The Essential IT Services Every UK Business Needs in 2024. Operating a successful business in the current digital climate means having the right IT infrastructure and security measures in place. At Metis, we recognize how critical yet puzzling staying on top of technology can be for organizations without dedicated IT personnel. That’s why we provide essential it services intentionally designed to empower UK companies with precisely what they require to function productively, safely, and cost-effectively.
so what are The Essential IT Services Every UK Business Needs in 2024
Microsoft 365 for Scalable Business Tools
As a business grows from a few to potentially hundreds of employees, providing licenses and access for everyone can become an administrative headache. Metis recommends Microsoft 365 Business Premium for its ability to scale flexibly along with your changing business needs. Business Premium combines robust Microsoft Office apps like Outlook, Word, Excel, and Teams under one centralized admin console supporting 1-300 users.
Compared to consumer-grade Microsoft products, Business Premium prioritises security and is optimized for commercial collaboration. Key capabilities include multi-factor authentication, encryption, and peripheral access policies surrounding email, mobile devices, file sharing/co-authoring, and more. Teams allows efficient communication across the organisation with chat, video conferencing, and the ability to create team sites for departments to share documents and calendars, those integral connected experiences for windows users.
SharePoint libraries in Business Premium permit controlled access to centralized documents that eliminate version sprawl while enabling insight into editing activity. Exchange Online delivers 50GB, ad-free Outlook mailboxes with offline access and an array of administration tools not feasible with basic email accounts and is an essential it services that businesses rely on. Overall, Microsoft 365 Business Premium furnishes growing businesses with the typical Microsoft Office apps workers expect alongside superior security, simplified licensing/access management, and maximised productivity.
Want to double check which licensing is right for you? There’s an amazing free tool to check that would be the best fit for you; Microsoft Feature Matrix. IT breaks down the licenses that Microsoft offers and lists all of their features.
Safeguarding Business Networks Inside and Out
Cybersecurity threats represent one of the fastest evolving risks to companies in 2023. Metis arms your organization with protection surrounding networks, endpoints, email systems, backups, and user access credentials. Other essential it services solutions like Microsoft Endpoint Manager (formerly Intune) allow central oversight enforcing security policies uniformly across all employee devices. This includes firewall management, patch deployment, malware prevention, and remote data deletion for lost/stolen devices.
Going beyond device security, Proofpoint employs advanced techniques like machine learning to analyze abnormal email patterns and block increasingly sophisticated phishing attempts, spam campaigns, or malware links targeting your business. Keeper fills a risky gap in password security through a vault providing encrypted storage and selective sharing of login credentials accessed only by approved personnel. Topping things off, SentinelOne’s next-generation antivirus leverages AI behavioural analysis to catch never before seen threats plus automatically respond and remediate zero-day attacks.
Insuring Against Data Loss and Downtime
Despite the best efforts, companies remain vulnerable to cyber incidents, human mistakes, hardware failures and natural disasters potentially halting operations should critical systems or data get compromised. Metis covers this risk by including Redstor cloud backups designed specifically to mitigate downtime and data loss for UK businesses. Redstor operates by continuously backing up Microsoft 365 data, on-premises servers, and other vital digital assets then storing encrypted copies in UK-based data centres maintaining those essential services and connected experiences.
Should disaster strike, businesses can quickly restore email, files, or entire systems via Redstor while we help diagnose and address root causes. Having a backup safety net prevents businesses from permanently losing intellectual property, financial history, client/patient records, and other integral data that can take years to rebuild if gone. It also reduces costly downtime letting staff resume work ASAP after outages or security events.
Ongoing Management That Takes IT Off Your Plate
Creating a layered IT infrastructure with robust cybersecurity, protected data backups, and productivity optimization is one thing. However, keeping everything updated, running smoothly 24/7, adjusting configurations as your company scales, and providing responsive remote support is a full-time undertaking.
Metis furnishes complete managed services designed expressly to operate as an entire IT department tailored for small and midsize UK companies. This includes monitoring security dashboards, managing software/feature upgrades, license management aligned to workforce changes, cybersecurity training for employees, remote troubleshooting, strategic technology planning for future initiatives and more.
By delegating IT administration and support tasks to Metis, leadership at growing UK businesses can devote more time to core priorities rather than technology upkeep. Our managed IT services provide the expertise necessary to ensure your company has reliable access to the systems and digital assets your business depends on.
You can find out about more that’s on offer through the contact page.
The bottom line is that modern UK companies need enterprise-grade reliability, security, and productivity without enterprise-sized budgets. Metis gives businesses an affordable means to attain the fundamental IT services crucial to operating efficiently in today’s digital business environment. Reach out to us anytime to discuss what combination of managed IT solutions best aligns to your technical requirements and budgetary realities in 2024.