Technology Innovator Awards 2017

It can even support international accounts. This year it announced a new Strategic Accounts team that is serving the IT needs of enterprise-level clients. ITsavvy also expanded its commitment to the Public Sector with a dedicated business development group that serves Federal, State, Local and Education clients. They have already won several large contracts including General Services Administration (GSA), The Interlocal Purchasing System (TIPS/TAPS) and Maryland Education Enterprise Consortium (MEEC). These are in addition to the company’s long-standing relationships with government agencies, school districts and public libraries around the US. During the past year, the company also introduced a number of new solutions, including Cloud Solutions, IT Lifecycle Management, Print Security and most recently Security Solutions. “Security Solutions is topmost on people’s minds these days. To respond to perceived threats, they may quickly install a couple of filters or software patches, but the truth is, it’s just not that simple. New cyberthreats are emerging daily, and it takes constant vigilance to stay on top of this fluid environment,” said Theriault. ITsavvy is one of the few IT providers who have a full spectrum of Security Solutions capabilities, including Threat Intelligence, Network Security, Security Analysis, Social Engineering and Security Compliance Assessment. ITsavvy has the in-house capability to monitor, manage, investigate, respond and eradicate intrusions. Whereas some providers may specialize in one or two aspects of threat protection, it was important for ITsavvy to offer the full spectrum of Security Solutions expertise. It fits with their position as a knowledge leader. Along with Security Solutions, Print Security is an emerging challenge that ITsavvy supports. “Few organizations realize that their print operation can be hacked, but networked print devices now serve as wireless endpoints and are often unprotected,” said Theriault. It is a particular concern for hospitals, insurance companies and financial institutions that must be vigilant about patient and customer data. ITsavvy has solutions that encrypt print data in transit, restrict user access to specific devices, and require authorization (like badges, QR codes or PINs) before printing. Theriault says virtualization is a hot topic during client conversations. “Virtualization can be a game changer, and can deliver an immediate positive ROI. It’s the future of IT for all organizations, from start-ups to enterprise-level companies,” Theriault said. Virtualization can take many forms, and having advanced expertise helps ITsavvy utilize the technology inventively. When an aerospace manufacturer realized some of its backup processes were failing, ITsavvy proposed a temporary solution to virtualize backups while a new infrastructure was being built. ITsavvy’s cloud backup was deployed in a week, enabling 15TB of reliable and redundant data backups during the six-month build-out. “This was not an option that the client had considered. Yet, it was a cost and time-saving solution,” said Theriault. This kind of quick problem- solving has established ITsavvy as an industry innovator, and has been strengthened by sizable investments in technology and talent. ITsavvy recently opened a new Network Operations Center (NOC) in New York and a state-of-the-art data center in New Jersey. The NOC is staffed 24x7x365 with a US-based team. The data center was custom designed and built by ITsavvy engineers in a facility that is 100% compliant for HIPAA, HITECH, SSAE 16, PCI DSS 3.0, and is certified Safe Harbor and SOC 1 & 2. The two facilities, along with another data center in the Midwest, form the hub of Virtualization and Cloud activities for ITsavvy clients in North America and Europe. ITsavvy has particularly-strong expertise in Disaster Recovery, and it is one of the company’s fastest- growing business segments along with its Cloud solutions that include savvyDesktop ® (DaaS), savvyMail ® (hosted Exchange), Virtual Infrastructure (IaaS), Disaster Recovery & Business Continuity (DRaaS), Colocation, savvyBackup ® (BaaS), Data Center Solutions and Public, Private and Hybrid Cloud options. They all allow organizations to do more with less, which helps them improve their ability to compete. Theriault cites an example of an engineering client that had ongoing expenses to support software upgrades every two years. “With facilities in the US and the UK, it was becoming a CapEx and manpower burden. So we moved their high-end engineering software to the cloud. This not only simplifies their upgrade cycles but also enabled them to eliminate costly onsite server and storage hardware.” In fact, ITsavvy believes standalone on premise infrastructures will soon be a thing of the past, particularly for small to medium-sized operations. Utilizing state-of- the-art technologies, ITsavvy has seen tremendous growth in its Managed Services offerings, which include savvyGuard Managed Network, savvyGuard Managed Help Desk and savvyPrint Managed Print. “The IT Manager is running a much more diffused operation than even five years ago,” said Theriault. “It is nearly impossible to be an expert in all of the advanced technologies required to keep today’s organization competitive.” Instead, companies are handing over to ITsavvy their day-to-day tasks like network monitoring, event remediation, user help desk, backup and archiving. As an added time- saver, companies now want products delivered that are user-ready. ITsavvy has seen a considerable uptick in work requests at its Configuration Lab, where their technicians pre-install software, custom imaging and asset tags before devices are shipped. “We are continually adding and expanding services that can help our clients improve efficiencies,” said Theriault. That includes improving product availability and shipping. ITsavvy’s network of distribution centers provides access to over one million products, with 99% of orders going out the same day. For ITsavvy, though, having the technologies is only part of the solution. “We understand these can be overwhelming decisions for most of our clients, not only in investment size but also in the way they conduct their operation. We want them to know that we are there for them, that we can guide them using our in-house expertise. We will help them make transformative changes,” said Theriault. This kind of client-centered culture requires a considerable commitment to staff training. The company’s sales and technical teams are continually training to maintain a high level of knowledge. “On any given week we will have multiple vendor-sponsored training and certification programs going on at all of our offices to ensure that we stay current on the latest technologies.” ITsavvy’s strong vendor partnerships not only enable technical dialogues but also ensure competitive pricing. Yet for all its growth, in capabilities and geography, ITsavvy maintains an entrepreneurial culture, and Theriault encourages team members to identify their own niches of expertise. “We have some of the most experienced, creative and innovative IT people in the industry, and they are passionate about helping their clients utilize technology to achieve their objectives. Our tag line is ‘We listen. Then deliver results. You’re the hero.’ We want our clients to succeed.” Name: Mike Theriault, President and CEO Headquarters: Addison, IL Website: www.ITsavvy.com/Innovators