About Up to Date GmbH
Up to Date GmbH is an established system house based in Upper Austria and employs a total of 25 people, including 7 technicians in the field of IT support and security. The company specialises in supporting small and medium-sized companies.
With a wide range of services, from Microsoft and HP solutions to Fortinet and MSP services, Up to Date GmbH relies on proven technologies and customised solutions that meet the specific requirements of its customers.
How the Search for a Better Approach to Security Led to lywand
Challenges Before lywand - The Initial Situation
Before introducing lywand, Up to Date faced a major challenge: although the existing RMM tools provided basic functions such as patch management and monitoring, they lacked a comprehensive and objective assessment of the IT security situation. Especially for customers who needed detailed reports for management or evidence for cyber insurance, it quickly became clear that these tools were not sufficient.
What Made lywand the Ideal Choice for Up to Date
The decision in favour of lywand was made after an intensive evaluation of various solutions. Up to Date was looking for a tool that not only identified vulnerabilities but also offered practical ways of handling them. Lywand impressed with its clear visualisation of security vulnerabilities and concrete recommendations for improving security.
User-friendliness was a decisive factor. Lywand can be easily integrated into existing processes and offers reports that are easy to understand for both IT managers and management. The platform made it possible for Up to Date to make IT security understandable and tangible - a key success factor in customer support. The Auto Healing function in particular, which automatically fixes some of the vulnerabilities found, was a great added value. In addition, the pricing model perfectly matched the requirements of SMEs, making the platform the ideal addition to the portfolio.
How the Security Checks Were Incorporated Into the Existing Portfolio
Integration Into Existing Service Contracts
Lywand was not introduced as a separate add-on, but as an integral part of the existing service contracts. This meant that customers did not have to make any additional decisions or deal with new cost structures. Instead, they benefited directly from the enhanced security standards. The clear structure of the reports helped to make security gaps understandable and transparent.
Strategy for New Customers
In addition to integration into the maintenance contracts, free one-off scans were also offered to convince potential new customers. These scans often uncovered weak points that had previously been overlooked. Many customers were impressed by the results and decided to work with Up to Date on a long-term basis.
Support With Cyber Insurance
One area in which lywand is particularly valuable relates to cyber insurance requirements. More and more customers require proof of compliance with IT security standards in order to take out policies or to be covered in the event of a claim. Lywand provides reports that serve as a reliable basis and clearly document the security standards.
Regular analyses enable customers to ensure that their IT systems can be audited at any time. In the event of damage, this is a decisive advantage, as insurance companies often demand independent expert reports. With lywand, Up to Date has provided its customers with a solution that not only offers security, but also minimises potential liability risks.
Results and Customer Feedback: A Complete Success
Since the introduction of lywand, Up to Date has achieved impressive results. Within a short space of time, over 2,500 end devices have been analysed and evaluated with lywand. The platform has also opened up new sales potential through cross-selling, for example with backup solutions or hardware modernisation.
The feedback from customers has been consistently positive. Many were surprised at how simply and comprehensibly lywand's reports presented their IT security situation. Up to Date's proactive approach, which not only identifies existing vulnerabilities but also offers measures for improvement, was particularly appreciated.
Conclusion: lywand as an Indispensable Tool for IT Security
With lywand, Up to Date GmbH has significantly improved its service. The platform makes it possible to quickly identify vulnerabilities, provide customers with easy-to-understand reports and efficiently implement IT security standards.
Ronald Diensthuber, Technical Director at Up to Date GmbH, sums it up succinctly:
"The platform is easy to use, provides clear results and enables us to effectively eliminate vulnerabilities. Its use has become indispensable for us."
