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Information Technology
Everybody is becoming increasingly dependent on information technology. Although this can be said about virtually every industry, schools and libraries face unique challenges in the deployment and the maintenance of new technologies. The main users of the system represent a far different audience. The systems must remain rigid enough to withstand public use, while flexible enough to adapt to a changing curriculum that is attempting to converge with the influx of technology.
When industry systems fail, there are reports and statistics of the lost revenue in terms of millions lost per minute; when a school system goes down the results are less quantifiable but equally disruptive. In outsourcing projects, or for occasional supplemental staff, you need an organization that is responsive and capable of delivering sustainable results.
Pending federal regulations and potential states regulations further introduce new challenges to system design. The conversion to ICN is also causing many organizations to re-assess their current system design to address the possible liabilities, the new opportunities, and the decentralization of services. Many organizations moving from a centralized system to a decentralized system are left with no security protection and are unable to manage their new Internet services independently. Security incidents are also on the rise with frequent virus outbreaks, crafty students that are eager to try the latest hacking tools, and users trying install unlicensed software.
Through observing trends such as these, for the last ten years, we have created a new organization uniquely focused on the needs of the educational and library communities.
We have spent the last several years working with school systems and libraries in the management of their information systems. From assessment, design, and installation of new technologies to the ongoing support and remote services that are used to maintain the operational value of the equipment, our assistance can be provided at varying degrees. We can help by complementing the resources of existing employees or to outsource projects and personnel. In many cases we simply provide on-call support that includes routine system reviews to insure consistent operation and general maintenance functions to keep systems up to date and online. We also provide full outplacement services to entirely manage your computer infrastructure.
Drawing from a staff of IT consultants and educational support technicians, we have assembled a group that is uniquely qualified to provide system support to the educational community. It is with this approach that we have been working with a diverse clientele that share similar needs. Among these are Suburban Library System, Homer Township Public Library District, Community High School District 218, Technology Center of DuPage, and others.
It is our belief that any consulting organization must consistently demonstrate their value. As such, part of our basic precept is that we are here to work with our clients to deliver systems and solutions to our clients instead of simply charging for information.
Security
Internet traffic on many networks now represents the bulk of the information traffic. Unfortunately, it raises security concerns as well. Systems need to be implemented to protect sensitive material, as well as protecting the operational status of your systems.
As we have witnessed recently, once a system is put into place it can not be ignored. The types of security threats are evolving to, not surprising, exploit the use of outdated system. The security systems that are typically used have an inverse relationship between security level and ease of use. Balancing the demands of new Internet services with the increase of Internet threats can be a daunting task at best.
We can provide an expert staff and solutions to address these concerns as a full system install, a system review, or a fully management security service. Information in our databases can be used to track software and service patch levels. In the event of a new virus or attack, we can scan the database and alert our clients that may be at risk and further improve overall response times to critical outbreaks.
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