{"id":2008,"date":"2022-01-12T09:00:00","date_gmt":"2022-01-12T09:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.netprimates.com\/?p=2008"},"modified":"2023-07-27T12:33:33","modified_gmt":"2023-07-27T11:33:33","slug":"it-issues-in-2021","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.netprimates.com\/news\/it-issues-in-2021\/","title":{"rendered":"Looking back to look forward"},"content":{"rendered":"\r\n
Here we examine the big IT issues of 2021 and how they could impact business in 2022. We review the main focus of IT conversations both in the wider community and within Net Primates.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Hybrid, or remote, working increasingly became the norm in 2021. As we all started to adapt to the pandemic, so businesses followed the ebb and flow by normalising hybrid working.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n At Net Primates we\u2019ve increasingly been asked to supply IT kit that is more suited to remote working. Laptops, for example, are often now more desirable than desktop computers. We\u2019ve seen businesses ensure that staff have a set up which is often portable, and hot desking is more commonplace. Having monitors available in different locations, to attach easily to laptops is also desirable, enabling staff to work ergonomically and efficiently whether at home or in the office. Good quality headsets and webcams are also becoming everyday items.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n The requirement for business quality printers, internet provision and telephone systems within the home setting is also increasingly requested.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Teams<\/a>, as it\u2019s often referred to, has become the hybrid working software of choice for many. Microsoft have gone out of their way to bring about changes to the software at a rapid pace. New additions are added all the time allowing significant flexibility. Together mode, for example, allows meeting attendees to \u2018sit\u2019 in a virtual seat, rather than appear in their own rectangle, replicating the reality that we are more familiar with.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n As business leaders have been forced to adopt webinars, where they may previously held a conference, Teams has catered for the change. It\u2019s now possible to host a meeting for up to 1,000 attendees with features introduced to give slicker presentations.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n With a host of other features, such as noise suppression, language translations and recording, Teams promises to be increasingly influential as we embrace online working.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Cybercrime is now commonplace. From publicly owned organisations to sole traders and private individuals, no one is safe. Hackers strike wherever they see an \u2018in\u2019 and are unscrupulous in their targeting. Schools, universities and hospitals have been on the recent hit list, largely because their budgets are stretched so IT provision is often old and unprotected. SMEs are not safe; criminals recognise that inadequate IT Security is not unusual, and strike wherever they can.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n During 2021 we even reported on a global cyber security company<\/a> that were successfully infiltrated. However, this story demonstrated how planning for attack is essential. The organisation swiftly realised that there was an issue and put their cyberattack plan in place, considerably limiting the scale of the attack.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Our takeaway for you is to firstly ensure that you have several layers of Cyber Security in place but that you also plan for the worst; think a fire drill for a cyberattack. Staff need to be regularly trained in Cyber Security issues and understand what they need to do should they become suspicious of a potential or ongoing attack.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nHybrid Working\u00a0<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Microsoft Teams\u00a0<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Cyber Security\u00a0<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Net Primates\u00a0<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n