Frequently Asked Questions
Find answers to common questions about our managed IT services
Managed Cybersecurity
What is managed cybersecurity and how does it differ from traditional antivirus?
Managed cybersecurity is a comprehensive service that includes 24/7 monitoring, threat detection and response, vulnerability management, and security tool management. Unlike traditional antivirus which only scans for known malware, managed cybersecurity provides proactive threat hunting, advanced EDR (Endpoint Detection and Response), email security, firewall management, and a Security Operations Center (SOC) that monitors your environment around the clock.
How quickly can you respond to a security incident?
Our Security Operations Center (SOC) monitors your environment 24/7/365. For critical security incidents, our average response time is under 15 minutes. Our automated systems can isolate compromised devices immediately, while our security analysts investigate and remediate the threat. We also provide regular security reports and proactive threat hunting to catch issues before they become incidents.
Do I still need in-house IT staff if I have managed cybersecurity?
We work alongside your existing IT team or act as your complete IT security department. Managed cybersecurity handles all security-related tasks, freeing your internal staff to focus on strategic initiatives and daily operations. We integrate seamlessly with your operations, provide regular reports, and maintain open communication channels. Many clients find they can operate with a smaller IT team or reallocate resources to more strategic projects.
What compliance standards do you support?
We support HIPAA, PCI-DSS, SOC 2, GDPR, CCPA, NIST, ISO 27001, and other major compliance frameworks. Our service includes continuous compliance monitoring, documentation, audit support, and remediation guidance. We provide automated audit trails, compliance reports, and work with your team to ensure you maintain compliance year-round, not just during audit season.
Cloud Backup & Disaster Recovery
What happens if my entire office is destroyed by fire or flood?
Your data remains safe in our secure, geographically distributed cloud infrastructure. We can instantly boot your servers as virtual machines in our data centers, allowing you to continue operations remotely while you rebuild. Once your office is restored, we'll migrate everything back seamlessly. This disaster recovery capability means your business can be back online in as little as 15 minutes, not days or weeks.
How long does it take to recover from a ransomware attack?
With our immutable backups, recovery typically takes 15-60 minutes depending on data size. Our backups cannot be encrypted or deleted by ransomware—even if attackers compromise your entire network. We restore from the last clean backup before the ransomware attack, eliminating the encrypted files entirely. No ransom payment required. This is why immutable backups are crucial—traditional backups can be targeted by sophisticated ransomware.
Do you backup Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, and other SaaS applications?
Yes! While Microsoft and Google provide some data retention, they don't guarantee backup protection. We provide comprehensive backup of emails, files, SharePoint, OneDrive, Teams, calendars, contacts, and more. You can recover individual items, entire mailboxes, or complete accounts at any time. SaaS backup is essential because accidental deletions, malicious insiders, and ransomware can destroy cloud data just as easily as on-premise data.
How do I know my backups are actually working?
We monitor every backup job 24/7 and perform regular test restores to verify data integrity. You receive monthly reports showing backup success rates, storage usage, and restore test results. We also recommend quarterly disaster recovery testing to ensure your entire recovery process works as expected. Unlike traditional backup systems that fail silently, our solution alerts you immediately if any backup job fails, and we proactively fix issues before they become problems.
Unified Communications
Can I keep my existing phone numbers?
Absolutely! We'll port your existing phone numbers to our platform at no charge. The process typically takes 7-14 business days and we handle all the paperwork with your current carrier. Your numbers stay active throughout the transition with zero downtime. We can port local numbers, toll-free numbers, and even international numbers. Our team coordinates the entire process to ensure a smooth migration.
Do I need to buy special phones or equipment?
No special equipment required! Our service works on computers, smartphones, and tablets using our mobile and desktop apps. However, we can provide desk phones if you prefer the traditional phone experience. Most clients use a hybrid approach—desk phones in the office and mobile apps for remote workers. This flexibility means your team can work from anywhere with the same professional phone system.
What happens if my internet goes down?
We have multiple failover options. Calls automatically forward to mobile phones or backup numbers you designate. Your team can also use the mobile app over cellular data to make and receive calls. For offices that require maximum uptime, we can set up redundant internet connections or 4G/5G failover. Your business stays connected even during internet outages—you won't miss important calls.
Can we integrate with our existing tools like Salesforce or Microsoft Teams?
Yes! We integrate with Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, Salesforce, HubSpot, Slack, Zendesk, and hundreds of other business tools. These integrations enable click-to-call from your CRM, automatic caller ID with customer information, call logging, contact syncing, and more. Integrations make your team more efficient by bringing phone functionality directly into the tools they already use daily.
Identity & Access Management
What is Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) and why is it important?
MFA requires users to verify their identity using two or more methods: something you know (password), something you have (phone or security key), or something you are (fingerprint). This blocks 99.9% of account takeover attempts because even if a password is stolen, attackers can't access the account without the second factor. With 81% of data breaches involving stolen passwords, MFA is the single most effective security control you can implement.
How does Single Sign-On (SSO) improve both security and productivity?
SSO allows employees to access all business applications with one login. This eliminates password fatigue (the average employee manages 47 passwords), reduces password reuse, and increases security by centralizing authentication. Users save 5-15 minutes per day not managing multiple passwords, and IT reduces password reset tickets by 50-75%. SSO also makes onboarding and offboarding easier—grant or revoke access to all applications with a single action.
What is a password vault and how does it prevent data breaches?
A password vault securely stores all passwords in an encrypted database that only you can access. It generates strong, unique passwords for every account, auto-fills credentials across devices, and eliminates password reuse. This prevents breaches because even if one service is compromised, attackers can't use that password to access your other accounts. Password vaults also protect against phishing—they won't auto-fill credentials on fake websites.
How do you handle access when employees leave the company?
Our user lifecycle management system automates offboarding. When an employee leaves, we immediately disable their accounts across all systems, revoke access to applications, remove them from groups, and archive their data. This happens instantly through our centralized identity management platform—no more manually updating 20 different systems or worrying about former employees retaining access. We also provide detailed audit trails showing exactly when access was revoked.
Network Monitoring & RMM
What exactly do you monitor 24/7?
We monitor servers, workstations, network devices (routers, switches, firewalls), applications, websites, and cloud services. Specific metrics include CPU usage, memory, disk space, network performance, service availability, backup status, security events, and more. Our system alerts us when anything exceeds normal thresholds—before users notice problems. We also monitor for security threats, failed updates, and hardware failures.
How is proactive monitoring different from break-fix IT support?
Break-fix support waits for problems to occur, then charges hourly to fix them. Proactive monitoring detects and resolves issues before they cause downtime—often before users even notice. For example, if a server's disk is filling up, we get alerted and clean it up before it runs out of space and crashes. This prevents emergencies, reduces downtime by 90%, and costs far less than reactive support because you're not paying emergency rates to fix preventable problems.
Can you manage devices that employees use at home?
Yes! Our Remote Monitoring and Management (RMM) platform works anywhere with an internet connection. We can monitor, patch, troubleshoot, and support devices whether they're in the office, at home, or traveling. This is essential for remote and hybrid work environments. We ensure all company devices maintain security compliance, receive updates, and get support regardless of location—giving you the same level of protection everywhere.
How do automated patches and updates work?
Our patch management system automatically deploys Windows updates, software patches, and security fixes during maintenance windows you specify. We test patches in staging environments first, then deploy gradually to minimize risk. Critical security patches are prioritized and deployed immediately. The system tracks patch compliance across all devices and alerts us to any failed updates. This keeps systems secure without the manual effort and ensures vulnerabilities are closed quickly.
General Questions
How much do your services cost?
Pricing varies based on your organization size, services needed, and current IT infrastructure. Most clients save 40-60% compared to building in-house capabilities. We offer transparent, predictable monthly pricing with no hidden fees. Contact us for a free assessment and custom quote tailored to your specific needs. We'll analyze your current costs and show you exactly how much you can save while improving security and reliability.
Do you require long-term contracts?
No long-term contracts required. We offer flexible month-to-month agreements because we believe you should stay with us because we're providing excellent service, not because you're locked into a contract. Most clients choose annual agreements for cost savings, but that's optional. You can cancel anytime with 30 days notice. We're confident in the value we provide and want to earn your business every month.
How long does implementation take?
Most services can be deployed within 1-2 weeks. Simple implementations like network monitoring can start in days. More complex deployments like full cybersecurity stacks or unified communications migrations might take 2-4 weeks. We work around your schedule to minimize disruption and can phase implementations to ensure business continuity. Our team has done this hundreds of times and follows proven processes to ensure smooth, efficient deployments.
What kind of support do you provide?
We provide 24/7/365 support via phone, email, and web portal. Critical issues are addressed immediately (average response time under 15 minutes). Standard issues are handled during business hours with typical 2-4 hour response times. You'll have a dedicated account manager who knows your environment and a team of certified engineers supporting you. Support is included in all our service packages—no per-incident charges or surprise bills.
What happens if we outgrow your services or need to scale down?
Our services scale up or down with your business. Add users, devices, or services instantly. Reduce services if needed. There are no penalties for scaling—we bill based on what you actually use. Whether you're growing rapidly, going through seasonal changes, or restructuring, we adjust your services accordingly. This flexibility is one of the key advantages of managed services over building in-house capabilities.
Still Have Questions?
Our team is here to help. Get in touch and we'll answer any questions you have.

