Modernizing legacy infrastructure with dynamic IBM OpenPages GRC solutions

Client Profile

The client is a leading global reinsurer, providing comprehensive solutions and services to assist insurance companies in risk management. Established in 1970, the company is headquartered in Paris and operates from 38 office locations, extending its presence to 160 countries across Africa, the Americas, Europe, and the Asia-Pacific region. Independently evaluated by reputable rating agencies, the client consistently ranks among the top-rated reinsurance companies worldwide, further affirming its industry reputation and reliability.

Project Overview

The client had already been using a GRC solution that was not well maintained. In its current state, enhancing and customizing the old solution to make it suitable for internal users and meet business objectives was nearly impossible. The client was looking for a new solution and was ready to invest since they aimed to build a strong foundation and prevent potential future losses.

Challenges

The critical challenge for the client was user acceptance. They wanted more and more of their internal users to use the new solution. To make this happen, the client was looking for the following:

A highly versatile tool: The client was looking for a highly adaptable tool to accommodate the methodology tied to their internal controls.

A cross-border solution: They needed a global solution for their teams in all of their locations worldwide.

An intuitive system: The client was looking for a user-friendly system to get more acceptance from the business side of their operations.

Solution

With adaptability as their primary criterion for selecting a solution provider, the client chose the OpenPages with Watson platform to fulfill their requirements. This platform equips business users with integrated functionalities, enabling them to document processes and conduct self-assessments of operational risk. The client was also offered lab services to customize and integrate the solution and provided training on the platform for key stakeholders.

Initially implemented within the risk division, the OpenPages with Watson platform proved beneficial and was subsequently adopted by the compliance division. The client’s fully deployed solution includes the following components:

Operational risk: The IBM OpenPages Operational Risk Management module facilitates assessments, manages internal control processes, addresses data quality management requirements, and documents processes.

Compliance: The IBM OpenPages Loss Event Entry module addresses compliance concerns related to loss events.

Policy management: The IBM OpenPages Policy and Compliance Management module manages the entire lifecycle of internal guidelines.

By leveraging the comprehensive capabilities of the OpenPages with Watson platform, the client enhances their operational risk management, compliance practices, and policy management, improving overall efficiency and effectiveness.

Business Outcome

By implementing the OpenPages with Watson solution, the client accomplished its primary objective of promoting wider acceptance and utilization of the GRC (Governance, Risk, and Compliance) solution throughout the enterprise. Internal users have embraced the solution and are now requesting the deployment of additional tools on the platform. Several benefits have been realized by the client, including:

Reduced repetitive tasks: The new solution significantly decreases the effort required from process owners within the company. Through the OpenPages with Watson platform, more detailed and effective self-assessments related to operational risk are created, leading to a notable reduction in the number of repetitive actions performed by business users.

Decreased manual work: The solution eliminates the need for specific manual tasks, such as labor-intensive data crunching during system entries.

Independent reporting: The client can now independently produce reports, enabling them to add new fields and generate reports based on those fields without relying on third-party assistance as they did previously.

Streamlined governance: The OpenPages with Watson platform greatly streamlines and expedites the efforts of the senior management team responsible for corporate governance. Through IBM OpenPages, the client empowers global function owners with a tool that enables risk management to function as a business enabler.

Seamless rollout of risks and controls: The client’s global function can easily define complete global processes, including the minimum set of risks and controls, and effortlessly deploy them to various locations for adoption by local process owners.

With these advantages, the client experiences enhanced operational efficiency, improved risk management capabilities, and greater autonomy in reporting and governance processes throughout the organization.

Gain a real-time view of risks, controls, and issues to understand the relationships between them

Client Profile

Based in Detroit, the client stands as a prominent global automobile manufacturer. With expertise in designing, manufacturing, and marketing a comprehensive array of vehicles, ranging from electric cars to heavy trucks, the client caters to the diverse requirements of drivers worldwide. Operating across five continents, the company has a workforce of 180,000 individuals and proudly produces vehicles under eight distinct automotive brands.

Project Overview

The client’s reputation and financial performance can be significantly affected by various risks, including natural disasters, cyberattacks, regulatory changes, supply chain disruptions, and product recalls. To safeguard against or minimize these risks, clients must maintain constant vigilance over potential business threats and continually adapt their Audit, Risk, and Control activities to address emerging challenges.

Being one of the largest global automotive companies, the client dedicates considerable time and resources to identify, mitigate, and monitor risks. They understand the importance of proactively managing risk to protect their reputation and ensure the stability of their bottom line.

Challenges

The client faced challenges in obtaining a comprehensive overview of their risk portfolio because they relied on four separate systems to support their Audit, Risk, and Control activities. Each department operated with distinct workflows and faced different technical obstacles.

Absence of real-time view: The utilization of separate systems posed difficulties in obtaining a real-time view and comprehending the connections between risks, controls, and issues across the organization.

Understanding inter-division risk relationships: Assessing how risks within one business area might impact other divisions was challenging. The fragmented systems hindered a clear understanding of these interdependencies.

Inadequate systems: The SOX team struggled with a highly adapted system that was complex to manage. The Operational Risk Management team required a robust survey function to facilitate regular risk and control assessments. Meanwhile, the Audit team relied on a system approaching its end-of-life stage.

Solution

To enhance risk management throughout its global operations, the client decided to use IBM OpenPages with Watson to consolidate its Audit, Risk, and Control processes and procedures. The OpenPages software was implemented as a shared platform for the Audit, Risk, and Control groups, enabling seamless data sharing. The implementation process involved the client’s IT department taking the lead after an initial planning phase, with IBM providing technical support as required.

Cost-effective implementation: The client’s primary concern was the cost of implementation. Proof-of-concept projects were executed to demonstrate the ease of building the required system with IBM OpenPages. Setting up a basic implementation with minimal customizations proved to be relatively straightforward. This allowed for a gradual introduction of users to the platform, addressing any issues or adding functionality as the project progressed.

Agile-like approach: The implementation of the OpenPages solution followed an agile-like approach. Beginning with near out-of-the-box pilot environments, the client’s groups were able to develop and refine their business requirements and configuration needs based on their understanding of how the system would look, feel, and perform. This approach resulted in better decision-making, reduced rework, and a more efficient implementation timeline.

Shared data platform: The project’s success relied heavily on data sharing. In the past, the Audit, Risk, and Control departments had varying interpretations of the company’s structure and processes. Implementing OpenPages fostered a shared understanding among these departments, making it easier to investigate risks that affected multiple areas.

By bringing all stakeholders together to improve risk management and control assurance across the organization, OpenPages strengthened support and collaboration between departments. The client standardized the process inventory and established a unified view of the company’s organizational structure.

Business Outcome

The client has attained a comprehensive and detailed understanding of potential business risks by leveraging the OpenPages with Watson platform to facilitate Audit, Risk, and Control activities. Using the platform empowers the client to exercise greater control over risks, leading to enhanced risk management capabilities and the avoidance of reputational damage. This newfound visibility spans across the entire enterprise, enabling the company to effectively manage and mitigate risks, ultimately preventing financial losses.

Reduced costs: IBM OpenPages solution reduced licensing and maintenance costs by consolidating four systems into one.

Improved consistency: The solution helped increase consistency by standardizing the process, risk, control, and issue structures and hierarchies.

Speedy analytics: The IBM OpenPages made quick data analysis possible with a single source of truth for Audit, Risk, and Control data.

Revolutionize The Internal Audit Processes Using ML, NLP, And AI

Client Profile

Founded more than two decades ago in New York, the client is a leading bank and part of a multinational group. It has 2,500+ branches in 15+ countries, with 700+ branches in six cities in the United States of America. It has more than 200 million customer accounts and employs more than 240,000 people all across the globe.

Project Overview

The client was looking for a solution to reimagine the role of A.I. and natural language processing in an auditor’s workflow. They were looking to scale control testing using more extensive data sets than before to uncover hidden trends and insights. The client wanted to identify anomalies within business monitoring and effectively plan and scope audits using new findings.

Challenges

Introducing any innovation is challenging for the client since it has one of the world’s most significant corporate audit departments.

Reservations in switching to a new platform: Because of its size and importance, switching from the current audit platform to a new one required careful consideration and great trust in a technology partner.

All-in-one unified platform: Another challenge was achieving all the requirements within a unified platform that empowered auditors with more excellent detection capabilities, deep data-driven insights, and enhanced stakeholder engagement and collaboration.

AI-enablement: The new audit platform should have advanced A.I. and analytics features, be easy to use, and be the best in the industry to get all the necessary approval to make the switch and gain the confidence of the required stakeholders.

Solution

The solution was implemented in three phases, leveraging a broad range of available IBM Data and A.I. solutions, including IBM Open Pages with Watson and IBM Cloud Pak for Data.

Tools for analyzing control definitions: In the first phase, auditors were empowered with tools to analyze control definitions and scored them based on various parameters.

Training on Watson Discovery: In the second phase, auditors were trained to use Watson Discovery to save time processing thousands of monthly transcripts between agents and customers.

Utilizing IBM Watson Assistant: In the third phase, IBM Watson Assistant was used to help the auditors identify relevant content within hundreds of audit manuals.

Business Outcome

With the help of IBM OpenPages, the client was able to integrate people, processes, and platforms, saving hundreds of thousands of billable hours.

Continuous innovation: The solution enables the client to keep innovating using Watson on their new auditing platform.

Confidence to switch to a new platform: The IBM OpenPages has helped the client to convince relevant stakeholders to switch to the new audit platform by landing various short-burst proofs-of-concept.

A solution beyond audit transformation: It became the solution of choice not only for audit transformation but also for AI-based innovations.

Streamlining Third Party & IT Risk Management with IBM OpenPages

Client Profile

Florida’s inaugural National Cancer Institute- designated Comprehensive Cancer Center, the institution stands among the top 30 elite cancer centers in the U.S. that are part of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network. The research center is a global leader in the fight against cancer. With its integration of world-class researchers and care specialists working collaboratively, the center is uniquely positioned to revolutionize cancer treatment, elevate care, and save more lives.

Project Overview

With a mission to contribute to the prevention and cure of cancer, the center engages in cutting-edge biomedical research and provides comprehensive patient care. It collaborates with a vast network of third-party vendors, including suppliers of biomedical research tools, IT services, HR applications, and other essential services, to support its multifaceted operations. Additionally, the center recognized potential hidden risks from subcontractors or service providers that their third-party vendors rely on, known as fourth parties. [To gain a deeper understanding of the role of Fourth Parties in Third-Party Risk Assessment, download our eBook.] The cancer research center aimed to improve its risk management processes, particularly for third-party and internal IT applications, while considering the added complexity of fourth-party risks. However, the institution faced significant challenges due to the limitations of its two separate legacy systems, which managed vendor and internal IT risks independently. To address these issues, the center implemented IBM OpenPages with the assistance of iTech GRC, an IBM OpenPages certified and premier partner.

Challenges

The research center faced significant challenges in managing the risks associated with its third-party vendors and internal IT applications due to the limitations of its legacy systems.

Challenge 1: Vendor Risk Management

Manual Processes: The team was manually generating and sending out questionnaires to assess the risk, cybersecurity threat and regulatory compliance implications of hundreds of vendors. These were sent annually and resulted in a time-consuming and labor-intensive cycle.
Manual Follow-ups: They had to continually follow up with vendors to ensure questionnaires were properly filled out and submitted. This led to a lot of redundant leading back-and-forth communication that introduced delays.
Risk Profiling: Vendor responses had to be manually entered into the legacy systems. Using the STRIDE and DREAD metrics, they created risk profiles for each vendor:
1. STRIDE: This threat modeling framework categorizes potential threats into six types: Spoofing, Tampering, Repudiation, Information Disclosure, Denial of Service, and Elevation of Privilege.
2. DREAD: This risk assessment model evaluates threats based on five criteria: Damage potential, Reproducibility, Exploitability, Affected users, and Discoverability. Vendors were rated on a scale of 1 to 10 based on these metrics.
Cumbersome Reporting: The team then analyzed the data and generated detailed vendor risk reports manually, which was a time-consuming and error-prone process.

Challenge 2: Internal IT Risk Management

The team performed annual assessments of internal IT applications, evaluating them based on a set of cybersecurity and risk controls. These assessments were conducted both at the individual application level and across the entire enterprise. For each internal application, the team assessed and rated its risk and control measures manually. They then aggregated these evaluations to assess the overall risk and control environment of the enterprise, using approximately 60 different criteria. After completing the assessments, the team manually generated comprehensive reports.

Difficult Data Management: The legacy system’s inefficient data export functionalities and non-user-friendly interface made data management cumbersome. This hindered the team’s ability to generate and analyze reports effectively, consuming valuable time and resources.
Lack of Trending Analysis: Using the legacy system, the team could not compare control and risk ratings over time. This lack of trending analysis made it difficult to gain insights into risk management improvements or emerging threats.

Solution

The cancer research center implemented IBM OpenPages, facilitated by iTech GRC, an IBM OpenPages certified partner. This comprehensive solution addressed their challenges by providing an integrated and automated risk management platform.

Streamlined Third Party Risk Management

Automated Questionnaire Distribution and Follow-ups: IBM OpenPages automates the process of generating and distributing questionnaires to vendors. Initially, requests are generated within the system, and surveys are sent out automatically. Vendors then submit their responses directly into the system where required validations are enforced and requisite notifications are sent upon successful submission. This process eliminates the need for manual follow-ups, significantly reducing the time and effort involved.
Integrated Risk Profiles: Once the responses are collected, IBM OpenPages consolidates the vendor risk profiles, enabling comprehensive and unified reporting. This integration provides a holistic view of vendor risks across the organization, facilitating better decision-making and risk management.
Automated Reporting: The collected data is then used to automate the generation of detailed risk reports. This automation saves considerable time and effort, ensuring accurate and timely reporting. Audit reports can be generated for end users, managers, or their compliance committee and each can include as much detail or data richness as required by the audience.

Improved Internal IT Risk Management

Snapshot and Trending Analysis: IBM OpenPages offers snapshot capabilities, allowing the center to capture and compare control and risk ratings over time. During annual assessments, snapshots are taken to enable year-over-year trending analysis. This process provides insights into risk management improvements or emerging threats. For example, they can now take snapshots of GDPR control ratings and compare them annually to identify trends.
Enhanced Data Management: IBM OpenPages enhances data management and usability with its user-friendly interface and efficient data export functionalities. As assessments are completed, the team can easily generate and analyze reports, freeing up their time for more strategic tasks. This improvement streamlines data handling, making the process more effective and less time-consuming.

Business Outcome

The implementation of IBM OpenPages resulted in significant improvements for the cancer research center:

1. Unified Risk Management: By integrating the functionalities of the two legacy systems into a single platform, the center successfully retired the separate systems. This eliminated data silos, improved operational efficiency and saved money
2. Improved Workflow Efficiency: Real-time notifications for vendor responses and streamlined workflows automate questionnaire distribution. This reduced the manual workload and improved the accuracy of data entry.
3. Advanced Analytics: The snapshot and trending analysis capabilities provides valuable insights into risk management over time. The center now tracks changes in risk profiles and makes informed decisions based on historical data.
4. User-Friendly Interface: The enhanced UI and data export features of IBM OpenPages has improved the overall user experience. This makes it easier for the team to navigate the system and manage data effectively.

Execute comprehensive, broad-scale risk assessments and take effective steps to reduce exposure

Client Profile

The client develops advanced technologies for transporting individuals and goods. They are a trustworthy partner, serving as an international supplier in the automotive industry, manufacturing tires and providing industrial solutions. They focus on delivering sustainable, safe, comfortable, personalized, and cost-effective transportation options. The corporation established a strong presence with sales amounting to €40.5 billion in 2016. The client has a workforce of over 220,000 individuals across 56 countries.

Project Overview

Being one of the foremost suppliers in the automotive industry, the client acknowledges that the journey toward success is fraught with obstacles and challenges. To ensure that their business overcomes these hurdles and reaches its goals, the company aimed to leverage IBM OpenPages to gain better comprehension and control over various risks associated with finance, compliance, product quality, and more. By identifying potential areas of vulnerability across all their global subsidiaries and developing practical strategies to minimize the threats, the client sought to steer clear of any potential business risks.

Challenges

To mitigate business risk, large corporations are confronted with a wide range of challenges, from currency fluctuations to product recalls and natural disasters. To address this, the client is determined to understand risk exposure across its subsidiaries worldwide and implement effective measures to mitigate these threats.

Inconsistency in reporting: The client faced challenges in reporting consistency and coordination. Their subsidiaries offer extensive products, including tires and automotive components designed for various types of vehicles. The complexity of their product range results in specific departments reporting to different business units, leading to reporting consistencies.

Legacy systems: The client previously relied on different legacy systems and processes to evaluate global risk exposure. Each reporting unit assessed its risks and reported them to a central controlling function biannually. During this evaluation, they identified multiple areas for improvement, particularly regarding efficiency and standardization.

Tools consolidation: Additionally, the client aimed to consolidate their existing tools into a unified solution. Building upon this, their ultimate objective was to enhance their risk management culture by implementing a new solution.

Solution

After carefully evaluating solutions from multiple vendors, the client implemented IBM OpenPages Governance, Risk, and Compliance software. To ensure that essential factors are considered, the client established mandatory risks that all departments must consider and include in their assessments. The controllers perform tests to validate the accuracy of the self-assessments, and if they discover any underestimation of risks, they adjust the scores accordingly.

Pre-rollout feedback: Before the full rollout, the client conducted a pilot phase, during which end-user feedback was gathered and incorporated into the final application.

Customization for special reports: The solution was customized as needed, allowing for generating specialized reports. Furthermore, the client was upgraded to the latest software release before going live.

Dedicated hotline: As the project approached completion, the client conducted training sessions for their global user base on the new solution with the support of IBM. Following the go-live phase, a dedicated hotline was established to capture reports about OpenPages through the client’s general IT ticketing system. This proactive approach helped in promptly resolving any issues that arose.

Standardization in reporting: OpenPages provides a comprehensive risk library that assists users in categorizing risks and submitting reports in a standardized manner, with separate sections for quantitative and qualitative risks. The company continues to rely on bottom-up risk assessments as in the past. Initially, consolidation units such as plants and locations create risk assessments within OpenPages, which are reviewed and approved by a local risk officer.

Five layers of organizational approvals: The assessments from the consolidation units are subsequently sent to the relevant business units, which review and approve the inputs provided by the consolidation units while conducting their risk assessments. This process continues up to five layers of the organizational chart, with each layer given two weeks to complete their tasks.

Finally, the assessments are forwarded to the central controlling function, where the data is compiled and verified. Utilizing the integrated IBM Cognos reporting, the business generates a final report on global risk exposure for senior management. Within a year of deployment, the client successfully developed sufficient internal resources to manage the application independently.

Business Outcome

Opting for a comprehensive solution such as OpenPages proved to be instrumental for the client in effectively managing a wide range of risks encompassing operational, financial, compliance, legal, and quality-related aspects.

The adoption of OpenPages has yielded several significant benefits, including:

Lesser risk factors: A reduction of approximately 60 percent in the number of risk factors that teams are required to report on.

Reduction in irrelevant risk factors: Streamlined risk factor filtering, resulting in a 75 percent decrease in irrelevant risk factors and enabling quicker completion of reviews.

Process consolidation: Consolidating six distinct risk management processes and four different systems into a unified platform enhanced overall efficiency in risk management operations.

How to Hire Data Storage Solutions Professionals

For a majority of companies, data represents an extremely valuable asset and as such, it needs to be protected and stored in an efficient, safe manner which is challenging. Store it improperly and you could risk data corruption, data theft or other damage that adversely impacts its integrity. If you cannot trust data integrity, you may find yourself in a situation where your data is essentially useless. This underscores the importance of hiring an experienced data storage solutions professional as part of your company’s overarching data management strategy.

What Does a Data Storage Solutions Professional Do, Exactly?

A data storage solutions expert specializes in the many options and processes surrounding the storage of data and its many forms. Therefore, as you are interviewing data storage solutions professionals, you should enquire about the following topics to gauge their expertise in these areas.

The ideal candidate will have a fair amount of experience and expertise handling the following aspects of data management.

Data migration – In many cases, a data management project involves data migration — the movement of data stores from one platform to another. A data storage solutions professional can develop and oversee a data migration plan once you’ve selected a new storage platform. This is critical for maintaining data integrity, while simultaneously ensuring that all data is transferred, without omissions or duplications.
Data transfer and syncing – Data is frequently transferred from one platform to another and syncing protocols must be well-established to ensure that information is current across all platforms. A data storage specialist can work to establish transfer and syncing protocols, in addition to verifying that the existing protocols represent the best-possible configuration.
Data backup and recovery – Data backup and recovery is a key component of data storage. You need to ensure that your data is protected and available in the event that a full or partial restoration is required at a local level. Your data storage expert can help configure backups, ensuring that information is exported to a backup and recovery platform at an appropriate frequency. In addition, they can help to establish data recovery protocol so your company can be confident knowing that their most mission-critical data is available, even in the event that something catastrophic occurs.
Data security – The average data storage solutions professional does not specialize in cybersecurity, but most have a solid footing when it comes to data security and what it takes to establish a secure storage environment. They can also advise on what it takes to ensure that data is secure when it’s at its most vulnerable — during the data transfer process.
Encryption – Your data storage expert will work to identify and implement the best type of encryption to protect your data while it is moving between platforms and at rest in the database.
Data accessibility and user permissions – Data access must be carefully managed with users accessing only what’s necessary in order to complete the task at hand. As such, a data management expert can help configure user roles and user permissions that align with this standard.
Data analytics and reporting tools – Chances are good that you will want to use your data in real-time analytics or in conjunction with reporting tools. Your data storage solutions expert can help to establish integrations as they connect your data stores to relevant platforms, while simultaneously maintaining data integrity and security.

Your data storage expert will also work to identify the best data storage solution for your business and its operations. There are many different data storage configurations to consider and there is no one-size-fits-all option. For example, some companies may be well-served by a traditional on-premise disc-based database, which features robust security and the ability for complete control and customization. On the other hand, an on-premise database can be cost-prohibitive for some since you really need a data center to accommodate your equipment. What’s more, scalability can be a problem for on-premise configurations.

A data storage expert can also consult on the possibility of migrating your data to a cloud-based database. Cloud databases are very secure and highly scalable thanks to the manner in which resources are allocated on an as-needed basis. Additionally, the pay-as-you-go billing makes these platforms very affordable for most companies. Whatever option you opt to pursue, the right professional can help you to make the most of your chosen data storage solution.

Considerations When Hiring a Data Storage Professional

Data storage takes many forms and there are many complexities that will require the help of an expert. As you consider the data storage professional candidates, don’t be afraid to ask questions such as the following.

Have you worked with companies in my industry before? – Each industry or business sector has unique needs and concerns when it comes to data storage and management. Ideally, your top pick will have experience working with organizations that are similar to your own.
What is your process? – The best data storage professionals will have a well-defined process for identifying the ideal storage configuration, migrating your data to that platform and then consulting on related data management issues. Not only should you know what to expect if you choose to engage a specific candidate, but it’s also helpful to understand their overarching approach and strategy. Bottom line: you need to be confident in their process and ensure that they align well with your own in-house processes because some degree of collaboration will be required.
What sets you apart from other candidates? – This question is one that ought to be asked of every candidate, regardless of the position that you’re hiring for. What do they feel makes them stand out from the crowd? The answer to this question will give you a feel for their strengths and even their weaknesses.

Finding the right data storage solutions professionals can be a challenge, especially if you lack lots of insight into the field of data management. Then there’s also the matter of hiring amidst a hyper-competitive job market — a task that is very challenging on a good day. But that is where RiseIT™ can help. Our staffing experts pair the best and brightest tech talent — including data storage and data management experts — with companies in a variety of business sectors and industries. Contact the team at RiseIT™ today and let our IT talent acquisition team find the top data storage experts for your company.

What are the 5 Most Common Data Storage Challenges for Businesses?

When one considers business assets, most think of physical objects such as real estate, equipment, vehicles, and machinery. But for many companies, data is their most valuable asset. Just take a moment to think about the critical role of data as it relates to business operations. An e-commerce platform’s operations would grind to a halt if they were suddenly unable to access their data related to customers, orders, inventory, and shipments.

For a large majority of companies, data dwells within the core of their business. Storing that data and maintaining its integrity in a safe and effective manner can be a tremendous challenge. In fact, there is no shortage of data storage challenges for businesses in all industries and sectors. But a bit of awareness can go a long way, with business leaders learning how to empower their tech professionals with the tools and resources they need to overcome data storage challenges.

Data Storage Challenge #1: Data Security

Data security is a very real concern for businesses both large and small. Cybercriminals, dishonest IT vendors and even bad actors within an organization have a solid understanding of how extremely valuable certain data sets can be. Client and customer data can be captured and sold without consent. Data related to business operations and even trade secrets holds a great deal of value to a competitor. Data may even be held “hostage” if a company’s data stores are hit by a cybercriminal with ransomware capabilities.

Unauthorized data access. Compromised cybersecurity measures. Data theft with a ransom demand. There is no shortage of threats facing a company’s data, but an organization can guard against many of these dangers with a well-architected data storage infrastructure, combined with the latest data security best practices.

Periodic reviews are the key to overcoming this data storage challenge. The cybersecurity landscape is constantly evolving and changing, therefore your security measures must evolve in pace.

Data Storage Challenge #2: Data Accessibility

Data accessibility is a very real and fairly common data storage challenge for businesses that rely upon this information to keep the wheels turning. Operation-critical data must be accessible at all times, even during a power outage, disaster or other adverse event. For this reason, companies should ensure that mission-critical backups are both available and accessible when the need arises.

Data accessibility is also a consideration from a security standpoint, particularly when it comes to third-party risk management. It is considered best practice to provide the minimum amount of access to the smallest number of people in order to protect data stores. Actually implementing this best practice can be challenging — especially at a large scale. A data systems expert can develop a very effective protocol that determines who can access a company’s data and precisely what type of data they can access.

Data Storage Challenge #3: Data Integrity

Data integrity is one of the most important considerations in the data management landscape. At the end of the day, if you cannot trust a data set and its integrity, that information becomes useless.

Data integrity can be impacted in many ways as it is transferred to and maintained in storage. For instance, data transfers and syncs may have an adverse impact on integrity. Partial and incomplete transfers. Duplicate data sets. Failed syncs and backups. There is no shortage of mishaps that can occur as data is moved into storage.

Data may be corrupted spontaneously and there is little that can be done to prevent this. But data corruptions can also occur as the direct result of an event too. Therefore, it is prudent to identify corruption threats and take action to minimize those risk factors.

Maintaining data integrity is essential. Take time to understand the threats to data integrity and develop a strategy to address those risk factors before your data stores are adversely impacted.

Data Storage Challenge #4: Scalability in Data Storage

As a company and its operations grow, so do their data storage needs. Data storage scalability is a very real concern for many businesses and many fail to really appreciate the problem until they hit a wall. One day, an alert pops on screen to indicate that storage is full. As a result, data transfers, syncs and backups will be paused until data is deleted or additional storage space is added.

For those with on-premise data storage infrastructure, scaling can be challenging because it requires the purchase and installation of new hardware, among other resources. This approach also tends to be quite inefficient since you must purchase and maintain storage space that far exceeds your current needs. This prompts many to opt for cloud data storage.

The cloud represents one of the most scalable data storage solutions. Cloud data storage is extremely scalable since resources are typically allocated on an as-needed basis. The cloud allows for rapid up-scaling or down-scaling, often on an automatic basis without the need for human intervention. Many companies are opting for cloud data storage thanks to its cost-effectiveness. Cloud services are typically billed on a pay-as-you-go or monthly subscription-type of basis and customers pay for only the resources they utilize — nothing more and nothing less. This is a far cry from alternatives such as on-premise data storage, whereby you must maintain sufficient storage space to accommodate future needs.

Data Storage Challenge #5: Industry-Specific and Regulatory Factors

There are numerous rules and regulations that affect data storage and data management in general. Some are industry specific, while others are more universal, but all of these regulations share one thing in common: they can represent a big data storage challenge.

The medical and healthcare space is one of the most heavily regulated in terms of data storage, data access, data collection, and data management. For example, HIPAA has strict guidelines surrounding how data is stored, who can view that data, and the circumstances for data access.

The EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) offers another example of a regulation impacting data storage. For instance, an organization’s data storage system must be auditable in order to prove compliance with a data deletion request stemming from “the right to be forgotten.”

By understanding the most common data storage challenges for businesses, company leaders will be better positioned to adopt a proactive stance. But success requires the right tech talent — resources with the skills and knowledge to evaluate your existing data storage situation and effect change when the need arises. That is where RiseIT™ can help. Our staffing experts pair the best and brightest tech talent with companies in a variety of business sectors and industries. Contact RiseIT™ today and let our talent acquisition team find the best data management experts for your business.

How to Hire Top Cloud ERP Engineers?

Cloud enterprise resource planning (ERP) platforms have achieved tremendous favor over on-premises ERP solutions in recent years thanks to exceptional cost-effectiveness, security, scalability, and sheer computing power. But the sophistication and complexities of a cloud-based ERP platform demand a specialist and finding top engineers is a task that is much easier said than done.

Cloud platforms account for some of the most rapidly-emerging technologies on the planet. Now consider that an enterprise resource platform serves as a company’s central hub of operations, while also integrating with CRMs, proprietary mobile apps, and indispensable third-party software platforms. What you have is a complex, mission-critical platform that quite literally runs your business. You can’t trust that technology to just anyone. You need the best of the best cloud ERP engineers, with experience in your industry and your technologies. One of the best ways to find these highly experienced professionals is to work with an IT consulting company with expertise in hiring top erp professionals.

Not all ERP engineers are created equal, of course. And some enterprise resource planning engineers have yet to delve into the realm of cloud ERP systems. Cloud-based platforms are becoming the gold standard for ERP platforms, CRMs, and other enterprise software. Cloud interfaces now lead the pack thanks to their exceptional scalability, lightning-fast computing speed, and world-class security measures.

Whether your business needs help maintaining an existing cloud-based enterprise resource planning platform or you’re seeking to develop a new custom cloud-based ERP platform from the ground up, one thing is certain: only a top cloud ERP engineer will suffice.

What Does a Cloud ERP Engineer Do Exactly?

To hire the best cloud ERP engineers for your business, you’ll need to have a firm understanding of precisely what they do and how this specialty differs from that of other enterprise resource planning specialists.

Enterprise resource planning engineers are experts in the development, configuration, and maintenance of mission-critical business software platforms from Oracle, SAP, Microsoft Dynamics 365, and custom-built systems.

In addition to the actual ERP systems, many companies also require integrations with CRM software and third-party platforms. Therefore, ERP integrations are another area where your engineer will need to have extensive experience.

Cloud ERP engineers focus on the newest cloud-based platforms, which are rapidly gaining favor over on-premises ERP systems thanks to a number of factors including:

Cost – Cloud-based ERP systems are typically billed by actual usage, so a company pays for only the resources they utilize. Compare to on-premises solutions, where a customer leases a block of server resources. There is no adjustment if the company uses just a small portion of those resources.
Scalability – Cloud platforms offer unlimited resources, allowing for growth or contraction as the need arises (and often, without any sort of action or intervention on part of the company’s tech team.) Meanwhile, those who use on-premises servers would need to adjust their lease and even add servers if the company has its own data center.
Security – The cloud has emerged as some of the most secure technology on the planet, largely out of necessity. Since it’s all accessible via an internet connection, this vulnerability had to be addressed right out of the starting gate. This has led to the development of sophisticated and unparalleled security measures.
Real-time performance – Cloud ERP platforms are highly-favored for their ability to compute data and deliver analytics in real-time. All that’s needed is an internet connection. This aligns perfectly with today’s rapid-paced business world.Cloud ERP benefits aside, the sheer size and complexity of these enterprise platforms demand a specialist — especially when you consider that a company’s operations may grind to a screeching halt if a major issue arises. It would be considered bad business to trust such an essential software platform to anything but the best. This underscores the importance of finding the top cloud ERP engineers for your company.

Questions to Ask When Hiring Top Cloud ERP Engineers

How do you know if you’ve found the best cloud-based ERP expert for your company and its needs? Here are a few questions to ask as you evaluate candidates or work with an IT staffing firm to find the ideal candidates.

What industries have you served? – Each industry has its own unique processes, requirements, and challenges. This, in turn, has a dramatic effect on the development and maintenance of an ERP platform, regardless of whether it’s on-premises or in the cloud. The best ERP engineer for your needs is apt to be someone who has experience working in your business sector.
What are your specialties? – Obviously, you want an ERP engineer who specializes in cloud-based systems. But it doesn’t end there. Perhaps you also utilize SalesForce’s CRM and need this to integrate with your new ERP platform. In that case, you’ll want an engineer who is a SalesForce integration specialist. Remember to ask about parallel specialties that may benefit your company.
What size companies have you worked with? Most think of massive enterprises and Fortune 500 companies when they hear the term “ERP,” but the reality is very different. An increasing number of smaller and mid-sized companies are turning to cloud-based ERP platforms thanks to the affordability, scalability, and lower entry bar. The needs of a massive enterprise are vastly different from those of a smaller 2,000-employee venture, so you’ll want to be sure that your engineer has experience and familiarity working with businesses of comparable size.
Where are you located? – Would the engineer(s) be working on-site or remotely? Today’s cloud-based ERP platforms can be developed, configured, and maintained from anywhere on the planet since all you need is an internet connection. That said, there are some circumstances where it’s preferable for the engineer to work on-site for a period of time. For example, it might be more efficient for an engineer to visit a company’s headquarters so they can see the venture’s operations and workflows in person. This isn’t always necessary, of course, but if it would be beneficial for your business then the engineer’s location and willingness to travel will be a factor to consider.For many, an IT staffing firm represents the best option for finding the best cloud ERP engineers for their unique needs. The hiring process in general holds the potential to be time-consuming and inefficient, especially when dealing with a technical specialty. An IT staffing firm has the experience and technical knowledge required to identify the best candidates for the job.At RiseIT™, software consulting and IT staffing are amongst our specialties. Our experienced consultants have experience working with clients in a broad range of business sectors and industries, so we are well-positioned to find the perfect cloud ERP experts for your requirements. Contact us to get started with the process of hiring top cloud ERP engineers for your company’s unique operations, budget and objectives.

What are the Benefits of Outsourcing IT Services for Law Firms?

Legal process outsourcing is commonplace among law firms, but an increasing number of attorneys are now turning to IT outsourcing as well. This shift has largely been prompted by the COVID-19 pandemic — events that led to an increase in remote work and the usage of technology to get the job done.

Law firms face some unique challenges and also enjoy significant benefits as they outsource IT services.

Benefit #1 – Privacy and Confidentiality

Legal professionals confront stringent requirements surrounding confidentiality and privacy. Elevated security measures are a consideration too, both for the actual law offices and the IT infrastructure that’s utilized by the legal team and support staff.

By outsourcing IT needs to an off-site team, law firms enjoy a degree of separation between the IT professional(s) and the work that’s occurring on-site at the legal offices. This creates a scenario where the IT professionals are not accidentally exposed to sensitive information.

Beyond this, an experienced IT expert will be well-positioned to implement measures that will maximize privacy and confidentiality. This can take many forms like geofencing, encryption, multi-factor authentication, and customized permissions to prevent a user from accessing more information than is necessary to complete their job.

Confidentiality and privacy concerns must also be addressed as law firms implement new technologies such as video conferencing and cloud-based data storage. You’re much more likely to get an optimal result when outsourcing a law firm’s IT services to a team that’s experienced with the unique privacy needs of legal professionals.

Benefit #2 – Security and Legal Data

Law firms have some unique security requirements when it comes to their data, but a run-of-the-mill “IT guy” may lack the knowledge and expertise that’s required to protect sensitive legal information. The wrong type of encryption or the wrong data storage configuration can have disastrous effects.

Just think of how much damage could arise if privileged information fell into the wrong hands. The impact could be even greater if privileged information for a high-profile case is made public thanks to the work of a hacker. This kind of event could harm an individual’s ability to get a fair trial or even spur a national social justice movement.

The importance of securing legal data cannot be underestimated. By outsourcing data-related IT tasks to an experienced professional, law firms can be confident that their data is safe, secure, and appropriately encrypted in a cloud-based data storage platform.

A data specialist can also help establish data handling processes that align with the legal firm’s operational needs, without compromising security. This way, the law professionals can make the most of their data and documents, while simultaneously minimizing security risks.

Benefit #3 – Greater Adaptability With New Technology

Technology allows for improved adaptability. In turn, this translates into greater productivity, more profitability, and a better experience for a law firm’s employees and clients.

For example, the past couple of years have seen a rapid evolution in how law firms interact with clients, courts, witnesses, and individuals who are sought out for depositions and other legal processes. The COVID-19 pandemic essentially forced the legal field to overcome its reluctance in shifting from in-person conversations to virtual video conferencing and other technological solutions.

With in-person interactions just not possible in many cases, law offices were prompted to seek out secure, compliant communication solutions. For some legal firms, these changes have been mission-critical to allow for participation in client discussions, court proceedings, and other legal proceedings. Yet many lacked the on-staff expertise needed to implement suitable IT solutions. Enter outsourced IT services — a practical and cost-effective option for adding new technological capabilities like secure video conferencing, secure document sharing, virtual collaboration, and so on.

This also applies to the new technology that we’re seeing in courtrooms across the United States and beyond. Increasingly, attorneys are leveraging technology to enhance their work in the courtroom, from sophisticated animations and graphics to AI and machine learning-powered modeling and so forth.

Technology is being used in some new and innovative ways to convey information to judges and juries. But law firms require help from professionals to create and then present that technology. Outsourcing these tasks is ideal since most law firms aren’t large enough to support the hire of full-time IT experts in an array of specialties. At the end of the day, the law firm is empowered to make use of today’s most eye-catching and compelling technologies to augment their presentations in the courtroom and beyond.

Benefit #4 – Expanded IT Capabilities as Needs Arise

Many legal firms simply aren’t large enough to support a full-time IT professional. It’s common for a law firm to have hybrid positions. Think of the “web-developer-and-IT guy.” In these cases, you’re limited by the knowledge and skills of one individual who is often a “Jack of all trades, master of none.” This can make it difficult to maintain — much less expand — IT capabilities.

The ability to expand and improve their technology in an expedient, cost-effective way is a huge benefit that can be obtained through outsourcing IT services for law firms. Outsourced IT solutions are ideal since the services can be provided on a short-term, as-needed basis. The outsourced tech team can come in, architect a solution, implement the solution, and then provide support and training. Once the project is finished, they move on to the next client. The law firm enjoys its new technology, without the long-term cost and commitment of a permanent hire.

Additionally, many IT staffing service providers offer the added flexibility of semi-permanent IT staffing solutions in the event a law firm finds it needs help on a more regular or long-term basis. This on-demand IT staffing is ideal for businesses such as law offices because it allows for adjustments in response to fluctuations in client/case volume.

At RiseIT™, we are well-versed on the needs of law firms and their IT outsourcing needs. We invite you to reach out to learn more about how our outsourced IT services can benefit your law offices.

Do On-Site IT Services Still Make Sense? – Pros and Cons

For generations, business leaders have relied upon on-site service providers for virtually all of their outsourced needs. This was true of both IT solutions and a broad range of other services too.

Today’s technology has opened many doors in regards to the future of IT services, allowing for remote and virtual solutions that weren’t possible even just three or five years ago. Yet many companies and organizations still turn to on-site IT solutions as their default, largely because that’s how things have always been done. This is explained by the fact that humans are naturally reluctant to change, especially when money is on the line.

Each company and each project is unique and there is no one-size-fits-all solution. But for many — even most — circumstances, on-site IT services just don’t make sense in terms of profitability and practicality. Today’s virtual IT solutions can bring a greater convenience and higher ROI in a majority of cases.

The Cost of On-Site IT Services

Generally, on-site IT services come at a greater cost than what you can expect to see with remote IT solutions. The reason: it comes down to proximity and travel time. The time and expense of travel must be factored into the service provider’s rate, yet this is “dead time” when no actual work is performed. As a whole, on-site services are not very cost-effective.

A remote IT contractor can assist many more clients in a virtual work environment since there is no time spent commuting or traveling from client to client. This means that more of the IT specialist’s workday is spent on client projects. Subsequently, the contractor can charge a lower per-hour rate. That’s good news for the client!

The Timing of On-Site IT Services

On-site IT solutions lack the instant attention that your company would enjoy if you were to opt for remote IT services. In the case of on-site IT service providers, there may be a wait time between when the need arises and when the specialist arrives on-site. The amount of time could be hours or even days, depending on your exact need and the location of the IT specialist relative to your business location. In a fast-paced business world, a wait of even just a few hours can have a dramatically negative impact on a company’s operations.

On the other hand, remote IT services have a major advantage over on-site solutions when it comes to timing and immediacy. Many firms specializing in outsourced IT services can offer remote solutions in minutes.

Additionally, remote IT service providers are typically better equipped to respond after normal business hours. It is not uncommon for these companies to have staff standing by 24-7, available to help any time of day or night.

In the world of virtual IT solutions, location matters little. This means that the IT specialist can be located anywhere on the planet and the client can avoid after-hour surcharges if the specialist is in a location where they’re working during normal business hours. Conversely, on-site service providers are necessarily in the same region as the client, resulting in higher per-hour rates for work outside of the typical 9-to-5.

Security, Privacy and On-Site IT Services

On-site IT services can pose some problems for companies that must maintain stringent security measures or face intensive privacy requirements. Think government contractors, law firms or companies with trade secrets. Tremendous damage can arise from the disclosure of trade secrets or other private/sensitive information. Just one public reveal; one trade secret sold to a competitor — that’s all it takes to leave a business in ruins.

Even with white noise machines posted outside every office door threshold, there is potential that an on-site IT contractor could overhear sensitive information. This is an inherent and largely unavoidable risk associated with on-site service providers.

By limiting on-site personnel and opting for remote IT services instead, companies can reduce their risk and liability. In fact, this is true for more than just security- and privacy-related issues — an added bonus to be certain.

The Collaborative Capabilities of On-Site vs Virtual IT Solutions

Collaboration concerns are common amongst those who are considering virtual IT services for the first time. One may think, “If the IT expert is located in another location, it’ll be difficult to interact with them — more difficult than working with someone who’s on-site.”

But with today’s technology, there are few boundaries when it comes to collaboration and interaction. A remote IT service provider can connect to and control a user’s device with ease. All you need is an internet connection and access to a platform that facilitates a connection to your devices and/or systems. The technician or developer can discuss the project over the phone or via an app, all while making real-time modifications to software, databases, network configurations, and beyond.

With remote IT solutions being so easy and convenient, there’s really no need to opt for on-site services for most projects.

The Quality of On-Site IT Services vs. Virtual Tech Solutions

When a company turns to on-site IT solutions, they are limited to a workforce that’s located in the immediate vicinity. If the business is situated in or adjacent to a major city, it may enjoy a diverse, high-quality pool of IT specialists. But outside of a tech hub, it can be slim pickings. This may pose a challenge, especially if you need an expert in a precise technology or a very unique niche.

If the company needs to hire an on-site IT specialist from another region, they will need to pay for travel expenses either directly or indirectly as part of the contractor’s fee. Most would agree that these funds could be better spent elsewhere.

When considering remote IT solutions, quality of service and breadth of expertise are two major advantages over on-site services. An IT firm that offers virtual tech services can employ the best of the best in any or every IT specialty. Location matters naught for remote IT service providers so there are no limitations on whom they add to their talent pool. The end result is world-class service in the exact technology that your business needs to succeed.

At RiseIT™, we specialize in IT outsourcing for small businesses. Contact us today to find out how our small business IT services can give your company a competitive edge.