations that comprise a healthy network. Router and switch configurations store the network’s IP addresses and route settings, along with other information. Host configurations connect a device, like a laptop or desktop computer, to the network via logging the network settings. Software configuration allows for network-based software, such as Adobe, to access the network, connect to devices and monitor traffic.   
• Administration. The “A” of FCAPS refers to “administration” and is another crucial component of network management. Network administration is one of the more clear-cut aspects of network management. In fact, it is in the title of network administrator. Some of the most common aspects of network management include setting passwords and granting permissions, along with general software security and data backups. 
• Performance management. Lastly, the “P” of “FCAPS” stands for “performance management.” When it comes to performance management of a network, the network administrator uses metrics to monitor network performance and productivity, along with tracking any and all changes to the network itself. Collecting and analyzing data is crucial for establishing baseline performance for the network, as well as opportunities for improvement and increased capacity. 

Why is Network Management Important?

Network management is highly important for any individual, company or business that uses the internet. Network management is crucial for ensuring the fastest possible connection speeds and productivity, security across devices and ease of use with minimal faults/errors. With the rise of the cloud, remote jobs and Bring-Your-Own-Device (BYOD) work models, ensuring that networks are running smoothly and securely is more important than ever before. 

Most of the networks that are still operating today were created long before current cloud models and BYOD were in wide practice. As such, network administrators are having to come up with creative ways to keep their networks running as best as they possibly can. With more users connecting via the cloud and from personal devices, good network management is key to ensuring that users have seamless, secure access to the network. 

What are the Challenges of Maintaining Network Management and Infrastructure?

One of the primary changes faced by network administrators today is the increasing complexity of the networks themselves. Network administrators must grapple with the complexities of the networks with which they work, in addition to many other challenges, included but not limited to the following: 

• Security. As stated, with the rise of remote work and BYOD practices in the workplace, not to mention the presence of smartphones and other personal devices, networks are no longer held by traditional boundaries or physical locations as they were in the past. Today, network administrators must deploy additional strategies to protect data and eliminate threats. Network management can effectively monitor potential attacks on the network and ensure that security tools are working together to maintain network speeds and traffic while also securing user data.  
• Cost. The cost of maintaining healthy, productive and secure networks will nearly always exceed a business or company’s IT needs, including network management. Now, with the rise of remote work, video conferencing and BYOD, networks require additional levels of reliability and quality. As such, there is more work than ever for network administrators, and this is reflected in the rising cost of network management.   
• Growth. Networks continue to expand in terms of both reach and the number of connected devices. As more and more devices connect to the network, the strain on the network itself will also increase. As a consequence of this increased connectivity and growth of networks, network managers face the additional challenge of managing rapid growth while also performing all other duties relating to security and troubleshooting of the network.  
• Poor network performance. Perhaps the most obvious challenge posed to network management, poor network performance is the single most important and impactful issue with which network administrators must grapple. As a consequence of the aforementioned growth and overall increase in network traffic, poor network performance is faced by network administrators across industries and companies. Network management must address this challenge before it can address any of the other challenges. It is a consequence of many of the other challenges, such as security concerns, growth and cost, that have previously been mentioned.    
• Vendor collaboration. As networks continue to grow and expand in completely new and rapid ways, a business or company’s ability to continue collaborating with vendors is likely to be a challenge. Both software and hardware that was state-of-the-art within the past year or two may now be considered out-of-date. Network management teams must understand how they can continue to work with old, existing programs and systems in order to maintain their networks.   

Best Practices for Network Management

The exact practices of each network and its network management team will vary based on the specific size, scope and needs of the network in question. Some of the most effective best practice for network management can include the following:

• Understand the network. The more that a network administrator or network management team understands the network and its baseline for operating, the better network management will be able to address any problems and security threats that may arise. An established baseline for the network is key for nearly every aspect of network management and can greatly contribute to network flexibility and adaptability.   
• Create and enforce escalation protocols. Despite the best and most dedicated efforts of any network administrator and network management teams and systems, problems — from errors to speed issues to security breaches — are inevitable. It’s critically important that network management practices have escalation protocols in place for these problems when they arise. For example, having specific plans in place for resolving different types of issues is one way in which escalation protocols can assist in the entire troubleshooting process.  
• Layered breakdowns. Layered breakdowns are an invaluable feature that can be applied and maintained by many different network management systems. Essentially, with layered breakdowns, the network management system is able to collect information about every layer of the network, from physical cables and wires to IP addresses to connectivity issues to transport protocols. Wth this feature in place, network administrators are better positioned to pinpoint the exact source of problems within the network. 
• Failover protections. As network management systems and/or network administrators work to troubleshoot and then to resolve issues, there is a risk that the entire network can go offline or crash during the process. This can result in loss of data and, of course, interrupts productivity until the network is back online. Failover protections are a kind of fail-safe that all network management systems should have in place in order to prevent those kinds of network outages from occurring. 
• Planning for growth. As is true with nearly every aspect of business, the capacity for network growth is a critical indicator of the potential for success of the business or company as a whole. Network management systems and the individuals who work as network administrators should always be looking for ways in which they can pursue growth opportunities and investments in new technologies and network systems. 

Benefits of Network Management Software 

It will always be important to invest in skilled, competent IT professionals to work as network managers and network administrators. Today, there are also several different types of network management softwares that can assist IT professionals, and network administrators in particular, to monitor and manage the networks with which they work on a daily basis. Some of the greatest benefits of using a network management software can include, but are not limited to, the following: 

• Reduced network disruptions. Thanks to the innovative nature of many network management and/or network monitoring systems, it is easier than ever before to reduce network disruptions. Network monitoring systems are able to reduce these disruptions by employing clear, easy-to-understand predictive technology. This technology can help IT professionals and network administrators to identify more quickly the source of a network disruption, as well as how to resolve these disruptions as they arise.    
• Improved network security. Network management systems are able to provide 24/7 monitoring to a level that human network administrators are simply not able to achieve without assistance. As such, IT teams can expect much greater security for their data and overall network when they rely on the security capacity of a network management system. 
• Increased IT productivity. With the assistance of network management software, IT professionals, including network administrators, are better positioned to increase their own productivity. Network management systems automate many of the basic network monitoring systems, freeing up the IT team to work on more pressing issues. In this way, the network management system can save a business both time and labor costs, while increasing productivity and reducing employee stress. 
• Better view of network performance. Network management systems are able to collect information and data across all levels of the network. These systems can give an unprecedented level of insight into the daily workings and performance of the network as a whole. With these insights, network administrators are able to analyze the data to make predictions about future performance, as well as identify opportunities for network growth and potential investments into new technology and infrastructure.     
• Automation of manual processes. Network management systems can allow IT professional teams, including network administrators and managers, to automate many of the rote and tedious manual processes that take up significant time and energy. Some of these manual processes include network inventory and assessments, mapping, wire tracing, configuration backups and remote access to the network infrastructure. Once a network management system automates these and other processes, the entire network will likely operate more smoothly and streamlined, with less interruptions and security breaches.    

Why Your Business Should Evaluate Network Management Services

For most of the industries and businesses of today, there are innumerable benefits for investing in network management, and in particular, network management services. Nearly every business can expect to see both financial returns and increased productivity when they invest in meaningful network management services. When evaluating network management systems, it can be helpful to think about the exact challenges that your business wants the network management system to address and/or mitigate. By asking yourself the following questions, you can understand better how network management systems resolve problems and challenges which your business is facing. 

Can the system automate manual processes?

CAN THE SYSTEM AUTOMATE MANUAL PROCESSES?

For most businesses, automating manual processes is likely one of the primary benefits that you wish to gain from a network management service. When asking yourself this question, it can be helpful to identify the most tedious processes currently faced by your team. If your current network management service is not addressing this challenge, it may be time for your team to upgrade your system, and/or invest in an automation-forward system in the first place. 

CAN THE SYSTEM GIVE MEANINGFUL INSIGHT INTO THE NETWORK AND ITS OPERATIONAL CAPACITY? 

In addition to automation, IT professionals and network administrators will be most interested in network management systems that can provide real-time, comprehensive insights into the network and how it operates on a daily basis. With these insights, tasks like troubleshooting, isolating errors and resolving network issues can be completed with more ease than ever before. 

CAN THE SYSTEM SUPPORT DIFFERENT VENDORS?

Depending on the type of business/company with which you work, the importance of vendor support may vary, in terms of network management and network management systems. For some businesses, vendor support is critical to their ability to do business successfully. Vendor support can be made much simpler and more comprehensive with the use of the right network management system. 

CAN THE SYSTEM INTEGRATE DIFFERENT TOOLS?

Like vendor support, the level to which integration of different tools into the network is important will vary from business to business. For some businesses, this component of the network management system will be crucial to their daily operations. Network administrators should carefully evaluate what tools they need to use on their network and which network management system(s) will best allow them to do so.  

DOES THE SYSTEM HAVE A PROVEN RECORD OF REDUCING COSTS? 

As previously stated throughout the article, one of the biggest challenges to network management is the sheer cost. As such, network administrators and network management teams should not shy away from interrogating how, exactly, a network management system will save them money and help them to stay at or under the allotted budget. 

Trust Prelude Services with All of Your Network Management Needs

Prelude Services specialize in innovative, secure IT solutions to the healthcare industry. Prelude is proud to assist healthcare organizations by securing their data, streamlining their networks and providing the highest quality of customer service. Your organization’s IT needs will always be their top priority.

Prelude Services technologies are specifically tailored to the needs of senior living and care organizations. Currently, they provide IT support to over 700 senior living, long-term care, affordable housing and community service facilities throughout the country. Prelude is able to offer the most innovative technologies, along with a comprehensive understanding of HIPPA and the unique needs faced by the long-term care and senior living healthcare markets. Contact Prelude Services today to request more information about their dynamic IT solutions.

The post The Complete Guide To Network Management appeared first on Prelude Services.

Data breaches in any healthcare setting cause serious problems. As technology gets more and more advanced, patient and resident data migrate onto computer networks. While this digital system provides benefits, it also brings a substantial risk for breaches that compromises nursing home data or cyber attacks at other healthcare facilities.

Using preventative measures and proper response techniques can help keep sensitive data secure.

How to Prevent Cyber Breaches

One of the best ways to handle a data breach is to prevent it from happening in the first place. Cybersecurity measures help prevent breaches before they occur. Several proactive measures you can take include:

• Analyze current risk: Examine areas where your cybersecurity is weak. If you have vulnerabilities, risk analysis can help you detect issues early and put a stop to them before a hacker can enter your network. This assessment is especially vital in the healthcare industry for HIPAA compliance.
• Teach your employees: Educate your personnel on the signs of a cyber threat and the issues they pose to HIPAA compliance. Your employees should know the signs of attacks, such as suspicious links, and understand the consequences if a hacker breaches HIPAA-protected information.
• Limit access to data: Put permission limits on all of your employees. Your staff should only be allowed to reach the data and information they need to do their jobs. Restrict all other data using permission controls.
• Use data encryption services: Protect your data from outside sources with data encryption. Encryption helps keep prying eyes out of the sensitive information in a healthcare system.

There are numerous ways to prevent data breaches, including these promising examples. Engage in these and other cybersecurity best practices to avoid cybersecurity attacks. However, whether you use all of these measures or not, you may still experience a data breach.

Long-Term Healthcare Data Breach Services

Data breaches happen quite often, even occurring in healthcare settings that engage in robust cybersecurity tactics. If an attack happens at your nursing home, what is the best course of action? There are several steps you should take immediately upon recognizing that your data has been breached.

INITIATE YOUR INCIDENT RESPONSE PLAN

The first step following a data breach is to start your response plan, which you should create ahead of time. IT services and other staff members should know what to do to stop hackers from stealing information if possible. They should also know the proper way to gather evidence and keep operating even if certain systems are down.

MAKE CONCLUSIVE DECISIONS

You should make quick and important decisions now that you’ve initiated your data breach response plan. Having an incident response plan should help you figure out the order in which to follow these steps. However, even if you don’t have an incident response plan ready, you can make good decisions to protect your data. Do the following:

• Change passwords or other login credentials.
• Disconnect from the web.
• Disconnect access points.
• Write down every action you take, including information about the breach and how you became aware of it.
• Quarantine malware as evidence.

ANNOUNCE THE DATA BREACH

After you’ve made the initial response, you should consider how to notify the public and any affected individuals. Patients and residents deserve to know that their protected health information may be exposed. You should have a designated spokesperson for data breaches.

When deciding what to say and when, there are several factors to consider. You only have about 60 days to notify the public of a breach. However, the longer you wait, the more likely it is that you’ll damage your reputation. Your patients and residents are likely to find out about the data breach through news media or another platform. If you’ve said nothing, they’re more likely to grow distrustful of you.

Be decisive and honest about what you say. People respond better to the truth, even if you don’t have much information yet.

REPAIR AND REPLACE

You’ll need to patch any systems that were damaged or breached during the attack. Run test to make sure everything is secured. Ensure your network, systems and response plan are all updated, especially if you noticed any faults in your incident response plan.

If your plan has shortcomings — or if you didn’t have one to begin with — you should consider updating or developing a new one. Bring your repaired systems back online and start to prepare for the next potential data breach. Cyber attacks are here to stay, though you can prepare for one with coordinated prevention and response strategies.

Respond to Cybersecurity Breaches With Prelude Services

Prelude Services can help you prevent and respond to data breaches in your nursing home or other healthcare facilities. We offer network and software support to help you stay up-to-date and secure. Please contact us today for more information about how we handle cybersecurity for the healthcare industry.

The post How to Handle a Data Breach at Your Nursing Home appeared first on Prelude Services.

Everything nowadays relies on technology. From manufacturing to office jobs and even healthcare, there are no industries that exist without the use of technological systems. 

If companies can’t keep up with these new developments, then they will struggle to stay competitive and provide for their customers. That’s especially true in the healthcare industry. Staying up to date with innovations is essential to patient care and company efficiency. So, what can your nursing home or healthcare facility do to keep up with the times? The answer is simple — invest in network management for nursing homes and health clinics.

What Is Network Management?

Healthcare network management is the process of monitoring and maintaining the technology systems that a healthcare facility uses. In recent years, technologies have become more advanced and complicated, and it can be difficult for healthcare providers to keep up. After all, if you’re a healthcare professional, you should be focusing on your patients rather than technology. However, these systems are essential for managing patient information. Healthcare providers can’t afford not to have a system — or to have a system that is too complicated to manage. 

That’s where healthcare network management comes in. Rather than healthcare workers having to maintain complex systems and losing time helping patients, network management for nursing homes and health clinics ensures that patients are the focus. Network management for senior living communities gives the technical work to technology experts.

How Network Management Can Benefit Your Healthcare Facility

The benefits of network management for nursing homes and other healthcare applications are endless. You can explore a few of them below.

CONTROLLING COSTS

It’s clear that network management for nursing homes is needed, but what are the added benefits of network management in healthcare? The first is the ability to control and decrease company costs. 

Your business likely already has an array of systems in place that rely on technology. As more and more are added, it will become more challenging to maintain them all. One option is to hire and train an IT department to manage these systems for you. While this approach might make sense in the beginning, hiring and retaining dedicated IT personnel can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars over just a few years.

Your other option is hiring a healthcare network management company. This approach will save your facility money in the long run, and it comes with countless other benefits.

INCREASED EFFICIENCY

Nurses, doctors and other healthcare professionals don’t have the time to ensure all technology is running properly — they’re busy saving lives. The older your systems get and the more systems you have, the more challenging it will be to consolidate data.

One of the benefits of network management in nursing homes is that healthcare staff can simply use the technology for what they need. They won’t have to troubleshoot, manage data or serve as tech support for patients. The network management company will handle all of these concerns. When your healthcare workers can focus solely on patient care, the entire facility will run more efficiently.

REDUCING DOWNTIME

Another benefit of network management in healthcare is reducing company downtime. Have you ever had one of your technology systems break? How long did it take to fix? With healthcare network management, someone will always be monitoring your systems to ensure that technology is back up and running as soon as possible. Beyond reducing downtime, network management will result in less of a hassle when issues do happen and less stress trying to fix them.

INCREASING FLEXIBILITY

The benefits of network management in nursing homes don’t end there. With a completely managed network, flexibility of staff and company capabilities can be improved. Your company can add more technology to improve communication, data management and security. By adding network management for senior living communities, you can ensure all of your patients — and their data — are cared for. 

Integrating and managing all technologies will also position the company better for the future. With solid network management in place, your facility will stand out among competitors.

Contact Prelude Services for Network Management Services

Network management in healthcare offers a multitude of benefits, whether you’re running a hospital, clinic, nursing home or another facility. So, why not research your network management options? Prelude Services offers data and IT management services as well as reporting, cloud computing and other technology management options. 

If your healthcare company or nursing home is having difficulties managing a multitude of technology applications and systems, turn to Prelude Services. Our expert IT professionals are ready to create a solution that works for you. Contact us today to learn more about healthcare network management for nursing homes.

The post The Benefits of Network Management in Healthcare appeared first on Prelude Services.

As the information technology (IT) industry advances, the need for outsourced IT management and support increases. In 2019, experts projected the IT outsourcing market to total about 413.7 billion U.S. dollars by 2021. With a number like that, it’s hard to deny that more companies are relying on outsourced IT services, and your company might want to as well.

As you start and grow your business, your goal should be to keep up with competitors and core business responsibilities. However, you may be stretching yourself a bit thin if you’re also juggling an IT department. Managing an in-house IT team can be time-consuming and costly, and you may not have access to adequate technology, expertise or other valuable resources. Outsourcing your IT duties and tasks to a capable company like Prelude can be an effective way to balance all the responsibilities of a small- to medium-sized company in any industry.

Outsourcing vs. In-House IT Services

Let’s start with the basics – what’s the difference between outsourcing and in-house resources?

Providing in-house IT services means the existing employees of your company complete IT-related projects or tasks and ultimately run the IT department. Some companies may want to create their own IT department so the team can specialize in that business’s specific systems and operations. Having in-house resources can be helpful when there is a problem that can be better handled in person.

While having in-house resources might make the most sense to you, the reality is that sometimes it just isn’t possible. You’ll likely find that the cons outweigh the pros. If you’re establishing your own IT department, you may spend more time and money than you want getting it started, and finding highly specialized professionals can be costly. Most realistically, your employees can’t know how to do everything. If your company is a small or medium-sized business (SMB), you may not be able to put together the necessary resources to provide the high-quality services your customers expect.

This is where many businesses turn to outsourcing. Outsourcing means you hire a person or company outside your own to complete tasks or projects on your behalf. You can outsource whole departments of your company or ask an expert to assist on a single project. There are many advantages to outsourcing IT services, most of which stem from teaming with outsourcing companies that can provide you access to world-class IT specialists. Outsourcing allows you to hire outside help so you can streamline workflows, saving your company time and money.

Offshore Outsourcing vs. Local Outsourcing

Two types of outsourcing are offshore outsourcing and local outsourcing. Offshore outsourcing means that you’re outsourcing to a company or agency in another country, often overseas. Offshore outsourcing provides you with access to global talent and lower costs. Ultimately your company can get quality work at a low price.

Although cost-efficient, offshore outsourcing can come with language barriers and differing work hours, making communication a challenge. When this happens, operations may slow down, which won’t be effective or productive for your company.

Local outsourcing is a bit different. When you locally outsource, you’re using resources within the same state or country as you. With local outsourcing, communication becomes less of a challenge because the other company is likely to understand your time frame and needs.

Who Should Outsource?

Anyone can outsource! Outsourcing is common for companies of all sizes, especially smaller to medium-sized businesses that may not have the large staff required for big projects. In-house efficiency will vary depending on your team’s capabilities and workload. Your whole operation can slow down without the necessary level of knowledge and skill. So, how can you determine when to outsource services like IT?

When Should You Consider Outsourcing IT?

Customers have come to expect smooth, hassle-free IT services. Outsourced IT companies offer high-quality services to your business. If your in-house resources are limited, you might get backed up or run the risk of providing inadequate IT services to your employees. We’ve compiled a list of common reasons to outsource IT operations to help you consider when outsourcing might be right for your business.

1. YOU NEED CYBERSECURITY

With an in-house IT team, your business is limited to the level of cybersecurity that the staff has experience utilizing. Outsourced IT services offer your business cybersecurity experts who provide faster detection and stronger protection against emerging security threats. To gain access to increased knowledge and better resources for defending your business against security risks, outsource your IT department.

2. YOU NEED A HIGHER LEVEL OF TALENT

Like we said earlier, your employees can’t know everything, and that’s okay. The training required to keep in-house IT departments on top of their game can be time-consuming and costly. When a project requires a higher level of expertise, turn to outsourced talent. Working with a remote IT company can provide you with the skills you need to complete a project and make it stand out above the competition.

3. YOUR IN-HOUSE RESOURCES ARE MAXED OUT

When in-house teams are attempting to juggle IT services with limited knowledge on top of their daily responsibilities, it’s no surprise they can quickly become burnt out. If you start to see your team reaching their maximum capacities, you may want to outsource some projects to give your employees more time to focus on key business goals. Everyone has their limits – find and evaluate what your business can handle and where it would be more effective to outsource.

4. YOU’RE TACKLING A COMPLEX PROJECT

When you’re working on a complex project, there can be several moving parts — many of which might require specific technical knowledge and skills. Outsourced IT specialists are experienced and have likely already tackled similar complex projects, so they can provide you with valuable advice and assistance. Keep the parts of the project your team can confidently complete, and outsource the parts that need a little more expertise. Doing so will limit in-house downtime and maximize your team’s efficiency.

5. YOU WANT TO BE COST-EFFICIENT

When companies try to set up an in-house IT staff, they can spend thousands of dollars in hiring costs, equipment and training. Outsourcing your IT services eliminates the cost of hiring and maintaining an in-house team. Remote IT companies can provide the same — and often better — services than an in-house department at a lower price. When you outsource technical support, you can put more money and effort into other tasks to run your business.

6. YOU HAVE TIGHT DEADLINES TO MANAGE

If you have upcoming deadlines and you’re falling behind, consider outsourcing parts of the project. You don’t need to outsource the whole thing, but getting help on one or two components that require more time than you have can help you meet deadlines. Outsourcing part of a project can give you and your team time to focus on the aspects of the project where your team excels. If you find outsourcing to be helpful, you can continue to use it in the future to focus on your core strengths long-term.

Why Outsource Your IT Department?

In the world of ever-changing internet services and programs, it can be challenging to keep up with new or best practices. SMBs can lack the time and experience it takes to provide the full spectrum of necessary IT services, especially if a complicated problem arises. When you outsource your IT department, any issues are usually taken care of before you even know about them. Outsourced IT companies keep their employees well-trained and up-to-date on methods and techniques so you can focus on running your business.

How Does Outsourcing Improve Your IT Services?

Outsourcing your IT services is the best way to improve them. Often, when companies try to in-house their IT services, they’re limited in terms of advanced knowledge and resources, and this can reflect poorly on the quality of their services. Outsourced IT companies have the best resources and specialists for the job to help you fully optimize your business. This expertise will be reflected in the quality of your IT services. With access to worldwide talent, you ensure that your team members get the IT help they need when they need it.

Benefits of Outsourced IT Services

We’ve seen where outsourcing IT can be helpful for the overall operations of your business. In addition to improving the quality of your IT services through advanced technology and expertise, outsourcing can provide your company with many other benefits. Common advantages include cost reduction, access to specialized talent and continuous support for you and your teams. Consider how the following benefits of outsourcing can help your company.

1. OUTSOURCING REDUCES COSTS AND INCREASES EFFICIENCY

In the United States, outsourcing IT services can reduce costs for a company by 60%. Outsourcing is efficient because of how much money and time it will save you. Without having to pay for your own IT department’s salaries, benefits, training and equipment, you save your company significant amounts of money. You can use this money to develop and improve internal operations. Outsourcing also saves you the time of having to complete routine tasks and maintenance. Outsourced companies have specific teams for this, which means you can spend your time on internal projects.

2. OUTSOURCING PROVIDES ACCESS TO SPECIALIZED TALENT

One of the biggest reasons businesses choose to outsource their IT services is the access to superior talent. As we mentioned before, in-house IT teams can often be limited in the resources available to them. Outsourced IT companies make it a priority to find the best expertise for your business. You benefit from the knowledge of IT specialists and technology from all over the world without the cost of hiring personnel or purchasing new systems.

3. OUTSOURCING INCREASES CYBERSECURITY

With access to specialized talent comes an increase in cybersecurity. Security experts can detect, monitor and prevent risks before they affect your business and disrupt your workflow. When you outsource your IT services, you put the responsibility of handling security risks in the hands of a professional – this will save you time, money and stress. Keep your business and client information safe when you outsource your IT services.

4. OUTSOURCING MEANS RELIABLE SUPPORT

Outsourced IT companies make it their business to support you and your team members’ IT needs. Their levels of expertise make them reliable resources for knowledge and support for your IT services. It only makes sense that you’d want the best for your business, so let the experts of an outsourced company provide reliable support and services to you. You’ll appreciate it when you find yourself needing their skills!

5. OUTSOURCING MEANS 24-HOUR SUPPORT

Along with reliable support, you also get constant support when you outsource IT services. With an in-house IT department, you may not be able to pay or even find someone to provide overnight support. Outsourcing enables you to provide around-the-clock services to your employees and ensures your data is secure from hackers and all systems are operating properly.

6. OUTSOURCING PROVIDES SUPPORT DURING DISASTERS

IT plays a significant role in the function and support of most business processes, so it’s critical that your IT services can quickly bounce back after a disruption. Outsourcing can provide off-site data storage, data recovery and backup systems, all of which the outsourced company is responsible for in the event of a disaster. This support allows you to keep your operations running and reduces the risk of lost data.

7. OUTSOURCING INCREASES PRODUCTIVITY

Outsourcing can increase overall company productivity exponentially. Without having to worry about the pressure of handling an IT task without the experience for it, your in-house staff will have more time to spend on the core responsibilities you hired them to do. With this increased level of productivity, your team will be able to produce a larger amount of high-quality work.

8. OUTSOURCING PROVIDES ACCESS TO PROVEN SOLUTIONS

Outsourcing is beneficial because it provides you with access to people who can view a problem from a different angle. Outsourcing companies work with many people, so they’ve likely already seen the challenge you’re facing. This experience allows them to offer you proven solutions that you may not have considered.

9. OUTSOURCING IMPROVES BUSINESS FOCUS

Ultimately, you benefit from outsourcing your IT services because you no longer have to put your own time and effort into running them. IT experts can provide your business with the services you hired them for. Let an outsourced company run your IT services, and turn your focus back to the primary operations of your business.

How to Outsource IT Services

Now that you understand how beneficial outsourcing can be and a few instances of when you might start considering outsourcing IT services, you’ll want to know how to outsource. Here are some common IT services businesses outsource, as well as the steps you can take to find an outsourced IT company to work with. Some commonly outsourced IT services include the following:

• Customer service or help desk: This service consists of specialists responsible for answering questions and fixing user and system issues promptly and professionally. These specialists can provide technical support to your internal team as well as your clients.
• Application management and support: An application manager is an IT professional responsible for maintaining the operation of software applications within a business. They find applications that can improve business functions, and then they oversee installing and upgrading of the software and provide support to your team members using the application.
• Web hosting: This service provider provides you with the necessary technology and resources to post websites and web pages to the internet.
• Software development: A software engineer will design and test new software for your business. They also monitor and evaluate your system’s performance to ensure it’s running efficiently.
• Telephone customer services: Similar to a help desk, telephone customer service specialists offer support to your clients and team members via telephone. They can provide help or general information about your business.
• Infrastructure management: An IT infrastructure manager will oversee policies, processes, data and equipment to ensure these areas are operating effectively.
• Cybersecurity: Leaving your cybersecurity to a professional can reduce vulnerability to a cyberattack, keeping your privacy and data intact.

You may choose to outsource any combination or all of these services depending on your business’s capabilities and needs.

Now that you know some service options, you might be ready to find a company that offers the services you’re interested in outsourcing. Before you commit to an outsourced IT company, you should create a list of goals to help you determine what you want to gain from outsourcing. Ask yourself questions like:

• What kind of budget do I have?
• What are my timeline expectations? When does this project need to be done?
• What level of expertise do I need?
• Do I want to outsource a project or two or my entire IT department?

Once you have the answers to those questions, you can begin researching service providers to find companies that offer what you’re looking for within your budget. Finding the right company to work with is a critical step, so you’ll want to consider several factors when choosing a company to outsource your IT services to.

How to Choose the Right Company

Choosing the best fit for your business can be overwhelming, as there are thousands of companies that offer outsourced IT services. Finding the right company to represent your IT services will be beneficial in the long run, so take your time choosing the right one. The best company for you will make you feel confident that your services are in the best hands. How can you determine which one will be right for you? Find out if they offer the services you need and want by asking the following questions to help you evaluate your options:

• Do they have standardized security protocols? The need for cybersecurity has increased as the internet becomes more prevalent in our daily lives. Look for an IT company with up-to-date security protocols, and make sure you understand how they will protect your information.
• Can they provide a full range of services? Your business needs will probably change over time. Choose a company that provides the services you need now and can anticipate what you may need in the future.
• Are you getting top talent? Outsourcing gives you access to the best in the IT business. Make sure the company you choose can provide the level of expertise you need so you get the best service.
• Will you be able to communicate clearly? It may seem obvious, but make sure the service provider of your choosing can speak the same language as you and your customers. Having fluent communication and similar workflows will ensure you stay on the same page.
• What kind of experience do they have? Gain insight into a company’s performance and quality of service by checking references, reviews, past clients and completed projects. This helps you find an IT service that knows what it’s doing.

Prelude’s Outsourced IT Services

At Prelude Services, we know how important it is to have reliable IT services. Our experts provide a wide range of services, and you can rely on us to handle all your IT needs so you can focus on running your business. We’re located in Pennsylvania, so our clients enjoy the benefits of locally outsourcing, including our hands-on support. Additionally, we are an SSAE-compliant company, which shows you that we have strong controls protecting our customers’ data. Trust us to handle your company’s IT needs, including the following services:

• Around-the-clock desktop support
• IT vendor management
• Network management
• Data management
• Cloud computing
• Hardware and software support
• Website design and development
• Cybersecurity
• Enterprise reporting

Contact Prelude Services for IT Services

If you’re ready to outsource your IT services to optimize your business’s time, money and resources, explore your options with us at Prelude Services. We’re eager to hear about your IT needs and share with you how we can tailor our services to offer you the best solutions. We understand what it takes to run a business, so trust us with your IT services and support so your time and effort are better focused on your business. Contact our experts today.

The post Guide to Outsourcing IT Services appeared first on Prelude Services.