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The Wonders of Hosted PBX Services

With increasing IP telephony service and equipment options, there has never been a more opportune time for businesses to find communication solutions to fit their business needs. A communication solution must be able to provide flexibility to the workforce, refocus IT staff, consolidate vendor and provider relationships and lower cost.

With premise-based onsite solutions, the infrastructure should be installed and maintained by the company, and the external voice lines should also be provisioned. With hosted PBX services, the management of the entire system rests with the service provider, and the voice connectivity runs over either dedicated or shared IP connections to single or several locations.

Hosted PBX Services



In addition, hosted PBX service providers go beyond ordinary telephony service, bundling their products with a host of features and capabilities that incorporate elements of fully unified communications solutions. Such capabilities entail business application integration, video solutions, remote collaboration, mobility, web conferencing and integrated audio.

Hosted PBX services ensure that there is business continuity. For instance, if a business premise becomes inaccessible, it is possible to relocate a phone line without complex hardware installation. If the Wide Area Network (WAN) is lost and all communications within the premise are cut off, service providers can use mobile unified communications to reestablish a connection.

With hosted PBX solutions, staffs that were traditionally dedicated towards maintaining the hardware based system can be relocated to other mission critical areas, allowing the organization to re-focus on other initiatives, enabling them to reduce their overall operating costs.

For organizations with multiple satellite offices, hosted PBX solutions will deliver a centralized online portal connecting the different locations and remote employees, enhancing internal communications.

Some of the common features with hosted PBX providers include caller ID, call accept/reject, music on hold/transfer, text message notification, fax to e-mail, voicemail to e-mail, dial by name, simultaneous calls, multiple extensions, call routing and auto attendant.

Additionally, one factor to consider is cost analysis. In order to quantify the real benefits of a hosted PBX solution versus a premise based solution, scenarios should be compared on a midterm basis (this could be between a three to five year period).

In evaluating various cost components, various primary categories should be thoroughly reviewed. These include:

Upfront and installation costs. The organization should factor in the onetime software and hardware purchases including items such as routers/gateways, IP Phones, PBX's, dedicated broadband connection and installation and training charges.

Hosted service fees. Here the organization should carefully evaluate the monthly fees over the three to five year period and compare them to the cost of an in-house managed solution.

Equipment maintenance and upgrade. This involves annual maintenance contracts and the costs involved with upgrading the IP PBX to the latest software.

Operations and administration. This involves the cost of maintaining a staff that can administer the IP PBX system versus maintaining in-house solutions that consume physical space and power.

You can get more information about Hosted PBX Services,Network Monitoring Services by visiting Opentek

IT Consulting: Common Services Offered


The reliance of mankind on technology has increased with time. We are dependent on computers for most of our work. Information technology plays a very important role in day to day operations of every business. There are certain IT services which are essential for every business. Firms seek the help of IT consultants to cater to their needs.

The most common services offered by IT consultants are:

Email and Spam Control

Email has become the most extensively used tool for personal as well as professional communication. Businesses greatly rely on email, to carry business communication with their business associates and clients. Spam is the biggest problem faced by us while using emails. Each day, hundreds of spam emails are filtered out by spam filters. If these filters stopped functioning any day, it would greatly disrupt our electronic communication activities. You may not be able to reply to important business emails, which may even lead to lost business opportunities. Companies avail the services of IT consultants, to control the Spam filtration tools effectively.

Network Security

Our networks are often vulnerable to the attack of virus or malware. This attack could be from internal or external sources. Thus, network security becomes is an inevitable requirement for every business. Some companies handle network security through on site measures while others outsource it to IT consultants. Outsourcing is a better measure as the IT consultants are experts in this domain. Each day, new threats and viruses, are generated. These consultants are equipped with the latest development in network protection. They offer a high degree of protection from all kinds of security threats.

Budgeting and Planning

There are many IT related investments that a company has to make from time to time. They depend on the company’s requirement. A company may not have a separate IT department. Hence, it becomes very difficult to get an idea of the budget required for such needs. In the absence of a proper budget, the company may end up spending either too much or too less. This may result in a chaotic situation. A company may seek the help of consulting services for budgeting and planning.

Data Back-Up and Disaster Recovery

It is very important to maintain a back-up of the company’s data. It is always advisable to maintain it off site through IT consultants. Onsite maintenance is not an intelligent move, as your data may be destroyed in case of fire, theft or a natural calamity.

You can get more information about IT Consultant Markham by visiting IT Services Toronto

IT Consulting Firms


Technological advancements have made it very necessary for every firm to have a proper control and maintenance of their IT related activities. If a company does not have its own IT department, it may avail the services of IT consulting firms. These firms provide solutions to IT related requirements such Email and Spam Control, Network Security, Data Back-up, IT Budgeting and Planning.

IT Consulting - Types of Consulting Firms

IT consulting firms can be broadly divided into three types:

Professional Services Firms: These firms are very large in size. They can easily provide IT solutions for a large company. These firms are most trusted all across the world. They have a reputation of providing the best solutions. Their services are somewhat costly.

Staffing Firms: These firms are in effect for the period when they are handling your business. They employ people for a short duration. They phase out once they are through with the contract with a company.

Independent consultants: They are firms which have knowledge about any technological developments. They are competent enough to handle your business needs. They contribute a lot in the growth of their clients. Independent consultants are considered to be the best choice of all.

Main Concerns handled

IT Consultants mainly handle three concerns:

Data Integrity: A company’s data is one of the most critical asset of any organization. It includes critical information such as customer details, orders placed by customers, payment records etc. Thus, it becomes very important for every organization to protect its data. The services of IT consultants are often hired to ensure data integrity. They help in maintaining back-up of all the important data.

Security: A company has to protect its network from various threats such as hacking, viruses, Malware, etc. IT Consultants provide superior protection from all these threats by providing Firewalls and Anti-virus programs. It is imperative to let these consultants handle all your security needs. They have expertise in this field and can handle your security requirements in the best possible manner.

System Performance: It is very important for a company’s IT system to perform in the most efficient manner. A company’s business can prosper and grow only if it has proper support. IT consultants provide you the best advice. They help you invest in systems which give you best performance and increased protection. They play a vital role in the success of a company.

You can get more information about IT Consultant Markham by visiting IT Services Toronto

Network Security and IT Support in Toronto


Computers are constantly under the threat of being attacked by viruses, spyware and hackers. All organizations have critical and confidential information which can be accessed by hackers for misuse; a potential risk for any business. For this reason, it’s very important to incorporate security features when setting up a large or small business IT network in or around the Toronto area.

Using firewalls is one of the best ways to maintain network security and it’s an essential part of a company’s network protection system. Security software regulates the traffic between your network and the other networks that you access; it prevents unauthorized access to your network while allowing authorized access to continue as normal. With a firewall in place, an unauthorized attempt to access the can be blocked and encrypted, or allowed at the user’s discretion. An inner-network activity log is always maintained.

You may have the best antivirus software installed on your computer, but only when it’s combined with a firewall is it most effective. Compatible firewall protection may be purchased directly from one of the antivirus companies, or from places offering managed IT services in Toronto or other parts of Ontario. It is very important to have a firewall if you have a computer network. It is advised that any business install it on each and every computer of its network. This way, if one computer within a network gets infected by a virus, it does not infect the other computers within the same network.

If you’re not sure which antivirus software is best for your computer, you can seek the help of any company that provides computer support in Brampton, Markham, Vaughan or other areas in the GTA.

There are primarily two types of firewalls: software and hardware. Firewall software runs in the background of a computer. It captures each and every network request and decides whether it is authorized or unauthorized. A software firewall is not very expensive and it can be installed very easily once you identify the right version according to the operating system that you use.

Firewall hardware is normally a small box that is fitted between your computer and your modem. It offers better protection and you can use it on more than one computer; it doesn’t matter what type of operating system your computers operate on.

Nowadays, a mix of both software and hardware firewall is used to offer optimum protection. You can contact any reputable IT consulting company in Toronto, or outside the Toronto area, to install the right firewall for your network.

You can get more information about IT Consultant Markham by visiting IT Services Toronto

IT Solutions in Toronto: Firewalls

Firewall-How does it work

The Internet is vital for everyday business communication, accessing important data and information exchange, but with the use of this tool comes the threat of people who may attempt to access your network with harmful intentions. Hence, it has become imperative to control the access to the information in your databases. You can do so with the help of a solid firewall; any professional IT consultant in Toronto or outside of the city would agree.

What is a firewall?

Think of a firewall as a traffic policeman who controls and restricts the traffic between your computer the Internet. It’s a must when setting up large or small business IT networks in Toronto and the Greater Toronto Area. With a firewall installed, all information within the internal network of an organization is protected from the numerous computers connected to the web.

How does it work?

Each computer in has a unique IP address that enables it to connect to other computers, which allows other users to transfer files to and from other computers in the network. While the Internet has many safety features that control the access from different computers -- and most people do adhere to privacy protocols -- the risk of unauthorized access to your computer remains generally high.

Firewalls save a record of IP addresses and help you to control external access to your computer. When a computer tries to access your computer you receive an alert; then it’s up to you to authorize access. You can program your firewall to authorize access to desired computers or networks, and restrict the access of unwanted computers or networks. This is extremely useful in reducing the threat of viruses, spyware and malware; it even protects your computers from potential hackers.

Using a firewall protects the data and information that is sent along your office network, so it is a must for any business and individual to install one for any computer in use. Any unauthorized access to your computer can leave your personal or professional information exposed to hackers who may use your confidential information for selfish or destructive motives.

A good firewall can go a long way in protecting your network from any unauthorized access. If you’re in the area, you can seek advice from companies that provide IT support in Toronto, Mississauga, Oakville or other parts of the GTA to help with firewall installation and any other security needs your network may gave.

You can get more information about IT Consultant Markham by visiting IT Services Toronto