FAQ
General
At Sierra, we believe in the importance of clear communication and quality customer service. We do not outsource any support; our team is always a phone call or email away.
At Sierra, we believe in the importance of clear communication and quality customer service. We do not outsource any support, and our team is always a phone call or email away.
Sierra is one of the largest managed service providers in the Pittsburgh region, currently serving customers in over 38 states and 3 countries, ranging from 2-44,000 users. We take a different approach than a typical IT provider. Sierra only bills for work that we provide, with detailed billing in 5 minute increments. We also do not outsource any of our services or support.
Sierra specializes in working with existing IT teams. Since we generally provide Tier-3 and Tier-4 support, we can help with the more specialized work.
Many IT companies strive to provide a high SLA (service level agreement), while we guarantee our 99.99% SLA. We’re affordable, communicate better, and won’t sell you something that you don’t need.
Sierra’s engineering team has over 100 years of combined experience, along with certifications such as MCSE, CCNA, HP ATP, and various additional certifications through our network of trusted partners. Sierra is dedicated to continued learning, and our team’s qualifications and certifications will be updated regularly. For a complete and up-to-date list of certifications, please contact us.
Sierra has extensive experience with remote monitoring and management of IT systems. We already provide services in more than 38 states and 3 countries. We are qualified to help any company, regardless of geographical location.
Our free consultation is a pressure-free look at your current IT infrastructure and operations. A Sierra representative will travel to your location and discuss your current hardware, along with any issues or pain points you may have. We can also discuss the feasibility of any projects you’re considering. Then, we’ll provide honest advice. Even if you don’t choose Sierra, we are glad to help you move in the right direction.
The consultation generally takes 15-20 minutes. If there’s more that you’d like to discuss, we can talk longer.
There is no one-size-fits-all approach in IT. As every situation is different, pricing will depend on a variety of factors. We do work with almost any budget though, and we pride ourselves on quality services at an affordable price.
Sierra believes in transparency, and we always provide a comprehensive quote before beginning any project or monthly recurring charge. If you would like to add additional services at a later point, a new pricing estimate will be provided before continuing, ensuring that you never face any unexpected expenses.
We want to ensure that you are making the right decision when you pick Sierra. For this reason, we are always happy to provide references and testimonials. We are also available via phone or email to answer any questions you may have.
Please feel free to contact us and we would be happy to let you know.
Yes! Our team offers co-managed IT services when the organization wants to retain primary control but gain support and expertise where needed.
Managed Services
Since monitoring provides our team of engineers with insight into the performance and activity of a network, we do not recommend management without monitoring.
Since monitoring provides our team of engineers with insight into the performance and activity of a network, we do not recommend management without monitoring.
A member of our team would be happy to discuss your options with you. We’ll ask what hardware you are in possession of, what level of control (as in management) you would like to maintain, your budget, and any additional concerns you may have. To discuss your choices, please contact us.
Sierra offers Microsoft Office 365 and Hosted Exchange. Hosted Exchange enables you to have full control of your email solution, while Office 365 offers greater flexibility and useful applications.
Virtualization is the act of creating compartmentalized “virtual machines” within a physical piece of hardware. This can apply to storage, servers (virtual private servers or VPS), network, and more.
Monitoring
Sierra can monitor and manage almost any hardware and software. If you have legacy or custom hardware/software, please contact us, and we’ll let you know if it can be supported. The answer is almost always yes.
Sierra can monitor and manage almost any hardware and software. If you have legacy or custom hardware/software, please contact us, and we’ll let you know if it can be supported. The answer is almost always yes.
Open-source and freeware solutions come with risks and vulnerabilities. Any monitoring software will also require specialized knowledge to configure, utilize, and understand the results. Sierra’s solution eliminates the risks and need for specialized knowledge, while ensuring security.
Any weak point in a company’s network is a target for hackers and malware. If you are only monitoring your servers, you may be leaving a door open for potential threats to enter your network.
Once you provide information about which hardware or software you’re interested in monitoring, we would be happy to provide a list of metrics that we monitor. Sierra monitors roughly 300 statuses.
Backup and Disaster Recovery
Sierra always consults with our customers before implementing a backup and disaster recovery plan. We are happy to create a custom plan tailored to your business needs.
Sierra always consults with our customers before implementing a backup and disaster recovery plan. We are happy to create a custom plan tailored to your business needs.
Sierra’s backup and disaster recovery solutions are redundant, monitored, and managed to ensure the security of your vital data.
The time necessary to recover your data will depend on the solution you’ve selected, along with the amount of data that will need to be recovered. File folder recovery may take up to 30 minutes generally, while virtualization may take up to 2 hours.
If an emergency such as a natural disaster occurs at your business location, keeping your data safely stored offsite ensures that your business data is safe. Think of it as a data bank with which you can deposit and withdraw your vital data for security.
We sure can. Our team can help build a business continuity strategy that encompasses planning and processes to ensure your business can continue running during and after disruptions. We assist with comprehensive risk management and resilience planning and guide you through maintaining business functions in the face of various disruptions, not just disasters.
Networking
Along with providing reporting and executive level reviews, Sierra can help with problem resolution. Please be aware that this will incur additional charges. We will provide a quote for your approval before beginning work.
Along with providing reporting and executive level reviews, Sierra can help with problem resolution. Please be aware that this will incur additional charges. We will provide a quote for your approval before beginning work.
Our assessment offering includes the use of automated tools, but is also driven by an expert-level support staff in the US. Our staff will work cooperatively with you to help you understand the deliverables and advice we provide.
We use automated penetration testing tools, but our US staff will work cooperatively with you to help you understand the reporting we provide to you.
Sierra is not an audit firm and does not offer traditional assurance services. We will work cooperatively with you and your audit partners to provide the practical systems advice and testing and implementation services many organizations seek. However, we cannot guarantee that your company will pass compliance standards.
Sierra Experts offers a comprehensive assessment of your network infrastructure. Our experienced team will identify potential vulnerabilities and provide actionable recommendations that existing providers can take to improve your network security. We prioritize a cooperative approach and will work with your existing provider to implement solutions that strengthen your network security.
Website Development and Design
Absolutely, view our portfolio to see samples of our design work.
Absolutely, view our portfolio to see samples of our design work.
CMS stands for content management system, which means that on the backend of the website, there is a user interface allowing anyone to easily make changes. Static websites require a developer to make changes. One popular example of a CMS, that Sierra’s design and development team often utilizes, is WordPress.
A website template is a pre-built foundation for a new website. The biggest benefit of picking a template is cost savings. We can customize a template to match your branding, along with adding features and more. Since there is generally less time involved, you can save a lot by using a template as a starting point.
To make sure that your new website is off to a great start, we provide SEO at the design level. For example, search engines place a heavy value on whether a website is mobile-friendly, so we ensure that every website we develop is responsive and viewable on any device or browser. Sierra does offer full SEO services that are available at an additional cost to ensure your website is optimized for organic search.
We strive to make updating your website simple. Is there something you want to change? Just call or email us with your request, and we’ll make sure it’s done right. We only bill for the work we do, and you aren’t stuck in a contract.
Metered usage means that we will increase your bandwidth as more traffic comes to your website. Your website won’t crash if you get too many visitors, and you’re only charged for what you use.
Absolutely! We listed a few examples, but we are able to create any type of print or digital marketing.
Software Development
Middleware can mean a lot of different things. When talking about software development, middleware is an application that allows one piece of software to communicate and share information with another.
Middleware can mean a lot of different things. When talking about software development, middleware is an application that allows one piece of software to communicate and share information with another.
Generally, yes. Please contact us to talk about your software, and the changes you would like to make. Our team can help in most cases.
Sierra stands behind the software that we create. We are happy to offer support, documentation, and training.
Our quality assurance process is rigid. We thoroughly test every facet of your new application to ensure proper function, speed, and security.
Telephony and VoIP
This is determined on a case-by-case basis, but the costs are relatively low. VoIP enabled phones may be necessary, but in some cases, we can even work with your existing phones.
This is determined on a case-by-case basis, but the costs are relatively low. VoIP enabled phones may be necessary, but in some cases, we can even work with your existing phones.
If VoIP is the end-result, SIP Trunking is the method. VoIP (voice over internet protocol) is the process that internet based phones use to communicate, where SIP Trunking enables this process to occur.
Yes, we uphold a 99.99% SLA, and our VoIP services feature a 99.997% uptime.
Please click here to view a full list. Most features are included at no additional cost, however the Call Center Application may incur an additional charge. If you are unsure if a feature is included, please contact us.
Hardware and Software
Along with selling hardware and software, we use the products in our business. We make understanding the solutions that we sell top priority. With that in mind, we give honest advice about what works well, and can provide expert support. You can also save money by purchasing from Sierra.
Along with selling hardware and software, we use the products in our business. We make understanding the solutions that we sell top priority. With that in mind, we give honest advice about what works well, and can provide expert support. You can also save money by purchasing from Sierra.
Please contact us with the product that you are interested in. We’ll let you know if we’re able to offer it, and if so, we’ll give you a quote. We only have a portion of our offerings listed on our website.
Sierra can configure, monitor, and manage almost all of the hardware and software that we offer. This will incur additional charges. Please contact us about a specific piece of hardware or software.