It doesn’t feel like a year since the last time we considered the festive strain on IT systems. But we are here again, our marketing is all ready, and we are looking to make record breaking sales over Halloween, Black Friday, and into Christmas. It will hit soon, let’s just use this moment to take a deep breath.
By taking a deep breath, what we really mean is, make sure that your IT system can handle an uptake in sales and steeling your fortifications against a rising onslaught of cyber-naughtiness. Here is your blog for making sure you get through Autumn with as little incident as possible.
Cybersecurity Updates
Cybercriminals, as you know, ramp up their activity during this time. Autumn sees increases in the online rapscallions targeting vulnerable systems and networks. You need to make sure that you are ready for this.
Ensure your antivirus software is up-to-date, implement strong passwords, and remember to re-educate your team in the subtle art of phishing scams. Talk to your IT Support Provider about whether you need additional security measures, such as intrusion detection systems.
Hardware Refresh
Before you get embroiled in all the sales traffic pummelling your website, it is a good time to assess your hardware infrastructure. Are your computers, servers, and network equipment performing optimally?
If they are starting to fray at the edges, it might be time for a hardware refresh. You need everything working in tip-top order if you are to sustain your business through the year’s biggest sales period. New hardware can improve performance, efficiency, and energy consumption.
Stay on top of your updates
It is easy to forget your updates. Often, if they aren’t automatically programmed to upgrade your system, you can forget that they exist. This is dangerous. Often, you will find, that there are patches that help to seal up your cyber-defences and give your business a better chance of deflecting those would-be intruders as they batter against your gates.
Make a habit of checking every morning that your system is up to date and there are no upgrades revving their engines waiting for installation.
Plans to recover
As much as we know that your business will get very busy soon, our “plan to recover” isn’t about getting you on a deck chair in the Maldives. It’s about making sure that you can limit the damage if the worst does happen over the next couple of months. Implement, and test, your disaster recovery plan.
If you are not sure how to do it, check out this advice, or contact your IT Support Company to build your disaster recovery plan..
Making better use of the cloud
Migrating more data to the cloud will help your business protect your customer, and business, data. It is safe, and, The Cloud often offers you scalable and flexible solutions.
If you aren’t using the cloud, there are solutions for all business sizes. Moreover, they are often cost-effective ways to provide your business with a little peace-of-mind.
If you are unsure whether your infrastructure is ready for a busy sales period, contact us today on 01327 300 311 or email [email protected] with any enquiries.
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