Level 2 – Proactive

• IT Staff Meetings and Discussions
  We will meet with IT staff on a monthly basis to discuss on-going issues, projects, and problems so that we’ll be updated and ready to help out whenever you need us.
• TOTAL Care Center (TCC) system
  Our Total Care Center provides the ability to monitor and manage almost all of your critical computer systems. TCC provides a tool to manage system event logs, alerts, patch management, remote support, and even asset management to provide a clear picture of what hardware, software, and systems are being utilized across the organization. TCC runs 24×7 to monitor the health of your systems and network.
• Advanced DNS Management
  DNS, or Domain Name System, is at the heart of delivering web page and every e-mail. A large number of Internet access and e-mail problems arise due to incorrect or non-fault tolerant DNS configurations. We provide a fully redundant DNS system with advanced features for forwarding URLs and ensuring that people can always find your web site and your e-mail server.
• Physical Security Review
  Easy entry to your facility can provide a huge step towards a breach of system security. To prevent unauthorized access to the facility, our team will perform a physical security assessment and, if needed, brief social engineering tests. From the review, we will provide the results and simple to follow recommendations and training to help strengthen physical security, if appropriate.
• Wireless Security Review
  Unauthorized or unsecured wireless access points connected to your internal, trusted network can provide a playground for hackers and mischievous neighbors. It can be difficult to find the time to search for these rogue devices. Our team will walk through and around all local company facilities in search of unauthorized or unsecured wireless devices. Results and immediate actions will be provided to management.
• Firewall Security Review
  Firewalls are the primary mechanism to keep the bad guys out and the good guys in. But over time, firewall rules grow and grow. The list of rules can become long, confusing, and potentially unsafe since old “holes” may remain even after they are no longer needed. Our team will review your firewall rules and make suggestions for cleaning and/or optimizing.
• Anti-Virus Security Review
  Viruses are prevalent and growing worse every day. Anti-virus software while powerful is only as good as the latest signature update. Our team will review anti-virus status on servers and desktops to validate that staff are monitoring anti-virus and that this key protection mechanism is being utilized as completely as possible.
• Network Architecture Security Review
  Beyond firewalls and anti-virus software, the actual design and configuration of network architecture – both LAN and WAN connections – can have a significant impact on the security of the organization. Our team will review and evaluate the network infrastructure and architecture to ensure that it supports your company’s security posture. In addition, as network architecture changes are contemplated, our team will evaluate the security impact, if any, they might have.
• DNS Security Review
  The Internet’s Domain Name System provides an easy way for humans to interact with computers by replacing awkward IP addresses with easy to remember names. However, improper naming or publishing of DNS information can actually lead to a compromise in security. Our team will review your published DNS information to ensure that only the minimum amount of information is published with as few discernable aspects that could be used by a hacker.
• Server/System Vulnerability Assessments
  Without a team of security experts and library of up-to-date tools, it’s almost impossible for a company to offer the types of tests and analysis that SlingStoneIT offers. Using multiple, up-to-date vulnerability scanning tools, our team will assess all critical business systems throughout your network (both LAN and WAN) on a periodic basis.
• Security Alert Bulletin for IT Staff
  In addition to general security awareness and training, there are often security “risks of the moment”. It is important that all IT staff, and possibly end users, be notified of precautions to protect themselves and the company’s systems. Our team will provide a brief security bulletin to IT staff when critical security issues are at hand, summarizing the threat and what can be done to mitigate the risk.
• Security/Risk Process Review Meetings
  Attend risk assessment meetings, review new projects for proper risk classification, assist with risk identification of new acquisitions, etc.
• Patch Management Review
  With constant software updates to operating systems and databases, it is difficult to determine which patches should be implemented (or even considered) versus which ones are not critical. Our team will perform a review to determine what patches, if any, should be considered for critical systems
• TOTAL System (Virus) Protection (OPTIONAL)
  You don’t need to pay outrageous prices for world-class anti-virus software to protect your internal systems. Your organization can have world class, multi-layer protection from viruses. The best protection is achieved by multiple layers that weed out the worst offenders while leaving you easy access to the information you need. No upfront investment, just complete organization-wide virus protection every day. Our anti-virus solution provides top-notch malware protection for desktops, laptops, and servers. And unlike most AV packages it has minimal performance impact. You never need to worry about anti-virus purchasing headaches, conflicts, or upgrades again.
• TOTAL E-mail (Spam) Protection (OPTIONAL)
  You can have world class, multi-layer protection from viruses and the ever-annoying spam. Without this service, substantial investment in software tools along with on-going maintenance and management is required to successfully protect the organization.
• TOTAL Remote Desktop Access (OPTIONAL)
  When employees need to work from home, our secure remote desktop access service provides an incredible experience – as though you were sitting at your desk in the office. With extremely tight security access controls and amazingly fast screen response, there is almost no need to come into the office at all.
• TOTAL Network Protection (OPTIONAL)
  Think your systems are protected by your existing firewall/router? Think again. If you aren’t using a business class firewall rather than the consumer-oriented SOHO products, you could be in trouble. Although cheap firewalls work well for basic purposes, they quickly fall short of protecting your systems. Our network protection service includes not only a world-class firewall which will increase the speed and reliability of your Internet connection, but also an intrusion prevention system to stop attacks that come across legitimate ports into your network. And we also provide content filtering and added layers of spyware and virus protection. We link the managed firewalls into our central global management system to increase alerting and monitoring capabilities. Plus, we keep spare units on hand locally in case of failures and we perform all necessary updates and management.
• 24/7 Critical Service Monitoring (OPTIONAL)
  In addition to your internal IT staff, we can monitor all the critical services for your organization. Perhaps your e-mail service is critical. Maybe your website. Maybe your ERP application. We’ll setup specific monitoring routines that check for specific services, ports, processes, or web pages and if they don’t respond in the normal manner, we send out an alert and immediately notify the team to take action.
• TOTAL Remote Backup (OPTIONAL)
  Tape backup is quickly becoming a thing of the past. Backups fail. Tapes get worn out or lost. SlingStoneIT has invested in a world-class remote backup solution using advanced compression and integrity checking to make remote backup and restore a feasible solution for our clients at cost that is often less than tape backup and traditional off-site storage. (Storage included varies depending on service purchased. Additional storage can also be purchased.)
• TOTAL Image Backup (OPTIONAL)
  Our image backup system creates complete images of your critical Windows or Linux systems including the OS, databases, applications, user accounts, and all configuration settings. These images allow you to recover from a disaster is hours or even minutes rather than days or weeks.