What is a CIO?
A chief information officer, or CIO, works closely with members of an IT department, or leads an IT department. CIOs are also commonly involved in the security, management, and proactive planning aspects of an organization’s technology systems and programs. From setting up hardware and software systems to maintaining secure networks that prevent consumer, customer, and employee information from being accessed by the wrong people, CIOs are an essential part of any business and its daily functions.
What is a Virtual CIO?
Like CIOs, virtual CIOs are an integral part of the digital security of an organization. Virtual CIOs also play an active role in ensuring that any threats digital or human (such as hardware malfunctions or viruses and hackers) are recognized so that proper steps can be taken to ensure the safety and security of sensitive information.
What Can a Virtual CIO (vCIO) Do for My Company?
Technology Roadmap Planning
In addition to playing an active role in the security of a company, virtual CIOs may also be proactive in the planning and technology roadmap phases of an organization’s growth planning. In other words, a virtual CIO serves as a consultant that can inform and instruct IT departments and other employees on best practices as well as planning for future growth. From determining how a company can best function with the right systems and software to ensuring that all processes are as efficient as possible, virtual CIOs can save both time and money for organizations and their employees.
IT Security
Any business or organization that processes online payments or stores the sensitive personal information of employees, consumers, or customers should invest in proactive IT security and management. In addition to saving thousands on court costs and federal fees, ensuring a breach of security never happens will also save your company the embarrassment of having to notify every consumer that their personal info has been accessed due to a lack of security on your part. Virtual CIOs are able to respond to any digital threats and recognize them before they occur. A virtual CIO can also proactively work to create systems and processes which deter hackers, identity thieves, and other digital threats.
Proactive Technology Management
Proactive technology management is absolutely essential in this day and age. Every second of every day, hackers and identity thieves are working around the clock to infiltrate secure systems in order to access the sensitive personal information of consumers and customers. Having a virtual CIO who can identify and thwart these threats before they become disasters is the difference between another Monday at the office and a public relations nightmare. Proactive technology management, as opposed to reactive technology management, means your IT department is actively working to prevent these problems on the front end, rather than waiting for disaster to strike before creating a plan.
>> Read More: The 4 Pillars of IT and Technology Management
IT MAINTENANCE AND MANAGEMENT
Maintaining anti-virus and anti-malware software is just one component of the proactive technology management process. Ensuring that software and hardware are up-to-date and working efficiently ensures that your employees are able to work efficiently saves your organization time and money.
DISASTER PLANNING
Disaster planning and monitoring go hand-in-hand with IT security maintenance. Having a disaster recovery plan as well as backup storage services to protect sensitive information are two essential processes every organization should have in place.
Compliance
If your organization is required to comply with HIPAA, PCI or SOX rules and regulations, a virtual CIO can help you ensure your employees, systems, and software are in compliance with federal and state guidelines. A virtual CIO can also help with planning, installation, monitoring, and routine updates applications that allow your business to run more smoothly and efficiently.
Virtual CIO Consulting Services
Whether your organization is in need of a virtual CIO to function as your IT department, or you need a consultant to ensure your current technology processes and systems are functioning efficiently, PCS-MS delivers professional IT services for large and small businesses alike.
IT Consulting Services in Memphis
Our team is based in the Memphis area, but we travel throughout the Mid-South to manage and monitor IT systems for a variety of organizations. Just a few of the services we provide include:
