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On October 6th, the United States Government announced that it would lift economic sanctions on Sudan and the Government of Sudan.

These economic sanctions were revoked due to Sudan’s ongoing positive actions and a dramatic decline in hostilities in the country’s main conflict areas. Sudan had also succeeded in bolstering its humanitarian efforts and cooperating with the U.S. to address terrorist threats within the country. This, in turn, has created an environment in which US Cybersecurity technology and companies can do business in Sudan.

The revocation goes into effect on October 12, 2017, and is the result of 16 months of diplomatic efforts between the U.S. and Sudan. Now that the sanctions have been lifted, though, many people have questions about what the future business relations will look like between the U.S. and Sudan, and how it will affect both Sudan’s managed IT services, and cybersecurity in the country.

Why the U.S. Lifted Economic Sanctions

The primary reason the U.S. lifted sanctions on Sudan is Sudan’s effort to cooperate with the United States, put an end to the domestic conflict and improve humanitarian access and cybersecurity throughout the country. Namely, the Sudanese government has committed to unilateral cease-fires in high-conflict areas where rebel armies and the Sudanese Government’s army have been engaged in fighting. These cease-fires provided additional security for civilians and allowed humanitarian aid to reach the area.

Thanks to these efforts, Sudan is enjoying a period of increased stability within the country. They’ve also encouraged the United States Government that it is wise to put forth an effort to improve relationships with Sudan and to invest the USA’s IT technology tools in the country’s wellbeing.

Aside from Sudan’s noticeable efforts, the revocation of long-standing economic sanctions is also part of a political play by the Trump administration. As North Korea gets more aggressive in its production and testing of nuclear weapons, the Trump Administration is seeking to enlist countries to isolate North Korea diplomatically. According to The Washington Post, this stipulation is “an absolute, vital part of the relationship” between the U.S. and Sudan. As a part of the agreement to end sanctions, Sudan has promised the United States that it will not purchase weapons from Pyongyang, even though it has in the past.

While the revocation of the economic sanctions is permanent (pending regression on the part of Sudan), other sanctions, including those affecting individuals charged with atrocities during Darfur’s conflict, will remain in place. What’s more, the U.S. has decided not to remove Sudan from the list of countries known to be state sponsors of terrorism, despite the fact that Sudan’s government has long since petitioned for removal from said list and has worked on its cybersecurity.

What Happens Next?

Today, residents of Sudan are cautiously optimistic about the U.S.’s decision to lift economic sanctions and what that means for the potential for managed IT services in the country. Before now, the sanctions have limited everything from the international transfer of money to technology exchanges across international lines. These have been particularly damaging, as IT infrastructure has deteriorated throughout the country. Over the past 20 years, the Sudanese network and IT system have all but come to a grinding halt, which has severely limited the capacity for internal commerce. The sanctions have also halted a large majority of Sudan’s potential growth and limited Sudanese factories from creating jobs and developing products.

With this in mind, it stands to reason that the revoked sanctions could create a new economy for the people of Sudan. Today, both U.S. and Sudanese leaders are regarding the move as a critical foundation upon which both governments can continue to build relations and move forward. In coming months, the governments will seek a reentry of international financial institutions and will work toward Sudan’s re-entry into the global business network.

Since the sanctions were imposed in 1997, thousands of factories throughout Sudan have closed down or stopped creating goods. This is due, in large part, to the fact that importing machine parts has been virtually impossible since overseas funds transfers have been tightly restricted. In the wake of the sanctions, inflation in the country has also peaked at a massive 35 percent, which has made it difficult for most families to do simple things, like put food on the table.

Luckily, the revocation of the Sanctions is likely to have a positive effect on Sudan’s economy and cybersecurity. By allowing the country access to new technology and welcoming it to the world of international banking, the U.S. will gain a business partner capable of managing both its imports and exports.

Currently, Sudan exports about $3.7 billion of goods annually. These goods include oil, gold and agricultural products that go mainly to China and the Gulf. While the sanctions had formerly hobbled Sudan’s economy, 2011’s civil war in the area was also detrimental to the country’s output. The reversed sanctions will increase Sudan’s export capacity while also creating an immediate boost to Sudan’s exchange rate and improving the quality of life for residents.

The Future of Sudan and The U.S. in Business

While the revocation of economic sanctions is promising for the business relationship between Sudan and the U.S., managed IT services, economic growth won’t explode on its own. Instead, powers like The International Monetary Fund are calling for “bold and broad-based reforms” designed to bolster economic growth in that country. In addition to stabilizing Sudan, these reforms will also allow it to become an active business partner for the U.S., improve and expand its IT infrastructure and become a visible part of the global tech economy.

Working with an MSP is often the best solution for creating and maintaining a successful IT system that provides the support a small or medium-sized business needs to compete in today’s sales marketplace.

Managed services can offer 24-hour IT support, cyber security and backup services seven days a week. That’s vitally important, considering businesses rely on access to their data to successfully operate.

If you’re looking for a way to improve your backup and disaster recovery system and disaster recovery solutions, please go to  our MSPs page to learn more about how to protect your business. Our managed IT, backup disaster recovery and cloud services are designed to help your business improve its endpoint protection, enhance its management capabilities and adapt to the challenges of an ever-more-complex online world.

The post The U.S. Lifts Sanctions on Sudan: What Effect Will It Have on U.S. Business Relations With The Country? appeared first on ABD Technology Inc.

Fortunately, other countries are leading the way in IT security investment. One of those countries is Malaysia.

Here’s what they’re doing right.

Malaysia Invests in IT and Cyber Security Companies

Malaysia’s focus on IT investment began in early 2017 when the WannaCry cyber attack swept the globe. A particularly vicious form of malicious software, this ransomware locked a computer’s files and encrypted them so the owner could no longer access them. To regain access, owners were forced to submit payments in Bitcoin to the ransomware designers. Unfortunately, there was no guarantee that payment would release the files, and many file owners never saw their material again.

Malaysia was also recently affected by a cyber attack that targeted online stock trading and a handful of local brokerages. The attack disrupted online trading platforms and caused a wide financial upset in the country.

In the wake of those two prominent attacks, Malaysia has re-invested in cybersecurity by throwing its support behind companies accredited to conduct cybersecurity testing. According to Free Malaysia Today, there are currently about 45 companies accredited to provide the testing, and the goal is to onboard about 10 more by the end of 2017.

Malaysia has also promoted cybersecurity in the country through things like the Malaysian Internet Governance Forum, which is a national-level forum designed to address public policy issues directly related to internet governance. The forum also seeks to support Malaysian companies and technical professionals in their attempts to find solutions to common cybersecurity issues and create a safer and more comprehensive technological environment for Malaysia as a whole.

Today, many small- and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) in Malaysia are ill-prepared when it comes to cybersecurity, due to the growing sophistication of cyber threats and lack of in-house expertise. The chart below shows the rated effectiveness of the surveyed organizations’ ability to mitigate risks, vulnerabilities and attacks against their businesses in the USA.

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Source: Ponemon Institute “State of Cybersecurity in Small & Medium-Sized Businesses (SMB)” June 2016
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The Future of Cybersecurity Around the Globe

As Malaysia is proving, investing in cybersecurity is an essential move for companies around the globe. As IT threats continue to grow and become more sophisticated, investment in backup and disaster recovery solutions is becoming increasingly more intelligent.

Working with an MSP is often the best solution for creating and maintaining a successful IT system that provides the support a small or medium-sized business needs to compete in today’s sales marketplace.

Managed services can offer 24-hour IT support, cyber security and backup services seven days a week. That’s vitally important, considering businesses rely on access to their data to successfully operate.

If you’re looking for a way to improve your backup and disaster recovery system and disaster recovery solutions, please go to  our MSPs page to learn more about how to protect your business. Our managed IT, backup disaster recovery and cloud services are designed to help your business improve its endpoint protection, enhance its management capabilities and adapt to the challenges of an ever-more-complex online world.

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Lower staff productivity is one of the largest issues for companies with an IT skills gap, which goes hand in hand with another large issue: a decline in innovation and new product development. Lower sales and long turnarounds in getting new products to market are also outcomes of the IT skills gap, and all of this leads to the inability to keep up with competitors.

The expanding IT skills gap is a cause for concern for many SMBs, as it’s impacting their operations, effectiveness and profitability. As these organizations struggle to keep up with IT demands, what are they losing in return? Below are the top areas in which the IT skills gap is negatively affecting businesses.

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Source: CompTIA “International Technology Adoption and Workforce Trends Study” 2015

So how do SMBs prevent this attrition for this companies? The solution is in bridging the gap with managed services. Managed IT support and backup services offer a cost-effective solution. Such support can include backup and disaster recovery, desktop and server-managed IT support, and hardware and software audits. It can also include anti-virus updates, remote problem resolution, system performance analysis and troubleshooting, and endpoint security for cloud hosting.

The IT skills gap is hardly new, but with so many new IT rules written daily and a workforce that’s more and more mobile, having a managed services provider to fill the gap is key.

In fact, some 83 percent of SMBs are concerned about finding workers with the right IT skills. With the constant need to stay up to date on IT skills, relying on an MSP is more and more beneficial.

Partnering with the right managed services provider means SMBs will now have access to the best trained and most experienced IT workers — workers who will also be given access to the latest in cutting-edge technology training.

Working with an MSP is often the best solution for creating and maintaining a successful IT system that provides the support a small or medium-sized business needs to compete in today’s sales marketplace.

Managed services can offer 24-hour IT support, cyber security and backup services seven days a week. That’s vitally important, considering businesses rely on access to their data to successfully operate.

If you’re looking for a way to improve your backup and disaster recovery system and disaster recovery solutions, please go to  our MSPs page to learn more about how to protect your business. Our managed IT, backup disaster recovery and cloud services are designed to help your business improve its endpoint protection, enhance its management capabilities and adapt to the challenges of an ever-more-complex online world.

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SMBs must balance a range of challenges in managing their IT function because they don’t have the skills or resources required to fully meet their needs. To address this problem, many businesses have turned to the support of managed services providers (MSPs). Below are the top drivers why SMBs are leveraging managed services.

Source: CompTIA “IT Opportunities in the Professional Services Vertical” November 2015

Fortunately, there’s a new suite of services cropping up, and it’s designed to cater specifically to the IT needs of SMBs. It’s called managed services. Here’s what SMBs need to know:

What Are Managed Services?

Managed services are business management responsibilities that have been outsourced to dedicated teams. Today, many managed services deal with the IT needs of SMBs and are designed to provide 24-hour management, monitoring and resolution of a company’s IT systems.

In years prior, managed services were “break-fix” offerings. Extended to SMBs without a skilled, in-house team capable of resolving IT issues, managed services went in to identify and resolve IT problems.

Eventually, however, the services began to expand to larger Fortune 500 companies, who needed IT professionals to manage their large and ever-growing networks.

Today, many managed service providers (MSPs) cater specifically to SMBs and work to address the security threats these up-and-coming companies face proactively.

The Benefits of Managed Services for SMBs

For the modern SMB, managed services provide many advantages. Here are some of the most pronounced:

1. Continuous Monitoring

Without monitoring, it takes the average company more than 200 days to detect a security breach. Within this 200 days, a company can suffer untold damage, much of which is difficult or impossible to recover from.

With the help of MSPs, though, SMBs have access to constant monitoring. This helps cut down on the risk of a breach and minimize damage if one does occur.

2. Cost Savings

Today, experts estimate that the cost of cybercrime will reach $6 trillion annually by the close of 2021. As if that weren’t enough, the average ransomware attack peaked at $679 per ransom in 2016. With that in mind, it may seem like SMBs will spend any amount of money to protect themselves and their IT systems.

Unfortunately, though, one of the challenges separating SMBs from robust IT security is that many do not have the budgets to invest in security systems and other digital means of protection.

With MSPs, though, that’s less of a concern than it is elsewhere. Because managed services start at the low price of just a few hundred dollars each month, they’re much more accessible for cash-strapped SMBs than other security methods. They’re also incredibly flexible, which means SMBs can scale their managed services as their companies grow and change.

3. Simplicity

While it’s one thing to start and run a small business, it’s entirely another to have the technical know-how required to protect a company’s networks and systems. This is where many SMB owners run into trouble. Because they don’t know how to insulate their networks, many don’t. This leaves them vulnerable to attacks and security breaches down the road.

With managed services, through, SMB owners don’t have to be IT geniuses. Because the entire IT security load is outsourced to skilled MSP teams, SMB employees and owners are free to focus on things like growing the business and creating more in-demand programs. Meanwhile, the MSP works around the clock to ensure a network’s safety and security, and address breaches if they appear.

4. Streamlined Backup

Second only to the threat of a cyber security attack is the threat of a network crash or natural disaster. Even if a company isn’t hacked or compromised, a simple hard drive crash could wreak financial havoc on a business.

Today, the average drive recovery can cost about $7,500, and it’s not guaranteed any of the files will be returned. Meanwhile, the average business loses about $10,000 during a single hour of downtime.

Because data loss is so crippling expensive, 60 percent of SMBs go out of business within six months of significant data loss. Meanwhile, a whopping 33 percent of SMBs have never tested their disaster recovery plan, and only 58 percent test it even once a year.

These statistics underline one thing: Most SMBs are drastically under-prepared when it comes to disaster recovery. Fortunately, MSPs can help. In addition to offering a suite of services designed to discourage data breaches, managed services also streamline data recovery and contribute to reducing the risk of data disasters.

5. Simplified Updates

Without a good MSP, SMBs have to update their networks manually. With an MSP, however, this is a thing of the past. MSPs manage and implement software updates while SMBs take a hands-off approach. This, in turn, closes security loopholes, helps ensure top-tier safety and keeps networks running smoothly.

The Future of MSPs for SMBs

At the start of 2017, 94 percent of IT decision-makers were planning to increase their IT security budget. This indicates the upward trend of MSPs for SMBs and underlines exactly how helpful outsourced IT services can be for up-and-coming companies.

Even if SMBs don’t have the IT budgets to compete with large, enterprise-level brands, cybersecurity protection is critical. Luckily, managed services have stepped up to fill the SMB security gap, and to offer a safe, comprehensive and functional way for small and medium-sized businesses to protect their networks.

If you’re looking for a way to improve your backup and disaster recovery system and disaster recovery solutions, please go to  our MSPs page to learn more about how to protect your business. Our managed IT, backup disaster recovery and cloud services are designed to help your business improve its endpoint protection, enhance its management capabilities and adapt to the challenges of an ever-more-complex online world.

The post The Future of Managed Services and How MSPs Fulfill the IT Needs of SMBs appeared first on ABD Technology Inc.

With increased IT mobility and more BYOD work environments, managing endpoint security has become a challenge for many businesses. If left unregulated, any one of your employees could compromise sensitive company data, either by exposure to malware, general carelessness or one of these other top threats to endpoint security. This Graph shows how MDM can fend off threats to Endpoint Security.

Source: Ponemon Institute “2016 State of Endpoint Security Report” April, 2016

Only mobile device management (MDM) services offer companies the security solutions they require. Here’s why:

Why Is Endpoint Security Management Such a Big Challenge?

Some employees in medium and large businesses are careless when it comes to security management. Sixty-eight percent of respondents in one study share passwords across work and personal accounts, 55 percent keep sensitive business documents on their personal mobile device and 51 percent haven’t taken the necessary steps to protect confidential company data. With mobile cybercrime on the rise, businesses that implement BYOD schemes need MDM services that deliver.

Why Is MDM So Important to Businesses?

Not having an MDM strategy in place can expose companies to a number of security threats, and there are a number of studies that back this up. There were five times more malware on OS X devices in 2015 than the previous five years combined, for example. Moreover, at least 75 percent of mobile apps would fail security tests. Unfortunately, only 45 percent of businesses have an official IT support policy for employee-owned devices.

Mobile security is particularly important when smartphone and tablet users download apps. “The lack of security in mobile apps combined with the access privileges that they are granted in the privacy agreements is one reason why mobile is so risky,” say the editors at cybercrime research company Cybersecurity Ventures.

MDM services benefit businesses that want to optimize their IT mobility and BYOD practices. This security solution allows administers to manage employees’ devices from one single platform, set access controls, prevent data breaches, reduce risk and restrict employee access to dangerous websites and apps. Click here to find out more about the advantages of MDM!

If you’re looking for a way to improve your MDM endpoint security or backup and disaster recovery, please go to  our MSPs page to learn more about how to protect your business. Our managed IT, backup disaster recovery and cloud services are designed to help your business improve its endpoint protection, enhance its management capabilities and adapt to the challenges of an ever-more-complex online world.

The post How MDM Eliminates Threats to Endpoint Security appeared first on ABD Technology Inc.

This vulnerability is due, in large part, to lean IT staffs. Without big, robust information technology departments, most SMBs lack the resources and expertise to manage complex security infrastructures.

Even as threats to security are proliferating, most SMBs aren’t taking precautions to protect themselves and their networks.

With lean IT staffs, many small- and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) lack the resources and expertise to manage complex security infrastructures. While threats to security are proliferating, these organizations aren’t taking the proper precautions to protect themselves and their networks. The data below shows the gap between the level of concern and the level of protection for given IT security issues.

Source: Osterman Research, “IT Security at SMBs: 2016 Benchmarking Survey” 2016

The SMB IT Security Gap: Blame It on Skills and Budget

No business wants to fall victim to a security breach. The most confounding thing about modern SMBs, though, is that while many of them understand the security risks they face, the majority are not taking even basic steps to protect themselves.

This is made worse by the fact that, in many cases, a small amount of proactivity on the part of SMBs could mitigate or prevent damaging security breaches. According to a recent Symantec study, about 45 percent of SMBs are “extremely concerned” about viruses and data breaches, but only 50 percent prioritize disaster recovery and planning.

As it turns out, this seemingly willful refusal to prepare isn’t just blatant negligence. Instead, 41 percent of SMBs say a lack of IT skills in their employees is stopping them, and 37 percent report they don’t have the budget to purchase security solutions.

These are very real concerns, and they leave SMBs between a rock and a hard place when it comes to their virtual security.

What’s the Solution for SMBs?

In a world where the threat of digital security breaches is always increasing (experts expect cybercrime damage totals to reach $6 trillion annually by the end of 2021), SMBs can’t afford to be left out in the cold.

Luckily, there’s an emerging suite of services designed to cater specifically to the IT needs of SMBs. These services include server managed IT support, desktop managed IT support, and more.

These services allow SMBs to take advantage of top-tier IT security and support services, even without robust in-house departments. In so doing, they reduce the risk of cyber attacks and help SMBs continue serving their clients, safely and securely.

If you’re looking for a way to improve your backup and disaster recovery software or offer more comprehensive backup and disaster recovery solutions, please go to  our MSPs page to learn more about how to protect your business. Our managed IT, backup disaster recovery and cloud services are designed to help your business improve its endpoint protection, enhance its management capabilities and adapt to the challenges of an ever-more-complex online world.

The post Is the IT Security Gap a Threat to Small and Midsize Businesses appeared first on ABD Technology Inc.

More small and medium-sized businesses are turning to MSPs for enhanced IT security, due to the increasing frequency of data breaches and the variety in which they are caused. Below are the top causes of data breaches over the past two years.

Source: Symantec Corporation, “Internet Security Threat Report” April 2016

Here’s why:

1. Limited IT Teams

Most SMBs don’t have robust, in-house teams or many experienced IT specialists as employees. This leaves a sizeable gap in overall network security.

While in-house IT teams keep networks running smoothly, they also perform system-wide software updates, monitor systems and address breaches as they happen. All of this helps close security gaps and decrease the likelihood of a cyber attack.

2. Minimal Budgets

Lots of SMBs don’t have the budget to hire IT teams or install protective software. This leaves cash-strapped startups and other companies incredibly vulnerable to digital threats. It’s also a Catch-22, though.

According to Security Magazine, the average data breach costs approximately $36,000 and can lead to losses of $50,000 or more. Not surprisingly, 60 percent of small businesses who suffer a cyber attack go out of business within six months.

3. Difficulty Detecting Threats

Today, 70 percent of cyber attacks target small businesses. This is due, in large part, to the fact that 25 percent of SMBs say their companies are “poor” or “fair” at detecting and mitigating cyber threats. When SMBs don’t know how to identify and block threats, they become increasingly vulnerable to sophisticated cyber attacks.

What’s The Answer?

Today, lots of SMBs are turning to managed service providers, or MSPs, to boost their IT security. MSPs are outsourced providers who handle a company’s various IT needs. Due to the ever-growing frequency of cyber attacks and their surprising variety, MSPs are some of the most cost-effective, comprehensive and accessible IT security solutions for SMBs.

In addition to allowing SMB managers to take a hands-off approach to their network security, enlisting the assistance of MSPs and services like Server Managed IT Support decreases the risk that SMBs will suffer costly and dangerous data breaches and allows them to continue conducting business as usual.

If you’re looking for a way to improve your backup and disaster recovery software or offer more comprehensive backup and disaster recovery solutions, please go to  our MSPs page to learn more about how to protect your business. Our managed IT, backup disaster recovery and cloud services are designed to help your business improve its endpoint protection, enhance its management capabilities and adapt to the challenges of an ever-more-complex online world.

The post Why IT Security is a Top Concern for Small and Midsize Businesses appeared first on ABD Technology Inc.

Many small practices still struggle with becoming or remaining HIPAA compliant due to the reasons listed below.

Source: NueMD “2016 HIPAA Survey”

Medical Institutions Need the Right IT Support for HIPAA Compliance

Hospitals, doctors’ offices, laboratories and clinics don’t always have the IT resources they need to meet the technical requirements to stay HIPAA compliant. Even if they have the software and hardware in place, getting staff to maintain the equipment may exceed the organization’s budget. Smaller health care companies often lack the budget to hire people with the right expertise, or they simply can’t bring in enough people to keep up with such a demanding environment.

Fully managed IT services bridge this gap for health care companies. The providers specializing in HIPAA compliance and medical business continuity have the solutions needed to support organizations unable to keep up with changing regulations. The health care companies no longer need to stretch their resources too thin when it comes to their IT requirements. Services such as 24/7 backup and disaster recovery and full data archiving also protect health care companies from unexpected issues that can impact patient care and their access to critical systems.

Cost-Effective Methods for HIPAA Technology Compliance

In-house health care IT staff generate a lot of overhead expenses. They have to be trained on HIPAA compliance and the specialized medical hardware and software. Insurance, workers’ compensation and associated expenses may end up doubling their effective salary. The hiring cycle may take a long time if the health care organization needs someone with in-demand expertise.

An outsourced managed service provider is a cost-effective alternative to this scenario. The businesses have all their servers, desktops, mobile devices and IT needs handled by this vendor. Medical companies avoid the costs associated with in-house IT staff and gain access to specialists without hefty recruiting costs. They also have business continuity, 24/7 backup, and disaster recovery services to get operations back up and running quickly after outages.

Contact us today to learn more about our HIPAA-compliant managed IT services or answers to your questions.

If you’re looking for a way to improve your backup and disaster recovery software or offer more comprehensive backup and disaster recovery solutions, please go to  our MSPs page to learn more about how to protect your business. Our managed IT, backup disaster recovery and cloud services are designed to help your business improve its endpoint protection, enhance its management capabilities and adapt to the challenges of an ever-more-complex online world.

The post Why Small Medical and Healthcare Practices Struggle With HIPAA Compliance appeared first on ABD Technology Inc.

Medical and Health Sector Growth

Missouri and Kansas each have a long tradition of excellence in health care industries, and recent growth in the medical and health sector in Kansas City, MO and Kansas City, KS are part of this strong tradition. According to the Kansas City Chamber of Commerce, jobs in health care have outpaced jobs in those of other industries by a large margin, with 4,000 new jobs added in 2014, 5,000 new jobs added in 2015 and 6,000 new jobs added in 2016 (chart at page 15 of report). Companies like Cerner Corporation, which is based in Kansas City, MO, create technologies for use in the health care field. Cerner began construction on a new $4.5 billion campus in 2017 that will be both a development center and a way to attract new engineering recruits. St. Luke’s Hospital and Children’s Mercy Hospital in Kansas City, MO have a total of over 600 beds and employ doctors and other health care professionals across a range of specialties.

Nationally, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, eight of the top 20 fastest growing careers are in healthcare, and this employment growth is represented in the Kansas City metro area as well. Companies like Providence Medical Center in Kansas City, KS are actively hiring for all types of medical professionals. And, a new Animal Health Corridor in Kansas City is focused on attracting health care and pharmaceutical companies in the veterinary space. From 2009 to 2014, according to the Missouri Economic Research and Information Center, the percentage of people employed in nursing, hospitals and health care services in Kansas City grew 15 percent, 11 percent and 10 percent respectively, which is greater than other industries like education or entertainment, which grew in the low single digits.

Regional Growth in Eastern Kansas

It isn’t just the health care industry in the Kansas City, KS area that is growing. Business across all sectors is robust in the east Kansas cities of Overland Park and Olathe City. The future job growth rate over the next ten years in Overland Park is projected to be a stunning 39 percent, while the current unemployment rate is only 3.5 percent. In Olathe City, the unemployment rate is only 3.3 percent, with a future job growth rate projected to be 39.83 percent over the next ten years.

The leading employers in the area range from telecommunications companies like Sprint to public education and health care employers, like Mercy Children’s Medical and Overland Park Medical Center. Olathe City is the county seat of rapidly growing Johnson County, and Olathe has created an Economic Development Council to attract new companies and jobs to the area through business-friendly policies. According to Tim McKee, Chief Executive Officer of the Economic Development Council, “Last year, total investment in Olathe projects was just over $103 million, resulting in 1,990 new or retained jobs that were supported by $10.5 million in state incentives we were able to secure for local businesses.”

Importance of Health Care Sector to Johnson County, KS

Many studies of population growth and shifts across Kansas have pointed to the growth in population in Johnson County, KS. The fast-growing population in Johnson County has created opportunities not just for individual workers and the companies that hire them but also for the health care industry in the county, which has begun taking charge of the health care services formerly provided by individual towns. By 2064, a study finds, a third of the population of Kansas will live in the Johnson County area. As towns shrink and cities like Olathe City grow, health care is becoming more centralized in urban areas. The increased mobility of the state’s citizens means that many will travel to the bigger urban areas like Johnson County for their health care. This has caused the health care industry in Johnson County to blossom.

A study by the Kansas Hospital Association in 2015 cites the fact that health expenditures as a percentage of the GDP were expected to rise from 18.1 percent in 2016 to 19.6 percent in 2024, and that this general rise in health care expenditure will benefit the health care industry in centers like Johnson County. With the rise of telemedicine, industry analysts are projecting that health care facilities in Johnson County can cover more and more of the state, with satellite health centers scattered in more rural areas of Kansas.

With all this business growth data, businesses should be more concerned about the availability of their data and IT business needs.  The demand for a managed IT services and managed security services its higher. Businesses should have a better understand of the risks that they’re up against and the options available to them.

If you’re looking for a way to improve your backup and disaster recovery software or offer more comprehensive backup and disaster recovery solutions, please go to  our MSPs page to learn more about how to protect your business. Our managed IT, backup disaster recovery and cloud services are designed to help your business improve its endpoint protection, enhance its management capabilities and adapt to the challenges of an ever-more-complex online world.

Contact us today to get answers to your questions or to find out how our managed IT services and more can help your brand grow.

The post State of Kansas and Missouri Economy and Business Growth appeared first on ABD Technology Inc.