Sales: 678-745-5109
Client Support: 770-945-5487
Client Portal
Book Discovery Call

Frequently Asked Questions

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor ut dolore magna aliqua.

  • Filter by Categories

If your accounting firm experiences a data breach, you must follow a specific response process:

·       Immediate containment – isolate affected systems to prevent further damage

·       Forensic investigation – determine what data was accessed, how attackers got in, and whether data was exfiltrated

·       Legal counsel – consult attorneys familiar with data breach notification laws

·       Client notification – most state laws require notifying affected clients within 30-60 days

·       Regulatory notification – report to relevant agencies depending on the data involved

·       Credit monitoring – often required to provide affected clients with credit monitoring services

·       Insurance claims – file claims with your cyber insurance and E&O carriers

·       Remediation – fix the vulnerabilities that allowed the breach and prevent recurrence

·       Documentation – maintain detailed records of your response for regulatory compliance

The total process typically takes 3-6 months and costs $600,000-1.2 million for small to mid-sized firms. This is why prevention through proper IT security is far more cost-effective than dealing with the aftermath of a breach. Having an incident response plan and IT partner prepared before a breach occurs dramatically reduces the damage and cost.

The FTC Safeguards Rule requires periodic risk assessments, which most compliance experts interpret as annually at minimum. However, accounting firms should conduct comprehensive IT security assessments in several situations:

·       Annually – to meet compliance requirements and identify new vulnerabilities

·       Before tax season – ideally October-December to ensure systems are ready for peak demand

·       After significant changes – new office locations, major software changes, mergers/acquisitions

·       After security incidents – to understand what happened and prevent recurrence

·       Before cyber insurance renewals – to document security posture for underwriters. Additionally, vulnerability scanning and security monitoring should happen continuously throughout the year.

Think of annual assessments as comprehensive physicals, while ongoing monitoring is daily health tracking. Both are necessary for proper security.

When evaluating IT providers, prioritize these factors:

·       Accounting industry experience – they should understand FTC Safeguards Rule, IRS Publication 4557, tax software, and seasonal demands

·       Compliance credentials – SOC 2 certification or similar showing they can serve as your Qualified Individual

·       Specific security services – not just general IT support but ransomware protection, EDR, MFA, WISP creation, and security training

·       Accounting software expertise – experience hosting and supporting your specific tax and practice management software

·       Tax season support – documented approach to handling your peak season needs including after-hours availability

·       Disaster recovery – tested backup and restore procedures, not just “we back up your data”

·       References from similar firms – testimonials or case studies from accounting firms of similar size and service mix. Ask potential providers: “How many accounting firms do you support?” “Can you help us meet FTC Safeguards Rule requirements?” “What happens if our tax software crashes on April 14?” Their answers will quickly reveal their accounting-specific expertise.

The FTC Safeguards Rule requires you to designate a Qualified Individual (QI) to oversee your information security program. This individual does not need to be an employee—many organizations engage their managed service provider (MSP) or a virtual CISO (vCISO) to fulfill this role.

In practice, many firms designate:

  • An external cybersecurity expert (e.g., MSP or vCISO) as the Qualified Individual responsible for managing and overseeing the security program, and
  • An internal executive (such as a managing partner, COO, or CFO) who maintains organizational accountability and coordinates with the QI.

Regardless of who is designated, your organization remains ultimately responsible for compliance. The Qualified Individual must have the appropriate expertise and authority to oversee the program, and must provide regular reports, at least annually, to senior leadership.

All roles and responsibilities should be clearly documented in your Written Information Security Program (WISP), and the Qualified Individual should be prepared to support audits or regulatory inquiries if required.

Secure client portals give your clients a branded, professional way to exchange sensitive documents without using insecure email. Clients log in with credentials (typically with multi-factor authentication) to upload tax documents, review draft returns, e-sign engagement letters, and track the status of their work. All files are encrypted during transfer and storage, meeting FTC and IRS requirements for protecting customer information. From your side, staff can request specific documents, send automated reminders, and maintain complete audit trails showing who accessed what information and when. This eliminates the liability of unencrypted emails containing Social Security numbers sitting in client inboxes, provides a professional client experience that differentiates your firm, reduces phone calls about engagement status, and ensures compliance with data protection regulations. Most accounting firms see client portals pay for themselves through reduced administrative time and improved client satisfaction.

Most IT service providers work with a wide range of accounting and tax applications, such as QuickBooks Desktop & Enterprise, Drake Tax, Lacerte, CCH Axcess, and Thomson Reuters platforms, but it’s important to understand what “support” actually means.

At MIS Solutions, we don’t replace the software vendor’s support team or troubleshoot application-specific issues inside those platforms. We focus on optimizing your entire tech stack to work together seamlessly. Instead, we ensure those applications run in a secure, stable, and high-performing IT environment.

That includes:

  • Hosting or supporting the infrastructure that those applications rely on
  • Securing the network, access, and data surrounding the software
  • Optimizing performance and availability, especially during tax season
  • Managing integrations between systems (accounting, tax, document management, CRM)

If an issue arises within the software itself, we coordinate directly with the vendor on your behalf, handling escalation, communication, and follow-through so your team isn’t stuck in the middle.

Managed IT services for small accounting firms typically cost $2,500-4,500/month depending on firm size, number of users, complexity, and level of compliance support needed. This staff augmentation is significantly less expensive than hiring a single qualified IT person at $75,000- $ 95,000 salary plus benefits, and provides broader expertise, 24/7 coverage, and documented compliance support. For comparison, a single ransomware attack can cost $900,000+ on average, and cyber insurance without proper IT security can run 40- to 60 percent higher in premiums annually. Most small firms find that managed IT services pay for themselves through incident prevention, reduced insurance costs, elimination of emergency repair bills, and higher staff productivity (less time spent waiting for IT problems to be resolved). The real question isn’t whether you can afford IT services; it’s whether you can afford to operate without them, given the regulatory and security landscape facing accounting firms.

IT services provide critical support during tax season in several ways:

·       Ensuring tax software and networks can handle 3-4x normal load without slowdowns

·       Providing 24/7 emergency support when your team works late nights and weekends

·       Quickly onboarding seasonal staff with secure remote access in hours instead of weeks

·       Preventing and recovering from system failures that would otherwise cause missed deadlines

·       Monitoring for increased cyberattack activity that targets accounting firms during peak season

·       Maintaining backup systems that can rapidly restore critical files if something fails.

The revenue impact of IT problems is 3-4x higher during tax season (when you’re doing 40-50% of annual billings), so having expert support available when you most need it protects your busiest and most profitable months.

A Written Information Security Plan (WISP) is a specific compliance document required by the FTC Safeguards Rule that must address nine mandatory elements and demonstrate how your accounting firm protects customer information. It’s legally required for firms covered by the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act. A general IT security policy is a broader document covering your internal technology use, acceptable use, password requirements, and similar topics. While there’s overlap, the WISP must specifically address risk assessment, safeguard implementation, vendor management, incident response, monitoring/testing, training, and annual reporting. Many accounting firms need both documents, but the WISP is the regulatory requirement you’ll be audited against.

The FTC Safeguards Rule requires accounting firms to implement nine specific security elements:

·       Designate a Qualified Individual to oversee your information security program

·       Create and maintain a Written Information Security Plan (WISP)

·       Conduct periodic risk assessments

·       Design and implement safeguards to control risks

·       Regularly monitor and test safeguards

·       Provide security training to staff

·       Oversee service providers and vendors

·       Maintain an incident response plan

·       Report to senior leadership annually.

Most small and mid-sized accounting firms don’t have qualified IT staff to handle these requirements independently, which is why many work with managed service providers who specialize in compliance for accounting firms.

Managed IT services provide layered ransomware protection that most accounting firms can’t implement on their own. This includes advanced email security to block phishing attempts, Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) that catches ransomware before it encrypts files, network segmentation to prevent attacks from spreading, immutable backups that can’t be encrypted even if attackers gain full network access, and 24/7 monitoring by security operations centers that detect and respond to threats in real-time. For accounting firms holding thousands of Social Security numbers and financial records, ransomware isn’t just expensive; it can end your practice. Professional IT services provide protection that exceeds what one internal IT person can manage.

Yes. MIS Solutions supports manufacturers across the greater Atlanta region, including facilities in Gwinnett County, the Fulton Industrial Boulevard corridor, and surrounding industrial hubs throughout North Georgia. Many of the manufacturers we work with operate across multiple locations, connecting production floors, corporate offices, warehouses, and distribution centers, and require reliable, secure IT infrastructure to keep operations running smoothly.

Our team understands the unique technology challenges manufacturers face, from integrating shop floor systems with business platforms to securing OT and IT environments. Whether you operate a single facility or multiple sites across the region, we provide the managed IT services, cybersecurity, and compliance support needed to keep your operations connected, productive, and secure.

Because every IT environment is different, the most accurate pricing comes from a thorough assessment of your systems, users, and business goals. This ensures your quote reflects your actual needs rather than a one-size-fits-all package.

While many MSPs are happy to share a general price range, fewer take the time to build a tailored pricing structure specific to your business. MIS Solutions provides a clear, detailed quote outlining your monthly costs so you and your finance team can plan with confidence instead of reacting to unpredictable IT expenses.

The right price delivers measurable value: reduced downtime, improved security, predictable costs, and peace of mind. If your IT feels stable, secure, and well-supported, your investment is likely working. On the other hand, if you find yourself constantly experiencing the same nagging issues, having trouble getting swift responses from your IT company, or feel like you’re guiding them instead of the other way around, there could be better options to explore.

Low-cost IT support (often called break-fix) is typically reactive, meaning problems are fixed after they occur. Managed IT services are proactive, focusing on prevention, security, uptime, and long-term planning to reduce downtime and risk.

Yes. MSP pricing is designed to scale with your business. As you add or remove users, locations, or services, pricing adjusts accordingly—so you’re not paying for resources you don’t need.

For many small and mid-sized businesses, yes. Managed IT services often provide access to a full team of specialists—covering support, security, and strategy—for less than the cost of hiring and maintaining a single full-time IT employee.

That said, some companies prefer a co-managed IT approach. This works well when a business has an in-house IT person overseeing day-to-day technology but needs additional expertise, tools, or coverage. In a co-managed model, MIS Solutions supplements your internal team with specialized skills, advanced security, and scalable support, without the cost of building a larger internal IT department.

Yes. MIS Solutions includes an onboarding process designed to properly document and stabilize your IT environment from day one.

This initial setup allows our team to fully understand your systems, establish monitoring and backup standards, and ensure your users remain productive. Taking the time to do this upfront helps prevent issues later and allows us to deliver consistent, proactive support moving forward.

All onboarding costs are shared upfront with clear, detailed pricing, so you know exactly what’s included and what to expect. Unlike heavily bundled offerings that can make it difficult to understand what you’re paying for, our quotes are transparent and easy to follow with no surprises or no hidden fees.

Managed IT services aren’t all created equal. Pricing differences often come down to experience, depth of expertise, security standards, and how proactive the provider truly is.

MIS Solutions has over 30 years of experience and a deep bench of highly qualified IT and cybersecurity professionals. That means your network and systems aren’t being managed by a single generalist or a reactive help desk. Instead, they’re being supported by a team with the expertise to proactively prevent issues, respond quickly, and keep your environment secure.

While this level of service may cost more than a typical MSP, it also means fewer outages, stronger security, better long-term planning, and greater confidence that your IT infrastructure is being expertly managed.

Our plans include proactive monitoring, help desk support, patching and updates, security management, backups, and strategic guidance. Some services, like advanced cybersecurity, compliance support, or cloud optimization, may be included in higher tiers or added as needed.

It depends on the provider and the environment. Per-user pricing works well for modern, cloud-based businesses where employees use multiple devices. Per-device pricing may make sense for more fixed environments. We help determine which model fits your business best.

Pricing is typically based on factors such as:

  • Number of employees and devices
  • Number of locations
  • Complexity of your IT environment
  • Security and compliance requirements
  • Support hours and response time expectations
  • Cloud services, backups, and cybersecurity tools included

Every business is different, so pricing reflects the level of support and protection required.

Most managed service providers charge a predictable monthly fee. This may be based on the number of users, devices, or a combination of both. The goal is to give businesses consistent IT costs instead of unpredictable hourly bills.

While many managed service providers lock clients into long-term contracts, typically 3 years, MIS offers 1-year renewal terms with the flexibility to terminate services at any time with 90 days’ written notice. During the 90-day period, we guarantee continued support as you transition to a new provider.

Our goal is to earn your business through reliable service, proactive support and strong results, not long-term contractual obligations.

For HVAC business owners, the best technology investments are the ones that increase revenue, reduce downtime, and make operations more efficient. Based on years of working with HVAC companies across metro Atlanta, here are the systems that consistently deliver the highest ROI:

  • Modern VoIP Phone Systems (3CX)
    Your phones are your revenue engine. Upgrading to a cloud-based 3CX system ensures every call is answered, routed correctly, and tracked. Clients report improved response times and up to 20 to 30 percent more booked jobs during peak season thanks to better call handling and reduced missed calls.
  • Cybersecurity Protection
    A single breach can cost tens of thousands in recovery costs, downtime, and reputational damage. Investing in Endpoint Detection & Response (EDR), Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA), and phishing-resistant training not only protects your business but also lowers cyber insurance premiums by up to 40.
  • Cloud Migrations & Hosted Desktops
    Centralizing your data, files, and apps in the cloud gives technicians secure, instant access to job information anywhere. That means faster service calls, fewer delays, and better collaboration between office staff and the field. The result: greater productivity and lower IT maintenance costs.
  • Backup & Disaster Recovery Systems
    Reliable, tested backups prevent costly data loss and downtime during outages. With automated backups and rapid restore capabilities, HVAC companies can avoid losing days of revenue in the event of a failure.
  • Performance Monitoring & Managed IT Support
    Ongoing 24/7 monitoring and help desk support catch issues before they become outages. This proactive approach reduces emergency downtime costs and extends the lifespan of your systems, giving you predictable costs and peace of mind.

When you invest in technology that enhances uptime, responsiveness, and security, you’re not just upgrading IT; you’re building a more profitable, scalable HVAC business. MIS Solutions helps ensure every dollar you spend on technology delivers measurable results.

When the summer rush hits, your IT systems need to be just as ready as your technicians. Seasonal demand spikes can strain your phones, dispatch software, and network bandwidth, leading to missed calls, slow response times, and frustrated customers if you’re not prepared.

At MIS Solutions, we help HVAC companies get ahead of the heat with a structured seasonal readiness plan that ensures your technology won’t crack under pressure:

  • Performance testing: We stress-test your ServiceTitan, FieldEdge, and 3CX phone systems under simulated peak loads to confirm they can handle three to four times your normal call and job volume.
  • Network optimization: Our engineers audit your Wi-Fi, routers, and bandwidth usage to eliminate bottlenecks that could slow down dispatch or mobile app performance.
  • Backup and redundancy checks: We verify that your data backups, cloud systems, and failover connections are working properly, so even if one system goes down, your business doesn’t stop.
  • User access review: We make sure every technician, dispatcher, and seasonal hire has secure remote access before the first heat wave hits.
  • Cybersecurity tune-up: We update endpoint protection, patch vulnerabilities, and run refresher phishing training to keep your team sharp when things get busy.

By preparing between January and May, you avoid costly surprises in June. With MIS managing your IT, your systems stay fast, secure, and reliable, even when demand skyrockets.

When your scheduling or dispatch system crashes, chaos follows fast. Jobs go unassigned, technicians call in for updates, and customers are left wondering if anyone is coming. In peak season, even a short outage can cost thousands in lost calls, overtime, and reputation damage.

Here’s what typically happens when systems fail:

  • Hour 1: Dispatch software stops responding and new service calls can’t be logged.
  • Hour 4: Technicians are calling the office for directions while customers start calling competitors.
  • Day 2: Missed appointments turn into negative reviews and rescheduling nightmares.
  • Week 1: You’re paying overtime to catch up and losing repeat customers to faster competitors.

MIS Solutions prevents these disasters with redundant cloud hosting, proactive monitoring, and automated data backups that keep your dispatch and scheduling systems online when demand is highest.

If an outage does occur, our disaster recovery and business continuity services kick in automatically, restoring access to critical tools like ServiceTitan, FieldEdge, and QuickBooks within minutes, not days. We test these recovery systems regularly so you can trust they’ll work when it matters most.

With MIS, your team stays connected, your jobs stay on schedule, and your customers stay cool — no matter what happens behind the scenes.

Your technicians need instant access to service histories, parts pricing, equipment specs, and customer details. But that convenience can’t come at the cost of security. Without the right safeguards, mobile access can expose your business to data breaches, ransomware, or unauthorized access.

MIS Solutions helps HVAC companies enable secure, seamless field access with technologies built specifically for mobile workforces:

  • Hosted Desktops: Your technicians log into a secure, cloud-hosted desktop from any device. This gives them access to the same tools and data they’d have in the office, without storing sensitive information locally.
  • VPN Alternatives: Instead of clunky, unstable VPN connections, we deploy zero-trust network access tools that verify user identity and device security before granting access to company systems.
  • Mobile Device Management (MDM): We secure every phone and tablet with remote lock, data encryption, and application controls, so even if a device is lost or stolen, your data stays protected.
  • Cloud Integration: We centralize your ServiceTitan, FieldEdge, and QuickBooks environments, ensuring that job data, pricing, and photos sync securely in real time.

The result: your field team gets everything they need to deliver fast, professional service, while your data, systems, and customers stay protected.

Cybersecurity isn’t just for big corporations. It’s critical for HVAC companies, too. You handle sensitive information every day, including customer payment data, building access codes, service records, and equipment details. If that data falls into the wrong hands, the results can be devastating, from financial losses and reputation damage to potential insurance and compliance issues.

HVAC companies are increasingly being targeted because their systems often connect to smart thermostats, IoT sensors, and building automation platforms. These tools improve efficiency but also expand your attack surface. Common HVAC-specific threats include:

  • Ransomware attacks that encrypt dispatch or scheduling systems, halting all service calls until a ransom is paid.
  • Phishing emails that trick staff into revealing credentials for tools like ServiceTitan, FieldEdge, or QuickBooks.
  • Compromised mobile devices that expose customer data or building access codes when a technician’s phone or tablet is lost.
  • IoT vulnerabilities in connected thermostats, cameras, or building control systems that can be exploited to gain network access.

MIS Solutions protects HVAC companies with multi-layered cybersecurity, including Endpoint Detection & Response (EDR), Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA), security awareness training, and encrypted data communications. We help you meet cyber insurance and compliance requirements while giving you peace of mind that your systems, staff, and customer data are protected year-round.

HVAC companies depend on four core types of software to keep their operations running efficiently — from booking calls to billing customers. When any of these systems go down, revenue stops flowing.

  • Field Service Management Platforms
    Tools like ServiceTitan and FieldEdge power the heart of HVAC operations, such as scheduling, dispatching, estimating, and customer communication. MIS ensures these systems stay connected, updated, and optimized for performance, even during your busiest months.
  • Accounting & Invoicing Software
    Most HVAC companies use QuickBooks for invoicing, payroll, and expense tracking. MIS integrates your accounting platform securely with your scheduling and CRM systems, preventing data silos and reducing billing delays.
  • VoIP Phone Systems
    Phones are your first line of revenue. With 3CX VoIP, we configure smart routing, overflow handling, and call recording to make sure every customer call gets answered and tracked.
  • Mobile Apps & Remote Access Tools
    Your field technicians rely on mobile apps for job details, equipment specs, and pricing. MIS provides secure remote access and mobile device management so your team can stay connected to the office — without exposing your network to risk.

Together, these tools form the backbone of your HVAC business. MIS Solutions keeps them secure, integrated, and available 24/7, so your technology never slows you down when demand is high.

During peak season, every call counts — and every missed one can cost $300–$800 in lost revenue. The key to reducing missed calls is having a phone system that can handle high call volumes, route customers efficiently, and keep your team connected no matter where they are.

At MIS Solutions, we set up and manage 3CX VoIP systems designed specifically for HVAC operations. Here’s how we help you capture every opportunity:

  • Call overflow & smart routing: When all your dispatchers are busy, incoming calls automatically roll over to other team members or backup queues. No more busy signals or voicemail black holes.
  • Professional IVR menus: “Press 1 for Emergency Service” routes urgent calls straight to your on-call technician, while routine maintenance requests go to your scheduling queue.
  • Mobile app connectivity: With the 3CX mobile app, field technicians and managers can answer calls, check voicemails, or return customer inquiries directly from their smartphones, even when they’re away from the office.
  • Real-time visibility: Managers can see call volume, wait times, and team availability instantly, allowing quick adjustments to staffing during heat waves or unexpected surges.

With the right system and support in place, HVAC companies can eliminate lost calls, improve response times, and keep customers from dialing competitors.

HVAC companies need phone systems that can handle sudden call spikes, route emergencies instantly, and integrate seamlessly with scheduling and dispatch tools. That’s why MIS Solutions recommends and fully manages 3CX VoIP phone systems built to keep your business responsive, professional, and scalable. With 3CX, you get:3

  • Smart call routing and IVR menus: Route emergency calls directly to your on-call technician, while scheduling and billing go to the right queues automatically.
  • High-volume handling: During heat waves, handle 20+ simultaneous calls with professional hold messages and overflow routing, so no customer gets a busy signal.
  • Full visibility and control: See who’s on the phone and who’s available to manage call coverage in real time.
  • Call recording and reporting: Review dispatcher performance, verify quotes, and protect against liability.

3CX offers both on-premises and cloud-based solutions that are flexible and managed entirely by MIS, meaning we handle setup, configuration, and support so your phones just work when you need them most.

Peak season revenue loss usually comes from three main sources: missed calls, system downtime, and inefficient field operations. MIS Solutions helps HVAC companies prevent all three with proactive, always-on IT support designed for high-demand environments.

  • Fewer missed calls: Our managed VoIP platform, powered by 3CX, keeps your phones online and responsive even during heat-wave call surges. We configure smart routing, overflow queues, and after-hours handling so every customer reaches the right person without delay.
  • Zero system downtime: MIS provides 24/7 monitoring, redundant backups, and proactive patch management to prevent outages in your dispatch, scheduling, or accounting systems. If a problem does occur, our highly skilled team resolves it quickly to minimize disruption.
  • Efficient field operations: We ensure your technicians have secure remote access to job details, equipment manuals, and pricing sheets from any device. That means faster service calls, fewer delays, and more completed jobs per day.

With MIS managing your technology, your team can focus on keeping customers cool — not troubleshooting tech issues — so you capture every opportunity when demand is at its highest.

Answer: As you grow, your IT needs become more complex with more users, more devices, more job sites, and higher security risks. MIS Solutions helps scale your infrastructure, onboard new employees quickly, implement scalable cloud solutions, and maintain compliance as your business expands.

Answer: Yes. We can recommend, procure, and configure hardware like rugged laptops, mobile devices, jobsite printers, and networking equipment tailored to the construction environment. They ensure everything is optimized for durability, connectivity, and performance.

Answer: Proactive monitoring, preventive maintenance, and responsive help desk support from MIS Solutions reduce downtime and resolve issues before they impact your timeline. Whether it’s a server glitch, software bug, or internet failure, we keep your operations running efficiently.

Answer: Construction companies handle sensitive data like architectural designs, bids, and contracts. We implement strong data protection measures, including encryption, secure cloud storage, access controls, and regular backups, to ensure your information stays private and recoverable.

Answer: Absolutely. Hiring full-time IT staff can be expensive and inefficient for most construction companies. Managed IT services provide 24/7 support, security, and proactive maintenance at a predictable monthly cost, saving you money, reducing downtime, and freeing up your team to focus on building.

Answer: Yes. While we don’t directly support every software platform, we’re familiar with many of the industry’s most commonly used tools, including project management, estimating, and design software. We assist with integration into your IT environment, help vet software vendors, and can act as a liaison for vendor management to ensure your technology stack works seamlessly together.

Answer: We can set up secure remote access to project files, cloud-based collaboration tools, and rugged wireless solutions to maintain connectivity at job sites. This allows your field teams to upload data, access blueprints, and communicate with the office in real time, even in tough environments.

Costly downtime is a major concern for manufacturing firms, which is why we have established a robust backup and disaster recovery process that can get your systems up and running in as little as 15 minutes. And in the unlikely event that your company experiences an outage due to a cyber incident, you can rest assured that your backups are immutable and have not been altered or encrypted by hackers.

Your data is hosted and backed up nightly at a Tier 3, SSAE 16 data center in Suwanee, Ga. In addition to the original backup, data is replicated in real-time to a second backup unit at the data center and to another redundant U.S.-based data center. Your data does not leave the United States. All three backups are immutable, meaning they cannot be altered, and they’re physically separated from your production network. So, if a hacker manages to infiltrate your production network somehow, they won’t be able to infect your backups with ransomware.

We have a dedicated Backup and Disaster Recovery team that monitors backups to ensure they have taken place without failure, they’re valid, and we can restore data and systems from them if needed. This team reports its findings every morning to MIS’s executive team, so we know we are protecting our clients’ businesses. MIS has invested tens of thousands of dollars to be sure backups can be restored quickly to production environments when disaster strikes.

Once you’ve made the decision to outsource to a managed service provider (MSP), you will begin the onboarding process. Operationally mature MSPs will likely hand off to a dedicated Projects Team to guide you through the process. You will be assigned a project manager who will be your main point of contact. Your project manager will work with you to set expectations and provide a clear project plan with a documented timeline with milestones.

Look for a managed service provider with a stellar reputation. Comb sites like Clutch and Cloudtango for top-rated IT providers, search for Google Reviews, and ask for references. You’ll also want to know what their experience is in working with other companies in your industry. Ask how long they’ve been in business and how many technical staff members they have.

You should consider outsourcing your IT management if your business or industry must comply with strict regulatory requirements, you don’t have the capacity or time to manage IT internally, you want to transfer risks to a third party, you want to spend more time focusing on your core business instead of managing IT, your internal team occasionally needs access to a deeper pool of talent, such as a Chief Information Officer, or your internal IT staff is overwhelmed.

Absolutely. IT management is not one-size-fits-all. Therefore, you will want to find an IT partner who offers flexibility to meet your business’s specific needs.

Definitely! This is especially true for smaller organizations that might not have the financial resources, time, or knowledge to build an in-house IT department. Outsourcing IT takes the burden of IT management off your plate so you can focus on your core business.

Our method of “efficiency through standardization” is what allows our healthcare clients to scale and grow their practices.

For MIS-provided hosting services, we guarantee 99 percent availability. Our emergency response guarantee is that a technician will respond to your critical issue within 30 minutes 24/7, although our response times are usually within a few minutes.

Our robust backup and disaster recovery solution allows us to restore systems within 24 hours, guaranteed, although we’re usually able to get our clients back up and running within minutes.

Scheduled maintenance and system upgrades are handled in the evenings and on weekends. Our Proactive and Backup and Disaster Recovery teams work around the clock to ensure your systems are running and available before you see your first patients in the morning. We even work with your EHR and practice management software vendors to ensure any upgrades to their systems don’t negatively impact your ability to serve your patients.

Not only are we familiar with healthcare-specific software, but we’ve also gained extensive knowledge of ancillary software pertinent to the healthcare industry. Through our thorough vendor-vetting process, we ask the right questions to ensure our healthcare clients remain in compliance when working with all third-party vendors.

SOC 2 Type 2 compliance is a rigorous auditing process performed by a third party that evaluates a company’s security controls over a period of six months to a year. It ensures that these controls are effectively designed and consistently operate to protect data and maintain privacy, integrity, and availability. Obtaining SOC 2 Type 2 certification is a process that must be completed annually.

Yes. MIS Solutions works with various medical practices, as well as other industries governed by HIPAA, and is well-versed in the specific compliance standards that they must adhere to. To ensure that we uphold the highest standards of compliance and security, MIS maintains SOC 2 Type 2 certification.

Generally, when a breach occurs, your cyber insurance provider will insist the network be preserved for forensic evidence. But as a business owner, you need to get your systems back up and running as soon as possible. At MIS, we have created a separate dedicated restore environment with separate storage, servers, and firewall. Nothing is shared, yet the restored environment is identical to the original environment. This allows businesses to get back to business while preserving the evidence of the affected production environment for forensic evaluation. Also, our backup solution is immutable, meaning an intermediary agent ensures your server is never directly linked to backup storage, providing added protection against ransomware attacks.

Yes! We are well-versed in many business-critical applications and systems used by various businesses that we serve. We are also experienced in helping our clients achieve compliance within their specific industries. Working with MIS means you will be working with a managed IT services provider who is already familiar with many of the applications you depend on to get things done.

MIS works within the NIST framework, a set of guidelines published by the U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology. This approach to cybersecurity ensures that we implement robust cybersecurity measures such as data encryption, access controls, regular security audits, risk assessments, and others. Our commitment to NIST standards means we stay aligned with industry best practices and regulatory requirements.

When a cyber incident occurs, you want to be sure the people tackling the issue have experience beyond help desk services. We created a specialized cybersecurity team of experts who are well-trained and certified to deal with security events. They hold some of the most advanced cybersecurity certifications, including Computer Hacking Forensic Investigator, Certified Ethical Hacker, Certified Information Systems Security Professional, Certified Chief Information Security Officer, Certified Cloud Security Professional, Certified Information Systems Auditor, and Certified Information Security Manager.

With our 24/7 monitoring and advanced threat detection, our security operations center can instantly spot unusual behavior within a network. Our highly specialized incident response team jumps in the minute unusual activity is detected to stop cyber threats in their tracks.

At MIS, we have a layered cybersecurity approach involving people, processes, and technology. Our technology stack includes firewall management, next-generation antivirus, advanced threat and intrusion detection, email security, risk assessments, mobile device management, multifactor authentication, immutable and offsite backups, and more. We also offer security awareness training for our clients’ employees and provide guidance on establishing proper processes and administrative controls to reduce the risk of human error.

IT consulting can have long-term benefits for your business by improving operational efficiency, reducing downtime, enhancing security, and ensuring that your technology investments align with your business goals. It can also provide scalability and flexibility to adapt to evolving technology trends and industry changes.

At MIS, we opt for the fixed fee approach to consulting to help our clients budget. However, if the scope is not well defined, we will transparently share and then bill as progress is made. We always keep the client looped in to our progress and hours spent because we subscribe to the “no surprises” philosophy and avoid the “open checkbook” methodology. Our IT consulting for a defined scope starts at $3,500 for 20 hours of consulting. The key to consulting is setting clear expectations, working together, and staying aligned through frequent communication.

We start with a thorough evaluation of your IT infrastructure and IT systems to assess your current cybersecurity posture, identify vulnerabilities, and recommend security measures to protect your business from threats like cyberattacks and data breaches. We can also guide you in developing and implementing data backup and disaster recovery plans to ensure full data recovery and business continuity.

We offer a wide range of services, including IT strategy development, enterprise network design and maintenance, cybersecurity assessments, cloud migration, data management, and technology vendor evaluations. We ensure our recommendations align with your business objectives and address your IT challenges.

When selecting an IT consultant, consider their experience, certifications, and track record in working with businesses similar to yours. Ask for references and assess their communication skills and ability to understand your specific business needs. Look for transparency in pricing to ensure you’re not surprised by unexpected costs. A consultant should be a good fit both technically and culturally for your organization. MIS Solutions has almost three decades of experience in designing innovative infrastructure, cloud computing solutions, and troubleshooting complex technology and business obstacles.

Companies experiencing rapid growth, planning a significant IT infrastructure upgrade, or looking to accelerate their digital transformation can benefit from working with an IT consulting firm like MIS Solutions. IT consulting involves providing expert advice and solutions to help businesses make informed decisions about their technology infrastructure and strategy. Small to mid-size businesses often lack the in-house expertise to manage their IT effectively. We can help avoid costly mistakes in IT planning, streamline operations, enhance security, and optimize IT resources to improve efficiency and competitiveness.

Our 24/7 monitoring and support, along with advanced security measures and robust backup and disaster recovery processes will give you and your clients peace of mind knowing your systems are available when you need them and your clients’ data is safe in your hands.

At MIS, we have adopted a “train the trainer” approach. We provide direct training and support to key decision makers and stakeholders so they can then train their staff on how to use any new technology.

Our customer-first approach ensures you get the IT support you need when you need it. We offer 24/7 tech support to our clients so critical issues are addressed no matter the time of day or night. We staff our own Security Operations Center (SOC) and Network Operations Center (NOC) to identify and stop attacks before a hacker infiltrates your network. But in the event of an incident, we have a highly skilled Security Team ready to jump into action should your insurance business experience a security event.

MIS Solutions has a team of highly qualified and certified cybersecurity experts on staff. We can guide you to ensure your insurance agency remains compliant. We also help our insurance clients with risk assessments and will work with auditors on your behalf to ensure that you are protected.

The MIS Solutions support services, along with our Greenlight Cloud Solution, are designed to enhance your existing relationships with your Agency Management System and other third-party applications.

Yes! In fact, our MDM policies ensure that your employees’ mobile phones are not used to disclose PII.

We use disk encryption on both laptops and desktop computers to keep data on these devices, such as client data or email, safe.

We employ several measures to reduce the risk of accidental and malicious data leaks, including penetration testing to protect your network from hackers and vulnerability scans to catch any unpatched vulnerabilities before a criminal can exploit them. We also use data encryption at rest, in transit and in backups to ensure you don’t unintentionally expose client data.

Yes! That is the beauty of our Greenlight Cloud solution. Our pay-as-you-go pricing model allows you to pay only for the resources you actually use, such as computing power, storage or network bandwidth. This scalability empowers you to align your expenses with your specific needs, and scale up or down as needed.

We understand that technology hiccups don’t just happen between 9 to 5. We’re here for you around the clock. After-hours calls are automatically routed to our on-call team who can respond to critical issues within minutes.

We have in-depth knowledge of many compliance requirements that manufacturers must adhere to, including ITAR, PCI DSS, Sarbanes-Oxley, GDPR and CMMC. Additionally, we are CMMC certified and can help guide you in becoming CMMC compliant.

We are cybersecurity experts with a proven track record of protecting our manufacturing clients’ most valuable digital assets. We deploy the most advanced technology and tools, such as advanced threat detection and next-generation anti-virus to quickly identify and shut down possible cyber threats. Our 24/7 monitoring by our in-house security operations center ensures your systems are protected.

Having an IT partner that understands the needs of a manufacturing business can help you streamline operations, reduce downtime, and ensure seamless integration of all systems across your network, resulting in more efficient resource management, reduced manual errors and better decision-making based on accurate data.

Internal IT managers are granted access to our ticketing system to ensure seamless coordination and involvement in all service requests.

Our ideal clients are businesses with 20–200 computer users, headquartered in the metro Atlanta and Gwinnett County areas.

MIS offers a wide array of managed services, serving as an extension of your internal IT team. We provide managed private cloud solutions, strategic IT consulting, reactive support (help desk), proactive support (monitoring, patching, updates, maintenance, backups, disaster recovery, business continuity), cybersecurity and compliance solutions tailored to your industry, project management, vendor management, VoIP phone systems and management, and network design.

During regular business hours, calls to our main support line are answered live, usually within 30 seconds. If a request is urgent, we typically have a technician working on it within 30 minutes or sooner. Our goal is to minimize downtime and get you and your team back to work as soon as possible.

No, it’s not. All our service technicians work exclusively for MIS Solutions. This ensures that when you contact our support team, you speak to someone who intimately knows your business. We only hire friendly, knowledgeable, courteous, and English-speaking team members to serve our clients.

To stay ahead in the ever-changing field of security, our IT professionals commit to lifelong learning. Our team members hold advanced certifications including Computer Hacking Forensic Investigator, Certified Information Systems Security Professional, Certified Chief Information Security Officer, Certified Cloud Security Professional, and Certified in Governance of Enterprise IT.

Absolutely! That’s the beauty of co-managed IT. Our team can step in and supplement the areas of IT management that you lack or don’t have time for.

With co-managed IT services, we work in unison with your internal IT department, filling in gaps where needed.

Several factors need to be considered to determine if a cloud solution is suitable for your business. You’ll want to consider factors such as the age of your current infrastructure, scalability requirements, data storage needs, collaboration requirements, need for remote accessibility, security and privacy concerns, as well as budget constraints.

A public cloud is an infrastructure that is shared among multiple organizations or users, whereas a private cloud solution is exclusively dedicated to a single organization. Private cloud solutions can be customized to meet the specific needs of a business. Due to its enhanced security and privacy measures, it is particularly suitable for industries with strict compliance and data privacy regulations.

No – your data is not co-mingled with other companies’ data. For each client, we set up a private virtual server or set of servers. Think of the servers as your own private cloud in a data center where only your team accesses these servers and the data contained.

While this is a valid concern, we overcome it in the following way for our clients in the cloud. First, we recommend that you have both a primary and backup internet connection. Most clients have a cable connection or fiber connection and then a backup connection such as DSL, T1 or fiber from another carrier. As a second backup plan, companies can use their cell phone hotspot or mobile hotspot to connect to the internet.

In many cases, cloud computing is a more secure way of accessing and storing data. Just because your server is onsite doesn’t make it more secure; in fact, most small to medium businesses can’t justify the cost of securing their network the way a cloud provider can in a PCI, HIPAA-certified data center. And most security breaches occur due to human error – one of your employees downloads a file that contains a virus, they don’t use secure passwords or they simply email confidential information out to people who shouldn’t see it. Other security breaches occur in onsite networks because the company didn’t properly maintain their own in-house network with security updates, software patches and up-to-date antivirus software. That’s a far more common way networks are compromised versus a cloud provider getting hacked.

The MIS Greenlight cloud is protected using the latest confidentiality, integrity and availability safeguards that meet or exceed most compliance frameworks to include HIPAA, PCI, NIST 800-53 and the NIST Cybersecurity Framework.

In simplest terms, cloud computing refers to having a set of redundant servers hosted in a data center rather than on servers housed onsite. Users can access computing resources and services anywhere there is an internet connection, paying only for the resources they use. Cloud computing eliminates the need for on-premises servers, offering substantial cost savings to small and mid-sized businesses. Furthermore, to ensure security, we provide our proprietary Private Greenlight Cloud solution for our customers.

We handle the burden of backing up your system every night, so you can concentrate on running your business. Not only do we perform redundant backups, but we also conduct regular test restores from backups to ensure your data can be recovered in the event of an emergency.

Absolutely! In fact, this is one of the major benefits of cloud computing and a hallmark of MIS Solutions’ Greenlight Cloud Service. Your employees can securely access all your data from home, the airport, the coffee shop — anywhere there is an internet connection.

Compared to onsite network servers, cloud services from MIS Solutions can offer considerable cost savings in addition to all the other benefits afforded by getting your organization in the cloud. There are no expensive servers to purchase, house, and maintain.

In simplest terms, cloud computing refers to having a set of redundant servers hosted in a data center rather than on servers housed onsite. Users can access computing resources and services anywhere there is an internet connection, paying only for the resources they use. Cloud computing eliminates the need for on-premises servers, offering substantial cost savings to small and mid-sized businesses. Furthermore, to ensure security, we provide our proprietary Private Greenlight Cloud solution for our customers.

We use a team approach to IT management. You will be assigned to a team that will take the time to get to know you and your users and also understand your unique line of business applications. Taking time to understand your organization is the foundation for our mission to deliver responsive, friendly service. By having a whole team assigned and keeping detailed network documentation (basically a blueprint of your computer network) and updates on every client’s account, any of our technicians can pick up where another one has left off.

Data protection and cybersecurity compliance, including standards like the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC), are becoming more relevant with the increasing use of technology in construction. Construction and engineering companies that work with the U.S. Department of Defense are required to work within the CMMC requirements. Other guidelines, although not mandatory, include ISO 19650, which addresses information and data management throughout the lifecycle of the project; Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK) for effective project management; ISO/IEC 25010 to ensure quality and reliability; and ISO 55000 to ensure effective asset management practices.

Using a hosted desktop like our private Greenlight Cloud allows for efficient access to data from anywhere. You want to secure your endpoints to protect against unwanted delays or data loss. Be sure your staff undergoes security awareness training so they are aware of cyber threats and can avoid falling victim to a cyberattack. Mobile device management is key for construction companies to guard against lost, stolen, or damaged devices.

Our private Greenlight Cloud solution allows our construction and engineering clients to extend their IT environments beyond the office and into the field. Wherever your team works, they’ll be able to access email, core applications, project plans, blueprints, and change orders. Cloud solutions allow for real-time collaboration for improved productivity.

Modern construction companies are adopting BIM technology to manage the build process more effectively and efficiently by catching clashes early on. It allows for a better understanding of the construction project and helps improve communication and collaboration between all stakeholders. If your construction company is considering utilizing BIM software, MIS can help vet the vendor through the lens of connected risk. We’ll seek to understand what you are trying to accomplish, then ask the vendor pointed and tailored questions to determine their security and compliance posture. Thorough vetting enables our clients to engage in vendor partnerships that align with strict security and compliance standards.

Our support team usually answers the phone live within 30 seconds during regular business hours. You’ll talk with a human who can get you to the right technical person to address your IT issue. For critical issues, we guarantee a technician will work on your case within 30 minutes or less. After-hours support is available 24/7.

We have robust cybersecurity measures in place to protect your data, including firewalls, encryption, advanced threat detection, next-generation antivirus and we can conduct regular penetration tests, and vulnerability and risk assessments.

MIS is a full-service managed IT services provider, meaning we offer a wide range of solutions for the construction industry, including network management, cybersecurity, BIM support, software integration, and mobile device management. We also specialize in designing solutions for better collaboration among a dispersed staff, and offer support desk service, 24/7 monitoring to ensure your people can work anytime or anywhere, hosted desktops and applications, backups for servers, desktops, and laptops, and much more.

Client Support: 770-945-5487
Book Discovery Call