Collaboration can be hard. We are caught between two competing ideas when it comes to file
sharing and network access.
On the one side, our end users would love a world where everyone can collaborate freely and
without restrictions. Unfortunately, given the number of bad actors these days, this seems like a
recipe for disaster: security breaches, identity theft, and loss of valuable intellectual capital all
seem like possible outcomes.
On the other side, our security experts would prefer a world where everyone existed within their
own hermetically sealed bubble, unable to interact with anyone, creating perfect data security
for all. The problem with that is a world where no one can interact with anyone else is a world
that doesn’t produce much of anything worth mentioning.
As business owners, we are left to find a middle ground. How do we allow for the exchange of
information and allow the development of ideas while at the same time keeping our
infrastructure, our employees, and our company's assets—like proprietary financial, intellectual,
and customer data—safe?
An appropriately secured file-sharing system is the foundation on which smart collaborative
work rests. Here are a few ideas on setting up and securing your file access system.
First, make sure that you actually set up a secure system. Putting a single directory out on a
server and allowing everyone free access to it is not a secure file access system. It is an
invitation to data loss, data corruption, and the exposure of valuable intellectual capital.
Next, make sure you’re choosing the right system. A strange proprietary system you find
online at a discount that no one has ever heard of is not the best move. Instead, look for cloud-
enabled systems with great reputations from reputable vendors.
Lastly, make sure that the system you are getting is scalable. The days where you bought
one system for file sharing, another for user admin, and yet another for email are (mostly)
behind us. A single-point solution will make your life much easier when it comes to training,
support, and eventual upgrades.
NSC Information Technology Group can help you with the right file-sharing solution for your
business. Contact them for more information on utilizing network virtualization services within
your enterprise and taking the first steps into secure file-sharing and collaboration.