In 2021, Your Business Has to Have a Network Security Budget

Most modern businesses are using information systems to accelerate their profitability. In fact, small and medium-sized businesses are expected to spend over $650 billion in 2021. The question becomes what technologies are they spending their money on, and are they objectively the right investments to make? Today, we will unpack these questions by highlighting two investments that many businesses are pursuing.

SMB’s IT Budgets are in the Clouds

Technology is good to enhance an organization’s efficiency and to control costs. If you consider the cost of hiring one person, training them, and paying them for four years against the cost of buying a new server, software licensing, and maintaining that hardware for four years, one number would dwarf the other. The more technology can be used to fill in the gaps where human resources would function more effectively, the less a business will spend.

One way SMBs are earmarking technology in their budget is by taking advantage of cloud computing solutions. Before the past couple of years, businesses had too much anxiety to utilize cloud computing for much more than data backup and the occasional SaaS package. Today, however, cloud computing is one of the fastest growing parts of the SMB IT sector. At some point it’s fair to ask, are businesses beginning to rely on the cloud for too much? I’m not sure we’re there yet, but by using cloud computing it gives SMBs a way to effectively control computing costs, gain remote access to mission-critical business resources, and do work from about anywhere on any device. That holds a lot of value for the SMB operating in 2021.

Not Enough Security Spending

While SMBs are eager to spend their capital on the perceived value of cloud options, many aren’t doing enough to protect their network and infrastructure. One report suggests that 30 percent of SMBs in 2020 spend less than $1,000 per year on security. This is egregiously low, especially when you consider what a data breach could cost your company.

Consider that you have a good deal of sensitive and extremely personal data on file at your business. You also have data that has cost you a small fortune to create. Many SMBs simply don’t recognize the risk that their business is under and they prioritize their budget considerations based on trying to bring in revenue, not keep what they already have safe. When you stop and consider the risk, however, not spending enough to secure their network is like not locking up the office when you leave at night. Sure, most days nothing will happen, but the day something does will be a very bad day.

Businesses don’t need to empty their pocketbooks to prioritize network security, but they need to understand that it is important. Experts suggest that the average SMB should spend about 7-to-10 percent of their IT budget each year on security. The peace of mind in doing so will go a long way toward providing the assurance that your business’ assets are secure and that your business can operate freely. It is simply money well spent.

If you would like to talk to one of our professionals about your IT budget, what technology will make your business better, or how to protect what you have, give Ashton Technology Solutions a call today at 216-397-4080.