A financial trading or brokerage firm needs four things from its IT: high-availability systems that stay online during market hours, secure access into bank and client networks, strong security and compliance, and support that understands a fast, regulated environment. In trading, minutes of downtime or one fraudulent payment can be very costly, so the IT has to be built for it.
Trading firms are heavily targeted and tightly regulated, and they often connect into the systems of banks and counterparties. Here is what good IT support looks like.
1. Systems that stay online
During market hours, downtime is not an option. Proactive monitoring, resilient connectivity, failover and tested disaster recovery keep your trading and communications systems available when it matters most.
2. Secure access into bank and client networks
Your people often need to connect securely into banks’ and counterparties’ environments, through secure VPN or remote access tools. That access has to be reliable and locked down with multi-factor authentication, because it reaches sensitive external systems.
3. Security and compliance
Trading firms are prime targets for fraud and attack. Layered security, including endpoint protection, application allowlisting, managed email security, MFA and staff training, protects client money and data. Recording and retention of communications often matters too, for regulatory reasons.
4. Support that understands the pace
When something breaks mid-trade, you need a person who fixes it fast, not a ticket in a queue. Expect quick response, clear communication and a partner who knows your environment well enough to act quickly.
A real example: communications protected and recoverable
We supported a technology firm serving financial trading desks where we ran managed backup with verification on every cycle, so its regulated client communications were always recoverable, and kept the recording infrastructure behind a trading environment available. When a connection issue did crop up, the user noted: “I thought the connection error would take a long time to fix, however the issue was sorted in just 3 hours.”
Why technology and trading firms choose First Stop IT
First Stop IT has supported businesses since 2002, including software and technology companies and firms that serve financial markets. We know the systems these teams depend on: secure VPN and remote access, source control and build pipelines, virtual dev and test environments, Microsoft 365 and Teams, and the security that banks and regulators expect, from multi-factor authentication and endpoint protection to application allowlisting and email security. We work with technology and trading firms in London and across Essex and Hertfordshire. Our credentials include:
- Cyber Essentials Certified
- IASME Cyber Assurance (Gold)
- NCSC Assured Service Provider (Cyber Advisor for Cyber Essentials)
- Microsoft Partner
- Crown Commercial Service Supplier (G-Cloud)
- Quality Principles Certified
We look after more than 2,000 endpoints across 50 companies, we’ve been named a Top 50 UK MSP for three years running, and we support organisations with 10 to 100 employees across Essex, Hertfordshire and London, including Harlow and Bishop’s Stortford.
Book a free IT and cyber security review
Want IT support built for a trading environment? Book a free IT and cyber security review with First Stop IT and we’ll show you what good looks like.