Pockets of communities throughout the United States have experienced more than their fair share of rain this season. In some cases, mudslides and hydroplaning are the extent of the damage done. In other situations, the rain produced unprecedented flooding that displaced homes and businesses, leaving many without access to the very basics.
In disasters such as these, the extensive planning needed isn’t always in place. An excessive amount of rain isn’t expected and those businesses not in a floodplain don’t worry. When the unexpected happens, the business may have planned for everything else – but not displacement due to flooding. If the company relies on VoIP for communications, is there no worry or does a lack of VoIP monitoring put them at risk?
A recent CIO Review piece examined the disaster recovery reality of VoIP. The first recommended key to successful disaster recovery in a VoIP situation is the presence of VoIP system protection in the network’s firewall setting. With VoIP monitoring, users can also find VoIP-aware firewalls through a VoIP Managed Router available.WPA-2 encryption and WPA password security in all wireless networks is also a must. When present, this level of security enables employees to access the VoIP system through personal devices.
While this kind of access is critical to ensure the business can continue when disaster strikes, it can also be a source of vulnerability if the proper security isn’t in place. Security breaches can be prevented through the creation of a strong password and allowing IT executives to take control of the password.
At the same time, employees then need to be educated on the best practices and changing the right passwords often enough to help prevent security threats. With VoIP monitoring, IT leaders can also monitor and track conversations to identify anything unauthorized or abnormalities that can lead to bigger problems.
The VoIP monitoring plan should also include call forwarding rules that are regularly reviewed to ensure proper practices and overall quality. A proven VoIP provider will enable monitoring algorithms that can help in the further detection of unusual call behavior that is either unauthorized or actually fraudulent. This is an important step whether a disaster has struck or not.
The point is, there are no guarantees that your business will be able to operate as expected when tomorrow comes. As a VoIP user, you need to be prepared for anything that could halt business. With VoIP monitoring, you’ll be much better equipped to protect this vital business tool and prevent problems in the future.
Edited by Alicia Young