(This graphic doesn't 100% go with what we're talking about, but we thought it was hilarious, so we are using it anyway.)
There is more web traffic from bots than human.
In 2016, cloud security platform Imperva published a report suggesting that 51% of Internet traffic was generated by non-humans. Bots, programs built to do automated tasks, are the worker bees of the web. Unfortunately, they are also the henchmen.
An analysis of nearly 17 billion website visits from across 100,000 domains shows bot traffic as more active than ever. Not only that, but harmful bots out number friendly bots. Approximately every third visitor to the analyzed websites was an attack bot. Such data shows the importance of IT professionals in protecting and preserving normal Internet functions.
Cloud-based storage still exists somewhere.
It is easy to forget where your data goes when you store it on the cloud. It isn’t physically stored on your own smartphone, laptop, or desktop computer, it is stored somewhere around the globe.
Typically held in large, secure warehouses, server farms hold the thousands of computers tasked with storing your data. They run 24 hours a day ensuring you are always able to access their information.
Nowadays, computing clouds are everywhere — which is one reason people worry about their security. We hear more and more often about hackers coming over the internet and looting the data of thousands of people.
Most of those attacks hit traditional servers, though. None of the most catastrophic hacks have been on the big public clouds.
The same way that your money is probably safer mixed up with other people’s money in a bank vault than it is sitting alone in your dresser drawer, your data may actually be safer in the cloud: It’s got more protection from bad guys.
IT staff are not magicians (but we're close).
Ask any anyone in IT, and they will have a few stories about someone asking for a frankly impossible solution.
"Okay, can you make my phone run all the tools on my computer but also make my screen bigger and fly me to the moon every Tuesday?"
If your computer does not operate a specific system or software, your IT staff can’t suddenly make it work. They know what they are doing (most of them) and are often natural problem solvers, but just because it seems like they have the magic touch when it comes to technology, there are usually systems and software in place to make it possible. If you're missing those systems or software, the magic cannot happen.
IT training should be ongoing.
Once you have a great IT professional working with your company, it is important to be mindful of further training opportunities.
When managers or business owners assume their staff will be able to utilize new technology as it comes through without additional training, that is a gamble that may cost the company time and money. The industry quickly evolves, your staff needs training to stay ahead.
As always, if you need help, reach out to a recommended IT specialist in your area.
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