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Free antivirus software may seem like a bargain, but it’s not. In this tough economy, getting something for free is always a good thing, right? Short answer: It depends on your tolerance for risk.

Here are some issues to consider before you delay an investment in network protection and use “freeware” instead. First, free antivirus software doesn’t provide the comprehensive protection you need against today’s biggest online threats.

So when you trust your computer, applications, files and identity to free AV software, it can end up costing you more in time, aggravation, and money than you ever imagined.

Most free antivirus software is really just bait that some software companies use to lure you in. It’s usually a “light” version of one of their paid products that offers only limited protection against today’s online threats.

After you install most free antivirus software, you can expect to be hit with a barrage of annoying, time-wasting pop-up alerts telling you that it only provides basic” protection. Then you’ll receive recommendations to switch to one of the software maker’s paid security products for “complete” protection.

Another point to keep in mind: Experts agree that today’s biggest online threats come in forms that free antivirus software doesn’t stop. Threats such as rootkits, bots, keyloggers, hackers, phishing scams, and infected websites breeze right past most free antivirus software.

These threats can pose an even bigger danger than viruses, not only to your computer and files, but to your bank account as well. They can lead to a hard drive crash, system failure, or worse, identity theft. Also, free antivirus software is generally reactive. That means it only deals with threats after they’ve attacked and had an opportunity to do damage to your computer and files.

When you build your own security suite using standalone free security software, compatibility issues can cause conflicting alerts and even hard drive crashes. That’s even more time wasted – and a whole load of aggravation you don’t need.

So what’s the bottom line? Free antivirus software simply doesn’t provide the comprehensive protection you need in today’s online world. When you add up the various costs listed above, free antivirus software isn’t free at all.

The experienced consultants at Clare Computer Solutions can help you devise the best method for protecting your network and users from malware threats.   We’ll find the solution that delivers the best value for your company’s needs – now, and into the future!

Written by Thomas Fox

Missed the first part?  Here’s a link to it…

Step 3: Monitor

Once you have an IT infrastructure that truly provides the tools you need to make your business more efficient and profitable, then it needs to be monitored.  Automate the processes you can and have procedures for the rest.  The old adage “you can’t measure what you don’t monitor” is absolutely true.   Constantly gather metrics on your network’s performance, and respond quickly to trouble spots, and use the metrics to provide trending data for ongoing strategic planning.

Step 4: Analyze

Did I mention strategic planning?  I sure did!   This is where you see an actual return on your investment in your IT infrastructure, because trending data will allow you see “over the horizon”, and spot potential trouble areas BEFORE they impact your business.    Management and IT work together to ensure that you have the data you need, and are able to glean what it is telling you.

Step 5: Plan

Your analysis of your trending data will be invaluable as you map out your business strategies for the next year, two years and five years.   Emerging technologies become available, and your trends will tell you when it’s time to embrace them.  Knowing this in advance will also allow you to budget for the acquisition and implementation of improved technologies, without unexpected hits to your cash flow.

There is a step 6, and it’s also very important.  Step 6 is: do it all over again.

The point is, when integration of top business management and IT management are always working together, technology becomes a true business enabler – a profit center.  By making it an ongoing process, you ensure that your company stays up to date as technology changes.  We all know how fast technology changes.  Without a process like this, you’re constantly trying to keep up and squeeze more life out of obsolete technology – and that’s a competitive disadvantage.

Is this easy?  No, it isn’t.   But you don’t have to do it all on your own.  You’re busy, your IT staff is busy – who has the time to implement such a key change in your business process, and keep it going?    You’re in luck –Clare Computer Solutions does this for its clients all the time, and has been doing it for years.   The experience and expertise of a good IT Consultant can bring enterprise-level strategic technology services to small-to-medium sized businesses.

On a day when your company’s technology seems to be working at cross purposes with you, don’t succumb to the temptation to go back to the “good old days” of filing cabinets and rotary-dial phones. Technology DOES make us more nimble, and brings amazing efficiencies into your business, that were flat out impossible a quarter century ago.

Here are 5 steps you can take to integrate your company’s technology (and the people who take care of it) into your business processes and ensure that your technology is helping your company MAKE more money on an ongoing basis.

Step 1: Assess
If you’re going to make fundamental changes in how technology integrates with your business processes, you will need to establish a baseline. In other words, how can you get to the finish line without knowing where the starting line is?

You need a detailed and up to date diagram of EVERY element of your network – every server, every switch, hub, router, every user machine and every printer, and every connection.

Look at your company right now, and consider your existing IT infrastructure. If you were starting this business today, at this size, and building this IT Infrastructure from scratch, how would it differ from what you have now?

Chances are good it would look a whole lot different! Make a list of the things the “ideal” network would have, and then prioritize the list to determine what needs to be done right away, and what can be done next, and when.

What parts of the “dream network” are simply out of reach, and what are the second-best choices?

Step 2: Remediate
Doing your Assessment will reveal the gap between your existing IT infrastructure and your “dream” network. You want to close that gap to the fullest extent you can. This process will require the input of the company’s vision team, and the IT department.

Once you’ve established how your company can close the gap to implement the IT infrastructure that will fit within your budget and serve your company’s needs, the actual work of doing the remediation is a project that requires committed time and resources. Many companies with in-house IT staffs prefer to outsource this, because project management experience is important, and the amount of time required for the project is beyond the capacity of the company’s in-house IT staff.

To be continued…