Cybersecurity For Local Government
In 2019, The City of Baltimore’s government computer systems were infected with ransomware. Servers and computers were taken offline and the hackers stated that if their demands were not met, the city would permanently lose all of the data.
Similar cyberattacks have followed, including a big one in 2021, but local governments don’t have infinite resources to protect themselves. So, what’s the solution?
First, Think Big Picture
Local governments are usually trying to do a lot of things on a very limited budget, and managing the whole IT infrastructure puzzle, including cybersecurity, can easily drift into a huge expense with a bloated IT staff fighting what seems to be an endless list of problems. The expertise required to detect and recover from cybersecurity threats can be hard to find, and when it’s done in-house it can get expensive quickly. To make matters worse, getting the budget right for hardware and IT systems replacements and upgrades can challenge even the savviest of the tech-savvy.
Smart leaders know when to delegate, and outsourcing an organization’s entire IT infrastructure is a proven way to reduce cost, improve reliability, and minimize the threat imposed by the bad guys. A comprehensive IT solution managed by one vendor, on one platform, for a fixed monthly fee takes all of the guesswork out of the equation and lets the leadership team focus on serving their constituents.
What To Look For In An IT Vendor
A full-service IT vendor should be able to manage it all including internet, computers, phones, servers, backups, video conferencing, email, chat, and any other IT infrastructure you need to run your organization. They should also have 24/7 support that is 100% based in the US, and a state-of-the-art cybersecurity protocol. The good news is that the economies of scale allow the good IT vendors to provide all of this at a fixed monthly rate that is usually well below what most government entities have to budget for their in-house IT support.
Here are a few key things to look for when shopping for the right vendor:
- Security: Cybersecurity is usually the concern that drives local governments to seek out outside help. While every vendor will claim that they have the best cybersecurity on the planet, a simple way to test their statement is to ask them if their solution is compliant to the new Department of Defense’s CMMC standard. This standard is the most comprehensive compliance standard to date, and if their solution cannot meet this standard, it will not be as secure as the vendors who do.
- Fixed Cost: If the vendor wants to put in a bunch of potential add-on fees for unforeseen issues into their proposal, you need to look elsewhere. These vendors haven’t spent enough time thinking about how to keep your IT running without significant risk of a big, unplanned expense. Focus on the ones that are willing to offer you a flat-rate quote that includes unlimited support for any issue that arises.
- Customizable Solution: There is a huge difference between the technology and support requirements for the police, public works, GIS, and accounting departments. A good IT partner will already have a good idea of what systems and services will be needed by each of your departments, and not try to sell you a one-size-fits-all solution.
- A Proven Track Record: Saying that you know how to do something, and having a proven track record of satisfied customers are two completely different things. If the vendor does not have experience with the needs and expectations of local government, then they are probably not a good fit.
Who Do We Recommend?
It depends on how big the organization is, and were you are located. Many states have requirements around sourcing services inside your own state, which obviously limits the options and can also limit the talent pool. For organizations with a staff of more than about 30 people who use a computer on a daily basis, best solution we have come across is the CompleteCloud solution from Avatara. Their private datacenter environment was built for security and productivity-conscious government entities and is delivered and supported in an all-inclusive per user per month pricing model. If you are done trying to manage an internal IT staff and/or multiple IT vendors, and all the finger-pointing that goes along with that model, CompleteCloud is the way to go. We decided to partner with Avatara as our go-to solution for local government, defense contractors, and any other business with a need for rock-solid cybersecurity and a predictable cost structure.
Regardless of whether you are in public or private service, if you ever want to talk about offloading your IT duties to us, feel free to schedule a free consultation with me and I’ll be happy to help you decide if, when, and how to get IT off your plate