When organizations are looking to design and implement an A/V system, they seldom consider the long-term maintenance and management of the solution. They’re concerned about how the system is going to function — and, of course, the total cost of the project.

The proliferation of endpoint devices has dramatically expanded the typical organization’s IT footprint — and the network attack surface. Every desktop, laptop and mobile device is a potential vulnerability that could give threat actors a foothold in the IT environment.

Every organization is fighting a never-ending cyber war, even if they don’t realize it. On one side, organizations are constantly defending their data, systems and other assets. On the other side, well-funded, highly organized hackers are trying to penetrate their defenses to steal or compromise data and profit from these activities.

What holds organizations back from achieving their objectives? What prevents them from developing innovative products, services or business models?

In many cases, employees are too plugged in to innovate. Always-on communication and a never-ending deluge of information leave them struggling to keep up with the pace of work.

Is your organization compliant with the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) version 4.0?

This major update of the standard went into effect on March 31, 2024, mandating a dozen new and updated requirements. Organizations that process, store or transmit payment card data must have controls to address threats such as phishing attacks.

During the days of low interest rates, some organizations took a scattershot approach to spending. They developed new products and services and piloted a wide range of projects, many involving new technologies. Now, organizations feel the need to take a step back and rationalize their products, processes and operations.

Various studies show that unpatched software vulnerabilities are a primary source of cyberattacks. A recent report from the Ponemon Institute found that unpatched vulnerabilities were directly responsible for 60 percent of all data breaches. Cybercriminals target known software security bugs in operating systems and applications and attack systems that haven’t been patched.

In August 2023, Toyota Motor Corp. was forced to shut down more than a dozen manufacturing facilities in Japan due to a backup failure. The company said an error during server maintenance left insufficient disk space for its production order system. Backup servers replicated the error and could not be accessed.

More technology vendors are bundling managed services with their products. The reasons are clear: Technology products are increasingly complex, and many organizations lack the expertise to adopt and use them effectively. The persistent tech shortage exacerbates these challenges.

Given the incredible speed of innovation in the IT world, it isn’t surprising that most organizations struggle to effectively implement new technologies while continuing to manage their existing ones. That’s why roughly two-thirds of all organizations in the U.S. rely on managed services providers (MSPs) for essential support.