IT projects are meticulously planned with a dynamic IT Road Map.
The success of your mission hinges on constantly evolving IT systems that are designed and managed according to the following business-impacting criteria: Think of each as a concrete justification for moving forward.
Every initiative is organized by technology category (hardware, software, server, and network) and implemented on a timeline prioritized by risk: low, medium, and high.
The following menu applies to an Atlanta-based mortgage company, a client with 130 employees, and three premise-based servers.
While every journey differs in focus and scale, Integris guides each client through a strategic IT roadmap with most, if not all, of these popular plot points and estimated professional services fees.
Fees are not mentioned in instances where the conversation is just beginning to take shape. And some “punch list” topics are intentionally omitted because they’ve already been completed.
Of course, new ones will be added over the lifetime of the partnership, and old ones are revisited.
We are not estimating hardware or software costs. Those moving targets are best quoted in real-time using world-class wholesale distributors like Ingram Micro and Tech Data.
We’re starting with a big project that includes several initiatives merged into one. This situation is not uncommon. However, some clients take baby steps and break their projects into stages (budget permitting).
The client has half its employee on GSuite and the other half on Office 365. The modernization plan has four related parts:
General set up fees range from $24,000.00 to $28,000.00.
Both the operating system and hardware are end of life (EOL). Therefore, a move to Azure for file storage and Active Directory (AD) is in the works.
The cloud transition will include migrating files to SharePoint, setting up Intune with disk encryption, and activating native security tools within Microsoft 365 (M365)
General set up fees range from $28,000.00 to $35,000.00.
Mobile devices are a blessing and a curse. On the one hand, you allow users to work on their terms with their own devices. On the other hand, personally owned devices can provide an entry point for threat actors to infiltrate your network.
The same is true of company-owned assets that move in and out of the office.
M365 with Intune and disk encryption addresses this dilemma across mobile phones, desktops, and laptops. In a nutshell, specific policies can be set to control who gets access to particular applications and who does not.
The encryption part of the solution creates an impenetrable shell around data, making it immune to theft even if the device is compromised.
Learn More: M365 and Intune
General set-up fees range from $3,000.00 to $5,000.00.
A migration to OneDrive is not complete until everyone has their workstation assets (Desktop, My Documents, Pictures, etc.) relocated to their new centralized home in the Microsoft Cloud.
General set-up fees range from $4,500.00 to $6,500.00.
QuickBooks is running on a desktop used as a server, creating ongoing problems with access. Utilizing a desktop for a server isn’t a recommended best practice, nor is using a real server that’s showing its age.
This is the perfect time to consider deployment of Hosted QuickBooks as a Desktop solution from Right Networks. And the client can use their current QuickBooks licensing for a secure, collaborative solution accessible 24/7 from any location.
General set-up fees range from $500.00 to $1,000.00.
This client initially received annual Cyber Security Awareness Training delivered by a member of the Integris team. While this made a lot of sense earlier in the relationship, one trainer can’t compete with dynamic computer-based instruction.
It’s also impossible to stay ahead of user errors that account for over 95% of the catastrophic data breaches that animate news headlines every day.
Integris enthusiastically recommends (and administers) Proofpoint Security Awareness and KnowBe4. Both offer ongoing cybersecurity awareness training with periodic phishing simulation.
Learn More: Proofpoint Security
General set-up fees range from $500.00 to $1,000.00.
Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) is an advanced security monitoring and alerting tool that captures zero-day vulnerabilities that are so new they can’t be detected by traditional means (firewalls and anti-virus).
Deployed based on the number of major nodes in your enterprise, SIEM casts a wide scanning net across all of your IoT devices and gives businesses a time advantage when it comes to detection, response, and remediation.
Every SIEM solution includes a Security Operations Center (SOC) staffed with engineers who scour every imaginable corner of the Internet to identify anomalies.
General set-up fees range from $2,300.00 to $2,700.00.
Learn More: Connectwise SIEM
Evaluating a portfolio of policies is an ongoing feature of strategic IT. It has to be. Regulation and compliance requirements are shifting goalposts which drives the need to continuously examine and refine the following areas:
These services are included in the fixed monthly fees (unless the policies don’t exist and need to be designed from scratch).
WVD is a premium solution for gaining maximum control over your corporate assets and intellectual property. The deployment is efficient and timely, making it perfect for heavily regulated industries like finance and healthcare.
It’s also an excellent fit for companies and industries that have a lot of turnover. Granting and revoking access privileges is a breeze.
Since the desktops (and data) are located in secure data centers offsite, it is heavily dependent on Internet connectivity.
Although an operating expense has many advantages over capital expenditures, some clients bristle at the monthly fees. So you should only invest if you’re convinced potential operating fails will exact a more costly toll.
Learn More: WVD Cheat Sheet
Although I reviewed nine essential projects, the number of items is subject to change and will probably increase. Initiatives are also organized differently for different clients.
Are you clear on your immediate IT priorities? What about six to twelve months from now or twelve to eighteen months out?
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