Although it is not a position she applied for or a promotion she pursued, Kathy Lowrance is not only the Accounts Receivable Manager at Superior Petroleum, she is also the IT Manager. Because of her seniority, her position of trust, and her interest in technology, Lowrance became, as is the case with many small businesses, the unofficial IT Manager.

Lowrance recalls: "I remember back in 1979 when computers first started to be used in business, when they were huge and took up an entire room". "I was the one who somehow ended up handling our technology needs, and so I just picked up the skills and learned it on my own."

It became too much for Kathy to manage alone, as the technology requirements of the business became more complex. Because of Super Petroleum's location in a rural area of North Carolina, even getting an Internet connection was a big challenge.

Clients' networks are correctly set up, configured, and secure, as insured by Walling Data Systems' Guaranteed IT service. To ensure continuous system reliability, the service includes spam controls, e-mail system configuration, and ongoing maintenance.

The remote monitoring feature, which means that Guaranteed IT's help-desk engineers are only a phone call or email away and can access her network immediately to diagnose and fix almost any issue, is an important component of the service for Lowrance.

Superior Petroleum's business depends, just like thousands of other small businesses, on technology. As is the accounting process, important documents and customer information are stored digitally, which means that solid data security and backup procedures must be in place to prevent viruses, hackers, and other unauthorized third parties from gaining access. It also means data must be backed up regularly in case of disaster.

Guaranteed IT recommends and installs AVG Technologies' Internet Security products for security: anti-spam, firewall, anti-spyware, anti-virus, and protection against the latest web-borne threats. Lowrance feels confident that the software is doing its job.