Outsourcing IT Solutions Has The Potential to Enhance Business Continuity

The idea of outsourcing information technology originated in the 1980s, when technology started to become more integrated into everyday company processes. It didn’t take long for trustworthy outsourced IT providers to show their worth, taking on important tasks like infrastructure management, IT support, cybersecurity, disaster recovery, and compliance, dispelling early misconceptions about outsourcing as a cheap way to cut labour costs. Current predictions indicate that the managed service provider (MSP) business will expand at a pace of 9.3 percent by 2031, and this trend shows no signs of abating. The worldwide IT outsourcing market is poised for significant development.

Protecting company continuity in the face of unforeseen interruptions is the primary function of support outsourcing, especially in the IT sector. Whatever the situation may be—a hardware breakdown, a cyberattack, a natural disaster—organisations need to be ready to deal with it and keep downtime to a minimum.

In their 2023 research titled “Evolution of the Resilience Profession over the Next Five Years,” the Business Continuity Institute explores the BC profession from multiple angles. The paper also covers topics like resilience and catastrophe recovery in the tech industry. In this article, we will be discussing how outsourced IT solutions can contribute to business continuity

Trends and IT Solutions to Ensure Business Continuity

Entering the Hybrid Era of Remote Work and the Impact on Cybersecurity

In 2020, many workers started working from home or in different locations to reduce their risk of contracting the COVID-19 virus. Thanks to innovations like virtual private networks (VPNs), it is now much easier to connect to a company’s infrastructure in order to carry out regular responsibilities.

These days, it’s all the vogue to get remote workers back into the office. The new trend of combining in-office and remote work is here to stay. Even more crucially, COVID-19 shows that remote work can help organisations be more resilient and continue operations after a disruptive incident.

But, cybersecurity issues are worsened by adopting a hybrid work style, thus strong steps are needed to secure various access points in both remote and on-site settings. In light of these difficulties, companies are more and more looking into IT outsourcing as a possible answer to their hybrid work and cybersecurity problems.

The primary goal of ASG’s Managed Security service is to lessen the possibility of a security breach, prevent data loss, and minimise the impact on your company in the event that a problem does occur.

Your company’s systems will be monitored and safeguarded every day with the ASG Managed IT Security and Firewalls. The three-tiered solution, which includes systems monitoring, administration, and systems risk consulting, gives you the assurance you need to focus on running your business without worrying about the safety of your data.

The severity of the assaults has elevated ransomware prevention and mitigation to the level of board-level issues, making it appear as yet another silo in the corporate ecosystem. There needs to be more cooperation between BC and cybersecurity to secure and restore data, and the current barriers between the two fields need to be broken down. There are a plethora of on-premises and cloud-based tools that can protect against ransomware and other forms of cybercrime.

Through our partnership with Sophos Managed Detection and Response, ASG is able to offer a comprehensive managed solution wherein trained professionals monitor your systems for intrusions and take appropriate action in the event that they occur.

Superior defence against sophisticated threats is provided by Sophos Intercept X. Endpoint security has never been more advanced, with features like strong anti-ransomware and anti-exploitation protections, context-sensitive defences that adjust to real threats, and much more.

With specialised Xstream Flow Processors, Sophos Firewall and the XGS Series appliances provide robust threat prevention, high-performance TLS inspection, and application acceleration for cloud, SaaS, and SD-WAN. Even the most demanding networks can benefit from these features.

Revolution in Digital Practices

Businesses are increasingly relying on MSPs to help them take advantage of cutting-edge digital capabilities like blockchain, cloud computing, automation, artificial intelligence (AI), data analytics, the internet of things (IoT), and machine learning.

MSPs often use automation systems to improve productivity, decrease manual labour, and simplify processes. Improved ticket resolution, substantial cost savings, greater cybersecurity, and more favourable contract negotiation terms are all possible outcomes of incorporating AI and ML into IT services. Businesses can look forward to a dramatic increase in the use of AI and automation in their software in the year 2024.

The Internet of Things (IoT) is a system of networked physical items that allows them to communicate and share data on a worldwide scale. These devices include smartphones, security cameras, printers, smart sensors, RFID systems, and many more. Businesses are seeking out managed service providers (MSPs) to assist them in implementing the Internet of Things (IoT), which is predicted to grow from $243 billion in 2022 to $575 billion by 2027.This will allow them to improve operations and customer experience, as well as make data-driven decisions, which will lead to increased income.

Back in the day, Business Continuity was all about getting your hands dirty. Excel was the go-to tool for all sorts of BC tasks, such as risk assessments and business impact studies (BIA). Thanks to technological advancements, particularly cloud-based as-a-service technologies, the BC process has been significantly automated during the last twenty years or more. Technology does make a difference and will likely be adopted by more organisations in the coming years due to the complicated nature of operations like BIAs. Business continuity as a service (BCaaS) solutions hosted in the cloud will certainly grow in demand.

Thanks to cloud computing, expensive servers and data storage devices are no longer needed. Instead, programmes and data are hosted on shared servers, which can be accessed remotely through an internet connection. This effectively removes the need for substantial initial investment in servers and software. 

Monthly payment plans are being offered by many software publishers for cloud-based software packages. This allows you to pay for what you use, when you use it.

Without a shadow of a doubt, cloud computing is the wave of the future, and ASG can assist you with migrating your systems in stages, allowing you and your team to take baby steps to get to know the system. 

Securing the Future with Strategic IT Outsourcing

As we navigate through the complexities of the digital age, the strategic significance of outsourced IT solutions in bolstering business continuity has never been more pronounced. In a world where technological disruptions and cybersecurity threats are prevalent, relying on specialised IT outsourcing services like those provided by ASG becomes a cornerstone for ensuring uninterrupted business operations.

The evolution from traditional IT setups to embracing outsourced solutions reflects a profound shift in the way businesses approach resilience and adaptability. Hybrid work environments, advanced digital practices, and the growing reliance on cloud computing and AI-driven business continuity strategies underscore the need for expert IT support. Outsourcing IT functions to competent MSPs not only addresses immediate operational needs but also strategically positions businesses for future growth and innovation.

As we move forward, the role of IT outsourcing in achieving business continuity will only intensify. Companies that recognise and leverage the strengths of outsourced IT solutions are better equipped to navigate the challenges of tomorrow. By aligning with reliable MSPs, businesses can ensure that their IT infrastructure is not just a support system but a strategic asset that drives resilience, agility, and competitiveness in a rapidly evolving global marketplace.

In summary, as businesses continue to evolve in the face of technological advancements, outsourced IT solutions emerge as a vital tool in the quest for sustained business continuity and long-term success.

Cloud computing is unquestionably the future, and with ASG’s assistance, you can migrate your systems in stages, giving you and your team plenty of time to try out the new environment and get to know it better. 

With cloud computing, you can scale up or down virtually endlessly without buying more servers. You pay only for the resources you really use, so there’s no need to worry if you need more for a short time or a large project. Thanks to cloud computing, we can access your systems remotely to fix any problems without affecting your operation, simplifying and streamlining IT assistance.

Updates and upgrades are now a breeze with the Cloud computer network, so security-conscious individuals may just give them a quick once-over. When it comes to interoperability and system integration, the cloud takes care of everything automatically.

Our Securewall-Cloud Firewall is constructed using SDN and SD-WAN as its foundation. Its one-of-a-kind design and development ensure that all network configuration and processes may be fully automated, allowing networks to achieve their desired states by combining the use of single-click command methods with a degree of network-wide intelligence capable of self-correction.

More Adaptability with Cutting-Edge Resources

Agility in BC allows for rapid responses to a range of disruptive occurrences. Users will be able to respond more quickly to a wide range of situations as business continuity software evolves and makes greater use of AI and ML. An integral part of the Agile approach is scenario-based testing, which is a growing trend in company continuity.

These days, AI is a component of an increasing number of BC systems. Envision putting together a plan with policies and procedures that draws on the knowledge of several occurrences by analysing historical data on hundreds of disasters, determining what worked and what didn’t, and then implementing this plan. This exemplifies how AI may enhance business continuity and disaster recovery planning, leading to greater organisation resilience.

Partnering with ASG

Delegating authority over mission-critical business processes to an untrustworthy third party is a common problem in IT outsourcing. When you depend on managed services providers, you’re effectively outsourcing a large chunk of your company’s operations. Your company could be hit hard if the MSP experiences any kind of trouble, be it financial instability or operational concerns.

With a background spanning more than three decades, ASG has made it our mission to provide proactive, flat-rate IT support to small and medium-sized organisations (SMEs) with 10 to 250 computers. We aim to be the outsourced IT solution you choose because we provide a comprehensive suite of services tailored to your specific requirements and budget. We have everything you need to keep your IT infrastructure functioning well, from daily troubleshooting to strategic long-term planning.