The information technology used in the engineering and architecture disciplines involves much more than PDF viewers and emailed comments. Project schedules dictate that these professionals leverage every bit of available technology to get the drawings, specifications, scopes of work, and project plans out the door on very tight deadlines. To achieve greater efficiency in the design process, a host of applications and tools enable the fast and accurate generation of detailed plans and drawings.
Architecture firms also need to remain agile and adapt to field data as it becomes available. If queries from the site aren’t resolved quickly, they risk stopping work while awaiting feedback, resulting in a compensation event. Under these constraints, an architecture firm’s IT department work constantly to maintain the networks, keep application host servers up and available, and ensure the accurate integration of data between different information management systems.
Considering all the cybercrime news lately, risks have increased exponentially, and firms need access to dedicated IT security professionals to ensure their digital infrastructure remains protected. A Managed IT Services model can alleviate these burdens and enable architecture firms to focus on their core duties while a vendor takes care of the IT-related support infrastructure.
The complexity of the IT systems used in architecture firms makes them particularly vulnerable to cybercrime. Firms need to maintain their system availability and at the same time, prevent any breach or data loss, which can lead to hours of rework and redesign. With Managed IT Services, firms can secure their entire digital infrastructure, ensure business continuity, and streamline processes for greater efficiency.
One of the most significant cybersecurity risks today is a ransomware attack. If bad actors gain access to a firm’s IT network, they deploy advanced encryption tools to lock users out of their system. In such cases, the attackers would only provide a decryption key to restore the system if the firm paid the requested ransom (usually in cryptocurrency).
Hackers use a host of different techniques to infiltrate the system and inject malicious code. One of the most common is phishing, where they send an email that looks like a legitimate communication with a link to the malware or ransomware they want to be installed. If anyone in the firm clicks on the link, it won’t be long before they have access to the entire network.
Preventing these attacks require dedicated security professionals that monitor all incoming information and use advanced filtering tools to detect any known exploits from entering the system. Firewalls, threat detection, and behavioral analysis tools help security professionals secure IT systems. With Managed IT Services, the firm can gain access to the latest technologies that provide the highest levels of security for every network and server.
Hackers don’t just target the network from outside and try to exploit the system by accessing physical devices. Equipment such as printers and routers are vulnerable points that bad actors use to gain access to the IT systems. To protect the hardware and workstations, companies need to regularly do endpoint scanning using the latest threat definitions and catalogs. If the firm allows its employees to connect to the office Wi-Fi, these devices also require enhanced security.
Managed IT Services will help architecture firms secure their entire network, including the devices, workstations, servers, and printers. For greater protection, the firm can opt to move IT operations to the cloud, where the service provider can patch all vulnerabilities in real-time. A cloud solution will also save the firm money, as they’ll only need to pay for the resources and infrastructure they use instead of maintaining their systems in-house.
Cloud services provide higher availability and elastic services so that the firm can scale operations as required. It is common for firms who manage their own IT to suffer from technology lag and have to wait for the following year’s budget for additional infrastructure. With Managed IT solutions, the firm can quickly acquire and provide additional resources as their project loading dictates.
Blue Technologies provides a complete and end-to-end Managed IT Services solution for companies looking to improve their network and device security. As more threats arise every day, architecture firms cannot afford to take any risks with their critical project information and engineering data. With a Managed IT Solution, the firm can rest assured that their system remains protected, increase their uptimes, and streamline all the company’s processes. Additionally, the firm can free up in-house resources to focus on more productive initiatives.
If your architecture firm is concerned about the latest cybersecurity news, speak to one of Blue Technologies’ consultants to find out more about our Managed IT Services and solutions.