IT can be a thankless job.

When’s the last time you told your IT person (or whomever it is that is responsible for your network), “Hey, great job keeping our server up and running and secure this month!”? Chances are you haven’t. They probably only hear from you when there’s a problem.

But if they’ve managed to keep your local server up and running continuously and you haven’t been impacted by a cyberattack (think phishing, ransomware, identity theft, malware, etc.) then they deserve some love. At least for this month.

Every month, new varieties of threats are cropping up, and it can be a full-time job to keep up with it all. The Bureau of Labor Statistics expects the role of Information Security Analyst, described as someone who will “plan and carry out security measures to protect an organization’s computer networks and systems” to grow by 28% between 2016-2026. And at a median pay of nearly $100k, it’s not a cheap role to fill.

IT doesn’t get a second chance.

Have you ever tried to log in to your server and gotten an error? Maybe you just mistyped your password, but did your heart skip a beat?

What about backups? Many people only think about backups when they fear they may need to restore for some reason. “Do I have a recent backup? Did I back up the right files? Do I know how to restore them?”

Have you ever waited until the elements were at your door to try figure out how you will keep your business operational if your on-premises server is damaged or loses power?

IT can’t do it alone.

A recent survey of IT works showed that 62% of IT workers say that, “the biggest security threat comes from well-meaning but negligent end users”. In other words, the very people they’re paid to keep secure are the biggest threats they face.

Read: Yep, your IT guy blames you for your computer problems

What can you do to minimize the risks associated with having a local server?

For starters, read this article from the Sage cloud hosting experts at Summit Hosting on quick and easy ways to protect your data:

7 Ways to Help Keep Your Data Safe

You may also want to consider hosting Sage 100 / Sage 100cloud with a Sage hosting professional who is 100% dedicated to keeping your data secure.

Learn more at https://www.summithosting.com/sage-100-hosting/.