YOUR SINGLE SOURCE VOICE + IT EXPERTS | |
August 2024 Voice & IT News | |
Welcome to the CTS family... Thank you for your business!
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Wicomico County Corrections Center - Salisbury, MD
Bradley Parker & Associates PC - Alexandria, VA
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News You Can Use: CrowdStrike outage highlights need for Proactive IT Safeguards and Recovery Plans | |
The disruptions last month affected industries and users of Microsoft 365 apps worldwide. Cast as the largest IT outage in history, CrowdStrike disrupted critical services and highlighted the vulnerabilities inherent in our reliance on centralized cybersecurity solutions.
Here are some key steps to protect your IT infrastructure from comparable outages:
Diversify Your Security Solutions:
- Multi-layered approach: Don't rely solely on one security provider. Implement a multi-layered security strategy that combines different tools and vendors. This approach helps ensure that if one system fails, others are still in place to protect your infrastructure.
- Regular security audits: Conduct frequent security assessments to identify potential vulnerabilities in your systems and address them proactively.
Implement Robust Backup and Recovery Strategies:
- Comprehensive backup plan: Maintain regular, comprehensive backups of all critical data and systems. This ensures that even in the event of a major outage, you can quickly restore your operations.
- Disaster recovery planning: Develop and regularly test a detailed disaster recovery plan that outlines steps to be taken in various scenarios, including major outages or security breaches.
Enhance System Resilience:
- Redundancy: Implement redundant systems and failover mechanisms to ensure business continuity in case of primary system failures.
- Update management: Keeping your systems updated is crucial. Consider implementing a staged rollout process for updates which will allow you to test updates on a small subset of systems before deploying them company-wide.
Improve Incident Response:
- Incident response team: Establish a dedicated incident response team trained to handle various IT emergencies.
- Communication protocols: Develop clear communication protocols for notifying stakeholders and coordinating response efforts during an incident.
Invest in Employee Training:
- Security awareness: Regularly train employees on cybersecurity best practices and how to identify potential threats.
- Incident response training: Ensure key personnel are trained on your incident response procedures.
Consider Cloud Diversification:
- Multi-cloud strategy: Consider distributing your workloads across multiple cloud providers to reduce dependency on a single platform.
Regular Testing and Drills:
- Simulated outages: Conduct regular drills simulating various outage scenarios to test your response capabilities and identify areas for improvement.
By implementing these measures, you can improve IT resilience and be better prepared to handle potential disruptions or security incidents. Remember, the key is to adopt a proactive, comprehensive approach to IT security and disaster recovery.
Need help protecting your business communications? Contact CTS today at 800.787.4848 or jnolte@ctsmd.us.
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K-12 Schools: Stay Safe. Stay Informed. Stay On-Schedule with Valcom’s Mass Notification Solutions | |
With equipment for emergency systems, paging, public address systems, door access, and more, CTS offers specialized Valcom solutions for schools.
Valcom’s mass notification systems have been leading the industry for over 45 years. And with easy-to-use software, you can keep track of everything effortlessly.
Get to know Valcom's SiteManager software here - 4 pg. PDF
Valcom Solutions for K-12…
- Seamlessly integrate with existing systems, reduce costs, and improve emergency management protocols.
- Empower administrators to maintain order and efficiency throughout the campus.
- Delivers emergency notifications swiftly and efficiently, whether to a single classroom, multiple classrooms, one school, multiple schools, or the entire district.
- Ensures critical information reaches those who need it most, helping keep students and staff safe and informed.
- Supports safety mandates as more states are passing legislation requiring schools to become Alyssa’s Law compliant.
Why Valcom
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Emergency Management & Visibility – From the initial alert to the “All Clear” message, manage an emergency event from a local to a district level. Monitor the activity from a central location.
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On-Premises Notifications – Reach every part of your school or district with audio and visual notifications.
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One Click Simplicity – Send consistent messaging to multiple devices with a single click.
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Desktop & Mobile Alerting – Send critical information to Android and iOS devices and desktops.
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Bell Systems – Schedule and automate your bells schedules.
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System Health – Monitor and maintain your Valcom system health from one user interface.
When fast and accurate information is not only essential but lifesaving, CTS deploys and supports Valcom solutions that keep your community better informed and secure.
Contact CTS today at 800.787.4848 or jnolte@ctsmd.us.
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The Advantages of Integrating Microsoft Teams with RingCentral | |
Combine the robust telephony capabilities of RingCentral with the collaborative features of Microsoft Teams to provide a seamless and efficient communication experience. The key advantages include:
Enhanced Telephony Features
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Robust Cloud PBX: RingCentral provides enterprise-grade cloud PBX services directly within the Microsoft Teams environment. This integration allows users to access advanced calling features such as call queueing, voicemail transcription, and call recording without leaving the Teams interface.
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Global Reach: With RingCentral, businesses can leverage a global phone system with local numbers in over 100 countries, facilitating international communication and scalability.
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Simplified Administration: The integration simplifies telephony management by eliminating the need for additional downloads or plugins. Administrators can easily deploy and manage the integration across their organization, reducing the administrative burden.
Improved Collaboration and Productivity
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Unified Communication Platform: By integrating RingCentral with Microsoft Teams, businesses can streamline their communication tools into a single platform. This reduces the need to switch between different applications, enhancing productivity and user experience.
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Seamless User Experience: Employees can continue using the familiar Microsoft Teams interface while benefiting from RingCentral's telephony capabilities. This minimizes the learning curve and ensures a smooth transition for users.
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Advanced Analytics and Reporting: RingCentral provides powerful analytics and live reporting features that enable businesses to make data-driven decisions. This includes real-time data on call trends and performance metrics, allowing for better strategic planning.
Reliability and Security
- High Uptime and Reliability: RingCentral offers a 99.999% uptime SLA, ensuring business continuity and minimizing downtime. This is particularly beneficial in maintaining operations during Microsoft Teams outages.
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Enterprise-Grade Security: The integration includes robust security features and compliance with industry standards, providing peace of mind for businesses concerned about data protection.
Cost Efficiency
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Cost Savings: Businesses can achieve significant cost savings by consolidating communication tools and reducing the need for multiple vendors. The integration also allows for a cost-comparison analysis to highlight potential savings.
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Scalability: The integration supports businesses of all sizes, offering scalable solutions that can grow with the organization. This flexibility is crucial for businesses planning to expand their operations.
If you’re looking to optimize your communication infrastructure and drive productivity, let’s talk about integrating your Microsoft Teams with RingCentral.
Contact our experts today at 800.787.4848 or jnolte@ctsmd.us.
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Tech Tax Break… Act Now to Leverage Your 2024 Section 179 Deduction | |
This year’s Section 179 deduction is $1,220,000. The deduction includes both new and used qualified equipment. In addition, businesses can take advantage of 100% bonus depreciation on both new and used equipment for 2024.
Remember to keep delivery times in mind when making your Section 179 purchases for 2024.
The deduction applies to both leased and purchased equipment and software. When you buy, you can deduct the total amount from your taxes. When you lease, you pay the monthly lease payments, but you still get to deduct the total purchase price from your taxes.
Whether you choose to purchase or lease, you'll need to put the equipment/software into service by the end of the day on December 31, 2024.
For more details visit: Section 179 and check out the handy Savings Calculator.
Let’s talk about how new technology can help you reach your goals in 2024. Contact us today at: 800.787.4848 or jnolte@ctsmd.us.
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Protect Privacy + Boost Productivity with Sound Masking in Your Office Space | |
In today's fast-paced business environment, maintaining productivity while ensuring privacy is crucial. Many CTS clients have found sound masking technology to be a popular solution.
Enhancing Focus and Comfort
Sound masking utilizes a subtle, consistent background noise to obscure distracting sounds that can disrupt concentration. This technology creates a soothing atmosphere, allowing employees to tune out background noise and focus on their tasks. The result? Increased productivity, reduced stress, and improved job satisfaction.
Protecting Privacy
Beyond enhancing focus, sound masking plays a vital role in safeguarding the privacy of sensitive conversations. By making speech less intelligible at a distance, it helps ensure that confidential information - such as employee details, client data, and business strategies - remains secure from unintended listeners.
Bottom Line Benefits
Implementing sound masking can positively impact your bottom line. By minimizing distractions and fostering a more focused work environment, businesses can experience increased efficiency and significant cost savings.
If you're looking to transform your office into a sanctuary of focus and confidentiality, let’s talk about sound masking. Contact CTS at 800.787.4848 or jnolte@ctsmd.us.
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We want your leads… Treat yourself to a $250 reward | |
Know someone grappling with their Remote or Hybrid Workforce? Moving or looking for a new phone system? A friend who needs faster Wi-Fi or broadband? A business partner who wants to add Sound Masking or Video Meeting tools?
Tell us about it... Just mention the "Newsletter Referral Program" when you contact us – we'll take care of the rest. CTS rewards you with $250 when we get their business. And there's no paperwork hassle or hoops to jump through.
Contact us with your sales tip at: 800.787.4848 or jnolte@ctsmd.us.
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Award-winning, industry-certified, serving businesses for 35+ years... CTS helps you take advantage of technology that moves you ahead. Every month we explore the latest in Voice, IT, Networks, Managed Services, Mobility, and Collaboration.
Jeff Nolte, President
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