June 17

Staying Vigilant as Ransomware Becomes More Targeted and Frequent

Ransomware threats continue to grow in 2019 as cybercriminals become sneakier and more targeted in their efforts, which means only organizations that are continuously proactive in maintaining security may come away unscathed. Consider the latest: The group behind the Dharma ransomware is now bundling it inside a fake antivirus software installation. Phishing emails that reportedly… Read more »

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June 10

Top 5 Reasons to Stick With a Hybrid Cloud Infrastructure

For many SMBs, it’s practical to use a private cloud for everything from software as a service to storage infrastructure and more. With benefits like cost savings, live support, and more, it’s tempting for enterprises to also ditch their hybrid cloud infrastructure in favor of public cloud offerings. But before you jump ship altogether, there… Read more »

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June 6

Inside ShadowXafe: A Look behind the Curtain at the Industry’s Most Powerful Data Protection and DRaaS Solution

Sophisticated MSPs know that trading basic backups for SLA-driven disaster recovery as service (DRaaS) offers outstanding profitability. But for many, DRaaS isn’t the easy-to-manage cash-cow it should be. To provide high availability and maximum data protection, MSPs may have to work with a complex array of vendors, solutions, and (sometimes messy) integrations, resulting in unnecessary… Read more »

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May 30

Top 3 Reasons MSPs Use ShadowXafe for Data Protection

MSPs are responsible for stopping downtime, safeguarding data, and ensuring that no disaster—large or small—stops the productivity of their clients. It’s no easy task when MSPs must juggle vendors, become experts in various solutions, and integrate them, all while trying to make operations run as efficiently as possible. We expanded the functionality of ShadowXafe™ to… Read more »

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May 29

What Is a Modern Backup & Recovery Solution Anyway?

As a StorageCraft evangelist, I find it worthwhile to download and read competitors’ white papers. This tactic usually gives me a good angle on the strengths and weaknesses of different vendors’ product offerings. Well, very recently I downloaded a “buyer’s guide” type document from another vendor. The buyer’s guide was tailored to the vendor’s own… Read more »

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May 23

Why MSPs Should Test Their Backup Solutions

Imagine finding out the hard way that your home alarm system wasn’t working. You arrive home to an open front door with your personal items scattered around your place. Some expensive purchases—jewelry, your stereo system, or your computer—are missing. You get in touch with the home security company and alert them to the fact that… Read more »

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May 20

How MSPs Can Succeed in the Cloud Security Market

If you own or work for an MSP, you’ll likely understand the struggles of developing the perfect solution for your clients. Besides all the difficulties that go along with pricing your services, deciding which services will sell well and should be bundled together can be a real challenge. One thing’s for sure, if your MSP… Read more »

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May 16

How to Talk to Your Clients About Data Breach

As an IT pro, you know that data breach is a real risk. Your clients, however, probably haven’t thought about it as much. If your job is to keep them productive and their data safe, you must know how to broach the topic of data breach. Here’s an approach that will help them understand the… Read more »

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May 6

7 Data Security Measures All Businesses Should Take

Data security has come a long way since its early days of simple scans and firewalls. Though there are certain older tools and techniques that are still valuable today, there are other methods of security that every single business should be employing. Here are seven of those: Perfect Your Passwords At the top of the… Read more »

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April 29

The Secret for Getting Employees to Embrace Data Use

While many top leaders now tout the value of data to their organizations, there may a distinct lack of enthusiasm by rank-and-file employees for embracing data on a regular basis. That disconnect can spell trouble for organizations that are trying to use data to be more competitive or innovative. Without complete employee buy-in, the data-integration… Read more »

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April 25

Why Schools Should Consider Cloud Recovery

Every business needs a data security strategy. A company’s data is its source of revenue, and the fuel to keep business moving along. So, imagine if that data disappeared. How would they be able to run their website or measure their inventory? When it comes to school data, the consequences of deletion by a disaster… Read more »

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April 22

How MSPs Can Capitalize on the Modernization of Healthcare IT

What makes the perfect target for a cybercriminal? A business that’s rich with sensitive information about their clients. One in particular? Healthcare providers. Consider just how much information a facility like a hospital holds concerning its doctors, nurses, and patients. Many of these stored details, especially patient files, are not only sensitive in nature but… Read more »

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April 18

4 Ways the Healthcare Sector Can Lock Down Data

There are two main reasons healthcare providers are currently placing more emphasis on IT and data security: big data and ransomware attacks. Over the past few years, the amount of data collected and stored by organizations in every industry is astronomical. Where healthcare differs is in the number of crucial discoveries that could come from… Read more »

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April 15

3 Data Classifications and What They Mean

Hacks happen all the time. The Global Threat Report released by Carbon Black estimates that in 2018, about 1 million cyberattacks per day were attempted. All businesses are at risk on a daily basis and need to take proper data security precautions. How you do so and which data you protect should all depend on… Read more »

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April 11

The 5 Startups Disrupting Cybersecurity

Cyberattacks are escalating each year. No matter who you are, some of your personal information was probably compromised in 2018. Businesses have lost tens of millions. Data for billions of consumers is no longer secure. The security gaps in the online world are growing. Luckily, there are a number of startups putting a stop to… Read more »

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March 28

Making Memories with DR

Over the years in IT, we’ve all had tasks become more efficient due to the improvements and evolution in technology. Heck, even a fairly recent college grad in an IT-based major can attest to technological changes over their time in school to their present career position. Conversations with other IT professionals who’ve been in the… Read more »

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March 18

4 Tips to Help Keep Student Data Safe

School databases contain some of the most sensitive information concerning students and faculty members. From grades to health records, addresses to contact information, schools have a lot to lose if they’re caught off guard by a hacker. That’s why developing a plan to keep data security tight is essential to complying with privacy laws and… Read more »

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March 15

Inside the 4 Most Notorious Hacks and Breaches

Thieves, vandals, pranksters, and whistle-blowers are exploiting system vulnerabilities and harvesting data right this second. Companies can face millions in losses and private citizens can have their most private information exposed to the public if the wrong person access the wrong things. Any company can be a target, but the world’s most notorious hacks, leaks,… Read more »

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March 11

A Look at Real-World Data Analytics Success Stories

As more organizations turn to data analytics as an integral part of their growth strategy, many leaders may harbor some doubts. How will data analytics work in the real world when it comes time to make critical business decisions? Will the organization really be able to use data analytics effectively, or will it become another… Read more »

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March 7

4 Steps to Take When Someone Breaches Your Data

IT teams have many important jobs, and one of those is drafting a data security strategy for their business. And, since no plan is perfect, a key part of this strategy is devising a plan of action in case a hacker infiltrates the security measures in place. Here are a few steps you may consider… Read more »

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February 28

MSPs: 5 Ways to Prioritize Client Data Security

It’s unlikely that anyone with an email address hasn’t received a phishing email at least once in their online life. In fact, Cybersecurity Ventures reports that since 2013, there’s an average of 3.8 million records stolen from data security breaches every day. Open your spam folder or inbox now, and it’s likely you’ll see some… Read more »

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February 21

Protecting Passwords: The Critical Steps

In this time of heightened security concerns, most employers have sternly warned employees not to use passwords like “password,” but that doesn’t mean companies are making significant headway in eliminating the problem of weak passwords that compromise an organization’s security. The LastPass 2018 Global Password Security Report reports the average password security score of more… Read more »

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February 14

5 Steps for Saving Your Data in a Disaster

When Hurricane Sandy finished blasting through New York and New Jersey in 2012, she left in her wake billions of dollars in damages to homes and businesses. Fires, power outages, storm surges, flooding, and gale-force winds gut-punched many companies, highlighting their vulnerabilities when it came to recovering data and restoring their technology systems after a… Read more »

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February 11

Managing Your Client Knowledge Base: Why it is Important

Think of how much time your technicians spend addressing help desk tickets and how much money is spent on hours dedicated to these, often times, menial tasks. One excellent solution to reduce hours logged on client IT assistance is to keep a compendium of client knowledge and manage that knowledge base appropriately. Knowledge Base As… Read more »

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February 7

How to Secure Your Ever-Expanding Data in 2019

More companies now understand that the data they collect can provide new opportunities to boost the bottom line and provide a competitive advantage, but there still remains distinct challenges about how to use data to its full potential while ensuring it remains secure. There has been plenty in the news about the challenges of securing… Read more »

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January 28

Restoring Your Data: Backups vs. Disaster Recovery

Big Data has changed the workplace in many ways. Businesses are now having to search for methods of storage which are more expansive and flexible than ever before. Plus, we’re seeing a shift from SMBs with a focus on data storage to a focus on finding effective sorting methods. This is because they now need… Read more »

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January 17

Is Unpatched Software a Security Risk?

It doesn’t matter how much work you put into cybersecurity awareness within your company if you have any vulnerabilities in your system, software, or strategy. You’re leaving holes hackers can easily access. That’s where unpatched software can damage your business. What is Unpatched Software? Every software has the potential to have bugs and holes. After… Read more »

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January 14

How to Use Public Wi-Fi Securely

There’s nothing quite like the feeling of finding free Wi-Fi. Whether it’s at a cafe or in an airport, public-access Wi-Fi can be a life-saver. It can also be a death sentence for your data, though.  If you end up connecting to an unsecured network, you open yourself and your data up to malicious users with the… Read more »

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January 10

The Hybrid Cloud: Pros and Cons

The cloud has become one of the most popular methods of storage available to date. Whether for personal use or for business, its security, accessibility, and convenience have made it the perfect companion for data of all shapes and sizes. If you have experience with cloud technology, you’ll know there are three main types currently… Read more »

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January 7

Backing Up Your Cloud Data: Why it is Crucial

Whether it’s been internally developed or sourced from elsewhere, a lot of businesses are storing their data on the cloud. It’s not hard to see why, there are a plethora of benefits to cloud storage, including its accessibility from remote locations, and the ease of incorporating the cloud into one’s disaster recovery strategy. It seems… Read more »

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January 3

Cloud vs. In-House Servers: What is the Best Choice?

Choosing how to run your data center is like choosing between buying and leasing a car: each has specific advantages and risks. What works for you today, might not suit your needs tomorrow, and each comes with a different cost structure. Security, control, and cost all factor into this major decision, however, it’s not always… Read more »

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December 27

Phishing Attacks that Dominated 2018

You know those pesky spam emails that manage to get through filters? Some of them may seem quite normal, just from a random sender. Some tell users to click a link to enter contests or download a necessary security update. However, if these emails usually seem a bit fishy, it’s because they are. Phishing emails… Read more »

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December 20

How Digital Transformation is Changing the Workplace

As more companies relentlessly drive toward digital transformation as a way to be more competitive, technology and business leaders must decide how best to embrace these technology changes while making sure security doesn’t fall behind. By the end of this year, businesses worldwide are expected to have spent $1.1 trillion on digital transformation technology and… Read more »

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December 17

What Is an Involuntary IT Manager?

It’s a story recognized by a large number of SMBs operating today. Something happens to an employee’s computer. They take a little while to try to resolve the problem themselves. Then they ask their colleagues to diagnose their issue. And in a last ditch effort to get their machine going, they contact IT. The IT… Read more »

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December 13

What is Zero Trust Cybersecurity?

It’s a common belief that most cybersecurity breaches are limited to external threats. However, a large percentage of security issues arise internally, too. One in four breaches involves internal actors according to the Data Breach Investigations Report by Verizon. This is where a Zero Trust approach to cybersecurity comes in handy. What Are the Details?… Read more »

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December 10

Cigars, Schnapps, and ShadowXafe

So, the family deserted me this evening, and I found myself sitting here enjoying some Enzian with a Partagás cigar. Yes, Dad’s night out at home. Gotta make it worthwhile, right? Now this cigar, liqueur, tech stuff is not all that disjointed as some may initially think. First, let’s talk about Partagás and Enzian. The Partagás… Read more »

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December 6

MSPs: Elevating Customer Experiences in 5 Simple Ways

In business, customer experience is a battlefield. Many companies are competing solely on their ability to find customers and keep them satisfied. If they can’t, the end up churning through current customers and burning funds finding new ones. A single bad experience is often enough to make someone leave. Research done by customer strategy firm… Read more »

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December 3

How to Spot the Right MSP for Your Needs

Managed Service Provider (MSP) has become a bit of a buzz term in business lately, and that makes complete sense. When it comes to IT, companies need to be able to trust that their technology infrastructure is going to hold up through anything. In fact, in most cases, modern organizations rely entirely on the functionality… Read more »

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November 29

Three Ways Midsized Firms Can Take Advantage of Big Data

Big data is built on combing large amounts of information to uncover actionable insights. While the trend took flight in recent years, the concept itself is nothing new. In fact, companies have been gleaning data for business value since the 1950s. Instead of high-tech computers, they used spreadsheets and processed everything manually. Advanced technology has… Read more »

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November 22

What’s the Difference Between SaaS and the Cloud?

Recently, the terms “software as a service (SaaS)” and “cloud computing” have become interchangeable. But are they actually the same? The Cloud Interestingly enough, though cloud computing is now common knowledge, many people only have a superficial understanding of what it actually is. This is due in large part to the lack of consumer-friendly language… Read more »

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November 19

Tips for Selecting the Right Cloud Services for Your Business

There are significant risks in migrating to the cloud. Think about it: you’re leaning on someone else’s computers, software programs, and network. Your success ultimately hinges on their data center infrastructure. The level of uptime, performance, and security you receive is all in their hands. Choose right, and you could see your productivity and revenue… Read more »

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November 15

Backup vs. Replication – What’s the Difference?

It’s common in the tech world to hear people use the terms backup and replication interchangeably. And it’s easy to see why. To backup a file, folder, application, etc., there is some replication involved. But, there are distinct differences between the two in their general definitions and how you can integrate them into your disaster… Read more »

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November 12

What Are Predictive Data Analytics?

We’re in the midst of a data revolution. Each day we create 2.5 quintillion bytes of data that helps feed a market set to be worth over $203 billion dollar by 2020. Data is the currency of our digital world, and businesses of all sizes are finding ways to use artificial intelligence (AI) and machine… Read more »

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November 8

How to Keep Your Mobile Device Secure

Smartphones and other connected devices have become the ultimate work accessories. Whether your company is 100 years old or celebrating its first birthday, the majority of your employees likely use these devices at the office and to work remotely. They have revolutionized the workforce in so many ways, and we can all agree that they’re… Read more »

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November 1

How to Spot if You’ve Been Hacked

It’s been one of those bad tech days. Your phone that was on its last legs just went dead. You lost the charger for your tablet, and your laptop seems to be running slower than usual. Is that about to break, too? Well, since you bought it a year ago, the chances of it being… Read more »

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October 22

What is Shadow IT?

Shadow IT is one of the more exciting buzzwords to come around in recent years. Sounds somewhat scary, but what does it really entail? Well, in a nutshell, shadow IT refers to using devices, apps, and other resources without the control or approval of senior management. Sounds simple enough, but we’ll delve a bit deeper… Read more »

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October 18

What is a Pen Test and How Often Should You Be Doing One?

Are you confident that your IT team is ready to handle a security breach? Though you may have up-to-date firewalls, cybersecurity training programs, data back-ups, file encryptions, and all the other bells and whistles, there is always a chance for holes in your infrastructure to go unnoticed. Don’t worry though, there’s a test for that…. Read more »

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October 15

How to Stay Secure While Using Ride-Sharing Apps

Employees are routinely cautioned not to leave their work laptops unattended or use unsecured Wi-Fi networks when they travel for business, but a new threat is cropping up where employees may least expect it: ride-sharing applications. Specifically, a Kaspersky Lab security review finds that of 13 international ride-sharing apps, all revealed several security problems. Researchers… Read more »

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October 11

IoT is Being Abused, Here’s How to Stop it

By the end of 2017, over 29 million homes in the US had some form of smart technology, and that number was growing at around 31% a year, according to a report from McKinsey. Devices like the Ring and Nest Thermostat help homeowners supervise their homes, often while they are away and are two of… Read more »

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October 4

Cybersecurity in the Age of Artificial Intelligence

If you attend any cybersecurity conference, expect to receive a plethora of information from companies promoting their latest solutions for security and protection. These new solutions are have begun to be marketed with their innovative use of artificial intelligence at the forefront. According to ESG research, 29 percent of security professionals surveyed hope to use… Read more »

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October 1

Guarding Your Small Business Against Phishing Attacks

According to IBM, the volume of spam emails increased 4x in 2016. They also estimate that over half of all email is now spam, much of which includes malicious attachments and/or phishing links. Phishing is the attempt to obtain usernames, passwords, credit card number and other sensitive information by posing as a legitimate company or… Read more »

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September 27

The 5 Most Common Types of Cyberattacks in 2018

Security experts continue to fight cyber-threats that compromise both individuals and companies. As quickly as experts can shut down one threat, another one appears to take its place. Criminals have learned to evolve their tactics in an attempt to stay one step ahead of the experts. It can be helpful to educate your users on… Read more »

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September 24

How Edge Computing Will Affect IT Business

Businesses see the value in their data, but need ways to turn their raw information into actions that accelerate growth. In our everything-connected world, we create 2.5 quintillion bytes of data a day. It’s a massive amount of information to make sense of, and the servers and desktops that power a traditional business don’t typically… Read more »

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September 19

Cyber-Warfare: How Big is the Risk?

Russian election meddling. North Korean hacking. Malicious malware pointed at nuclear programs. Cyber-warfare once seemed like science fiction, though it’s now becoming the modern battlefront. We’ve seen all the scary headlines, but how do we know what’s hype, what’s a genuine threat, and how to defend ourselves (and our clients) from the digital wars of… Read more »

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September 18

What are OKRs and How Can They Benefit Your IT Firm?

There are dozens of ways for your organization to grow and become more efficient. You can simplify your product and service offerings so employees can focus efforts on a smaller number of things. You can adopt the latest technologies (such as hyper-converged infrastructures) to save time managing systems. But outside of re-thinking how you provide… Read more »

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September 14

Why MSPs Can Benefit from a Less-Is-More Approach to IT

Occam’s razor is a problem-solving principle stating that the simplest solution tends to be the right one. This is a maxim that IT providers can learn from. With technology, processes, systems, and philosophies evolving, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. That simple-but-great solution tends to get tangled up like cables in a messy server closet. As… Read more »

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September 12

Keeping Your Data Secure in the Face of Natural Disasters

Natural disasters are unpredictable and destructive. They can grow or change course without any warning, turning a simple storm into a life-threating hurricane or keeping fires charged as they roll across state lines. Unfortunately, there is only so much we can control when it comes to such disasters. But preparation is one thing we can… Read more »

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September 10

How to Sell DR to Senior Management

As the saying goes, a disaster isn’t a matter of if –— it’s a matter of when. Sure, it may sound like a clever marketing slogan, but ask any IT professional, and they will attest that this statement is as true as the sky is blue. The funny thing about disasters is they don’t discriminate…. Read more »

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September 7

The “Don’ts” of Data Recovery

At the beginning of this week, we talked about what you should do in case you need to recover data. However, knowing what “not to do” is just as important as knowing a correct and reliable procedure. That’s why today’s article is going to be focused on the things you should do your best to avoid… Read more »

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September 5

What is Cryptojacking and How Can You Prevent it?

Engineers at RedLock noticed something unusual while scanning the internet for unsecured cloud servers. As one of the top cloud monitoring and defense firms, RedLock noticed one Kubernetes console (an open source dashboard) was performing crypto-mining on AWS. Further research revealed anyone could access the console because it was not password protected. With access to… Read more »

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September 4

5 Top Security Threats in 2018

2017 saw a record number of security breaches. From healthcare organizations to telecommunications giants, cyber villains took no prisoners in striking victims across the industrial landscape. According to the Identity Theft Resources Center (ITRC), the recorded number of security breaches in the U.S. reached 1293 by December 20th — 21 percent higher than the number… Read more »

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September 3

The “Dos” of Data Recovery

Whether it’s file corruption, hardware failure, or human error, the mere thought of data loss is unsettling. While it’s natural to drift into meltdown mode, impulse decisions only tend to make matters that much worse. There are right ways and wrong ways to approach data recovery. On that note, here are five strategies we recommend… Read more »

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August 31

Looking Back at VMworld 2018

To those in the tech world, it’s no surprise that August is filled with major events and conventions for MSPs, software companies, IT professionals, and anyone who has an interest in the latest technology. VMworld is no exception and this year, VMworld US was hosted in Las Vegas from August 26th – August 30th. Since… Read more »

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August 29

The Importance of Mobile Backup and Recovery

In this digital age, more and more people are using their smartphones, tablets, and laptops to get their work done. No longer is it necessary to be shackled to a desk because all the data needed to do your job is stationary. Executives, sales representatives, traveling employees, and even employees on holiday are staying in… Read more »

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August 28

SMBs Should Be Tightening Their Cybersecurity

It’s easy to assume that cyber-attacks only happen to big businesses because the media makes it seem as such. We’ve all heard about hacks happening to companies and organizations like Britain’s National Health Service, Virgin America, Yahoo, Equifax, and the Central Intelligence Agency. That’s right. Even the organization meant to uncover and destroy viruses and… Read more »

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August 24

What Your Security Team Needs to Know About Blended Attacks

Han Solo and Luke Skywalker were two of the most skilled fighters in the galaxy. Alone, they were a handful. However, along with the Rebellion’s finest, they teamed up to pose the most significant threat to the Empire’s reign of tyranny. The incredibly complex blended attack follows a similar script. Blended attacks package the elements… Read more »

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August 22

Why GDPR Compliance and Security Aren’t Synonymous

Though the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) has inspired many companies to be more careful with their customer’s data, a large majority haven’t become compliant. According to Deloitte, only one-third (34.5%) of businesses surveyed who are working on their GDPR infrastructure say they have reached full compliance. A Problem Businesses Face with GDPR Compliance The… Read more »

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August 21

4 Efficiency Hacks MSPs Should Try

If you’re like many businesses, the strong economic climate is bringing you all kinds of growth opportunities and new business. However, with unemployment rates right around 4 percent, a lot of great people are already happily working. Bringing on new staff isn’t always as simple as posting a few ads in the local classifieds or… Read more »

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August 20

We’re Revolutionizing Our Solutions!

Get a handle on your big data and prepare for any unexpected disasters with help from StorageCraft. If you’ve kept up-to-date with our latest blog posts, you’ll know that the countdown to our product launch is on. As of August 20, 2018, clients will be able to purchase a platform that ties all their StorageCraft… Read more »

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August 17

What to Look for in a DRaaS Solution

Have your eye on Disaster-Recovery-as-a-Service (DRaaS)? You are not the only one. A report from MarketsandMarkets estimates that the global DRaaS industry will reach $12.54 billion in 2022 — up from $2.19 billion in 2017. The increase represents an impressive 17.29 percent compound annual growth rate (CAGR). According to the report, the MSP segment of… Read more »

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August 15

5 Converged Storage Myths Debunked

To maintain a competitive edge, critical infrastructure components must be easy to afford, deploy, and manage — all while eliminating the data and application silos that can prevent an organization from reaching its full potential. An IDC study found that reducing IT complexity resulted in annual cost savings of $3610 per user. Unfortunately, getting there… Read more »

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August 14

Converged Infrastructure – The Future of Data Storage

SMBs and other companies are facing many challenges and changes when it comes to present-day data storage. Big data is making it difficult and expensive to manage storage hardware, but the option to harness the cloud is improving storage infrastructures for small and large businesses alike. The solution to the storage crisis lies in infrastructure… Read more »

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August 13

Why You Might Consider Implementing a Hyper-Converged Infrastructure

Hyper-converged infrastructure systems (HCI) are becoming a new standard for many businesses. Research firm Forrester even predicts that HCI will become a ubiquitous platform for on-premises deployments. If you’re not using it now, there’s a good chance you’ll want to soon. Like converged infrastructure (CI), HCI brings together virtualization, storage, compute power, and even network… Read more »

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August 10

How to Sift Through the Big Data Madness

One of the tough things about data growth isn’t necessarily turning data into intelligence or finding a way to store all the information a business creates and gathers. Instead, it’s finding smart ways to store data. It’s not that data storage is necessarily expensive, it’s that data loss and poor data retention policies can be… Read more »

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August 8

How To Improve IT Efficiency (part 2)

In our previous post, we talked about the importance of developing an effective process and keeping thorough documentation of client expectations, projects, as well as timetables. We also touched on defining the challenge and keeping a reasonable, realistic budget. This article will continue to showcase some effective policies and practices to help your IT team… Read more »

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August 7

Start Scaling Out Your Data Storage

As more and more data is being produced, IT departments are having to deduce the best way to move forward with storage. The server rooms and hard drives of yesterday are proving to be far too bulky to provide the storage companies need to store, sort and protect their data. The future of data storage… Read more »

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August 3

How To Improve IT Efficiency (part 1)

Are you happy with how you and your team manage projects? Are there ways you could be more efficient? Are you tracking enough even to know whether you’re effective? Certainly, larger IT projects are tough. When there are lots of people and tasks, project timelines deteriorate quickly if there isn’t someone managing the process. Projects… Read more »

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August 1

Tackling Big Data: 3 Success Stories

Big data is one of the latest victims of buzzword fatigue. Once the talk of the town, the term was dropped from the hype train years ago in favor of various other promising trends. Some pundits have even said big data is dead. In this post, we’ll examine three case studies that suggest big data… Read more »

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July 30

Outdated IT Habits You Should Stop Doing

As the saying goes, “Old habits die hard,” and that saying rings as true in IT as it does in life. Some old habits are still helpful. For example, it is always wise to avoid shopping on unsecured wireless networks as well as avoid simple passwords. That being said, we often cling to those practices… Read more »

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July 27

Healthcare is Changing in Light of Big Data

Once business sectors can sort and analyze big data, their potential efficiency and earnings will skyrocket. Organizations in almost every industry can benefit. For example, retail companies will be able to maintain a useful database of customer information to hyper-target and personalize their communications, insurance companies will be able to simplify their premium calculating systems,… Read more »

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July 24

The 5 IoT Trends Dominating 2018

2017 was an exciting year for the Internet of Things movement. The industry saw tremendous growth and is projected to experience an even bigger surge this year. According to IDC, global IoT revenue is on track to reach $772.5 billion in 2018, an estimated 14.6 percent increase from the $674 billion tallied for 2017. IDC… Read more »

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July 23

How is Data Storage Changing and How Does that Affect You?

One of the major challenges SMBs and big business face today is devising proper sorting and storing of Big Data. We’re at a point now where the number of emails sent, files downloaded, texts exchanged, etc. has overwhelmed outdated methods of storage. Methods like stand-alone servers and USB drives now need advanced storage and sorting… Read more »

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July 20

The Convergence of IoT and Big Data

It’s safe to say if you work in the IT world, you have probably heard about both the Internet of Things and Big Data. In a lot of ways, the two terms refer to completely different concepts. The IoT encompasses all things connected — like a smart home to a connected car. Big data refers… Read more »

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July 18

How Businesses Can Use Big Data to their Advantage

Big data is one of the hottest topics in technology today. An array of technologies has come together to make real-time analytics possible for companies both big and small. These include advanced NoSQL databases, data virtualization, and distributed storage along with many software tools that predict the most useful data. The amount of data each… Read more »

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July 16

Big Data – What is It and How Can I Secure It?

The amount of time people surf, stream and share online on a day-to-day basis is immense. Multiply that by the number of people using their computers and the web and you’ll be left with a number that is near-inconceivable. Now imagine how much data billions of computer users will develop and exchange at any given… Read more »

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July 11

Downtime is More Expensive than You Realize

Whether your head office location was hit by a hurricane, or your systems are locked by a cyberattack, downtime in all its forms can be incredibly detrimental to the revenue and reputation of a business. Some Scary Numbers Downtime costs a lot. Statistically speaking it is the second largest expense after HR. According to ITIC,… Read more »

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July 10

Disaster Recovery Glossary

IT speak often comes off as an entirely different language to those who are unfamiliar with all the terminology and jargon. This is especially the case in a highly technical field such as disaster recovery. Never fear! Our disaster recovery glossary will help you keep up when discussing one of today’s fastest moving industries. Backup:… Read more »

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July 9

The Importance of Disaster Recovery in GDPR Compliance

On May 25, 2018, the European Union (EU) officially implemented the widely discussed General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). The act applies to any business that collects, stores, and processes confidential information belonging to European consumers. This would explain why the collective internet was recently bombarded with emails regarding privacy policy updates from nearly every website… Read more »

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July 5

Is Your IT Team Ready to Tackle Any Security Breach?

As the saying goes, a good offense is a great defense. When it comes to cybersecurity, taking the correct measures before a cyber-attack occurs is a necessary first step in securing your data from a breach. Implementing preventative technology to thwart things like ransomware and phishing should be a large focus of your security strategy…. Read more »

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July 4

False Beliefs About File-less Attacks

When people hear the word “cyberattack,” generally a few of the more popular hacks will come to mind. Ransomware is all over the news these days with some of the most prominent attacks of the last couple years being ransomware attacks, like WannaCry. Trojans are also a virus staple that tech users, from basic to… Read more »

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July 3

MSPs: Are You Leaving Money on the Table?

Over the past year I have met with hundreds of MSPs. Something that strikes me is the varying approach in how they sell disaster recovery products and services. At one end of the spectrum are those who are selling “backup,” and at the other end are those who are delivering disaster recovery (DR). In my… Read more »

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June 27

Have You Heard of Jackware?

The IT world is no longer a stranger to ransomware. All of us are aware of the vast amount of damage it can do, only having to look so far as last year’s WannaCry virus for an example of its destructive capabilities. But what happens when ransomware is used on platforms other than computers and smartphones, like connected… Read more »

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June 26

5 Most Dangerous Ransomware Strains

Ransomware has gone from being unknown to one of the biggest threats in cybersecurity. By encrypting critical system files, it renders conventional security mechanisms virtually powerless and in many cases, leaves the victim with no choice but to pay up. While they all share the same malicious goal, not all ransomware strains are created equal. In fact,… Read more »

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June 21

Is Anti-Virus Software Enough to Keep Your Data Safe?

Since the release of the first anti-virus software in 1987, cybersecurity has become a well-known staple for all computer users. Whether you use Apple, Microsoft, or Linux, your PC or laptop will come pre-installed with the proper tools to keep you safe. Otherwise, you’re told to visit the website of a trusted anti-virus company to… Read more »

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June 20

Video: Creating ConnectWise Automate Internal Monitoring

Transcript: Hello. This is Wes Gill from StorageCraft. In this tutorial I’ll show you how to expand the StorageCraft solution for ConnectWise Automate to create some simple but very effective internal monitors to ensure your ShadowProtect SPX backups are up-to-date and you can meet you SLAs. For those not familiar, StorageCraft ShadowProtect SPX is a… Read more »

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June 19

How to Back Up Office 365 Accounts

So you’ve decided to move on-premises Exchange, SharePoint, and other Microsoft applications into the cloud. This gives you fewer things to manage and worry about, right? But how safe is your data? Sure, Microsoft works to prevent hardware and software failure, but what about accidentally deleted files, emails, and things like that? How can you… Read more »

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June 12

How to Devise a Budget for Your Disaster Recovery Plan

Budgeting is one of those tasks few (if any) business continuity managers look forward to completing. After all, it is time-consuming, complicated, and often sobering after tallying up the final bill. Love it or hate it, devising a disaster recovery (DR) budget is a necessary evil which you just can’t avoid. On the bright side,… Read more »

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June 6

How to Prioritize Your DR Response Strategy

As a mid-size business owner, you fully understand the importance of disaster recovery planning. You have your backups scheduled like clockwork and stand confident that your data quickly recovers if the unthinkable happens. That sounds good, but are you truly ready to respond? Have you demonstrated that preparedness by ensuring your recovery objectives and business… Read more »

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June 5

Don’t Let Personal Cloud Storage Become an IT Nightmare

Dropbox burst onto the scene just over ten years ago. Millions of people flocked to the service because it offered 2GB of free storage and promised to synchronize your files across all your devices. Like many personal cloud storage companies, Dropbox aimed its products at consumers and priced them accordingly. Only after Dropbox gained traction… Read more »

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May 31

All-Flash Converged Storage

The introduction of the smartphone enabled customers to carry a single device that can run multiple applications, instead of carrying multiple devices that each work for one app (such as a music player, camera, calculator, phone, etc.). Similarly, it is time to collapse the islands of storage that exist in a company by having the… Read more »

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May 30

The Basics of GDPR

On May 25, a new European privacy regulation called the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) came into effect. This will change the way businesses are allowed to collect, store, and leverage customer data. If you have not heard of this new legislation, it’s imperative to inform yourself on its specifics and alter your customer relations… Read more »

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May 24

Why Cloud Storage?

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 »

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May 22

5 Fundamentals of Backup & BC Planning

Data 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 »

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May 17

StorageCraft’s GDPR Compliance Statement

Data privacy is very important here at StorageCraft and we take protecting that data very seriously. This is one of the many reasons our partners, as well as their customers, feel secure in storing their data with us. We are currently updating our privacy policy to accommodate the new GDPR requirements. Because at StorageCraft, we… Read more »

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May 9

Edge Computing vs. Cloud Computing

Of 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 »

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May 8

The 8 Top Myths and Realities of Cloud Computing

Whenever 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 »

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May 3

Top 5 Features to Look For In Backup Software

Backing 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 »

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May 2

Why Scale-Out NAS is the Answer to Your Big Data Problem

Big 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 »

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May 1

Developing an Effective Data Storage Plan

Imagine, 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 »

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April 26

How Your MSP Firm Can Cash in on the Big Data Bonanza

Data 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 »

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April 25

4 Ways to Reduce Your Risk of Server Failure

Possibly 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 »

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April 19

Time for Flash to Come Out of the Ivory Tower

The 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 »

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April 18

Uncovering the Hidden Cost of Disaster

Disasters 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 »

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April 17

How Machine Learning Will Help Fight Malware

Few 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 »

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April 12

The Trojan Virus is Evolving, Here’s How…

The 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 »

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April 11

How to Stay Protected Against Phishing Scams

Over 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 »

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April 10

Five Ways to Prepare Your Business for a Ransomware Attack

Ransomware 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 »

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April 4

How Ransomware Impacts Your DR Strategy

Picture 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 »

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April 3

AI Will Change Data Storage

The 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 »

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March 29

Where Does Cybersecurity Fit in Your DR Plan?

Disaster 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 »

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March 28

Teaching End-Users How to Spot Social Engineering Scams

Let’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 »

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March 27

Secret Cyber Threats

The 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 »

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March 22

Should Your Company Accept Bitcoin?

Ever 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 »

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March 21

Why Recovery Metrics are Vital to DR Planning

Harvard 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 »

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March 14

Five Creative Ways MSPs Can Find Tech Talent

Finding 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 »

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March 13

How to Choose a Cloud Provider for Backup

Cloud 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 »

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March 8

Five IT Trends That Could Transform Your Business in 2018

Companies 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 »

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March 6

Tips for Moving from VAR to MSP

Intense 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 »

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March 1

Four Signs Your IT Environment Has Reliability Issues

Maintaining 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 »

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February 28

Free Data Recovery Comes at a Cost

Time 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 »

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February 27

A Round-Up for the Best MSP Podcasts

As 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 »

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February 22

Ransomware, Who’s at Risk?

Remember 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 »

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February 15

Four Cyberattacks You Should Expect in 2018

Cyber-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 »

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February 14

Best Practices for Backing Up Mobile Devices

Mobile 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 »

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February 8

What Does Serverless Computing Mean for MSPs?

“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 »

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February 7

Not All Clouds Are Equal

As 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 »

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February 1

Four Lessons We Can Learn from the Cyberattacks of 2017

Cyber 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 »

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