Protecting your company’s data against threats like ransomware, phishing scams, and the latest cyber-attacks should be at the forefront of your IT strategy. However, what’s the best way to keep your files safe? There are plenty of preventative measures you can take to avoid the costly risk of downtime. Arguably the most important one is… Read more »
Read the ArticleThe growing importance of data protection has made backup and recovery a fiercely competitive market. According to Markets and Markets, the industry is projected to reach $11.59 billion by 2022, nearly doubling the $6.58 billion value estimated in 2016. In recent years, this fast-growing industry has undergone a dramatic transformation and changed the way we… Read more »
Read the ArticleData is the lifeblood of every business. The inability to access that data could result in damage that takes some organizations years to repair. In some cases, that lack of access may very well spell the end of the road. Your future is only as promising as your business continuity plan, and your backup strategy… Read more »
Read the ArticleA significant portion of current tech news focuses on artificial intelligence and machine learning and what they can do to help move society forward. From fighting malware to flying a drone, AI and machine learning are already at a stage of development where they can be incredibly impactful in a multitude of industries such as… Read more »
Read the ArticleTape backup has been around for a long time. Tape data storage is an archive, which is long-term storage of inactive or low-activity data retained for future use. Even though it’s prominent in the archive world, the demise of tape has been an annual prediction since the cloud pushed its way onto the scene. Taking… Read more »
Read the ArticleCloud computing has changed the way we deploy business applications and manage IT environments. While all cloud services share some common ground, not all cloud services are created equal. In this post we’ll take a closer at Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS) and why it may be the perfect cloud solution for managed service providers. IaaS Overview The… Read more »
Read the ArticleOf all the IT buzzwords to come around, none have been filled with more hype and promise that “the cloud”. Cloud computing took the world by storm, and in the process, proved that it was far more than hoopla. Though it’s still a big deal, there is talk that the cloud may soon be “edged”… Read more »
Read the ArticleWhenever we witness the rapid adoption of technology, we also must sift through the hyperbole and misconceptions that follow. Cloud computing is one of those technologies where everyone has an opinion, and yet there is still a lot of confusion when it comes to picking through the facts and myths. One might expect there to… Read more »
Read the ArticleBacking up mission-critical files is an important maintenance task for any IT team. The sting of a failed hard drive or malware infection isn’t as nearly as severe when your data can be quickly recovered. Backup software aims to make that possibility a reality by automating the process of backing up and restoring your data…. Read more »
Read the ArticleBig data is a double-edged sword. One edge of that sword shines bright with razor sharp insights and limitless reach. The other edge is rife with challenges and uncertainties. Ever-increasing volumes have many firms struggling to get a handle on their data. And with the influx of information flowing at such great velocity, controlling that… Read more »
Read the ArticleImagine, forty or fifty years ago, the vast amount of physical space SMB’s would have required to store the many paper documents they accumulated over the years. Pages upon pages of paper had to be housed and often secured under lock and key in an office. Cut to the present, where even small to mid-sized… Read more »
Read the ArticleData is exploding at an incredible rate and for many businesses it’s a new gold rush. Competitive advantages, more agility, better downstream planning, and a clearer understanding of customers and products are just a few of the benefits data can provide. But benefits like these are only for businesses that know how to store, protect,… Read more »
Read the ArticlePossibly the most unnerving and damaging event that can happen to an MSP is a server failure. If your server goes down, so does your business, until the issue is resolved, and downtime can cost you thousands. There are a variety of reasons your server may crash, including loss of power during an intense storm,… Read more »
Read the ArticleData growth is easy to ignore when most of it happens behind the scenes. In fact, until you run out of space on a hard drive or cloud platform, it’s not something you would think about every day. But given the rocket-speed of data growth, it’s wise to take note – you can’t ignore the… Read more »
Read the ArticleThe time of year has come when students and their parents anxiously await and receive results from the college of their choice. In academia, the ivory tower is an exalted place. The thought of your college student getting admitted into a prestigious Ivy League University is an exciting one, even more so when the acceptance… Read more »
Read the ArticleDisasters have a way of not only coming at the wrong time, but at a price. And as research shows, they become more expensive year after year. 2017 is on record as the costliest year for climate-related disasters in the United States, tipping the scales at a whopping $306 billion in damages. Hurricane Harvey alone… Read more »
Read the ArticleFew topics have captured the minds of technologists like Machine Learning (ML) has over the past few years. Walk through the booths at CES and you will find many new products and services promising to utilize ML in some innovative way to help distinguish their offering from the next. That has certainly been the case… Read more »
Read the ArticleThe Trojan virus can be traced back all the way to the 1980s. Though Trojans have been around for a long time, many people don’t know the first thing about them. This is proved by the fact that so many users around the globe are still fooled by hackers into downloading malware. To understand the… Read more »
Read the ArticleOver the years, phishing has become more and more popular, evolving in complexity from its conception in the 1990’s. At its core, phishing is a type of cyberattack hackers implement to obtain access to your private or sensitive information. Generally, a hacker will send an email that seems to be from a trustworthy source and… Read more »
Read the ArticleRansomware has become a hacker go-to in the world of cybercrime. Research detailed in the Cisco 2017 Annual Cybersecurity Report states that ransomware is growing at a yearly rate of 350 percent. The Ransomware Data Report, published by Cybersecurity Ventures, predicts that by 2019, ransomware will cause more than $11.5 billion in global damages and… Read more »
Read the ArticleData storage is so last decade. We’re in the throes of a data revolution and businesses are no longer satisfied with simply storing data. They need new tools and tactics that help them turn raw information into insights that let them out-fox competition, anticipate up-and-coming trends, and move confidently into a profitable future. The key… Read more »
Read the ArticlePicture this: You’re browsing a new website, click on an interesting link, and suddenly you’re bombarded with the following warning: “Uhh ohhh! Your files are encrypted!! Your documents, photos, and databases are no longer accessible. Don’t waste time trying to recover them. The only way to get them back is to pay us for the… Read more »
Read the ArticleThe digital landscape has changed in some big ways over the past couple of decades. The first wave brought in the Internet as businesses and consumers came online. A decade later the mobile Internet become the second wave bringing real-time connectivity to billions of people and devices. Today we are amid the third wave and… Read more »
Read the ArticleDisaster recovery and cybersecurity are two of the most important objectives for any organization. In disaster recovery, you have what is arguably the most important aspect of business continuity. However, cybersecurity is the key to protecting your IT assets from the litany of threats that haunt the digital landscape. While they are clearly two fundamentally… Read more »
Read the ArticleLet’s say you work in the accounting department of a mid-sized business and receive an email from your CEO. She says she needs $2,000 wire-transferred to account number xxx-xxx-xxx immediately. It seems urgent. The email address is hers, the email signature is correct, and there’s nothing else odd about the email, other than your CEO… Read more »
Read the ArticleThe viruses of the 1990s and early 2000s have evolved into subtler yet progressively more harmful attacks. As we transition to a world in which cyber war is increasingly detrimental to societies, the cyber threats we are encountering are becoming harder to defend against and even more difficult to eradicate. In a recent blog post… Read more »
Read the ArticleEver since Bitcoin arrived on the scene in 2009, the popular cryptocurrency has been shrouded in mystery and controversy along with a lot of investor hype. Few businesses gave Bitcoin much attention initially. Many viewed the currency as an extension of the black market or “dark web” which hampered its acceptance outside the tech community…. Read more »
Read the ArticleHarvard Business Review hit the nail on the head when referring to metrics as “The True Measures of Success”. Metrics currently play a prominent role in the healthcare field, the sports arena, and many other industries. Disaster recovery (DR) is no exception. When it comes to DR planning, metrics not only gauge effectiveness, but help organizations… Read more »
Read the ArticleNobody likes price increases. However, if you have not raised the prices lately, there is a good chance you are undercharging for the services you provide. Some MSPs never raise their prices due to the fear they will lose or upset a customer. You may very well do that. But if you follow a few… Read more »
Read the ArticleIn breaking down the true cost of file storage, we explained how an intelligent backup solution can help keep those costs to a minimum. One of the unsung heroes of that process is a data storage concept called deduplication. In this post we’ll provide an overview on deduplication and the role it plays in an… Read more »
Read the ArticleFinding tech talent has always been a challenge for companies, especially as the job market heats up. For the best MSPs, growth means they are constantly searching for new and experienced talent to balance their teams. But technical chops are not the only skill MSPs desire. The capacity to deliver excellent service that delights customers… Read more »
Read the ArticleCloud backup is steadily becoming a standard for small and large businesses alike. When cloud backup options can be affordable while also offering lots of options for quick recovery, it’s easy to see the benefits. But with vendors ranging from heavy-hitters like Amazon Web Services, Microsoft, or Google, to smaller cloud providers and data center… Read more »
Read the ArticleCompanies across the globe are making radical changes to put customers at the heart of virtually everything they do. For many, this fundamental shift in focus calls for adopting an all new arsenal of technologies and tools. In this post we’ll examine five IT trends organizations can use to transform their business operations around the… Read more »
Read the ArticleThe cloud is so common it’s easy for people to forget that it’s not some magic place where folders go to live forever in space. At least in theory, we all know it’s just some company’s computer. Because the cloud is so widely-used and generally reliable (though there are plenty of cloud outages), it’s easy… Read more »
Read the ArticleIntense competition and diminished profit margins have value added re-sellers (VARs) looking over the fence at managed service providers (MSPs) and wondering if they should join them. Some VARs have been running smoothly for years but see an opportunity to tap into a growing market by diversifying their products and services. Whether you are a… Read more »
Read the ArticleMaintaining an efficient IT environment is no easy task. Most IT departments approach such initiatives with their organization’s best interests at heart. However, communication issues, internal politics, and differences in management philosophies can stifle even the best plans. So how do you know where you stand? We have laid out four symptoms that indicate your… Read more »
Read the ArticleTime is a precious resource and always tight. Often, business owners and operators, no matter the size of their companies, try to find both the most efficient and cost-effective solutions to problems. Everyone starts small and we completely understand that predicament, having had our own issues to resolve as a business when we first started… Read more »
Read the ArticleAs an MSP, how do you gain an edge over your competition? Maybe you joined a Facebook group, or you follow topics on Quora that keep you on the cusp of technology and business ideas. Others might attend seminars or listen to audiobooks that give them the information they can use to improve their business…. Read more »
Read the ArticleRemember WannaCry? It was the ransomware that infected over 300,000 machines in 150 countries around the globe last year. Experts are referring to this data massacre as the most expansive ransomware outbreak in history. But WannaCry is just one of the hundreds of examples of ransomware that can wreak havoc on your data and cost… Read more »
Read the ArticleWe know downtime is costly. According to Gartner, downtime can cost as much as $5,600 a minute, which sounds terrifying, but how much does it really cost for you and your specific situation? There are dozens of downtime calculators online, but they’re typically too simple. Really, they’re marketing tools to help illustrate the cost of… Read more »
Read the ArticleCyber-criminals are smarter than ever, and 2018 promises to bring some of the most advanced attacks the world has seen. With an estimated cost of around $6 trillion per year attributed to cybercrime, it’s easy to see that digital crime is just as lucrative for criminals as it is damaging to businesses. Cybercrime isn’t going… Read more »
Read the ArticleMobile devices are a common accessory for millions of Americans. In its annual “State of Mobile” report, analytics firm Flurry found that U.S. consumers are glued to their mobile devices for an average of five hours per day. If you’re among the growing number of professionals who conduct business on the go, you probably understand… Read more »
Read the Article“Serverless” is one of those words that can be pretty misleading—because it does not mean what it sounds like it means. The server is still there, but it runs in the background like a resource that can scale up or down as needed. Someone else maintains the infrastructure, handles provisioning, and takes care of other… Read more »
Read the ArticleAs a successful VAR or MSP, you fully understand that data is the lifeline of your customer’s business. As your client’s trusted advisor, not only have you kept local backups of their data, but you have also replicated these offsite to ensure that your customer can access these at all times and keep their business… Read more »
Read the ArticleCyber security has been a hot topic for a while now, but its relevance absolutely blew up in 2017. In May 2017, WannaCry ransomware spread like wildfire across the globe crippling public utilities and large corporations alike, particularly impacting those that were still running older versions of the Windows operating system. But that was merely… Read more »
Read the ArticleWith new tax codes, there are a lot of changes for a tax professional to understand. And if new tax codes are already a lot for experts to understand, it is fair to assume they’re even more challenging for the average person. If you or your staff aren’t tax pros, or if you’re considering finding… Read more »
Read the ArticleWhen a new administration comes in, laws start to transform. Bills around healthcare in particular have popped up in Congress and though they’ve struggled to gain traction, there are certainly updates on the horizon. But despite changes to insurance and healthcare laws, one thing will stay the same: the importance of health information security. As… Read more »
Read the ArticleThe year 2017 was a messy one, full of things like earthquakes, hurricanes, cyber-attacks, and interesting turns for global politics. With all the noise and scary stuff going on, it’s easy to lose track of just how far technology has come this year—we’ve made some incredible advancements to be proud of. Here are just a… Read more »
Read the ArticleWe have all had computer issues at one time or another. They seem to crop up at the least convenient times, such as when support has closed for the day. Or maybe your computer goes down over a holiday while you are in the middle of a project. There are times when speaking to a… Read more »
Read the ArticleAlthough canvassing is most commonly considered for things like political causes, it can be a valuable sales and marketing tactic for small businesses as well. At its barest, canvassing is just an in-person cold-call, though it gives you the opportunity to establish a more personal relationship with other businesses. It’s not about an immediate sale,… Read more »
Read the ArticleHIPAA compliance has challenged businesses of all sizes to satisfy a stringent set of rules and requirements. Compliance is nothing new for traditional industries such as the healthcare arena, but keeping up is more challenging than ever. Between January and August 2017, the Office of Civil Rights OCR agreed to monetary settlements connected to eight… Read more »
Read the ArticleIn Part 1, we discussed the basics of email campaigns, how to set goals, and how to build an email marketing list. In this post, we’ll continue our look at email campaigns by covering how to find the right tools, how to develop content, and how to refine your approach to email campaigns as you… Read more »
Read the ArticleMSPs understand the value of attending industry events and conferences. These professional gatherings allow MSPs to network with their colleagues and current clients and to discover new prospects. They also bring vendors, executives, and experts together for a few days to learn best practices. Companies often use conferences to introduce sales and marketing programs and… Read more »
Read the ArticleAt the start of any new year, it’s wise to reflect on the previous year and consider what you want to improve. For your business, what did you do that made a big impact? What fell flat? What did you hope to get around to that you couldn’t? Your resolutions for 2018 probably include finding… Read more »
Read the ArticleEmail is an awesome way to communicate with prospects. It’s a way to continue conversations and share information with people after your initial interactions with them. By keeping communication channels open and providing valuable content and resources, you can turn curious prospects into your next great contract. Best of all, it’s both affordable and effective…. Read more »
Read the ArticleDear StorageCraft Partners, Thank you for trusting StorageCraft to secure your customers’ most valuable asset—namely, their data. Data privacy is an important aspect of data security, and StorageCraft has always taken both very seriously. Rest assured that we will continue to do so. As you probably know, the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) takes… Read more »
Read the ArticleThe past year was full of new products, exciting technology and innovation. New and old players competed for our attention, while opening new markets and disrupting old ones. It was not easy to read a trade magazine or blog article that did not tout machine learning, cloud computing or crypto-currency as those three topics dominated… Read more »
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