Outsourcing CTO Responsibilities

For small and even medium sized businesses, it can be difficult to figure out which positions you need in your company and which ones you don’t. This is especially true when it comes to executive positions. On one hand, team leadership is vital for maintaining structure, managing departments, and growing in a healthy manner. 

On the other hand, these higher-level positions can come with high salary requirements.  

But the question isn’t just whether or not you can afford them. It’s also whether or not you really have the need for a full-time employee in that position. You might need some of their skills and duties fulfilled, but that’s not enough to justify a high-level hire. 

Especially in the case of something like a CTO. 

What Does a CTO Actually Do?

CTO stands for chief technical officer. Generally speaking, they have the role of managing technology infrastructure, overseeing teams, creating digital/tech strategies, and driving everyone towards overarching goals and standards. 

However, with today’s tech-heavy, digitally driven world, the exact responsibilities of a CTO can get a little muddled. Sometimes they get mixed up with other positions, such as a VP of engineering or CIO.  

In the case of tech startups, the founder and CEO actually might act more like a CTO. Or the CTO might be a separate cofounder. 

For companies that aren’t building a software platform or a new piece of technology, however, a CTO usually isn’t an immediate position. As the company grows and you start to integrate more devices, digital storage, cloud-based software, etc. into your operations, some of those CTO-like skills are suddenly much more important. 

Unfortunately, a quality in-house CTO is one of the most expensive hires to make, as they are typically highly educated and very experienced. Rather than creating an executive position that will prevent you from making other key hirings, you may want to consider outsourcing the basic CTO responsibilities to an IT company. 

Advantages of Outsourcing Your CTO Needs 

CTOs need to stay current with technology standards and security threats. They must also be good at developing and executing strategies to keep ahead of these standards and threats. As it happens, these are all things that full-service IT companies like Data Yard do by nature. 

Because of this, IT companies are regularly used to handle the responsibilities typically associated with a CTO. 

By utilizing a third-party IT company, you can have access to a higher level of knowledge and skills for less than an executive role would cost you. It’s also scalable, so you only pay for the amount of work that you need. As your company grows, the level of service provided by your IT partner can grow with you. 

At Data Yard, our AYS (At-Your-Service) solutions allow us to operate as a partner of your business. We provide strategic support including big-picture planning, infrastructure management, security implementation, on-going support, and more. 

We also fit into your business where you need us to. Whether you need us to act as your CTO and IT department or you need us to assist an in-house IT team, we have you covered. The responsibilities of a CTO are very important to a modern business, but that doesn’t mean you have to strain your budget on a single position. 

Instead, contact Data Yard. Our IT consultants in Dayton, Ohio are happy to help you figure out how we can better serve your business. 

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Deciding Between Colocation vs. In-House Hosting

Cloud-based hosting is the go-to option for many businesses, large and small. It provides great flexibility while keeping things simple. Sometimes, however, you need your own server equipment. Whether it’s to meet compliancy needs, maximize control, or simply because you prefer to own instead of rent, there is still very much a place for physical hosting in today’s cloud-based world. 

However, if you own your own equipment, that means you’ll need to house and power it. While a server is essentially just a computer, it comes with some critical requirements: 

  • Continuous power supply 
  • Digital and physical security protection 
  • Total temperature control 
  • A fair amount of space 
  • And more 

If you’re able to accommodate those needs, you might choose to keep your servers in-house. Otherwise, there is colocation. Colocation is where you store your own equipment in a third-party data center that’s built to handle the special requirements of server equipment. 

Not sure which option is best for you? Let’s take a look at both. 

What's the difference between in-house hosting and colocation?

In-House Hosting

With in-house hosting, you’ll need to setup a proper server room on your property. This will need to be fitted with power-supply redundancies so that your servers don’t crash if the power in the building unexpectantly goes out.  

The primary benefit of in-house hosting is immediate access. If you have the IT staff to manage and support it, they’ll able to get directly to it at a moment’s notice. Of course, that also means you need to have an in-house IT team that can support it as needed. 

If your team is already stretched thin, it can be yet another thing they have to deal with. 

Additionally, many offices, even larger ones, simply aren’t equipped to meet the needs of a server system. It can also increase your utility costs more than you think. 

Colocation 

Colocation is pretty straight forward. You supply the equipment and a data center takes care of the rest. A proper data center is well-equipped to house and supply server equipment, making sure it stays protected and running properly.  

While there is some initial setup cost, along with the on-going rental fee, the expense of colocation is actually comparable to the cost of in-house hosting. That’s not to say you should put your server equipment in just any data center.  

You want to make sure it’s a trustworthy facility that can exceed your needs and provide room for growth. 

Reliable Colocation Wherever You Are 

At DataYard, we can handle almost all IT and hosting needs. From cloud hosting to colocation and beyond, our data center is equipped to meet your storage and security requirements. With colocation at Data Yard, you’ll receive 24/7/365 access, so you can get to your equipment whenever you need to. 

Need additional support or guidance for your server setup and infrastructure? Our team of IT consultants in Dayton, Ohio  can help ensure you have all of your bases covered. 

Contact us today! 

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Why SD-WAN Matters for Businesses in 2020

SD-WAN stands for “software-defined wide area network”. Whereas a traditional WAN typically operates at the point of contact, an SD-Wan is able to create a virtual architecture within the network, proving intelligent control. SD-WAN is designed for today’s network activity, bringing more customization, faster speeds, tighter security/privacy, and more.

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Building an IT Support Partnership

Many in-house IT teams find themselves overworked as emergencies and critical responsibilities take precedence over updates, strategy, monitoring, etc. That’s why so many businesses can benefit from a partnership with a third-party IT company.

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The Difference of Dedicated Hosting

If you’ve done any looking into hosting services, you’ve likely realized how many options there are out there. Prices and features range drastically from one service to the next. But what does it all mean? How can some hosting services cost so much more than others?

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Creating a Disaster Recovery Plan

A disaster recovery plan is essential for securing your IT systems and protecting yourself against threats. In fact, 80% of businesses that don’t have a disaster recovery plan will go out of business within a year of a serious issue.

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Why Backing Up Data is So Important for Businesses

Remember the days of floppy disks where you entrusted important documents to tiny pieces of plastic that were easily lost, destroyed, erased? Well maybe you don’t because you’re too young to have even held a floppy disk, but it’s the same scenario with CD’s, flash drives and external hard drives today. Thankfully, we have cloud storage systems like DataYard’s OwnCloud, which is similar to Google Drive, OneDrive, and Dropbox to hold various documents.  

On top of that, many of our files end up in our email or on a project management system that we can access from any internet-connected device. 

These days, you’d have to be crazy to trust important files to a single disk, or even one hard drive. And yet, many businesses fail to properly backup their computer and server systems, leading to much bigger issues. 

Many companies that suffer a major data loss without a proper backup system in place never fully recover. Don’t think your business can suffer from data loss? Think again. 

There are many ways to lose data....

People often associate data loss with data breaches and malicious attacks, which is fair. After all, cyber-attacks, viruses, and other malicious activities ultimately result in the theft, corruption, and/or general loss of data. 

But that’s certainly not the only way you can lose data. 

Even if your systems are updated and well protected from external threats, things can still go very wrong. Machines break. Hard drives wear out. A power outage can result in the loss of unsaved information. A fire or natural disaster can destroy the equipment housing your data. 

Let alone the dreaded data loss due to something as basic as spilling a cup of coffee on a computer or network device. Nearly 30% of hard drive failures are caused by simple accidents. 

Losing data costs a lot of time and money. Having your systems down can cost a lot as well. If you want to keep your business safe and your information protected, you need proper backup systems in place.  

For those who operate under various compliancy standards, backup systems are likely required. Failure to follow backup protocol can result in the loss of clients, as well as potential fines. 

Providing Peace of Mind with Quality Backup Support 

At DataYard, we understand just how important backups are to modern businesses. That’s why are backup services go above and beyond the various needs of our customers. Whether you have compliancy standards to meet or not, we can make sure you information is safe. 

Our cloud hosting automatically creates daily backups going back at least 30 days. Additional backups can be made as needed. Our servers our housed in our data center which is well protected against power outages and other dangers. 

Additionally, we offer colocation for those who prefer/need to use their own equipment. Want backups created offsite? We can help with that too. 

In addition to our general server capabilities, we offer consultation and management to clients across the globe, along with onsite IT services in the Dayton, Ohio area. 

Keep your business protected from data loss. Contact DataYard today.

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Thank You Dayton Developers

The last few weeks have been full of exciting announcements for Dayton’s downtown revitalization and we just want to thank a few of the people we see investing their time and passion into our home.

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Protecting CUI and Maintaining NIST 800-171 Compliance

If you work for a company with government contracts, you’re well aware of how important security and compliance is, especially when it comes to how data is handled. While you might not be working with officially classified information as a non-federal contractor, you’re still handling potentially sensitive materials. 

The primary standard governing the handling and accessing of non-classified information is NIST 800-171. NIST 800-171 (also referred to as NIST SP 800-171 or simply 800-171) is a set of security standards for non-federal computer systems, mandating how Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) is to be handled. 

NIST 800-171 was created in response to a lack of consistency across federal departments and their contractors that left openings for exploits and resulted in some major breaches of information. With NIST 800-171, all non-federal contractors have a universal set of standards to follow when it comes to how they handle CUI. 

Handling Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI)

CUI is a classification created in 2008 to cover information that is potentially sensitive and relevant to US interests. CUI includes intellectual property, technical drawings, blueprints, legal materials, and more. 

Before CUI, agencies used their own internal systems for marking and filing unclassified information, creating confusion and openings for security breaches. CUI helps keep unclassified information better protected and better organized through a filing system of categories and subcategories such as Agriculture, Patent, Law Enforcement, etc.  

CUI should not be confused with classified information, which falls under NIST 800-53. Classified information is placed under significantly higher restrictions, can only be accessed with officials holding specific security clearance, and can result in criminal charges when mishandled. 

Handling CUI might not be as strict, but it can still be a complicated process achieving NIST 800-171 compliance.  

Achieving and Maintaining NIST 800-171 Compliance 

If you’re handling CUI in any way, then you are bound to NIST 800-171 standards. If you are working for a federal or state organization, you fall under NIST 800-171. Even if you are working with a third party who in turn, is working with a government agency, you may need to follow NIST 800-171. 

It’s always best to be safe rather than be in trouble with the federal government. Failure to protect CUI and follow NIST 800-171 will result in the loss of your current contract, as well as future work. It may incur additional penalties as well. 

NIST 800-171 sets standards for user access, authentication procures, activity monitoring, maintenance and updates, physical server access, risk assessment, incident response, and more. Achieving compliance is not as simple as checking a few boxes. It is a process that is on-going. That’s where we can help. 

Being located in Dayton, Ohio, DataYard is well-versed in NIST 800-171 compliance. We provide a roadmap experience for our clients, guiding them along the way to meeting all of the necessary standards and helping them maintain them. 

From IT consultation to secured hosting to Dayton colocation, our suite of services can be tailored to meet all of the necessary NIST 800-171 standards. Contact us today to learn more and begin your journey towards true compliance.  

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Setting Expectations for Your IT Support

In today’s digital, data driven world, your IT department has never been more important. Digital security should be one of the top priorities of any modern business. After all, a data breach costs a company an average of $8.19 million.

Of course, an IT team handles much more than security. From setting up employees with company devices to upgrading software and hardware systems to simply keeping your systems running, your IT department is the heart of all things digital.

Because of this, you should carry very high expectations for your IT team, whether they’re in house or outsourced (or a combination). Third party IT companies can be a valuable asset, as they can typically provide more in-depth services at a much more affordable price.

But the wrong IT company can become a serious liability.

Here is What You Should Expect from a Third-Party IT Company

First and foremost, they need to actually offer the services you require. IT can cover a lot of area, and every company has different needs. Certain IT companies can be more niche than others. Check and see if they have familiarity with your systems as well, from server types to software that’s being used. 

There is expected to be a certain amount of discovery when it comes to onboarding a new IT company, but they should have an idea of what they’re getting into. 

The same goes for knowledge of your industries compliance needs and security standards. This is especially important for businesses that deal with NIST 800-171 and HIPAA compliance.  

A lot of IT is also about thinking and planning ahead. That’s why it’s not enough for an IT provider to meet you where you’re at currently. Scalability is important to consider. As your business matures and grows, your IT needs grow with it. 

Your IT provider needs to be able to step up their service as required. 

Lastly, when IT emergencies arise, fast response time is critical. You need to make sure a company is easily reachable, effective at communicating what’s going on, and quick to act. While it can be difficult to know how quickly an IT company is going to respond until you’re actually working with them, you can watch for signs during your initial engagement with them. 

If details are being skipped over or replies are coming a day or two later, you may want to look elsewhere. 

At DataYard, We Aim to Exceed Expectations 

We believe that quality IT Support cannot exist without high-level customer service. We want you to know that you have our attention. We’re here to assist you, answer questions, explain uncertainties, and do everything we can to put you at ease. 

From the moment a client signs up, it’s our goal to not just maintain the status quo, but to improve your system so that you’re protected against the future.  After all, IT isn’t just about protecting against current threats and potential problems. It’s about staying ahead of them. 

We can cater our services to your needs. Whether you need a full external IT staff or another team to support your inhouse staff, we’ll integrate seamlessly with your company. And for those located near our data center in the Dayton, Ohio area, we make onsite visits as needed. 

With DataYard at your side, you can expect a level of IT support that exceeds your needs. 

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