Indianapolis IT Support Archives - Indianapolis IT Support

What is an IT Master Plan ?

A Master IT plan is a concept of understanding the current system, defining the strategies, and developing a road map to the targeted achievement. Defining an organization’s strategic target is an efficient way to achieve its goals.

In this article, we will learn how Leap Managed IT can offer Ridiculously Helpful Managed IT support for the well-being of a business.

Leap’s Managed IT Services

Imagine John Doe handles everything under the security desk of your organization. He is the one who fixes when everything goes wrong, protects all your systems. Don’t you think this would be quite a hassle and even items can fall through cracks if John is managing it single-handedly?

This is the situation evolving in most organizations. A single person managing everything will leave your organization vulnerable to security breaches and other system problems. This is where the option of outsourcing a managed IT service provider comes into the picture. Leap Managed IT is a one-stop solution for all IT services as their team offers ridiculous support for your IT needs, allowing you to focus on your core business.

Every organization is different and everyone has their own frustrations, requirements, and goals. Leap’s IT services identify what is yours and design a plan addressing each of them. The team of experts from Leap understands your struggles, evaluates your system/policies, and comes up with an IT Master Plan and solution to help you in achieving your goals.

The Process at Leap Managed IT

An overview of Leap’s process of developing an IT Master Plan,

Assess:

Schedule a consultation to understand your current IT status
Perform complete IT audit and analyzes hardware, software, and infrastructure
Conduct analysis and provide a report on your current IT status, including security threats, network problems, server problems, and other related issues
Offer recommendations that will help improve your efficiency and operations

Develop:

Create a roadmap addressing the challenges mentioned in the audit
Create a technology environment to keep you in a controlled state, so that you will be focusing on your improvements and evaluation

Implement:

Help to keep your technology and business ahead of the curve
Either you can own the IT plan or Leap can implement it for you
Schedule an initial review, 30 days after going live
Monthly or quarterly reviews are scheduled to ensure that we are aligned your technology needs to that of your goals, strategy, and budget

Below is the workflow that Leap follows during the development of an IT Master Plan for a business.

Initial Consultation

At Leap, the team schedules an initial consultation with you and any other critical resource from your business. During the consultation, the team learns about the struggles and frustrations that your business is facing. Knowing and learning the root causes of the problem would help in coming up with an effective solution. In addition to this, the team also makes an effort to learn and understand your business goals to have a clear idea in developing a suitable plan for your business.

Onsite Evaluation

After the consultation session, the team takes it further to the evaluation of your IT infrastructure. Here, they will conduct an assessment of your network, devices, and security to identify any vulnerabilities. After the evaluation of the overall infrastructure, the team also reviews your compliance policies and business continuity plan. This would help the team to have a clear idea of what action needs to be implemented for the well-being of your business.

IT Master Plan Development

Once the analysis of security vulnerabilities, weaknesses, security risks, and business targets are completed, the team develops a customized IT blueprint tailoring your business needs. Furthermore, the Leap team will also come up with recommendations on hardware, software, and processes.

IT Master Plan Meeting and Implementation

Finally, the team calls up for a discussion on the vulnerabilities and solutions. Here, the aim of the discussion is to review the IT Master Plan developed and implementation for your business. You can either opt for Leap Managed IT to implement the plan, or Leap can just hand it off to you.

What Can You Expect From Leap Managed IT?

Your business can experience the below if you are hiring Leap Managed IT for managing your IT services,

They thoroughly understand your business with the goal of learning
Performs an in-depth analysis to understand your IT frustrations and identify any threats, concerns, and vulnerabilities
Identify areas that require improved security measures
The team takes care of the managed IT services completely, monitors and also addresses threats and changes if any
Effective communication throughout the entire organization

Are you looking for expert guidance in developing an IT Master plan for your business? Services at Leap begin with an IT Master Plan. Our expert team at Leap Managed IT can help you identify the obstacles, create an IT blueprint, and grow your business.

Want to learn more about having a sustainable approach to IT? Speak with our Ridiculously

Helpful team to learn how we can create a comprehensive roadmap for your technology. This will help keep you on track while you focus on enhancing your business.

See how we help businesses in the Indianapolis area with all their managed IT needs. It all starts with our Master Plan. Click Here to watch, and we look forward to hearing from you.

Like us on Facebook and get more Ridiculously Helpful tips for your business.

Do I Need a Server or Cloud Storage for My Business

Data is something crucial for a business, and when it comes to its storage and maintenance, it is quite complex to choose the right server. Many businesses are migrating from traditional data centers (on-site servers) to cloud storage because of their accessibility and security. Hence, it is important to know the difference between “on-site” and “cloud server” to decide on the right server for your business.

In this article, we, at LEAP Managed IT, are going to share all the necessary information regarding on-site and cloud storage by making a comparison of some crucial features that exist on both storage systems. This may help you to select a suitable storage platform for your business.

The cloud computing market is estimated to amount to 832.1 billion dollars by 2025

In 2022, spending on data center systems is expected to amount to 227 billion U.S. dollars, an increase of 4.7 percent from the previous year.

What is Cloud Storage?

Cloud storage is about storing data on the internet through a cloud storage provider. It is the cloud computing model that helps businesses to back up and access their data through software that runs via the internet. This installs and maintains all business data, software, hardware, and all other supporting infrastructure in the data center.

What is an On-Site Server?

Here, businesses store their data on the servers hosted within the organization; in most cases, it would be a physical one. The on-site server is administered, controlled, and maintained by the organization’s in-house IT team or would outsource an IT support provider for the maintenance of the server.

Cloud Storage Vs On-Site Server

On-Site Server	Cloud Storage
Security Businesses have a thought that keeping everything on-site gives them more control but, provides limited access. The business is completely responsible to implement a high-level security system for monitoring and maintaining all the physical assets as well as the network. It would also require the need for security tools, security access control and of course, in-house time and money.	Security Cloud storage helps in taking the burden off your business in terms of security. Businesses would suffer lesser security incidents when compared to traditional methods. The cloud storage providers are equipped with multi-layered security data redundancy, access control systems, suspicious login, activity monitoring, and more. The cybersecurity experts can help in protecting the business data and assets. Though security breaches can happen, the business can eliminate them as the security experts can handle it efficiently.
Data Backup When businesses use on-site servers, an internal storage system is used for storing the data, which creates a higher possibility of losing data in any situation. Businesses always need to keep an off-site backup to avoid data loss. Some organizations use cloud storage as a data protection strategy in addition to on-site servers.	Data Backup Businesses using cloud storage are more secure. Cloud storage is built with features that help in avoiding data loss along with features like data redundancy, backup, monitoring, and more. It also has faster recovery methods when compared to the on-site servers
Scalability On-sites servers are not capable of handling the evolving workloads. Hence, businesses need to look for expanding resources like software, hardware, memory, and more for handling the workload.	Scalability Cloud storage with its built-in features is capable of scaling the workloads based on certain metrics. It is more flexible as it is also equipped with auto-scaling functionality.
Accessibility When businesses are accessing sizeable data, an on-site server would be the better choice. When it comes to handling situations like natural disasters, remote access would be essential and this can overwhelm the VPN system.	Accessibility Cloud storage allows the workforce to access any data from anywhere via the internet. This is one of the convenient features of cloud storage, as the users need not rely on a VPN system for accessing data. It also offers reliable file sharing and version control.
Reliability The on-site server will be completely available without any connection but will be accessible only to employees who work on-site. This would require power, backup power, and backup storage which will add to your cost.	Reliability A reliable and fast internet connection is required to access data in the cloud. A delay in the connection or a break in connectivity can slow down the operations. An internet backup is essential to overcome certain situations.
Compliance Must have proper maintenance and configurations in your system to have proper compliance, as well as must assign the right employees and resources. If anything goes wrong, the business is completely responsible as it owns the storage.	Compliance The compliance burden is taken care of by the team of experts offered by the cloud service provider. Businesses should ask for compliance certificates in case of any shortage.
Cost and Maintenance Large upfront capital investment when it comes to on-site infrastructure. Requires investment in hardware, installation, software licensing, backup, additional IT support, and more. Investment required for IT support team, whether it is an in-house team or outsourced. Requires purchase of frequent updates on the software, hardware, license renewal purchase, and more. At the time of malfunction, there will be scenarios where you might have to replace or upgrade with new equipment.	Cost and Maintenance Less investment when compared to on-site servers. Cloud storage is indeed available in various monthly subscription plans. Maintenance, software updates, security, and support are all taken care of by the cloud service provider and businesses need not take that burden. As the market has various cloud service providers, the cost of the subscription plans may vary. So, before you choose one, give a good analysis and compare the services offered by each provider under each plan.

Want to Go for a Hybrid One?

A hybrid solution allows switching data and applications between on-site servers and cloud servers. Also, help in creating great flexibility with more deployment options. Using the hybrid solution, you can manage sensitive assets in on-site servers and other files/documents in the public cloud. Though hybrid solutions can bring in benefits, it is just temporary solution. Depending on the size, data and assets, select the best storage solution for your business.

Are you looking for expert guidance on selecting the best storage option for your business? Visit our website, Leap Managed IT.

Want to learn more about having a sustainable approach to IT? Speak with our Ridiculously Helpful team to learn how we can create a comprehensive roadmap for your technology. Hence, this will help keep you on track while you focus on growing your business.

See how we help businesses in the Indianapolis area with all their managed IT needs. It all starts with our Master Plan. Click Here to watch, and we look forward to hearing from you.

Like us on Facebook and get more Ridiculously Helpful tips for your business.

Indianapolis Phone Systems Primer, Webinar May 26th

Undoubtedly, level365 is the leading Indianapolis Phone Systems expert in communication. Phone Systems make your customers experience simple, easy and most importantly seamless. Thus, we have asked them to partner with us for an interactive webinar on May 26th.

While the communication discussion seems complicated, level365’s expert Nathan McCord helps break it down. Therefore, making the discussion easy to follow and interactive. Additionally, LEAP Managed IT’s COO, Michael Thomas will provide examples and insights on system integrations. Learn about how unified communication helps other businesses. Hear real examples of how the services help other Indianapolis business leaders and business industries benefit from innovative phone technology in their day to day experience.

In addition to and interactive discussion will cover the following hot topics below:

Understanding Unified Communication and Phone Systems
How can Indianapolis Phone Systems providers help my business?
Examples of integration
What is the initial cost? Long term commitment?
What support can I expect?
Finally, ask questions! The Indianapolis Phone Systems experts are here to help.

Lastly, click and register today! Let LEAP & level365 help your business, join us for an interactive webinar about phone and communication systems.

Visit leapmanagedit.com for more details and check out level365.com to learn more about Unified Communication.

Click here to Register!

VoIP Basics

What is VoIP?

Voice Over Internet Protocol, aka VoIP is the best alternative for communication instead of using your local phone company. This phone system works by using your Local Area Network (LAN) .

The distinct advantage is the capability for use across multiple internet-connected devices. In its most basic level, it is the process of turning analog audio signal into digital “packets”. This signal is delivered over the internet.

Simply, it lets you to make a phone call or video call the same way as you send an email.

Advantages of VoIP

Cost saving is the most appealing benefits of using using VoIP for businesses. It is less expensive versus the traditional phone line.

Consequently, this is due to using one single network to carry both voice and data. Most users have existing network capacity and can use this phone system without any additional costs. Hence, in some cases, users see phone calls, including International calls as free. Skype is one good example.

Similarly, another advantage is its mobility. Because it operates using internet, you will be able to call and receive calls as long as you are connected. Thus, making business easy and simple.

How to get Started

Finally, consult your IT provider about having VoIP as a priority for your IT Master Plan. With perks and features that business owners can take advantage of, VoIP cannot be taken for granted. Because most businesses have several locations, easy communication between locations is a must. VoIP makes it easy to connect multiple points with a single click. Hence, it has become a business standard all over the world.

Currently, there are a number of providers available today. Sometimes it is hard to know where to start. Let LEAP Managed IT assist you by assessing what type of business communication solution you need. As partners, we can save time and energy by tailoring a plan for you from VoIP providers in Indianapolis. Contact us leapmanagedit.com today.

IT Consultant Indianapolis

Indianapolis IT Consultants

Is hiring an IT Consultant for your organization important? The answer is yes. Their role is to plan, design and install IT systems. A part of an IT Consultant’s job is to advise on how to use and maximize information technology to meet business objectives. Second, they will have overcome problems. Third, they will prevent future issues. Their goal is to improve the structure and efficiency of your IT system. Delivering the best possible results, in the most effective manner. Indianapolis is comprised with a wide range of industries. They include medical, financial services, manufacturing, transport, utility, agricultural and a lot more. To be able to stay on top of management and operations, these industries rely heavily on information technology. Thus, enhancing IT infrastructure to enable effective business processes. So where do IT Consultants in Indianapolis come in?

Getting the Best IT Consultant

To get the most out of an IT consultant, first thing you should remember is to be honest. Let them know about your plans and goals. Inform them which direction you want to go. Have a budget goal. Lastly, have a clearer vision on how the IT side will be set up to work to your advantage. Hence, IT consultants also provide ideas and suggestions. Furthermore, they give guidance and technical expertise.

An IT consultant will determine the requirements of your organization. They will layout a plan, timeline and the resources needed. After strategic IT planning, you will be the one to decide if it’s a go or a no. Certainly, you know what’s best fit for your organization.

Going Beyond Computers

An IT consultants skill sets go beyond computers and technical expertise. They have the ability to listen to suggestions and concerns. Ability to understand the needs of the client and the organization. At LEAP Managed IT, our team will prioritize you and your concerns regarding IT and beyond. We’d like to be part and contribute to the realization of the final goal and see our partners successful.

Indianapolis: Computer Network Support

Getting more from your IT

Indianapolis, it’s time for better Computer Network Support for your company! You need more from your IT, instead of just getting the break-fix scenario. Having the best Computer Network Support can turn your business around. You will be able to give your clients the best customer service with the help of technology.

Tip Top Shape

Computer Network Support and Managed IT Support has played a vital role in keeping businesses running efficiently. Thus, technology has dramatically changed over the last 3 years. You may belong to different industries but the goal is all the same. To provide quality products and services that will meet your customers’ needs. Therefore, these goals are reached through practice of good business management system, strong business policy, highly skilled staff and information technology. To be able to operate efficiently, your computer network should be secure, hardware and software should work for and not against the system. Back up and data recovery plans should be in place, just in case of data loss.

When Is It time for Change and switch to Computer Network Support?

Shifting from a break-fix maintenance to getting computer network support through Managed IT requires some adjustment. However, these changes will be benefit you the long-run as it promotes a strong IT foundation. When you have a computer network in place and something breaks, you contact an IT guy to fix it, and that’s just it. He comes out when he can, fixes only the problem and leaves until you have another issue.

However, when you have a computer network support system you have much more. First, your computer network support team can not only fix the issue but they analyze, test, troubleshoot and evaluate the computer network as a whole. Second, your computer network support team or your managed IT team will examine your entire system to look for issues before they occur. Often most issues can be prevented when you have developed a comprehensive IT plan with your provider.

Your IT support team should also give advice on how to level up business productivity through technology. Computer Network Support through managed IT services train your staff, manage security policies and configuration, manage servers and workstation. Basically, they act as your partner so you can focus on productivity and competitiveness.

It’s about Time

If you feel that your business is slacking due to downtime in your network, maybe it’s about time to contact a Managed IT Service for a Computer Network Support. Let’s talk and we will show you more, visit leapmanagedit.com today.

Indianapolis: Data Loss and Recovery 101

Understanding Data Loss and Recovery

What does Data Loss and Recovery mean to you? Here is an example: Everything in the office is running smoothly until one day, out of nowhere, you lost all your data! What do you consider data, all information found on your computer.

All your private files, customer information, employee data, just to name a few. It may be through hardware failure or system crash or user error.

Is my data recoverable?

Thus, with the right Data Loss and Recovery procedure in place it can be. Data Recovery is a process of salvaging lost or inaccessible data which leads to loss of business. Certainly, Data Backup is crucial for every organization. Archive files and folders so they can be restored if there is a breach. Some incidents are minor and only cause a slight nuance. Others can have you scrambling to find information for days. Worst case scenario, all your data is lost.

Causes of Data Loss

Whether it is by accident, human error or hardware failure, the effect of losing critical data to your business may be devastating. Most important to know, your data is the most valuable asset of your business. Consequently, Data loss for businesses can set profit margin back. It create stress for the business owner and staff and can tarnish a company’s reputation. Worse yet you run the risk of dealing with Identity Theft of your client and employee data. Lastly, the worry of the cost involved of restoring the lost data.

Be on Guard

Causes of data loss include virus, software malfunction, human error, natural disaster and hardware failure. First, keep your anti-virus updated at all times. Second, train your staff to be on guard for malicious email. Those can cause a complete disaster for your computer system. Lastly, implement layers of security measures to keep your data safe. Seek an outside evaluation on your system.

Question is would you able to bounce back? The answer would be, maybe.

Preventing data loss is easy, most especially, if you choose the right method. You may consider offsite data loss and recovery services such as LEAP Managed IT, Indianapolis. These Managed IT Services can train your staff, retrieve, compress, encrypt, and store all your files in a remote backup server for you. LEAP Managed IT specializes in Data Loss Recovery and Back Up, assessing your system, hardware and software to make sure everything is up to date and working well for our business. For more information, visit www.leapmanageit.com.

Indianapolis IT Support- Choosing the Best IT

Indianapolis IT Support – Choosing the Best Vendor for Your Needs

Finding the best Indianapolis IT Support vendor in today’s expansive and seemingly unlimited marketplace, a customer with needs has plenty of options. For example, if you’re an organization looking for Indianapolis IT Support, dozens return on potential Indianapolis IT Support vendors with one quick Google search.

But what next? Often times, searching websites and reading testimonials leaves you no closer to making a choice than you were at the start. In this article, we’ll discuss the best way to choose a vendor that fits your needs. We’ll use IT Support and more specifically Indianapolis IT Support as the example.

Getting Started: Define Your IT Needs

When your needs are broad – like “IT Support Indianapolis” – it behooves you to know exactly what you’re looking for before you begin your search. Start by making a list of priorities. If you decide your first priority is Low Cost, your ideal vendor will be far different than if you choose Highest Quality as your top need.

Don’t forget that we’re living in the age of the Internet! If the job you need done requires little communication, consider expanding your search to vendors operating solely online – maybe even freelancers.

This changes your query from “Indianapolis IT Support” to the far broader “IT Support.” If you’ve defined your needs more specifically, however, maybe you’re ready for a search like “IT Support Cyber security.”

Go Deeper: Understand Your Needs

The reason you’re searching for an IT Vendor in Indianapolis is that you only have limited knowledge to handle the situation. That’s perfectly understandable but the more you know about what you need, the easier it will be to choose the right vendor – and the easier it will be to discuss your needs with your chosen vendor when the time comes. The more specific you can get, the better.

Let’s continue with the example of needing Cybersecurity help. You’ve already decided to go more specific than “IT Support Indianapolis” – excellent. But you can still get narrower and more targeted. Talk to someone in your organization who has intimate knowledge of the problem at hand. If you just want to bolster your general cybersecurity, that’s OK. But maybe you actually want to focus on protecting yourself against Ransomware or BotNets. These are more specific jobs and having a base knowledge about these topics will greatly assist you in your search.

Negotiating: Remember that You’re in Control!

Whether you’re looking for a janitor or IT Support in Indianapolis, the process of hiring someone from initial search to contractual agreement can be exhausting. But don’t get complacent! Remember that you hold the cards. When you reach out to potential IT Support vendors, explain your needs as clearly as you can and then see how they respond. If they say anything you don’t like or quote a price that seems high, don’t hesitate to tell them, “Thanks, but no thanks.”

In fact, it helps to look at speaking with potential vendors as the most crucial part of the process. Finding your first choice does not mean you’ve reached the finished line. Often, you’ll be able to get a far better price by speaking to several potential vendors and letting them know you have other options. This is where your homework pays off! Vendors will have to take you seriously when you know exactly what you need and you know you can get it from a few different sources.

The Right Choice is Out There

When searching for solutions to problems, people often get frustrated. They get stuck and don’t know what exactly they are looking for. If you’ve followed the advice given above, though, your chances are higher. You’ve defined your needs, you’ve taken the time to understand them, and you know how to negotiate. So type in your query and hit “Search.” Even if you haven’t gotten any more specific than “Indianapolis IT Support,” at least you know more about your needs – and you’ll be able to choose the right vendor.

Tag: Indianapolis IT Support