“In the midst of difficulty lies opportunity.” Albert Einstein most likely wasn’t thinking about the year 2009 when he spoke those words, but they certainly ring true today. Each of us is facing some level of uncertainty, and our emotions may alternate between dread and optimism as we listen to the daily business news. Yet, true to Einstein’s sentiment, we realize that we cannot afford to passively sit back, wait and simply hope that things will improve. More than ever we need to strategize to take advantage of favorable circumstances that present themselves.

Opportunities are indeed out there. At MasterLink Corporation, we are working with clients to take a very aggressive stance toward improving efficiency, security and productivity – steps that can help to ensure an organization’s long term growth and sustainability. Throughout this issue of eConsultant, we offer you some practical ideas on how to seize the moment and utilize technology and tools to secure and strengthen your organization, even in these tough economic times.

In addition, be sure to take advantage of our upcoming security seminars (watch for more information!) listed on the right sidebar to expand your knowledge base and sharpen your competitive edge. Be proactive; don’t allow hesitation to derail the achievement of your business’ goals and objectives.

Sincerely,

Wayne Piontek
CEO
MasterLink Corporation

As our business environments become more and more mobile, IT data management risks increase in direct correlation to the need for quick access to information.. So how do we mitigate our risks? While there is no magic solution that erases all risks to a company, the implementation of solid security policies in the business framework reduces your overall risk and effectively handles data access, management and potential loss. What should you consider when developing security policies?

Security Policy Framework

Successful security policies are often based upon best practices framework. So as you are creating your policies, keep the following in mind:

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A sales manager is traveling in a taxi. Nearing the end of his destination the cell phone rings - it is a client calling on a big deal. Engaged in the conversation, he pays the cab driver and heads out to the next destination focused on the client conversation. It is only after the taxi leaves and he gets to his next stop that he realizes his laptop is still in the cab. The laptop is full of client contact information, sales forecasts and other confidential documents.

An executive is waiting for a client to join her lunch. While she is waiting, she uses her Smart Phone to reply to e-mails, update her calendar and answer calls. Upon completion of the call she sets her phone on the table. The executive finishes her lunch with the client and pays the bill before heading back to her car and the office. She realizes then that she left the phone at the restaurant. The phone contains client contacts and is linked to company e-mail.

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To outsource or manage the network internally -- this is a debate that IT managers of large and small companies have been struggling with for years and will continue to be a debate well into the future. Both are fundamentally sound options for managing an IT support team. The key to success is to understand your business needs and determine the best approach for service delivery.

Many companies who have chosen to outsource have struggled because they have underestimated the support needs of the environment. In a study completed by Deloitte and published in InformationWeek in 2008, it was concluded that while most business executives surveyed said they were satisfied with the cost savings they received from outsourcing, only one in three executives surveyed said they had gained important benefits from innovative ideas or transformation of their operations.

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We have all heard the terms data leakage protection, data loss prevention, anti-data leakage, insider threat protection and so on. But what do these terms really mean and is this something your company really needs to assess and implement? In short, these terms refer to the management and protection of sensitive data and yes, your company does need to understand and plan to implement a solution of this nature. These days there are many reasons to demonstrate that you are protecting your data, including litigation, liability, regulation and customer confidence.

The definition of “sensitive data” varies by the business organization. Typically it includes the obvious items such as credit card information, social security numbers, bank account numbers of customers or employees, but it can also include such things as intellectual property, competitive information, company financials, client lists or anything that your company views as proprietary or critical to your business success.

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MasterLink will be hosting a series of seminars this spring and summer focused on security. These seminars will be held at Miller Park, followed by a game, dinner and refreshments in our hospitality suite.

Watch your mail for more details within the next few weeks, or contact your MasterLink account manager. You may also direct inquiries to seminars@emasterlink.com.

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