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The primary purpose of information technology networking and associated protocols is to deliver services such as email, Internet access, and business information system access with high availability and highly responsive performance and zero down-time. Accomplishing this lofty feat requires IT managed services visibility into the health status of every device connected to the network. SNMP (Simple Network Management Protocol) monitors and report the health of networked devices over TCP/IP via both polling mechanisms (SNMP Get) and connection-less notifications (SNMP Traps), and is built-in to most operating systems by default.

SNMP Details

There are three primary versions of SNMP. All three SNMP versions use a hierarchical structure called a MIB (Management Information Base) to manage collections of health status objects that require monitoring. The SNMP protocol also includes a set of default MIBs for monitoring TCP/IP and other items common to all devices that use SNMP. Each device can also support MIBs that specify monitoring of health status items specific to that device and the device specific feature set outside the scope of the default MIBs included with SNMP (such as monitoring the health of a custom web application service).

SNMP version 1 specifies an architecture that includes a Network Management Station (NMS) that runs software configured to poll SNMP devices for health status updates and receive SNMP “trap” messages when major changes in health status occurs. Version 1 also specifies a management agent which runs on each monitored device and answers SNMP polling requests sent from a network management station, monitors and updates device status, and sends traps to the network management station when specific device health measurement parameters, such as temperature or fan speed, are outside of the acceptable range. SNMP version 1 also specifies a security mechanism in which each device participating in SNMP on the network must present a “community string” (which is a type of clear text shared password) to poll or send messages. The more widely used SNMP version 2 and SNMP version 3 improve the protocol’s security mechanism, as discussed in the next post.

For more information on how IT managed services and system monitoring can improve your organization’s network up-time, contact us today.

A business continuity plan is an integral part of a business’s success. Essentially, a business continuity plan is a strategy that recognizes the potential threats and risks facing your business. A business plan will protect personal assets that will ensure your business can remain functional. With that said, here are 3 benefits of businesses implementing a business plan:

1. More Attractive to customers: Having a strong continuity plan in place makes your business more attractive to customers. Customers want to know that your business is built to last and can deal with certain obstacles that are thrown at you. Additionally, this can potentially give your business a competitive edge over competitors.

2. Better insurance premiums: Certainly, having a business plan will put your business in a better position when it comes to insurance premiums. Insurers want to know that you are committed to managing risks in your business. A lower insurance premium will essentially reduce your overall costs, allowing you to allocate money to other areas of your business.

3. Regulatory Compliance: Implementing a business plan will save you a lot of time and stress in the long-run. In fact, many government and international regulatory bodies require businesses to have a business continuity plan in place. Essentially, having a business continuity plan will ensure that your business can continue to run efficiently.

A business plan is essential for every business. Having a continuity plan in place not only strengthens your position in the market, but increases the likelihood of your business surviving long-term. If you have any questions about how your business can benefit from a business continuity plan or you want to know more about how we can help your business, contact us and we’ll be happy to help.

Digital security is imperative for the modern business, however many cannot dedicate the resources to real-time, full-time monitoring of all their digital assets. Especially for smaller, highly specialized businesses, the effective strategy is to seek outside help from Managed Security Services Providers.

Threats are constantly evolving and ever-present:

The digital world has become an arena of high prosperity encouraging correspondingly voracious criminal enterprises. These threats never completely vanish. Rather, as anti-malware countermeasures improve to deal with contemporary threats, malware producers employ increasingly vicious tactics. To keep your information and resources safe requires constant vigilance and an up-to-date awareness of the modern technological landscape. Even the most conscientious businesses can find it difficult to dedicate the appropriate resources to remain beyond the reach of online criminals.

Expansive protection:

As professionals capable of protecting your resources, we are also able to advise and support your more typical electronic needs. Sometimes hardware failure or software conflicts can lead to unfortunate data loss, but by backing up your information to a secure cloud, we can recover that data and troubleshoot to further protect against future losses. We can help you build and protect the network that is appropriately suited for your needs and ambitions.

WHOA.com is ISO 27001-certified, providing secure cloud computing solutions that encompass the multiple layers of your network. We have full-time professionals capable of assisting you in real-time. If you have questions about how we can improve your network security or how you might bolster your digital defenses, please contact us.

Trade secrets, personal information and other sensitive data are all things that are at risk in the event of a data breach. With the stakes so high, it is important that your company is prepared with a disaster recovery plan. But what should be included in such a plan? How can one best be prepared for a potential data breach? Let’s take a look and how to create a strong disaster recovery plan.

A Strong Team

The first thing you need to consider is the strength of your team. How well are your people trained for disaster recovery? It is vital to have a plan in place and properly equip your team in regards to such things as communication with your clients, legal consultation, and a course of action to set things right.

A Plan of Action

It is also important that you have a plan of action in place in the event of a data breach. This includes considerations such as identifying the problem and coming up with a solution as well as getting a perimeter in place to secure any equipment that has been compromised.

Revisit Your Plan

Lastly, it is a good idea to revisit your plan regularly to check it for any needed updates. This will ensure that your plan is strong and that no detail has been overlooked. Sometimes a data breach is something that is unavoidable but having a strong plan in place is key to survival and will be vital in regaining control of your company.

If you have any questions about data breaches or how we can help, please contact us today.