Rutter Networking Technologies Blog

In the world of virtualization, there are many inherent security features that come with a virtual environment natively, but with the rise of Software Defined Networking (SDN), we have a new layer of security which can be easily added to any virtual environment.  SDN strips away the traditional boundaries of IT security and brings them directly to the guest virtual machine.  Through a concept referred to as Micro Segmentation, a central next generation firewall policy can be defined at the interface level of the virtual machine, effectively plugging each server in your environment directly into a firewall, providing protection, both inbound and outbound for all traffic to and from that host.

If you were to ask someone in IT why server virtualization should be a part of his or her overall strategy, odds are that cost savings would be the number-one reason given. When you look at case studies that show organizations averaging a 67 percent reduction in total cost of ownership after virtualization, then it’s easy to see why cost is the first thing that comes to mind when we talk about server virtualization. Yet there is more to server virtualization than just cost savings alone; in fact, there are some other things you may need to know about this technology in order to help garner more support for it in your organization.

Businesses looking to protect themselves from the devastating effects of prolonged system downtime and irreparable data loss via managed backup services have countless provider options from which to choose. When assessing potential providers, it can be difficult to discern the differences from one to the next when your needs are unique to your business. There are, of course, some fundamental qualities to look for in a managed backup services provider that any candidate must have in order to be in the running. Here are five of the most important of those qualities:

 Since its inception, virtualization has had a rather large impact on enterprise computing. Time and time again, this technology has shown it is capable of expanding a business’s computing capabilities and making IT operations more efficient and effective. The truth is, the benefits of virtualization can be found in almost any genre of computing: the server, the desktop, the data center, and even the network itself. However, there are some overarching themes when you look at virtualization as a whole. These benefits can be applied to practically any area of this technology.

According to the IDC FutureScape: Worldwide Digital Transformation 2016 Predictions report, IT leadership will center on business needs, capabilities, and availability related to digital transformation. While this comes as little surprise to any CIO, the challenges still persist in quickly advancing a digital transformation strategy that encompasses the entire enterprise.

Businesses are taking security and security threats more seriously than ever before. If you look at some of the recent statistics about losses and data breaches, it is easy to understand why:

According to Symantec’s 2016 Internet Security Threat Report , 43 percent of cyber attacks target small businesses. That increasing percentage is due to the fact that so many small businesses are easy targets, as they lack the necessary tools and policies, as well as the comprehensive security roadmap, to guide them.

While the private sector can more freely embark on an IT initiative, government IT is accountable to its citizens. As a consequence, it has little control over the budget, and it needs to be transparent in everything from purchasing decisions to data management. The situation hands government IT unique challenges in terms of budget, accountability, expertise, manpower, and timetables, among others.

For business owners and the workforce, IT is generally something they prefer not to think about unless something goes wrong. While the ideal scenario is to ensure that they can put all their concentration into running the business, a lack of IT awareness can lead to telltale signs that something is wrong. Here are six warning signs that indicate it’s time to update your business IT solutions.

Many companies are starting to look into a managed IT services model in order to handle their technology staff needs. Some are still on the fence and have questions about outsourcing their IT work versus internal IT hiring as a solution. Below are some of the more frequently asked questions that businesses have about using an outsourced IT staff.