Blog - Akins IT

Microsoft 365 Pricing Update: What’s Changing and How to Prepare

Wed, 11 Feb 2026 16:10:19 GMT

A straightforward look at the upcoming increase and what renewal timing means for your business

Microsoft has announced a price increase for Microsoft 365 commercial subscriptions , effective July 1, 2026 . Like most vendor price changes, this isn’t welcome news but it is something businesses should plan for.

The increase applies across Microsoft 365 and Office 365 business and enterprise plans . Microsoft has tied the change to ongoing platform evolution, but regardless of the reasoning, the practical takeaway is simple: Microsoft 365 will cost more starting mid‑2026 .

One Important Detail About Renewals

If your subscription renews before July 1, 2026 , you will keep your current pricing for the full term of that renewal . The new July 2026 pricing would not apply until your next renewal after that date.

That said, some customers already renewed under previous pricing adjustments . In those cases, pricing may still increase at the next renewal , but not necessarily to the new July 1, 2026 pricing levels . The exact impact depends on when your last renewal occurred and which pricing tier you’re currently on.

What’s Being Added to Microsoft 365

Alongside the pricing change, Microsoft is rolling out new capabilities across Microsoft 365 in 2026 , primarily in three areas: AI, security, and device management . These updates will be included directly in existing plans rather than offered only as add‑ons.

Key changes include:

Expanded Copilot Chat integration
Copilot Chat is becoming more deeply embedded into Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and OneNote, with added context from email and calendars and new “Agent Mode” capabilities for more advanced tasks. IT administrators will also gain additional controls to manage and govern Copilot usage.
Stronger email and collaboration security by default
Microsoft is adding Microsoft Defender for Office 365 Plan 1 capabilities to Office 365 E3 and Microsoft 365 E3, expanding phishing, malware, and malicious link protection. URL protection is also being extended to lower‑tier plans such as Business Basic and Business Standard.
Additional endpoint and device management tools
Microsoft is folding more endpoint management capabilities into Microsoft 365 E3 and E5, giving IT teams more built‑in tools to manage devices, troubleshoot issues, and reduce security risk without relying as heavily on separate products.

While these capabilities may be useful for some organizations, not every business will benefit equally which is why reviewing licensing and actual usage matters more than feature lists.

How Akins IT Helps

At Akins IT , our focus isn’t selling features, its helping clients pay only for what they actually need . We help businesses:

Understand how Microsoft’s pricing changes affect their environment
Identify unused or misaligned licenses
Plan renewals strategically to reduce cost impact

If you’d like us to review your Microsoft 365 licensing or renewal timeline, we’re happy to help you plan ahead. No surprises, no sales spin.

How Akins IT Helped Palisades Charter High School Rebuild After the 2025 Palisades Fire

Wed, 14 Jan 2026 17:15:56 GMT

How Akins IT Helped a Wildfire‑Displaced School Restore Learning, Rebuild Infrastructure, and Strengthen Its Future

When the Palisades Fire of January 2025 —one of the most destructive wildfires in Los Angeles history—swept through Pacific Palisades and burned over 23,448 acres , it destroyed 6,837 structures and forced more than 105,000 people to evacuate . Palisades Charter High School (Pali High) was among the institutions heavily impacted, losing significant portions of its campus as the fire rapidly expanded under extreme Santa Ana winds.

As the school community faced chaos, displacement, and uncertainty, Akins IT immediately stepped in to ensure that learning and operations could continue without interruption .

Akins IT’s Disaster Response: Protecting Data & Restoring Operations

Zero Data Loss — Thanks to Microsoft Azure + Intelligent Backups

During the fire, Pali High’s on‑premise systems were at direct risk. Because Akins IT had already implemented a reliable backup architecture, we were able to move their systems into Microsoft Azure within hours , ensuring no data was lost , no records were compromised, and staff regained secure access quickly.

This rapid migration allowed administrative teams to continue operating while the community dealt with evacuation, damage assessments, and recovery.

Building a Temporary Campus Network in a Former Sears Building

When Santa Monica approved the emergency relocation of Pali High to a temporary campus—nicknamed “Pali South” —inside the old Sears building at 4th & Colorado, Akins IT was tasked with making the site functional for instruction.

City and school leadership were racing against the clock to get students back to in‑person learning, and our team worked alongside them to build a complete IT environment from the ground up.

Complete Network Deployment at the Temporary Sears Campus

Within a very compressed timeline, Akins IT:

Deployed a fully functional wired and wireless network across a repurposed retail facility.
Delivered secure WiFi throughout classrooms, hallways, and high‑traffic student areas.
Configured infrastructure that supported nearly 2,500 students , teachers, and staff.
Ensured seamless integration with district systems, cloud tools, and instructional apps.

The transformation of the 100,000+ square‑foot Sears building into a modern learning environment was part of a broader emergency effort—including construction crews, architects, and city partners—but Akins IT provided the critical networking backbone that made it all actually work .

Returning Home: Rebuilding the Original Pali High Campus

By mid‑year, reconstruction progress allowed Pali High to return to portions of its original campus. Akins IT again partnered with the school to:

Re‑engineer the rebuilt network , replacing fire‑damaged systems.
Deploy new wireless infrastructure supporting both indoor and outdoor academic spaces.
Reinstate secure connectivity for administrative, instructional, and student networks.

Even as remediation continued—much of the campus had been contaminated with ash from the fire—Akins IT ensured technology never slowed down the school’s recovery.

Looking Forward: New Server Infrastructure for a Stronger Future

Akins IT is currently in the process of deploying a new, modernized server infrastructure for Pali High. This system is built to be:

More secure
More resilient
Easier for IT staff to manage
Better aligned with cloud‑first disaster‑recovery strategies

After experiencing a catastrophic natural disaster, Pali High is emerging with a stronger, more flexible, and far more future‑ready technology environment —and we’re proud to be part of their journey.

Why Schools Choose Akins IT

From emergency response to long‑term strategic planning, Akins IT brings:

Deep experience supporting K‑12 environments
Strong disaster recovery + backup strategies
Azure cloud expertise
Fast, reliable network deployment capabilities
A focus on safety, continuity, and trust

The wildfire was devastating, but Pali High’s story is one of resilience—and technology played a central role in restoring normalcy for students and staff. As schools across Southern California seek stronger IT foundations, Akins IT stands ready to help build them.

AWS stumbled this morning. Here’s why multi‑cloud keeps you moving.

Mon, 20 Oct 2025 19:40:01 GMT

October 20, 2025 — Early today, Amazon Web Services experienced a major incident centered in its US‑EAST‑1 (N. Virginia) region. AWS reports the event began around 12:11 a.m. PT and tied back to DNS resolution affecting DynamoDB , with mitigation within a couple of hours and recovery continuing thereafter.
As the outage rippled, popular services like Snapchat, Venmo, Ring, Roblox, Fortnite , and even some Amazon properties saw disruptions before recovering.

If your apps or data are anchored to a single cloud, a morning like this can turn into a help‑desk fire drill. A multi‑cloud or cloud‑smart approach helps you ride through these moments with minimal end‑user impact.

What happened (and why it matters)

Single‑region fragility: US‑EAST‑1 is massive—and when it sneezes, the internet catches a cold. Incidents here have a history of wide blast radius.
Shared dependencies: DNS issues to core services (like DynamoDB endpoints) can cascade across workloads that never directly “touch” that service.

Multi‑cloud: practical resilience, not buzzwords

For mid‑sized orgs, schools, and local government, multi‑cloud doesn’t have to mean “every app in every cloud.” It means thoughtful redundancy where it counts :

Multi‑region or multi‑provider failover for critical apps
Run active/standby across AWS and Azure (or another provider), or at least across two AWS regions with automated failover. Start with citizen‑facing portals, SIS/LMS access, emergency comms, and payment gateways.
Portable platforms
Use Kubernetes and containers, keep state externalized, and standardize infra with Terraform/Ansible so you can redeploy fast when a region (or a provider) wobbles. (Today’s DNS hiccup is exactly the kind of scenario this protects against.)
Resilient data layers
Replicate data asynchronously across clouds/regions; choose databases with cross‑region failover and test RPO/RTO quarterly. If you rely on a managed database tied to one region, design an escape hatch.
Traffic and identity that float
Use global traffic managers/DNS to shift users automatically; keep identity (MFA/SSO) highly available and not hard‑wired to a single provider’s control plane.
Run the playbook
Document health checks, automated cutover, and comms templates. Then practice —tabletops and live failovers. Many services today recovered within hours, but only teams with rehearsed playbooks avoided user‑visible downtime.

The bottom line

Cloud concentration risk is real. Outages will happen—what matters is whether your constituents, students, and staff feel it. A pragmatic multi‑cloud stance limits the blast radius and keeps your mission‑critical services online when one provider has a bad day.

Need a resilience check? Akins IT can help you prioritize which systems should be multi‑cloud, design the right level of redundancy, and validate your failover plan—without overspending. Let’s start with a quick, 30‑minute review of your most critical services and RPO/RTO targets. (No slideware, just actionable next steps.)

Microsoft Confirms GoAnywhere Exploitation: What IT Leaders Need to Know

Mon, 13 Oct 2025 22:24:44 GMT

How a Zero-Day in GoAnywhere MFT Sparked a Ransomware Wave—and What Mid-Sized IT Leaders Must Do Now

As cyber threats evolve, mid-sized organizations remain prime targets for ransomware groups exploiting vulnerabilities in widely used tools. Recently, Microsoft Threat Intelligence confirmed that a financially motivated group, tracked as Storm-1175 , actively exploited a maximum-severity vulnerability (CVE-2025-10035) in GoAnywhere Managed File Transfer (MFT) software. This flaw allowed attackers to execute remote code, install monitoring tools, deploy web shells, and ultimately launch Medusa ransomware attacks.

What Happened?

The vulnerability was exploited as a zero-day, giving attackers a head start before patches were released.
Attackers leveraged built-in Windows utilities for lateral movement and used tools like Rclone for data theft.
Indicators of compromise (IOCs) were later added to Fortra’s advisory, but transparency from the vendor has been limited.

Why It Matters for Mid-Sized Organizations

File transfer services like GoAnywhere often handle sensitive data, making them high-value targets. Exploitation can lead to:

Data exfiltration and extortion
Operational downtime
Regulatory and reputational risks

Action Steps for IT Leaders

Patch Immediately: Ensure GoAnywhere MFT instances are updated to the latest version.
Monitor for IOCs : Review logs for suspicious activity using indicators provided by Fortra and Microsoft.
Harden Access Controls : Implement MFA and least-privilege principles across all systems.
Layered Defense : Combine endpoint protection, network monitoring, and threat intelligence to reduce exposure.
Incident Response Readiness : Validate your ransomware playbook and backup strategy.

The Bigger Picture

This incident underscores the importance of proactive vulnerability management and vendor transparency. Mid-sized organizations often lack the resources of large enterprises, making partnerships with trusted security providers and managed detection services critical.

The Windows 10 Deadline Is Here—Are You Ready for What Happens Next?

Mon, 13 Oct 2025 21:55:10 GMT

The clock is ticking: Learn your options for Windows 11 migration, Extended Security Updates, and cost‑smart strategies before support ends.

TL;DR

Windows 10 reaches end of support on October 14, 2025 . No more free security or feature updates after that date.
Your three main options:

Upgrade to Windows 11 on eligible hardware,
Purchase Extended Security Updates (ESU) for Windows 10, or
Refresh hardware or move to cloud desktops.

ESU pricing starts at $61 per device for Year 1 and doubles each year for up to three years. ESU provides security fixes only—no new features or general support.

What “End of Support” Means (and Why It Matters)

On October 14, 2025, Microsoft stops releasing free monthly updates for Windows 10. That includes the security patches that protect against new vulnerabilities. After that date, devices will still run, but they’ll become increasingly vulnerable and may fall out of compliance with frameworks like HIPAA, PCI DSS, and ISO 27001.

This is paragraph text. Click it or hit the Manage Text button to change the font, color, size, format, and more. To set up site-wide paragraph and title styles, go to Site Theme.

Top 10 Copilot Prompts in Outlook That Actually Shrink Your Inbox (and Your Stress)

Fri, 26 Sep 2025 16:19:04 GMT

The 10 Outlook Copilot prompts your team should try this week

If Copilot sometimes feels like a well‑meaning intern who writes too much and misses the point, this one’s for you. The prompts below turn Copilot in Outlook into a ruthless time‑saver—less inbox thrash, more outcomes.

1) “Summarize this email thread in 5 bullets. List open questions, decisions made, and who owns next steps.”

Why: Cuts a 30‑message chain into one screen you can act on.
Tweak: Add “assume I’m the ” to tailor action items (e.g., “assume I’m the account manager”).

2) “Draft a reply that: (a) confirms we’ll deliver X by [date], (b) asks for Y file from [Name], (c) is 120–150 words, (d) friendly‑professional tone.”

Why: Multi‑constraint prompts get tighter, send‑ready results—less over‑explaining.
Tweak: Swap tone: direct, executive brief, supportive, plain‑language.

3) “Turn this thread into a checklist I can paste into Planner: task | owner | due date | status.”

Why: Converts email chaos into a trackable list.
Tweak: Add “due dates within 7 business days unless otherwise stated.”

4) “Write a ‘TL;DR’ I can forward to the exec team: 5 bullets, decision first, risks second, ask last.”

What’s TL;DR? It stands for “Too Long; Didn’t Read.” In this context, it means a short, high‑impact summary of a long email thread so an executive can grasp the essentials in seconds.
Why: Executive‑grade compression that respects attention.
Tweak: Add “no jargon; 9th‑grade reading level” for wide audiences.
Example output:

Decision: Proceed with vendor X for cloud migration starting Oct 15.

Risks: Tight timeline; dependency on security review completion.

Budget: Within approved capex, but contingency funds may be needed.

Impact: Minimal downtime expected; comms plan in draft.

Ask: Exec sign-off on revised timeline by Friday EOD.

5) “Compose a polite nudge to [Name] about [deliverable], acknowledging their workload and proposing two specific options to proceed.”

Why: Nudges with empathy get responses faster than “just checking in.”
Tweak: Add “keep under 90 words” to stay skim‑friendly.

6) “Summarize what changed between [Sender]’s last two updates and flag any scope creep or new risks.”

Why: Diffing updates reveals drift without rereading.
Tweak: Add “suggest a two‑line reply accepting/declining the change.”

7) “Translate this email into plain language for a non‑technical stakeholder. Keep tone reassuring and action‑oriented.”

Why: Removes tech friction; ideal for EDU, gov, and manufacturing audiences.

8) “Prepare a reply that declines the request but offers a viable alternative, includes a resource link, and ends with a clear next step.”

Why: “No + alternative” preserves relationships and momentum.

9) “Create a follow‑up response that cites the original ask (1 line), current status (1 line), and a specific ask with a date.”

Why: Precision beats ‘pinging’—it moves work forward.
Tweak: Add “format as 3 numbered lines.”

10) “From this thread, generate a calendar blurb (title, agenda bullets, attendees to invite) I can paste into an invite.”

Why: Converts decision‑heavy threads into a meeting with a point.
Tweak: Add “include time estimates for each agenda item.”

Bonus: Three high‑leverage scenarios (Outlook + the rest of Microsoft 365)

1) Major incident comms (exec‑ready in minutes)

Use Copilot to compress alerts, user reports, and vendor notifications into an action plan and clean stakeholder updates.

Try this:

From emails since [time] with subjects containing “outage”, “P1”, or “degraded”, summarize: affected systems, user impact, start time, current status, owners, and blockers. Output 6 bullets.
Draft two updates:

An executive brief (≤120 words, decision‑first, risk and ETA second).
A customer‑facing message with impact, workaround (if any), next update time.

Create a calendar blurb for a 30‑minute war‑room: title, agenda bullets, required attendees by role, and desired outcomes.

Why it works: You move from noisy threads to a single source of truth—fast—while producing audience‑specific updates you can send immediately.

2) Renewal and license cleanup (negotiate from your inbox)

Turn vendor quote threads into an at‑a‑glance view of SKUs, seats, dates, and dollars—then generate a negotiation email.

Try this:

From vendor emails over the last 90 days about Microsoft 365, endpoint security, and backup, extract for each product: SKU, current seat count, renewal date, quoted price, term, and any incentives. Present as a compact list.
Identify mismatches between quoted seats and what we referenced in recent internal emails. Flag suspected over‑licensing and estimate savings with a target of 10–15%.
Draft a negotiation reply that:
(a) consolidates renewals on a single date,
(b) requests price protection and a step‑down clause for seat reductions,
(c) asks for a 12‑month co‑term and removal of unused add‑ons.
Keep it firm‑professional, 140–160 words.

Why it works: You walk into renewal calls with a concise fact pack and a pre‑written ask, instead of digging through quotes during the meeting.

3) Change window and Patch Tuesday rollout (from email to execution)

Convert patch advisories and team threads into a complete change package and comms plan.

Try this:

From the latest patch advisories and our internal email thread, draft a change request: objective, systems in scope, risk level, rollback plan, validation steps, and success criteria. Keep each section to 2–3 lines.
Write two notices I can paste into Outlook:

User‑facing maintenance notice with date/time, expected impact, and what they need to do.
IT verification checklist for after the change: services to validate, owners, and timestamps.

Create a calendar blurb for the maintenance window with agenda timings (prep, apply, validate, rollback checkpoint) and assign owners by role.

Why it works: You standardize change quality while shaving prep time—everyone gets clear instructions, owners, and timing without chasing details across threads.

FAQ

Does Copilot work in the “new Outlook” and Outlook on the web?
Yes. Open the Copilot pane from the ribbon to use Copilot Chat beside your inbox. Features vary by license and rollout status.

Can users without the Microsoft 365 Copilot add‑on still benefit?
Yes. They can use Copilot Chat with web‑grounded answers and content awareness of the open email, including basics like summarization and drafting. The add‑on unlocks work‑grounded answers and advanced in‑app editing.

Any official training we can link?
How to use Copilot in Microsoft Outlook – Microsoft 365

Palisades Fire Recovery: How AkinsIT Reconnected a Displaced School in 3 Weeks

Fri, 12 Sep 2025 20:57:22 GMT

After the Palisades fire destroyed its core network infrastructure, Palisades Charter High School partnered with AkinsIT for an emergency rebuild. In just 21 days, AkinsIT deployed a secure, scalable network in a temporary Sears building — restoring connectivity for displaced students and staff under extreme pressure.

9 IT Security Trends Every Mid‑Sized Business Should Care About

Wed, 10 Sep 2025 17:13:20 GMT

A CEO’s guide to staying secure in a fast‑changing threat landscape.

If you run a growing business, you’ve probably noticed something: cyber threats aren’t slowing down—they’re getting smarter. As CEO of Akins IT, I spend a lot of time talking with IT leaders who feel like they’re playing whack‑a‑mole with security risks. The truth? You don’t need 50 tools. You need the right priorities. Here’s what I’m seeing and what you should do about it.

1. Passwords Are Out—Passkeys Are In

Passwords are the weakest link. Hackers love them. That’s why big players like Microsoft are pushing passkeys and stronger multi‑factor authentication. If your team still relies on passwords, it’s time to move on. Ready to ditch passwords for good? Explore our Microsoft 365 Security Solutions

2. SaaS Apps: The Hidden Back Door

Your business probably uses dozens of cloud apps. Attackers know this. They’re sneaking in through over‑permissive apps. The fix? Review what apps have access to your data and cut unnecessary permissions. Not sure what apps have too much access? Start with a Security Assessment

3. 24/7 Security Monitoring Is No Longer Optional

Most breaches happen because alerts get missed. That’s why Managed Detection & Response (MDR) is exploding. Our clients love it because it gives them a security team without the overhead. Want a security team without the overhead? See how our Managed Security Solutions work

4. AI Is a Double‑Edged Sword

AI can boost productivity—but it can also leak sensitive data if you’re not careful. Make sure you have data protection policies in place before rolling out AI tools. Thinking about rolling out AI tools? Get an AI Readiness Assessment

5. Phishing Just Got Smarter (and Sneakier)

Hackers are using AI to write better phishing emails—and even QR code scams (“quishing”). Train your team and use email security tools that can keep up. Worried about AI powered phising and QR scams? Ask us about advanced email security options .

6. Patch Fast or Pay Later

Unpatched systems are still one of the top ways businesses get breached. Automate updates and prioritize critical fixes. Struggling to keep up with critical updates? Talk to us about automated patching strategies .

7. Zero Trust Isn’t Just for Big Companies

The old VPN model is fading. Zero Trust security—where every user and device is verified—keeps your remote workforce safe without slowing them down. Curious how Zero Trust works in the real world? See how we helped Alo Yoga during COVID .

8. Ransomware Is Still Here

Ransomware attacks are up, and they’re hitting mid‑sized businesses hard. Have an incident response plan and test your backups regularly. Is your backup plan ransomware ready? Discover our Backup and Disaster Recovery solutions

9. Partner Up

You don’t have to do this alone. At Akins IT, we help businesses like yours stay secure without breaking the budget. From managed security to cloud protection , we’ve got your back. Looking for a security partner who gets mid-sized businesses? Learn more about Akins IT

Ready to Strengthen Your Security?

Let’s talk about where you are today and how we can make your business safer tomorrow.

Why MFA Alone Isn't Enough: Enhancing Security with Microsoft Conditional Access

shawn@akinsit.com (Shawn Akins) — Thu, 15 May 2025 20:00:26 GMT

Strengthening Your Security Posture with Dynamic Access Control

In today's digital landscape, securing sensitive information and systems is more critical than ever. While Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) has become a standard security measure, it might not be sufficient on its own to protect against sophisticated cyber threats. This is where Microsoft Conditional Access comes into play, offering a robust solution that enhances the effectiveness of MFA.

The Limitations of MFA

MFA requires users to provide two or more verification factors to gain access to a resource, adding an extra layer of security beyond just a password. However, despite its benefits, MFA has some limitations:

User Experience: Implementing MFA can sometimes lead to negative user feedback due to the additional steps required for authentication. Users may find it cumbersome, leading to potential resistance and decreased productivity.
Static Policies: Traditional MFA policies are often static and do not adapt to the changing risk landscape. This can result in either too many or too few authentication challenges, neither of which is ideal for maintaining security and usability.
Legacy Protocols: Many organizations still use legacy authentication protocols that do not support MFA, leaving gaps in their security posture.

The Power of Microsoft Conditional Access

Microsoft Conditional Access addresses these limitations by providing a dynamic and flexible approach to access control. Here’s how it enhances the security provided by MFA:

Contextual Access Decisions: Conditional Access analyzes signals such as user, device, location, and risk level to make real-time access decisions. This means that MFA challenges are only presented when necessary, reducing user friction while maintaining security.
Granular Control: With Conditional Access, organizations can create policies that are tailored to specific scenarios. For example, access can be restricted based on the user's location or the type of device they are using. This granular control ensures that only legitimate users can access sensitive resources.
Blocking Legacy Protocols: Conditional Access policies can be configured to block legacy authentication protocols, ensuring that all access attempts are subject to modern security measures.
Compliance and Reporting: Conditional Access provides detailed reporting and monitoring capabilities, helping organizations meet compliance requirements and gain insights into their security posture.

Implementing Conditional Access with Azure AD

At Akins IT, we have successfully implemented Azure AD MFA with Conditional Access for various clients, enhancing their security while minimizing user disruption. Here’s a brief overview of our approach:

Discovery and Planning: We start by reviewing the existing environment and documentation to ensure compatibility and identify any potential issues.
Policy Creation: We create Azure AD groups for MFA and define Conditional Access policies tailored to the client's needs. This includes setting up policies to block legacy protocols and defining user session lifetimes.
Pilot Testing: Before full deployment, we conduct pilot tests with a select group of users to validate the policies and gather feedback.
Deployment and Support: We deploy the policies across the organization in a staggered approach, providing instructions and support to ensure a smooth transition. Post-deployment, we offer ongoing support and monitoring to address any issues that arise.

Conclusion

While MFA is a crucial component of modern security strategies, it is not a silver bullet. By leveraging Microsoft Conditional Access, organizations can enhance the effectiveness of MFA, providing a more secure and user-friendly authentication experience. At Akins IT, we are committed to helping our clients implement these advanced security measures to protect their valuable assets.

For more information on how we can help your organization implement Azure AD MFA with Conditional Access, please contact us at Akins IT.

Alternatives to VMware: Cost-Effective Virtualization Solutions for Your Business

shawn@akinsit.com (Shawn Akins) — Thu, 15 May 2025 18:03:10 GMT

Discover Affordable and Reliable Virtualization Platforms

As VMware continues to increase its prices, many businesses are seeking alternative solutions to meet their virtualization needs without breaking the bank. At Akins IT, we understand the importance of finding cost-effective and reliable alternatives that can deliver the same level of performance and functionality. In this blog, we will explore some of the top alternatives to VMware that you can consider for your business.

Why Look for Alternatives to VMware?

VMware has long been a leader in the virtualization space, offering a comprehensive suite of products such as VMware vSphere, VMware Cloud, and VMware Horizon. However, recent price hikes have led many organizations to reconsider their options. According to Forrester, up to 20% of VMware customers are expected to move to alternatives like Nutanix or Microsoft Hyper-V due to rising costs and service concerns. This shift highlights the growing demand for more affordable and efficient virtualization solutions.

Top Alternatives to VMware

Microsoft Hyper-V

Microsoft Hyper-V is a robust virtualization platform that offers a wide range of features at a competitive price. It integrates seamlessly with Windows Server and provides excellent support for both Windows and Linux operating systems. Hyper-V is known for its scalability, reliability, and ease of use, making it a popular choice for businesses of all sizes.

Nutanix

Nutanix is another strong contender in the virtualization market. Nutanix Unified Storage (NUS) enables organizations to adapt to fast-changing application needs and shift their management focus from data storage to data management across datacenter, edge, and cloud environments. Nutanix offers a comprehensive suite of products that can help you reduce costs and complexity while delivering a great user experience.

Proxmox VE

Proxmox VE is an open-source virtualization platform that combines KVM and LXC technologies. It offers a user-friendly web interface, high availability, and support for various storage options. Proxmox VE is a cost-effective solution that provides enterprise-level features without the hefty price tag.

Red Hat Virtualization (RHV)

Red Hat Virtualization is an enterprise-grade virtualization platform based on the KVM hypervisor. It offers robust performance, scalability, and security features. RHV is particularly well-suited for organizations that already use Red Hat Enterprise Linux, as it integrates seamlessly with the Red Hat ecosystem.

Citrix Hypervisor

Citrix Hypervisor, formerly known as XenServer, is a powerful virtualization platform that offers advanced features such as live migration, disaster recovery, and high availability. It is designed to support both Windows and Linux workloads and is known for its performance and reliability.

Oracle VM

Oracle VM is a free, enterprise-class server virtualization solution that supports both Oracle and non-Oracle applications. It is built on the Xen hypervisor and offers features such as live migration, high availability, and integrated management tools. Oracle VM is an excellent choice for organizations that use Oracle products and want a cost-effective virtualization solution.

Conclusion

As VMware continues to increase its prices, exploring alternative virtualization solutions can help your business save costs without compromising on performance and functionality. Microsoft Hyper-V, Nutanix, Proxmox VE, Red Hat Virtualization, Citrix Hypervisor, and Oracle VM are all excellent options to consider. Each of these platforms offers unique features and benefits that can meet the diverse needs of your organization.

At Akins IT, we are committed to helping our clients find the best solutions for their IT needs. If you have any questions or need assistance in choosing the right virtualization platform for your business, feel free to reach out to us. We are here to help you navigate the ever-changing landscape of IT and ensure your business stays ahead of the curve.

Sources:

Forrester report on VMware alternatives
Nutanix Unified Storage (NUS) features
CloudZero's guide on VMware alternatives
Forbes article on life after VMware
Rigorous Themes' list of open-source VMware alternatives

Comparing Mimecast Email Security vs M365 Email Security: A Comprehensive Guide

shawn@akinsit.com (Shawn Akins) — Tue, 13 May 2025 16:50:39 GMT

Discover the Key Differences Between Mimecast and M365 Email Security Solutions and Learn Why Akins IT is Your Trusted Partner for Email Protection

In today's digital landscape, email security is paramount for businesses of all sizes. At Akins IT, we understand the critical importance of protecting your organization's email communications from threats such as phishing, ransomware, and business email compromise (BEC). In this blog, we will compare two leading email security solutions: Mimecast and Microsoft 365 (M365) Email Security. Our goal is to help you make an informed decision and demonstrate why Akins IT is your go-to expert for email security solutions.

Mimecast Email Security

Mimecast is renowned for its comprehensive email security solutions, designed to protect against a wide range of email-borne threats. Here are some key features of Mimecast's email security:

Advanced Threat Protection: Mimecast uses AI-powered detection to block sophisticated threats, including phishing, ransomware, and impersonation attacks. Their advanced BEC defense leverages machine learning to identify and prevent BEC threats.
Deployment Flexibility: Mimecast offers various deployment options, including cloud-native secure email gateways and integrated solutions that enhance existing M365 protections.
Comprehensive Phishing Protection: Real-time threat analysis and AI-driven threat removal ensure that phishing emails are blocked before they reach the inbox.
Integrated Email Intelligence: Mimecast integrates with over 250 security tools, enabling enhanced threat sharing and detection.
Additional Features: Mimecast provides features such as email continuity, internal email protection, and large file send capabilities, which are not available in M365.

M365 Email Security

Microsoft 365 Email Security, part of the Microsoft Defender for Office 365 suite, offers robust protection for organizations using M365. Here are some key features of M365 Email Security:

Threat Explorer and Real-time Detections: These tools help Security Operations (SecOps) teams investigate and respond to threats in near real-time.
Anti-phishing Policies: M365 includes advanced anti-phishing policies that protect against user and domain impersonation.
Email Authentication: M365 uses SPF, DKIM, and DMARC to authenticate emails and prevent spoofing.
Integration with Microsoft Ecosystem: M365 Email Security seamlessly integrates with other Microsoft security solutions, providing a unified security posture.
Secure Score Dashboard: This feature aggregates data from customer environments, providing trending data on secure scores to help manage security postures.

Why Choose Akins IT for Your Email Security Needs?

At Akins IT, we pride ourselves on being experts in email security. Our team has extensive experience in deploying and managing both Mimecast and M365 Email Security solutions. Here’s why you should trust us with your email security:

Expertise: Our team includes certified professionals with deep knowledge of both Mimecast and M365 security solutions.
Tailored Solutions: We understand that every organization is unique. We work closely with you to design and implement email security solutions that meet your specific needs.
Comprehensive Support: From initial consultation to ongoing support, we are committed to ensuring your email security is robust and effective.
Proven Track Record: We have successfully implemented email security solutions for numerous clients, helping them protect their email communications and reduce risk.

Call to Action

Ready to enhance your email security? Contact Akins IT today to schedule a consultation and learn how we can help you protect your organization from email-borne threats. Let us show you why we are the experts in email security.

Improve Productivity with Copilot and Akins IT

shawn@akinsit.com (Shawn Akins) — Fri, 13 Dec 2024 18:38:54 GMT

Unleashing Productivity: Maximizing Potential with Copilot for Microsoft 365 and Akins IT

Many organizations are grappling with the challenges posed by the transition to a hybrid work model, prompting a turn towards generative AI for optimizing workflows and collaboration. The economic potential of generative AI is significant, with McKinsey estimating a potential annual contribution of US$4.4 trillion to the global economy by 2030. To tap into this market share, companies are introducing AI solutions like Copilot for Microsoft 365, aiming to maximize value. This tool, embedded in Microsoft 365 apps, utilizes Microsoft Graph for organizational context, offering personalized suggestions and insights based on users' needs and work patterns.

As you explore the potential of Copilot for Microsoft 365 to boost productivity in your organization, it's vital to focus on key considerations. The effectiveness of AI-assisted features depends on the quality and relevance of your data. While anticipating enhanced creativity, productivity, and automation, prioritize data quality, privacy, and security to establish a strong data foundation.

As part of our services, Akins IT emphasizes a three-step approach for organizations considering Copilot for Microsoft 365 adoption. We believe in the importance of preparing data, urging businesses to centralize content and migrate it to Microsoft 365. Next, our Copilot for Microsoft 365 Readiness Assessment and Remediation ensures your data is secure. And finally, we’ll ensure your organization is set up for success with the right controls so you can reap the benefits of Microsoft 365 long-term.

Addressing the shift in work dynamics, Akins IT is now offering tailored advisory and implementation services. This comprehensive approach encompasses the adoption of tools like Copilot for Microsoft 365, focusing on its integration into daily workflows and providing guidance on data preparation, security, and operational optimization.

Collaborate Securely with Akins IT

shawn@akinsit.com (Shawn Akins) — Mon, 25 Nov 2024 21:13:58 GMT

Security Insights

Over the past year, as remote work has become more commonplace, so have cloud-based products that enable streamlined collaboration such as Microsoft 365 and Microsoft Teams. These cloud tools are making it easier than ever for teams to work together effectively, but as the data we create grows, so does the need for solutions that simplify the ability to sift through, manage, and protect it.

It can take a massive amount of time to manually manage all the security parameters needed to protect collaborative data. This time-consuming, complex task is even more complicated for anyone that is in the process of digitally transforming their workspaces. Thankfully, we can help!

Security Assessment

Virtually every organization has sensitive data they need to collaborate on. Examples include contracts, personal employee/customer data, and credit card information. This can be exposed during daily collaboration through sharing links, Teams memberships, and various other means. Our data security assessment will tell you everyone who has access to your sensitive information and when they have/had access to it. With our security services, we can also identify, classify, and secure your data.

Backup and Disaster Recovery

If your team inadvertently deletes an item in Microsoft Teams, Dynamics 365, Salesforce, or Google Workspace, you’ll be glad you spoke with us about this service. 55 percent of SMBs were hit with ransomware attacks in 2020 alone. We offer an extra layer of protection against many common accidental data loss events and malicious actors across your collaboration systems that are otherwise impossible to recover from.

Secured Microsoft Teams Environment

The fast-paced nature of collaboration and the ubiquity of sharing options in Microsoft 365 means mitigating the risk of data exposure is an ongoing concern. We will work with you to set up a secure environment for internal and external sharing in Teams that leverages powerful automation to prevent data leaks before they occur.

Microsoft 365 Migration and Consolidation

We are strong proponents of consolidating data and collaboration into Microsoft 365 and Teams. Having data in multiple systems such as Dropbox, Box, Google Workspace (G Suite, Gmail) or file servers increases the risk of exposure or loss. It’s also a pain for you to keep switching between platforms depending on what you need! Our migration and consolidation service not only gets you up and running in Microsoft 365 and Teams smoothly, but we are able to ensure you have all the data you need in one place.

Navigating the End of the Microsoft Enterprise Agreement: What It Means for Our Customers

shawn@akinsit.com (Shawn Akins) — Wed, 13 Nov 2024 22:54:26 GMT

The Shift from EA to MCA-E and CSP

As we move further into the era of artificial intelligence (AI), significant changes are on the horizon for businesses of all sizes. One of the most impactful changes is the upcoming end of the Microsoft Enterprise Agreement (EA) framework, set to take effect on January 1, 2025. At Akins IT, we are dedicated to helping our customers understand and navigate these changes to ensure they continue to thrive in this new landscape.

Microsoft's decision to phase out the EA framework marks a pivotal shift in how businesses will manage their software and cloud services. For enterprise customers, the Microsoft Customer Agreement for enterprise (MCA-E) will provide a streamlined and flexible solution. This new agreement is designed to simplify the purchasing process and offer more tailored options to meet the unique needs of each organization.

For small and midsize customers (SMC), the recommended options are either the Cloud Solution Provider (CSP) program or the MCA-E. The CSP program, in particular, offers a significant opportunity for SMCs to leverage cloud-based AI solutions to enhance their operations and drive growth. At Akins IT, we are well-equipped to guide our customers through these options and help them choose the best path forward.

Empowering Our Customers Through Change

The end of the EA framework is not just a change in contracts; it represents a broader shift towards more agile and customer-centric solutions. By partnering with Akins IT, our customers can benefit from our expertise in AI implementation and our commitment to delivering exceptional outcomes. We are here to ensure that this transition is smooth and that our customers are well-positioned to take advantage of the new opportunities that AI and cloud solutions offer.

The end of the Enterprise Agreement marks the beginning of a new era in business technology. At Akins IT, we are committed to helping our customers navigate this transition and harness the power of AI to drive growth and innovation. By partnering with us, our customers can confidently move forward, knowing they have the support and expertise needed to succeed in this evolving landscape. We invite you to reach out to us to learn more about how we can support your journey through these changes.

Navigating the Future of Work with Microsoft 365 Copilot Prompts

shawn@akinsit.com (Shawn Akins) — Mon, 15 Apr 2024 23:28:18 GMT

In the ever-evolving landscape of the digital workplace, Microsoft 365 Copilot stands as a beacon of innovation, guiding users through the complexities of their daily tasks with ease and efficiency. As we embrace this new era of work, understanding the capabilities and utilization of Copilot prompts becomes essential.

What are Copilot Prompts?

Copilot prompts are intelligent cues that empower users to harness the full potential of Microsoft 365. They are designed to understand the context of your work and provide suggestions that are not only relevant but also tailored to enhance productivity.

The Power of Contextual Understanding

At the heart of Copilot prompts is the advanced AI that meticulously analyzes the content you're working on. Whether it's an email, a document, or a spreadsheet, Copilot grasps the essence of your task and offers prompts that propel you forward.

Streamlining Collaboration

Collaboration is the cornerstone of modern work, and Copilot prompts are the perfect ally. They facilitate seamless communication by suggesting replies in emails, aiding in the co-authoring of documents, and ensuring that your team stays on the same page.

Enhancing Creativity

Beyond the realms of productivity, Copilot prompts also serve as a muse for your creativity. They can assist in drafting compelling narratives, generating ideas, or even crafting personalized messages that resonate with your audience.

Learning and Growing with Copilot

As you interact with Copilot prompts, they learn and adapt to your unique style and preferences. This continuous learning process ensures that the assistance you receive is always improving, making your experience with Microsoft 365 increasingly intuitive.

Conclusion

Microsoft 365 Copilot prompts are more than just a feature; they are your partner in navigating the future of work. By understanding their functionality and integrating them into your workflow, you can unlock new levels of efficiency, collaboration, and creativity.

IT Disaster Recovery Downtime Calculator

Downtime can be devastating.

Do you know how much a potential IT incident would cost your organization?

Find out now by using our simpl e Downtime Cost Calculator.

Case Study: Rapid Response to Security Breach

shawn@akinsit.com (Shawn Akins) — Mon, 15 Apr 2024 23:11:01 GMT

Case Study: Management Support Server Upgrade

leislee@enlightworks.com (Leislee Mamba) — Thu, 18 Jan 2024 05:08:45 GMT

Akins IT assists Management Support in migrating their physical server infrastructure to new hardware and enhancing their backup process for improved disaster recovery.

Case Study - Law Firm Enhances Security for Compliance

Fri, 12 Jan 2024 23:02:28 GMT

How to Enable Copilot for Windows 11

Thu, 07 Dec 2023 16:05:27 GMT

Copilot is a new feature that leverages the power of AI to help you write faster and better. Copilot can help you create, edit, and transform your documents, as well as chat with you to provide additional information and suggestions. In this article, I will show you how to enable Copilot for Windows 11 and use it in any app that supports text input.

What is Copilot and how does it work?

Copilot is a smart assistant that works with you in any app that supports text input to help you write with more confidence and creativity. Copilot can:

Generate text based on your input, topic, or style
Rewrite sentences to improve clarity, tone, or grammar
Provide relevant facts, data, and sources to support your arguments
Suggest alternative words, phrases, or expressions to enhance your writing
Answer your questions and provide feedback on your writing

Copilot uses natural language processing and deep learning to understand your writing and generate suggestions that match your intent and voice. Copilot also learns from your feedback and preferences to improve its performance over time.

How to enable Copilot for Windows 11

To enable Copilot in Windows 11

Go to Windows Update
Click on Advanced Options
Turn On Receive updates for other Microsoft products
Check/install updates
Once installed, you should have Copilot(preview) in your taskbar

How to use Copilot in any app that supports text input

Once you have enabled Copilot, you can start using it in any app that supports text input. Here are some ways to use Copilot in any app that supports text input:

To generate text, select a word, phrase, or sentence, and press Ctrl + Alt + G. Copilot will generate text based on your selection and the context of your app. You can also type /generate in the Copilot panel and press Enter to generate text.

To rewrite text, select a sentence or paragraph, and press Ctrl + Alt + R. Copilot will rewrite the text to improve clarity, tone, or grammar. You can also type /rewrite in the Copilot panel and press Enter to rewrite text.

To provide facts, data, or sources, select a word, phrase, or sentence, and press Ctrl + Alt + F. Copilot will provide relevant information to support your writing. You can also type /fact in the Copilot panel and press Enter to provide facts.

To suggest alternatives, select a word, phrase, or expression, and press Ctrl + Alt + S. Copilot will suggest synonyms, antonyms, or related terms to enhance your writing. You can also type /suggest in the Copilot panel and press Enter to suggest alternatives.

To chat with Copilot, type your question or feedback in the Copilot panel and press Enter. Copilot will respond to your query and provide suggestions.

You can also use voice commands to interact with Copilot. To enable voice mode, click on the microphone icon in the Copilot panel. You can then say any of the commands above or ask Copilot anything related to your writing.

Conclusion

Copilot is a powerful feature that can help you write faster and better in any app that supports text input. By enabling Copilot for Windows 11, you can access a smart assistant that can generate, rewrite, provide, suggest, and chat with you in any app that supports text input. Copilot can help you improve your writing skills and creativity, as well as save you time and effort. Try Copilot today and see how it can transform your writing experience.

IT Disaster Recovery Downtime Calculator

Case Study - Ampco Cloud Adoption Using Virtual Desktop

Wed, 25 Oct 2023 00:56:14 GMT

Case Study - Enabling Secure Remote Work for Alo Yoga/Bella+Canvas with Azure Virtual Desktop

Wed, 25 Oct 2023 00:29:15 GMT

Case Study - Enhancing Remote Work Efficiency for Recovco with Microsoft Virtual Desktop

Thu, 19 Oct 2023 17:05:09 GMT

How to Protect Your Infrastructure From SoCal Disasters

Thu, 12 Oct 2023 03:00:00 GMT

Companies headquartered in Southern California are no strangers to natural disasters. Because we’re based in LA, we understand how this can affect a business and the importance of planning for future disruptions. We tell all of our SoCal clients that they need to be particularly vigilant about several unique disasters and risks that can have a significant impact on their IT infrastructure. These include:

Earthquakes: Southern California is a seismically active region, making earthquakes a primary concern. Ground shaking can damage data centers, servers, networking equipment, and other critical infrastructure. Companies need to ensure that their IT facilities are earthquake-resistant, with proper hardware bracing and redundancy.

Wildfires: Wildfires can lead to power outages, smoke, and evacuations. Smoke and ash can infiltrate data centers, causing hardware damage and affecting cooling systems. Data centers should have robust air filtration systems, and businesses need to establish backup data centers in safer locations.

Power Outages: Severe weather, equipment failure, or wildfire-related incidents can result in power outages. Companies should have uninterruptible power supplies (UPS) and backup generators to keep IT systems running during power interruptions.

Mudslides and Debris Flows: Following wildfires, heavy rainfall can trigger mudslides and debris flows that might disrupt network connectivity, damage equipment, and hinder access to data centers. Businesses should have contingency plans in place to manage these scenarios.

Heatwaves: High temperatures can strain cooling systems and lead to overheating of IT equipment. Proper climate control and cooling measures are essential to prevent equipment failure during heatwaves.

Tsunamis: Companies located near the coast should consider the potential risk of tsunamis triggered by undersea earthquakes. Data centers and critical infrastructure should be located at a safe distance from coastal areas.

Cybersecurity Threats: Being a hub for technology and innovation, Southern California companies are exposed to cybersecurity risks such as data breaches, ransomware attacks, and hacking attempts. Comprehensive cybersecurity measures, including regular updates, employee training, and robust firewalls, are crucial.

Traffic Disruptions: Proximity to major cities can lead to traffic congestion and disruptions. This can impact the movement of employees, equipment, and data. Companies should have remote work capabilities and alternative means of communication and data access.

Social Unrest and Civil Disruptions: Urban areas in Southern California can experience social or civil unrest, potentially affecting IT infrastructure and employee safety. Businesses should have contingency plans for remote work, data protection, and employee safety during such events.

Water Shortages: Droughts and water shortages can impact cooling systems and general operations. Implementing water-saving technologies and contingency plans for water scarcity can help manage this risk.

To mitigate these risks, companies should develop and regularly update their IT disaster recovery and business continuity plans. This should include data backup and restoration strategies, remote work protocols, equipment redundancy, cybersecurity measures, and clear communication plans. But probably most important, you should collaborate with local IT professionals who understand the threats and can provide additional insights and resources for disaster preparedness.

IT Disaster Recovery Downtime Calculator

Downtime can be devastating.

Do you know how much a potential IT incident would cost your organization?

Find out now by using our simpl e Downtime Cost Calculator.

IT Disaster Recovery Downtime Calculator

Downtime can be devastating.

Do you know how much a potential IT incident would cost your organization?

Find out now by using our simpl e Downtime Cost Calculator.

5 Reasons Why DRaaS is the Perfect Solution for California Companies

Wed, 11 Oct 2023 02:31:39 GMT

Unlike traditional Disaster Recovery solutions which require you to staff and operate a physical data center, DRaaS shifts key infrastructure and services to the cloud where it is managed and implemented by a third-party. The unique challenges and risks that California’s geographical and environmental conditions pose for companies makes Disaster Recovery as a Service (DRaaS) an ideal solution.

Natural Disaster Vulnerability: California is prone to a relatively large number (and variety) of natural disasters, including earthquakes, wildfires, and floods. These events can disrupt business operations, damage infrastructure, and lead to data loss. DRaaS provides a cloud-based backup and recovery solution that can help companies quickly restore their systems and data after such disasters, minimizing downtime and ensuring business continuity.
Geographical Diversity: DRaaS allows companies to replicate their data and applications to geographically diverse data centers. This is crucial in California, as having backups stored in different regions reduces the risk of data loss due to a localized disaster. In case one region is affected, data can be quickly restored from another location.
Scalability and Flexibility: California companies often deal with fluctuating workloads and growth. DRaaS offers scalability and flexibility, enabling businesses to adjust their resources and storage based on their changing needs. This ensures that companies can efficiently handle both regular operations and disaster recovery processes.
Regulatory Compliance: California has stringent data protection and privacy regulations, such as the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA). DRaaS providers often adhere to industry compliance standards, helping companies meet regulatory requirements and avoid legal and financial repercussions.
Remote Work Readiness: The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the importance of remote work capabilities. Faced with ongoing traffic issues and long commute times, California residents have embraced working from home. DRaaS can support remote work by ensuring that employees have access to critical systems and data from any location, enabling business operations to continue even during unforeseen disruptions.

While DRaaS offers numerous benefits, it's important for California companies to thoroughly assess their specific needs, evaluate potential providers, and design a disaster recovery plan tailored to their business requirements and risk profile.

IT Disaster Recovery Downtime Calculator

Downtime can be devastating.

Do you know how much a potential IT incident would cost your organization?

Find out now by using our simpl e Downtime Cost Calculator.

IT Disaster Recovery Downtime Calculator

Downtime can be devastating.

Do you know how much a potential IT incident would cost your organization?

Find out now by using our simpl e Downtime Cost Calculator.

Recent Cyber Attacks Hit LA Businesses Hard: Examining the Impact and Lessons Learned

Fri, 29 Sep 2023 14:15:00 GMT

The city of Los Angeles has long been a hub for innovation and commerce. However, in the digital age, the city's businesses have become targets for increasingly sophisticated cyber attacks. In this blog post, we'll examine a few of the instances where recent cyber attacks have severely impacted LA businesses, shedding light on the challenges they faced and the lessons we can glean from these real-world scenarios.

Ransomware Attack on Large Hospital Chain:

Cybercriminals attacked the computer systems of a California-based health care provider causing emergency rooms in multiple states to close and ambulance services to be redirected. The ransomware attack disrupted operations by forcing them to take their systems offline and having to revert to paper systems and humans to do things such as monitor equipment and run records between departments.

Ransomware Attack on a Retail Chain:

One of the most notable cyber attacks occurred when a prominent retail chain headquartered in downtown LA fell victim to a sophisticated ransomware attack. The attack encrypted critical systems, including point-of-sale terminals and inventory databases, rendering the entire supply chain inoperable. As a result, the business was forced to shut down operations for several days, causing substantial revenue losses and tarnishing their reputation.

Lesson Learned: Regular data backups, robust cybersecurity measures, and employee training are essential to prevent and mitigate ransomware attacks. Businesses should also have an incident response plan in place to minimize downtime and recover quickly in the event of an attack.

Supply Chain Attack on a Manufacturing Company: SolarWinds 2020:

A major manufacturing company in LA suffered a devastating supply chain attack when malware was injected into the software updates of a critical industrial control system. This attack disrupted production lines, leading to costly delays and quality control issues, and ultimately impacting the company's ability to fulfill customer orders.

Lesson Learned: Vigilant supply chain management, continuous monitoring of software updates, and regular security assessments of third-party vendors are vital to prevent supply chain attacks. Maintaining isolated networks for critical systems can also limit the spread of malware in case of an intrusion.

Hospitality Giant Suffers Data Breach:

A well-known luxury hotel chain headquartered in Los Angeles experienced a significant data breach, exposing the personal information of thousands of guests. Cybercriminals exploited a vulnerability in the company's reservation system, gaining access to names, addresses, payment card details, and travel itineraries. The breach not only led to legal challenges but also eroded customer trust, impacting future reservations and revenue.

Entertainment Studio Faces Insider Threat:

An iconic LA-based entertainment studio encountered a unique challenge in the form of an insider threat. A disgruntled former employee exploited their knowledge of the company's systems to launch a targeted attack. The attacker gained unauthorized access to sensitive pre-release content and intellectual property, which they leaked online. This not only led to reputational damage but also resulted in legal battles to reclaim control over leaked material.

Financial Institution Hit by DDoS Attack:

A major financial institution with headquarters in LA experienced a wave of Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks that overwhelmed its online banking infrastructure. The attacks disrupted customer access to online services, leading to frustration and concern among clients. The financial institution had to invest significant resources to mitigate the attacks and bolster its cybersecurity defenses.

The recent cyber attacks that have impacted Los Angeles businesses serve as stark reminders of the relentless and evolving nature of cyber threats. As LA businesses continue to innovate and digitize, it is imperative for them to remain vigilant, invest in robust cybersecurity measures, and learn from these real-world incidents to better protect their assets, data, and stakeholders.

IT Disaster Recovery Downtime Calculator

Downtime can be devastating.

Do you know how much a potential IT incident would cost your organization?

Find out now by using our simpl e Downtime Cost Calculator.

IT Disaster Recovery Downtime Calculator

Downtime can be devastating.

Do you know how much a potential IT incident would cost your organization?

Find out now by using our simpl e Downtime Cost Calculator.

10 Potential Performance Pitfalls of Your New Cloud Solution

Wed, 27 Sep 2023 20:01:15 GMT

There are a number of things that might cause you to experience reduced application performance or even downtime with your new cloud solution. But regardless of the reason, these issues can have a significant impact on your business operations.

In our experience implementing dozens of cloud migrations, we typically see companies tripped up by one of the following 10 pitfalls. Make sure you’re aware of them to ensure the optimal performance and user experience of your cloud environment.

1. Improper Resource Sizing: Underestimating or overestimating the resources required. Insufficient resources can result in slow response times and service disruptions, while overprovisioning can lead to unnecessary costs. To avoid this make sure to perform load testing and capacity planning to determine the appropriate resource allocation.

2. Network Latency: Cloud services often involve data transfer over the internet, which can introduce network latency. This can impact the responsiveness of your application, especially if your users are geographically dispersed. Choose cloud regions strategically, use content delivery networks (CDNs), and optimize data transfer to minimize latency.

3. Data Storage and Retrieval Bottlenecks: If your application relies heavily on databases or storage services, inefficient data storage and retrieval mechanisms can become bottlenecks. Make sure you’ve properly designed and optimized your data architecture, used caching where appropriate, and considered using distributed databases for scalability.

4. Poorly Optimized or Inefficient Code: Use best practices in coding and architecture to ensure that your application runs efficiently. Regularly review and optimize your codebase to identify and fix performance bottlenecks.

5. Lack of Monitoring and Scalability: Without proper monitoring and scalability planning, sudden spikes in traffic can overwhelm your application and cause slowdowns or outages. Implement automated scaling mechanisms to handle varying workloads and set up monitoring tools to detect performance anomalies.

6. Security and Compliance Impact: Overly strict security measures or compliance requirements can sometimes impact performance. It's important to strike a balance between security and performance to ensure that your application remains responsive while meeting necessary security and compliance standards.

7. Vendor-Specific Limitations: Different cloud providers have unique offerings and limitations. Designing your application too tightly around one vendor's services might limit your ability to switch or scale in the future. Consider using cloud-agnostic solutions or adopting a multi-cloud strategy to mitigate this risk.

8. Not Leveraging Managed Services: Cloud providers offer a variety of managed services that can simplify certain aspects of application development and management. Not utilizing these services can lead to additional complexity and lower performance. Take advantage of managed services for databases, caching, and other critical components.

9. Monolithic Architectures: Building a monolithic application architecture in the cloud can limit your ability to scale and optimize individual components. Consider adopting microservices or serverless architectures to enable better scalability and resource utilization.

10. Ignoring Cost-Performance Trade-offs: Pursuing the highest level of performance without considering cost implications can lead to excessive spending. It's important to find a balance between performance and cost-effectiveness, leveraging appropriate resources and services.

IT Disaster Recovery Downtime Calculator

Downtime can be devastating.

Do you know how much a potential IT incident would cost your organization?

Find out now by using our simpl e Downtime Cost Calculator.

Get Your Free Cloud Cost Analysis

Learn how to understand and optimize Azure cloud costs.

Are you using what you’re paying for?

Where can you save money?

How can you optimize your Azure?

Let our implementation experts help you navigate the complexities of your organization’s cloud and gain control over expenses.

Was Your Recent Cloud Migration Worth It?

Wed, 20 Sep 2023 17:52:34 GMT

Now that your business has moved to the cloud you’ve probably had people ask you if it was worth it. For the vast majority of companies, the overwhelming answer is a quick “yes”. The benefits are easy to see and include things like increased scalability, flexibility, cost savings, and improved collaboration.

However, when you dig a little deeper, you’ll also hear some uncertainty. That’s because there are often hidden costs associated with cloud migrations that businesses don’t always fully recognize or consider. While the best time to think about these issues is before migrating, here are some useful things to look at to ensure the benefits really outweigh all of the costs.

Comprehensive Cost Analysis: Conduct a thorough cost analysis that includes not only direct expenses but also potential hidden costs. Factor in data transfer, bandwidth, training, and any unforeseen expenses.

Migration Strategy: Review your migration strategy that it included thoroughly assessing which workloads were suitable for the cloud, considered hybrid cloud approaches, and prioritized critical applications.

Performance Testing: Test to compare pre and post migration performance on all key metrics to identify and address any latency or network issues that could have impacted user experience.

Proactive Cost Management: Implement cost management practices from the outset, such as using cost monitoring tools, setting budget thresholds, and regularly reviewing and optimizing your cloud resources.

Employee Training: How much did you need to invest in training your existing staff to acquire the necessary cloud skills? While this can reduce the need for additional hiring and ensure a smoother migration process, it can also add up quickly both for the migration itself and on an ongoing basis.

Change Management: Were planned change management enough to help employees adapt to new workflows and technologies, and minimize disruptions?

Continuous Evaluation: Regularly assess the impact of cloud migration on your business goals and KPIs. Make adjustments as needed to ensure that the migration is providing the intended value.

By carefully considering any hidden costs and revisiting the actual vs anticipated impact on key areas, businesses can confidently answer the question of whether their cloud migration was worth the investment while reaping the full benefits of your new cloud environment

IT Disaster Recovery Downtime Calculator

Downtime can be devastating.

Do you know how much a potential IT incident would cost your organization?

Find out now by using our simpl e Downtime Cost Calculator.

IT Disaster Recovery Downtime Calculator

Downtime can be devastating.

Do you know how much a potential IT incident would cost your organization?

Find out now by using our simpl e Downtime Cost Calculator.

The Runaway Costs of Cloud

Tue, 19 Sep 2023 17:45:22 GMT

We see it happen all the time. Companies embrace the cloud lured by the huge potential benefits in productivity, scalability, flexibility, and reduced upfront infrastructure costs. However, they often get a cold dose of reality after their migration when they experience unexpectedly high cloud related expenses. That’s because cloud migrations can lead to cost overruns if not managed properly..

Here are some common reasons for the runaway costs of cloud and how to avoid them:

Overprovisioning: One of the most common mistakes that results in higher than anticipated costs is overestimating the resources you need. The good news is that it’s easy to right-size your cloud resources based on your actual usage patterns. Once you make the adjustment, there are a number of tools and services you can use to provide auto-scaling to adjust resources as needed.

Lack of Cost Monitoring and Management: One of the main reasons for runaway costs is not closely monitoring and managing cloud usage. Without proper oversight, resources can be left running unnecessarily, leading to unnecessary charges..

Data Transfer and Storage Costs: Cloud providers often charge for data transfer between regions or to and from the cloud. Additionally, storing large amounts of data, especially in high-performance storage tiers, can quickly add up. We suggest optimizing your data storage and minimizing unnecessary data transfers.

Unoptimized Architectures: Poorly designed architectures can lead to inefficient resource usage. Make sure you’ve Implemented best practices for cloud architecture and consider using serverless and containerization technologies to optimize resource allocation.

Unused or Forgotten Resources: It's easy to forget about resources that are still running but no longer needed. Set up regular audits to identify and terminate unused resources.

Complex Pricing Models: Cloud providers often have complex pricing models that can be difficult to understand. Take the time to understand the pricing structure of the services you are using and estimate the potential costs before implementation. And if you’re still confused, talk to a knowledgeable partner who can walk you through the ins and outs of how cloud pricing structures work.

Inadequate Training and Knowledge: Lack of understanding about cloud services and management can lead to inefficient usage and increased costs. Invest in training for your team to ensure they are aware of best practices and cost-saving techniques.

Neglecting Reserved Instances and Savings Plans: Many cloud providers offer reserved instances or savings plans that can significantly reduce costs for predictable workloads. Make sure you understand how they work and how you might be able to take advantage of these offerings to lower your long-term costs.

To avoid runaway costs, it's essential to have a well-defined cloud cost management strategy, regular monitoring and optimization processes, and a clear understanding of your cloud usage patterns. By implementing these practices, you can harness the benefits of cloud computing while keeping your costs under control.

IT Disaster Recovery Downtime Calculator

Downtime can be devastating.

Do you know how much a potential IT incident would cost your organization?

Find out now by using our simpl e Downtime Cost Calculator.

Get Your Free Cloud Cost Analysis

Learn how to understand and optimize Azure cloud costs.

Are you using what you’re paying for?

Where can you save money?

How can you optimize your Azure?

Let our implementation experts help you navigate the complexities of your organization’s cloud and gain control over expenses.

How to Navigate the Challenges of M365 to M365 Migrations

Tue, 12 Sep 2023 15:27:33 GMT

As organizations grow and evolve, they often need to migrate from one M365 environment to another – a task that seems simple, but often presents its own set of challenges. In this blog post, we will explore the complexities and hurdles associated with M365 to M365 migrations, and provide insights for businesses that need to make this type of a transition.

Migrating from one Microsoft 365 environment to another can be necessary for a variety of reasons. Here are some of the more common reasons for a migration:

Mergers and Acquisitions: When two companies merge or one company acquires another, there might be a need to consolidate M365 environments to ensure unified communication, collaboration, and data management.

Divestitures and Spin-offs: In situations where a part of the organization is divested or spun off into a separate entity, migrating to a new M365 environment is needed to establish distinct technology and communication platforms.

Technology Upgrades: Organizations may choose to migrate to take advantage of the latest features, tools, and capabilities to improve efficiency and productivity.

Geographic Expansion: When a company expands its operations to new regions or countries, setting up a new M365 environment can ensure compliance with local regulations, data residency requirements, and regional communication needs.

Consolidation of Tenants: Enterprises that have multiple M365 tenants due to historical reasons or separate business units might opt to consolidate these tenants into a single environment for better management and collaboration.

End of Support or Licensing Changes: As Microsoft phases out support for older versions or changes licensing models, organizations may migrate to a new M365 environment to ensure they have up-to-date software and access to Microsoft's latest services.

Data Center Relocation: Organizations relocating their data centers or transitioning to a new hosting provider might choose to migrate their M365 environment to the new infrastructure.

Whatever your reason, migrating presents a series of challenges that require careful planning, technical expertise, and a strategic approach. But organizations that successfully navigate these challenges can reap the rewards of improved collaboration, enhanced productivity, and a more agile digital workplace.

Migration Challenges

Data Migration and Integrity

One of the most critical challenges during M365 to M365 migrations is ensuring a seamless transfer of emails, documents, calendars, and other essential data. Differing structures, metadata formats, and compatibility issues can complicate the process, potentially leading to data inconsistencies or loss.

User Adoption and Training

Transitioning to a new environment can be met with resistance from users who are comfortable with their existing tools and processes. Proper user training and change management strategies are essential to ensure a smooth adoption of the new platform. Organizations must invest in educating their teams about the benefits of the migration and provide comprehensive training to minimize disruptions and maximize productivity.

Customization and Configuration

Each organization's M365 environment is unique, with specific customizations, configurations, and integrations. Replicating these settings in the new environment requires careful planning and execution. Challenges may arise when dealing with third-party applications, custom workflows, and security settings.

Security and Compliance

Maintaining data security and compliance standards is paramount during any migration. Ensuring that data protection regulations and industry-specific compliance requirements are met can be intricate, especially when dealing with data spread across multiple locations and services.

Downtime and Business Continuity

Migrations inherently come with downtime as data is moved and configurations are adjusted. Minimizing this downtime while ensuring business continuity is a significant challenge. Organizations need to carefully plan migration windows, assess risks, and implement backup and rollback strategies to mitigate potential disruptions to day-to-day operations.

Integration and Interoperability

M365 often needs to integrate seamlessly with other systems and services. During a migration, ensuring that these integrations remain functional can be a challenge. Issues may arise when integrating with CRM systems, third-party applications, or other cloud services, requiring careful testing and adjustments to maintain a cohesive IT ecosystem.

Testing and Validation

Thorough testing and validation are crucial to identify and rectify issues before they impact users. Organizations must create a comprehensive testing strategy that encompasses data migration, functionality, performance, and security. Rigorous testing helps uncover potential pitfalls and ensures a smooth transition for end-users.

Conclusion

To overcome the hurdles of M365 to M365 migrations, businesses should collaborate with experienced IT professionals, develop a comprehensive migration strategy, and prioritize user training and change management. By addressing data integrity, user adoption, customization, security, downtime, integration, and testing, organizations can pave the way for a successful migration that sets the stage for future growth and innovation.

IT Disaster Recovery Downtime Calculator

Downtime can be devastating.

Do you know how much a potential IT incident would cost your organization?

Find out now by using our simpl e Downtime Cost Calculator.

IT Disaster Recovery Downtime Calculator

Downtime can be devastating.

Do you know how much a potential IT incident would cost your organization?

Find out now by using our simpl e Downtime Cost Calculator.

Do’s and Don’ts of Cloud Migration

Thu, 25 May 2023 00:08:29 GMT

Over the years, we’ve heard a lot of different advice about what companies should do when migrating to the cloud. While most of it is helpful, some of it isn't and following it could set your migration up for failure.

Here are some dos and don'ts to keep your migration to the cloud on the right track:

Dos:

Plan and Strategize: Create a well-defined plan and strategy before starting your migration. This includes assessing your business needs, goals, and requirements, and identifying which cloud services and providers align best with your objectives. Make sure to develop a detailed roadmap, including timelines, resource allocation, and contingency plans.
Conduct Thorough Research: Make sure to talk to a variety of options before making a decision.While it may take more time, being thorough will make you more confident in your ultimate choice. Research different cloud service providers and compare their offerings, pricing models, security measures, and customer reviews. Consider factors such as data privacy, compliance, scalability, performance, and customer support. Choose a reputable and reliable cloud provider that meets your business requirements.
Assess and Optimize Your Data: An often overlooked step is to make sure your existing data is ready for the cloud environment. Cleanse and de-duplicate your data, and determine what data is critical to migrate and what can be archived or deleted. The time to clean up your data is beforehand so you’ll only be moving the data you need. This will help reduce unnecessary costs and streamline your cloud migration process.
Test and Validate: Conduct thorough testing and validation of your cloud environment before fully migrating your business operations. Test different scenarios, such as data transfer, application performance, security protocols, and disaster recovery. Validate that your applications and services are functioning as expected in the cloud environment.
Train and Educate your Staff: Provide comprehensive training and education on how to effectively use and manage the cloud environment. Ensure your team understands the new tools, processes, and best practices associated with cloud computing. And make sure to invest in ongoing training to keep everyone up-to-date on the latest cloud technologies and security practices.

Don'ts:

Rushing into the Migration: Faster is not always better. Rushing into your cloud migration without proper planning and strategy can lead to costly mistakes and disruptions to your business operations. Avoid hasty decisions and take the time to plan and strategize your cloud migration journey to ensure a smooth and successful transition.
Neglecting Security and Compliance: Security and compliance should be top priorities when migrating your business to the cloud. Do not neglect the importance of data privacy, encryption, access controls, and compliance with relevant regulations. Choose a cloud provider that has robust security measures in place and follow best practices for securing your cloud environment.
Overlooking Cost Considerations: Don’t let the promise of future cost savings blind you to the actual costs of implementing a solution the right way. Cloud computing offers cost benefits, but it's important to carefully consider the costs associated with cloud migration. Don't overlook factors such as data transfer costs, storage costs, and ongoing operational costs. Develop a clear understanding of the pricing models and potential hidden costs of your chosen cloud service provider.
Letting Costs Get Out of Control: Don’t stop looking at costs after the initial implementation. Stay on top of the ongoing costs associated with your cloud solution and monitor your bills to make sure you’re only paying for what you need. As your business needs evolve over time, so will what you need in terms of cloud solutions.
Ignoring Data Optimization: Migrating unnecessary or redundant data to the cloud can result in increased storage costs and complexities. Don't ignore data optimization and cleansing before migrating to the cloud. Assess your data and optimize it by archiving or deleting unnecessary data, and ensure that only relevant and valuable data is migrated.

By following these dos and avoiding these don'ts, you can ensure a smooth and successful migration of your business to the cloud.

IT Disaster Recovery Downtime Calculator

Downtime can be devastating.

Do you know how much a potential IT incident would cost your organization?

Find out now by using our simpl e Downtime Cost Calculator.

IT Disaster Recovery Downtime Calculator

Downtime can be devastating.

Do you know how much a potential IT incident would cost your organization?

Find out now by using our simpl e Downtime Cost Calculator.

Cloud & Application Readiness Checklist

Wed, 24 May 2023 23:11:35 GMT

You’re thinking of moving your organization to the cloud, but how do you know if you’re ready? Making sure you’re prepared means thinking through all of the ways the change may impact your business is critical to minimize your chance of stepping on possible landmines.

A successful cloud migration requires careful planning, execution, and ongoing management to ensure that you’ll be able to leverage the full potential of cloud computing. This checklist provides a structured approach to assess your readiness and identify the areas you’ll need to address before moving to the cloud.

Important factors to consider include:

Business Goal Definition: The first step is to identify the business objectives driving the need for cloud migration. It is important to be able to articulate these goals. This includes understanding key drivers such as cost reduction, scalability, agility, security, and compliance.

Service Provider Assessment: Do a thorough assessment of providers’ capabilities, features, pricing, security, and compliance to determine the most appropriate provider for your needs.

Migration Strategy Development: Make sure to define the approach, methodology, timeline, and resources required for the migration process.

Legacy Application Readiness: Anticipate what will be needed to transition all of your existing applications and be sure to be running current, supported versions.

Data Management: Evaluate your current data management practices, including data storage, backup, recovery, and security.

Security and Compliance: Assess your current security and compliance policies and procedures and ensure they meet the cloud service provider's requirements.

Resource Readiness: Determine the skills, expertise, and capacity required for a successful cloud migration. This includes evaluating your current IT team's capabilities, as well as identifying any additional resources that may be required.

Budget and Cost Management: Calculate both the upfront and ongoing costs of cloud migration and develop a cost management plan.

Change Management: Identify the impact that the planned migration will have on business processes, personnel, and stakeholders, and develop a plan to manage change effectively.

Post-Migration Support: Identify the support requirements and develop a plan for ongoing monitoring and management of your new cloud environment.

IT Disaster Recovery Downtime Calculator

Downtime can be devastating.

Do you know how much a potential IT incident would cost your organization?

Find out now by using our simpl e Downtime Cost Calculator.

IT Disaster Recovery Downtime Calculator

Downtime can be devastating.

Do you know how much a potential IT incident would cost your organization?

Find out now by using our simpl e Downtime Cost Calculator.

Azure Cloud Implementation Tips

Tue, 23 May 2023 03:38:53 GMT

Like any cloud platform, implementing Azure can be complicated. Here are some tips to help with the process and make sure it meets your needs.

Familiarize yourself with Azure: Before jumping in, take some time to learn the basics of Azure cloud and its services. Microsoft provides a wealth of documentation and tutorials that can help you get started.

Choose the right services: Azure offers a wide range of services that can be used to build your application. The most important way to manage costs is through proper upfront planning to ensure that you only use the Azure services you need. Start by identifying the services and resources you need, prioritize them based on their importance, and then choose the services that best suit your needs and budget.

Optimize costs: Azure can be expensive if you're not careful. Make sure to use the cost optimization tools provided by Azure to keep your costs under control. Their cost management and billing Pricing Calculator tool helps you estimate your Azure usage and costs based on your specific needs to ensure you’re only paying for what you need. It provides visibility into your spending and helps you optimize your cloud usage to stay within your budget. And the best part is it’s free. If you want help, we’d be happy to walk you through how to use the tool to make sure your billing is appropriate for your needs.

Leverage the Azure Marketplace: The Azure Marketplace is an online store that offers a wide range of pre-built solutions that can help you quickly build your application. It provides access to a vast array of software solutions and services, and includes everything from virtual machines, to AI and machine learning tools, to security and compliance services. The Marketplace makes it easy to deploy and integrate these solutions into your Azure environment. And since many solutions are pre-configured, they can be deployed with just a few clicks.

Get help when you need it: Azure has a large community of developers and support staff. Online forums and support channels allow you to connect with others and get answers to technical questions, share knowledge, and collaborate on projects. Attending Azure events and webinars is another option for staying up-to-date with the latest developments in the Azure ecosystem and can be a great way to network with other developers and gain insights from industry experts.

Configure security: Azure provides several security features that you can use to protect your application. Configure the appropriate security measures to ensure that your data is safe.

IT Disaster Recovery Downtime Calculator

Downtime can be devastating.

Do you know how much a potential IT incident would cost your organization?

Find out now by using our simpl e Downtime Cost Calculator.

In-House vs Outsourced IT Support

Fri, 19 May 2023 16:48:47 GMT

Modern businesses rely heavily on IT assistance because of the ever-changing nature of the digital landscape. Everything is online now. A reliable, consistent, and strong IT infrastructure is crucial for every organization, as it helps with everything — from maintaining operational systems, safeguarding sensitive data, and navigating the cybersecurity.

It’s a very complex field with a wide range of tasks to do. That’s why businesses are always faced with a crucial decision: should they go for in-house IT support or opt for outsourcing companies with managed IT services?

We’ve been in the IT industry for years now and have seen both in-house and outsourced IT support models work brilliantly for many companies. The trick is figuring out which one is ideal for your specific situation. Today, we’ll discuss the advantages and disadvantages of each choice and provide some advice on making your final decision.

What is In-House IT Support?

In-house IT support refers to a team of information technology (IT) professionals who are employed directly by your company as an internal team. They can work either on-site or remotely and are responsible for handling all of your organization's IT needs , from day-to-day troubleshooting to long-term strategic planning. Why and how can this option be beneficial?

Greater control and customization

Control over your technological infrastructure is one of the most significant aspects of having your IT needs met in-house. Since they work only for your business, your in-house team may modify existing procedures and develop new ones to meet your unique requirements. They’re also within reach at all times.

Faster response times

Time is of the utmost importance when dealing with any kind of IT problem. In-house IT assistance often provides quicker response times than third-party providers. With in-house IT support, issues may be resolved and systems restored promptly, reducing the likelihood of costly downtime and resulting revenue loss.

In-depth knowledge of company processes and systems

In-house IT staff get an in-depth familiarity with your business's infrastructure over time. Because of their deep familiarity, they are better equipped to diagnose problems and provide solutions. In this scenario, having more information at your disposal may help your company's IT department run more smoothly and efficiently.

Potential for increased data security

When it comes to protecting sensitive information, companies of any size may benefit from having their own dedicated IT department on staff. It will be simpler to monitor, identify, and react to possible attacks if your IT personnel are familiar with the company's security rules and procedures. Also, the potential for data breaches associated with disclosing private information to third-party service providers is mitigated if IT assistance is handled in-house.

Of course, these benefits don't come without a cost, and in-house IT support may not be the right fit for every organization. And that’s not to say outsource IT support can’t give you any of these benefits either.

What is Outsourced IT Support?

As the name suggests, “outsourced” IT support means that your company hires an external IT service provider or team member to handle some or all of your technology needs. These individuals can be local or global, and they offer a range of services, from basic helpdesk support to comprehensive managed IT services. What can they bring to the table?

Cost-effective

Cost is a major factor for many companies, especially smaller and medium-sized ones. As opposed to recruiting and keeping an in-house IT team, outsourcing IT support might be more cost-effective since you only shell out for what you actually need. In addition, the provider will take care of their team's continuous training and certification, saving you money.

Here’s a sample computation:

In-House IT Support Costs:

Salaries:

a. IT Manager: $80,000 per year

b. IT Support Specialist (2 positions): $50,000 per year each

Total: $180,000 per year

Benefits (health insurance, retirement, etc.): 20% of salaries

Total: $36,000 per year

Training and certifications: $5,000 per year

Recruitment and hiring: $5,000 (one-time cost)

Total In-House IT Support Costs: $226,000 (first year), $221,000 (subsequent years)

Outsourced IT Support Costs:

Managed IT Services Provider (MSP): $2,500 per month for comprehensive support

Total: $30,000 per year

Access to a broader range of expertise

The technological landscape is enormous, and it's perpetually expanding. When you outsource your IT support, you have access to specialists with a wide variety of expertise, making it simpler to take on specialized or complicated tasks. Need help with cloud migration or implementing a new cybersecurity strategy? Chances are, your outsourced IT provider has someone on their team who's been there, done that, and can lend a helping hand.

Scalability to accommodate business growth

Your need for IT will grow in conjunction with the expansion of your company. When you outsource your IT, you have the flexibility to raise or reduce the level of service provided as needed. You can adjust to changes without adding new employees and the associated costs of training and supervising them. It's like having a dedicated IT support staff that can scale with your business and meet any new difficulties head-on.

Frees up internal resources for core business tasks

When you outsource your IT assistance, you allow your in-house staff to concentrate on what they're good at: advancing the company's primary goals. Since your outsourced service provider handles the technical details, your team is free to focus on revenue-generating and growth-oriented activities.

In a nutshell

Both in-house and outsourced IT support approaches, as we've seen, have their advantages and disadvantages. More control, quicker reaction times, in-depth understanding of corporate systems, and maybe higher data security are all benefits of having IT assistance on-site. On the other side, outsourcing IT support may save money, provide you access to additional areas of knowledge, make your firm more scalable, and free up your own staff to focus on what you do best.

You should coordinate your IT services with your company's objectives and resources. Your choice should be based on what will help your business succeed in the long term, while also taking into account the specific difficulties and needs of your sector and company.

In the end, there is no universal way to offer IT helpdesk support. The option you choose should reflect your specific requirements, goals, and situation in the company. Take your time, give the considerations we've outlined, and don't be reluctant to seek outside assistance if necessary. Making the best selection for your company's IT infrastructure management is a crucial step on the road to sustained expansion and success.

Cloud for State and Local Governments

Mon, 15 May 2023 14:55:26 GMT

The benefits associated with migrating to the cloud aren’t just for businesses. But when it comes to the cloud, state and local governments face some unique considerations and challenges. For more than a decade we’ve been working with these kinds of organizations and understand the special needs that government entities must consider in addition to all of the other typical issues related to a cloud migration.

Compliance and Regulation: State and local government agencies are subject to specific regulations, laws, and compliance requirements. These include data privacy regulations, such as FERPA and HIPAA, as well as regulations related to security, accessibility, and procurement. When choosing a cloud service provider , you’ll need to ensure that your provider meets all the relevant compliance and regulatory requirements for your particular organization.

Data Sovereignty: Government institutions often need to keep sensitive data within their geographic boundaries due to legal or regulatory reasons. Therefore, you may need to ensure that your service provider can offer data sovereignty and comply with the appropriate regulations.

Data Security: Data security is paramount for this market. You’ll need to make sure your cloud service provider has robust security measures in place to protect sensitive data from breaches, cyber-attacks, and other threats. This includes encryption, firewalls, access controls, and regular security audits.

Disaster Recovery: It’s essential to have disaster recovery measures in place to ensure that all critical applications and data are available in the event of a disaster or disruption. This includes backup and recovery processes, failover mechanisms, and redundant systems.

Cost: Government institutions need to operate within limited budgets and make sure they select service providers that not only meet their needs but also offer cost-effective solutions. This means making sure to factor in any additional costs, such as data migration, training, and ongoing maintenance to avoid surprises and be able to accurately predict your total cost over time.

Scalability: Demand for government services can fluctuate significantly over time. That means it is important to ensure your provider can provide the necessary scalability to handle peak demands without compromising the service quality. This includes being able to scale up or down quickly, offering pay-as-you-go pricing, and other features that support scalability.

Interoperability: Taking existing legacy systems into account is also critical. State and local government agencies often use multiple systems and applications. You’ll need to ensure that any new cloud services can support interoperability between various systems and applications to ensure seamless integration and communication.

IT Disaster Recovery Downtime Calculator

Downtime can be devastating.

Do you know how much a potential IT incident would cost your organization?

Find out now by using our simpl e Downtime Cost Calculator.

How To Get Started with the Cloud

Fri, 12 May 2023 16:21:20 GMT

The trend of companies moving to the cloud has been steadily growing over the past few years. As of 2022, 94% of companies now use cloud services, with an estimated 67% of enterprise infrastructure now cloud-based. This growth is expected to continue in the coming years and is driven by a desire to increase efficiency, reduce costs, and improve flexibility and security.

If you’re considering transitioning part or all of your business’ applications to the cloud, the process can seem a bit overwhelming. Migrating requires careful planning and execution to avoid potential pitfalls and maximize benefits. But getting started with the cloud is a relatively simple process involving a few key steps. In this blog post, we will explore some key considerations that businesses should keep to implement cloud-based solutions successfully.

Assess your Needs and Goals

Before getting started, you need to understand why your business needs to move to the cloud, and what you want to achieve with it. Companies can sometimes get so caught up in the idea of migrating that they don’t really spend the time to think through the details and define specific desired outcomes. This involves identifying what applications and workloads will be moved to the cloud, what benefits you hope to achieve, and what challenges you may face during the migration process. This will help you choose the right cloud service provider and tools to suit your needs.

Learn About Cloud Tools and Services:

The “cloud” is a big place. Understanding all of the options that are available takes some time and effort. Cloud providers offer a range of tools and services that you can use to manage your resources, including storage, computing, and networking. These tools and services can be complex, so it is important to familiarize yourself with them before getting started.

Choose the Right Cloud Provider and Implementation Partner

Choosing the right partner may be the most critical piece of a successful migration. Businesses should consider factors such as the provider’s experience and reputation, service level agreements, data security and compliance, pricing and billing models, and support and training options. It is important to choose a provider that offers the right mix of services, features, and pricing to meet your specific needs.

Develop a Migration Plan

Success is often determined before you even begin the actual migration process. That means developing a detailed migration plan that outlines the steps involved in the migration process, including timelines, resource requirements, and contingencies. Make sure to involve all stakeholders in the planning process to ensure everyone is aligned and prepared for the migration.

Test Your Plan

After developing a plan, test and then re-evaluate the plan. For example, make sure to check how your proposed plan will affect database performance and application response time for your customers. Also make sure you anticipate how users in various departments may be impacted by the planned changes. People often overlook collaboration tools like Teams or Go-to-Meeting, so make sure these tools will work in your new environment. That’ll help you minimize the potential for unintended consequences on existing processes and workflows.

Prioritize Data Security and Compliance

Data security and compliance should also be critical considerations. Businesses should ensure that their data is secure and protected, both during the migration process and after the migration is complete. This involves implementing robust security measures, such as encryption, access controls, and monitoring, and ensuring compliance with relevant regulations and standards.

Learn as you go:

Cloud computing is a constantly evolving field, so it’s important to approach it with a learning mindset. It's not something you do once and then forget about it. Take advantage of online resources, such as documentation and tutorials, to learn about new tools and services and how to use them effectively. Once your initial migration is complete, you will need to optimize and manage your cloud environment to ensure you’re getting the most out of your investment. This means actively monitoring and managing performance, optimizing costs, and ensuring that the cloud environment is scalable and flexible.

While getting started can seem like a daunting task, migrating to the cloud can be a game-changer for your business. Simply take it one step at a time and you’ll begin reaping the benefits you’re looking for while minimizing risks and challenges, enabling you to improve competitiveness, increase agility, and become more resilient in an increasingly digital world.

IT Disaster Recovery Downtime Calculator

Downtime can be devastating.

Do you know how much a potential IT incident would cost your organization?

Find out now by using our simpl e Downtime Cost Calculator.

How to Choose the Right Cloud IT Partner

Wed, 10 May 2023 14:30:49 GMT

All cloud IT partners are not created equal. Choosing the right partner is critical for businesses that want to successfully migrate to the cloud and fully leverage its benefits. Your cloud IT partner should be able to provide the expertise, support, and resources needed to help you navigate the complex cloud landscape and achieve your goals. However, finding the one that fits your specific needs can be a daunting task, given the abundance of options available in the market. In this post, we’ll explore some key factors that you should consider when choosing a cloud IT partner for your business.

Expertise and Experience

Make sure they have a deep understanding of the cloud landscape, including the different cloud service providers, tools, and technologies. The right partner should not only know your industry, but also have experience working with businesses of all sizes and industries and be able to provide customized solutions that meet your unique needs.

Service Offerings

Make sure your cloud IT partner offers a range of services that covers the entire cloud migration and management process, from assessment and planning to implementation and optimization. It's not uncommon for the scope of a planned migration to evolve - so make sure your partner can evolve with it. Some common services that a partner may offer include cloud strategy consulting, migration planning and execution, cloud infrastructure management, and cloud security and compliance. All of these are important and demonstrate that they truly understand and can deliver the full range of activities you may need.

Customer Support

Don’t underestimate the importance of support. A cloud IT partner should have a customer support team that is available to provide assistance and resolve issues whenever you need them. They should also have a clear escalation process and service level agreements (SLAs) that guarantee a high level of service quality.

Know Who’ll Be Working on Your Team

Large partners are great, but the people that will actually be working on your project are what matters most. Small companies can sometimes get assigned low level resources or not get the level of attention needed. Make sure you meet and approve of the team and feel confident that your partner prioritizes your business and the project is meaningful enough to them to deliver what you need.

Pricing and Billing

The right partner should offer transparent and competitive pricing that’s based on your specific needs and requirements. They should also provide a clear billing model that is easy to understand and manage, with no hidden fees or charges.

Data Security and Compliance

Check to make sure your partner has robust security measures in place to protect your data, including encryption, access controls, and monitoring. They should also be compliant with relevant regulations and standards, such as GDPR, HIPAA, and PCI DSS.

Partnership Approach

A successful partnership means they’ll be willing and able to work closely with you to understand your needs and goals, and provide customized solutions that meet those needs. They should also be proactive in identifying and addressing issues, and provide ongoing support and guidance to help their customers achieve their objectives.

Reputation and References

A cloud IT partner should have a strong reputation in the market, with a track record of delivering high-quality services and solutions. They should also be able to provide references from satisfied customers who can attest to their expertise and capabilities. Don’t hesitate to actually check those references and ask specific questions about both their experience and the outcomes.

By considering these key factors, you’ll be able to choose a cloud IT partner that has the expertise, experience, and resources needed to achieve your goals, while minimizing risks and challenges. With the right partner, your business can unlock the full potential of the cloud, and drive innovation, growth, and competitiveness in today’s digital economy.

IT Disaster Recovery Downtime Calculator

Downtime can be devastating.

Do you know how much a potential IT incident would cost your organization?

Find out now by using our simpl e Downtime Cost Calculator.

Key Considerations for Selecting a Disaster Recovery Solution

Fri, 31 Mar 2023 14:22:23 GMT

Disaster recovery (DR) should be an essential component of your organization's risk management strategy. When selecting a DR solution, there are several key considerations that you should take into account to ensure you’ve selected the right one for their specific needs.

Here are some of the key considerations:

Recovery Time Objectives (RTOs) and Recovery Point Objectives (RPOs): The RTO and RPO are critical metrics for measuring the effectiveness of any DR solution. RTO defines the maximum length of time it should take to restore your operations following an outage or data loss while RPO establishes the maximum amount of data you will tolerate losing. These metrics will vary depending on your organization. Organizations should select a DR solution that meets their specific RTO and RPO requirements to ensure that critical business operations are restored quickly and data is recovered in a timely manner.

Scalability: As your organization grows and your technology and operations evolve, you should expect that DR needs may change. That means your organization should select a DR solution that is scalable and can grow with your changing needs to ensure that you are always prepared for a disaster - both now and in the future.

Flexibility: There is no one size fits all when it comes to DR solutions. What works for one company may not work for another. That’s why organizations should select a DR solution that’s flexible and can be customized to meet their specific needs. This includes the ability to choose the right DR deployment model (e.g. on-premises, cloud, or hybrid) and the ability to easily integrate with existing systems and applications.

Cost: One of the main considerations for companies is cost. Budgets are always tight and no one wants to spend money on something they hope they never need. But while DR solutions can be expensive, the cost of having an outage or security incident severely disrupting your business is typically even more costly. So organizations should select a DR solution that fits within their budget, cost should not be the only consideration. You should also take into account the cost of downtime and potential data loss that could occur in the event of a disaster.

Security: Since security is a critical component of any Disaster Recovery effort, it’s important that organizations select a solution that provides enhanced security measures to protect data and systems in the event of a disaster. This includes measures such as encryption, backup and recovery of data, and secure remote access to systems and applications.

Support and Maintenance: An often overlooked aspect of implementing a solution is ongoing support and maintenance. DR is not a once and done effort where you set it and forget it. Organizations should choose a solution that provides adequate support and maintenance to ensure that their overall DR plan will continue to be effective in the event of an incident and their systems and applications will always be available. Because many IT departments are under staffed and resource constrained, the skill set needed to understand how to support/manage it isn’t always available in house.

Integration with Existing Systems and Applications: This may sound obvious, but organizations need to make sure their chosen solution can easily integrate with their existing systems and applications. Seamless integration will ensure everything works as intended and will minimize the impact of a disaster by reducing the time required to restore critical business operations.

Proven Expertise: Few companies have significant experience handling major IT disruptions. That’s why you want to work with a partner that has been there before and successfully handled real-world incidents for companies like yours.

Selecting a DR solution is a critical decision for any organization. By carefully considering your specific needs and requirements, you’ll be able to select a one that’s effective and provides the protection you need in the event of a disaster.

IT Disaster Recovery Downtime Calculator

Downtime can be devastating.

Do you know how much a potential IT incident would cost your organization?

Find out now by using our simpl e Downtime Cost Calculator.

How Cloud Makes Disaster Recovery Solutions More Affordable

Fri, 31 Mar 2023 14:14:39 GMT

Cloud computing has revolutionized the way organizations approach disaster recovery (DR). This is driving rapid growth in the global disaster recovery solution market . In 2021 this market was valued at $8.01 billion and is projected to reach $115.36 billion by 2030 at a CAGR of 34.5% from 2022 to 2030.

By leveraging cloud-based DR solutions, organizations can enjoy several advantages that make DR more affordable, including:

Pay-per-use Model: Cloud-based DR solutions typically use a pay-per-use model, which means you only pay for the resources you actually use. This eliminates the need for upfront investments in hardware and software, making DR more affordable for organizations of all sizes.

Lower Maintenance Costs: Another key benefit is that you don’t need to worry about the costs associated with maintaining and upgrading hardware and software. The cloud provider takes care of all the maintenance and upgrades, reducing the overall cost of DR for organizations.

Scalability: Cloud-based DR solutions are highly scalable, allowing organizations to easily add or remove resources as needed. This means you can scale up or down as needed, making DR more affordable over time.

Geographical Diversity: The cloud also provides you with the ability to store your data and applications in multiple data centers located in different geographical regions. This helps to reduce the risk of data loss and ensures that you will always prepared for a disaster, regardless of where it occurs.

Automation: Automated disaster recovery can reduce the cost of DR by eliminating manual tasks and reducing the risk of human error. That’s why it’s important to have a platform that can facilitate/enhance automation and work with a partner that understands how to identify and address your DR gaps.

Access to Advanced Technologies: By leveraging cloud-based DR solutions, organizations can take advantage of advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), and blockchain, which can help to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of DR.

Elimination of Capital Costs: Implementing a traditional on prem DR solution typically means spending significant time and resources buying and maintaining the duplicate hardware and software necessary to create redundancy. A cloud-based solution eliminates the need to duplicate resources.

Maintain Performance: The goal for operating during a disaster shouldn’t be to just get by, but rather to try to maintain the same level of performance and response time that you normally have. Because companies often use old or outdated hardware for backup systems, performance can suffer when they need to rely on them during an outage. In contrast, cloud based solutions quickly scale up during a rdisaster and deliver outstanding performance.

These benefits have not only made DR more affordable by eliminating the need for upfront investments in hardware and software, but also more accessible to organizations of all sizes, helping reduce the risk of data loss and ensure that critical business operations are always available in the event of a disaster.

IT Disaster Recovery Downtime Calculator

Downtime can be devastating.

Do you know how much a potential IT incident would cost your organization?

Find out now by using our simpl e Downtime Cost Calculator.

The Essential Small IT Team Survival Guide

Wed, 22 Mar 2023 00:23:28 GMT

Small IT teams face unique challenges in ensuring the reliability and availability of critical systems and data. The following survival guide for small IT teams will help you navigate these challenges and ensure the continuity of your operations:

Prioritize Business Continuity: Recognizing the importance of being able to respond to potential business disruptions needs to be a key priority for both your IT team and for senior leadership. That means developing a comprehensive disaster recovery plan to ensure that your critical systems and data are always available. This plan should include regular backups, testing of the recovery process, and regular updates to ensure that the plan remains relevant and effective. Prioritizing business continuity also ensure that your team will receive the funding and resources necessary to implement and maintain your readiness over time.

Automate Processes: The key for any small IT team is to be as efficient as possible. Automation can significantly improve the efficiency and effectiveness of small IT teams. Automating repetitive tasks such as backups, software updates, and system monitoring can free up valuable time and resources, allowing small IT teams to focus on more strategic initiatives.

Leverage Cloud Services: Cloud services can provide access to advanced technologies and scalable resources that might otherwise be unavailable or difficult for a small team to implement. They can also reduce the costs associated with maintaining IT infrastructure by allowing you to only pay for what you need, when you need it.

Build Strong Relationships with Vendors and Partners: Small IT teams should build strong relationships with their vendors and partners to ensure that they have access to the support and resources they need to succeed. This includes developing strong relationships with cloud providers, hardware vendors, and software providers to ensure that they have access to the latest technologies and resources.

Stay Current with Industry Trends: The world of IT is constantly changing and becoming increasingly complicated. Staying up-to-date with new technologies and trends can be challenging - especially for small IT teams - but its critical to ensure that you’ll always be prepared for the future. That means carving out time to attend conferences, participate in online communities, and follow thought leaders in the industry. It can be helpful to designate internal subject matter experts and distribute the work among the entire team rather than to try to have everyone keep up with everything.

Plan for Growth: Small IT teams should plan for growth and anticipate future needs to ensure that their systems and processes are scalable and flexible. This includes developing plans for technology upgrades, personnel additions, and the integration of new technologies and processes.

Foster a Culture of Collaboration: Encouraging open communication between team members is important to foster a culture of collaboration. This will not only improve overall efficiency, but also help ensure that everyone is working together towards the common goal of maintaining the reliability and availability of critical systems and data.

IT Disaster Recovery Downtime Calculator

Downtime can be devastating.

Do you know how much a potential IT incident would cost your organization?

Find out now by using our simpl e Downtime Cost Calculator.

The Benefits of DRaaS

Thu, 16 Mar 2023 23:25:09 GMT

Disaster Recovery as a Service (DRaaS) solutions have revolutionized the way organizations approach disaster recovery and have become a popular option for organizations looking to protect their critical data and applications from the effects of a disruption. So what is DRaaS and why is it so important?

Similar to other “as a service” solutions, DRaaS is disaster recovery functionality hosted by a third party. Using this cloud computing service model allows an organization to back up its data and IT infrastructure through a SaaS solution to regain access and functionality to IT infrastructure after a disaster. This means that you don’t have to own all the resources or handle all the management for disaster recovery in house and can instead rely on a service provider.

The key benefits of DRaaS include:

Cost Savings

First and foremost, DRaaS eliminates the need for large upfront investments in disaster recovery infrastructure. With traditional solutions, organizations must purchase hardware, software, and other equipment to build out a disaster recovery site. This can be a significant expense, particularly for smaller organizations. With DRaaS, organizations can pay for only the resources they need, eliminating large upfront investments. This can be a major cost savings, especially for organizations whose businesses aren’t at high risk.

Another way that DRaaS can save organizations money is by reducing the cost of IT staff, or allowing more of their IT staff to work on higher priority projects. Disaster recovery can be a complex and time-consuming process, requiring specialized skills and knowledge. With traditional solutions, organizations must either hire dedicated IT staff to manage the disaster recovery process or train existing staff on the necessary skills. With DRaaS, organizations can take advantage of the expertise of their DRaaS provider, reducing the need for in-house IT staff. This can save organizations money on salaries, benefits, and training costs.

DRaaS can also help organizations save money on data storage. Instead of purchasing and maintaining their own storage systems, organizations can take advantage of the storage resources provided by their DRaaS provider. This can save organizations money on hardware, software, and maintenance costs.

Finally, DRaaS can help organizations save money by reducing downtime. In the event of a disaster, traditional disaster recovery solutions can take several hours or even days to recover critical data and applications. This downtime can be expensive, as organizations must pay for employees who are unable to work, lost sales, and other costs associated with the interruption. With DRaaS, organizations can recover their data and applications in a matter of minutes, reducing downtime and minimizing the financial impact of a disaster.

Scalability

Scalability enables your system to accommodate growing demand, and DRaaS solutions offer several advantages in this area compared to traditional disaster recovery solutions. With traditional disaster recovery solutions, organizations must purchase and maintain a set amount of resources, even if they don't use them all.

The key reason why DRaaS solutions are more scalable is because they are cloud-based. Cloud computing provides organizations with the ability to easily scale up or down their resources as needed, without the need for expensive hardware or IT staff. This is particularly useful for organizations that experience fluctuations in demand, as they can quickly and easily scale their DRaaS resources to meet changing needs.

Flexibility

DRaaS solutions provide greater flexibility compared to traditional disaster recovery solutions . With traditional disaster recovery solutions , organizations are often limited to a set of pre-defined disaster recovery options. In contrast, DRaaS solutions can be customized to meet your specific needs to ensure you have the right resources in place to effectively respond to a disaster. Cloud computing also provides the ability to access these resources from anywhere, at any time, and on any device. This makes it easier to respond to a disaster because you can access your data and applications from remote locations if necessary.

Another way DRaaS improves flexibility is through their pay-per-use model. With traditional disaster recovery solutions, organizations must purchase and maintain a set amount of resources, even if they don't use them all. With DRaaS, organizations can scale their resources up or down as needed, ensuring that they only pay for what they use. This gives you greater flexibility to quickly and easily adjust resources to meet your changing needs.

Improved Recovery Time

DRaaS solutions also provide faster and more efficient disaster recovery, making it easier for organizations to scale resources in response to a disaster. In the event of a disaster, traditional solutions can take several hours or even days to recover critical data and applications. With DRaaS, organizations can recover their data and applications in a matter of minutes, allowing them to quickly and effectively respond to a disaster.

With DRaaS, organizations also have access to a self-service portal, allowing you to manage and maintain your disaster recovery environment quickly and efficiently. This gives you greater control over the disaster recovery processes and reduces your reliance on IT staff to manage and maintain the disaster recovery environment, which can be time-consuming and expensive.

Reduced Complexity

By simplifying the disaster recovery process, DRaaS solutions make it easier to implement and manage your disaster recovery strategy. Instead of having to manage and maintain the disaster recovery environment yourself, you can rely on your service provider to manage and maintain your disaster recovery environment, freeing up IT staff to focus on other important tasks.

They also reduce complexity by providing a more unified disaster recovery solution. This not only simplifies the process but also reduces the risk of human error. You’ll no longer have to manage multiple systems and processes to ensure the availability of your data and applications.

Enhanced Security

Because DRaaS solutions are typically hosted in secure, off-site data centers, they provide an added layer of protection for your organization's critical data and applications. DRaaS service providers typically use secure data centers to store and protect their clients' data and applications. These data centers are equipped with advanced security measures, such as fire suppression systems, uninterruptible power supplies, and physical security measures, ensuring that the data and applications stored within them are protected against unauthorized access and natural disasters.

Most also include advanced disaster recovery technologies, such as virtualization and cloud replication which provide organizations with the ability to recover their data and applications from remote locations if necessary, reducing the need for IT staff to physically access the disaster recovery environment.

Another way in which DRaaS solutions deliver enhanced security is through the use of encryption to protect the data transmitted between their clients' data centers and their disaster recovery environment. This ensures that the data is protected against unauthorized access, even if it is intercepted during transit.

Improved Productivity

DRaaS can improve the productivity of a company beyond IT department gains by providing benefits to other areas of the organization. In the event of a disaster, it can enhance the customer experience by helping ensure that critical customer-facing systems and data are available, allowing for uninterrupted customer service. This can lead to highettr customer satisfaction and loyalty, which can boost productivity through increased sales and customer retention.

It also allows companies to maintain business continuity and reduce the negative impact on operations and employees. This can improve productivity by allowing employees to work together from anywhere, at any time, and prevent potential fines and penalties by avoiding compliance violations.

If your organization is looking for a cost-effective disaster recovery solution, consider DRaaS as a viable option.

IT Disaster Recovery Downtime Calculator

Downtime can be devastating.

Do you know how much a potential IT incident would cost your organization?

Find out now by using our simpl e Downtime Cost Calculator.

Why Schools Need a Network Firewall

Mon, 13 Mar 2023 17:23:00 GMT

As an educator, you have a profound responsibility to guide and shape the next generation of bright, curious minds. Your goal is to empower students to become wise adults, capable of overcoming the challenges of an ever-changing world.

The Increasing Cybersecurity Risks for Schools and How to Overcome Them

As schools adopt new learning initiatives such as online learning, cloud based systems, and integrate mobile and IoT devices into their networks, cybersecurity risks are also increasing.

Cyber criminals are now targeting schools, exploiting aging networks, legacy security, and a lack of awareness of cyber threats by students and staff.

These security challenges, combined with the need for physical surveillance measures, compliance with regulations, and limited budgets, create a complex landscape for IT teams to navigate.

We know that many schools have tried to tackle the issue by using multiple products, but that often results in complicated and hard-to-manage systems. The good news is that there is a solution : Fortinet's Security Fabric and Next Generation Firewalls .

Safeguarding Your School's IT Infrastructure: The Power of Network Firewalls

Thankfully, a specialized school firewall can provide the protection you need to keep your school safe and running smoothly. By safeguarding against cyber threats, a reliable firewall ensures uninterrupted access to vital resources and helps you focus on what matters most - your students. Let technology be a tool that empowers rather than hinders, and watch as your students thrive under your guidance.

Implementing a robust network firewall with web filtering capabilities is crucial for educational institutions, from K-12 to higher education, to protect their students. By doing so, schools can ensure a safer online environment and prevent access to potentially harmful content.

State and federal laws require schools to monitor and filter students' web usage, and for good reason.

The internet is a vast and often dangerous place, filled with malware and phishing scams that can exploit the vulnerabilities of young students.

With a management system that includes web and content filtering, schools can prevent access to blocked websites and ensure that students are not exposed to harmful content. It's not just about blocking inappropriate content; a network firewall can also prevent students from accessing distracting websites, such as social media, during school hours. This helps students stay focused on their studies and maximizes their learning potential.

Moreover, a network firewall can provide an additional layer of security against online threats that may compromise the school's IT system. While students are generally well-behaved, they may inadvertently engage in inappropriate online behavior that can pose a risk to the school's network. A reliable firewall is the security solution that you need to prevent such activities, protecting the school's network and its students from potential harm.

Streamlining Your IT Network for Optimal Efficiency and Cost Savings

Have you also considered the high price of NOT having a school firewall? Your school's IT network will be more at risk of cyber-attacks that can compromise sensitive data, disrupt critical systems, and lead to costly repairs.

Repair costs can strain your school's budget, causing financial stress and preventing much-needed improvements to school facilities. In addition, downtime resulting from cyber-attacks can lead to lost instructional time for students, causing frustration and setting back academic progress.

How a Network Firewall Empowers Teachers and School Staff to Work Unhindered

Information technology plays a crucial role in running a school district, from the classroom to the principal's office. Whether it's taking attendance, using interactive tools in class, reviewing student records, or managing school operations, every aspect of education involves some form of technology.

However, when IT problems arise, they can significantly disrupt daily operations, causing lesson plans to halt, department meetings to stall, and overall productivity to suffer. Therefore, ensuring an efficient IT network through a reliable network firewall is key to maintaining a well-run school.

Moreover, school staff are not just educators, but also employees with personal information stored on school devices. Like any employer, a school must protect its staff from potential cyber threats, safeguarding sensitive information from unauthorized access. By implementing a robust network firewall, the administration can assure its staff that their safety and security are a top priority.

Akins IT: Your Ultimate School Firewall Solution from Fortinet

Akins IT is partnered with Fortinet one of the leading firewall infrastructures solution providers for schools in the market today. Fortinet offers an open and flexible platform that utilizes its Security Fabric technology, making management and protection easier. The firewall supports SD-Branch, which allows for secure networking to each campus and controls access for known and unknown devices.

Additionally, the firewall features single-pane-of-glass management, which simplifies security management and network administration, and reduces complexity by unifying multiple physical and cybersecurity functions under a single console.

Other features include:

Inside threat prevention with intelligent segmentation
Protects against potential insider threats
Controls access with FortiNAC
Automates threat responses with FortiDeceptor
Offers threat intelligence with FortiGuard Labs
Continuous updates to Fortinet Security Fabric
Four times more patents than competitors
Consistently earns top scores in third-party tests
"Recommended" ratings in various tests
Regularly certified by ICSA Labs, Virus Bulletin, etc.

Fortinet Firewall/s vs Other School Firewalls

Invest in Top-of-the-Line Network Security!

Don't leave your school's IT network vulnerable to cyber-attacks and physical threats. Partner with Akins IT. We offer the best firewall for schools around and work with clients to custom fit their IT protection to their needs.

Our architecture is specifically designed to meet the unique needs of public and private schools, allowing security teams to save valuable time and resources while delivering high-performance networking capabilities and industry-leading security. With Fortinet, you can have true end-to-end protection that keeps your students safe and your school's operations running smoothly.

Don't wait until a security breach disrupts your school's daily operations and puts student and staff data at risk. Give Akins IT a call today. Learn how we can help you secure your school's IT network with ease and confidence.

Online Cybersecurity Assessment

Can your organization withstand a cyberthreat? Take our free cybersecurity assessment to assess your organization's security posture and vulnerabilities.

6 Common Disaster Recovery Mistakes and How To Avoid Them

Tue, 07 Mar 2023 02:22:10 GMT

Even though Disaster Recovery (DR) planning is a critical component of any organization's overall risk management strategy, nearly half of companies are unprepared. In 2021, only 54% of organizations reported having a documented, company-wide disaster recovery plan in place. And even when companies have a DR plan, many organizations make common mistakes which can lead to costly and time-consuming recovery efforts in the event of a disaster.

Here are six of the most common DR mistakes and how to avoid them.

1. Failing to Test the DR Plan: Many organizations have a DR plan in place. But having a plan and being able to implement a plan during an actual crisis are two different things. The best way to ensure your organization will be able to execute is to regularly test your plan. Failing to test it can result in a lack of confidence in the plan's effectiveness and lead to longer and more costly recovery efforts in the event of a real disaster. To avoid this, organizations should regularly test their DR plan to ensure that it’s both effective and that all stakeholders are familiar with their roles and responsibilities.

2. Lack of a Clear DR Strategy: When the pressure of a real disruption occurs, the only way to avoid confusion and delays in the recovery process is to have a clear DR strategy in place. Organizations should develop a comprehensive DR strategy that outlines the steps that will need to be taken in the event of a disaster, including how data and applications will be recovered and how critical business operations will be restored. If there is no strategy, your organization could end up just scrambling to get back up and running instead of being able to quickly implement a clearly defined and agreed upon plan.

3. Underestimating the Impact of a Disaster: Many organizations severely underestimate the impact of a disaster on their business, which can result in insufficient resources and planning efforts. To avoid this, organizations should conduct a thorough risk assessment and evaluate various disaster scenarios that could affect their operations. Having a complete understanding of the true cost to your organization will not only help create a sense of urgency to be prepared, but also help justify the cost of creating and implementing the safeguards needed to protect your business.

4. Neglecting the Role of Stakeholders: A DR plan is only as good as the people who are responsible for implementing it. Many organizations neglect the role of stakeholders in DR planning, which can lead to delays and confusion during the recovery process. To avoid this, organizations should clearly communicate the roles and responsibilities of all stakeholders and ensure that they’re trained and equipped to carry out their duties in the event of a disaster.

5. Failing to Update the DR Plan: Many organizations fail to regularly update their DR plan, which can result in ineffective recovery efforts in the event of a disaster. DR planning is not a one and done activity. Plans can quickly become outdated as your technology and operations evolve. Regularly reviewing and updating your DR plan will ensure it remains relevant and effective, and help avoid being unprepared.

6. Proper Communication: Disaster Recovery affects everyone in your organization in some way even if they’re not directly involved with the systems involved in the disruption. Effective communication is key to make sure everyone is familiar with your organization’s DR plan and know what to expect when it needs to be implemented. This includes understanding both your Recovery Time Objective (RTO) and Recovery Point objective (RPO) and what it means for their individual roles and responsibilities..

By avoiding these common mistakes, organizations can ensure that they are prepared to effectively respond to a disaster and quickly restore critical business operations.

IT Disaster Recovery Downtime Calculator

Downtime can be devastating.

Do you know how much a potential IT incident would cost your organization?

Find out now by using our simpl e Downtime Cost Calculator.

Best DR Strategy for Companies with Small IT Teams

Tue, 07 Mar 2023 01:19:32 GMT

Disaster recovery (DR) is a critical component of any organization's technology strategy, but for companies with small IT teams or limited technical resources, it can be a particularly challenging task. They don’t have the luxury of unlimited IT staff and budget and must make sure they find the proper balance between risk and protection.

By applying the following principles, even a small IT team can create a DR strategy that provides the proper protection without breaking the bank:

Prioritize Critical Applications: Companies with limited technical resources should prioritize the protection of their most critical applications and data. This will not only reduce the complexity of their DR plan, but also ensure that their most critical systems are always available. Make sure your plan includes all of the infrastructure needed to spin up those applications. A great way of doing this is to develop a playbook that identifies the critical resources and/or services needed for each of your most important applications.

Utilize Cloud-Based Solutions: Cloud-based DR solutions can provide easy access to scalable, reliable, and cost-effective DR capabilities. This includes being able to leverage cloud-based storage, cloud-based disaster recovery services, and cloud-based backups. Traditional DR solutions require having to buy your own hardware, set up and maintain the infrastructure, manage the overhead and pay for the cost of licensing. Relying on the cloud means not having to own it and having the flexibility to scale as needed.

Focus on Automation: Automation can significantly improve the efficiency and effectiveness of DR for companies with limited technical resources. This includes automating the backup and recovery process, automating the deployment of DR infrastructure, and automating the testing of the DR plan. Make sure to test regularly and try to identify something new to automate with each test. Aligning your playbook and automation will ensure everything goes smoothly.

Keep it Simple: Keeping your DR plan simple and focused on the protection of your most critical systems and data is key for any small team. This can help to reduce the complexity of your DR plan and ensure that it is both manageable and effective.

Choose a Knowledgeable Partner: Consider partnering with a managed service provider (MSP) to provide additional technical expertise and support. The technology landscape is constantly evolving and it's nearly impossible for small IT departments to have the in-house expertise to stay up-to-date on best practices and potential threats. By leveraging a knowledgeable partner you will not only be able to more accurately access the cost-benefits of various approaches but also ensure that your critical systems and data are always available.

Test Regularly: Develop a testing schedule and stick to it. Disasters can happen at any time so you need to make sure you’re always ready. Regular DR plan testing is essential to ensure that it works when needed. It allows you to prepare in advance of a real crisis and identify any potential vulnerabilities while there’s still time to address them before they impact your business.

IT Disaster Recovery Downtime Calculator

Downtime can be devastating.

Do you know how much a potential IT incident would cost your organization?

Find out now by using our simpl e Downtime Cost Calculator.

Cybersecurity Issues Unique to Schools

Thu, 23 Feb 2023 23:27:58 GMT

Schools face many of the same cybersecurity threats as other organizations, such as malware, phishing attacks, and ransomware. However, schools may also face some unique issues and threats, such as:

Student privacy: Cybersecurity incidents can have a major impact on student privacy at schools. Schools often collect and store sensitive personal data about students, such as health records, grades, and disciplinary records. This data may be targeted by hackers who wish to access or misuse it. A data breach can result in the unauthorized release of sensitive student information, such as Social Security numbers, addresses, and grades. This information can be used for identity theft, fraud, or other malicious purposes.

Distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks: DDos attacks can disrupt online learning by causing websites and learning management systems to become unavailable. This can make it difficult for students and teachers to access online resources and complete assignments, potentially leading to a loss of instructional time. They can also cause data loss if they result in system failures or crashes. Schools may lose important information, such as grades, assignments, and student records, if their systems are not properly backed up.

Cyberbullying: Schools may be at risk for cyberbullying incidents, which can occur online or through the use of technology, such as texting or social media. This can have a negative impact on their mental health and wellbeing and can result in a loss of trust in technology and online platforms.

Inadequate security measures: Schools often must work with limited budgets and resources, which can make it difficult to implement robust security measures. This can leave them vulnerable to cyber threats. Cybersecurity may not be a top priority for funding. This can make it difficult for schools to invest in the technology, training, and personnel needed to effectively secure their networks and data. In addition, schools may not have the technical expertise needed to implement and manage cybersecurity measures effectively. This can make it difficult to stay up-to-date on the latest threats and best practices, and to respond quickly to security incidents.

Insider threats: Insider threats are one of the most significant cybersecurity risks faced by schools. An insider threat can come from employees, contractors, or other trusted individuals who have access to sensitive information and systems. They can steal sensitive information, such as student records, financial data, and intellectual property, for personal gain or to sell on the black market. Insiders may also intentionally damage or disrupt systems, causing outages, data loss, and other security incidents. They may also unintentionally introduce malware into the network by downloading malicious attachments or visiting infected websites.

To mitigate the risk of these threats , schools should implement strong security measures, such as access controls, monitoring and logging, and regular security audits. They should also provide regular training and education to staff and students on cybersecurity best practices and have clear policies and procedures in place for responding to security incidents. Additionally, schools should use tools such as data loss prevention software to detect and prevent unauthorized access and theft of sensitive information.

Online Cybersecurity Assessment

Can your organization withstand a cyberthreat? Take our free cybersecurity assessment to assess your organization's security posture and vulnerabilities.

Email Security Best Practices

Mon, 13 Feb 2023 21:55:49 GMT

Sometimes the most boring and familiar technologies can pose the greatest security risks. Administrators may neglect them and users often choose convenience over being careful. The good news is that implementing a few simple best practices can dramatically improve your organization’s email security:

Use a strong, unique password : Use long, complex passwords that are unique to your email account and do not reuse passwords across multiple accounts. This is probably the single biggest thing people can do to improve email security. And while this sounds easy, most people end up choosing simple, more familiar passwords that are easy to remember. Enabling two-factor authentication is also a good idea to add an extra layer of security to your account.

Be wary of suspicious emails: This means don't click on links or download attachments from unknown or suspicious sources. Sometimes these can be difficult to spot, so always take a close look at both the email and its source. Be especially cautious of emails that contain urgent or threatening language or that request personal information.

Use encryption: Try using encrypted email services or install an encryption plugin for your email client to protect the content of your emails from being intercepted or read by unauthorized individuals. This level of security has become more mainstream and best practice companies are using it for all of their ongoing communications.

Keep software and security protocols up to date: One of the most common ways hackers can gain access to your systems is to exploit known vulnerabilities. Make sure that your email client and any security software you are using are up to date with the latest patches and updates.

Use a secure network: The recent rise in people working remotely means more and more employees now access their email from either their home or a non secure public network. When accessing your email from a public Wi-Fi network, use a virtual private network (VPN) to protect your connection.

Backup your data: Most people don’t think anything bad is ever going to happen to them and can neglect to plan for what to do if and when it does. Regularly backing up your email data will ensure you don't lose access to important information and will mean you’ll be able to quickly recover in the event of a security breach.

Educate employees: Train your employees on email security best practices, such as how to spot and report suspicious emails and how to use email encryption and other security measures. Don’t assume everyone knows these best practices or why they’re important.

Use a firewall: A firewall can help to protect your network from cyber threats by blocking unauthorized access and suspicious traffic.

Email security is fundamental to every organization. Practicing these proven tips will minimize the chance that something bad will happen.

Online Cybersecurity Assessment

Can your organization withstand a cyberthreat? Take our free cybersecurity assessment to assess your organization's security posture and vulnerabilities.

2023 Kick Off Party

Fri, 03 Feb 2023 21:23:16 GMT

What better way to celebrate the end of 2022 and the beginning of 2023 than with a kick off party!? Being a remote workforce, Akins IT believes in the benefits of getting our employees together once a month for quality team building. Social gatherings ignite a human connection that just can't be done virtually. These face-to-face interactions allow our employees the opportunity to create stronger relationships with one another, which in turn, creates a healthy team! Whether it's a lunch or activity, we emphasize and acknowledge that these monthly occurrences help our company culture grow. So what exactly did we have in store for our team this month?

To start off the year strong, we rounded the troops for a fun afternoon at Splitsville Luxury Lanes at Downtown Disney. The team shared good food, good drinks, and good laughs. Of course, it wouldn't be Akins IT if there weren't some friendly bets made amongst employees. We got to see everyone's competitive side come out and were pleasantly surprised with their bowling skills! (We think some are secretly in a Tuesday Night bowling league.) To end the night, we made a couple pit stops for a round at Ballast Point and for unique, themed drinks at Trader Sam's Enchanted Tiki Bar. It's safe to say this kick off party was a team bonding success! We look forward to what our next outing has in store for us!

5 Ways Organizations Fall Short Addressing Cybersecurity Threats

Wed, 25 Jan 2023 18:01:11 GMT

According to a recent survey, less than one-third of CEOs (31.8%) said their company is well-prepared for any cybersecurity threat they might face in the foreseeable future, while 58.1% said they are adequately prepared but could be doing more.

Common shortcomings typically occur in a number of different areas.

1. Lack of a Comprehensive Plan

Organizations may not have a comprehensive plan in place for addressing cybersecurity risks. This can leave them vulnerable to attacks and may make it more difficult to respond effectively to a breach. And while developing a plan is an essential first step, companies need to socialize that plan and make sure everyone knows exactly what they need to do to execute that plan in the event an actual threat is identified.

2. Insufficient End User Protection

No matter how many systems and safeguard your corporate IT people put in place, end users are typically the weakest link in a company’s security. That’s because employees may not be aware of the importance of cybersecurity or may not know how to identify and report potential risks. This can increase the likelihood of a breach occurring. One way to address this is through security awareness training. This can be extremely helpful in helping shore up the front line of your cybersecurity defense.

3. Inadequate Resources

Many organizations do not have the resources necessary to effectively address cybersecurity risks. In fact, many small businesses do not have a full-time cybersecurity expert on staff. And trying to keep up-to-date on the changing threat landscape can be overwhelming. This is often a result of a lack of budget due to top executives failing to prioritize cybersecurity.

4. Outdated Security Systems and Software

Cybersecurity is not something that you put in place once and just forget about it. It requires constant monitoring and updates to stay one step ahead of potential threats. Using outdated security systems and software can leave an organization vulnerable. It is important to regularly update these systems and software to ensure that they are able to effectively protect against new threats.

5. Failure to Regularly Test and Review Security Measures

Regularly testing and reviewing security measures helps companies proactively identify weaknesses and vulnerabilities that may not be immediately obvious. Failing to do so can leave an organization at risk. The result is that many organizations end up being reactive and only noticing potential issues once an incident has occurred.

Addressing these shortcomings will ensure that your organization is prepared to protect itself from threats and quickly respond to any that may occur.

Online Cybersecurity Assessment

Can your organization withstand a cyberthreat? Take our free cybersecurity assessment to assess your organization's security posture and vulnerabilities.

Los Angeles at the Epicenter of New Ransomware

Fri, 20 Jan 2023 03:22:32 GMT

It’s a common movie plot that we’ve seen play out a million times. A criminal steals something (or kidnaps someone) and demands a ransom payment to get it back. But this isn’t the movies. And these crimes don’t always target wealthy businessmen or multi-billion dollar corporations. The recent cyberattack on the Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles, which provides affordable housing to more than 19,000 low-income families across Los Angeles, illustrates that the reality of this disturbing trend can hit our local communities. It demonstrates that no organization is safe and even public institutions and agencies that serve vulnerable populations are fair game.

In September, the Los Angeles Unified School District fell victim to a ransomware attack that potentially exposed the students’ personal information including Social Security numbers, health information and psychological assessments. Not only do these attacks disrupt the systems or the organization targeted and their ability to provide ongoing services to the community, they also put the personal information of the people they serve at risk.

Organizations like these play critical roles in the daily lives of so many people. But the unfortunate reality is that these organizations are often easy targets. They typically operate with limited resources and IT budgets and may not have implemented the most up-to-date systems needed to guard against attacks such as these that will quickly detect them if and when they might occur.

So what can these organizations do to protect themselves and be prepared to respond if they find themselves targeted? A few key things can make a difference. These include:

1. Backup and Disaster Recovery - The first step is to have a plan for what will happen to recover from an attack if one occurs. That means developing a plan and having a robust Backup and Disaster Recovery Solution that can help minimize any disruption to ongoing operations and of services to the community.

2. Detection - Identifying a threat quickly minimizes its potential impact and allows organizations to respond before major damage has been done. Security as a Service solutions tend to be cost effective solutions that enable you to detect and attack a threat before it spreads.

3. Endpoint Protection - Securing devices is also critical to safeguarding organizations from malicious actors attempting to attack or disrupt their operations. Endpoint security helps protect, detect, and respond to these threats for desktops, laptops, and mobile devices.

4. Next Generation Firewall - Having a next generation firewall can protect against known and zero-day attacks and allow you to gain full visibility, detect and remediate ransomware and other threats hiding in HTTPS traffic without performance impact.

Even though most of these measures may sound straightforward to implement, many organizations may not have them in place or completely up to date due to budget and resource constraints. But the key thing to realize is that the cost of responding after the fact will always be greater than proactively addressing it up front. Every organization that has confidential data needs to be able to say they’re doing everything possible to protect it.

Online Cybersecurity Assessment

Can your organization withstand a cyberthreat? Take our free cybersecurity assessment to assess your organization's security posture and vulnerabilities.

The 10 Hidden Costs of Cybersecurity Breaches

Fri, 20 Jan 2023 03:14:53 GMT

The cost of cybersecurity breaches can be significant. The most obvious ones are the costs to your company in terms of both money and time. But breaches also result in a number of other costs that aren’t as obvious and are often either overlooked or underestimated.

These hidden costs include:

1. Human cost: Cybersecurity breaches impact employees in numerous ways. Not only do they tax the IT team who often have to stay up all night and work weekends to respond to an incident, but they also affect the overall morale of the company. There is an emotional impact on those affected by the breach and employees may feel worried or stressed about the situation.

2. Reputation cost: A cybersecurity breach can damage a company's reputation, which can be difficult to repair. Customers may lose trust in the company and be hesitant to do business with them in the future. This can lead to a loss of customers and revenue for the company.

3. Investigation and analysis costs: Investigating a cybersecurity breach can be a complex and time-consuming process, requiring the use of specialized tools and expertise. This can be costly, particularly if the breach involves a large amount of data or a sophisticated attack. Depending on the scope and sophistication of an attack, companies may need to bring in outside experts and capabilities to augment their internal team.

4. Legal and regulatory costs: A cybersecurity breach may result in legal action being taken against the company, either by customers or regulatory bodies. Exposure to this type of risk differs significantly depending on industry and the types of services your company provides but can involve significant legal fees.

5. Customer notification and support costs: If a cybersecurity breach affects customer data, the company may be required to notify affected customers and provide support to them. This can be costly, particularly if the breach affects a large number of customers.

6. Credit monitoring and identity protection costs: If a cybersecurity breach involves the theft of personal data, the company may need to offer credit monitoring or identity protection services to affected customers. These services can be expensive, particularly if they are offered to a large number of customers.

7. Business interruption costs: A cybersecurity breach may result in the temporary or permanent disruption of business operations. This can result in lost revenue and productivity, as well as additional costs associated with reestablishing operations.

8. Loss of competitive advantage: A cybersecurity breach that results in the loss of intellectual property or other sensitive information may give competitors an advantage in the market. This can lead to a decline in market share and revenue for the company.

9. Increased insurance premiums: After a cybersecurity breach, a company's insurance premiums may increase, as it is considered to be at higher risk for future breaches.

10. Employee training and awareness costs: In the aftermath of a cybersecurity breach, a company may need to invest in additional employee training and awareness programs to prevent similar breaches from occurring in the future. This can be costly, particularly if the company has a large workforce.

When taken into account, these potential costs often tip the scale and can create the urgency needed to take action to prevent them from happening.

Online Cybersecurity Assessment

Can your organization withstand a cyberthreat? Take our free cybersecurity assessment to assess your organization's security posture and vulnerabilities.

In-House vs Outsourced IT Support: What’s Better?

Mon, 19 Dec 2022 19:38:09 GMT

In today's digital landscape, IT support is crucial for businesses of all sizes. You need to keep up with modern technology, customer demands, and create a solid IT infrastructure.

As a business owner, you may be faced with the decision of whether to handle IT support in-house or to outsource it to a third-party provider. Below, we will explore the pros and cons of both options to help you make an informed decision for your business. So, in-house vs outsourced IT support: what’s better?

Pros & Cons Of In-House IT Support

Pros Of In-House IT Support

Control

With an in-house IT support team, the business has greater control over the support process, including the ability to set policies and procedures and ensure that they are followed. This can be especially important for businesses with strict compliance requirements.

Communication and collaboration

An in-house IT support team can more easily communicate and collaborate with other teams within the organization, which can help to identify and resolve issues with faster response times.

Cons Of In-House IT Support

Higher cost

An in-house IT support team can be more expensive than outsourcing to a third-party provider. This is because the business must cover the salaries of full-time IT staff, as well as the cost of training and other expenses.

Limited expertise and compliance

In-house team members are more like generalists. They may not have the same level of expertise as a third-party provider that specializes in IT support. This can be particularly challenging for businesses with complex technology needs or that operate in a niche industry.

Limited scalability

Internal teams may not be able to easily scale up or down to meet changing business needs. This can be a problem when experience fluctuations occur in demand for IT support, or for businesses that need to quickly ramp up their support capabilities to handle a sudden increase in customer inquiries and support tickets.

Higher risk of burnout

Because an in-house IT support team is onsite, they may be more susceptible to burnout due to long hours and high levels of stress. This can result in reduced productivity and an increased risk of turnover, which can be costly for the business in the long run.

Potential for conflict

An in-house IT support team may not always align with the goals and priorities of other teams within the organization. This can lead to conflicts and hinder the team's ability to effectively support the business.

Pros & Cons Of Outsourced IT Support

Pros Of Outsourced IT Support

Cost savings

Outsourcing IT support is much less expensive than having an in-house team, as the business does not have to cover the salaries and benefits of the IT support team, and can instead pay a fixed monthly or annual fee for the services provided. They also already have the proper technology to support your needs.

Expertise

One of the best things about outsourced IT support and managed IT services is the assurance of quality of service.

A third-party IT support provider is likely to have a team of highly trained and experienced professionals who specialize in IT support. This can be especially useful for businesses with complex technology needs a special skill set or that operate in a specialized industry.

Scalability

A third-party IT support provider can easily scale up or down to meet changing business needs. This can be a major advantage for businesses that experience fluctuations in demand for IT support, or that need to quickly ramp up their support capabilities.

Reduced risk of burnout

Because a third-party IT support provider is not onsite, their team is less likely to experience burnout due to long hours and high levels of stress. They’re experienced and have a process in place. This can result in higher levels of productivity and a lower risk of turnover.

Improved alignment with business goals

IT services are primarily focused on providing high-quality support to its clients, which can help to align their goals with those of the business. This can improve the team's ability to effectively support the business and help it achieve its goals.

Flexibility

Outsourcing IT support can provide greater flexibility for the business, as the provider can offer a range of support options and services that can be tailored to the specific needs of the business. This can be especially useful for businesses that have unique technology needs or that operate outside of traditional business hours.

Security

A reputable third-party IT support provider is likely to have robust security protocols in place to protect the business's technology infrastructure and data. This can help to reduce the risk of cyber threats and other security risks.

Cons Of Outsourced IT

Potential for communication breakdowns

Because the IT support team is not onsite, communication and collaboration may be more difficult, which can lead to misunderstandings and delays in resolving issues.

Dependence on the provider

By outsourcing IT support, the business becomes dependent on the provider for the support of its technology infrastructure. This can be a problem if the provider experiences technical issues or goes out of business, as the business may be left without support.

In-House vs Outsourced IT Support: The Verdict

With all of these in mind, what’s the better choice for businesses overall? The answer is: it depends on your needs. If you’re looking for end-to-end expert IT support and overall cost-effectiveness, then an outsourced IT support provider might be for you. On the other hand, if you value control, don’t need much support for IT, and don’t mind the large monthly internal costs — then an in-house support team should be okay.

Are you tired of dealing with IT issues on your own? Are you looking for a team of experts to support your business and help you achieve your goals?

Akins IT is one of the IT support companies in the state that does things differently. We provide remote monitoring 24/7 to ensure that your technology infrastructure is always running smoothly.

We work as a TEAM with your business. We’ll make sure to have an intimate understanding of your operations and goals — providing tailored solutions to meet your unique needs. Contact us today to learn more .

Hyperconverged and DR

Mon, 21 Nov 2022 01:12:36 GMT

Client: Color Image/Alo Yoga/Bella+Canvas

Business Challenge

The body content of your post goes here. To edit this text, click on it and delete this default text and start typing your own or paste your own from a different source.

Business Challenge

The body content of your post goes here. To edit this text, click on it and delete this default text and start typing your own or paste your own from a different source.

Understanding Storage Capacity

Sun, 20 Nov 2022 15:05:18 GMT

Storage capacity refers to how much disk space one or more storage devices provides. It measures how much data a computer system may contain. For an example, a computer with a 500GB hard drive has a storage capacity of 500 gigabytes A network server with four 1TB drives, has a storage capacity of 4 terabytes. Storage capacity is often used synonymously with "disk space." However, it refers to overall disk space, rather than free disk space. For example, a hard drive with a storage capacity of 500GB may only have 150MB available if the rest of the disk space is already used up. Therefore, when checking your computer to see if it meets a program's system requirements, make sure you have enough free disk space to install the program. If you need more disk space, you can increase your computer's storage capacity by adding another internal or external drive.

Storage capacity is an important factor when deploying infrastructure in the data center. Storage vendors describe capacity in different ways, and it’s essential that you know how to interpret them properly for sizing the infrastructure that your organization really needs, and for comparing the cost of capacity (cost divided by gigabytes) between different storage systems. However, interpreting the capacity of modern storage systems can be surprisingly tricky. Different vendors use wildly different metrics to advertise the capacity of their systems, including:

Raw Capacity

This is the total capacity of the storage media in the system. For example, if your system contains 20 drives at 5TB each, the raw capacity is 100TB. Vendors sometimes mistakenly price their systems based on raw capacity, but users should focus on usable capacity instead because usable capacity can be significantly lower than raw capacity. That is why raw capacity is generally reported in decimal terabytes.

Usable Capacity

This is how much data can be stored in the system in the absence of any data reduction, meaning before data reduction. The use of the term usable capacity is to mean capacity before data reduction. Usable capacity is lower than raw capacity beacuse of overheads such as RAID (redundant array of independent disks) and flash over-provisioning. The ratio of the usable capacity to the raw capacity is referred to as the “usable ratio”, which by definition is usauble capacity divided by raw capacity is greater or equal to one.

Usable Capacity / Raw Capacity = Usable Ratio

Effective Capacity with Data Retention

This is how much data can be stored in a system (after data reduction) assuming some amount of data reduction using techniques such as compression and deduplication that reduce the amount of space used by a dataset. Effective capacity is generally higher than usable capacity. The ratio of the space used by a dataset without any reduction and the space used by the dataset after reduction is called data reduction ratio, which by definition is greater than or equal to one. If a system employs multiple techniques for data reduction, the total reduction ratio is the product of the technique-specific reduction ratios.

In conclusion, modern storage systems involve a complex tradeoff between capacity, reliability, and performance, so in addition to storage capacity one must also be aware of the reliability and performance characteristics of a system. Storage capacity can be a mundane subject, but paying close attention in this area will enable you to select storage systems and size them optimally to match your requirements and budget.

Storage Whitepapers

Jimmy Reyes is the ACE this Quarter!

Fri, 09 Sep 2022 01:57:31 GMT

We'd like to give a huge congratulations to our ACE of the Quarter, our Project Engineer- Jimmy Reyes! Our ACE Award is for our Akins IT Core Employee who exemplifies our core values- GRIT, RIGHT, AUTHENTIC, and GROW.

We set up a Microsoft Teams channel where we allowed employees to give shout outs to employees who utilized core values. Jimmy has not even been with Akins for a year, yet still received the most shout outs for the quarter! He embodies our core values and his peers were able to acknowledge it and share it with the rest of the company.

Authentic

He was able to shine with his authentic personality with some of our new clients.

Grow

He took on new challenges for projects he worked on, researching new technologies for our clients and company.

Grit

He showed grit working late night hours to help clients hit their internal deadlines.

Right

He did what was right by consulting our clients in situations that were painpoints to the client and may have fallen outside the project scope, but he knew it was important to the client.

It is no wonder how Jimmy received this recognition. Way to go Jimmy!

Case Study - Network Upgrade for King Chavez High School

Mon, 08 Aug 2022 00:54:55 GMT

At Akins IT, we believe our 3 uniques set us apart from the competition and vastly contribute to the success of our clients. This past week, our team headed onsite to King Chavez to scope out our upcoming Firewall and Switch Refresh. The school wanted a full wireless environment for their students to bring education to the next level. Two of the uniques we set into motion for this project were our “Proven Process” and “Right People, Right Solutions.” Here is how we utilized them:

Proven Process

Providing King Chavez with our Account Manager and Solutions team, we worked towards the optimal solution to upgrade one of KC’s Network Infrastructures. We tailored the solution and carefully planned out the implementation through our Proven Process.

Right People, Right Solutions

From the start, Akins IT implemented one of our Company’s Three Uniques- “Right People, Right Solutions.” Every one of our team members was specifically chosen for their high-level of capability in each of their specific fields. From scoping the project with our Solutions Team, to our diligent Supply Management Team, and on to the Project Team who conducted the implementation; this unique was continuously in play. By utilizing Right People, Right Solutions, we are able to provide the successful completions our reputation is built on.

Akins IT & Verkada Thor: Love and Thunder Event

Sat, 09 Jul 2022 00:34:10 GMT

Akins IT partnered with Verkada to host an early & exclusive viewing of Thor: Love and Thunder! Verkada presented on their unique cloud solutions, followed by an amazing demonstration of their solution capabilities. Guests were then able to sit back and enjoy the movie with a free drink and popcorn. We had such a great time putting on this event! What should we do next?!

Microsoft Cloud - How Local Governments can leverage MS Azure

Wed, 29 Jun 2022 12:57:46 GMT

Local and State Governments Hybrid Work

The New Normal

As we all know, after the pandemic, the term "new normal" shaped how organizations and entities work. A new hybrid work model was imposed that forced most employees to work remotely and IT administrators reevaluating their infrastructure and security. Governments also had to learn how to navigate and support the hybrid workforce.

In the article The Hill by Liz Farmer stated,

“Governments have long been talking about things like streamlining and putting things online and AI and all that cool tech stuff. But the pandemic really forced their hand. There is a strong sense that governments need to be able to provide services in a way that is what their constituents expect, but with fewer people behind the scenes.”

Some governments started the transition to cloud early, so when the pandemic hit they were able to transition and adapt fairly quickly. Some had to utilize their existing environment, which was not allocated to support all of the end users at once. And, others had to figure out alternative ways that posed challenges like security and increased IT infrastructure bandwidth to accommodate the increased remote work.

Hybrid work - reimagined

Those who were ready even before the pandemic experienced a more seamless experience transitioning remote. One example is City of Corona. In 2018, the city's IT department had moved more than 80% of its infrastructure to the cloud. In late 2019, the city began virtualizing Microsoft 365 and other software as a service (SaaS) applications with Azure Virtual Desktop.

Kyle Edgeworth, Deputy Chief Information Officer at the City of Corona, says the original goal had been to provide only virtual applications. “Then Azure Virtual Desktop and Windows 10 multi-session came out, which meant we’d be able to provide hundreds of employees with a rich Windows 10 desktop experience whether they’re in the office or working remotely.” 

In early 2020, in response to the COVID-19 federal mandates, City of Corona had to pivot and ramp up its Azure Virtual Desktop deployment timeline. In a couple of days, City of Corona's pilot program had to transition into production across the entire organization to accommodate 350 employees.

Edgeworth says, “As the city went into lockdown, with a couple clicks we were able to build and scale up the infrastructure we needed so most of our employees could work remotely.” He adds that by using the auto-scale feature, the city provides more computing capacity on demand: “Then at night, we reduce our consumption by automatically powering virtual machines off. This lowers our costs and the amount of virtual infrastructure we need to maintain.

No hardware available? No problem.

Another challenge, that impacted the public sector as well, was the supply shortage of computers, hardware equipment, and limited network capacity.

Chris McMasters, Chief Information Officer for the City of Corona, says, “We virtualized the desktops for emergency operations, so employees could work remotely. We ran our emergency response operations through Microsoft Teams, enabling a public-information call center for COVID-19 questions through Microsoft Teams, which first responders use to coordinate with the public and provide assistance. Unlike a lot of public sector organizations that had to acquire laptops and update their infrastructures, we basically flipped a switch and sent employees to work at home from their personal devices.”

Azure Virtual Desktop provides a single unified experience from which employees, remotely or on-prem, can work across desktop and laptop computers, mobile devices, and bring your own device (BYOD) employee owned. This approach also brings cost saving benefits in not having to procure, configure, and provision new computers, which brings the freedom to scale up, or down as more and more employees return to the office. City of Corona was able to scale and provide remote users access to the infrastructure seamlessly and securely with Azure Virtual Desktop, reduce countless hours and overhead, and empower remote employees.

Security? Compliance? A must.

Lot of the times, there's a hesitation in moving to the cloud due to compliance and security concerns. Government agencies must comply with Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS) 140-2. Interesting fact is, Azure Virtual Desktop , formerly called Windows Virtual Desktop , was the first public cloud to be cloud compliant with Criminal Justice Information System (CJIS) policies.

As a requirement by the DOJ, IT departments set up and distribute devices to public safety employees, however, City of Corona leverages the read-only IGEL operating system on top of existing workstations or thin clients. IGEL helps federal agencies using Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) and/or Desktop as a Service (DaaS) to fully realize the promise of simpler and more secure access to cloud workspaces with software-defined endpoints. Azure Virtual Desktop and IGEL allows City of Corona, and many government agencies, to save on hardware costs, meet U.S. government standards, and manage a single operating system that’s built for cloud workspaces.

Edgeworth says, “We can ensure that when our users log in, they’re coming from the correct locations and from the right devices, that everything meets our standards, and people can access the resources that they need. It’s a highly secure footprint and fully encrypted.” 

To summarize

Government agencies are starting to adopt Azure Virtual Desktop to save on hardware, improve data governance and accessibility, modernize to optimize operations, unified cybersecurity, and enable secure remote work. Azure Virtual Desktop is a groundbreaking solution and is disrupting the idea that organizations infrastructure is safer and more secure on-premises.

Azure Government has the broadest compliance certifications of any cloud provider on the market!

Fri, 20 May 2022 15:01:18 GMT

Azure for State and Local Government

Azure government cloud for local government offers a great opportunity for leaders to do more with their technology budgets and fuel innovation. Whether the goal is to provide citizens with more efficient government services, empower government employees with data driven collaboration tools, or enhance government security and compliance initiatives, Azure Government Cloud can help achieve this.

As we know, the purpose of local governments is to serve its communities and citizens. Thus, the vital services that governments provide need reliable and flexible solutions. Azure Government services make all this possible with simplified management and access to cloud compute, storage, and applications. By moving workloads to Azure Government Cloud, local governments have opportunity to modernize infrastructure, predict IT costs more efficiently, and consolidate workloads.

Why are governments not moving to the cloud?

Unfortunately, government cloud adoption has been slow with research from a 2021 survey on Government Cloud Adoption revealing that up to 80% of government entities still rely on on-premise IT hardware for critical services. This slow rate of cloud adoption is severely hindered by legacy infrastructure due to the demands and skill requirements of upgrading infrastructure.

Is Azure Government secure?

As more government agencies become interested in cloud services , they can be certain that Microsoft Azure Government provides the compliance and security they need. Azure Government is a dedicated cloud just for government agencies built to support mission-critical workloads under various U.S. government regulations and requirements. Microsoft Azure Government cloud maintains compliance with FedRAMP High, DoD IL2-5, CJIS, IRS 1075, NIST 800-171, and more. In fact, Azure Government has the broadest compliance certifications of any cloud provider on the market!

Ransomware on the Rise

Since 2016, more than 400 cities have been exposed by ransomware attacks. These events have crippled government services and caused significant disruption during these attacks. Azure Government is designed to protect the widest range of enterprise services and applications of any cloud disaster recovery provider. In fact, Azure Site Recovery allows for the failover of an entire data center in a matter of hours instead of weeks or even months! Azure Government’s cloud-based backup and site recovery services provide reliable protection of data and services and ensures business continuity when it is needed most. Azure Government backup and disaster recovery solutions are a cost-effective way to ensure government agencies are prepared for unexpected events. These solutions are built for the strictest security and compliance requirements of U.S. Government. Azure Government provides true geographic redundancy by replicating data in multiple datacenters located more than 500 miles apart and all data, applications, and hardware reside in the continental United States, and are managed exclusively by U.S. screened personnel.

Government Cloud in Action: Enabling Secure and Modern Community Services

Ultimately, citizens today expect a positive user experience and speed of access when utilizing government services. Azure Government has been allowing cities to create innovative citizen service experiences that enable citizens to engage the government on their own and on the device of their choice. With Azure Government, cities are providing members of the community with secure, accessible ways to interact with the government while increasing the efficiency of service offerings. With security-focused identity technologies, citizens can securely access personal records and transaction history.

Citizen services such as websites and apps help citizens engage on their terms. However, governments must consider ensuring security and optimizing the performance of these services. For example, with Azure Government, agencies can quickly build, deploy, and scale enterprise-grade web, mobile, and API apps running on any platform using Azure App Service. This is a fully managed platform, which means that Azure handles the infrastructure maintenance. Enabling single sign-on can simplify user access to cloud applications from any device using Azure Active Directory, and creates a unified approach to identity for citizens and staff. Further, Multi-Factor Authentication can be added for an additional level of verification. These services protect government organizations and mitigate potential threats with security monitoring, alerts, and machine learning reports that identify inconsistent access patterns. Lastly, citizen engagement can become more effective by adopting the use of Azure Bot Service which can quickly build a chatbot capable of answering citizen questions and engage in a conversation. This can greatly reduce the need for call center staffing. Azure Cognitive Services can even give bots intelligence. Using cognitive services, bots can not only have conversations, but they can also recognize a user in photos, make smart recommendations, translate languages, increase accessibility, and more.

Why Azure Government?

With the power of Azure Government , agencies can unlock innovation with powerful data and analysis services to rapidly build intelligent solutions at scale. These solutions enable productivity within a trusted cloud exclusive to government, with world class security and advanced threat protection services. Azure Government meets all critical compliance standards and exceeds U.S. Government regulatory requirements. Accelerate development with an open platform and unified tools and services in a flexible and secure environment.

The 5 Most Common Cyber Threats in Schools

Fri, 06 May 2022 17:34:22 GMT

Today, this modern workplace norm has reshaped how companies deal with school cyber risks. In much the same way, heightened attention to remote learning enables schools to adapt to new ways to manage risk. As school security threats increase, the number of students who learn remotely is expected. Cyber security threats are growing beyond the boundaries of schools.

Cybersecurity is an increasing problem for schools, so now is the time to educate yourself about the dangers and steps you should take to safeguard your school and its data. These are the top five and how you can prepare when it comes to cybersecurity dangers. Continue reading to learn more!

What Are The Most Common Cyber Threats to Your School

In this section, we'll go over some of the cyber hazards that every school should be aware of.

1. Phishing

The majority of cybersecurity vulnerabilities begin with what is known as phishing. This is a tactic used when a person receives an email that appears to be official yet demands personal information. Such emails may request personal account verification, authorization to use personal data, passwords, and other sensitive information. This type of communication was probably something that everyone has had a bad encounter with before. Don't be concerned; these misleading emails can fool even the most experienced recipients.

2. Human Factor

Probably, human nature is one of the most dangerous cybersecurity threats. Breaches in cybersecurity are most likely to be caused by a human mistake. Because people aren't perfect and have a lot of things to think about when they make decisions, they aren't like machines. This doesn't always show that the people in charge aren't very good at cybersecurity. It shows that they don't know what cybersecurity is all about.

Most teachers in today's schools already know that the internet has a lot of bad things that can happen. They know about online bullying, texting during class, and other things. However, they may not think about the danger of cyber threats to schools, which could be very bad. The things that could happen are anything from stolen personal data to financial manipulation. Because of this, the whole school staff should be aware of these threats.

3. Ransomware

Ransomware encrypts the files on the computer so that the user can't get them. The attacker then asks for money to get back into the files. It usually happens when someone opens a malicious file or link on a computer that is connected to the Internet. The malware file has scripts that help it find and encrypt the files in its target area. As a result, ransomware could be used to lock up the school's financial and contact information. This way, the school would not be able to get it.

4. Password Attack

In computer security, a password attack is an effort to obtain access to a system by breaking the user's password. Once the user password has been cracked, the attacker can acquire access to either confidential data or an administrator account that gives them access to all data and make substantial modifications to the network infrastructure.

A targeted password assault is when the attacker attempts to identify the correct password by gathering information about the user and then using that information to guess the password. It is also possible to buy and sell passwords on the dark web from criminal groups that have obtained them through leaks or hacking. Not using the same password more than once is a smart habit.

5. Formjacking

Last but not least, Formjacking is a type of cyberthreat that differs somewhat from the others. When someone illegally takes over a piece of a website's control, this is considered criminal behavior. This happens because of security flaws discovered by hackers. Such cybercrimes are frequently committed with the intent of stealing sensitive data, such as credit card numbers. In some instances, such crimes go undiscovered because hackers may visit and exit a website without disrupting the operation.

Why education is a target for cybercrime?

Schools are the ideal target for hackers because they contain personal data seldom protected by similar cybersecurity policies used by other firms. According to reports, hackers breached a server with personal and financial info, such as admission information and student IDs. The attacks affect more than 200 million users.

Cyber Security Tips For Students and Teachers

To strengthen IT security, student staff, teachers, and personnel have a mix of educational and IT security solutions . Here are some good practices to avoid cyber threats in schools.

1. Use a spam filter.

Get a spam filter that can identify all the spam and phishing attempts for you. Your email account should set the spam filters to send suspicious communications straight to the spam folder. Lastly, even if you tried everything and still received an unusual email, do not click on the link or perform any requested actions. Delete it, notify your friends, and go about your day. Spam emails often ask for immediate action from the recipient.

2. Educate all personnel.

Students and teachers must be aware of the dangers of security breaches, the expected risks they face, and how to guard against them. The bulk of non-educational websites should be blocked, access to critical data should be restricted, secure logins implemented, and a blocklist created.

3. Seek professional help.

If a ransomware event occurs, don't try to handle this on your own—malware is a severe problem. To combat it, you'll need to be well-versed in cybersecurity and have solid security measures. Restricted access and safe listing of websites are two further options. Consult a specialist, such as Akins IT, to assess the damage in the event of a hack.

4. Create various and complex passwords.

Cybersecurity experts recommend that you create complicated passwords containing words, numbers, and unusual characters to protect yourself. Another method of protecting against password attacks is to implement multi-level authentication on systems capable of doing so.

5. Run vulnerability tests.

As mentioned in one of the points above, a professional is required to cope with cyber attacks. Some preventative steps, on the other hand, are advised. The implementation of vulnerability testing, which should discover the holes in the security system, might be one of such measures.

Protect Your School From Cyber Threats With Akins IT

Schools may utilize network monitoring, powerful malware protection, and next-generation firewalls to defend themselves from cyber dangers. When you work with Akins IT , your school will be protected by the most advanced cybersecurity solutions on the market. Get in touch with us to set up a free, no-obligation consultation.

What Should Local Governments Do in the Event of a Security Breach

Tue, 26 Apr 2022 18:23:43 GMT

It's not a question of if but of when a security breach or ransomware event happens; what should local governments do? Cybersecurity experts say that the risk of cybersecurity incidents can occur anytime.

So, what actions should a local government take? Should they rely on federal and state assistance, or should it be better to get professional help from a reliable third party? But before we dig into the security breach response plan, let's further know what a security breach is.

What is a security breach by definition?

A security breach is when an attacker uses harmful software to exploit security flaws and obtains unauthorized access to an organization's secured systems and data, and restricted regions, leading to system damage and data loss.

What can criminals do with the data they steal?

According to the 2021 Verizon Data Breach Investigations Report, most hackers use stolen data for financial gain. In the report, ShinyHunters, a famous cybercriminal gang, sold personal information of roughly 70 million clients of AT&T with the starting price of $200,000. Part of the stolen data includes passwords, PINs, Social Security Numbers, Tax IDs, Employee W-2 forms, Payment Card Information, and Medical Records. This stolen data is used for fraud such as debit card withdrawals, ransomware, identity theft, etc.

Local Government's Guide to a Security Breach Response Plan

Now, to the central part: What to do when the cyberattack happens? Let's look at the steps to take in response to a breach.

Step 1: Secure Operations

It is imperative to act immediately when a security breach happens. Local governments should secure their systems and fix vulnerabilities damaged by cybercriminals. If needed, the department in charge should lock physical areas related to the ransomware and change their access codes. In addition to the immediate response, the local government should inform the breach response team to prevent additional data loss.

To undertake a complete breach response, the affected offices can assemble a team of specialists. They may include forensics, legal, information security, information technology, operations, human resources, communications, investor relations, and management, depending on the size and type of your agency. There is plenty of legal counsel and independent forensic investigators that local governments can hire to help them identify the source and extent of the breach, such as Akins IT.

Lastly, local governments should talk to the people who discovered the security breach and document the investigation. Experts also suggest not destroying the forensic evidence during your research.

Step 2: Fix Susceptibilities

The second step in recovering from a security breach is to ensure that the local government's service providers (if involved) make the necessary steps to prevent further damage. Another action they can take is to work with their forensic experts by reviewing logs and analyzing backup data. The experts can determine who recently had access to the data, the number of people affected, and what type of information was compromised.

Step 3: Inform Affected Parties and Individuals

Security breaches can potentially cause identity theft. The local government agency should let the involved parties (Staff and the public) know about the data breach to make the response more effective. If there are also business partners that were affected by the cyberattack, notify the companies so they can monitor the accounts for fraudulent activity.

When notifying the affected parties and individuals, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) recommends that the local governments should:

Consult with internal or external law enforcement partners about when to notify to guarantee a smooth investigation.

Assign personnel to release the information about the security breach, the response plan, and how the affected parties should react.

Use letters, websites, toll-free numbers, public relations campaigns, or news media to disseminate information.

Give identity theft protection or identity restoration services to affected individuals or parties.

As part of the security response breach plan, the local government knew what steps they could take to avoid more losses if specific individuals were affected. It is also helpful if they know how to prevent phishing scams tied to the breach while gaining more trust from local government officials.

How can local governments prevent cyber attacks?

There are also practical precautionary steps to prevent ransomware events or security breaches. Although it may include extra effort, these approaches are better than putting confidential data in danger and restoring damages. Here's how local governments hamper security breaches:

Take a Proactive Approach

Local governments can set up proactive antivirus protection manually using complete IT security solution . Make sure the new regulations follow the current rules. More enforcement will soon follow, which means taking action now can protect themselves from fines or violations in the future.

Manage Security Services

Think about deploying management security to prevent unauthorized access to sensitive data before it becomes a danger. As the famous saying goes, "prevention is better than cure" same goes for the local government's cybersecurity.

Regular Risk Assessments

Conduct network safety testing from outside sources. Akins IT recommends that local government networks are regularly evaluated for potential security issues at a minimum once a year for security reasons.

Cyber Security Basics

Do not overlook inexpensive security tools for cyber attacks. The local government can take basic actions like requiring strong passwords and security awareness training, which don't require investment.

Clear Separation Between Network Components

Verify that there is a separate network between servers. Managing different aspects is crucial for the mitigation of damage in cyber-attacks.

Data Backup: Become Ransomware Proof

An excellent way to avoid losing data during unauthorized attacks is by using a reliable data backup system to protect your information.

Cyber Liability Insurance

If you're unsure of your background in cyber security basics and whatnot, it would be best if you purchase cyber liability insurance. At Akins IT, our expert team guarantees to keep your connections secure and data ransomware proof professionally and immediately.

If you need to improve your local Government's security, schedule a consultation with one of our professionals.

Microsoft Threat Intelligence for Higher Education - Defend, Identify, and Respond to Threats

Mon, 25 Apr 2022 15:59:32 GMT

Cyber Security Breaches Cost Companies $3.86 Million per Breach

Cybercrime has cost companies over a combine $400 billion a year since 2016 and the average breach costs a company $3.86 million per breach. In fact, 1 million new pieces of malware are created each day and malware accounts for over half of all breaches!

Therefore, it is no surprise that security is the primary focus for Microsoft.

To thwart would be threat actors, Microsoft relies on threat intelligence. Microsoft Threat Intelligence is an ecosystem that gathers and collects telemetry from across its cloud services and the cyber landscape to better understand and mitigate the growing level of sophisticated attacks.

One major advantage Microsoft has is its economies of scale. For example, each month Microsoft gathers billions of data points from over 450 billion authentications, 400 billion emails, and over one billion Windows devices. From this data, Microsoft can utilize all of this data to achieve a level of aptitude that allows its security services to quickly identify attack types and filter through the noise.

What does it all mean?

Microsoft’s threat intelligence does more than just look for attacks and vulnerabilities. Microsoft threat intelligence goes a step further to prove relevant context so users are able to make faster, more informed, and proactive decisions.

Furthermore, due to the breadth of Microsoft’s customer base, Microsoft takes a collaborative approach and allows all organizations and customers visibility of security events.

How does it all happen?

Through Office 365, Azure, and Windows Defender, Microsoft gathers, produces, and consumes threat intelligence data.

All of this data can then be visualized in Microsoft services including Azure Sentinel and Microsoft Defender Security Center.

Scenario: Office 365 threat protection to help prevent a malware attack

To help prevent a malware attack from occurring Microsoft leverages their end-to-end Office 365 Threat Protection stack which includes:

Office 365 Exchange Online Protection which has anti-virus signatures that are constantly updated to block malware attacks based on known file hashes.

Defender for Office 365 can catch new variants of a malware attack, such as when email is utilized as the vehicle of attack. When new variants are detected, the anti-virus signatures are updated in Exchange Online Protection. Further, Defender for Office 365 works with Defender for Endpoint and Defender for Server to help protect users and systems from the same Malware based attacks.

Office 365 Threat Intelligence allows us to see emails that were part of a malware campaign. We can search for the malware family and if the malware made it through to the tenant.

Lastly, Office 365 Advanced Security Management , allows us to create an activity policy to detect if a user renames, syncs, or uploads multiple files with a suspicious file extension to Office 365 . This policy can be configured to automatically disable the user’s account to help stop other encrypted files from being transferred.

As we can see, the threat intelligence capabilities in Office 365 Threat Intelligence complement each other in order to provide insights to help organizations proactively defend against advanced threats, malware, phishing, zero-day attacks, and other attacks.

Industry Focus – Higher Education

Maintaining security online and on campus is an ever growing challenge for IT leaders at universities.

Recent data shows that 1.3M identities are exposed as the result of cyber attacks on higher-ed institutions and 44% of these institutions admit that mobile devices have been the culprit for security compromises.

However, with Microsoft Threat Intelligence features, these institutions have the opportunity to optimize and build a holistic security picture. Further, this allows organizations to maintain high-quality insights into their cloud and identity security while enabling automated identification and investigation of threats.

With Microsoft’s security technology, schools can protect student and faculty data at home, on campus, and from anywhere in the world. This is accomplished through leveraging Microsoft’s Identity Management solutions such as Azure Active Directory with MFA tied with Intune for Education that can manage and enforce identity access policies to control the devices and apps that students and faculty are allowed to access university resources from.

Lastly, with remote learning, universities are faced with the task of securing devices that can be located anywhere around the world. Threat Intelligence solutions like Microsoft Defender for Office 365 leverages AI and automation to help protect against advancing threats built within email, shared links, and other collaboration tools.

Key Take Aways

As we have seen, Microsoft is constantly taking in data to help its customers create a more secure network . The protection features within Office 365 and Azure provide customers with great visibility of the cyberthreat landscape, rapidly identify threats such as targeted email campaigns, and allow customers to conduct thorough investigation and response to any threats.

And don’t forget, just as cyberthreats are constantly occurring, Microsoft is constantly expanding upon their Threat Intelligence capabilities. To learn more about how Microsoft Threat Intelligence can help secure your business, you can visit the following link from Microsoft .

Akins IT Quarterly EOS Meeting

Fri, 15 Apr 2022 14:48:15 GMT

Our Leadership Team recently participated in our quarterly EOS meeting with our consultant, Josh Holtzman. The main objective of these quarterly meetings is to make sure our Leadership Team is unified and focused on our company’s goals. Ultimately, they leave these meetings with a clear vision, a clear plan for the following quarter, and have resolved any key issues within the company that may have arisen. Then they bring it back to their respective departments to ensure both the company goals and department goals are aligned. You may ask yourself, “What is EOS?”

EOS or the “Entrepreneurial Operating System” is a set of simple concepts and practical tools that helps us share the same Vision, instill focus and accountability throughout the company, creating a cohesive, functional, and healthy team. Our consultant coaches the Leadership Team through these 8-hour long quarterly meetings to ensure that EOS is being implemented and utilized to its full potential. We strongly believe that the Entrepreneurial Operating System makes us unique and attributes to our clients success and ours!

The team got the opportunity to visit Josh’s snazzy new office to conduct Quarter One’s meeting. After a long day, they got to enjoy some cocktails courtesy of Death & Co. Check out some pictures of the day.

Azure Cloud Migration Checklist

Thu, 07 Apr 2022 19:11:13 GMT

Back in 2015, Akins IT started working with Azure and helping organizations in the commercial, government, academic, and non-profit sector with their cloud initiatives. As IT professionals, its really exciting to see a product mature and evolve. Cloud adoption is being considered by more and more organizations around the world. In fact, some organizations and countries mandate it. Cloud migrations are nothing new, in fact, If you have used and/or migrated to Office 365, DropBox, Sharepoint, Zoom, Google Drive, Gmail, among many others, then you and your organization are already in the cloud. After the pandemic, we saw an increased demand for cloud services and our existing partners who we helped migrate to the cloud were ready for the remote workforce and adapt rapidly and securely. Migrating to the cloud can be overwhelming and daunting, however, we can follow the Cloud Adoption Framework. The Cloud Adoption Framework brings together cloud adoption best practices from Microsoft employees, partners, and customers. It provides a set of tools, guidance, and narratives. These tools help shape your technology, business, and people strategies to get the best business outcomes during your cloud adoption effort.

Review the guidance for each methodology below:

Lifecycle

Define Strategy: In this step, we define and document your motivations, document business outcomes, evaluate financial considerations, and discover the technical flexibility, efficiencies, and capabilities that help you build a business case to adopt the cloud.

Plan: We inventory and rationalize your digital estate, establish a plan for initial organization alignment, create a plan for addressing readiness, and develop a cloud adoption plan.

Ready: We explore cloud operating model, evaluate target architecture, and deployment approach.

Migrate & Innovate: We evaluate the migration workloads, migration scenarios, best practices, process improvements, develop new cloud-native or hybrid solutions.

Govern: We build methodologies and processes, best practices, and align corporate policies, processes, and tooling.

Manage: Document supported workloads, define criticality classifications, cloud management tools, and processes. This step helps develop the business and technical approaches needed to provide cloud management that powers ongoing operations.

Cloud Adoption Strategy Evaluator

You can assess your cloud adoption strategy and get recommendations on building or advancing your cloud business case. It takes about 10 minutes and will help you define a migration strategy.

How does Akins IT help you develop a cloud migration strategy?

With many years of Azure experience and early Azure adopters, we have refined our processes, methodologies, technical approach, and cost savings which translates to customer success. As a Tier 1 Microsoft Gold Partner, our customers benefit from advanced support from us and Microsoft , licenses procured directly from Microsoft , trials and licensing audits , among many more!

For more information on why partner with a CSP

We specialize in Azure and Microsoft services. From our sales and architects team to understand your business needs, goals, and budget, to our engineers with vast knowledge and experience, among Microsoft certifications, that help us deliver and implement a successful cloud migration.

See our success stories by our customers here

Guide to how Local Governments can Prevent Security Breaches

Thu, 24 Mar 2022 21:21:31 GMT

How Local Governments Can Prevent Security Breaches

As an IT Director or IT Manager for a local government agency, you're responsible for ensuring the security of sensitive data and systems. Security breaches can have serious consequences. So it is critical to take proactive steps to prevent them. Cyber attacks, in general, happen every 39 seconds .

Cyberattacks on state, counties, cities, and tribal government IT infrastructure continue to occur. Local governments are especially susceptible because of the large amounts of direct data they store that can be linked to their constituents.

While there are specific strategies that local government IT staff can implement, there are also a few simple measures you could take now. These measures can help to form a foundation of a secure IT infrastructure.

Establish Clear Cyber Security Policies and Procedures

One of the most important steps you can take to prevent security breaches is to establish clear cyber security policies and procedures. The design of these policies should protect your community's data from various threats. These threats will often include malware, ransomware, and phishing attacks.

They should also include protocols for reporting and responding to security incidents. Regular observation and modification are necessary, and mistakes can happen by not doing this regularly.

Implement Comprehensive Security Solutions

To protect your community's data from cyber attacks, you need to implement comprehensive security solutions to safeguard your IT infrastructure. These solutions should be able to help protect your IT environment end to end. It would help if you were implementing IT security solutions such as the latest firewalls, antivirus software, and spam filters.

They should also include utilizing proven intrusion detection and prevention systems (IDS/IPS). This helps protect your network from unauthorized access. Working with a professional organization specializing in government IT solutions can streamline the process.

The best way to stay on top of cyber security would be to create a security-focused culture. That culture should align with the latest and proven cyber security measures.

Local governments are always at a high risk of attacks. Because of this, establish ongoing cyber security coordination and monitoring. This is where governments would benefit from appointing a cyber security point of contact (POC). Aside from one person, you could even have a designated council for cyber security, especially if the local government agency has already experienced attacks before.

Additionally, recognize the importance of policy. This is an easy way to increase the chances that employees will comply.

Any guidelines or standards you come up with, add them to your policy. Include it within all training and education materials as well.

Business Continuity and Backup Solutions

Make sure you have a robust backup and disaster recovery solution in place. A backup and recovery solution that backups your data on a continuous basis and allows for easy recovery of all of your data in a timely fashion will help your agency get back up in running quickly and avoid paying any ransom fees if you get hit with a ransomware attack.

Train Your Staff on Cyber Security Best Practices

It is essential to train your staff on the best practices for protecting the community's data. This includes training them to spot phishing attacks and use strong passwords for accessing critical applications and systems. Additionally, teach the staff how to protect their devices from malware and ransomware.

This training will also often involve other methods of educating workers. An example could be reinforcing confidentiality and training your staff on how to protect their personal devices that may access your IT infrastructure.

Another good practice is to train your staff on how to access agency resources via a VPN and how to enable full-disk encryption on personal computers that may access our IT environment.

Regular Updates to Your Software and Hardware

One of the best ways to protect your community's data is to keep your software and hardware up-to-date. This includes your operating systems and applications. You should also update your antivirus software, firewalls, and IDS/IPS systems.

Software updates often go overlooked as being necessary and essential. The thing is, software updates are crucial for making sure your IT systems are less vulnerable.

When going through an update, you're installing the latest features of your devices. Many of those feature updates involve security. If your software or hardware is outdated, you risk being vulnerable to cyber attacks.

Your desktop, laptop, and server operating systems should continually be updated with the latest patches. There may be times an update can't happen right away. If this happens, schedule it at the earliest time you can implement the update.

Create a Contingency Plan

If a security breach does occur, it is vital to have a contingency plan in place. This plan should include procedures for responding to the security breach and providing guidance on mitigating the damage caused by the attack.

The plan should serve as a solid form of risk management. Having this type of plan is a proactive measure. It can help local governments alleviate the issues they could run into when an attack occurs.

Your contingency plan should include specific instructions. It should also have processes and recommendations for staff to recover IT services and any lost data.

If you experience an interruption in the system, there should also be a plan in place to respond to the interruption with close observation.

Protecting Personally Identifiable Information (PII)

Another important step you can take to prevent security breaches is to comply with PII (Personally Identifiable Information) regulations. This will help ensure the privacy and integrity of your user's data. It will also help to ensure the overall safety of the agency's employees and citizens.

For California local government agencies, get familiar with the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) and implement best practices relevant to your agency. This act primarily targets consumer businesses, but it does not hurt implement the recommendations of CCPA.

Direct Strategies

As far as direct strategies go, there are a few things that local governments can start implementing right away. One of the most overlooked options is to create detailed training manuals.

These manuals would get directed towards employees. They are also often included in the onboarding process for new employees. Expand on this by offering regular education about security.

Proper information handling often goes overlooked. However, this is just as important. The main goal here is to ensure that your employees know how to identify potential threats.

Make sure that employees aren't sharing passwords. They shouldn't be accessing any insecure networks on government equipment either.

Local governments can work to create more secure cyber ecosystems. This involves looking at the security infrastructure as a whole.

You may need to modify the system to promote efficiency and safety. Having an assurance framework is another helpful option.

Additionally, local government agencies will benefit from securing any E-governance services. The same goes for working to strengthen regulatory government frameworks.

What Do These Security Breaches Mean For the Public?

A government data breach often leads to a significant financial loss. These losses can be a big hit to local governments.

According to the Cost of Data Breach Report of 2021, the cost of data breaches on a global scale in public sectors went up to 79%. That was between 2020 and 2021.

Additionally, in 2021 alone, at least 281.5 million people were affected by a data breach in some way. This drives towards local governments.

They are often seen as targets because of the amount of highly sensitive information they store. That said, think of all of the places surrounding a local government. Communities are made up of multiple organizations that house sensitive and personal information of citizens.

Take hospitals or healthcare facilities, for example. If you look into data breach cases of hospitals, or healthcare facilities, you will come across quite a few. Take a hospital in Minnesota into consideration. Focus on how they suffered a data breach that affected at least 49,351 people .

Employee email accounts were able to be accessed by external sources. This puts various forms of personal data at risk.

Some of those forms of personal data were names and dates of birth. Medical record numbers and even addresses were also compromised. There was even more at risk for privacy violations as well.

More About This Breach

Additionally, there was direct clinical-based information such as treatment details and medical diagnoses. Health insurance information was also uncovered.

When a cyber-attack happens, these are the things that communities can become vulnerable to. Individual privacy is wholly compromised when a data breach takes place.

This is especially true when considering that Social Security numbers were also compromised. So were driver's license numbers and other forms of personally identifiable information.

You can also consider private and public schools and smaller entities within a community that might house personal information.

Keep in mind that there are other security measures you can take. Local governments can work to improve cyber forensics. This helps to prevent crimes and to quicken any open investigations.

Consider having an advisory or alert system that can broadcast across devices.

Cyber Threats That Local Governments Are at Risk For

Any government is vulnerable to various cyber-attacks. One of the most common types is ransomware attacks. Unfortunately, different local governments are always under cyber-attacks such as this.

They also include phishing, brute force, vectors within emails, and direct hacking. Local governments are at extreme risk of data leakage and insider threats. No local government is safe from cyber-attacks.

Understanding that the government isn't immune is the first step to forming proper security measures. It's safe to say that government cyberattack exposures are not entirely new risks. They are often more persistent given what local governments hold and have access to.

At least 44% of ransomware attacks on a global scale were targeted towards municipalities in 2020. Although most of the attacks were ransomware attacks, the risk is still high for other types.

For example, SQL injections and password attacks pose a threat. Distributed denial of service (DDoS) do as well.

Security Threat Trends

There are still many cyber security threats that local governments will need to pay attention to in 2022. Remote work is becoming more prevalent. This leaves many employees more susceptible to having their equipment or networks hacked.

Some vulnerabilities can come with almost anything that you use on different networks. Protecting residents from security breaches should be a focus for local government IT departments. It should be because when the government is susceptible to cyberattacks, all of its citizens are as well.

The same goes for other organizations within the community that might also hold or has access to personal information. It would help if you also watched out for double extortion ransomware attacks.

Additionally, ensure that you are paying attention to data privacy. Unfortunately, 2022 still shows signs of continued high-level security threats.

This is especially true with the current economic state. It's also, all the more reason to implement multi-factor authentication options. Expanding on this and improving different authentication methods are great tactics.

They ensure that employees have secure networks when remote working can also help. This alleviates potential issues local governments could run into.

Get Custom Solutions

If you need government and education IT solutions , consider working with Akins IT. By focusing on finding the right solutions for your organization, you alleviate the potential of wasting resources and time.

Realizing how local governments can prevent security breaches is a proactive measure. By allowing industry-educated experts to tailor technology solutions to suit your IT infrastructure, you can quickly increase your levels of security and strengthen proactivity.

Are you interested in learning more and hearing about our proven success? Contact our team today to see how we can help.

Hunt Down Threats with Microsoft Threat Experts

Fri, 11 Mar 2022 17:54:36 GMT

Microsoft Defender for Endpoint keeps getting better with the latest introduction of Microsoft Threat Experts. Microsoft Threat Experts is a managed threat hunting service that offers SOC monitoring and analysis to make sure critical threats do not missed!

Microsoft Threat Experts is built around two key capabilities:

Targeted attack notifications
Access to experts on demand

Targeted attack notifications

Targeted attack notifications give SOC teams proactive hunting for the greatest threats on your network. This includes rouge actor intrusions, hands-on-keyboard based attacks, and more advanced attacks. Artificial intelligence backed hunting can help reduce the time bad actors are on the network and minimize the risk to the business. Further, by leveraging AI, threat hunting is able to discover and prioritize known and unknown attacks so SOC teams can respond as quickly as possible.

Access to experts on demand

The second added benefit of Microsoft Threat Experts is access to security experts directly from Microsoft 365 Defender. Customers can engage with this team to get insights and better understand the threats affecting the organization. They can assist with alert inquiries to helping trace root cause of suspicious network activity.

If you are interested in learning more about the full capabilities of Microsoft Threat Experts, you can visit the following link or reach out to us at Akins IT!

Why Partner with a Microsoft Cloud Service Provider (CSP)?

Wed, 09 Mar 2022 00:34:48 GMT

There are many benefits and advantages to partnering with a Microsoft CSP (Cloud Service Provider). To better understand the benefits, let’s review what makes a CSP partner.

What is a Microsoft Cloud Service Provider?

To qualify as a CSP, the partner must provide the following:

These are all necessary requirements that a partner must fulfill in order to become a Microsoft Cloud Service Provider. However, it is important to understand that there are two different levels of Cloud Service Providers (CSP), Tier 1 and Tier 2. Your business needs will determine your choice between a Tier 1 or Tier 2 partner.

So what’s the difference?

Simply put a Tier 1 Partner is a Direct partner and a Tier 2 Partner is an Indirect Partner. A Tier 1 Partner is a provider that works directly with Microsoft. This company has invested its time and resources to build expertise in Microsoft solutions and has direct access to Microsoft technical resources. A Tier 1 Partner has to maintain stricter standards to maintain their status. A Tier 2 Partner does not work directly with Microsoft and utilizes third-party distributors. This partner tier has lower technical requirements.

The Benefits

When you chose to work with a Tier 1 CSP, this means you are partnered with a company that has demonstrated it can provide the level of service that Microsoft demands of its partners. A Tier 1 partner has direct access to Microsoft, so any client issues are requests are handled immediately and you are not waiting on a distributor to pass the message along to another party.

By partnering with a CSP you are still gaining access to all Microsoft and Azure services while getting personalized support to help your team’s cloud initiatives succeed.

A Tier 1 CSP can provide the following:

Help you reduce expenses and eliminate overlapping services by architecting a Public, Private or Hybrid Cloud solution, all on a single invoice
Improve efficiency with Public Cloud, Private Cloud and IT services coordinated from a single provider who understands your business’s needs
Increase productivity with solutions customized to your requirements and the rapid deployment and reduced learning curve that comes with Microsoft Azure
Allow you to retain control of what you want to control, and handoff administration aspects that are out of your scope, or that you simply don’t have time for
Offer superior support with proactive management and monitoring to minimize downtime and delays

At Akins IT we have years of expertise working with clients and their Microsoft Cloud solutions. Contact us today to find out if partnering with a CSP is right for your business.

Teams Voice Licensing Simplified

Fri, 18 Feb 2022 23:52:49 GMT

If you are interested in VoIP for Teams but are confused by the licensing requirements- we've broken down the licensing and costs for you.

PROMO FROM MICROSOFT: Unlimited domestic minutes

Phone System ($8/user/month)

Phone System licenses provide the ability for a user to receive and transfer calls. Users can make online, peer-to-peer calls using Teams, but they will need an additional Calling Plan add-on to be able to make outbound calls using Microsoft as the PSTN calling provider.

Calling Plan ($12/user/month Domestic, $24/user/month Domestic + International)

Calling Plan licenses provide users the ability to make outbound calls using Microsoft as the voice provider.

These can be purchased as domestic per user (3,000 minutes/user/month pooled) or domestic AND international per user (3,000 minutes/user/month pooled domestic, 600 minutes/user/month pooled international).

Audio Conferencing ($4/user/month)

Audio Conferencing provides the ability to create a Teams meeting that contains a PSTN dial-in number for users to call into. This can be added to basically all Office 365 subscriptions (including Business Premium or Skype for Business Online Plan 2 Standalone) but is also included within the Enterprise E5 plan

Overview cost

Office 365 Enterprise E3 Plan: $20/user/month (contains the following subscription)
Exchange Online (Plan 2)
Phone System Add-on: $8/user/month
Calling Plan Add-on
Domestic: $12/user/month
Domestic: International @ $24/user/month
Audio Conferencing: $4/user/month (Optional)

Total Cost per user = $52/user/month with the international domestic Calling Plan

NOTE: Audio Conferencing and phone system are included in the Office 365 E5 licensing plans (O365 E5 is $35 per user)

Microsoft Teams Vs. Slack

Thu, 17 Feb 2022 23:52:49 GMT

Is your organization looking to move to a collaboration and communication platform but is overwhelmed with the variety of great products to choose from? Whether you're looking to move away or implement a new platform, we will be comparing and breaking down the benefits of the two most used platforms out there- Teams and Slack.

Microsoft Teams vs Slack – Comparison Findings

Microsoft Teams is the most logical choice for organizations whose employees are already using Microsoft solutions such as Microsoft 365 (formerly Office 365 / O365) or one-off Microsoft services such as Word, PowerPoint, Excel, or SharePoint / OneDrive.
Microsoft users don’t need to pay more for a Teams subscription if they already have a Microsoft 365 SaaS subscription plan or use Microsoft Dynamics ERP.
Slack charges for the SaaS subscription plans that are most comparable to Microsoft Teams.
Teams is a better solution for larger enterprises as it enables more users than Slack.
Slack is a solid solution for smaller businesses needing to incorporate many external guest participants for free or businesses or want more third-party app choices.
Slack is a good choice for businesses that aren’t concerned with directly integrating Microsoft solutions.
Both Microsoft Teams and Slack provide excellent security, particularly in their enterprise versions.

Microsoft Teams Features and Benefits

Microsoft includes Teams in many of its subscription plans at no extra cost, including Microsoft 365 Business Essentials, Business Standard, and enterprise versions known as E1, E3, and E5. Microsoft Dynamics 365 can also be integrated with Teams through either the Basic or Enhanced Collaboration Experience. That means Microsoft Teams is easy to access at no additional cost except the upgrades that you need and want.

The Microsoft Teams collaboration platform natively includes:

Teams
Channels
Video and audio meetings and live events, with screen sharing
Chat messaging, including inline message translation
Calls
Files, including file-sharing and attachments to messages
Notifications
Bots for messaging and productivity
Workflow automation for productivity, project management, and exceptions notification without coding
Integrated Microsoft software and a choice of 600+ available third-party apps,
Help resources

Microsoft Teams – A Deeper Dive

Teams  are the people who work on projects within the organization or as guests from outside the organization.

Channels have message threads for particular projects or functional areas. Chat organizes conversations like a chat with messages that can include file attachments to share with others and the history of conversations related to the channel topic over time.

All team members in the channel can receive the communications for collaboration and editing, given their permission level for a particular file or electronic document. Files are available from seamlessly integrated Microsoft 365 software like Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and OneNote.

Microsoft just announced some major enhancements at Ignite 2020 that give it a major competitive edge for businesses including:

Breakout rooms
Presentation modes with custom layouts
More "together mode" backgrounds
Meeting recaps
Teams Webinar registration links

In the current Microsoft Teams Together Mode gallery view in video meetings joins remote video frames to make it look like attendees are in the same room. Remote and in-house teams, including sales teams, appear as part of a unified company. Students in a distance learning setting seem to be seated in a classroom to interact.

The MS Teams solution organizes work activities and provides tools to accomplish work. Features include streamlining and automating workflows with pre-planned messaging, managing project or work status with periodic inquiries requesting answers, and providing notifications when certain events occur.

Slack Features and Benefits

Slack lists and compares the features included in each pricing plan. This analysis focuses on the Plus plan which is a closer comparison to Microsoft Teams.

Slack offers teams, workspaces, channels, and Slackbot. Slack encourages large organizations to use numerous channels that include team channels, project channels, team sub-channels, and topic channels, with naming conventions.

Screen-sharing is available in all Slack paid plans, including Plus (but not in the free version).

The Slack Connect feature enables unlimited invited guests from external organizations to collaborate securely with employees using Slack.

Conclusion

Is Teams better than Slack? Or is Slack better than Teams?

The overriding questions to ask your IT team in the Teams vs Slack analysis are:

Do your employees currently use Microsoft productivity services and would you like to integrate them into your employees collaboration?
Do you have a large number of users?
Do you want to integrate your communications system or contact center agents?
Does your organization need breakout rooms or Webinar registrations?
Looking for a messaging and VoIP platform that integrates with Microsoft services?

If you’ve answered yes to any of the above then Microsoft Teams is clear winner. If the answer is ‘no’ then both Slack and Teams will likely work for your business.

TopGolf Live with Akins IT at Dodger Stadium

Tue, 01 Feb 2022 22:11:05 GMT

Akins IT and our clients experienced TopGolf Live from the upper decks of Dodger Stadium.

On January 27th, Akins IT treated some clients to an afternoon of fun with TopGolf Live at Dodger Stadium. Points were scored by hitting targets on the playing field which made for some friendly competition. We were able to trace our previous shots and watch instant replays to improve our game. As if golfing from the decks of a baseball stadium isn't enough, we enjoyed good food, drinks, music and bar games. We love being able to show our clients our authentic selves! Interested in attending an Akins IT event? Keep an eye out on our events page!

Case Study - Network Refresh for King Chavez Schools

Sun, 02 Jan 2022 04:11:22 GMT

King Chavez Schools partnered with Akins IT for a comprehensive network refresh, ensuring improved connectivity and productivity. Our expert team ensures a seamless refresh and top-notch networking solutions for educational institutions, providing reliable and secure network infrastructure to meet the unique needs of schools. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help your school stay connected with our networking solutions.

Case Study - Microsoft Exchange Migration for Alvord Unified School District

Sun, 02 Jan 2022 03:32:17 GMT

Case Study Brief about an Exchange Server Migration to

Case Study - PEN Testing for the City of Murrieta

Sat, 01 Jan 2022 22:32:59 GMT

Akins IT provided professional security vulnerability scanning and penetration testing services for the City of Murrieta. Our expert team ensures your system's security and identifies potential vulnerabilities to prevent cyber attacks. Contact us today to learn more.

Case Study - Server Virtualization Implementation for the City of San Jacinto

Sat, 01 Jan 2022 22:21:41 GMT

Akins IT expertly migrated the City of San Jacinto's domain to a VMware environment, providing a seamless transition and improved efficiency. Our team ensures secure and efficient domain migration services. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help your business.

Case Study - VPN SSO Integration with Azure AD MFA for Labeltronix

Sat, 01 Jan 2022 05:36:43 GMT

Labeltronix partnered with Akins IT for seamless VPN SSO integration with Azure AD MFA, ensuring secure remote access for their employees. Our expert team ensures smooth integration and top-notch security features. Contact us today to learn how we can help your business with secure remote access solutions.

Case Study - Security Assessment for Vanguard University

Sat, 01 Jan 2022 05:34:03 GMT

Akins IT conducted a comprehensive security assessment for Vanguard University, identifying potential vulnerabilities and providing recommendations for improved security measures. Our expert team ensures the highest level of security for your organization. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help your business stay secure.

Case Study - 365 Readiness Assessment for North American Client Services (NACS)

Sat, 01 Jan 2022 05:27:47 GMT

Akins IT conducted a thorough 365 readiness assessment for North American Client Services, ensuring seamless migration and improved productivity. Our expert team provides top-notch readiness assessment services for businesses of all sizes. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help your business transition to Microsoft 365.

Case Study - Cloud Readiness Assessment for JMAC

Sat, 01 Jan 2022 05:15:06 GMT

Akins IT conducted a comprehensive cloud readiness assessment for JMAC, identifying opportunities for cloud migration and improving overall productivity. Our expert team ensures a seamless transition to the cloud and provides top-notch cloud readiness assessment services for businesses of all sizes. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help your business transition to the cloud.

Case Study - VMware Cloud Integration for Newport-Mesa Unified School District

Sat, 01 Jan 2022 05:11:24 GMT

Newport-Mesa Unified School District partnered with Akins IT for seamless VMware cloud integration, providing improved efficiency and secure cloud operations. Our expert team ensures a smooth transition and top-notch cloud integration services for educational institutions. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help your school district transition to the cloud.

Case Study - Microsoft Security Implementation for Dunn Edwards

Sat, 01 Jan 2022 05:07:33 GMT

Dunn Edwards partnered with Akins IT for a comprehensive Microsoft security implementation, ensuring secure operations and improved productivity. Our expert team ensures a smooth implementation and top-notch security solutions for businesses of all sizes. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help your business stay secure with Microsoft security solutions.

End Point Protection Installation for LTX

Sat, 01 Jan 2022 05:03:45 GMT

Akins IT provided professional end-point protection installation services for LTX, ensuring improved security and protection against cyber threats. Our expert team ensures a seamless installation and top-notch security solutions for businesses of all sizes. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help your business stay protected against cyber threats.

Case Study - Office 365 Migration for Tilden Coil

Sat, 01 Jan 2022 04:59:28 GMT

Tilden Coil partnered with Akins IT for a seamless Microsoft 365 migration, ensuring improved efficiency and productivity. Our expert team ensures a smooth transition and top-notch migration services for businesses of all sizes. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help your business transition to Microsoft 365.

Case Study - $65,000+ savings replacing Airwatch and SCCM with Microsoft Intune for Alvord USD

Sat, 01 Jan 2022 04:55:36 GMT

Alvord Unified School District partnered with Akins IT for a comprehensive Microsoft Intune implementation, ensuring secure operations and improved productivity. Our expert team ensures a seamless implementation and top-notch security solutions for educational institutions. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help your school district stay secure with Microsoft Intune solutions.

Case Study - Firewall and Web Content Filtering Upgrade for New Roads School

Sat, 01 Jan 2022 04:45:48 GMT

New Roads School partnered with Akins IT for a comprehensive firewall and web content filtering upgrade, ensuring improved security and protection against cyber threats. Our expert team ensures a seamless upgrade and top-notch security solutions for educational institutions. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help your school stay protected against cyber threats.

Case Study - Firewall/ Analytics & Management for Tax Credit Co

Sat, 01 Jan 2022 04:36:59 GMT

Tax Credit partnered with Akins IT for a comprehensive firewall and web content filtering upgrade, ensuring improved security and protection against cyber threats. Our expert team ensures a seamless upgrade and top-notch security solutions for educational institutions. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help your school stay protected against cyber threats.

Case Study - Wireless/Network Refresh for K12 Education Organization

Sat, 01 Jan 2022 04:32:35 GMT

Dunn Edwards partnered with Akins IT for a comprehensive wireless/network refresh, ensuring improved connectivity and productivity. Our expert team ensures a seamless refresh and top-notch networking solutions for businesses of all sizes. Contact us today to learn how we can help your business stay connected with our networking solutions.

Case Study - PEN Testing for BirchStreet Systems

Sat, 01 Jan 2022 04:18:40 GMT

BirchStreet Systems partnered with Akins IT for professional penetration testing, identifying potential vulnerabilities, and ensuring robust security measures. Our expert team ensures a thorough and top-notch testing process for businesses of all sizes. Contact us today to learn how we can help your business stay secure with our penetration testing services.

Case Study - Firewall Upgrades for Votec

Sat, 01 Jan 2022 04:11:49 GMT

Votec partnered with Akins IT for a comprehensive firewall upgrade, ensuring improved security and protection against cyber threats. Our expert team ensures a seamless upgrade and top-notch security solutions for businesses of all sizes. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help your business stay protected against cyber threats with our firewall upgrades.

Case Study - Virtual Desktop/FS Logix for Sprout Mortgage

Sat, 01 Jan 2022 03:58:26 GMT

Delve into benefits of FSLogix for your IT environment. Learn how this solution enhances performance, simplifies management, and optimizes resources.

Case Study - Domain/Storage for Alvord Unified School District

Sat, 01 Jan 2022 03:54:09 GMT

Alvord Unified School District partnered with Akins IT for a comprehensive domain and storage solution, ensuring improved data management and security. Our expert team ensures a seamless implementation of domain and storage solutions for educational institutions, providing top-notch storage and data management solutions to meet the unique needs of school districts. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help your school district manage data effectively and stay secure with our domain/storage solutions.

Case Study - Azure Migration/Azure File Storage for LSA

Sat, 01 Jan 2022 03:48:47 GMT

LSA partnered with Akins IT for a comprehensive Azure migration with Azure File Storage, ensuring improved efficiency and productivity. Our expert team ensures a seamless migration to Azure cloud solutions with top-notch Azure File Storage technology, providing businesses of all sizes with a robust and secure computing environment. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help your business migrate to Azure and stay productive with our Azure migration and file storage solutions.

Case Study - Hyperconverged and DR for Bella + Canvas

Sat, 01 Jan 2022 03:25:48 GMT

Bella + Canvas partnered with Akins IT for a comprehensive hyperconverged infrastructure and disaster recovery solution, ensuring improved efficiency and protection against data loss. Our expert team ensures a seamless hyperconverged infrastructure and disaster recovery implementation, providing businesses of all sizes with top-notch technology to meet the unique needs of their operations. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help your business stay protected against data loss and stay productive with our hyperconverged infrastructure and disaster recovery solutions.

Case Study - Wireless Refresh for Palmdale Water District

Fri, 31 Dec 2021 22:46:01 GMT

Akins IT was able to deploy additional access points throughout the campus while refreshing their older generation wireless solution using Aerohive for Palmdale Water District.

Case Study - Wireless Refresh for San Jose Water Company

Fri, 31 Dec 2021 22:41:28 GMT

Upgrade and expand wireless capabilities at San Jose Water Company with refreshed access points, resulting in enhanced connectivity and faster wireless coverage.

Case Study - Virtualization and Domain Migration for Brandman/UMass

Mon, 01 Nov 2021 22:00:54 GMT

Brandman University was being acquired by Umass per Board of Education's requirements, they were no longer allowed to use the Brandman domain (brandman.edu) and needed to migrate over to Umass' domain (umassglobal.edu).

Case Study - Device Management Upgrade for the University of Southern California

Mon, 01 Nov 2021 21:52:40 GMT

The client needed a solution to have single-point management of all remote and on-prem devices.

Disaster Recovery: Public Cloud vs. Private Cloud

Sun, 20 Jun 2021 22:53:26 GMT

As stated in the previous parts of this blog series , malicious actors on the internet are currently taking advantage of the financial and wellness insecurity that came with COVID-19. We are seeing more ransomware, malware, and data exfiltration attacks during COVID than ever before and unprotected victims of ransomware have 2 options.

Option 1: Pay the ransom and hope the malicious actor unlocks your resources.
or Option 2: Throw all affected equipment away, and rebuild your environment from the ground up.

With downtime costing $500,000 per hour on average, disaster recovery is a no-brainer investment for protecting your workloads and data from Ransomware or other service interruptions.

HOW CAN DISASTER RECOVERY HELP YOU?

Disaster or site recovery can be used to keep your workloads running after a disaster event causes your infrastructure to be unavailable. DR boasts significantly faster RPOs and RTOs than backup restorations. RPOs are recovery point objectives, your most recent restore point, and RTOs are recovery time objectives, which is the amount of time needed to be up and running after service disruption. Most disaster recovery technologies work by maintaining an offline replica of your protected workloads at a separate site.

With private cloud disaster recovery, that replica, or fail-over site, is a data center separate from your main site. Private cloud disaster recovery has a higher CapEx, but much lower OpEx, than public cloud disaster recovery, as you will have to purchase the equipment capable of running your protected workloads. Private cloud disaster recovery is also vulnerable to equipment failure, power loss, natural disaster, and any other threats that come with maintaining your own data centers.

Public cloud disaster recovery maintains the fail-over sites in a cloud provider's workload, such as Azure , AWS , or iLand. Public cloud disaster recovery only has the cost of licensing in CapEx, but the OpEx can get costly depending on the size and utilization of your protected resources. However, public cloud disaster recovery can be configured to be geo-redundant, meaning your workloads can keep running even if your entire data center goes down for good. Since it's running off your network, public cloud disaster recovery is the best defense against ransomware. The most secure and available business continuity plans typically configure disaster recovery for multi-site, where their workloads are replicated to multiple private and public cloud fail-over sites.

CONTACT AKINS IT

If you'd like to begin building a business continuity plan, or review one that hasn't been updated recently, reach out to Akins IT to learn more about our Managed Disaster Recovery as a Service solution bundles.

That Remote Life: An IT Manager’s Perspective / Chapter 1 Part 2

Sun, 20 Jun 2021 21:59:24 GMT

CHAPTER 1/PART 2: ROUTINE

I caught my Mom in the middle of making dinner for my Dad. The 8 hour difference is a pain sometimes, but it is something we must live with, being so far apart. I didn’t have much time, so I got straight to the point.

I talked to her about the issues I was having and asked her about how she dealt with staying and working at home all those years. She laughed, as I hear her clanging things around the kitchen. I asked her why she was laughing and she laughed some more. I waited for her to stop and told her I was being serious. She sighed and said; “Wayne, you will do anything to get out of cleaning your room.”

Now, my Mom is getting on in years and I know I’m the youngest (the baby), which means that my parents are incapable of seeing me as anything other as a child, but her answer worried me. I said, “Mom, I’m being serious”. She said; “So am I”.

So I didn’t say anything, chatted to her a little bit and ended the call. A little mad and worried about her state of mind, I started work and went about my day. I was thinking about her and the fact she was getting old and that she probably thought I was being unorganized or that I was shirking my chores like I did all those years ago.

The next day, after my shower, I was thinking about the conversation and I scanned my room like I did when I was 10. Looking to see if there was something out of place that she would catch me on and make me stay in the room for another hour. I was thinking back to how horrible it was then and how bored I was and that I always ended up crawling onto the bed and napping.

To be honest, I had spent so much time in my room that I started to feel those old feelings and wanted to just crawl onto the bed nap. Then it hit me, I realized what she meant.

Celebrating Akins IT and our Employee of the Quarter- Michelle!

Tue, 15 Jun 2021 15:51:43 GMT

Last Thursday, Akins IT finally got the band back together to celebrate two huge events- our 10 Year Anniversary and our Employee of the Quarter- Michelle!

June 7, 2021 marked the 10th year that Akins IT has been in business. We would like to say thank you to all of our clients for their loyalty and support throughout the years!

Michelle exhibited two main core values this past quarter- GROW and RIGHT. Michelle recognized issues with our human resource and finance vendors, so she found a vendor who consolidated all our needs into one platform. By making this change, she helped Akins IT build a better company by providing better resources for the employees.

Our celebration started with tacos and drinks, followed by games and dessert. We split the group into two teams, Red vs. Blue, where they competed in a series of brain teasers and physical challenges. Some of the challenges included Akins IT Trivia, Decipher the Riddle, Toss like a Boss, and Crack the Code! It came down to the last challenge where Team Blue cracked the locker code in a matter of seconds and ended up victorious!

Check out photos of the challenges below! We had so much fun!

Citrix Versus Windows Virtual Desktop

Mon, 10 May 2021 21:27:00 GMT

We’ve been talking a lot about Windows Virtual Desktop recently and showcasing its many of the benefits. However, it is important to know that there are other hosted desktop and infrastructure options out there! Today, we’ve decided to look at Citrix vs  Windows Virtual Desktop (WVD) to help you decide which is the right one for you.

COST COMPARISON

The cost of Citrix vs Windows Virtual Desktop generally favors Windows Virtual Desktop. Citrix requires multiple servers to be built for management and orchestration, Windows Servers for session hosts, and additional Windows RDS cals. On top of adding in the consultant fees and time to set it up all, you will need Office Pro Plus, hardware and possibly ongoing specialist support services for a Citrix environment. For a 50-user organization, that’s about $120k-$170k upfront. This does not include the recurring costs of licensing or the time required by IT staff to support the environment.

For the same sized business of 50 users, using Windows Virtual Desktop, the organization will require an Azure subscription (WVD is only available in Azure) and Microsoft 365 licensing. Since Azure offers WVD through its Platform as a Service offerings (PaaS), there is generally much less consultancy and setup time needed. An estimate for this scenario is about $30K to get started (that is quite the cost savings) and the monthly cost per user ranges between $7-$10 dollars a month per user.

For a cost breakdown, you can use the Azure cost calculator .

ADMINISTRATION EXPERIENCE

Citrix administration comes with a much steeper learning curve than WVD. Citrix offers quite a few advanced features and controls that are beneficial, but also take experience to understand, deploy and manage. With Microsoft Windows Virtual desktop, IT administrators can centrally administer the infrastructure from the cloud through the Azure blade. Azure handles orchestration of traditional features like RD Gateway and Collection Broker servers, which makes administering WVD much easier than Citrix. Since WVD is all cloud hosted, there is no need to visit a data center or server room. This means easy, centralized management and ease of use for IT departments. It is important to note that for those organizations that prefer the more robust feature set of Citrix, WVD can have Citrix layered on top in Azure.

USER DESKTOP EXPERIENCE

What the user sees with Citrix vs Windows Virtual Desktop is quite different. With Citrix on premise the user is presented with a Windows Server OS, which will look very different from a user’s desktop operating system. With Windows Virtual Desktop, users see the same Windows 10 desktop. This is great from a usability perspective because WVD provides a familiar workspace for users. Since WVD is a desktop operating system, it can run all the same applications that users normally run. This is not always the case for Citrix environments that use Windows Servers, because there are applications that are not always capable of running or being installed on a server OS. To overcome this, it is possible to present a Windows 10 desktop with Citrix in Azure, but there are extra costs for this type of deployment.

FINAL THOUGHTS

In conclusion, there are a lot of benefits to Windows Virtual Desktop. The cost is a lot lower and implementation a lot easier and simpler. However, since you can use Citrix Cloud on top of Microsoft Windows Virtual Desktop, you do not have to completely rule out Citrix if you want to run a virtual Windows 10 environment. When it comes to Citrix vs Windows Virtual Desktop, WVD does offer some compelling advantages. However, if you already have Citrix and are looking to shift to Windows 10 Virtual Desktops, layering or combining the two solutions is definitely an option.

If you’d like some more information on Windows Virtual Desktop, you can take a deeper dive by visiting the following links:

That Remote Life: An IT Manager’s Perspective / Chapter 1 Part 3

Mon, 05 Apr 2021 20:15:00 GMT

Chapter 1/PART 3: Routine

The backbone of every professional life is routine. It’s how we grow, it’s the lattice in which we weave in the planned and random events of our days, months and years. But routine is also, in many ways, the reason why we are not so agile with our lives.

The comfort that routine provides us is often subconscious and goes unnoticed, but to truly see it’s effect on your life, remove it, and watch how affected you are.

A mother’s wisdom is sometimes never clear, almost cryptic in ways and can seem rudimentary at first, but it’s designed to lay a seed of thought in which you use to come to your own understanding. It is an age-old way of giving advice and understanding without the complication of explaining, because in life some knowledge has to be arrived at and can’t be just given, and often the most valuable knowledge is the former.

Unlike my poor brother, I was lucky enough to never have to study in my room as a child, I was quite able to fail my tests without the effort (jk).

So the only reason why I was in my room when I was young was to simply sleep. I have trained my body and mind my whole life to feel sleepy or want to sleep if in my room long enough. The routine of going to bed had programmed me to feel sleepy.

In my adult life I have trained my mind and body to feel and act in certain ways in certain incidents based off the location I was or the activity I’m doing. The loss of the state of mind that commuting to work and then working through the day was the reason I could not function correctly when I was sitting at home, in front of the computer, where I normally end my days. The effect was startling and without being overly dramatic, it was shining a light on not only the issue I was having but the effect of routine on the rest of my life.

For my mother, it was a funny question to her because it didn’t matter what her location was, or where she worked, or how she dressed or the state of mind she was in, because she was our mother, it was “who” she was. And this is who I am. Thanks MA!

What in my life has the comfort of routine stopped me from doing? What will happen if other routines are taken away from us? Can I live without routine? Even worse, as I was going through this almost cathartic “episode”, I started in a new position as an expected leader. Here I saw the same and in some cases, worse effects in my company, my team, my extended family.

What is Windows Virtual Desktop? (Part 3)

Wed, 24 Mar 2021 17:00:00 GMT

In Part 1 of our Blog series on Microsoft WVD , we covered the basics of what is WVD and its use cases.
In Part 2 , we took a look at how WVD is priced and licensed.

In Part 3, we will go over the end user experience and management features of Microsoft's WVD solution.

ACCESSING THE WVD SESSION

Microsoft provides two means for users to access their desktop session: an HTML5 browser client and a Remote Desktop App. The Remote Desktop App offers support for all major operating systems including Windows, Mac, Android, and iOS. By singing into a web URL, the HTML5 browser client offers a flexible and convenient solution for users to access their WVD session even if a machine may not have the RDP client installed. Both options provide users with the ability to connect and work from any device!

PERFORMANCE

Running within Azure’s highspeed infrastructure, users working within the WVD session should not face any distracting levels of latency or noticeable delay in performance. As is common for any Remote Desktop solution, the size or compute power of the session host/s can greatly impact the user experience. Thankfully, Microsoft makes if very easy to manage our host pool and we can scale up to add more compute power or scale down if we have excess and wasted compute resources with a few button clicks.

Additionally, a user’s distance from the WVD environment can impact latency and performance. For example, if a user is in the UK and connecting to a US West based VM, their latency may be much slower than if they were connecting directly to a UK based VM.

To calculate these variables, Microsoft provides an assessment tool so you can better plan out your deployment. Microsoft WVD Simulator

FOR THE ADMINS

The most noticeable aspect of WVD is the time savings it provides. With minimal resources and without compromising security, it is possible to spin up a fully functioning WVD environment within a matter of hours. While a true working environment will always require significant planning, configuration and testing, Microsoft has made it meaningly easier to build out a remote workspace compared to traditional RDS environments.

When signed into your Azure tenant, getting started is as simple as creating a host pool from the Windows Virtual Desktop blade.

From the Windows Virtual Desktop blade, IT Admins can easily scale and configure host pools and assign users to their respective workspaces.

Microsoft has greatly minimized the learning curve by providing an easy to manage solution that gives users a rich and impressive Windows 10 Virtual Desktop experience.

For more documentation and product overviews, additional resources can be found here .

Who's Accessing Your Network?

Fri, 05 Mar 2021 21:10:00 GMT

In a mobile-first, cloud-first world, your users access your organization's resources from anywhere using a variety of devices and apps. As a result, focusing on who can access a resource is no longer enough. You also need to consider where the user is, the device being used, the resource being accessed, and more. Azure Active Directory (Azure AD) Conditional Access analyses signals such as user, device, and location to automate decisions and enforce organizational access policies for resource. You can use Conditional Access policies to apply access controls like Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA). Conditional Access policies allow you to prompt users for MFA when needed for security, and stay out of users’ way when not needed.

In a recent project to improve user identity security, one of our Azure Security Experts utilized Conditional Access to create policies.

BLOCK LEGACY AUTHENTICATION POLICY:

One of these policies was to block legacy authentication. Legacy authentication does not support MFA. This is because legacy authentication protocols like POP, SMTP, IMAP, and MAPI can't enforce MFA, making them preferred entry points for adversaries attacking your organization. The numbers on legacy authentication from an analysis of Azure Active Directory ( Azure AD ) traffic are stark:

More than 99 percent of password spray attacks use legacy authentication protocols
More than 97 percent of credential stuffing attacks use legacy authentication
Azure AD accounts in organizations that have disabled legacy authentication experience 67 percent fewer compromises than those where legacy authentication is enabled

BLOCK ACCESS BY COUNTRIES

With the location condition in Conditional Access, you can control access to your cloud apps based on the network location of a user. The location condition is commonly used to block access from countries/regions where your organization knows traffic should not come from.

REDUCE MFA FOR KNOWN LOCATIONS

One of the biggest complaints about MFA is the additional step required by the user to access resources. Utilizing conditional access policies, you can avoid MFA for known locations like inside your locations or while connected via your wireless network.

REQUIRE MFA FOR ADMINISTRATORS

Administrator accounts are highly targeted by attackers. Once compromised, these accounts provide the “keys to the kingdom” for these attackers. Best practice is to require MFA for all administrator accounts to reduce the risk of these accounts being compromised.

Microsoft’s Conditional Access is a powerful solution to secure user identities and much more. Conditional access can be integrated with Single Sign On (SSO) to 3rd party applications to ensure that only valid users are allowed access to data and applications. Conditional Access is included in Microsoft Azure Active Directory (AAD) Premium P1. AAD P1 is included in Microsoft 365 F1/F3/E3/E5, Microsoft 365 Business Premium (300 users or less), EMS E3/E5 or as a stand alone license. Reach out to a Microsoft CSP licensing expert at Akins IT for assistance with any licensing questions. Additional features like Privileged Identity management and Risk-Based Conditional Access are included in Microsoft Azure Active Directory Premium P2.

That Remote Life: An IT Manager’s Perspective / Chapter 1

Fri, 26 Feb 2021 21:00:00 GMT

Historically, working from home used to be a pipe dream that people, who were putting 60-80 hours in the office with driving to and from, would always talk about. I do not think that most people would have ever thought that this “Pipe Dream” would not only become a reality, but to have it forced upon us because of a global pandemic.

Without delving into the global impact that this pandemic caused in our Industry, from clients to IT providers, I thought I would talk about the challenges and successes that I have experienced as a parent, an employee and a leader in IT.

CHAPTER 1: ROUTINE

Often taken for granted, this past year has really hit home the basic human need for routine. I guess it did not occur to me the difference between getting up and getting ready to be out in public was so different from getting up and getting ready for your home. I come from a very traditional Irish family where my Mother’s day was built around us children and our home and I never stopped to think about her routine and how she managed herself in that environment.

I found myself getting ready for my day out in public and the office, but to then only sit down at the Computer I normally sit at when I get home at the end of my day. I experience a very pronounced feeling of something missing. Almost like you got ready for a night out and your mind is set, for then to be told it’s cancelled. A profound feeling to be sure and a confusing one which let me know I didn’t have the experience to know how to handle it.

Here I am, getting to spend m ore time in my home and with my Family which I always dreamed of and realizing I was woefully not prepared for it. So the first person I thought of was my Mother, so I called her.

TO BE CONTINUED...

What is Windows Virtual Desktop? (Part 2)

Tue, 16 Feb 2021 18:45:00 GMT

In Part 1 of our Blog series on Microsoft WVD , we covered the basics of what is WVD and its use cases.
In Part 2, we will take a look at how WVD is priced and licensed.

HOW MUCH DOES WINDOWS VIRTUAL DESKTOP COST?

When it comes to determining the cost of WVD, there are two main components: Licensing and Azure infrastructure.

LICENSING

Most Microsoft customers are already eligible for WVD. Microsoft License costs for Windows Virtual Desktop is an entitlement of a Windows 10 subscription license. You can access Windows 10 Enterprise desktops and apps at no additional cost if you have an eligible Windows or Microsoft 365 license. The necessary license types include: Microsoft 365 Business/E3/E5/A3/A5 or as a standalone subscription (e.g. Windows 10 Enterprise E3). As a reminder, if you already own one of these licenses there is no additional cost to use WVD from a licensing standpoint.

If you don’t already have a Windows 10 subscription license, then the least expensive option that covers WVD is Windows 10 Enterprise E3 for $7/user/month. WVD license covers the cost of the operating system (Windows 10 single user and multi-session) and the use of the WVD management service that’s hosted by Microsoft in Azure.
Lastly, the above license types remove the need to worry about purchasing Windows OS licenses and RDS licenses such as RD Cals.

INFRASTRUCTURE

Now that the licensing portion of WVD is covered, what remains, is the cost of the Azure infrastructure that will host our virtual desktops. The infrastructure items that will be considered in our costs are compute, storage, and networking. Compute costs are made up of the Virtual machine size based on CPU and Memory specifications. Data costs are comprised of the storage for users’ profile containers. Lastly, networking costs are made up of the bandwidth utilized by our Azure tenant (egress traffic).
The exact cost will depend on the number of users, amount of storage per user, how many and what types of applications the users use, and many other factors. Luckily, there are many tools available that can help provide cost and savings estimates. Generally, the Azure infrastructure cost component for pooled desktop users (those sharing a VM or set of VMs) would be in the $7-$20/user/month.

FREE AZURE COST ESTIMATOR: HTTPS://AZURE.MICROSOFT.COM/EN-US/PRICING/CALCULATOR/

EXAMPLE PRICING SCENARIO:

In this example we will use the following criteria: 500 users with the need to access standard Microsoft office applications. We will use pooled instances which will allow multiple users per VM running on the D4sv3 SKU (4vCPUs and 16 GB RAM). We will use the “3 year reserved instance” pricing to achieve yearly savings of over 60% on our VM costs.

Based on this criteria, we can estimate an average monthly cost of $3825.22 or $8.77 a month per user when using WVD.

ADDITIONAL COST CONSIDERATIONS

When deciding on making the switch to WVD versus a traditional workforce solution, there are other cost comparisons that need to be weighed out. A cloud hosted solution helps lower your TOC (total cost of ownership) because you no longer need to purchase or maintain as much physical infrastructure. Knowing your monthly IT spend helps companies control and plan budgets more effectively. With traditional workforce setups, IT admins and business owners need to plan for annual hardware upgrades. For example, in the scenario we mentioned above, the company would have to budget to upgrade 500 employee laptops/computers over the course of the devices’ lifetime. This upgrade cycle may look something like replacing 100 computers a year. The cost to replace the computers does not include the cost of helpdesk, device maintenance, downtime, or any additional IT labor needed to support the users’ PCs. With WVD, the cost of ownership is much more consistent and reliable. Much of the hardware and maintenance work is removed from the customer responsibility and is handled by Microsoft.

FOR A FULL ARTICLE ON HOW TO CALCULATE THE COST OF WVD, CLICK HERE:

https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/pricing/details/virtual-desktop/

CHECK OUT FOR PART 3 OF OUR SERIES AS WE TAKE A LOOK AT THE MANAGEMENT AND USABILITY FEATURES OF MICROSOFT WVD .

What is Windows Virtual Desktop? (Part 1)

Mon, 01 Feb 2021 21:15:00 GMT

With “work from home” and hybrid office environments becoming the new norm, maintaining a secure remote workforce has become an ever-increasing challenge. Thankfully, Microsoft Windows Virtual Desktop (WVD) is available and provides the perfect solution for your remote workforce. In this series we will discuss the most frequently asked questions we receive, such as: What is WVD? Who can benefit from WVD? How much does it cost? How is it licensed? How do you access WVD and what are the requirements?

Read on for these answers and to find out why Microsoft WVD is right for your business.

The Basics:

WHAT IS WINDOWS VIRTUAL DESKTOP?

Windows Virtual Desktop or WVD is a set of technologies from Microsoft Azure that allows IT professionals to create Windows 10 virtual desktops in Azure . WVD was launched in 2019 and is the evolution of Microsoft’s Remote Desktop Services (RDS) technology. There are four unique aspects that make up Windows Virtual Desktop:

Windows 10 multi-user operating system, which allows multiple concurrent users to use a single Azure virtual machine as a desktop. Prior to WVD, this was only possible with the Windows Server operating system.
User profiles are handled independently of the virtual machine that serves as the user’s desktop. These profiles are placed in containers and the containers are stored separately from the desktop VM in Azure. This is enabled by FSLogix technology .
Microsoft Azure’s new Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) offering, simplifies the management and connection broker functionality for WVD. This service determines which virtual machine users connect to when they sign on to the WVD environment. Previously, this function was handled by RDS server roles including the RD Gateway, RD WebAccess, RD Connection Broker, and RD License Server.
Licensing for WVD is much easier to plan for compared to its predecessors like RDS. WVD rights are included at no additional charge with multiple Windows 10 subscriptions including Microsoft 365 and Windows 10 Enterprise.

ONE SOLUTION, MANY USE CASES!

Windows Virtual Desktop is a versatile solution that has many use cases and benefits.

WVD is a great solution for enabling your elastic workforce. In recent times a lot of businesses moved to WVD to provide their employees with a familiar user experience. With virtual Windows 10 desktop, access to business applications is the same as if these employees were working on a normal office computer.

WVD also aids companies in meeting security and compliance regulations. WVD can utilize the security features of Microsoft Azure, helping financial services, healthcare and government organizations adhere to security and industry regulations from PCI compliance, HIPPA, NIST, ISO, and GDPR just to name a few.

WVD is a flexible IT solution that allows IT departments to accommodate the specialized roles and departments within the organization that may require more or less compute resources to perform their duties. Thanks to a wide range of Virtual Machines available in Azure, Windows Virtual Desktop can meet the performance needs of high-demand teams such as design, engineering, software development etc. or scale down for teams that perform more consistent daily workloads like Mobile workers or front line employees, Call Center staff, or Branch/Kiosk workers.

This is all easily managed from a single management plane and provides a fast and scalable IT solution.

Windows Virtual Desktop is built into the Azure platform which makes it extremely fast to deploy. When deploying WVD, Microsoft deploys and manages pre-built infrastructure components in the background. This means IT admins only have to work with partners to configure their desktops and applications, greatly reducing the provisioning effort. Microsoft Azure has the largest global footprint of any public cloud provider making is ultra resilient and highly scalable. New desktops can be provisioned in minutes and automatically turned on and off when needed. This means you only pay for what you use as in Microsoft Azure, Virtual Machines are billed by the minute. Customers can choose the right machine profile to match employee performance requirements; low spec for task workers and high spec for knowledge workers. GPUs can even be used for graphic intensive tasks such and CAD and 3D design.

CHECK OUT PART 2 AS WE GO INTO COST AND LICENSING DETAILS FOR MICROSOFT WVD.

5 Reasons Why You'll Want to Consider SD-WAN

Tue, 17 Nov 2020 23:12:00 GMT

1. IMPROVES PERFORMANCE.

Not all network traffic is created equal. Luckily, SD-WAN can be configured to prioritize business-critical traffic and real-time services like Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) and then effectively steer it over the most efficient route. By facilitating critical applications through reliable, high performance connections, IT teams can help reduce packet loss and latency issues, thus improving employee productivity, and boosting staff spirits. This is performance with business impact. Performance MPLS was the top dog in enterprise WAN before cloud-computing and mobile smart devices exploded in popularity. Once cloud and mobile became mainstream, a fundamental flaw in MPLS was exposed. Simply put: MPLS is very good at reliably routing traffic between two static locations but is not good at meeting the demands of cloud and mobile. With MPLS, enterprises have to deal with the “ trombone effect ”. Essentially, an MPLS-based WAN must inefficiently backhaul Internet-bound traffic to a corporate datacenter. The same Internet-bound traffic is then routed back through the corporate data center. This places a drag on network performance and can really hurt modern services like UCaaS and videoconferencing. As SD-WAN enables policy-based routing (PbR) and allows enterprises to leverage the best transport method (e.g. xDSL, cable, 5G, etc.) for the job, this means no more trombone effect and improved performance for mobile users and cloud services. In addition to solving the trombone routing problem, SD-WAN is a game changer when it comes to last-mile performance. The same ability to leverage different transport methods enables a more advanced approach to link-bonding that can significantly improve last-mile resilience and availability.

2. BOOSTS SECURITY.

Digital transformation is a double-edged sword. While it can improve customer satisfaction and extend market reach, it can also expose an organization to significant security risks. That’s a concern, given that 41% of respondents reported an increase in the frequency of cybersecurity events in 2017 , according to the U.S. State of Cybercrime survey. The good news is many SD-WAN solutions offer built-in security. However, the basic firewall and VPN functions provided by most SD-WAN solutions are often not enough, forcing IT teams to try and overlay security across elastic and dynamic SD-WAN connections after the fact. A better option is to look for SD-WAN solutions that provide a wide range of integrated security features, such as NGFW, IPS, encryption, AV, and sandboxing capabilities that can help prevent data loss, downtime, regulatory violations, and legal liabilities.

3. LOWERS COMPLEXITY.

Digital transformation initiatives can add layers of complexity to a network. The result is not only a risk of poor network performance, but over-taxed IT teams and the need for locating onsite personnel at remote sites to manage the local IT infrastructure. Fortunately, SD-WAN can ease the IT burden by simplifying WAN infrastructure, using broadband to off-load non-critical business apps, automating monitoring tasks, and managing traffic through a centralized controller. Consider looking for an SD-WAN solution that can also integrated into the local branch infrastructure to drive security and management deep into the local LAN. As we have mentioned, the long provisioning times with MPLS can create significant bottlenecks, but MPLS management issues go well beyond that. The larger an enterprise scales, the more complex WAN management becomes. Multiple appliances used for security and WAN optimization become a maintenance and management burden as an enterprise grows. Further, gaining granular visibility into the network can be a challenge, which leads to monitoring and mean time to recover issues. Cloud-based SD-WAN adds value here by providing an integrated and centralized view of the network that can be easily managed at scale.

4. ENABLES CLOUD USAGE.

Organizations are increasingly adopting cloud services. The good news is that SD-WAN enables direct cloud access at the remote branch, therefore eliminating backhauling traffic. Routing all cloud and branch office traffic through the data center, this means that workers can directly access cloud applications regardless of location without burdening the core network with additional traffic to manage and secure. SD-WAN improves cloud application performance by prioritizing business critical applications and enabling branches to directly communicate to the Internet. We’ve already mentioned a few ways cloud-based SD-WAN helps magnify SD-WAN benefits, but it is also important to note that cloud-based SD-WAN overcomes one of the major SD-WAN objections MPLS advocates have put forth. In the past, it could have been argued that the lack of SLAs meant SD-WAN solutions were not ready for real time at the enterprise-level. However, with cloud-based SD-WAN, enterprises get all the benefits of SD-WAN, an integrated security stack, and an SLA-backed private backbone supported by Tier-1 ISPs across the globe.

5. REDUCES COSTS.

As organizations deploy an ever-increasing array of cloud-based applications, the amount of data travelling over a WAN increases exponentially, increasing operating costs. Fortunately, SD-WAN can reduce this price tag by leveraging low cost local Internet access, providing direct cloud access, and reducing the amount of traffic over the backbone WAN. According to an IDC survey, nearly a quarter of survey respondents expect SD-WAN cost savings of upwards of 39%, with two-thirds expecting more modest savings in the 5-19% range. Bottom line - MPLS bandwidth is expensive. On a “dollar per bit” basis, MPLS is significantly higher than public Internet bandwidth. Exactly how much more expensive will depend on several variables, not the least of which is location. However, the costs of MPLS are not just a result of significantly higher bandwidth charges. Provisioning an MPLS link often takes weeks or months, while a comparable SD-WAN deployment can often be completed in days. In business, time is money, and removing the WAN as a bottleneck can be a huge competitive advantage. Just how big of a cost difference is there between MPLS and SD-WAN? The specifics of your network will be the real driver here.

While there is no one-size-fits-all answer to every WAN challenge, most modern enterprises can benefit from SD-WAN. We can expect to see MPLS hold a niche in the market for years to come, but SD-WAN is better suited for most modern use-cases. Cloud-based SD-WAN gives businesses a reliable, secure, and modern MPLS alternative that offers the agility of SD-WAN without sacrificing reliability or the peace of mind SLAs provide.

To learn more about what SD-WAN can do for your business, reach out to your experts at Akins IT for a free consultation on how you can benefit from SD-WAN.

Chris Maher: Employee of the Quarter!

Fri, 30 Oct 2020 20:08:00 GMT

Working from home did not slow this man down. Our 2020 Quarter 3- Employee of the Quarter goes to our Client Upgrade Advisor, Chris Maher! Here's how he strongly represented Akins core values this quarter:

AUTHENTIC

Chris is a great, fun guy to work with and his family is always his top priority.

RIGHT

Chris always does what's right for our Clients, Akins IT, and fellow employees. He is a big mentor on our team, proactively lending a helping hand to everyone he works with. Anyone at Akins knows that when reaching out to Chris, he will be more than happy to make time to help you reach the best possible answer. We couldn't ask for a better teammate!

GRIT

When there's a will there's a way, Chris figures out a way to get it done for his Clients. He crushed his sales goals last quarter and carried the team on his back.

GROW

Chris' technical knowledge and understanding on Microsoft solutions has grown tremendously. He has educated himself on multiple solutions (that you'd expect an engineer to know!) making himself that much more valuable to our Clients and company.

To show our appreciation for his hard work, he has received a $500 Visa gift card and Employee of the Quarter celebration. Congratulations Chris! Continuing reading below to find out how Chris had to adjust to working remote in order to crush his goals!

It took me a while to embrace working from home. For the first couple of months of quarantine, I still went in to the office every day and worked there solo. I think it's old fashioned wiring to just show up at the office every day. I also had a full house going on with a family of six which made decent internet bandwidth hard to come by.

Eventually the isolation got to me and I tried WFH. The first couple of weeks were tough - my teenage kids loved to do tiktok dances behind my monitor when I was on TEAMS calls. I would go on mute, cover my mouth like an MLB pitcher and yell for everyone to be quiet! Fortunately, the novelty of me being home quickly wore off with the fam and I was able to settle in and enjoy the new routine.

The biggest advantage of this new arrangement is squeezing more time out of the day. The biggest disadvantage is I'm in the fridge all day since my favorite spot to post up is in the kitchen. My dog, Yogi, loves WFH since breaktime means a quick walk around the block or hanging with him in the backyard.

Akins IT Named to Best Places to Work in Orange County 2020

Thu, 29 Oct 2020 22:28:58 GMT

We are proud to announce that Akins IT was recently named as one of the 2020 Best Places to Work in Orange County , ranking #16 in the Small Employer Category. The awards program was created in 2009 and is a project of the Orange County Business Journal and Best Companies Group.

This county-wide survey and awards program was designed to identify, recognize and honor the best places of employment in Orange County, California, benefiting the county's economy, its workforce and businesses.

To be considered for participation, employers had to fulfill the following eligibility requirements:

Have at least 15 employees working in Orange County;
Be a for-profit or not-for-profit business or government entity;
Be a publicly or privately held business;
Have a facility in Orange County; and
Must be in business a minimum of 1 year.

Organizations from across the county entered the two-part process to determine the Best Places to Work in Orange County . The first part consisted of evaluating each employer's workplace policies, practices, and demographics. This part of the process was worth approximately 25% of the total evaluation. The second part consisted of an employee survey to measure the employee experience. This part of the process was worth approximately 75% of the total evaluation. The combined scores determined the top organizations and the final ranking. Best Companies Group managed the overall registration and survey process in Orange County and also analyzed the data and used their expertise to determine the final ranking.

Michelle McKernan: My Work From Home Experience

Fri, 09 Oct 2020 22:32:20 GMT

She's been with Akins IT since Day 1, starting back in June 2011. She's a face not usually seen, but always working behind the scenes- our Chief Financial Officer, Michelle McKernan. We took a peek into Michelle's life and how it has been working from home due to COVID-19.

Learn more about Michelle's work from home experience below

HOW HAS YOUR WFH EXPERIENCE BEEN FOR YOU? HOW DID THE TRANSITION GO FOR YOU?

Funny enough, work from home has not been any different for our CFO, seeing as she has always worked remote. However, Michelle feels like she has had more interaction with employees now more than ever since remote work started. Here at Akins IT, we require video conferences for every meeting, so that has allowed Michelle to experience more virtual face-to-face conversations with our team members.

ANY BENEFITS WORKING FROM HOME?

Working at home has its benefits. Michelle has the cutest co-worker, Sandy! But by the looks of it, Sandy doesn't work too much...

WHAT CHANGES DID YOU HAVE TO MAKE WORKING FROM HOME?

Luckily for Michelle, she already had her stylish home office set up so no changes had to be made at the start of work from home.

ANY NEW HOBBIES PICKED UP DURING QUARANTINE? OR SOMETHING NEW YOU LEARNED?

During the quarantine, Michelle said she has redecorated her living room and binge-watched almost every trending show. Right now she is in the process of making one of her famous, beautiful mosaic surfboards (we currently have one of her pieces of work in our boardroom). Her current piece is inspired by sea turtles underwater- it is not complete yet, but this surfboard already looks amazing!

4 Reasons To Consider FSLogix

Tue, 15 Sep 2020 22:37:58 GMT

In November 2018, Microsoft announced the procurement of FSLogix. In March 2019, Microsoft made the official declaration that FSLogix would be allowed to use for anybody with RDS, VDA, or WVD licenses. Here are a few reasons why you should consider utilizing this solution instead of the more conventional profile management options.

SO, WHAT IS FSLOGIX?

FSLogix is a set of solutions that enhance, enable, and simplify non-persistent Windows computing environments. FSLogix solutions are appropriate for virtual environments in both public and private clouds. FSLogix solutions may also be used to create more portable computing sessions when using physical devices. FSLogix solutions include:

Profile Container
Office Container
Application Masking
Java Version Control

KEY CAPABILITIES:

Redirect user profiles to a network location using Profile Container. Profiles are placed in VHD(X) files and mounted at run time. It is common to copy a profile to and from the network when a user signs in and out of a remote environment. Because user profiles can often be large, sign in and sign out times often became unacceptable. Mounting and using the profile on the network eliminates delays often associated with solutions which copy files.
Redirect only the portion of the profile that contains Office data by using Office Container. Office Container allows an organization already using an alternate profile solution to enhance Office in a non-persistent environment. This functionality is useful with the Outlook .OST file.
Applications use the profile as if it were on the local drive. Because the FSLogix solutions use a Filter Driver to redirect the profile, applications do not recognize that the profile is on the network. Obscuring the redirection is important because many applications will not work properly with a profile stored on remote storage.
Profile Container is used with Cloud Cache to create resilient and highly available environments. Cloud Cache places a portion of the profile VHD on the local hard drive. Cloud Cache also allows an administrator to specify multiple remote profile locations. The Local Cache, with multiple remote profile containers, insulates users from network and storage failures.
Application Masking manages access to an application, font, printer, or other items. Access can be controlled by user, IP Address range, and other criteria. Application Masking significantly decreases the complexity of managing large numbers of gold images.

WHY SHOULD YOU USE IT?

Profile Containers . FSLogix Apps uses advanced filtering and redirection to enable Profile Containers and our other core functionality. At logon, the FSLogix Apps agent connects to the profile container for the specific user and streams only the information required in real time. This approach reduces the amount of file open requests and network traffic by nearly 99%. This process is transparent to the client operating system and integrates seamlessly with Citrix, VMWare, and MS server and VDI OS virtualization technologies. Benefits include the following:
Shorter logon and logoff time, with up to an 85% improvement seen in some environments.
Less traffic and processing load on file servers.
Lower chance of profile corruption. For those of you who encounter that issue on a regular basis, and I am sure many of you do, this is obviously a big deal.
Office 365 Containers . FSLogix provides several features and enhancements not available with any other solution for Office 365.
Outlook Real-Time Search – enables inbox and personal folder search to work as designed on both XenApp and XenDesktop, with maximum performance, and no workarounds requiring end-user training or unique behavior between physical and virtual environments.
OneDrive for Business – Enable OneDrive for Business in XenApp and XenDesktop. Roam OneDrive for Business user data seamlessly in every virtual desktop environment without the need to resync at each logon.
Skype for Business Global Address List – Large GAL’s can be an issue in non-persistent environments causing the GAL to be downloaded every time a user connects to a system. This can cause heavy loads on exchange systems, storage, and compute platforms. With FSLogix we download once, and update as many changes to get published, reducing the overall data IO.
OneNote – Enable local OneNote cache that can roam with the user from host to host and desktop to desktop.
Java Control. A common requirement in Enterprise environments is the need to support multiple Java versions. This generally occurs when IT needs to upgrade Java for security and interoperability reasons but has applications or websites that require an older version of Java to function properly. These applications and websites may not be easy or cost effective to update, or may also be managed by third parties outside the control of the IT department. The Java Redirection feature allows all applications and websites to run with the version of Java they’re required to operate properly – all within the same client system.
Windows Image Reduction . With the combination of App Containers and Unified Base Images, administrators can address all app, plugin, and config needs for all users in your current and forward-looking deployment plans. FSLogix Apps eliminates multiple layers of management infrastructure, thus creating a single, unified approach to image management, profile access, and application provisioning. FSLogix Apps helps to fully optimize operational costs for delivering specialized applications or full, virtualized desktops to individual users or a broad base of enterprise users.

LESSONS LEARNED

While implementing this solution for our clients, we’ve made a few notable observations.

File Share . If you are using a Windows file share, the disk should be formatted using the ReFS file system instead of NTFS. This format is significantly more efficient when it comes to the VHD/VHDX files used by FSLogix. In addition, be sure to disable offline files on the share.
OneDrive . In Windows Server 2016, there is no OneDrive client by default. OneDrive must be installed into each user’s profile one time for FSLogix redirection to function properly. This can be performed manually or scripted using a basic powershell script run at login.
Virtual Disk Format . Assuming your environment consists of Windows 2012 servers or newer, you will want to make sure to configure FSLogix to use VHDX instead of VHD for virtual disks. VHDX has several advantages over the VHD format, but the default when implementing FSLogix is VHD.

Akins IT has incorporated FSLogix for numerous customers with great success. Our clients have witnessed significant performance improvements, as well as improved manageability over the traditional options (i.e. Windows Roaming Profiles and Citrix UPM). The ultimate goal is to make the virtual Windows workspace perform as good as or even better than a local Windows workspace. In addition to it being a nice upgrade, it also happens to be free! Of course, there are time-related costs involved with implementation, but licensing is not a concern if you have RDS, VDA, or WVD entitlement.

To learn more on how FSLogix can be tailored to fit your environment and achieve your goals, please reach out to an Akins team member to schedule a meeting/call for a deeper dive. Cheers!

Wayne Armstrong: My Work From Home Experience

Fri, 04 Sep 2020 22:39:09 GMT

Taking on the role of IT Manager is our most recent hire, Wayne Armstrong! Wayne has years of IT experience- working in the education and gaming industry, and even previously being the owner of an IT company for 10 years. His has a degree in Software & Full Stack Development, Associates in Telecommunications & Electronics, and many certifications. With his knowledge and experience, we know Wayne will be a valuable asset to the team and can't wait to see the things he will do in his new role!

Hiring on a new team member remotely during COVID was new to our leaders, so we'd like to show the work from home experience from our team members' perspective. Learn more about Wayne's experience below!

HOW HAS YOUR WFH EXPERIENCE BEEN FOR YOU?

Like everyone, working from home has been a roller coaster. Being home with the Family has been great, but I miss seeing everyone at the Office.

HOW DID THE TRANSITION GO FOR YOU?

It was not easy at first. The loss of routine was the hardest thing to get over. But you adapt quickly and move on.

ANY BENEFITS WORKING FROM HOME?

NO TRAFFIC YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Time with the family I would never normally get.

ANY CHALLENGES WORKING FROM HOME?

Routine. Hard to be professional when you just got up out of bed, you’re in your PJs, hair is all over the place and your breath smells like butt!!!

HOW IS WFH DIFFERENT THAN GOING INTO THE OFFICE?

Working with people, seeing them every day, it helps build long lasting relationships. We can do that remotely though, it just takes longer.

WHAT CHANGES DID YOU HAVE TO MAKE WORKING FROM HOME?

Well, we’re all gamers in the house so my front room looks like mission control anyways. So no change there.

ANY NEW HOBBIES PICKED UP DURING QUARANTINE? OR SOMETHING NEW YOU LEARNED?

I learned that in the house, it’s my Wife’s world and I just live in it.

Russell Tinsley: My Work From Home Experience

Fri, 28 Aug 2020 22:43:28 GMT

Meet our newest Solution Architect, Russell Tinsley! Russell comes to us with a Bachelor of Science, Cybersecurity and Information Assurance degree, along with Certified Cloud Security Professional (CCSP) and Systems Security Certified Practitioner (SSCP) certifications. His focus here at Akins IT will be security including email security and the Microsoft Security Suite.

Hiring on a new team member remotely during COVID was new to our leaders, so we'd like to show the work from home experience from our team members' perspective. Learn more about Russell's experience below!

HOW HAS YOUR WFH EXPERIENCE BEEN FOR YOU?

This is a brand new work experience for me. My past jobs demanded me to be onsite while I was working.

HOW DID THE TRANSITION GO FOR YOU?

Until recently I was “working” from home looking for a job, so the transition was smooth and I seem to be adapting pretty well.

ANY BENEFITS WORKING FROM HOME?

Easy access to food, although I am not sure that is a benefit. Also, my work environment is usually quieter, which helps with concentration.

ANY CHALLENGES WORKING FROM HOME?

Working while my wife is also working has been challenging to navigate. The transition from work to personal time has also been difficult.

HOW IS WFH DIFFERENT THAN GOING INTO THE OFFICE?

The lack of in-person customer contact is definitely different, but my wife and cat being there helps with that.

WHAT CHANGES DID YOU HAVE TO MAKE WORKING FROM HOME?

I am lucky I already had a computer setup at home that I could use to work on. I just created a separate desktop so I could separate work from fun.

ANY NEW HOBBIES PICKED UP DURING QUARANTINE? OR SOMETHING NEW YOU LEARNED?

I started to grow and cultivate a COVID/quarantine beard.

Christian Rios: Employee of the Quarter!

Fri, 24 Jul 2020 22:46:15 GMT

Our 2020 Quarter 2- Employee of the Quarter goes to our Business Development Representative, Christian Rios! He exhibits many of Akins IT's core values, especially IMPROVE and GRIT .

We chose him because he has shown major improvement and growth in his role as a BDR. Christian always has a positive attitude and has shown much growth with his willingness to learn and bring forth new ideas to the table. In the beginning of the COVID pandemic, he didn't let the transition to working fully remote slow him down. Instead, he worked even harder to meet his goals despite the remote work landscape.

To show our appreciation for his hard work, he has received a $500 Visa gift card. We can't wait to have a virtual happy hour to celebrate... Congratulations Christian!

Disaster Recovery Solutions

Fri, 26 Jun 2020 22:47:19 GMT

June 26, 2020/ /by Akins IT

Click here for part 3 of the blog series on data loss during COVID-19.

In part 3, we covered how site recovery is valuable to your business continuity plan, as well as the potential costs of not protecting your workloads. We also went over some the common measurables used to gauge the effectiveness of a DR solution, and a high level overview on the key differences between Public and Private cloud site recovery.

WHAT DO THE LEADING DR SOLUTIONS HAVE TO OFFER?

AZURE SITE RECOVERY

Azure Site Recovery is a disaster recovery solution that ensures business continuity by keeping your workloads online during outages, planned or not. Site recovery replicates workloads from a primary (source) site to a secondary (destination) site. ASR can work protect physical, virtual, and Azure workloads, and can replicate Azure VMs between Azure regions.

For being a relatively affordable option when considering a site recovery solution, Azure Site Recovery boasts some pretty competitive RPO's and RTO's. It also is easy to implement and integrate with existing Azure & Hyper-V environments and Azure Automation.

VEEAM REPLICATION

Veeam Replication is a feature of the Veeam Backup & Replication console. From that application, you can manage, configure, and receive reports on all of your backups and disaster protected workloads running on Veeam. This centralized backup and replication management, along with its award winning support, low costs, and integration with public cloud providers make Veeam the go to for most businesses.

Veeam Replication works by requesting a snapshot from the hypervisor as often as every 15 minutes, then using those snapshots to track changes between the source and target workloads. Veeam is cloud agnostic, meaning you can replicate to any cloud provider.

ZERTO CONTINUOUS REPLICATION

Zerto is the industry leader in disaster recovery technologies. It works by continuously journaling changes between the source and makes those changes as they are written on the destination. Their unique technology gives you RPO's as short as 5 seconds, but it comes with a higher cost than ASR or Veeam.

Of all the disaster recovery technologies, Zerto's ease of use can't be beat. To conduct a failover, simply click the workloads you want to activate on the destination site and click failover. It can also replicate to more than 2 sites at the same time, maintaining your workloads across multiple private clouds and different public cloud providers. This high availability and continuous replication make it a great fit for business with data sovereignty and availability requirements.

PLEASE CONTACT AKINS IT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR MANAGED DISASTER RECOVERY AS A SERVICE BUNDLES AND DISCUSS YOUR BUSINESS CONTINUITY PLAN.

Azure Backup

Thu, 28 May 2020 15:55:45 GMT

Click here for part 1 of my blog series, Data Loss During Covid-19

Azure Backup is Microsoft's backup solution for workloads on-premise and in Azure.

Azure backup can be configured to occur as often as daily, and weekly, monthly, and yearly restore points can be set as well.

Microsoft Azure Backup Server is the utility used by Microsoft to process and offload on-prem data backups. It stores a short term recovery point in your data center, and restore points out of the set retention range will be offloaded into a recovery services vault in Azure.

Mock Microsoft Azure Backup Server deployment

It can also restore a SQL VM to an IaaS database, reducing the amount of overhead needed when restoring SQL. If availability and resiliency to data center loss is a requirement for your business continuity plan, store your data in a

different region than workloads, that way your data can be restored even if all of your IT infrastructure was destroyed tomorrow.

Watch the video above to learn the process of creating a recovery services vault, configuring your backup policy, and adding protection to an Azure VM.

CONTACT AKINS IT

If you'd like to begin building a business continuity plan, or review one that hasn't been updated recently, reach out to Akins IT to learn more about our Managed Backup as a Service solution bundles.

Veeam Backup & Replication

Mon, 18 May 2020 16:03:58 GMT

Malicious actors on the internet are currently taking advantage of the financial and wellness insecurity that came with COVID-19. We are seeing a 148% increase in Ransomware, Malware, and data exfiltration attacks during this time. These attacks are more common right now than ever before, and it’s costing businesses nearly $4 Million on average to recover their data after an attack. However, ransomware and malware are not the only threats to your data. There are threats which you cannot protect your organization against without Backup in place. Human error, for example, is the number one cause of service interruption, with server failure, storage failure, and power failure following it.

HOW DO I PROTECT MY ENVIRONMENT FROM DATA LOSS?

Implementing a backup solution, which process and stores copies of your data for the purpose of restoration, is the most cost effective method of ensuring your workloads are protected. When developing your backup solution, there are a few metrics and designs that are important to know.

PRIVATE CLOUD BACKUPS

A private cloud is essentially a data center your business owns and operates. The backup data is processed and stored on your data center's infrastructure. Restoring from private cloud to on-prem is much faster than attempting to restore from public cloud to on-prem, as the files are already accessible in your network. Private cloud backups will also require a large amount of free storage and powerful internal networking to perform consistently and efficiently.

PUBLIC CLOUD BACKUPS

Public cloud backups are processed on-prem for local data and offloaded into a cloud provider's storage account, or processed and stored in the cloud providers storage if the data already exists in the cloud. Public cloud backups require little to no on-site storage infrastructure, have geo-redundant protection against ransomware and region loss, and are largely unaffected by a loss of local backup of infrastructure. However, there are additional costs associated with storing and processing your data in the cloud and restoration outside of the cloud providers workload will take longer than private cloud.

3-2-1 RULE

The rule of 3-2-1 is a minimum requirement recommendation for your business continuity plan. It consists of storing at least 3 copies of your data, 2 forms of backup media, and 1 backup copy offsite. An example would be backing up a VM daily for 3 days, creating a copy of the backup itself, and storing either the backups or the backup copies in the cloud. This will ensure you are resilient against common scenarios that render your back solution useless, such as loss of storage equipment the VMs are stored on, or a backup chain being corrupted with no copy to use a substitute.

VEEAM BACKUP AND REPLICATION

Veeam is an industry leader in backup solutions, and they've partnered with iLand to deliver the easiest managed, most robust, and most resilient backup platform to date. Veeam stores restore points in either a private cloud, a low cost iLand cloud connect object, or a public cloud providers object storage- like Azure Blob or AWS S3 Bucket. Veeam is able to store restore VMs to any cloud provider. It can also backup your O365 mailboxes, Sharepoint sites, etc.- which contrary to popular belief, Microsoft is not doing for you.

It’s user Interface is simple to understand and presents all information related to your backups in clear metrics. It also has a highly customizable backup chain process, in which you can configure how many restore points the backup chain will run before starting a new one. It also has scheduling and automation configuration that allow you to determine when your backups run, how they are processed, and how much compute/network resources it utilizes while processing backups. Veeam also has the ability to cluster multiple storage extents into one scale out repository which will load balance data between the different extents.

Veeam works by requesting a snapshot from your hypervisor, processing and deduplicating that data, and removing the snapshot from your hypervisor. Backup data is then processed in chains, with a full backup of your device beginning the chain, and incremental backups, which only processes changes to the last full backup, will run until your next scheduled full backup.

CONTACT AKINS IT

IPSEC or SSL VPN?

Mon, 27 Apr 2020 16:09:23 GMT

A VPN (Virtual Private Network) is one of the most used solutions to access an organization's data remotely and to provide interconnectivity between networks across different locations. It provides a secure connection by encrypting traffic before being forwarded out to its destination over the internet. Just about every firewall vendor provides their own VPN deployment option which could be via a client, clientless, or both. Depending on the vendor, a per seat VPN license may also be required.

With that said, the two most common VPN protocols are IPSEC and SSL VPN. Both are equally viable options for secure access to company data and resources. Which should you use then? Although both options are similar in their overall goal of providing secure connectivity, there are differences as we get more specific with the protocols and its capabilities.

IPSEC

IPSEC can be used for both site-to-site VPN connectivity (connecting two or more remote sites together) and client-to-site (a remote user accessing company resources). IPSEC client-to-site typically requires a VPN client to facilitate the connection, unless native IPSEC options are available on the connecting device. Mac OSX and iOS, for example, allows for IPSEC VPN connections without the need for a VPN client.When site-to-site VPN connectivity is needed, IPSEC is the solid choice since it can provide an “always up” connection and is a supported standard across different systems. IPSEC also operates at the IP network layer (Layer 3) and thus carries less overhead for tunneled traffic (quicker connections and faster throughput).

SSL VPN

SSL VPN on the other hand uses SSL to establish connections (think HTTPS) and operates at the application layer (Layer 7). The TCP transport protocol is used instead of UDP and typically defaults to port 443 (can also be changed to a custom port). SSL VPN is an increasingly popular option for remote access to company resources since it can provide connectivity without needing to install a client. An SSL VPN connection can be achieved simply by visiting a web portal via web browser and signing in with the proper credentials. Access to applications and resources can be controlled per user or group policy as well. For an “in the office” experience (much like that of IPSEC), an SSL VPN client can still be deployed to provide full tunneled access. Users can then access their mapped drives or applications directly from their desktop without having to maneuver through web-based options.

CONCLUSION

It’s best to have both options on the table and implement each based on the desired results and application. It’s very common to have an environment that leverages both solutions though - with IPSEC being the option of choice for site-to-site connectivity, and SSL VPN for remote users.

IF YOU'D LIKE MORE INFORMATION OR HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, PLEASE CONTACT US :

Dean Navarro: Employee of the Quarter!

Tue, 21 Apr 2020 16:06:01 GMT

Our 2020 Quarter 1 Employee of the Quarter goes to our Email and Security Solution Architect, Dean Navarro! He exhibits many of Akins IT's core values, especially IMPROV E and RIGHT.

We chose him because he has shown major improvement and growth in email security and infrastructure. Dean has continued to do what is right for the clients he works with as well as his team here at Akins IT. We are very lucky to have him!

To show our appreciation for his hard work, Dean has received a $500 Visa gift card, as well as a $100 gas gift card (in place of the reserved Employee of the Quarter parking spot- due to COVID-19's remote work effects)!

Communicate and Collaborate Effectively while Working Remote

Tue, 07 Apr 2020 16:10:38 GMT

COVID-19 has caused businesses across the world to adapt to remote work, yet many businesses are struggling to remain productive during this crisis. Many workers report that communication and collaboration are the biggest challenges they face when working from home. Utilizing the tools included in Office 365 can help keep your business thriving during these trying times.

Working together on a project or deadline is already difficult when everyone is in the office. Even more so, if workers are not empowered with tools to ease the transition from a traditional office to remote work, collaboration seems like an impossible task. Here are some features offered by Office 365 that keep everyone working together when remote.

TEAMS CHATS AND GROUP CALLS

When working from home, you can't pop into a colleagues office to ask a quick question or have an informal meeting in the breakroom. Email is typically too slow for most organization's collaboration needs and you can't share your screen or documents over the phone.

Teams is accessible across Windows, Mac OS, Android, and iOS platforms.

With Teams Chats, any employee can create a chat room with members of their organization. Users can get in a video conference with the members of the chat right away. When used with Sharepoint and Office 365 multi-user documents, your team can edit a document together live, share out a presentation, or whiteboard a problem together!

Choose what you want to share.

Starting a group chat.

CO-AUTHORING AND SHARING DOCUMENTS IN TEAMS

Teams also integrates with other Microsoft products, such as Sharepoint and Office applications. Documents can be opened from Teams and edited by multiple users at the same time. Employees can link their OneDrive accounts and have all their personal files and shared files accessible from any location, even when you transition back to traditional office work!

For additional information please visit this page to learn more about how Teams can help your organization stay productive while working remote .

If you'd like to see how Office 365 and Teams can get your team working to gether, click the button below to contact us!

Losing Access to Exchange Online

Thu, 26 Mar 2020 16:15:46 GMT

At Akins IT, we pride ourselves in ensuring that our clients are made aware of technological updates that have a high likelihood of impacting their environments. Today’s update is in regards to Microsoft’s discontinuation of support for Basic Authentication for Exchange Online. This change will make Exchange Online more secure by preventing bad actors from bypassing Microsoft security features that are incompatible with Basic Authentication, such as MFA and Conditional Access.

At this time, Microsoft has indicated that this change will now go into effect during the second half of 2021- as opposed to the previous date of October 13, 2020. Microsoft will release a more precise date once they have a better understanding of the impact of COVID-19. Basic authentication will be disabled for newly created tenants by default and starting October 2020, disabled for tenants that have no recorded usage.

Once in effect, this change will result in the retirement of Basic Authentication for EWS, EAS, IMAP, POP and RPS to access Exchange Online. Any application using OAuth 2.0 and connecting with the aforementioned protocols will continue to work without change or interruption. This change does not impact SMTP AUTH.

What do I need to do to prepare for this change?

Start by updating the client applications your users are using to versions that support OAuth 2.0
Mobile devices should use the Outlook app for the best support, or other email apps that support Modern Authentication
Desktop/laptops should use Outlook 2013 or newer
Developers should ensure that any code they have written is updated to support OAuth 2.0
Confirm that any 3rd-party applications which access Exchange Online support OAuth 2.0 or switch to comparable applications that do support OAuth 2.0

You may refer to the following Microsoft blog from the Exchange Team to learn more about this retirement:

https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/exchange-team-blog/basic-auth-and-exchange-online-february-2020-update/ba-p/1191282L

Please reach out to us at Akins IT, if you would like to discuss this change in more depth and discover how your organization could benefit from implementing MFA and Conditional Access today!

Working Remote and Staying Productive with Teams Meetings

Thu, 12 Mar 2020 16:18:35 GMT

Remote work on the rise? Check out some of Microsoft Team's helpful meeting features.

MEET NOW

Instead of being able to hold an impromptu meeting in your physical office, you have the ability to jump into a virtual one on the spot! In place of creating a separate meeting invite and waiting for members to accept, you have the ability to hit "Meet now" in your Teams calendar and invite your team members you'd like to join. Each member invited then receives a prompt to join automatically. Meet Now will be your time saver for those last minute or informal regroups.

BACKGROUND BLUR

Remote work means more video conferences. This also means exposing your personal space which could include that laundry pile you haven't gotten to yet. Background Blur is a great tool to keep at home users comfortable with video conferencing and also keeping viewers focused on the presenter.

START RECORDING

Between connection issues or unexpected distractions at home, remote users can often be exposed to more distractions or road blocks then they would experience if they were in office. Teams has a feature to easily record any meeting with a simple click. Having the option to record meetings gives users the ability to not only review information they may have missed, but also to share that information with others.

If you found the above information valuable and would like to see how Microsoft Teams can enhance your remote work collaboration, click the button below to contact us.

Fortinet's Anti-Phishing Solution

Fri, 06 Mar 2020 17:24:23 GMT

In Part 4 of the "Phishing Attacks and Recommended Solutions to Protect Your Organization" webinar, we will review FortiMail’s Anti-Phishing solution and how Fortinet is able to able to protect your organization. We will be reviewing Platform Type, Requirements to implement, security measures such as FortiSandbox, Content Disarm & Reconstruction, Virus Outbreak Protection, Business Email Compromise, User Training, and other considerations. One important facet to consider with FortiMail is the power of the telemetry between other Fortinet products, which is referred to as the Security Fabric.

In the image below, you see the FortiMail web console, where you are provided a quick summary of various statistics as it relates to your email platform. FortiMail is one of the more unique solutions that is available on a platform level as an Appliance, Virtual Machine, or as a SaaS Solution. There is no requirements to implement and is available for all email platforms.

FORTISANDBOX

Moving into security measures, the first one we are reviewing here is FortiSandbox. This is Fortinet’s Zero-Day Threat Protection that provides AI based sandboxing to help combat previously unknown threats. FortiSandbox utilizes two machine learning models with static and dynamic analysis of suspicious objects. One consideration here is this is offered independently as an Appliance, Virtual Machine, or Saas Offering. Regardless of the platform selection, it delivers the same rapid detection and automated response and provides this information back to the Security Fabric.

VIRUS OUTBREAK PROTECTION

Moving into Virus Outbreak Protection (VOS), which you may have noticed earlier, can be configured with FortiSandbox. This AntiVirus policy closes the gap between antivirus updates and sandboxing, to detect and stop malware threats discovered between signature updates before they can spread throughout an organization. This services initiates a real-time look-up to our Fortinet's Global Threat Intelligence database, ensuring you will always have our very latest in malware protection.

In addition, here you see the granularity and control available to you to really fine tune this to your organizations needs.

CONTENT DISARM & RECONSTRUCTION

Looking at Content Disarm & Reconstruction (CDR), we strip all active content from files in real-time, creating a flat sanitized file. All active content is treated as suspect and removed accordingly. Content Disarm and Reconstruction processes all incoming files, deconstructs them, and removes all elements that do not match firewall policies. CDR can fortify your zero-day file protection strategy by proactively removing any possibility of malicious content in your files.

BUSINESS EMAIL COMPROMISE

Business Email Compromise (BEC) is FortiMail's solution to protect against email impersonation by mapping high valued target display names with correct email addresses. One key distinguisher here is that there are two types of mapping. Admins are provided the ability to manually enter this mappings or configure Dynamic Mapping– where the FortiMail Mail statistics Service can automatically learn the mappings. In addition to this, you are able to use these two types of mappings in tandem.

UNIFORM RESOURCE IDENTIFIED

Similar to other solutions mentioned in the previous blogs on Mimecast and Office 365, we have URI Click Protection. Urls are rewritten in email message where they then will be directed to the FortiMail device for additional FortiGuard filtering. This can be configured to work in tandem with FortiSandbox for an additional inspection.

USER TRAINING

User Training is not as a strong of a focal point with the Fortinet Suite. While they have in-depth training available through their Network Security Expert Program– it is designed for technical professionals. With that being said, you are able to create a customizable disclaimer or replacement messages to generally warn recipients of the contents in emails. On the downside, these can become stale and repetitive and disregarded when users are over-saturated. While one could argue that this Fortimail solution is comprehensive enough to eliminate the need all together, it is one facet of security to consider– as it is ultimately your last layer of defense against phishing and unknown malware. If one was to consider Fortinet’s product, I would be inclined to compliment it with a solution such as KnowBe4.

OTHER CONSIDERATIONS

So in terms of Integration with Fortimail, we have Fortinet's own suite of products such as FortiGate, FortiWeb, FortiADC, FortiProxy, and FortiClient. There are also third-party solutions such as AtarLabs, Azure, Nutanix; all help organizations adopt a proactive approach to security by sharing Indicators of compromise across a seamless Security Fabric. While there are not as many third-party solutions directly with FortiMail, they do have an extensive list of partners that I would encourage you to check out when considering Fortinet’s ecosystem as a solution.

In addition to this, this solution does support LDAP (Lightweight Directory Access Protocol) and Single Sign On – which seamlessly allows end users into their Personal User portal.

ADVANTAGES

Some advantages of the FortiMail solution would be the telemetry with Fortinet's suite of products that provides Endpoint and device protection, application security, network security, and threat intelligence sharing, which really enhances the overall threat awareness and broadens threat response. In addition to this, they are more unique when it comes to the various platforms available and the sheer granularity with their policies. Lastly, they do provide user portals similarly to other solutions.

Some improvements that could be made would be email continuity , user training, and overall ease of use for new technical administrators.

CONCLUSION

If you found the above information valuable and would like to see how Fortinet can enhance your email security in your organization, contact us.

Office 365's Anti-Phishing Solution

Mon, 24 Feb 2020 17:33:12 GMT

In Part 3 of the "Phishing Attacks and Recommended Solutions to Protect Your Organization" webinar we are going to be reviewing Office 36's Anti-Phishing solution– Offic e 365 ATP. We will be reviewing Platform Type, Requirements to Implement, Security Measures – Safe Attachments, Safe Links, Anti-Phishing, User Training, and some other considerations, including integration with other services.

Office 365 ATP is a cloud-based email filtering service that helps protect your organization against unknown malware and viruses by providing robust zero-day protection; and it includes features to safeguard your organization from harmful links in real time. It operates on the SaaS Platform or Software as a Service platform. This service requires Azure Active Directory, which is automatically included with Office 365 Exchange online mailboxes; and it can be configured for on-premise Exchange Server or other on-premise SMTP email solutions.

By heading to Office 365 Security & Compliance center > Threat management > Policy, you are presented with the O365 ATP Suite. We will be reviewing safe attachments first.

ATP SAFE ATTACHMENTS

ATP safe attachments provides zero-day protection to safeguard your messaging system by checking email attachments for malicious content. It routes all messages and attachments that do not have a virus/malware signature to a sandboxing environment, and then uses machine learning and analysis techniques to detect malicious intent.

You can configure this policy to

Monitor – which only tracks scan results.
Block – which blocks the whole email and malicious attachment all together.
Replace – which delivers the email but removes the malicious attachment.
Dynamic Deliver – which avoids message delays while still protecting recipients from malicious files. It does this by delivering the email without full attachments immediately and reattaches once the scan is complete. One element you don’t see in this configuration screen with Dynamic Deliver is the preview function which, for most PDFs and Office documents, can be viewed in a safe mode while ATP scanning is underway.

ATP SAFE LINKS

In the image below, you see Safe links which provides time-of-click verification of URLs, for example, in email messages and office suite files. Protection is ongoing and applies across your messaging and office environment including other Office Applications such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint. Safe links remain accessible and malicious links are dynamically blocked. For end users in your organization, you are able to control if scanning is complete before delivering messages to users or for real-time scanning.

ATP ANTI-PHISHING

With the Anti-Phishing policy, you have the ability to protect attempts to impersonate your users and organizational domain. It applies machine learning models and impersonation-detection algorithms to prevent phishing attacks. This actually works in conjunction with Safe Attachments and Safe Links, and therefore, multiple machine learning models, to analyze the message to determine if this policy applies to the message and the appropriate action is taken.

Anti-Phishing also enables Mailbox Intelligence, which monitors user’s email habits and personal contacts. It also identifies unusual activity like sending an abnormal amount of mail or data during unusual time periods, which could be a key indicator of a data exfiltration. When this Is triggered, you then can determine what will occur automatically by the Mail Intelligence > Action found here.

USER TRAINING

In terms of user training, Microsoft provides capabilities to train users in a more direct manner with Attack Simulator. In this simulator, you are able to run realistic attack scenarios in your organization that can help identify and find vulnerable users.

Some attacks you are able to create include:

display name spear-phishing attacks
password-spray attacks
brute-force password attacks

This feature is unique in that you are able to create a custom, reusable email template specific to your organization. You may be surprised to learn that Microsoft actually used this internally when developing Attack Simulator with the Xbox One X launch and an a “employee Pre-Order” offer. It was reported with a 60% click rate.

Similarly to other solutions, URL protect also provides an element of user training here with indicating when URLs were detected to be malicious.

OTHER CONSIDERATIONS

One of the key elements to Office 365 ATP is not only its focus on email security, but Microsoft also provides telemetry with other ATP solutions such as Defender ATP and Azure ATP in the Microsoft 365 Ecosystem. The true benefit here is the built in, not bolt on, approach that no other vendor is able to provide. Advanced Threat Protection works 24/7 and provides automated investigation and response.

One example of this would be Malware ZAP– if malware is weaponized after being delivered to users it will remove previously delivered messages and initiate an automated investigation to determine who else may be impacted or was delivered the same payload.

Another consideration with Office 365 ATP would be User Submission with the Report Mail add-in that is dynamically added to outlook for end users when enabled. This provides the ability for users to submit emails as junk or phishing - which with admin approval will allow automatic investigations to increase your cyber security overall.

ADVANTAGES

Some advantages you find with Office 365's Anti-Phishing solution is the ability to quickly enable and protect users, Automated investigation & Remediation, User Submissions. However, there can be improvements on the granularity of controls.

CONCLUSION

If you found the above information valuable and would like to see how Office 365 can enhance your email security in your organization, contact us.

Akins IT at the Genesis Invitational

Tue, 18 Feb 2020 17:40:57 GMT

Akins IT had a great time at The Genesis Invitational with Tiger Woods and our clients. The team had grounds access to follow the golfing competition around all 18 holes . What a weekend at The Riviera Country Club!

Mimecast's Anti-Phishing Solution

Thu, 13 Feb 2020 18:40:00 GMT

In Part 2 of the "Phishing Attacks and Recommended Solutions to Protect Your Organization" webinar we are going to be reviewing the first anti-phishing solution – Mimeca st. This is the solution we presently protect ourselves with here at Akins IT and has an excellent suite of tools that extends even further than phishing. In this blog we will be reviewing Platform Type, Requirements to Implement, Security Measures in the Targeted Threat Protection suite, User Training, and some other considerations, including, integration with other services.

In the image below, you can see the Mimecast Administration Dashboard. The portal gives us visibility on email queues, activity over the last 24 hours, total email traffic and rejections. This allows you the ability to quickly identify any abnormalities with your services, such as an outage, which would cause your inbound and outbound email queue to rise. This operates on a Software as a Service Platform, which on a high-level means that there is no management of the software or hardware; and it is provided as a cloud solution through a web interface. In terms of requirements – there are none for implementation and this solution is available for any email system.

Heading into Administration Menu > Gateway > Policies you will be able to find the policies that we are reviewing. For Anti-Phishing and other targeted attacks, you will utilize the Targeted Threat Protection suite.

Here we can see the plethora of policies available for configuration to fine tune this for your organization. Emphasized by the red boxes are the policies that target phishing specifically. So on a high level, what do these do?

TARGETED THREAT PROTECTION

What Mimecast provides with URL protect is the ability to rewrite URLs found in emails, including URLs in attachments, and provide real-time scanning with every click on any device. This is all achieved by rewriting URLs in emails into a Mimecast URL that directs users to a Mimecast landing page where a layered security check is performed on the destination site. This check reviews blacklists, real-time feeds, cached feeds, performs heuristic analysis and domain impersonation detection. If Mimecast finds the site to be malicious, you can control how users will be able to proceed, as well as use this opportunity to educate users. More on this subject available in User Training.

Moving into Attachment protect, we begin looking into how we protect attachments sent to users. Mimecast provides Safe File, Safe File on-Demand Sandbox, Preemptive Sandbox, and Dynamic Configuration.

With Safe File – we take attachments that could contain malicious code and replace them with safe versions. This allows for immediate delivery of attachments and in cases where the original file is needed employees can request for the original file where it is scanned on-demand before delivery.

With Preemptive Sandbox – we can break down attachments using full system emulation and virtualization to open the file and perform a deep security analysis to spot malicious activity at code level and detect malicious actions in executable and non-executable code. If the file is deemed safe, the mail is delivered to the recipient.

Lastly Dynamic Configuration – allows users to control deliver options based on the sender. It uses Safe File with on-demand delivery by default and then preemptive sandbox for trusted sender. This providing the ability to combine the above features and ability for emails to be delivered instantly with no delays.

Lastly with the Targeted Threat Protection suite, we look at Impersonation protect. This service provides the ability for real time scanning of all inbound emails to detect header anomalies, domain similarity, recency of the sending domain, and sender spoofing. You can add the names of key users and prevent mail from being delivered when a match comes through. Here you see a typical Schedule C definition where you have a direct check against the Internal Username and a requirement of 1 hit to be subject to hold. It would be recommended to compliment this with a general policy that checks for more hits but with an increased tolerance to prevent false positives.

H ere we can see monitoring capabilities of URL protect – but the same applies to Impersonation and Attachment Protect, as well as others. With this you can evaluate mail and confirm if the policy configurations are a good fit with your organization – as well as get a deeper analysis on the specifics of Mimecast’s findings.

USER TRAINING

In many ways, you must think that the saying "you are as strong as your weakest link" applies when you think about your cybersecurity risks. While the polices we just discussed do strongly reduce your chances of a successful phishing attack– your last layer of defense is your users. An important fundamental concept to apply here is when you analyze the anatomy of a successful cyberattack. Nearly all of them have one thing in common – A user somewhere did something that could been avoided. Mimecast has a product dedicated to Awareness training but also incorporates this into some policies we previously discussed.

One example of this, as I alluded to earlier, is with URL Protect. When a user clicks on a link, you can configure the ability to occasionally and randomly test users on whether the link they clicked was safe or not. This allows admins to go back later and provide training with the user on where they may have gone wrong without any of the consequences.

OTHER CONSIDERATIONS

Some Integration with other services includes:

Active directory sync with On-prem exchange
Office 365
Azure Active Directory
Gsuite
and is compatible with Single Sign On

Additionally, Mimecast has a growing library of API & Tech Partners to compliment this SaaS solution. Some of these include:

Salesforce
ConnectWise
Segasec

The full list can be found at https://www.mimecast.com/tech-connect/tech-partners/

n addition to the integration with other services – and when speaking outside of phishing, some consideration with Mimecast would also include mailbox continuity, information archiving, secure messaging, and a personal portal for your users.

ADVANTAGES

Some advantages you find here that you don’t find in a majority of other solutions is the focus on User training. Advantages include the personal portal for end users to curate and control safe list, blocked lists, and depending on policies – configured user holds to release their own mail. This tied with SSO providing a seamless experience your end users. And lastly, Mailbox Continuity to prevent mail loss due to outages.

CONCLUSION

If you found the above information valuable and would like to see how Mimecast can enhance your email security in your organization, contact us.

Phishing Attacks and How It Affects Your Organization

Mon, 03 Feb 2020 18:49:45 GMT

WHAT IS PHISHING?

Phishing is an attack on individuals in an attempt to steal sensitive information through emails, websites, text messages or other forms of electronic communication that often look to be official communication from a legitimate company or individual. The information these cybercriminals attempt to steal can be user names, passwords, credit card details, bank account information or other credentials. Attackers can then use stolen information for malicious purposes, such as hacking, identity theft, or stealing money directly from bank accounts and credit cards. In some cases, they even sell this stolen information in cybercriminal underground marketplaces.

HOW DOES IT WORK?

Phishing attacks often use social engineering bait or lure content. For an organization, a successful phishing attack typically entails discovery and planning by collecting what information is available publicly on the company website, social media, or even domain records such as SPF and MX records. This may allow a cybercriminal to articulate the following:

the naming scheme in an organization for users accounts
high ranking officials
what email security solution is being utilized
what vendors are being used internally.

A cybercriminal will then move to trial and error, where they begin to determine what users may expect on a day to day basis and monitor the results of their fraudulent emails. Most commonly, its legitimate-looking communication (usually email) that links to a phishing site mimicking sign-in pages that require users to input login credentials and/or account information. The phishing site then captures the sensitive information as soon as the user provides it, giving attackers access to the information. Once they have garnered any level of access they will use this to either initiate an attack or gather additional information to create a even more devised attack.

WHAT ARE SOME COMMON TYPES OF PHISHING TECHNIQUES USED AGAINST ORGANIZATIONS?

Whaling – A form of phishing in which the attack is directed at high-level or senior executives within organizations. The content could be written as legal subpoena, customer complaints, or other executive issues.
Impersonation – Where a cybercriminal may attempt to create an email that looks like it is being sent from the CEO, CFO, or other important employees in the organization. Usually the email will request for a specific task to be preformed or access to a specific document.
Spear Phishing – A targeted phishing attack involving highly customized lure content towards a specific organization. This socially engineered email would be designed to lure you into opening documents or clicking links that automatically install malware.
Phishing – A board, automated attack that is less sophisticated or targeted. Its intentions are to send out as many emails, to as many domains as possible and monitor for any results.

VERIZON'S 2019 DATA BREACH INVESTIGATIONS REPORT

This is the annual analysis of security events impacting organizations around the globe. This is the 12th edition of this report which contains comprehensive summary of data breaches that were reported by public and private entities around the globe.

Report highlights:

43% of cyberattacks were on small businesses
C-Suite executives are 12 times more likely to be targeted in social engineering attacks than other employees
Phishing is involved in 32% of breaches and 78% of cyber-espionage incidents
90% of malware arrives via email
Ransomware is the second biggest malware threat and accounted for 24% of malware-related breaches

These highlights are important because it shows the vulnerability for cybercriminals to target organizations who don’t have an appropriate solution in place. The solutions that we are discussing in future blogs and webinar videos provide protection against data breaches and phishing overall.

Akins IT at Sundance Film Festival 2020

Mon, 27 Jan 2020 18:53:45 GMT

Akins IT was at the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah to assist in the network and wireless setup for the Acura Festival Village. The Acura Festival Village prov ided a central place for festival attendees to relax, refuel, and connect with others. Wireless coverage was provided for general public use as visitors interacted with some of the latest Acura car models. Additionally, network coverage was provided for Acura's latest partnership with IMDb where on-site interviews were conducted with actors and other industry leaders during the course of the festival.

How to Hard Match Office 365 Identities to On-Premise Users

Wed, 08 Jan 2020 18:56:13 GMT

When migrating from on-premise exchange to Office 365, IT administrators can experience failure when attempting to soft match identities. Soft matching (also known as "S MTP matching") can fail for many reasons, the common one being because Office 365 detects that the email is already associated with another object. In the case of a soft match failure, a hard match must be performed. The solution to this is to stamp the online identities immutable ID with the GUID from the on-premise user, which can be done on-premise on the Active Directory server.

This is a simple PowerShell solution to hard match an on-premise GUID to an immutable ID for an online user. This ensures that all on-premise identities are correctly matched and linked to the Office 365 identities, which allows for full Office 365 write-back functionality in an organization's environment.

Provided below is the step-by-step guide on how to carry out this solution:

Remove on-premise Identity from syncing with O365
Remove on-premise Identity from O365 and Remove from Recycle bin
Launch Powershell and run the following Commands
Set-ExecutionPolicy RemoteSigned
$credential = Get-Credential
Input admin credentials for Office 365 and run the following command
Import-Module MsOnline
Connect-MsolService -Credential $credential
Run “$ADGuidUser = Get-ADUser -Filter * | Select Name,ObjectGUID | Sort-Object Name | Out-GridView”
Select the on-premise user from the Grid
Run “$UserimmutableID = [System.Convert]::ToBase64String($ADGuidUser.ObjectGUID.tobytearray())” in powershell to convert GUID to the immutable ID format
Run $OnlineUser = Get-MsolUser | Select UserPrincipalName,DisplayName,ProxyAddresses,ImmutableID | Sort-Object DisplayName | Out-GridView -Title "Select The Office 365 Online User To HardLink The AD User To" -PassThru”
Select the Online identity to match on-premise identity
Run “Set-MSOLuser -UserPrincipalName $OnlineUser.UserPrincipalName -ImmutableID $UserimmutableID”
Set the Online identity with the new immutable ID
Run “Set-MSOLuser -UserPrincipalName $OnlineUser.UserPrincipalName -ImmutableID $UserimmutableID”
Check the immutable id matches
Run the following two lines and confirm IDs Match
“Write-Host "AD Immutable ID Used" $UserimmutableID”
“Write-Host "Office365 UserLinked" $Office365UserQuery.ImmutableId”

One Way To Prevent Your Data From Being Exfiltrated

Thu, 26 Dec 2019 18:58:12 GMT

Usually, when the topic of network security arises, it tends to revolve around the strategy of securing the environment from external attacks. This involves not just sec uring your network perimeter with a firewall, but also email security, endpoint protection, and end user awareness.

These are all important facets to your overall security posture; but another layer to include in this picture that will ensure that you’re approaching security as holistically as possible, is to ensure that your data is protected from being exfiltrated.

DATA EXFILTRATION

Data exfiltration is the unauthorized copying, transfer or retrieval of data from a computer or server. Although it’s a common practice to ensure that infiltration is mitigated by deploying security solutions (i.e. AV, IPS, Email Security), many forget to ensure that their existing data is protected from being transferred to unauthorized locations.

How can you ensure that sensitive data such as social security and credit card numbers aren’t being transferred beyond the boundaries of your network? Or that important documents intended for internal use only, continue to remain internal and are never shared to external sources? Data Loss Prevention (DLP) is one of the solutions available to make this possible.

DATA LOSS PREVENTION (DLP)

Although there are multiple solutions available for DLP to be implemented, it is worth noting that this feature is available on some NG {Next Generation) Firewalls. The FortiGate security appliance, for example, does provide DLP as an included feature that can be enabled. This is configurable as a security profile which can be applied on a per firewall policy basis. DLP monitors a set of network protocols along with configurable rules to ensure that files and embedded content leaving the network adheres to company policy. Additional features, such as, file share fingerprinting and message archiving can also be enabled to enhance the functionality of DLP.

It is also important to note that in order for DLP to work at its highest level of accuracy, SSH deep packet inspection must be enabled.

Routing, Firewall Policies, and Security Profiles

Fri, 22 Nov 2019 19:00:11 GMT

SECURING YOUR AZURE VIRTUAL NETWORK WITH A NEXT GENERATION FIREWALL

PART 4: ROUTING, FIREWALL POLICIES, AND SECURITY PROFILES

User Defined Routes (UDR)

By default, Azure networks automatically generate system routes for connectivity between subnets within a VNET. A default route of 0.0.0.0/0 also exists to forward traffic out to the internet for VM’s residing in that VNET. With that said, introducing an NGFW virtual appliance to the environment will require that these routes be updated to utilize the NGFW as its next hop. If not, Azure traffic will continue to route through the transparent system routes and will never touch the NGFW virtual appliance.

System routes can be overridden using User Defined Routes (UDR). The UDR can be deployed via the Azure Marketplace (known as Route Table). Within the Route Table object, new routes can be specified to route subnet and internet bound traffic through the NGFW. The Route Table object will also need to be associated to each subnet that require the use of UDR’s. If different subnets require different UDR’s, multiple Route Tables can be implemented to achieve this.

Firewall Policies and NGFW UTM Features

Once Azure traffic is routed through the NGFW virtual appliance, firewall policies must be in place to allow both subnet to subnet and inside to outside communication. The benefit now is that these policies can be built out and managed using a familiar NGFW GUI, and traffic can be inspected using UTM (Unified Threat Management) features such as Antivirus (AV), Intrusion Prevention System (IPS), Web and Application content filtering .

The FortiGate virtual appliance, for example, provides Botnet C&C blocking to known malicious IP’s and domains. Sandbox cloud AV detection can be enabled to provide protection against zero-day virus’, and advanced logging and traffic analytics will be available to assist with both traffic monitoring and troubleshooting.

Full SSL inspection (deep packet inspection) should also be implemented since it provides the highest accuracy when it comes to content filtering, IPS and AV. Considering that roughly 97% of all traffic is now encrypted, full SSL inspection is a must to ensure that your environment is secure. With full SSL inspection, the NGFW acts as a MITM (man in the middle) to decrypt encrypted traffic, inspect it, then re-encrypt it for transmission to its destination.

INTERESTED IN VIEWING THE WEBINAR VIDEO ON THIS TOPIC? FILL OUT THE FORM.

Deploying a NGFW Virtual Appliance

Fri, 01 Nov 2019 18:06:10 GMT

SECURING YOUR AZURE VIRTUAL NETWORK WITH A NG FIREWALL

PART 3: DEPLOYING A NGFW VIRTUAL APPLIANCE

Before virtual security appliances were available in the Azure Marketpl ace, securing your Azure environment required the use of NSG’s (Network Security Group). NSG’s use the source and destination address and/or port methodology which doesn’t provide application layer visibility and logic. It can also become overly complex to implement and troubleshoot as the environment increases in scale.

With a virtual NGFW security appliance, securing your Azure perimeter feels familiar to that of an on-prem appliance. Offerings are also available through many of the major vendors, which can be deployed using templates available in the Azure marketplace. FortiGate for example can be deployed in a single or HA load balanced configuration and allows for a PAYG (pay as you go) or BYOL (bring your own license) option.

When deploying the virtual appliance, you’ll be required to select which VNET (virtual network) the appliance will associate with. From here, an outside and inside transport subnet will need to be selected from the chosen VNET. The outside subnet will be used for the appliances WAN interface, and inside for the LAN. This will be handed out dynamically by default but can be changed to a static IP configuration later if needed. It’s worth noting that both outside and inside interfaces will be assigned a private IP within their respective IP range. This is due to the fact that the public IP assigned by Azure does not get applied directly to the NGFW, but rather NAT’d 1:1 between the public IP and its outside interface IP.

After the virtual appliance successfully deploys, access will usually be enabled to the public IP by default. If using a FortiGate virtual appliance, management access via the public IP on 443 will be available. Once inside the NGFW management console, basic firewall forwarding rules can be configured for LAN to Internet connectivity.

INTERESTED IN VIEWING THE WEBINAR VIDEO ABOUT DEPLOYING A NG FIREWALL VIRTUAL APPLIANCE? FILL OUT THE FORM.

Provisioning an Azure Windows VM

Mon, 28 Oct 2019 18:08:41 GMT

SECURING YOUR AZURE VIRTUAL NETWORK WITH A NG FIREWALL

PART 2- PROVISIONING AN AZURE WINDOWS VM

Once a basic Azure network infrastructure (VNET) has been established, Vi rtual Machines can easily be deployed using the Azure Market place. These can be deployed within segmented VNET subnets to provide proper network segmentation, much like VLAN’s in an on-prem environment.

When using Azure as a DR play or extension of your existing on-prem server infrastructure (Cloud Hybridization), Domain Controllers and DNS servers should be your first set of VM’s. These can be deployed in an availability set so that each VM resides in separate fault and upgrade domains. This means that if a rack failure or maintenance were to occur, at least one of your VM’s will remain online.

Sizing of the VM is also important, but if you happen to under or oversize during the initial deployment, it’s usually a quick process to resize. This flexibility allows you to scale as needed, and there are also automated processes that can be implemented to power off and on VM’s at designated times to manage operating costs. VM’s can also be purchased in 1 or 3-year terms which can provide significant cost savings.

INTERESTED IN VIEWING THE WEBINAR VIDEO ABOUT PROVISIONING AN AZURE WINDOWS VM? FILL OUT THE FORM.

Setting Up a Basic Azure Network

Mon, 21 Oct 2019 18:11:11 GMT

SECURING YOUR AZURE VIRTUAL NETWORK WITH A NG FIREWALL

PART 1- SETTING UP A BASIC AZURE NETWORK

When setting up your Azure Virtual Network (VNET), there are some things to consider before getting started. You’ll want to first determine which location to deploy to, such as West US or Central US, since this will impact your latency between Microsoft’s Data centers and your physical sites or remote users. It’s also worth noting that location also impacts VM pricing to a degree.

The next step is to determine your overall design and topology. What will the virtual network be and how will you secure and connect this environment back to your on-prem infrastructure. Your virtual network should be configured using a range that won’t overlap with your existing networks – both presently and later down the road. If your existing network uses the Class C (192.168.0.0/16) IP address range for example, opt to use a Class A (10.0.0.0/8) instead for your Azure Virtual Network. This will ensure that no overlap will occur and allows for high scalability in your Azure environment.

Your Data is Not Backed Up in O365

Wed, 16 Oct 2019 18:13:29 GMT

There’s a big misconception with what Microsoft is responsible for and what your organization is responsible for. With Office 365, Microsoft provides an excellent, robus t infrastructure that is highly redundant. Microsoft takes care of all the hardware and software and has built infrastructure that is highly available. That said, Microsoft doesn’t backup your mailboxes, SharePoint or OneDrive data.

So what happens when you have a corrupt mailbox in Office 365? You put in a Microsoft support ticket, they take a look and will tell you to create a new mailbox because that users mailbox is corrupt. And of course, the corrupted user mailbox is most likely the CEO or your boss.

Here's a list of reasons why YOU (not Microsoft) should backup your Office 365 data*:

Accidental Deletion: The recycle bin is not going to cut it here. The recycle bin, by default, is for 30 days. Most deletions are discovered 140 days after deletion, per Microsoft.
Retention Policy: But I have Office 365 E3 and have retention policies in place? Unfortunately, retention policy and backups are not the same thing. A backup allows for point in time restoration.
Security Breach: If you’ve been hacked, its very possible your email or data in Office 365 could be manipulated.
Legal and Compliance requirements: Often times, depending on your organization, there are compliance requirements for YOU to have backups of your data retained for periods of time.
Hybrid Environments: Some organizations are in hybrid mode and leave mailboxes on-premise. These need to be backed up!

In summary, if you don’t have a backup solution for your Office 365 data, contact us at Akins IT ASAP. We have solutions to get your Office 365 data backed up TODAY!

Interested in more information on this topic?

This report explores the hazards of not having an Office 365 backup in your arsenal, and why backup solutions for Microsoft Office 365 fill the gap of long-term retention and data protection.

Secure Your Azure VNET Using Network Security Groups

Fri, 04 Oct 2019 18:30:24 GMT

As mentioned in my previous blog titled “ Microsoft Azure: Networking Basics ”, subnets carved out from a VNET address space have complete access to communicate with one another. Although there’s more than one way to control cross network communication, this blog will cover the method of using Network Security Groups (NSG) to achieve this goal.

NSGs can be deployed through the Azure Marketplace and associated to either a subnet, VM network interface or both. When applied to the subnet, all VM’s contained within its network range will be impacted by the NSG. Applying the NSG directly to a VM interface can provide access control on a per VM level. Note that a VM that has an NSG applied to its virtual interface will still be impacted by a separate NSG at the subnet level.

During the initial NSG creation process, you will be asked to fill in the name for your new NSG object as well as its resource group. The resource group is a logical container for Azure objects to exist in and can be one that you’ve already created or a newly provisioned group.

Configuring & Applying A Network Security Group

Once deployed from the Azure Marketplace, you can now configure the inbound and outbound security rules and associate the NSG to either a subnet or VM interface.

Security rules use a com bination of source and destination addresses or networks, port ranges, and protocols. Also note that just like access control lists, the rules are processed from a top to bottom order based on its priority number.

Options to configure security rules and association to a subnet or network interface can be accessed from the menu show below.

Once associated to a subnet or network interface, it can take several seconds to take effect. Inbound and outbound security rules must also be configured in their respective menu options. Configuring a rule meant for outbound traffic under the inbound section for example could result in unintended filtering of network traffic.

It’s also worth noting that if a VM has a public IP directly associated to its network interface, the NSG can be used to control and filter traffic between the VM and internet sources (as long as a UDR isn’t being used to route internet traffic through a virtual security appliance). In this scenario, an NSG applied to the VM interface would be used.

Reviewing Microsoft Cloud App Security Reports on G Suite Identities

Fri, 20 Sep 2019 18:42:10 GMT

AUTOMATING ONBOARDING STUDENTS AND USING MICROSOFT TO MANAGE G SUITE

PART 4: REVIEWING MICROSOFT CLOUD APP SECURITY REPORTS ON G SUITE IDENTITIES

PROBLEM

The typical IT admin in this scenario requires their School Information System (SIS) to synchronize student data their on-prem AD, Azure AD, and G-Suite. Currently, they feel that neither Microsoft nor Google has provided them with a convenient method with which to both effectively and efficiently manage the identities in these seemingly disparate environments

OBJECTIVE

By integrating Azure Active Directory with G-suite, we will be able to administratively manage an organization's on-prem AD, Azure AD, and G-suite identities from a single portal. In addition, with G-suite's identity management being delegated to Azure AD, we can redirect the SIS's synchronization from G-suite to either the on-prem AD or Azure AD.

In this way, we will have a continuous stream of data flowing from one entry point, that is reflected in all relevant directories. Such a seamless system will make the provisioning of identities, access permissions, and group memberships a simple process for IT administrators.

PART IV: REVIEWING MICROSOFT CLOUD APP SECURITY REPORTS ON G SUITE IDENTITIES

In this section we will be highlighting the following items:

Monitoring G Suite Identities with Microsoft Cloud App Security (MCAS)
Overview of Microsoft Cloud App Security Reports

With our G Suite Identities being managed by Azure AD, we also gain instant visibility into the sign-in activity log of our G Suite Users.

Firstly, from the screenshot above that was taken from our MCAS activity log , we can see that the user was successfully able to complete his login, as a failed login would indicate a failed attempt in both the Description and Type field.

Taking a closer look at the activity details of this user, we can see that this logged activity was a log on attempt to our G Suite app for which Azure AD SSO was configured:

Looking farther to the right of the expanded activity view of this user, we can also garner additional information on the type of device that was used to login to G Suite, and the location from which the user’s connection is originated:

Now this is but a fraction of the oversight and management of G Suite identities that can be had with Microsoft Cloud App Security. By adding G Suite as one of our connected apps directly through the MCAS portal, we can gain even more administrative control over our G Suite accounts and data:

With that said, reviewing the MCAS logs for our G Suite identities once we have Azure AD managing them is a great place to start to acquire some familiarity with its capabilities.

CREATE CONDITIONS FOR LEARNING- LEARN MORE ABOUT INTUNE FOR EDUCATION

Configuring Intune for Facilitating Device Management for G Suite Users

Wed, 11 Sep 2019 18:52:17 GMT

AUTOMATING ONBOARDING STUDENTS AND USING MICROSOFT TO MANAGE G SUITE

PART 3: CONFIGURING INTUNE FOR FACILITATING DEVICE MANAGEMENT FOR G SUITE USERS

PROBLEM

The typica l IT admin in this scenario requires their School Information System (SIS) to synchronize student data their on-prem AD, Azure AD, and G-Suite. Currently, they feel that neither Microsoft nor Google has provided them with a convenient method with which to both effectively and efficiently manage the identities in these seemingly disparate environments

OBJECTIVE

In this way, we will have a continuous stream of data flowing from one entry point, that is reflected in all relevant directories. Such a seamless system will make the pro visioning of identities, access permissions, and group memberships a simple process for IT administrators.

PART III: CONFIGURING INTUNE FOR FACILITATING DEVICE MANAGEMENT FOR G SUITE USERS

In part 3 of our blog on managing G Suite identities with Microsoft, we will be reviewing how to create an Intune Configuration Profile for easily provisioning managed devices with the appropriate Wi-Fi settings to join your network.

Firstly, we will name the Intune Device Configuration profile, indicate the device Platform, and select Wi-Fi as our Profile Type .

With the profile name, we can proceed with selecting our Wi-Fi type . The below screenshot is for the Enterprise selection.

In this view, we can specify the Wi-Fi name, Connection Name, fast roaming settings, and more.

From there, we simply need to assign our group of G Suite users to the Wi-Fi policy that we just created.

There we have it. Our Intune wireless provisioning now works in conjunction with our AD-linked wireless SSID. As you can see, the benefits of integrating Azure AD with G Suite go beyond just the management of cloud identities. And since those same identities also exist in our on-prem AD, we can easily apply network access policies to them.

CREATE CONDITIONS FOR LEARNING- LEARN MORE ABOUT INTUNE FOR EDUCATION

Automating Onboarding Students Using Microsoft to Manage Google Workspace Part 2 (Configuring Conditional Access for Google Workspace)

Thu, 05 Sep 2019 15:16:23 GMT

Part 2: Configuring Conditional Access for Google Workspace

Problem

Objective

PART II: CONFIGURING CONDITIONAL ACCESS FOR G SUITE

In this section we will be pivoting to the following items:

Overview of Conditional Access
Sample CA Policy for MFA based on Location
Review of Student’s Login Experience

The Conditional Access (CA) policy that we will be creating for our students in this example will be based on location. The intended result of this CA policy is to challenge individuals who attempt to log into G Suite from a location that is outside the school’s campus.

The steps to create this CA policy include:

Name the CA policy
Specify the security group that we assigned to our G Suite SSO app
Select G Suite as our Cloud app
Designate Any location to be Included in this policy
Exclude – All trusted locations
Select Require multi-factor authentication for the controls to be enforced in order to Grant access

Selected option to include any location in CA policy

Excluded All Trusted Locations from this CA policy
In this way, users will not be prompted to MFA while on the school’s premises

Access to G Suite resources will still be granted to those users who are outside of the school’s premises, but they are required to authenticate with MFA

With Azure AD now managing the identities in G Suite, we can take advantage of the powerful tools in Microsoft’s arsenal for protecting those identities. By applying Conditional Access and MFA on those identities, we will be ensuring that users are only being challenged when attempting to login from untrusted locations, such as when they are off campus.

CREATE CONDITIONS FOR LEARNING- LEARN MORE ABOUT INTUNE FOR EDUCATION

Automating Onboarding Students Using Microsoft to Manage Google Workspace Part 1 (Configuring SSO for G Suite in Azure AD)

Thu, 29 Aug 2019 15:26:35 GMT

Part 1: Configuring SSO for G Suite in Azure AD

Problem

The typical IT admin in this scenario requires their School Information System (SIS) to synchronize student data their on-prem AD, Azure AD, and Google Workspace. Currently, they feel that neither Microsoft nor Google has provided them with a convenient method with which to both effectively and efficiently manage the identities in these seemingly disparate environments

Objective

By integrating Azure Active Directory with Google Workspace, we will be able to administratively manage an organization's on-prem AD, Azure AD, and Google Workspace identities from a single portal. In addition, with Google Workspace identity management being delegated to Azure AD, we can redirect the SIS's synchronization from Google Workspace to either the on-prem AD or Azure AD.

Let’s begin by reviewing the different facets of the configuration of Single Sign-On in Azure:

The 3 areas of focus for setting up SSO integration with Google Workspace for our students will include

Configuring SSO parameters in Azure and Google Workspace
Enabling Automatic User provisioning from Azure AD to Google Workspace
Creating Conditional Access policies to further secure Google Workspace identities once they are tied to Azure AD identities

To integrate Google Workspace with Azure AD, we first need to navigate to Enterprise Applications in our Azure portal, and add Google Workspace (which will be a collective of all the apps under the Google Workspace umbrella):

After adding the Google Workspace app platform, we will select SAML for our Single Sign-On experience, which will then provide us with the information we need to configure the SSO options in Google Workspace:

Armed with that information, we can enable SSO with third party identity providers in Google Workspace and fill out the required fields based on the information supplied to us in our respective SAML page:

Once we have established the SSO connection between Azure and Google Workspace, we will need some users assigned to our Google Workspace app platform:

Now that we have assigned users to the G Suite app platform, let us continue into setting the Provisioning Mode to Automatic, and provide the Google admin credentials needed to authorize Azure AD to create accounts in G Suite.

And lastly, once we have integrated Azure SSO with G Suite, we can create conditional access policies that protect identities that exist in Google Workspace because they are authenticated through Azure AD during sign-in:

This concludes part 1 of our series on Automating Onboarding Students and Using Microsoft To Manage Google Workspace.

Web Filtering: A Next Generation Firewall Must-Have Feature

Wed, 14 Aug 2019 15:33:09 GMT

NEXT GENERATION FIREWALL MUST-HAVE FEATURE

PART 4: WEB FILTERING

In today’s digital age, security has become tantamount to success in ensuring business continuity. That said, ensuring that the latest and greatest security measures are in place on a network’s perimeter security appliance is crucial in ensuring a healthy and vulnerability-free network. In this blog, the NG or “Next Generation” firewall will be showcased to underscore some of the top modern-day features that should be taken into consideration when purchasing or refreshing a new firewall. These features will reduce the probability of successful attack, consolidate feature-sets, and ensure an optimal network.

WEB FILTERING

There are many environments that have both a dedicated web filter and a firewall. In many cases, both appliances could be consolidated as many NG firewalls can perform advanced web filtering and application filtering.

Generally, categories are pre-built in order to give a headstart in mapping out rules for management. This makes deployments fairly turn-key where basic web-filtering rules are needed in order to meet certain requirements.

Both web traffic and application traffic can be effectively monitored and managed by applying dedicated application and web filters on the firewall’s forwarding rules. In our example, the site, Facebook.com was blocked via SSL decryption which was created through an application rule.

14 MALWARE VARIANTS WERE DETECTED ON AVERAGE PER FIRM IN Q4 2018

LEVERAGE FORTIGATE'S CYBER THREAT ASSESSMENT PROGRAM (CTAP) TO FIND WHAT'S BEHIND YOUR FIREWALL.

Malware/IPS Prevention: A Next Generation Firewall Must-Have Feature

Tue, 06 Aug 2019 15:39:43 GMT

NEXT GENERATION FIREWALL MUST-HAVE FEATURES

PART 3: MALWARE/IPS PREVENTION

In today’s digital age, security has become tantamount to success in ensuring business continu ity. That said, ensuring that the latest and greatest security measures are in place on a network’s perimeter security appliance is crucial in ensuring a healthy and vulnerability-free network. In this blog, the NG or “Next Generation” firewall will be showcased to underscore some of the top modern-day features that should be taken into consideration when purchasing or refreshing a new firewall. These features will reduce the probability of successful attack, consolidate feature-sets, and ensure an optimal network.

IPS/AV BLOCKING

One of the most important features from a strict security perspective is the ability to block newer malware, viruses, and prevent unauthorized outside access from entering the network. Most NG firewalls are perpetually updated to prevent new, “zero-day” threats on the network and can aid in protecting both the internal LAN segments from infected devices and prevent outside connections to internal or DMZ segments.

Fortinet provides a web-based tool at metal.fortiguard.com that runs a multi-virus test to test the overall security of a perimeter device. In the webinar, a test was run and all viruses were effectively blocked before hitting the internal segments. Logging was also provided to demonstrate the nature of the virus and origin.

STAY TUNED NEXT WEEK FOR PART 4: WEB FILTERING

54% OF ORGANIZATIONS HAD SEVERE EXPLOITS IN Q4 2018

LEVERAGE FORTIGATE'S CYBER THREAT ASSESSMENT PROGRAM (CTAP) TO FIND WHAT'S BEHIND YOUR FIREWALL.

SSL Decryption: A Next Generation Firewall Must-Have Feature

Tue, 30 Jul 2019 15:44:50 GMT

NEXT GENERATION FIREWALL MUST-HAVE FEATURES

PART 2: SSL DECRYPTION

In today’s digital age, security has become tantamount to success in ensuring business continuity. Th at said, ensuring that the latest and greatest security measures are in place on a network’s perimeter security appliance is crucial in ensuring a healthy and vulnerability-free network. In this blog, the NG or “Next Generation” firewall will be showcased to underscore some of the top modern-day features that should be taken into consideration when purchasing or refreshing a new firewall. These features will reduce the probability of successful attack, consolidate feature-sets, and ensure an optimal network.

DEEP-PACKET SSL INSPECTION

It’s now estimated that over 70% of traffic is now SSL encrypted. From a security perspective, this means that every connection to an SSL enabled website is encrypted between the hand-shake of an endpoint (a computer) and the connecting server. This prevents any man-in-the-middle from inspecting the traffic and possibly compromising data in-between.

From an analytics perspective, this makes it increasingly difficult to effective monitor and log data that’s flowing through a network. The solution to this issue would be an implementation of SSL Decryption on an NG firewall.

In this scenario, a self-signed certificate generated from the firewall is assigned to all endpoints utilizing the network. The endpoint will “trust” the firewall and allow the firewall to attack as a decryption point into the network and allow, block, or log the traffic as needed. This is important in environments that require granular logging or requires regular reports on network traffic.

Additionally, this allows administrators to block specific parts of a website. For example, objects within a site can be blocked and certain parts can be left as-is.

STAY TUNED NEXT WEEK FOR PART 3: MALWARE/IPS PREVENTION.

68% OF BREACHES ARE NOT DISCOVERED FOR MONTHS OR LONGER.

LEVERAGE FORTIGATE'S CYBER THREAT ASSESSMENT PROGRAM (CTAP) TO FIND WHAT'S BEHIND YOUR FIREWALL.

Quality of Service: A Next Generation Firewall Must-Have Feature

Fri, 19 Jul 2019 15:48:30 GMT

NEXT GENERATION FIREWALL MUST-HAVE FEATURES

PART 1: QUALITY OF SERVICE

QUALITY OF SERVICE

Quality of Service is becoming increasingly more important with the transition to a hybridized environment that includes both on-premise and cloud-based applications. Network connections that require a high-degree of quality such a VoIP traffic greatly benefit from QOS priority mapping. Most “NG” firewalls have the ability to detect application sets or static rules that apply priorities to specific types of network traffic.

A VoIP call that connects to a cloud-based PBX typically requires a constant connection without degradation to be jitter and delay free. Common issues without QOS in place would result in poor voice quality, picture quality (if a conference call), or latency in sound delivery. A good QOS policy will ensure VoIP packets are given a higher priority and dedicated bandwidth as not to interfere with other types of traffic. Environments that are overutilizing bandwidth can benefit from assigning higher priority values to sensitive traffic types.

Stay tuned next week for Part 2: SSL Decryption

Azure Networking Basics

Wed, 05 Jun 2019 18:36:48 GMT

This blog serves to provide a quick high-level overview of what’s required to build out a basic Azure network infrastructure.

VIRTUAL NETWORK ADDRESS SPACE AND SUBNETS

B efore any Azure VM’s can be deployed, a virtual network (VNET) must first be implemented within your Azure tenant. During the VNET provisioning process, you will also be required to specify a resource group for the VNET to exist in. Resource groups are logical containers for Azure objects.

When deciding on your Azure VNET, keep in mind that this VNET must be unique and cannot overlap with existing network ranges. If you have an on-prem network of 10.10.0.0/24 for example, your Azure VNET address space can be 10.20.0.0/16, which ensures that each virtual subnet you provision within Azure remains unique and routable.

Azure subnets are carved out of your configured VNET address space. Utilizing a /16 address space will provide you with a large enough range to accommodate your design requirements. From the 10.20.0.0/16 address space example above, additional subnets of 10.20.1.0/24, 10.20.2.0/24, 10.20.3.0/24 and so on, can be provisioned.

The subnets provide network segmentation like that of an o n-prem infrastructure utilizing VLAN’s. VM’s can be deployed within each subnet based on their tier (i.e. front-end web server, application, database) and then segmented and secured using network security groups.

By default, subnets within a VNET have complete access to communicate with one another. To restrict access between subnets, a network security group (NSG) must be deployed and associated to each subnet where access control is needed (apply directly to VM interface for per VM access control). NSG’s can also be used to restrict or limit access between Azure subnets and On-Prem networks.

ON-PREM TO AZURE CONNECTIVITY

On-prem to Azure connectivity can be quickly achieved by deploying Azure’s virtual network gateway (VNG). The VNG acts as a public gateway for site-to-site connectivity using IPSEC VPN tunneling. It’s also important to note that the VNG is strictly for site connectivity and does not provide any security features.

For added security, it is recommended that a virtual security appliance / firewall be deployed in Azure and used as the VPN gateway instead. A virtual FortiGate for example would provide site-to-site IPSEC VPN connectivity as well as the usual UTM features like AV, IPS, web and application filtering.

When a virtual security appliance is used to secure the perimeter of the Azure network, a user defined route (UDR) must also be implemented. The UDR allows Azure traffic to be routed through the virtual security appliance.

Photos From the Sundance Festival

Thu, 24 Jan 2019 17:30:07 GMT

Our networking team was asked to help a client with network and wireless setup in Park City, Utah for the Sundance Festival. Look at all that snow!

Golfing at Angel Stadium

Thu, 20 Dec 2018 17:35:27 GMT

It's not every day that you get the chance to golf at Angel Stadium! We took a great group of clients out to experience it with us and it was awesome! If you missed it, be on the lookout for upcoming events.

Best Games for Company Holiday Parties!

Wed, 19 Dec 2018 17:39:57 GMT

Every year our holiday party seems to get better! Our team has some favorite games that we do every year including the saran wrap ball game, LRC, and our white elephant game. We also had a festive hat competition where the best holiday hat won a gift card.

1. The Saran Wrap Ball Game: If you haven't ever played the saran wrap game, you have to check it out and think about incorporating it into your next holiday party. The gist of the game is this: You take whatever prizes you want and wrap them up in about 2 full rolls of saran wrap . Make sure the prizes are spread throughout the various layers of the saran wrap since the ball will pass to multiple people. The game starts with everyone gathering in a circle around a table and one person gets to start with the ball. The person to their left begins rolling 2 dice to try to get doubles. As soon as doubles are rolled, the ball passes to the person to the left as do the dice. Whoever has the ball tries to unroll the ball as quickly as possible to get the prizes until they have to pass it on. (More details here : )

You don't know how competitive your teammates really are until you put this game into action! Our ball was full of candy, Buffalo Wild Wings gift cards (a team favorite), Fandango gift cards, and lottery scratchers.

2. LRC- Left Right Center: Our team brings $3 each and the winner usually takes around $60 home!

3. White Elephant: Nothing new here, but it is a STAPLE. Our group always has so much fun bringing hilarious things. This year's gifts included a squatty potty, a flashlight taser, a motion sensor light for a toilet.

Hope your team has as much fun with these games as we did!

Azure Site Recovery

Wed, 07 Nov 2018 17:47:34 GMT

Azure Site Recovery (ASR) is a complete game changer when it comes to Disaster Recovery (DR). Disaster Recovery differs from backup in that backup can take an extended a mount of time to restore data and most backup solutions do not help if there is an issue with the physical location or hardware. In this article I will highlight some of the main benefits of using ASR as a part of your Disaster Recovery plan.

Cost

The single most important benefit of setting up your DR infrastructure with ASR is cost. In a traditional DR environment, clients were forced to rent/buy a separate location, datacenter or otherwise, purchase all the appropriate hardware, configure it all, and maintain it in addition to their production infrastructure. For a lot of customers, especially small to medium size customers, this solution was simply too expensive. Now with ASR, you immediately save the cost associated with another location and the hardware that is required. In addition, the client only pays for compute and usage charges IF they failover over to Azure during a test or an actual DR situation.

Simplicity

Ease of use is another great reason to leverage ASR in your DR practice. In any DR implementation it is a must to have very specific goal(s) and create a detailed plan for the execution to ensure things are not overlooked. However, on a technical level, the implementation and use of ASR is very simple. Whether you have Hyper-V or a VMware environment, there are tools and step-by step guides to implement them in either situation. With an Azure subscription, a few hours, and some basic technical knowledge, you can begin replicating and protecting portions of your infrastructure over to Azure.

Migration Tool

An often-overlooked part of ASR is its use as a migration tool. Many clients are starting to migrate their workloads over to Azure or simply wanting to test the Azure waters. A lot of times costumers don’t entirely know where to start so they reach out to us. We will typically do a Proof of Concept for them (PoC). During the PoC we will work with the client to create or identify a low priority virtual machine, configure ASR and replicate the instance to Azure. The key here is that there is no technical requirement to ever failback, hence, migration tool. Throughout the process the client can be as involved or not involved as they like depending on their needs and goals. Once we have replicated a machine or two and the client understands the process along with some training, clients can then begin to evaluate Azure for its different uses and continue to use ASR to migrate workloads as needed.

If your company is looking into implementing a DR strategy or to reduce cost, my reasons will hopefully assist you in considering ASR. Of course, if you would like more information on ASR, please don’t hesitate to reach out to our team here at Akins IT!

Your Email Security

Wed, 24 Oct 2018 16:50:38 GMT

What do you think may be the weakest point in your network? It’s probably not the firewall protecting the network from hackers, but may be the end user sitting on an end -point visiting a phishing site that is about to harvest their credentials. Carelessness often leads to environment and network breaches. An attacker’s primary tool isn’t Mimikatz, but the daily driver of productivity in every business: email.

When determining a security gateway that’s right for your company, it’s important to determine the number of users, compliance the company must meet, and the importance of security. My local coffee shop isn’t going to need the same level of security as my bank. Again, it’s about assessing the needs of the company to find the right solution.

Traditional security email gateways are easier to use and have a lower cost associated. Implementation can be as easy as flipping an MX record to point to the gateway. Console management usually provides basic reporting and policies can be spun up within a few hours. Policies include URL rewrites and attachment sandboxing. Microsoft’s O365 ATP features these security mechanisms in their offering, as an example.

Mimecast, a leader in email security, provides granular policies for enterprise. Attachment Protect isn’t only limited to sandboxing at the gateway. Its capabilities are enhanced to provide file conversion where necessary. For example, Office documents can be converted into a PDF, stripping any malicious metadata from the document. Mimecast excels in its ability to create in-depth policies for departmentalized companies.

Below are a few screenshots to illustrate the differences of the two gateways listed.

The company and IT department shouldn't place the responsibility of security on the end user; they're bound to accidentally click on a link for a malicious site at some point. It's the IT department's responsibility to ensure their network is secure and engage their company’s security posture with a focus on email security as these types of attacks become more frequent.

FortiClient EMS for Chromebooks

Wed, 17 Oct 2018 16:55:06 GMT

My previous blogs provided an overview of the FortiClient EMS platform for Windows and Mac OSX endpoints, but did you know that there’s also support for Chromebooks? Pre vious releases of FortiClient EMS had two versions, Standard and for Chromebooks. These had to be installed as two separate instances on their own dedicated VM, which meant that management of EMS registered devices had to be done from two separate consoles. With the introduction of EMS version 6.0 and above, management of both standard and Chromebook devices can now be accomplished within a single pane of glass.

How Does Licensing Work?

Although both Standard and Chromebook devices can now be managed under a single management console, licensing is still separate.

FortiClient Deployment

The FortiClient Web Filter Extension can be pushed out to endpoints via the Google admin portal. HTTPS communication between the extension and FortiClient EMS requires either a public or self-signed certificate.

Features

FortiClient Web Filter Extension for Chromebooks does not include endpoint AV and Vulnerability scanning. It is strictly for web content filtering but does add a layer of security by preventing endpoints from visiting known malicious sites. User web traffic is also sent back along with telemetry data, providing admins with visibility into the types of sites being visited. Attempts to access blocked sites or categories are displayed in the FortiClient EMS dashboard. Logs can also be sent to a FortiAnalyzer if one has been deployed.

On-net / Off-net Filtering

Content filtering persists even while the devices are off-net, and new or updated EMS profiles can be pushed out to these devices so long as they can communicate with the EMS server. For off-net devices, this is achieved by having a public DNS entry exactly as the servers FQDN. This would then resolve to your public IP and NAT’d to the EMS servers private IP (The FortiClient Web Filter Extension communicates with the EMS server via its hostname, not IP address).

Akins IT Employee of the Quarter: Jonathan Schaumloeffel!

Mon, 15 Oct 2018 18:53:36 GMT

Congratulations to Jonathan Schaumloeffel for being awarded Akins IT Employee of the Quarter!

Jonathan exudes many of our company’s core values and goes above and beyond not only for his team but for our clients. He is always willing to help out when needed, often giving up personal time to assist with other projects, internal processes, and demonstrations. He is highly motivated and spends time before and after working hours to catch up with best practices and self-improvement.

His drive and innovation work hand-in-hand as he closely follows emerging technologies that he can apply to both clients and the Akins IT team. Thank you for your hard work Jonathan, Akins is lucky to have you!

Why Nimble Storage?

Tue, 09 Oct 2018 18:56:08 GMT

A common question I get as a solution architect is “Why?” Why that firewall? Why that server? Why do it that way?" In this write up I’d like to dive a little bit into wh y I enjoy working with Nimble Storage and some of the benefits we see our clients taking advantage of.

Simple

Just about anything you could want to do with your storage appliance is easy with Nimble. With some storage appliances, performing basic setup or making configuration changes is very complicated and not user friendly. Hence, why some companies must bring in a storage expert. I am not trying to talk myself out of work here, but with some basic understanding of storage, most IT admins can setup and manage a Nimble infrastructure with ease.

If you need more performance for a workload, simply apply a pre-built or custom performance policy to the volume where the workload resides. If you want the best performance for some workloads but don’t have the budget for all flash, pin the specific workload to cache. It is all very simple and seamless. If business goals demand disaster recovery readiness, purchase a second array for the DR site, enable replication. Done.

I have seen the situation many times where a company’s storage has run out or is about to run out with relatively short notice. To remedy, they must spend $50,000 or more on storage but it’s not in the budget this year. Unfortunately, this is not uncommon. Nimble has a neat feature where the array will give you predictive analytics based on past data growth as to when your array will run out of space and make recommendation to add another array or shelf.

Flexibility

Say you came across the situation where the business decided to expand, larger projects are started, or you’ve simply had the same infrastructure for 3-5 years. Its time to increase your storage capacity. In some situations, this is a massive undertaking and a lot of planning, preparation, and ground work needs to be done. With Nimble, the purchase of an expansion shelf fixes your problem as fast as you can plug it in. I have done this for customers many times and they are always surprised at how easy it is. All you must do is point the array to recognize the shelf and expand the storage pool. Incredibly quick to do. Of course, make sure you have the rack space, I’ve seen that one go bad.

In other situations, you might have enough storage, but you need more performance, which is not a problem. You can perform a controller upgrade at any time and even during production. If required, you can even add an all flash shelf to a hybrid array and use the shelf for the caching of your performance intensive workloads.

Support

Last but certainly not least is Nimble support… Wow! As a solution architect, I deal with a lot of different companies and their support staff. I can honestly say Nimble support is some of the best out there. When you call in, there is no “Let me make a case for you and someone will call you back next month.” There is no, “Sir, can you please unplug it and plug it back in?” You speak to an experienced engineer immediately who knows what they are talking about. Not only experienced with Nimble, but the surrounding infrastructure as well- i.e. VMware, Hyper-V, Server OS, Switching, etc. Often when I am explaining Nimble support to customers I have them call their support line and quiz the engineer. Never have I had a client bothered by the support experience. I dare you, too! Give them a call and quiz them.

In summary, Nimble Storage is a great fit for a variety of scenarios. Hopefully this write-up answers the “Why?” question for a lot of you!

Thanks for Joining Us for Celebratory Cocktails!

Fri, 27 Jul 2018 19:06:08 GMT

When the Orange County Business Journal ranks you #5 on the Best Places to Work list, you celebrate with cocktails. Thank you for all who came to celebrate with us! Akin s IT wouldn't be the same without our great partners, vendors, and team members.

Akins IT Announced as #5 on OCBJ's Best Places to Work List!

Thu, 26 Jul 2018 20:09:05 GMT

We have known for a long time that our culture is a huge asset to our organization but we were thrilled to hear that we had ranked as #5 on the Orange County Business Jo urnal's list of Best Places to Work. This award is such an honor as it is created to identify, recognize and honor businesses in Orange County that are some of the best places to work, helping the county's economy, businesses and workforce.

So, what REALLY makes Akins IT a great place to work? Just to name a few...

1. We are a championship team, meaning that this is a great place to grow professionally and personally. Our team is set up where the leadership team acts as mentors to coach new team members along the way to make them an A player. We invest in outside training, certifications, courses, etc. to promote leadership and technical skills.

2.We’re fun! We have team lunches & outings (examples- Day at Del Mar Horse Races, movies, lunches & dinners, etc.), happy hours at our office, a full bar & pool table in the office and an open floor plan to foster communication and collaboration.

3. Flexible work schedule. We focus on results and performance and aren’t interested in just having bodies in the office from 9-5.

Want to join the team?

FortiClient EMS Platform for Endpoint Security Deployment & Management

Tue, 17 Jul 2018 20:11:14 GMT

I last wrote about the powerful yet free AV and vulnerability endpoint protection solution offering by Fortinet called FortiClient and how it can be integrated with othe r Fortinet security fabric solutions to unlock enhanced features. One of those is achieved by leveraging the FortiClient EMS platform.

Device Management and Profiles

As mentioned before, FortiClient EMS can be deployed on a Windows Server 2012 R2 or higher system and provides an easy to use console for the management of FortiClient endpoints. The vulnerability dashboard also provides a high-level view of the overall endpoint security health at a glance.

Endpoints can also be moved into separate containers / groups allowing for customized profiles to be created and deployed. These profiles can range from custom AV and Vulnerability scanning options to web filtering and application firewall enforcement based on user type (ie. Staff, Student, Admin).

Leveraging profiles helps to not only organize the deployment and management of different device groups, but also assist in simple tasks such as disabling AV under special circumstances. The process to disable AV on some endpoint solutions can be pretty convoluted and can sometimes even require client uninstall to do so – in FortiClient EMS, it’s as simple as moving the device(s) into a container with a profile that has AV disabled. To re-enable, just move it back to the original container.

Web and Application Firewall

The web filtering and application firewall modules can be implemented to add an additional layer of security and compliance to endpoints. The enforcement of content as well as management of profiles and settings can persist even while the device is off-net. Off-net management is achieved by making the FortiClient EMS server accessible from the outside - endpoints can be configured to send its telemetry data to an outside gateway which then also allows profile changes to be synced.

Choose from block, allow or monitor for each web and application category.

Get more granular by selecting application signatures and applying block, allow or monitor status as needed.

Logging and Reporting

FortiClient EMS can also send traffic and event logs to a FortiAnalyzer, allowing for additional visibility into endpoint security events. Reporting options are also available from the FortiAnalyzer.

Windows Hello for Business- Goodbye to Passwords

Thu, 12 Jul 2018 20:18:30 GMT

Windows has come a long way since the breach-prone Windows XP era of computing. Microsoft continues to show its commitment as a security-first company with Windows 10. N o longer are the days that a hacker can use a Pass-The-Hash attack when features like Windows Hello for Business are enabled on end points.

Take the current state of a password: It’s meant to authenticate the user’s identity to a network or a service. That password is stored on a hosting server, hopefully with tightened security in place like encryption or password hashing. And yes, even when these measures are in place, passwords are susceptible to breaches by man in the middle attacks, compromised servers, and end-user password phishing – by far the most common.

Microsoft attempts to resolve this problem with Windows Hello for Business. Leveraging modern built-in TPM chips, Windows 10 can provide a quicker login and a Seamless Single Sign On experience to the end user, eliminating the burden of traditional passwords.

Windows Hello for Business takes two keys, one public and one private, to authenticate. It’s known as an Asymmetric Approach. The public key is stored in the cloud, in our instance, Azure AD. The private key is safely locked in the TPM chip, only accessible when a user provides their sign-in gesture at login. This results in an authentication token request by the computer from Azure AD in cloud only environments.

I’ll leave you with my favorite feature incorporated into Windows Hello For Business: Dynamic Lock. My phone is connected to my computer via Bluetooth. When I manage to leave the range of my computer, it will automatically lock itself. This comes handy when in public settings you hear your name being called out, letting you know your Chai Latte is ready.

Self-Service Password Reset Via Lockscreen

Wed, 11 Jul 2018 20:22:35 GMT

The Need:

Password resets can often be burdensome for an organization’s help desk team, and being locked out of an account or device can leave users without access to th eir work at the most inconvenient times. Through Self-Service Password Reset (SSPR), integrated with Azure Active Directory, users in the office can easily regain access to their work in a secure manner, as needed. But did you know remote users (i.e. at home, onsite, off premise) can also regain access securely? This is accomplished through Azure AD without utilizing a VPN to connect to the organizations on-premise Active Directory. Remote users can reset their password via the Microsoft Cloud, which is then transcribed into Azure AD. Since the company is already utilizing Azure AD Connect, Azure AD can easily write the new password back to the local on-premise Active Directory. This feature not only relieves the burden from the organization’s help desk team, it also allows the user to regain access in a timely manner and return to work.

One of the largest problems surrounding SSPR is not the deployment of the services, but the user training surrounding it. With Windows 10 Build 1803, things just became a whole lot simpler in regards to the user training and process. I am going to first take you through the prerequisites for SSPR and then talk about how things have changed with Windows 10 April 2018 Update (Build 1803).

The Prerequisites:

There are a few Microsoft Services that are perquisites to SSPR if you are in a Hybrid Active Directory Environment utilizing Azure Active Directory Connect (AAD):

Password Writeback must be setup and enabled within AAD Connect.
Permissions within your local Active Directory must be setup with the AAD Connect Connector Account.
Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) should also be rolled out within your environment.
Register your users for SSPR.

The User Experience

Once you have successfully deployed SSPR within your organization users normally have to visit https://passwordreset.microsoftonline.com/ in order to reset their password. The issue with this is users must have access to another device in order to access the website. When traveling or in other business predicaments, users may only have access to the device they are locked out of. This is where one of the new features within Windows 10 1803 saves the day! Utilizing Microsoft Intune a Mobile Device Management (MDM) platform, a part of the Microsoft EMS Suite, administrators are able to push out a policy enabling SSPR on the users Windows 10 Lock screen. Now that is pretty cool!

Once clicked, users will be taken through the SSPR process.

Once the process is completed, the password will be written back to your local Active Directory immediately and the user will be able to sign-in to the device they were once locked out of.

How do I enable this for my organization?

If you have already setup SSPR and your devices are Hybrid Azure AD joined or Azure AD joined, have a global admin configure an MDM policy, make sure your devices are running the latest version of Windows 10, and that’s it! Users will now see a “Reset password” link on their login screen.

Employee of the Quarter: Brittney Garner

Fri, 06 Jul 2018 20:29:33 GMT

We love to recognize our team for their great work! Being employee of the quarter comes with perks- a front parking spot, team lunch at the place of your choosing, and a trophy!

This quarter we recognized a member of our leadership team, Brittney. Her title, Client Success Coordinator, is purposefully broad as she is responsible for making sure that our clients are taken care of and happy! This includes making sure projects run smoothly by keeping them on track and scheduling our solution architects appropriately. We are lucky to have her because our team loves her as much as our clients do.

Congratulations, Brittney!

Thank you for Attending our CIE at Cucamonga School District!

Thu, 14 Jun 2018 20:32:03 GMT

W e had a great afternoon learning how to use Microsoft Teams, OneNote, and other Microsoft technology in the classroom. Guests got to play with the new Windows Surface devices, explore Teams in education and the new Office Experience, learned how to create online lessons, collaborate in the classroom and across campus, and explored Classroom Notebooks in OneNote. Huge thank you to Cucamonga School District for hosting this event and to Mallory Mack from Microsoft for co-presenting with our team. Stay tuned for upcoming events!

Thanks for Spending the Afternoon with us!

Fri, 18 May 2018 20:34:32 GMT

Thank you to Mimecast and Fortinet for helping us throw a great event and to all who attended! Fortinet walked us through the change in IT and security landscape and Mimecast demonstrated the anatomy of an email borne attack. Then, we had a golf pro teach the group putting techniques and all attendees walked away with a brand new Cleveland putter. If you missed it, don't worry- We have new events on the horizon including a Star Wars premiere on May 24th!

Fortify Your Endpoints with FortiClient

Mon, 16 Apr 2018 20:39:49 GMT

Endpoint protection is a must-have additional layer of security, but this can take a large bite out your IT budget as some solutions can range in the tens of thousands. This is where Fortinet’s FortiClient comes into play.

FortiClient Stand-Alone

FortiClient is a one-stop-shop for endpoint protection when integrated with a FortiGate and/or FortiClient EMS platform. But a stand-alone installation still provides anti-virus protection with regular signature updates from FortiGuard as well as vulnerability scanning for critical updates and exploits. The best part is that FortiClient is 100% FREE and available on a wide range of platforms (Windows, Mac OSX, iOS, Android and Chromebook devices)! To take full advantage of FortiClient’s powerhouse of features however requires integration with Fortinet’s security platforms mentioned next.

FortiClient with FortiGate / FortiClient EMS

Combined with a FortiGate firewall, FortiClient can also be used as an IPSec / SSL VPN client along with a NAC-like enforcement of endpoints when FortiGate telemetry is enabled. If a virus or high to critical vulnerability is discovered, the FortiGate can quarantine said device until compliance requirements have been met.

FortiClient’s utility and value grows even further when integrated with the FortiClient EMS platform. This provides a security management console which can be used to manage all endpoints with FortiClient installed. Scheduling out virus or vulnerability scans or initiating on-demand is also a useful feature. For domain joined Windows systems, FortiClient can be pushed out and installed remotely. An easy to read dashboard provides an up to date view of the current security health and reporting of all endpoints. Updates to the FortiClient and patching of any high to critical vulnerabilities can also be triggered directly from the management console. FortiClient installation payload can be customized to include web and application filtering, allowing businesses or schools to loan out devices and still enforce content filtering when taken off-net.

With the combination of all three components, FortiClient shines as a comprehensive endpoint security solution. FortiGate and FortiClient EMS integration does require additional licensing, but it comes in at a very competitive price point making it that much more attractive as your platform of choice.

Why Hyper-Converged?

Fri, 13 Apr 2018 20:43:27 GMT

One of the biggest trends in IT today is Hyper-Converged technology. As consultants, many clients come to us with questions about Hyper-Converged and its use. Clients wa nt to know: What’s the big deal? And why is it worth moving away from their existing architecture? Let's go over the three biggest factors that we see driving businesses to a Hyper-Converged solution.

Cost

The first and most compelling reason we see moving people into Hyper-Converged technology is the overall cost of ownership. Though it varies from case to case, often a Hyper-Converged solution makes more financial sense compared to a traditional three tier architecture or moving to a public cloud. This is especially true when you consider the cost of employing experts in each aspect of a traditional three tier system. With Hyper-Converged, typically you can have one expert manage the environment.

Scalability

Everyone always wants the best solution for the lowest price. What is great about Hyper-Converged is its ability to scale. A customer doesn't have to buy a 20-node cluster right off the bat if they don't have the budget for it. Instead, they can purchase a 3-node cluster and slowly move their pro duction environment over. As the migration takes time and you begin to max out your cluster, you can purchase additional nodes as the budget allows. Most Hyper-Converged solutions allow for a very straight forward "plug and play" process.

Supp ort

When dealing with IT there are bound to be failures at one point or another. It is times like these where good, quick, support is critical to get your company back up and running. With a Hyper-Converged solution, being able to make a support call to your one hyperconverged vendor drastically improves the troubleshooting process and inherently gets your company up and running quicker. This also avoids finger pointing from multiple vendors who would typically handle your storage, compute, and switching.

In other words, when doing your homework on revamping or expanding your current infrastructure, keep a hyperconverged solution in mind!

Windows Updates for Businesses Using InTune

Wed, 11 Apr 2018 20:46:19 GMT

Keeping Windows current is going to be more important than ever for organizations, but fear not administrators, modern management is here to help. With Microsoft’s mobil e device management, Intune, it’s easier than ever keeping Windows 10 devices up-to-date by leveraging their new update model, Windows as a Service. Here are some key terms that need to be outlined before jumping into implementation.

Types of Updates

There are two types of updates that are rolled out by Microsoft: Feature updates and Quality updates

Feature Updates: Microsoft plans to release two feature updates a year, in spring and fall. New features like Bitlocker, Windows Defender ATP, Device Guard and Windows Hello to name a few, were released last year in version 1709. This version was coined the Fall Creator’s Update.

Trivia Time: The version number 1709 isn’t arbitrary, it stands for the general release date of the update which was on September 2017 in this case. The next update, 1803, is a little overdue but rumor has it the release will be in early April.

Quality Updates: Microsoft releases quality updates on Patch Tuesday, the first Tuesday of every month for workstations. As the name entails, quality updates provide either security, critical or driver updates to the system.

Service Channels

Service Channels provide a way for organizations to separate users into deployment groups for feature updates. The Insider Program, Semi-Annual Channel(Targeted) and Semi-Annual Channel are the most common.

Insider Program: The Insider Service Channel is for IT members eager to get their hands on the newest Windows features and provide feedback to Microsoft for improvements. Two flavors are available: Insider Slow and Insider Fast. The slow flavor will provide a more stable environment, whereas the fast flavor will include more features and components.

Semi-Annual Channel(Targeted): The Semi-Annual Channel(Targeted) will make the semi-annual feature updates available as soon as it is released by Microsoft. The channel is intended for a pilot audience within the organization.

Semi-Annual Channel: The Semi-Annual Channel is reserved for broad deployments of semi-annual feature updates.

Deferral Period

Deferral periods can be set on either feature updates or quality updates. This allows the IT department to test accordingly with their patching schedule and can be deferred up to 30 days from their initial release.

Windows Ring (Deployment)

Being a feature for Intune, Global Admin rights will be needed to create a Windows Ring. A Windows Ring is simply a group of settings that configure when and how the Windows 10 device will be updated.

Log in to your Azure Tenant and head over to Intune – hopefully it’s saved to your favorites. Head to Software updates > Windows 10 Update Rings > Create.

Here is an example of being able to preview new features before they’re generally released, while still on a stable Windows 10 environment – the Service channel is set to Insider Slow. The computer will check for Microsoft updates and Windows driver updates, and notify the user a download for an update was issued. Restart checks are enabled by default. By leaving it turned on, you have the ability to make sure your users’ computers are adequately charged. No deferral periods are being set for either feature or quality updates.

Once the Window Ring policy is created, then it’s ready for group assignment. The Ring policy can be edited by clicking on Properties, above assignments.

Thank you to all who came to our St. Patty's Happy Hour!

Fri, 09 Mar 2018 22:05:12 GMT

Thank you everyone who came to our St. Patty's Happy Hour last night! We have some of the best vendors, clients, and partners!

OneDrive Files On-Demand

Fri, 16 Feb 2018 22:08:27 GMT

With Microsoft's release of OneDrive Files On-demand, the power of Microsoft's cloud ecosystem becomes highly evident. This feature has brought the OneDrive storage system full-circle by uniting local storage and the Microsoft Cloud. Enabling this new feature simply takes a few-clicks, and opens up some powerful functionality for file management.

After enabling OneDrive Files On-demand, you are prompted with a new set of options when managing your files. These options are simple in nature, but the guide below will provide a closer look at them:

Online-only files

When using Online-only files, your files are kept solely in the cloud, meaning they take up no local storage and you must have an active internet connection to access them. When you are connected to the internet and choose to access these files, they will be downloaded and cached to your local device and given a new status of "Locally Available files". If you are wanting to send files to the Cloud and make them online-only, simply right click on a file or folder and select "free up space." One thing to note: Even though these files are not accessible without an internet connection, they are always able to be viewed. (Online-only files : Large Files, presentations, or picture libraries that are seldom accessed.)

Locally Available files :

These are files that are locally available on your device while still being synced with the cloud. Because of this, any changes you make will update in the cloud. One benefit of this type of file is that they are accessible offline until your Local Disk space runs low. When this happens, the least accessed files and folders will be sent back to the cloud and storage will be made available for these “locally available” files. Another thing to note: if you want files to always be accessible offline, you must mark them with "Always Available."

Always Available files :

These files must be manually labeled with "Always keep on this device." Files with this label will always be accessible for offline use and will never be subject to Microsoft's automatic cloud management as your local disk space dwindles.

Additional tips

When choosing your file status, that status will be inherited down to each of the subfolders and files. For example, if you want all of your pictures stored in the cloud you would select the root pictures folder and click "free up space." After doing this, every single picture within this folder would be sent to the cloud
Every file is device specific, so if you mark a folder on your home computer as "always available" and on your work machine select "online-only" those folders will be stored as such on the respective device

Enabling OneDrive Files On-demand

To enable OneDrive Files On-demand you must be running Windows 10 Fall Creators Update (version 16299.15 or later) and if you are using OneDrive for Business re-sync your SharePoint library.
Right-Click on the OneDrive icon in the task bar and select settings.

Select "Save space and download files as you use them"

With all that said, if you are not already using some of OneDrive's awesome features, OneDrive Files On-demand is yet another reason to start. For all things OneDrive, SharePoint, and Microsoft, keep it locked to Akins IT.

The Skinny on Security Assessments

Wed, 14 Feb 2018 22:15:27 GMT

Within the past decade, the so-called “digital landscape” of Information Technology has experienced unparalleled growth through the continued efforts of businesses to pr ovide more convenience, accessibility, accountability, and, importantly, the monetization of technology. The result - a digital sprawl of highly complex interconnected devices that have penetrated nearly every facet of modern society. This has resulted in a paradigm shift in our methodology of implementing and maintaining technology in both the workplace and within our personal lives .

“Security” is the most ubiquitous buzzword when it comes to the IT vocabulary. It’s impossible to ignore the fact that IT security is one of the most crucial topics to address, but is often one of the hardest topics to fully understand and grasp. With the advent of the Cloud, mobile applications, social media, the “Internet of Things,” and the latest and greatest emerging technologies, it can be challenging to find the correct entry point to better security.

AkinsIT understands that security is never a one size fits all solution but rather a process of curated recommendations based on the overall composition of the business. Ultimately, a security solution should be hand crafted to fit the business’ needs today while allowing scalability to meet requirements in years to come. Generally, multiple aspects are evaluated to create a successful security posture and audit.

User Identity and Application Compliance:

With the increasing reliance of technology in businesses, it’s become imperative to monitor and maintain employee control. Mitigation against anonymity is crucial to ensuring that full transparency on usage is accessible at any given moment. It is recommended to implement methods for identity management to keep track of internal usage.

Microsoft offers a compelling suite of software to regulate user identity while simplifying accessibility. The Microsoft Enterprise + Mobility (EMS) suite can effectively leverage any existing environment with the most up-to-date security technologies presently available.

EMS implementation of Single-Sign-On (SSO) can tie all business applications together for each end-user management. No longer are the days of juggling multiple logins, passwords, and usernames. With EMS, SSO can extend to any device, even Apple iOS or android phones. EMS management will allow IT administrators to ensure compliance, conditional access, application revocation, and internal auditing/logging of access.

While the SSO functionality unites applications, Microsoft Intune unites employee devices. Through Intune, devices are given secure conditional access to valuable company data. IT administrators can utilize Intune’s mobile device management technology (MDM) to securely provision, wipe, and monitor data utilization and access.

EMS extends beyond SSO and MDM. A wide host of security driven technologies are available to use. This includes employee/user analytics, regular security alerts, and proactive monitoring of user patterns.

Compliance and Auditing

The increased number of endpoints, network devices, and cloud-based infrastructure can make comprehensive system audits complex and prone to inaccuracy.

AkinsIT leverages the many components necessary to ensure a successful, accurate, and comprehensive network-wide audit. A successful audit uses a combination of software and a social understanding of business practices, hardware lifecycles, and future requirements to determine the deficiencies in security and compliance in network devices. Typically, interviews are conducted to gauge the overall breadth of the audit – what compliance is needed and what documentation is requested?

Specific compliances include but are not limited to: HIPPA, NIST, CIPA, PCI, SOX

A security assessment will perform a comprehensive check of all network devices (switches, routers, server environment, cloud usage, applications, and endpoints).

Hardware Security

Ensuring proper configuration of network appliances and endpoints is crucial to ensuring a secure infrastructure. AkinsIT will assess overall network configuration to ensure security is implemented to industry best practice. Software is deployed to “sniff” out the network and search for security holes in hardware ranging from the network edge firewalls to the core components of the network. Recommendations will be made on configuration, implementations of “Next Generation” features and considerations for future use and scaling.

Ensuring endpoints are proactively monitored and maintained is vital to overall security posturing. Recommendations for endpoint management are made to fit within the current environment and are curated around current infrastructure and setup.

Social Awareness and User Data Monitoring

End user engagement is imperative to overall security. AkinsIT will work with employees to educate and instruct users on security best practices, password implementation, and phishing/e-mail security.

AkinsIT has partnered with Fortinet to utilize monitoring tools to create an overall picture of the websites and applications that a business’s employees are regularly looking at. Fortinet has implemented a network Cyber Threat Assessment to gather employee network traffic and utilize a threat score to determine overall security posture of local traffic.

Continued Dialogue…

Ultimately, the most important attribute to overall network security is a continued proactive “human” dialogue on the overall needs and expectations of the company. Good security is multi-faceted and ever changing. AkinsIT believes the only way to achieve a truly effective security assessment is a continued customer engagement with a strategy that can align with the modern digital landscape.

Chris Maher has joined the Akins IT Team!

Mon, 22 Jan 2018 22:23:48 GMT

We are thrilled to announce that Chris Maher has joined the Akins IT team as a Client Upgrade Advisor and will be working with a variety of mid-sized organizations. He h as been in the technology industry for 20 years and has an extensive background in sales and business ownership in telecom, networking, and security businesses. He lives in Irvine with his wife and has 3 kids, one of which is enrolled at Utah State.

Fun fact about Chris: His daughter at Utah state is on scholarship for fast pitch softball and he enjoys coaching little league and softball and surfing.

Security at your Front Door - How to Enable Azure Active Directory Identity Protection

Fri, 19 Jan 2018 22:25:48 GMT

This security feature tends to generate many WOW moments with our clients. ID Protect is the service that assesses your login, ensures you are not breaking your normal behavior patterns, that your password is not compromised on public databases and that you aren't exhibiting signs of impossible travel. Risky logins can be re-affirmed with Multi-Factor Authentication, or an automated password reset.

The telemetry, data and intelligence is already there, enabling ID Protect simply unlocks it.

Almost universally, our clients look through the alerts after enabling and discover some immediate concerns that need action. We have had:

A client detect that their CFO's login was compromised by a user in Russia, who was using mailbox access to send out bad mail requesting wire transfer funds. The CFO had no business relationships in Russia and had never travelled there.
Another client find 12 of their users had leaked credentials online. We used an automatic risk based password policy to force these users to immediately change their passwords.
Yet another client with 3000 users discover that there was a brute force campaign targeting their C-Suite.
This is all useful information that the above environments were previously oblivious to.

Azure Active Directory Identity Protection is a new capability that provides a consolidated view into suspicious sign-in activities and potential vulnerabilities and with notifications, remediation recommendations and risk-based policies that help you protect your business.

Again, the service detects suspicious activities for end user and privileged (admin) identities based on signals like brute force attacks, leaked credentials, sign ins from unfamiliar locations, infected devices, to protect against these activities in real-time. More importantly, based on these suspicious activities, a user risk severity is computed and risk-based policies can be configured and automatically protect the identities of your organization.

Contact Akins IT to setup your trial so you can assess this insight for up to 90 days and 250 users in your environment. This is a no obligation trial and does not convert automatically to a paid subscription.

Want more info on Azure AD?

Steps to enable Azure Active Directory Identity Protection:

Sign-on to your Azure portal as global administrator.
In the Azure portal, click Marketplace .

3. I n the applications list, click Security + Identity .

4. Click Azure AD Identity Protection .

5. On the Azure AD Identity Protection blade, click Create .

We're Hosting a Customer Immersion Experience for Education

Thu, 18 Jan 2018 19:04:25 GMT

Next week on January 25th, we will be hosting a customer immersion experience (CIE) for the education industry at Microsoft's office in Irvine, CA. This will include a p resentation from Microsoft as well as a hands-on piece where guests will get to interact with Microsoft devices and technology in a simulated environment like a classroom.

This event is extremely limited in space and is first come, first serve. We will be hosting more in the future (and likely for other industries as well) so if you miss this one, be on the lookout for future events!

Course Overview

This is a guided learning experience to explore the features Microsoft’s platform includes that pertain to the classroom and real world situations in schools. Experience a staged environment that has fully embraced the Microsoft ecosystem and learn what wonderful things are possible.

This course's intended audience are IT Directors, STEM Leaders, Heads of School and key decision makers. Technical experience with the Microsoft platform is not required or assumed.

What You'll Learn

In the immersion experience session of the series we will cover:

Get your hands on the new Windows Surface devices
Explore the new Office Experience
Create powerful Online Lessons
Capture Class Details
Collaborate on campus
Co-author content quickly
Explore the Classroom Notebooks in OneNote
Stay in touch with Students and Parents
View data in new ways
Leverage Social Networking on campus

Thanks for Attending our CIE!

Mon, 15 Jan 2018 22:21:33 GMT

Thank you to all who attended the customer immersion experience (CIE) with us at the Microsoft office in Irvine. Upon arriving, all attendees took on a new identity for a few hours to see Microsoft technology at work in the education sector and classroom. Examples of these identities included students, superintendants, teachers, etc.

We know there were some who wanted to attend and were unable and we are planning to host additional CIEs on educaton AND other verticals in the near future. Be on the lookout for info on this!

Max Gonzalez Named Employee of the Quarter!

Wed, 10 Jan 2018 19:06:14 GMT

Max joined the Akins team last year as a systems engineer and quickly became a huge asset to the company. He is responsible for assisting and managing our monthly manage d client portfolio and is our go-to person for any internal IT issues.

CEO Shawn Akins said of Max that he "is always willing to help and learn. He has a positive attitude and is a dedicated employee. He has been a great addition to our team and is an A player!" Client Success Coordinator, Brittney Garner, said "He is dedicated to his tasks and never gets discouraged. He is always positive and is an employee that any company would be lucky to have on their team."

And it seems the feeling is mutual. Max said, "I love the company's active engagement in encouraging its employees to further their education on the latest technologies in our field. It produces a productive, yet down to earth, work atmosphere. I enjoy coming into work each day."

The Employee of the Quarter Award means:

Visa gift card
Dedicated parking spot until the next employee of the quarter is announced
Trophy
Bragging rights!

Congrats Max!

Cryptocurreny and The Blockchain

Mon, 08 Jan 2018 19:08:12 GMT

A couple of months ago, I stumbled upon an online article about cryptocurrency. I then proceeded to spend many hours reading, researching, and studying blockchain techno logy and cryptocurrency investing. I became fascinated to say the least and I quickly learned that there is a very large and very enthusiastic community of people from all over the world that believe in and are invested in this thing that many refer to as “Bitcoin.” The huge transfer of wealth happening right now is nothing short of life changing for those that are invested. In a relatively short amount of time and often very small investments, millionaires are being made every day!

I am more than excited with the gains my crypto investments have made thus far and will continue to make in the future! At the same time, I am fascinated with blockchain technology. It is the backbone of Cryptocurrencies, but is also so much more! It is revolutionary and we are at the beginning of amazing transformations that will take place in both our businesses and our personal lives. My best advice to anyone thinking of entering this world of cryptos is to take the time to learn about blockchain as it pertains to cryptocurrencies & altcoins.

Also, study up on how this technology will soon disrupt pretty much every single industry and where it will take us all in the very near future. With this knowledge under your belt, along with some cryptocurrecy market training (I watched hours of youtube videos!), you will feel confident in your investment choices! Also, as you will quickly learn, this is a very volatile market often manipulated by hype and rumors, so DYOR (Do Your Own Research) and NEVER invest more than you can afford to lose!

Thank You for Watching Star Wars With Us!

Fri, 15 Dec 2017 19:10:09 GMT

Thank you to all who came out to Long Beach to watch the Star Wars premiere with us! We had a great turnout and presentations from Microsoft and Lenovo. Want to attend m ore events with us? We are hosting a hands-on cybersecurity lab next Tuesday!

How to Stay Productive During the Holidays [List]

Mon, 11 Dec 2017 19:12:45 GMT

The holidays are such a happy time and one that most people look forward to. We get to spend more time with family, eat delicious food, and spend time with friends and c oworkers at holiday parties. Sometimes the excitement for Christmas to come along can be a distraction from work so here are some tips on how to keep up with work during this time and remain productive.

Separate personal and work time: Trying to shop online while in a meeting or conference call is probably not going to end well.
Don’t procrastinate! Try to take care of some holiday shopping earlier than usual and begin other year end tasks for work sooner than usual to reduce stress during the holiday season.
Take some time off. If you find yourself having a hard time focusing, consider taking a couple of days off to take care of personal tasks and obligations like holiday shopping. With this done, you’ll likely be able to focus better when you’re back at work.
Take care of yourself. Avoid overeating and overdrinking at holiday parties. You’ll likely feel it the next day at work, both mentally and physically!
Be realistic. There can be a lot of competing demands for friends' white elephant exchange parties, work holiday parties, family events, children’s events, etc. Don’t overcommit and cause yourself unnecessary stress.

And the most obvious of all- remind yourself to focus if you notice yourself becomng distracted. Even though Christmas and holiday festivities often begin in early December, the whole month isn't a holiday.

Happy Holidays!

Akins IT is Microsoft Customer Immersion Experience Certified!

Thu, 30 Nov 2017 19:17:33 GMT

I spent a week in LA, away from the regular hustle and bustle at Akins IT to get Microsoft Customer Immersion Experience [CIE] certified. I'm happy I did. My major take away wasn't around any particular feature, but rather the style and delivery methods that can be used to showcase the ideas behind the new modern workplace in Microsoft 365.

It's one thing to talk about stuff like Teams, Skype, OneDrive, transitioning between apps, co-authoring, etc. and another thing entirely to actually take someone through it in live fashion.

What this means is that Microsoft can now provide Akins IT with kits of Surface Books, Surface Pros and additional devices so that we can give our customers and prospects a hands-on live look at what Microsoft 365 can do in a well-configured environment. This isn't my peers and I walking you through a PowerPoint deck. You get a Windows machine, a persona for the day and access to a rich, live environment where you can be trigger happy and nothing will break.

The CIE is a great tool for those who:

Want to see Microsoft 365 in action, fully adopted
Build excitement in their own company about Windows 10, Office and modern collaboration
Allow key decision makers access to the platform for Executive sponsorship
Host a platform vs platform discussion where Microsoft is one of the candidate solutions [why wouldn't t it be???]
Are looking to maximize their own use of the platform, are already customers and need to push adoption
Want to get their hands on the new Microsoft devices

For our friends in education, both K12 and Higher Ed - there is a specially catered version of this hands-on experience which showcases some the key classroom concepts. We are hosting an EDU session in January. Details soon on this.

If you are looking at Microsoft licensing, renewing an EA, looking for a Microsoft partner or just plain curious - we can help. Another big perk with this certification is that Microsoft is letting us book their local and regional offices to host these sessions.

Feel free to contact us to setup a private CIE for your company, or stay tuned to learn about the sessions we will host at the Microsoft campuses in Irvine and LA and at Akins IT HQ, also in Irvine. In the meantime - I am including a link to the hands-on Security labs we are already running. See below.

Big thanks to Chris Mandarano, our trainer for the week who never deviated from his commitment to imparting the important skillset required to deliver these sessions. Thank you Chris!

It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year...(For Hackers)

Thu, 30 Nov 2017 19:14:03 GMT

I have a problem and started my Christmas shopping in August. However, peak shopping season usually begins with black Friday and hackers are on high alert because they k now that there is a huge increase in online shopping and credit card transactions. My biggest shopping tip is not to "Drink and Prime"- in other words, don't shop on Amazon when you've had a couple of glasses of wine. They make it way too easy to buy things with just one click. But, on to more relevant tips to keep your identity safe from hackers this holiday season!

Don't process transactions over public wifi connections: It's OK to shop and browse at coffee shops and libraries but try to avoid making purchases when connected to those networks. It's better to save the actual purchase and transaction for when you're back home on your own private internet connection.
Be weary of hyperlinks and attachments. Hackers send out phishing scams all the time that imitate legitimate coupons and offers from real businesses. For example, one phishing email might look like it's coming from Apple to preorder the new iPhone when in reality it has one or two letters changed and is a phishing attack.
Be careful with holiday ecards. Sure, it might be a harmless JibJab video of your family dancing in elf costumes, but it also might be malicious. Use extra caution and don't open anything that looks suspicious.
Update your passwords. I know it's hard to remember a million passwords, but try not to use the same password for everything. Otherwise, once it's compromised, all of your accounts will be in jeopardy. Try to avoid using simple and common words and include a special character, number, and capital letters.
Do your research. Before processing your credit card on a site, dig a little and make sure it is a legitimate business. Some illegitimate businesses pop up during the holiday season and "take orders" but never send out the goods.
Review your bank statements. Remember to check these regularly to look for any purchases that may not have been made by you.

Happy Holidays!!

Introducing Microsoft Teams

Wed, 22 Nov 2017 20:34:58 GMT

Microsoft Teams is the new chat-based workspace in Office 365 designed to facilitate real-time collaboration by pulling together various Office tools into one applicatio n. It is a universal toolkit designed for the ease of collaboration amongst each unique organization and their employees.

It will run on Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, and web platforms. Microsoft will roll out Teams to all eligible Office 365 customers by the first quarter of 2017.

Let’s breakdown the features of Teams.

Chat

Teams provides threaded chats so each group has their own conversation- with privacy features as well. Skype is heavily integrated so users have the ability to use voice and video calls in the app.

Office 365 Built-In Applications

Microsoft has built several of its applications into Team so all tools are accessible on the spot. This included OneNote, Planner, SharePoint, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and more. Teams was built off the basis of Office 365 Groups cross-application that allows users to share and preserve information across different applications.

Customization

Users can design their own unique experience with Tabs that provide quick access to frequently used documents and cloud services. There is also full support for Microsoft Bot integration and third-party services.

Security

Microsoft Teams provides security built into desktop and mobile offerings. There are advanced security capabilities such as data encryption, as well as supported key compliance standards like U Model Clauses, ISO 27001, HIPAA, and more.

Akins Lab Series pt. 1 = Success!

Wed, 08 Nov 2017 19:22:11 GMT

Thank you to all who came to part 1 of our Microsoft lab series! We had a great afternoon of retrieving security scores with recommendations to improve security, learnin g to enable email encryption step by step, and learning to enable multifactor authentication step by step. Be on the lookout for our next lab training date!

Akins IT Achieves Microsoft Gold

Thu, 26 Oct 2017 18:25:20 GMT

Akins IT is proud to announce achieving Microsoft Gold Competency in EMS (Microsoft Enterprise Mobility + Security). By achieving a gold competency, Akins IT has not onl y demonstrated “best-in-class” capability as market leaders within Enterprise Mobility Management, but also is distinguished amongst the top 1 percent of Microsoft’s partner ecosystem worldwide.

Akins IT understands that security is at the forefront of every organization. With Microsoft EMS, we can provide digital transformation with freedom and peace of mind:

Holistic, identity-driven protection

Helps guard your data from attacks on multiple levels using innovative, identity-driven security techniques.

Productivity without compromise

Preserves the mobile and desktop experiences your workers need to stay working with familiar apps and tools.

Flexible, comprehensive solutions

Do more with less—protect users, devices, apps, and data with intuitive mobile management on a future-ready platform.

KRACK Kills

Tue, 17 Oct 2017 18:27:03 GMT

KRACK has certainly been the topic on everybody’s mind in the last few days! The exploit has been coined as an “industry disrupter” and “effecting nearly everybody in th e digital age.” It’s important to understand how this large scale wireless encryption exploit operates and how you can take preventative measures to protect your network from the KRACK exploit and future security compromises to come.

The KRACK Vulnerability and What It Means for Your Network

Recently, a whitepaper was published that demonstrated a design flaw in the 4-way encryption handshake between access point and endpoint. WPA and WPA2, an otherwise ubiquitous wireless encryption standard was at the center of the exploit. Consequently, these standards are often the most utilized in larger corporate and enterprise networks where security is often leveraged as the highest priority. Given the large-scale use of WPA/2, it’s important to understand the implications of KRACK, how it will affect your network, and how to take steps for remediation and prevention.

About the KRACK Exploit

KRACK operates by leveraging security flaws in endpoints. Most commonly, this affects the endpoint (the device connecting to the wireless networks) and not the access point itself. The “attack” occurs during the 4-way handshake encryption phase before network traffic freely flows to the access point and throughout the network. Upon connecting, a client will begin a 4-way handshake to exchange encryption keys that will be verified for authenticity and eventually installed during phase 3 of the handshake and encrypt all subsequent data. Due to the nature of wireless connectivity, multiple retries may occur during this phase resulting in key resets. KRACK can leverage these resets by incorporating a “man in the middle attack” to force resets within this process and decrypt packets in the interim. During this period, client devices are essentially sending unencrypted data packets throughout the network and are susceptible to plaintext interpretation and visibility.

What Can I Do?

It’s important to note that this exploit targets a weakness of the endpoint’s execution of the 4-way handshake. In the majority of cases, the access point (regardless of vendor) is not susceptible to KRACK.

The quickest preventative solution is to immediately update your device to the latest firmware, as made available. Most vendors are scrambling to release fixes but many have already established roadmaps to upcoming firmware releases. Microsoft released a fix almost immediately. Apple will be releasing Mac OS and IOS fixes. Android and Linux updates are planned for the near future.

AkinsIT Security Best Practices

We believe that a holistic security approach is ultimately the best solution to security vulnerability. As large wireless networks become more commonplace it’s important to follow these helpful guidelines at the minimum to ensure adequate protection.

Always use a VPN. When a VPN is used, all data is encrypted from the endpoint. There are a wide variety of endpoint VPN solutions that can provide a comprehensive security solution. Exploits like KRACK become a non-issue when data is encrypted from the endpoint itself.
Use caution when browsing. Spoofing and phishing sites are ubiquitous in today’s cyber landscape. Ensure that the page you are visiting is, indeed legitimate. Most sites that deal with privileged data use SSL to encrypt all access. You can verify this by viewing the SSL certificate typically found to the left of the web address within most browsers.
Employ reputable Antivirus software. Running daily scans is crucial to ensure that your workstation is free of any viruses, trojans, or keyloggers that could track all of your data. A good AV solution will also take preventative measures to ensure that you are not stumbling upon “unwanted websites”
Secure your network with an “NG” Firewall Solution. Many firewall vendors provide extra “NG” features like Intrusion Prevention, Antivirus, and Spam Filtering that can act as the last line of defense before ending and leaving your network. A good security solution begins at the firewall.

AkinsIT believes that good security is tantamount to a healthy and safe network. Let us help you evaluate your network and provide industry backed solutions to further strengthen your network and prevent exploits like KRACK from being an issue in the first place.

How to Make Your Workplace More Millennial-Friendly

Thu, 12 Oct 2017 18:31:45 GMT

Millennials often get a bad rap in the workplace. I have to wonder though whether every new generation meets some amount of resistance and negative stereotype when they begin to enter the workforce. Regardless of stigmas, it is undeniable that they are beginning to transform how work gets done. In 2015, millennials surpassed Generation X and became the largest group in the workforce and their priorities are very different than their predecessors.

Flexibility comes naturally to millennials. Those coming fresh out of college are used to working from anywhere as many study groups meet in libraries and Starbucks and they are used to the concept of “working from home” because the majority of their work (homework) is done outside of the classroom from their dorm or apartment. As professionals, they continue this mentality of working from wherever makes the most sense.

A survey from FlexJobs in 2015 showed that 54% of millennials want a flexible or alternative work schedule and 84% want a healthy work/life balance. They are also a passionate group and the survey results showed that 53% worked because they enjoyed working and 50% work because they are passionate about their career.

Many companies are creating more remote working positions, realizing that to win the best in the talent pool of millennials, they need to appeal to the work values and flexibility that they crave.

We love millennials at Akins IT! For us, the bottom line is that if employee performance is strong, flexibility and autonomy follow suit!

Is Your Security Worth 25 Cents a Day? [List]

Thu, 05 Oct 2017 18:36:51 GMT

Security is at the forefront of every business owner and IT department. For as little as 25 cents a day, your organization can dramatically increase your networks security. Below is a list of items to get you started, all for under 25 cents/day/user and some are FREE! Who doesn’t love FREE?

1. Train your end users (FREE). A great way to test out your end users is to run a phishing test. Phishing is the attempt to obtain sensitive information such as usernames, passwords, and credit card details (and, indirectly, money), often for malicious reasons, by disguising as a trustworthy entity in an electronic communication. 91% of successful data breaches started with a spear-phishing attack. Contact Us for a free phishing test.

2. Run your Office 365 Secure Score (FREE) . If you are on Office 365, run your security score. If you aren’t on Office 365, you really need to be. Unless you are a Fortune 500 company, you aren’t providing the security that Microsoft is, Contact Us and we’ll get you migrated. Secure Score will provide you with a list of security recommendations that you can begin implementing to increase your score, thereby increasing your security. More details in this previous blog: https://www.akinsit.com/whats-security-score/ . Some of these recommendations you can do now as part of your Office 365. Others may require Microsoft Enterprise Mobility and Security (EMS).

3. Purchase and Implement Microsoft Enterprise Mobility and Security (about $0.25/user/day). What can EMS do for your organization?

Ability to Encrypt Emails: Quit sending credit card info unencrypted, EMS can automatically do this. Also, sensitive emails regarding HR or Finances can be encrypted either automatically or on the fly. I use this EVERY DAY!
Multi Factor Authentication: Jaime wrote a great article on this https://www.akinsit.com/multi-factor-authentication )
Detect who your riskiest users are: great blog by Chris on this https://www.akinsit.com/companys-riskiest-user/ )
Provide users with Single SignOn: One of my favorites. Ditch the passwords written on post-its and let your users sign in once to access all the websites they need to get their job done. This feature alone pays for the quarter!
Protect documents using Data Loss Prevention (DLP): don’t let those sensitive or proprietary documents get into the wrong hands. EMS allows you to encrypt them in place and in transit and only allow the intended recipients to open.

4. Self-service password reset: Your helpdesk will love you for this. Allowing your users to reset their passwords themselves. Did you know on average 25% of helpdesk tickets are password resets?

5. Perform a Security Audit (NOT FREE): Performing a security audit will capture all of the weaknesses on your network. While this is not free, you get what you pay for. Contact Us or any other IT Security firm TODAY! One breach can bankrupt your business.

Thanks for Joining Us at the Porsche Experience Center!

Fri, 29 Sep 2017 18:59:53 GMT

Thank you everyone for coming to the Porsche Experience Center with us yesterday! There were great presentations from our co-sponsors, Fortinet and Aerohive, as well as a presentation from our very own Chris Nicholas. During happy hour, we had several lucky people win Fortinet backpacks, an Aerohive AP, and a boxster experience with the raffle. Stay tuned for our upcoming events!

Heart Attacks and Security Breaches

Mon, 25 Sep 2017 19:03:48 GMT

The first sign of heart issues is typically a heart attack. Similarly, the first sign of security issues is a security breach.

My dad died of a heart attack when he was only 42 so I know firsthand that this can and does occur. We know that we need to take care of our health and our hearts. As a matter of fact, over the past year I went on the “bulletproof” diet: eating low carbs, moderate protein and high fats, click here to find out more. This diet has not only improved my energy, reduced my cholesterol and inflammation, I also lost over 30lbs! So why don’t we think or care when it comes to securing our business from security breaches?

76% of all network intrusions are due to compromised user credentials and on average an attacker resides on a network for 243 days before detection! Cybercrime costs over $500B to the global economy and the average cost of a data breach to a company is $3.5M. If those stats don’t make you want to get a “security health check”, I don’t know what will!

There are preventative measures that an organization can do to help mitigate a security breach. One of the first things is to do a security health check. Having an outside vendor, like Akins IT perform a security health check can not only evaluate where your IT infrastructure and software are security wise, but also the security holes in your users. Will your users click that spoofed email link, give their password over the phone, etc. This is very similar to having a blood test done to check your cholesterol and other markers. Email us at sales@akinsit.com to get started on your security health check.

What I Like About Linkedin [List]

Mon, 18 Sep 2017 19:07:27 GMT

Do you know what I like about LinkedIn as a social media tool?

It's educational: I can learn about what others have shared on my quest to continually get better.
While I love kids and people's dinner, I don't have to see pictures of them.
I can see what other, larger businesses are doing to further their education, leadership, culture and charity.
It's great to see others advance their careers, show their loyalty for years of service at the same company, and enhance their education.
It's great to connect and occasionally have a good laugh without having to watch cat videos.

Back to School Security Checklist

Thu, 07 Sep 2017 19:22:44 GMT

The safety of our children is obviously our highest priority. We see this each time school is back in session. We run the drills of preparedness. Each classroom has protocols posted. Emergency exits are mapped. They know the evacuation procedures. They know Lockout and Lockdown procedures. Fire drills keep the children on their toes. In an emergency, we feel our children have the tools they need to escape unharmed.

But what about online security? This is what educators must ask themselves. Has your school taken the steps needed to keep our kids safe online?

According to the Verizon 2017 Data Breach Investigations Report , cyber espionage is the single most common form of attack in the education sector. With that in mind, our cybersecurity checklist is designed to get you on the right track for the new school year.

DEVICE MANAGEMENT

Many lower education programs deliver iPads or Chromebooks to the students. The devices are great tools to help educate the kids. But if not controlled, the device can be a gateway to not only suspicious sites but also phishing attacks. Having school-provided devices can help you manage where your students visit, locking down access to only approved sites and programs.

FIREWALLS

Whether you provide devices or not, having a strong firewall guards the perimeter of your network, giving you much greater security. Higher education, in particular, has great firewall demands. At that level, financial data, research and development, and other high-value data are at risk for cyber attacks. Read our blog, “Why schools need a network firewall”

CONTENT FILTERING

Filtering for content protects students from inappropriate content, but also brings a greater level of security. Content filtering can come in many forms, such as investing in alternate browsers, using real-time network monitoring tools, or requiring VPN access. Read our blog, “5 Tips to Handle Content Filtering in the Classroom.”

IDENTITY MANAGEMENT

Having two-factor authentication and complex password requirements gives your students an essential layer of security that guards their private data. Simple passwords are still some of the easiest ways hackers can get into a system. And it’s an easy fix.

CONCLUSION

When paired with a well-thought-out program for informing students of modern cybersecurity risks, due diligence with your school’s network security can pay huge dividends.

At Akins IT, we pride ourselves on our expertise in the educational cybersecurity field.

Challenges of Working Remotely

Thu, 07 Sep 2017 19:19:58 GMT

When working remotely, I've found the most important thing to do is to have dedicated space that is setup so you can truly be efficient and work like you are "at the off ice". If you are constantly interrupted, its very difficult to be productive. However, once you have a good home office setup, I've found that I can be more productive at times working from my home office.

Improvements in technology are enabling more and more employees to be extremely productive and connected with their fellow employees. However, working remotely is not without its challenges. Below are the top 5 problems with remote workers and how technology can be used to mitigate them.

1. Managing Laptops : IT admins can relate to how difficult it is to manage desktops and laptops in the office let alone the complexities of not having physical access to the device or the user. Microsoft has solved this problem in their Enterprise Mobility and Security offering. Bundled in this offer is Intune, which allows IT administrators to enroll mobile laptops, install applications, and manage through group policy like functionality.

2. Phones: Sure you can use your smart phone but often people don't want to give out their personal cell numbers for business purposes. Microsoft Skype for Business Cloud PBX solves this problem. You can utilize a Skype enabled polycom phone or the Skype for Business App on Android or iPhone and login using your email and password and voila, your business phone number on whichever device you want. You can place outbound calls or receive inbound calls while utilizing your business phone number.

3. Communications: Communicating when you are working remote is one of the biggest concerns most employers have with allowing workers to work from home. Utilizing IT tools like Skype for Business enables employees to chat with others, conduct conference calls with voice and video (assuming your not working from your bed!)

4. Access to data: Having users VPN to the corporate office to obtain files is fine but why not utilize Sharepoint so all users, remote or at the office, can easily find and use documents. With the latest versions of Office, multiple users can edit the same document at the same time.

5. You're Fired: Terminating any employee is no fun. It can be even more difficult when its a remote worker. Beyond the awkward phone call, what about all the company data they have access to? If you are utilizing Microsoft Office 365 with EMS, it's no problem. All data can be remotely wiped while maintaining the user's personal data. You can also control where the user saved company data, restricting saving to personal drives or personal cloud storage accounts.

As you can see, there are challenges with remote workers but there can be some great business benefits. Productivity and employee happiness can actually increase. In fact, according to a 2016 survey of American remote workers, about 91 percent of people who work from home feel that they’re more productive than when they’re in an office! Also, businesses can scale without adding office space. Lastly, with unemployment at record lows, allowing for remote workers could open up a much larger candidate pool for your business since you can recruit nationwide or even internationally!

Microsoft Intelligent Cloud Architect Boot Camp

Wed, 06 Sep 2017 19:25:10 GMT

I got in! I'm ready to evolve my game and after successfully applying for admission to this fantastic event I couldn’t be more excited. The boot camp is being held at Mi crosoft HQ - the Mothership, in Bellevue, Washington.

Attendees get to spend a week there learning from the best, refining knowledge and adjusting to new best practices and cloud engineering tactics. There are lectures, break-out sessions and hand-on hackathons!

I promise to come back with refined skills in solution architecture in Azure, cloud security, availability and recovery methodologies. I am also extremely interested in learning about the newest use cases for Microsoft Artificial Intelligence technology, which there is quite a heavy focus on.

A big thanks goes out to my team, in advance, for covering for me while I am out and to Shawn Akins, who continues to back my growth and encourages mastery in our field.

If you are interested in applying, see below. Boot camp description and links included.

You can register here .

Details:

Advanced Technical Training for Cloud and Data Platform Architects

In an increasingly digital world, people, not technology will disrupt the status quo.

As an IT pro working amid the opportunity of digital transformation, you’re going to be asked to do things differently. You’ll need deep skills, expertise, and confidence to implement meaningful technical solutions that meet advanced customer needs. We’re investing big in helping you develop that skill set with the Intelligent Cloud Architect Boot Camp.

Upon completion, participants will be better able to:

· Architect solutions in the Microsoft cloud and data platform

· Develop and present impactful and convincing solutions to customers

· Respond to objections appropriately

Learning Experience

Five-day in-person immersion - part of the Microsoft technical readiness strategy

· Solution update sessions, and direct access to Microsoft engineering experts

· Daily whiteboard architectural design sessions and hands-on hackathons

· Collaborative engagement between Microsoft employees and partners

Together in partnership with Microsoft Engineering, the event content includes foundational and keynote sessions in addition to specialized tracks aligned to the Intelligent Cloud solution areas: Azure Infrastructure, Cloud Application Development, and Data & Artificial Intelligence. Sample topics are listed below and additional agenda details can be found HERE .Throughout the week partner attendees will have the opportunity to choose additional hands-on sessions in lieu of select lecture sessions (as space permits).

Azure Infrastructure topics Compute including Containers, Storage, Networking, ARM, Security and Compliance, and Management Tools

Cloud Application Development topics: Service Fabric/Microservices, DevOps, Media Services, Application Services, and Mobile application development.

Data & Artificial Intelligence topics: Core Data Platform (Azure Data Services, Mission Critical & Tier 1 Workloads, Lift and Shift operations, competitive migrations), Artificial Intelligence (Cognitive and Bots), Advanced Analytics (Machine Learning, Deep Learning, Azure ML, R/Python), IoT (IoT solutions)

Attendee Profile

The Intelligent Cloud Architect Boot Camp is a level 300-400 advanced technical training oriented to those in an architectural role with focus on Azure Infrastructure, Cloud Application Development, or Data and Artificial Intelligence workloads at partner organizations, and who have knowledge on Azure workloads, developing code or deploying solutions in the cloud .

This training is NOT appropriate for those with only basic or intermediate knowledge of Azure nor appropriate for those in sales roles.

The following outlines the architect role responsibilities and the experiences required to successfully participate and complete the training. Three tracks are being offered at the Intelligent Cloud Architect Boot Camp in October. Use the guidelines below to determine which track is best for you to attend.

Key Responsibilities

· Drive deployment of customer workloads into Azure and increase their consumption of the platform by providing deployment guidance, supporting development of the customers’ cloud adoption model, and providing appropriate recommendations to overcome blockers.

· Identify, validate, and grow opportunities to accelerate consumption in customer environments, by driving solution architecture for both Microsoft and 3rd party solutions.

· Design, implement, manage or support solutions in customer environments by providing deep technical expertise in one of the following areas of specialization: Datacenter Transformation, Custom Applications, Managed Services, and Data and Analytics.

How Much Time Are You Wasting in Meetings?

Wed, 30 Aug 2017 19:32:42 GMT

We have probably all had days where meetings overtake our schedule for the day, which means that we end up taking our work home with us and needing to put in extra time to get our actual work done. Of course, communication is important but an excess of ineffective meetings can squander company time and money. As an example, if two people are 15 minutes late to a meeting with six people in it, that means the company has lost at least 1 hour of work time between the 4 employees waiting for the meeting to begin. You can actually calculate the cost per meeting here .

At Akins, we are certainly not immune to the trend of too many meetings and we are constantly working to try to minimize the number of meetings and to make the ones that we do have more effective. We have come up with some ideas on how to do this:

DO WE REALLY NEED TO HAVE A MEETING FOR THIS?

We look to tools like Microsoft Teams and Yammer for communication so that we don’t rely solely on email, calls, and in-person meetings. This has cut down some noise and helped us avoid a few meetings.

INTERNAL MEETINGS = 15 MINUTES

If it's an internal meeting, the default duration of the meeting is set to 15 minutes. This forces us to start on time and stay on task to make sure we can cover everything in the 15 minutes.

PRESET AGENDAS

The goal is to have an agenda for every meeting so we know exactly what we’re covering and it’s easier to stay on task. Our team has been good about holding each other accountable on this also and will jokingly remind the meeting organizer that the meeting is lacking an agenda by commenting: “No agenda, no attenda.”

“GROOVE TIME”

When the meetings seem to really be adding up, we encourage the team to mark “groove time” on their calendar whenever possible. This is a block of time that will allow them to work without meeting interruptions so they can focus for a significant chunk of time. What seems to be worst with scheduling is when there is a meeting every half hour so your attention is on the meeting and then you have 30 minutes to work and then back to a meeting. We try to avoid the multi-tasking by grouping meetings together to preserve this “groove time.”

DO NOT DISTURB

Our Skype settings has an option for “Do Not Disturb,” which is another way team members can focus without meetings or distractions.

ASSIGNING A TIMEKEEPER

Before the meeting begins, one person takes on the role of being the "timekeeper" to let participants know when there are only 5 minutes left.

PRIORITIZING

Our CEO will sometimes jokingly say that he has 10 No. 1 priorities at any given time. There always seems to be a surplus of important things to get done and it can be overwhelming until they really are prioritized from most important to least.

RECORDING ACTION ITEMS!

We also assign a notetaker who jots down action items that come from the meeting and circulates these to the meeting participants afterward. Tracking these action items is critical to making sure we don't meeting on the same thing more than once.

Outlook is Grim for Halloween 2017!

Tue, 29 Aug 2017 16:19:35 GMT

Attention anyone using Outlook 2007 or 2010!!!

On Oct 31, 2017, RPC over HTTP will be deprecated in Exchange Online in favor of MAPI over HTTP, a modern protocol that w as launched in May 2014.

This change affects you if you are running Outlook 2007 because it won't work with MAPI over HTTP. (Also, Outlook 2007 is approaching the end of its lifecycle in Oct, 2017). Outlook 2007 and un-supported Outlook clients will be unable to connect to Office 365 mailbox on Oct 31, 2017. To continue email connectivity, please update your Outlook 2007 to a newer version of Outlook or use Outlook on the web before Oct 31, 2017. If you are running Outlook 2016, Outlook 2013, and Outlook 2010 clients, make sure that the latest cumulative update for the version of Office that you have is installed.

We have helped clients use a variety of methods to mass-deploy Office 2016, and can assist with patch management strategies also. This might be a good time to talk. I know from personal experience that the update process might be anything other than straightforward, most especially when throwing in variables such as third-party app vendor plugins and integrations with other suites of software.

For those who know that PowerShell is a wonderful thing, and more importantly, know how to use it… here is how to identify if any of your users are connecting with Outlook 2007 clients, refer to the steps below:

1. Connect to Exchange Online using remote PowerShell .

2. Enable mailbox auditing for the owner:

->For one mailbox:

Set-Mailbox -Identity user@contoso.com -AuditOwner MailboxLogin -AuditEnabled $True

->For all mailboxes:

Get-Mailbox | Set-Mailbox AuditOwner MailboxLogin -AuditEnabled $True

3. Search the audit log. To do this, run one of the fo llowing commands:

->For one mailbox:

Search-MailboxAuditLog -Identity user@contoso.com -LogonTypes owner -ShowDetails | ? { $_.ClientInfoString -like "*Outlook*" }

->For all mailboxes:

Get-Mailbox | Search-MailboxAuditLog -LogonTypes owner -ShowDetails | ? { $_.ClientInfoString -like "*Outlook*" } | select MailboxOwnerUPN,Operation,LogonType,LastAccessed,ClientInfoString | export-csv .\OutlookConnections.csv

Note: Mailbox auditing may take up to 24 hours to get enabled.

For more details, please refer to this KB .

Thank You for Celebrating Our Grand Opening with Us!

Wed, 23 Aug 2017 16:30:18 GMT

T hank you to all who came to celebrate our grand opening with us last night! We had a great time playing pool, eating delicious tacos, and hanging with great people. If you weren't able to make it, our door is always open!

Security and Your School

Tue, 22 Aug 2017 16:32:49 GMT

Hacking is everywhere. With every day, a new major cyber attack hits the headlines. The other day, HBO was attacked , and hackers not only release unaired episodes of shows like Ballers, but also scripts from Game of Thrones and personal phone numbers of the stars. More will be released if HBO refuses to pay a ransom, according to the hackers.

THE BOUNTY

This isn’t unusual. Target, Sony, Home Depot, LinkedIn, Netflix: Hackers go after the biggest and the best, hoping to blackmail money or steal the financial data from customers. And they do it because those companies are huge. HBO could pay a couple million dollars to gets its content back.

But those are the big headlines, and that doesn’t mean hackers don’t shop local.

ATTACKS CLOSE TO HOME

Recently, a 10th-grader hacked into a Texas school and changed grades for those who paid him. It is a simple function of the internet: If you have the knowhow, you can breach weak systems.

But it isn’t just the grade-changing David Lightman’s, from War Games, of the world who are taking a deep dive into the schools’ cyber networks. The attacks on colleges and universities are systemic.

Last year, 13% of educational institutions experienced a ransomware attack . That’s an astounding number mainly because of the implications. Schools have an enormous wealth of private data on students, including social security numbers and financial information. Many schools have health facilities with private health information for students. Likewise, some of the most innovative research happens at universities around the world, and hackers (state-backed or otherwise) can steal R&D out from under the players.

The question many organizations are asking themselves is whether or not their current cybersecurity systems will maintain integrity when a breach occurs. There’s no way to know unless you test it. Well, there’s one other way to find out if your cybersecurity is weak…

FIND OUT YOUR SECURITY SCORE

The first thing you should do is get your security score. Anyone who has admin permissions (global admin or a custom admin role) for an Office 365 Business Premium or Enterprise subscription can access your secure score here . This will give you a general idea of how secure your network is. It's also a good idea to perform security audits consistently to find potential threats or weak areas in the network.

THE AKINS IT METHOD

Security assessments are a huge component to the Akins IT method of cybersecurity. You must fully understand your network before you can make a plan. Our years of assessing networks have given us a unique perspective on the needs of the modern learning environment.

Call us today to start testing your school’s security.

You Can't Choose Your Family but You Can Choose Your Customers

Fri, 18 Aug 2017 16:35:48 GMT

Choosing your customers sounds backwards since isn’t it the customer that chooses you? I believe this is a two way street. To truly provide excellent customer service, the company providing the service needs to be a good match for the customer. When this is accomplished, it is a true win-win.

The 80/20 Rule

For most businesses, 80% of their business is generated by 20% of their customers. Unfortunately, most businesses spend 80% of their time with customers making up only 20% of their revenue. This can be applied to just about any organization, even in education. I’m sure you can think of examples where the 80/20 rule comes into play. One thing organizations can do is regularly evaluate the 80% of their customers that generate 20% of their business.

At Akins IT, we love working with “Right Clients” and our goal is to spend 80% of our time on them. To be a “Right Client” for Akins IT, besides revenue, location, and other attributes, the client must “get” IT. What do I mean by that? Instead of treating IT as an overhead, the client treats IT as a tool to support their initiatives, differentiate themselves and outperform their competition. When we have this match, the results are amazing.

Take a look at what we've been able to accomplish with some of our right clients!

The Real Deal with Open Office Floor Plans

Tue, 15 Aug 2017 16:38:14 GMT

As most of you know, we recently moved to a new office! And don’t worry, we brought the bar, pool table, and foosball table with us.

The new office is completely open- n o assigned desks, just shared workspaces. We did this to decrease clutter in the office and to promote communication between departments like sales and engineering. We recognized, though, that some conversations need to be private and that too many conversations in an open shared space could be distracting so the office also has 7 private workspaces.

THE PROS OF OPEN OFFICE FLOOR PLANS:

Creativity increases because it’s easier to collaborate with fellow employees.
One of the biggest risk factors in losing an employee is that they don’t have a “best friend” at work or group of people that they are close with there. This setup creates feelings of camaraderie and teamwork, making it more likely that you’ll retain employees.

THE CONS:

Things can get a bit noisy without traditional sound blocks like cubicles!
Germs! Embrace hand sanitizer in all corners of the office because this floor plan means that you’re going to be exposed in a higher degree to your coworker’s seasonal flu.
Lack of privacy: Everyone can hear everything on the office floor.

HOW WE HAVE MADE IT WORK

We wanted to embrace the office floor plan for its perks but also put some things in place to avoid the negatives. We’ve done this in a couple of ways- developing office rules and offering several private, quiet office areas for people who need to have a confidential conversation, have some uninterrupted work time, join a conference call, etc.

Office Rules

Most importantly here, because people are working in open areas, they have to be respectful of others to avoid causing unnecessary distractions. Here are a few of the rules we have come up with:

Leave each room cleaner than it was
Keep conversations down in shared areas
Be respectful of others
If you're sick, work from home!

Private Workspaces

We had fun with these and gave each its own theme. They can be reserved or checked out and certain groups and departments have priority for particular rooms.

The Library - an old school lair of sorts with old fashioned decanters, books, and leather chairs and couch.

Thunderdome - This is our original meeting room name at our previous office. We’ve migrated it over as is to the new space!

Bat Cave – Batman themed room that our solution architects have dibs on.

Board Room- Our largest conference room with an oversized reclaimed wood table

Babe Cave – a chic girly glam room and as the name implies…. Girls Only!

Who is Your Company's Riskiest User?

Fri, 11 Aug 2017 16:42:06 GMT

Wouldn’t it be great if we could detect when our user accounts were being used in places it would have been impossible for us to travel to? How protected would you feel if you knew users exhibiting risky, anomalous behavior were automatically challenged for a second layer of authentication? Maybe we should run a system to alert administrators when these kinds of things were going on!

If you haven't guessed it so far, my cheesy delivery is failing. We can do all of that today.

Azure Active Directory Identity Protection is the very same security Microsoft uses to protect its own internal identities. It incorporates machine learning algorithms and heuristics to detect, assess and if configured, take action on suspicious behavior.

The automatic responses to risky situations means we can impose tougher security when it is called for, situationally. The user benefits because normal behavior is rewarded with a less authentication challenged experience. Automatic responses include multi-factor authentication enforcement or even a password r eset. It can be tuned to be extremely sensitive to risk, or take action only when very obvious malicious activity is occurring.

We can report on the riskiest user accounts, review security posture recommendations and look at all of that on pretty dashboards.

I've included a few of the more interesting screensh ots and the link to the Microsoft documentation on this technology.

Identity Protection capabilities

Detecting vulnerabilities and risky accounts:

Providing custom recommendations to improve overall security posture by highlighting vulnerabilities
Calculating sign-in risk levels
Calculating user risk levels

Investigating risk events:

Sending notifications for risk events
Investigating risk events using relevant and contextual information
Providing basic workflows to track investigations
Providing easy access to remediation actions such as password reset

Risk-based conditional access policies:

Policy to mitigate risky sign-ins by blocking sign-ins or requiring multi-factor authentication challenges.
Policy to block or secure risky user accounts
Policy to require users to register for multi-factor authentication

Identity Protection dashboard.

The dashboard gives you access to:

Reports such as Users flagged for risk, Risk events and Vulnerabilities
Settings such as the configuration of your Security Policies, Notifications and multi-factor authentication registration

Users flagged for risk dashboard

User risk levels

Review sign-ins from anonymous networks

It goes on, and alas I have brevity requirements to observe! If you want to know more about getting this enabled, the best practices surrounding these features or how you can utilize Azure Active Directory, a conversation would be a great starting point!

Is Your Team Like Rocks in a Tumbler?

Thu, 10 Aug 2017 16:46:23 GMT

I am part of a fantastic key executive Vistage group who brings in speakers from all over the world to promote professional growth and our speaker yesterday (Dave Nelsen) presented on the lost interview from Steve Jobs. All Akins employees are encouraged to engage in continuing education and learning and one of our core values is to “Humbly Pursue Excellence.” You can see all of our core values here .

There is no denying that Steve Jobs was a phenomenal leader and there are so many great ideas and strategies that we can learn from and apply to our own businesses. In particular, he had a lot of ideas on A teams and why and how they work. He talked about this in “The Lost Interview”- an interview he gave in 1995 that was lost in transit until it was found in a garage a couple of days after Jobs died.

The idea is this: Great teams of A players are like rocks in a rock tumbler. These individual rocks go into the tumbler and through the process of bumping up against each other with friction, noise, and conflict, they become beautifully polished rocks. Ideas and people are made better through having disagreements and conflict. Ideas and people that go unchallenged are never as good as they could be. Many people are uncomfortable with conflict and avoid it at all cost, but Jobs would say this: Pursue truth over harmony.

Jobs had another idea here. When he returned to Apple for the second time it was 90 days from bankruptcy. He looked at all of the open projects there and cut 70% of them- 70%! His reasoning was that to truly polish an idea, you need to focus on it. He met with his leadership team every year to ask, “What are the next 10 things we should be doing?” From that list, he would then cross the bottom 7 off so that the company would only focus on 3.

Our leadership team meets once a month and this month we will be discussing a couple of questions:

How can we polish our products and services? How can we polish new ideas?
What are the next 10 things we should be doing? Which are our top 3?

The full lost interview is available on Netflix and Amazon or you can watch the clip with the rock tumbler analogy here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K-Yv-UdsmSo

What's Your Security Score?

Wed, 09 Aug 2017 16:48:17 GMT

Security breaches and hacking is on the news just about daily. Sony, the DNC, HBO…the list goes on and on. I speak with many other executives and often I hear "We don't have data we care about getting into the wrong hands, we just do manufacturing or education or ____". I remind them that they most likely have payroll, social security numbers of their employees, or other sensitive data that hackers would love to have.

To help combat and reduce the vulnerabilities in Office 365, Microsoft has come out with Secure Score. With this tool, you can quickly find out not only how secure your Office 365 organization really is but also a list of tasks you (or with the assistance of Akins IT of course) can do to increase your Secure Score.

HOW DO I GET TO SECURE SCORE?

Anyone who has admin permissions (global admin or a custom admin role) for an Office 365 Business Premium or Enterprise subscription can access the Secure Score at https://securescore.office.com . Users who aren’t assigned an admin role won't be able to access Secure Score . However, admins can use the tool to share their results with other people in their organization.

HOW DOES IT WORK?

Secure Score figures out what Office 365 services you’re using (like OneDrive, SharePoint, and Exchange) then looks at your settings and activities and compares them to a baseline established by Microsoft. You’ll get a score based on how aligned you are with best security practices.

If you want to improve your score, review the action queue to see what you can do to help increase security and reduce risks.

Expand an action to learn about what threats it’ll help protect you from and how you’ll get the job done.

To see the impact of your actions on your organization’s security, go to the Score Analyzer page and review your history.

Click any data point to see a breakdown of your score for that day. You can scroll down to see which controls were enabled and how many points you earned that day for each control.

Find out what YOUR SecureScore is!

Multi-Factor Authentication as a Best Practice

Fri, 04 Aug 2017 17:13:07 GMT

What is it?

Even if you’ve never heard the term Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) before, it’s very likely that you’ve experienced it. Have you ever tried to login to your bank info from your work computer or cell phone and been prompted to enter a one time password sent to you through text or email? That’s Multi-Factor Authentication-MFA.

Multi-Factor authentication means that a user will have to provide more than one method of authentication to verify their user identity to login or complete a transaction. Its goal is to create another layer of defense against hacking attacks and to make it more difficult for an unauthorized person to access the network.

Why use it?

Stolen passwords are the number one cause of data breaches according to Verizon’s 2015 Data Breach Investigations Report. Hackers sell stolen passwords on the Dark Web and once hackers have gained access to a network, they can use programs like Pass-the-Hash and Mimikatz to compromise privileged accounts and passwords. Multi-Factor Authentication prevents many of these attacks because it requires the hacker to have more than just the stolen password.

Best Practices for Implementing MFA:

Implement it Across the Board: MFA is most effective when it is applied everywhere- meaning cloud applications, on-premise applications, resources, servers, commands, etc.
Use Analytics to Implement: While security is important, so too is the user experience. Prompting users for MFA on every login attempt is not likely to make you popular at the office. But, you can leverage data and analytics to determine when a user should be prompted for MFA. For example, every user has a pattern of behavior like logging in from their office computer in Costa Mesa, CA from 9 am- 5 pm and then perhaps accessing the network remotely from home in Anaheim, CA after 8 pm. You can then use MFA to challenge the user when a login request is received from Houston, Texas at 11 am because it is outside of their normal pattern of activity.
Utilize Single Sign-On in Addition to MFA: You can up your security game by implementing single sign-on alongside MFA because it will eliminate the need for multiple passwords.
Monitor: Periodically check-in on your MFA policy to make sure that it is adapting to the changing needs of your organization.

See how Microsoft is managing user identity with its Enterprise Mobility Suite .

Microsoft Cloud on the Local Network!!?!

Thu, 03 Aug 2017 17:15:18 GMT

This has been a long time coming! When I first learned that Azure Resource Manager [ARM] would be available in an on-premise flavor called Azure Stack, I was perplexed and excited. We've been through two technical previews, a lot of waiting and anticipating but the time has come. Azure Stack is here!

So what is it? If you are a client of Akins IT, my bet is we have discussed Azure infrastructure services at some point. We've probably proclaimed that connecting your data center to Azure opens doors to limitless scale and fantastic Disaster Recovery [DR] options. Until now, setting up a hybrid data center meant building our own infrastructure, connecting to public cloud and then utilizing orchestration technologies to replicate, convert and migrate data back and forth.

Azure Stack is an extension of Azure, running on pre-configured, local hardware. We get the same management platform running on low-latency, high performance infrastructure. We get to spin up Virtual Machines [VM's], setup flows, use automation and use Azure networking techniques all on-premise with a completely consistent interface. Having said consistency enables us to decide where to house server workloads and data, as it best suits each network.

This is key! This is hybrid computing evolved.

In its initial release, Azure Stack includes a core set of Azure services and Azure Marketplace content. At this time, we have Azure Stack offerings from Lenovo, HPE and Dell EMC. Cisco and Huawei will follow in due course. The pre-configured systems are certified and offer consistent, end-to-end support.

Let's talk about some use case benefits before I lose your interest!

Deploy resources across public and private clouds from the same templates and PowerShell cmdlets.
Reduce reliance on traditional 3-tiered architecture and non-certified infrastructure.
Use the same resource management model in public and private environments.
It is the ONLY hybrid cloud platform that is truly consistent with a leading public cloud.
Supports OPEX with its pay-as-you-go offering.
Instant security compliance for international and industry specific compliance standards.
Out the box auditing trail for the complete stack conforming to HIPAA, PCI and many more.
Save on server licensing costs by using Microsoft Azure cloud on-boarding benefits.
Use Azure Active Directory [AD] as the shared identity provider for Azure Stack and Azure - another consistency benefit!
It IS a hyper-converged solution using software defined networking and storage along with compute.
Curated, orchestrated updates across the full stack (BIOS, firmware, drives, operating system, infrastructure management software, Azure services)

In summary, as an extension of Azure, Microsoft promises that Azure Stack will deliver continuous innovation with frequent updates following the initial GA release. Updates to ARM will propagate down to Azure Stack to guarantee a consistent platform and new features will bring a multitude of new use cases.

Check out the whitepaper for more information about what capabilities are available in the initial release and what is planned for future versions.

Tell me this excites you!

Classrooms of the Future

Tue, 01 Aug 2017 17:16:44 GMT

Earlier this month, I attended the Microsoft Inspire 2017 event. This is an event held by Microsoft for partners. Microsoft has over 64,000 partners worldwide that emplo y over 17 million people. Pretty amazing stats!

I attended the Education workshops because that is a big focus not only for Akins IT, but also an interest since I have 3 kids of my own. Microsoft’s Education Mission is really inspiring: empowering the students of today to create the world of tomorrow!

There were many great announcements, but the 5 that stood out for me in Education were:

1. MINECRAFT FOR EDUCATION

Minecraft for education is very cool. Imagine students learning by playing Minecraft. What could be better? I set this up for my 10 year old son and he loves it and he’s learning. A win-win. Minecraft for Education only runs on a Windows device, so with any purchase of a Windows 10 device, Microsoft is giving a 1 year subscription of MineCraft for Education. Lots of information including training for teachers, IT and Administration here: https://education.minecraft.net/

2. WINDOWS 10 DEVICES FOR LESS THAN $300

Chromebooks have dominated Education, mainly for the fact that they cost less than $300 each, a barrier a Windows laptop hasn’t been able to overcome until now. Microsoft has worked with hardware OEMs like Lenovo to bring out multiple versions of laptops from $179, all under $300, including ruggedized ones. No more worrying about spilled milk on your laptop. They also have laptops for less than $300 that have pen inking technology. When students utilize pen inking versus typing on a laptop, test scores have been shown to improve over 30%.

A big complaint in the past for Windows laptops in the classroom has been the slow login time. Microsoft and the hardware OEMs have fixed this as well with logins in less than 5 seconds.

Lastly, these laptops come with Windows 10 Pro for Education, allowing schools to have the full power of computing without the limitations of Chromebooks or iPads.

3. STUDENT INFORMATION SYSTEM (SIS) INTEGRATION WITH MICROSOFT

Microsoft has made it easy to integrate with EVERY SIS system, including popular SIS like PowerSchool, which many of Akins IT’s clients use. More info here: https://sds.microsoft.com/

4. VIRTUAL REALITY (VR) FOR LEARNING

This has got to be one of the coolest technologies I’ve ever seen. Most people have heard of VR but utilizing it in the classroom has some amazing impact and huge cost savings. Instead of building a physical lab, teachers can build a virtual lab. I could go on and on but a video is probably a lot more interesting. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Xv8A9vqeBw

5. MICROSOFT LEARNING TOOLS

Microsoft has come out with some great learning tools like Immersive Reader in OneNote that helps each student to learn at their own level and improve. Check out this video: https://youtu.be/3Ztr44aKmQ8

I am truly inspired by what Microsoft is doing in the Education space. Microsoft has dedicated resources to improve the classroom. They’ve transformed to be more than just a software company but have provided solutions to empower students all over the world.

Want to see more on Minecraft for Education? Check out this video.

Microsoft Got Sexy: 5 Takeaways from MS Inspire 2017 – Washington D.C.

Fri, 14 Jul 2017 17:21:30 GMT

Well that was intense! 4 days of solid conferencing, workshopping, and breakouts have left me begging Microsoft for more. I don’t want to bore any of you, so let’s get t o it shall we?

1. Satya Nadella is the RIGHT leader for Microsoft.

Satya focused on discussing Digital Transformations, the Intelligent Cloud and the Intelligent Edge, but for me it is he who has transformed Microsoft.They have gone from a revenue led, disjointed company to one that is becoming agile. They are listening to partners and making changes. Microsoft is now about enablement, the ecosystem is humming and innovation is completely apparent across many of the platforms I looked at.

2. Security, Security, Security.

Microsoft is now leveraging the Intelligent Security Graph. A huge telemetry and analysis framework which would have been more at home in Tom Cruise’s The Minority Report. Millions of devices reporting data, usage and patterns back to the centralized cloud service every minute.

I won’t do this justice so please watch this video …

3. Did I mention Security?

I heard a Senior Product Manager say the words – “You cannot shoot down a Stealth Fighter with a 19thCentury Canon”.

This resonated with me because so many of the networks I have the pleasure of connecting with are using legacy defenses against such sophisticated modern attacks. It’s time for us to work together to posture security as the Number 1 priority. Everything else will fall in line. We cannot win this game using 10 year old Operating Systems, or indeed with Anti-Virus protection written 3 years ago when modern tactics have already destroyed those systems and exploits have been thoroughly documented worldwide. We need to commit together to being more agile, to take action quickly and to review security holistically.

Embracing the Microsoft Stack can reduce the number of overall solutions needed to posture correctly with services like Advanced Threat Analytics, Defender ATP, Identity Protection, Multi-Factor Authentication, Conditional Access, Privileged Identity Management, Information Protection and Cloud App Security.

There is more, but I prefer not to babble.

4. Microsoft 365 Enterprise.

One of the bigger announcements was the unveiling of Microsoft 365 (not Office 365.) Microsoft 365 Enterprise and Business packages have grouped Office 365 with EMS and Windows 10 Enterprise. If you are one of the many clients we performed an EMS workshop with over the last 6 months, you will know how near and dear to my heart this is. The fact that we can bundle those platforms now is just another indication of how strongly integrated Productivity, Collaboration and Security have become. We should see more adoption which means everyone wins.

5. Hello!

Ok – this one isn’t groundbreaking, but I loved it. With the Fall Creators Update for Windows 10, Windows Hello (face recognition) will be baked into the OS and from what I understand, will not be exclusive to the Surface or Surface Book. While we are on the Win 10 subject, the other feature that will change everything in the E5 offering is Defender ATP, a baked in, not bolted on Anti-Virus solution that goes far beyond Windows Defender and puts Microsoft at the very least on par with the best AV products on the planet. This has never been true before. Defender ATP is included with Win 10 Enterprise E5 and leverages the Intelligent Security Graph to protect against Zero Day threats from a global analysis and protection vector. The product is able to detect, containerize and shut down malicious software before it can wreak havoc on your systems and network.

Windows 10 is going to support transferring live “sessions” to other devices so you can pick up where you left off. Another feature Timeline allows us to go back in time, 2 hours or 2 months to see what state our files and applications were in. Too much to discuss here!!

Please note - I’ve purposefully excluded discussing Azure Stack here in lieu of a dedicated blog.

The Microsoft Worldwide Partner Conference is in Vegas next year and it just might take that long for my Microsoft love to evaporate enough to require replenishment. Suffice to say, you can count on me attending.

5 Tips to Handle Content Filtering in the Classroom

Fri, 30 Jun 2017 17:25:10 GMT

With the emergence of online classroom access in the last decade, cybersecurity, internet protection and content filtering have become hugely important in schools around the world. Schools that receive E-Rate funding for connectivity are compelled by law to create an internet safety policy to give our children access to all the wonders of the information age, without the garbage. So, we want to give you five tips on handling your classroom content filtering.

Consider a one-to-one program.

BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) programs simply don’t work in the classroom the way they work in the office. When you want to keep your children away from graphic content and sites known for false or misleading material, consider instead a one-to-one program, which loans an individual device (iPad or otherwise) to each student for year-long use. From here, the device can be pre-loaded and personalized for each student, while also giving the greatest level of protection since all the applications can be monitored and maintained. ( Read: “iPads in the classroom: the promise and the problems.” )

2. Invest in an alternate browser.

There are many free and many paid browsers that can help filter students’ internet activity. ( See a few kid-safe browsers. ) Once you find an appropriate browser for your school’s needs, you can block the standard open browsers, like Chrome and Safari, on the operating system.

3. Use a real-time network monitoring tool.

Part of the law requires that schools who receive E-Rate funding have a content filter at the perimeter of their network. There are many programs that can handle this function, such as Barracuda Networks and Dell SonicWALL. These programs give the administrators an accessible interface that allows for consistent updates on blocked site lists.

4. Connect through a VPN.

Requiring VPN access is a good way to keep students on your system’s network both inside the classroom and outside of it. This means that whatever protections you’ve built around your school network’s perimeter will follow your students wherever they go. There is a downside, which is that this access can weigh heavily on your bandwidth.

5. Team with Akins IT.

Luckily, the Akins IT approach is catered to managing education internet strongholds. We’ve developed the best practices your school needs to keep the students learning and harnessing the powerful education opportunities the internet offers while safeguarding them from the dark side of the internet.

New Ransomware NotPetya: More Dangerous and Advanced than WannaCry

Wed, 28 Jun 2017 17:28:11 GMT

he long and the short of it- PATCH YOUR COMPUTERS! Hopefully most of you did this after reading about the WannaCry virus and that it penetrated the network through unpatched computers. But if not, please do so immediately! This virus- NotPetya- is also scanning for unpatched computers.

“It only takes one unpatched computer to get inside the network, and the malware can get administrator rights and spread to other computers.” –Robert Lipovsky, ESET Researcher.

As you've likely heard, the next big malware is out and spreading. It seems that the malware is a version of Petya, although it also appears to have some significant differences or advancements... so much so that it looks like an almost entirely new form of ransomware. For that reason, this new malware is being referenced as “NotPetya.” The last big ransomware hit the world saw was with WannaCry, which exploited a leacked NSA hack called Eternal Blue and infected hundreds of thousands of computers and networks. NotPetya works in a similar way although it only scans computers on local networks rather than the entire Internet.

Not Petya has some features that make it even more dangerous than WannaCry. It has the ability to detect passwords on the infected computer and can move to other systems by pulling passwords from memory or the local filesystem. The virus then spreads the infection by “executing malicious code on other computers on the network.” For example, if the infected computer has admin access, every other computer on the network will become infected.

Because the virus is so new, there is still a lot of investigation being done. However, a Microsoft spokesperson has already said that initial investigations found that this ransomware uses multiple techniques to spread including one addressed by a previous security patch provided for all platforms from Windows XP to Windows 10. It can also spread by email so everyone should be careful when opening unfamiliar files.

Give us a call if you'd like to discuss how to make your network more secure!

5 Essential Tips to Keep Your Identity Secure Online

Thu, 25 May 2017 17:31:09 GMT

At Akins IT, we have helped hundreds of businesses and thousands of people to secure their identities online. We’re proud that we make the internet a safer and more secure place for our clients and friends. With all the good we’ve seen, we have also witnessed a lot of bad situations that could have been prevented or even minimized with just a few simple steps to protect someone’s online identity..

Here we share 5 essential tips to keep your identity more secure online right now:

1 – Make your passwords complex

A lot of people like to make their passwords easy to remember. We don’t blame them – after all, we have a lot of things to remember in life and online attacks aren’t usually top-of-mind. Choosing a date, name or word that you can easily recall is a huge mistake – if it’s easy for you it’s probably just as easy for a hacker to find it. More difficult passwords will better protect you online when they include letters, numbers and symbols, as well as both capital and lowercase letters. One tool to check your password strength is Password Monster .

2 – Don’t post sensitive personal details on your social media

It might be tempting to share lots of information about your life on social media. But it’s not just your friends that see it. We have often found during our work with businesses that it’s easy to pull very private information about almost anyone just from their Facebook or Instagram. Being cautious in giving away personal details online is a good habit to develop to protect yourself and your business from unwanted exposure.

3 – Make sure your social media settings are private

It is also very easy to get behind on updating your privacy settings on a website or app like Facebook, where they change frequently to get more and more information from you. TIME Magazine published an article last year about basic privacy settings and securing your Facebook that can help you become a little bit more private: You can read it by clicking here .

4 – Use multiple passwords

This should go without saying, but if one of your account passwords is discovered, the last thing that you want is for a stranger or malicious person to access everything. Our experience with protecting clients has shown that if someone gets a little information on you, they will try to get it all. Try to maintain a few different complex passwords to protect yourself that much better.

5 – Beware of phishing emails

Phishing emails are a type of spam email that ask you to reply with information or click on a link that then attempts to collect or even mine your information. Rest assured that reputable banks and business organizations will never ask for your personal information or account numbers through an email. If you ever doubt that, call the apparent sender of the email and verify it is legitimate and not just a scammer digging for your email or other identity information.

Because Akins IT specializes in protecting identities online, we feel comfortable saying that if you follow these 5 tips for your personal and business activity, you will be exponentially more secure online than you are right now.

To take your business to the next level of security, reach out to us today and we can discuss even further and more comprehensive ways to protect yourself, your employees, your customers and your business from online security threats.

Summary: Our experience has taught us that there are common mistakes everyone makes, these tips can improve your online security right now.

4 Ways Microsoft EMS Enables Secure Collaboration

Thu, 13 Apr 2017 17:41:27 GMT

We’re sure you already know that sharing and collaboration are no longer done only in an office setting. As technology has evolved, so has the way that we conduct business -- and we’ve realized that we need more security in that collaboration process.

It’s not uncommon now to have mobile access to your entire desktop and all of your company’s files, whether on your personal or business device. So what’s keeping your business collaborations safe?

Microsoft’s Enterprise Mobility Suite has become the standard bearer in a business world now focused on mobile and cloud-based technologies. Here are 4 ways that this incredible system enables secure collaboration when the world-at-large is your office.

Protecting your “front door”

EMS starts with identity protection at the entrance to your business’ apps and data. Its use of Azure Active Directory Identity Protection gives you “risk-based conditional access to your applications and company’s data. The system also has the option for what Microsoft calls “multi-factor authentication,” taking multiple verification steps before you can gain access via your mobile device. And of course, your company has the proactive capability to monitor and selectively restrict the people who are granted access to your company’s systems anywhere at any time.

2. Protecting your data from user mistakes

Microsoft gives you the ability to see user and data activity. So when someone messes up -- especially with critical company data -- you can immediately find out and take quick action to correct for it. With Microsoft Cloud App Security you have not only visibility to monitor what happens but also controls over cloud apps including but not limited to Box, Salesforce, ServiceNow and, of course, Office 365.

3. Providing secure file sharing

Microsoft uses Azure Information Protection to ensure secure file sharing anywhere you and your business may be operating. Its use of Intune Mobile App Management allows you to manage Office mobile apps without requiring device enrollment management and to prevent data loss on mobile devices. Basically no one will be able to lay a hand on your data that doesn’t have your permission. The combination of these multiple technologies is truly the most advanced evolution of file security.

4. Detecting an attack in real time -- before it causes damage

By using Microsoft Advanced Threat Analytics in conjunction with Azure Active Directory and Cloud App Security, EMS helps identify attackers both inside and outside your organization by applying behavioral analytics and anomaly detection technology. Basically, your system will know when something is going wrong the moment that it happens, keeping your business safer than ever before.

As your trusted technology partner, Akins IT wants to make sure that your business security measures are both as up-to-date and as secure as possible. If mobile devices access your company’s network, you can rest easier knowing we believe Microsoft EMS “checks all the boxes” to secure and protect your environment for the latest business collaboration.

Educational Technology in The Big Bang Theory

Thu, 23 Mar 2017 19:07:28 GMT

Thanks to the hit TV series The Big Bang Theory, nerds are now considered cool. And the show is chock-full of interesting and nerdy gadgets, games, and pop-culture knickknacks. Not only are these items real, but they're also things you can actually buy!

Let’s dive deep into the depths of geekdom to discover some of the most interesting and undeniably awesome educational technology and toys seen on the show.

SEASON 1, EPISODE 11: THE PANCAKE BATTER ANOMALY

If you thought the game of chess couldn’t get any more exciting than you thought wrong. Imagine playing on a 3D Star Trek board. Be quick because there are only 3 left in stock . Just think, if you win a game, you can quote Sheldon and tell your opponent they “suck on so many different levels.”

SEASON 2, EPISODE 17: THE TERMINATOR DECOUPLING

If you’ve ever wanted to keep a valuable possession (like a hard drive in Sheldon’s case) safe, look no further than the Yosegi Japanese puzzle box . Chances are you’ll forget the combination to open it, but there’s always the option of stomping on it with your foot like Penny does if that ever happens.

SEASON 3, EPISODE 16: THE EXCELSIOR ACQUISITION

Ever wondered what it’d be like to have a soundtrack to your life? What about having The Imperial March from Star Wars blasting from your shirt every time you make a grand entrance? Raj demonstrates the non-stop fun you can have with such an item, so people will know he’s "awesome and to be feared."

SEASON 4, EPISODE 21: THE AGREEMENT DISSECTION NOW

Making a recurring appearance in Sheldon and Leonard’s bathroom, this periodic table shower curtain is undoubtedly unique. Every time you’re using the bathroom, you can study up on the most complex-sounding chemicals just by glancing over to your shower.

So there you have it – some of the coolest and nerdiest treasures featured in The Big Bang Theory. Not all of the listed items count as educational technology, but they surely are a find!

OneDrive Updates

Fri, 03 Mar 2017 20:11:20 GMT

Microsoft’s new updates to OneDrives further empowers employees to sync, share and collaborate on files. There are updated managements features for administrators, syncing made easier and more accessible, and simplified sharing for internal and external use.

Administrator Management

Microsoft implemented the OneDrive admin center where administrators can control how and from where a user can access the files in OneDrive. Below are the features shown in the admin center:

“ Home —Admin center dashboard will soon show recent Office 365 Message Center posts and usage reporting related to OneDrive.
Sharing —This section helps you gain control over how and with whom your users are sharing information. Includes controlling the use of external sharing and anonymous links, as well as limiting which external domains users can share with.
Sync —You now can block syncing of specific file types and deny syncing to non-domain joined PCs.
Storage —Where you can easily set default storage limits and document retention durations.
Device access —This gives you control over how and from where a user can access their files. Includes allow/deny access from personal devices or specific networks as well as rich Mobile Application Management Intune policies for iOS and Android.
Compliance —Offers quick links to the Office 365 Security and Compliance Center for key scenarios like auditing, data loss prevention, retention and eDiscovery.
Notification —Ability to turn on/off various notifications for your tenant.”

Syncing Files

OneDrive can now sync SharePoint Online team sites directly to OneDrive shared by others across both PC and Mac platforms. This means all Office 365 files- including Microsoft Teams, Office 365 Groups and OneDrive folders- are accessible even offline. This applies to OneDrive for Business shared folder as well, but Office 365 administration must enable users to use this sync feature. Due to the increased adoption and interest of OneDrive for Macs, Microsoft has introduced the new standalone client for Mac. This allows admins to deploy and manage sync features outside of the App Store. Lastly, users can view recent sync activity and status with OneDrive’s activity center.

Internal and External Sharing

A new onboarding experience will guide first-time users through common practices – such as uploading and sharing- in OneDrive. An onboarding experience and account set up will also be provided to external users trying to access shared files that need authorization. To simplify the sharing experience, users are now notified if recipients lie within or external to the organization. OneDrive also displays sharing pane to modify permission settings such as editing and expiration duration.

3 Technologies to Inspire Student-Centered Learning

Wed, 22 Feb 2017 20:13:43 GMT

Teaching in the 21st century is a challenging task. National and state education agencies demand that educators ensure student growth. Fortunately, schools can partner with firms like Akins IT to integrate technology into the classroom. This enables student-centered learning.

Customized instruction using modern technology is a trademark of quality education. For example, playing Motion Math for 20 minutes per day for five days i ncreased fifth graders’ fractions test scores by more than 15%, according to a study by GaneDesk. Additionally, medical students from the University of California Irvine who are equipped with iPads scored 23% higher on national tests than previous classes that had no iPads, according to MobiHealthNews.

Clearly, the numbers are in favor of using technology for student-centered learning. But there are lots of emerging technologies out there today. What should you use to inspire learning in your classroom?

VIRTUAL MAPS

Using the Flat Stanley project to improve reading and writing skills can become more exciting with the help of online maps like Google Earth or Quick Maps. A more advanced method of learning about places can be done through the use of Augmented Reality. Discovery Education, for example, provides Virtual Field Trips where students can explore an egg farm or NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center.

Virtual Field Trips may also be used to teach Introductory Geology Laboratory . Using VFT, students are able to have an in-depth understanding of volcanic hazards, plate tectonics, and other geothermal activities, according to a ScienceDirect article by Stephen D. Hurst of the University Of Illinois Department Of Geology.

CLOUD COMPUTING

With cloud computing, students can access their homework through an electronic device connected to the Internet. They will no longer need to carry heavy textbooks to school. They will have access to educational materials as long as they have access to the Internet.

This also provides students the freedom to work on their class requirements whenever and wherever they desire. A school can be of better service to students through a digital library that is accessible day in and day out.

This also means that students won’t need to miss a class, even when they are sick or during inclement weather. You can set up an online learning platform where students can attend a virtual class. This has been done before by Dr. Anne Spence of the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. She used Blackboard Collaborate to demonstrate MATLAB to her freshman engineering students when snow canceled three morning classes.

VIDEO GAMES

Video games are traditionally considered as a distraction from learning. However, Friedrich Frobel created Kindergarten, which uses play as a means of learning. Today, there is a wide array of video games that inspire student learning.

KindectEducation, for example, provides educators and students a chance to use Microsoft Kinect for learning and teaching purposes. Kinect Math allows teachers to better explain abstract concepts to students. Students can easily visualize these mathematical concepts through real-time display.

Integrating technology in the classroom may require a fair amount of time to get used to them and to plan the right course of action to implement them as effectively as possible.

Akins IT can help you choose and implement the correct technology to support your school’s learning objectives. For a more engaged classroom and student-centered learning,

Simplify Your Life with a Student Information System

Wed, 08 Feb 2017 20:15:49 GMT

The United States is committed to providing its citizens quality education. This commitment is evident in the continuous search for the best education programs. In 1994, there was GOALS 2000, which was then reformed into the No Child Left Behind Act in 2001. More recently, the NCLB was replaced by the Every Student Succeeds act in December 2015.

All of these educational reforms have one common goal: monitor and ensure the achievement of every student and make sure that they are receiving high standards of learning. Your educational organization’s capacity to fulfill this goal is highly dependent on your access to student information.

Akins IT is one of the few IT consulting firms that is passionate about quality education. We want education providers to succeed in their goals. Because of this, our mission is to fully understand your IT needs and future goals. We do not merely recommend a system. We make sure it is the best solution for your organization.

Many schools and education agencies are already employing systems for data collection. The problem is that technology is ever-changing. It has profoundly affected our education community’s capacity to manage student information. More advanced computer hardware and software have become more vital than ever. An efficient student information system has become a key ingredient in the endeavor for meeting the educational needs of all students .

Every education institution is unique. That is why there is no single student information system that can meet the requirements of all the schools and education agencies in the United States. Working with firms like Akins IT helps organizations create a well-planned automated student information system that benefits not only teachers and school administrators, but the community, lawmakers, families, and students as well.

A well-designed student information system provides the following advantages:

COST REDUCTION

There are expenses associated with the collection, storage, and retrieval of records. Even though a modern system seems expensive at the outset, its efficiency and capacity for future savings actually make it more cost-effective than traditional record keeping. The cost of an automated data system should pay for itself in time due to its efficiency. It provides complete, accurate, and timely information.

EFFICIENCY

As mentioned, an automated student information system is more efficient than a paper system. When information about a student is required, the modern system provides it with just a few mouse clicks.

ACCURACY

Promptness is not the only requirement for effective decision-making. Data quality is also essential and that is only possible when you have a system with clearly defined data elements. This is not possible when you are using a paper system.

DATA TRANSFER

Gone are the days when schools needed to wait days to get the student information they need. For example, when a student transfers from one school to another, the new school can retrieve the student record electronically with authorization from the previous school. Electronic file transfer is one of the most desirable features of an automated student information system that can make your job easier.

There are many advantages of employing an automated student information system. Upgrading your system to a more efficient one with the help of Akins IT leads to quick collection, storage, and retrieval of accurate student information. Work with us to improve US educational programs and services.

Enhancing Education- OneNote Updates

Mon, 30 Jan 2017 20:17:29 GMT

Following collaboration with teachers, Microsoft announced a series of new features coming soon to OneNote- Class Notebook for Windows desktop app and OneNote- Class Not ebook online.

The new add-ins give teachers the ability to distribute pages and sections to all their students with just the click of a button. Teachers are now able to sequentially review work with tools that navigate and filter student’s notebooks.

Microsoft is also improving the learning tools Add-Ins by localizing six more languages (Hindi, Japanese, Korean, Thai, Chinese (simplified)m and Chinese (traditional). The learning tools Add-ins will also support an additional three languages (Russian, Portuguese, and Chinese). Users will be able to use “explicit punctuation,” which inputs the correct punctuation upon speech dictation. For example, you can dictate a sentence and end it by saying “period,” and the tool will input the period punctuation. *Update: Any admin who deploys Learning Tools will be able to control the display of the Update button on client machines who have the correct permission. *

One cool feature Microsoft introduced is stickers. Teachers can personalize stickers with their own message to comment on student’s work. The sticker feature is only available on OneNote Online as of now, but will be rolling out to the Add-Ins desktop app in coming weeks- along with various sticker packs.

To finish the announcement strong, Microsoft introduced new partners it will support for embedding content in OneNote (Quizlet, ThinkLink, GeoGebra, Wizer, and Sketchfab 3D).

Office 365 FAQ

Thu, 19 Jan 2017 20:18:41 GMT

It’s really important to correctly designate how you want a mailbox migrated when moving to Office 365. We frequently have clients that are confused on the differences b etween shared mailboxes and distribution groups.

What is a shared mailbox?

A shared mailbox in Office 365 allows a group of people to monitor and send mail from addresses like i nfo@organization.com , sales@organization.com , or support@organization.com . When a member of the group replies to a message sent to a shared mailbox, the email appears to come from the shared mailbox, rather than the individual user. Shared mailboxes are ideal for mail that needs to be answered quickly or that many people need to have visibility to.

Users cannot directly log into a shared mailbox because it is tied to a disabled user account and doesn’t have its own username and password. Instead, users gain access to these mailboxes by being assigned permissions and then they are able to access it using Outlook or the Outlook Web App. No licenses is required for a shared mailbox unless they are over 50 GB.

What are distribution groups?

Like a shared mailbox, a distribution group in Office 365 allows users to send emails or meeting requests to multiple people without having to add all of the email addresses. For example, an email address like support@organization.com may have a distribution list that will send the received email to the inbox of all individuals included in the distribution list. When you click “Reply All” to one of these emails, your message will also be sent to the inbox of everyone included in the distribution list. Because multiple copies of this email are sent, a user can delete the copy in their inbox and other users in the list will keep theirs. This is generally for users within your organization so in order to add people from outside your organization to the distribution group, an admin must make the external contacts shared contacts.

The easiest way to understand a distribution group is to think of an intern copying a flyer or notice on the copy machine and then putting these copies into the mail slots of multiple employees.

What is the difference between a shared mailbox and a distribution group?

Both shared mailboxes and distribution groups may have their own email addresses like support@organization.com or marketing@organization.com . With a shared mailbox, individuals receive access to the mailbox and there is only one copy of an email sent to a shared mailbox. If a user who has access to the shared mailbox deletes an email, other users who have access and later connect to the mailbox will not be able to see the deleted email in the inbox. In contrast, a distribution group creates copies of the email and distributes them to the inboxes of all its members. If one member deletes their copy, all other members still have access to their own copy in their inbox.

A shared mailbox can also send mail so a reply would come from support@organization.com rather than individual members that have access. These make the most sense when a company wants to reduce clutter, when emails need to stop being sent to only one person and accessible to multiple people in a business unit or department, or when a company doesn’t want the exact identity of the sender to be known.

What should you do with ex-employee mailboxes?

Depending on your industry, you may have compliance regulations that require you preserve the contents of the mailbox for a particular time period. However, if you don’t have compliance regulations, you may consider converting the mailbox to inactive and archiving it.

Microsoft allows you to keep a terminated employee mailbox in your Office 365 cloud environment with inactive mailboxes even after you have deleted their user account and reassigned their license. This means that the contents of the mailbox are preserved and may be recovered later. The only downside is that this option is only available if you are using an Enterprise version of Office 365.

Support for 2013 Version of Office 365 is Ending

Mon, 16 Jan 2017 20:21:24 GMT

Effective after February 28, 2017 all support and installation for the 2013 version of Office 365 will no longer be available. Microsoft will no longer provide support f or the following products through Customer Service and Support or Microsoft Premier Support:

Office 365 ProPlus (2013)
Office 365 Small Business Premium (2013)
Office 365 Business (2013)
Project Pro for Office 365 (2013)
Visio Pro for Office 365 (2013)

Additionally, Microsoft will not release any feature updates for these versions of the products, but they will continue to release critical and important security updates for these versions of the products until April 10, 2018. Users who continue to use the 2013 version of Office 365 should be aware that Microsoft will not provide notification before implementing potentially disruptive changes that may result in a service interruption for users. If users want to continue receiving support from Microsoft, they will have to upgrade to the latest version of Office 365.

With the Killer Arrested, the Streets Just Got Safer

Fri, 13 Jan 2017 20:22:34 GMT

Thank you to all who helped us solve several murders last night with Barracuda Networks and Nimble Storage at our Star Wars themed murder mystery dinner! It was a fun ev ening using clues to figure out who was capable of murder and who had stolen several thousands of dollars worth of Star Wars memorabilia. Thanks to you, the murderer was caught and the streets are that much safer. Check out pics from the evening and look for the invitation to our next event!

Thank You All Who Came to Watch Star Wars With Us!

Fri, 16 Dec 2016 20:32:27 GMT

Don't worry- we won't spoil the movie for you if you haven't seen it yet. Although we will say that it was awesome!

Thank you to all who came out last night to watch Star Wars Rogue One with us! We had a great night enjoying presentations from Xirrus and Nutanix and watching the new movie. If you missed this one, no sweat- We have more great events coming up soon.

Office 365 - Providing a Learning Community for Professionals

Tue, 22 Nov 2016 20:33:45 GMT

Microsoft has provided educators the opportunity to work and learn together so that they can improve their teaching experiences. Office 365 Education includes a framewor k for Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) that enables groups of educators to communicate and collaborate to improve quality learning for their students.

Upon creating a PLC in Outlook, Office 365 provides pre-populated content and templates to get you started. Each PLC group has its own OneNote notebook with pre-populated content and templates to get the work flowing. This OneNote notebook is where all collaborations, contributions, and ideas are introduced and noted. Keep your PLC on track by using Planner to organize and assign tasks, set due dates, and update statuses. There is a visual dashboard and e-mail notifications to keep you updated and in the loop of any activity occurring in Planner. Lastly, to stay connected with your PLC, Office 365 Connectors brings all your conversations and feeds into one shared inbox for easier tracking. The Skype feature in Connections allows you to meet your PLC members virtually without the hassle of travel and scheduling.

Built on feedback directly from educators, Office 365 PLC is tailored to their needs and overcomes barriers so that they can unite and focus on what matters most- growth in student learning.

4 of the Most Important IT Solutions Used in Schools

Thu, 27 Oct 2016 19:36:52 GMT

There’s no denying that the era we live in today is a digital one. From iPads to self-driving cars, technology innovations are everywhere. They’ve even made their way to schools. In many districts, students are assigned their own iPads and laptops to work on throughout the school year. Devices aren’t the only technological aspect schools have embraced though. Disaster recovery, managed IT network services, virtualization (cloud), and hardware and software implementations have made an appearance in schools across the country.

1 - WIFI

WiFi has done wonders for technology, inside and outside of the classroom. Inside of the classroom, it has helped learning by allowing mobility and convenience between the teacher and the student. With iPads, for example, students are no longer confined to a computer lab. They can connect to the school WiFi and work on their assignments anywhere they go, whether it be in the hallway, library, or classroom.

WiFi also makes it easier for students to connect and use more than one device. With high availability and connectivity, you couldn’t do this before. Before, you could only use computers plugged in the computer lab. Now, you can use your phone, laptop, iPad, all of it, to get more work done in more places. This modern classroom is also encouraging collaboration with students and their teachers through new applications to work on. What a world we live in now.

2 - INFRASTRUCTURE TO MANAGE DATA

As complex as technology can be, it is actually made with the purpose of making our lives easier. One of those ways is how we manage our data. There are many programs out there that are developed to help track and manage all of your information, like Office 365 for example. Having all your information in a central place where all your coworkers can access and edit is much more effective and efficient than the traditional paper system.

3 - BDR FOR THAT DATA

Backup and disaster recovery plans are so important because your data is so important. Data is so valuable, in fact, that 60% of companies that lose their data will shut down within 6 months. Also, these incidents are quite frequent. 140,000 hard drives crash in the United States every week. From hackers to natural disasters, potential danger is everywhere. And schools know this. That’s why IT solutions are implemented in case a disaster were to ever happen. If a school has IT solutions in place, it has most likely backed up its data to external sources, such as the cloud. This solution will store your data in a highly secure, offsite data centers. You can then access this data from anywhere, anytime, as long as you have an internet connection and a device.

There are other alternatives, but cloud solutions are the most common (Office 365 is a cloud-based application). Now, you never have to worry about permanently losing your data; it will always be sitting somewhere, waiting for you to access it, never deleted. This helps everyone from the administrator level to the student working on those research papers.

4 - PRIVACY AND SECURITY TO PROTECT THE SCHOOL AND KIDS

The information that schools hold is highly personal. You trust your school with your address, your phone number, you allergies, and many other qualities. That’s why schools have also adapted IT solutions for privacy and security purposes. As mentioned earlier, hackers are everywhere, so various softwares are developing to take action against viruses and malware. At Akins IT , we can also block inappropriate websites, control applications, control who has access to what, etc. We know how precious your children are, and we keep their safety as one of our top priorities.

If you want to know more about the IT solutions schools are embracing, don’t hesitate to Contact Us ! We are very knowledgeable about the educational vertical, and we want to become partners with our clients by taking the time to deeply understand your infrastructure needs.

We take the consultative aspect of IT seriously, because we truly do want you to succeed.

Shawn Akins Named Top Midmarket IT Executive by The Channel Company and Midsize Enterprise Summit

Wed, 26 Oct 2016 19:39:18 GMT

Recently, it was announced that Shawn Akins has been named to The Channel Company’s Top Midmarket IT Executives list. This annual list honors influential vendor and solution provider executives who have demonstrated an exceptionally strong commitment to the midmarket.

Akins IT business model focuses only on midsized organizations and has grown at a consistent rate of 40% per year. Akins is passionate about providing strategic IT planning and support for its customers so those organizations can focus on their core business.

“The Channel Company and Midsize Enterprise Summit are proud to recognize these individuals and the companies they represent for their remarkable efforts to meet the unique IT needs of this fast-growing industry,” said Robert C. DeMarzo, Senior Vice President of Event Content and Strategy, The Channel Company. “The winners will be honored at this year’s Midsize Enterprise Summit West event this month in Austin, Texas, the nation’s largest gathering of midmarket senior IT executives and the ideal venue in which to honor these deserving leaders. We congratulate each of the honorees and look forward to their continued success.”

Ditch WebEx and Save Money

Fri, 21 Oct 2016 19:40:34 GMT

If you’re a small business using WebEx for webinars, ditch it and save your money. There is other web conferencing software that provide the same capabilities for much l ess. Let’s compare WebEx pricing and capabilities with that of Skype for Business.

Capabilities

All of WebEx’s Premium Plans include:

Audio and HD video conferencing
Screen share
Voice Over Internet Protocol or Phone call-in
Audio and visual recordings
Outlook scheduling
Device compatibility (smartphone, tablet, MAC, PC, etc.)
Instant Messaging
Remote Control
Live customer support 24/7

All of Skype for Business Premium Plans include:

All the above, as well as
Online or installed version of Microsoft Office (dependent on Premium choice)

Pricing

WebEx does have great, additional features such as Cisco security and markup tools in their web conferencing. However, their plans are pricy and user limited.

Premium 8 (Up to 8 people/meeting): $24 user/month or $19 user/month for an annual commitment
Premium 25 (Up to 25 people/meeting): $49 user/month or $39 user/month for an annual commitment
Premium 100 (Up to 100 people/meeting): $69 user/month or $49 user/month for an annual commitment

Skype offers more storage at 1 TB for its premium plans, compared to WebEx’s 1 GB. Both premium plans offer Microsoft Office 365 (either online or fully installed).

Office 365 Business Essentials (Up to 250 people/meeting): $6 user/month or $5 user/month for an annual commitment (Office Online)
Office 365 Business Premium (Up to 250 people/meeting): $15 user/month or $12.50 user/month for an annual commitment (Office 365 fully installed apps)

WebEx is a popular choice for webinars due to its security and special features. But if you’re a small business that utilizes Office 365 and are looking for common webinar capabilities- then there are smarter, money-saving choices for you. Skype has easy-installations, similar webinar capabilities, and great pricing. Make the switch today and save your money.

The Limitations of Microsoft Office 365 Backup

Wed, 19 Oct 2016 19:42:22 GMT

Data loss and protection are two major concerns for businesses migrating to the cloud. The number one cause of data loss in SaaS is accidental data deletion- in which 70% of all lost data is due to accidental or malicious deletion by end-users. Microsoft Office 365 has industry-leading security measures, but there are limitations that will make you want to consider a third-party backup.

Outlook and Exchange Online- Retention Limitations

Microsoft offers multiple layers of protection to prevent end-user errors in Outlook and Exchange Online. E-mails deleted by users are moved to the user’s Deleted Items folder, where items remain up to 30 days by default. Microsoft has recently introduced a new retention policy that allows admin to customize a longer or indefinite retention time for Deleted Items in Outlook and Exchange Online. This policy increases protection, but items can be permanently deleted if the user chooses to empty the folder. These items are then moved to the Recoverable Items-Deletions Folder where the default duration of item retention is 14 days. This retention setting can be customized up to 30 days. However, once an item exceeds the retention setting in Recoverable Items- the data is gone indefinitely.

Another issue to take into consideration is the process required to preserve mailboxes when a user leaves the organization. Before the user leaves the organization, a litigation hold or in-place hold must be placed on the mailbox to preserve its content. If a hold is not placed on a mailbox before its deleted, then the mailbox contents cannot be preserved. Placing holds is also a premium feature that is not available in all Office365 plans.

OneDrive/Sharepoint- Retention Limitations

Unless Document Versioning is turned on, OneDrive and SharePoint only store the most recent version of your content- not it’s entire history. End-users will be able to restore back to previous versions, but this does not protect against accidental deletion. Like Outlook and Exchange Online , OneDrive has a series of folders for protection. In these applications, deleted items are moved to the user’s Recycle Bin where they stay up to 93 days or until manual deletion. Once the item exceeds the retention rate or upon deletion, it is then moved to the Site Collection Recycle Bin where it can be recovered up to 93 days. However, once an item exceeds the retention setting in the Site Collection Recycle Bin- the data is gone indefinitely.

Protect All Your Data- Back It Up!

Microsoft Office has these layers of protection on a default retention setting. Yes, their customizable retention settings offer more protection, but there are multiple downsides. First, the organization must be aware of the evolving policies to ensure full protection. This can be time-consuming and inconvenient. Second, the ability to customize retention for Deleted Items is only available for Outlook/Exchange Online. The retention policies are inconsistent in each service application in Office 365- which also is time-consuming and inconvenient. Users would have to go through a long process of multiple folders to recover one item. Lastly, these are not complete backup solutions, it is only meant to protect from data loss in a limited way. To ensure full protection, invest in a complete cloud-to-cloud backup solution. A third-party backup can offer enhanced protection of Office 365 data that features automated and daily backup, unlimited storage, and better, faster recovery options. In short, save yourself the hassle and backup with a third-party.

Operation Flight Night was a Success – Check Out Our Fun Pics!

Thu, 06 Oct 2016 19:44:13 GMT

On Thursday, September 22, Akins IT celebrated with a spectacular night of fun activities and delicious refreshments at an event we called “Operation Flight Night.”

We selected uniquely qualified guests for this special assignment with a top-secret briefing which disclosed all the details of this event. Those who signed up for our mission were brought along our unforgettable aviation-themed adventure, where we got to explore and experience a simulated flight at the flight simulation center FlightDeck located in Anaheim, CA .

Check out pictures from the exciting evening as we stepped into the world of fighter jets and air to air combat.

Guests enjoyed delicious food and drinks before the event took off.

We experienced the thrills and chills of aerial maneuvers and air-to-air combat in an authentic military flight simulator. One of the flight simulators was the replica of the Boeing 737, an enormous jet airliner which allows guests to "fly" in a variety of weather conditions with multiple take-offs and landings – complete with an impressive 180-degree wrap-around screen.

We also got to explore the F-16 Fighting Falcon, a multi-role fighter aircraft which is able to fly more than 500 miles and deliver high-performance US military weapons with extreme accuracy. Guests were able to fly in groups or solo in one of the 8 flight simulators networked for fierce air-to-air combat.

Guests who weren't flying got to relax in the Officers' Club to watch all of the aerial action on huge LCD screens.

All in all, “Operation Flight Night” was an incredible opportunity for us to interact with our existing clients and prospects through a fun evening full of flight simulations and fighter jets. We hope to hold more exciting events like this in the future, and would love your participation! Reach out to us today to learn more about what we can do for your school, business, or organization.

Apple Day

Thu, 08 Sep 2016 19:47:45 GMT

Just like going back to school and the changing of seasons, September has become synonymous with the newest announcements from Cupertino-based tech leader, Apple. This y ear, CEO, Tim Cook welcomed a cast of notable characters like Mario Brothers creator, Shigeru Miyamoto, to introduce the latest products coming to market.

Consumers can expect an update to Apple’s watchOS, as well as an upgraded water proof Series 2 that now boasts water resistance up to 50m deep and built in GPS so that runners and swimmers can enjoy many of the iWatch’s features without having to keep their iPhones by their sides. Also coming shortly are Pokemón GO and Nike add-ons.

While the changes to Apple’s watch should add appeal to the product, the updates to the iPhone are what really have the internet buzzing. Improvements have been made across the board to the 12mp camera(s), offering impressive software zooming and improved flash, along with a brighter, more vivid display. The iPhone plus will even offer a second camera so that one can handle telephoto while the other tackles wide-angle shots.

Most shockingly, Apple has cut the cord and literally removed the headphone jack in order to free up precious real estate and push the industry into the wireless frontier. This move places the iPhone 7 squarely in the middle of a highly contested debate over the lightning port, which many complain is too fragile for the amount of use it gets. With the excision of the 3.5mm plug, comes a second speaker for improved audio quality and a new set of included headphones that will connect with the lightning plug. Die-hards looking to hold on to their analog headphones can still use them by purchasing an adapter that will transform the lightning port. Those looking to embrace the new era can upgrade to Apple’s new Bluetooth AirPods which come with 5 hours of battery life and a portable charging case capable of giving gym-rats over another 24 hours of charge.

In addition to the major overhauls, Apple has also water-proofed the newest iPhone so that it can withstand splashes and brief submersion in shallow water. Although, it’s worth mentioning that one of the more interesting upgrades is from a technical standpoint. The iPhone 7 will feature a new A10 chip with 4 cores. The new design takes a page from enterprise computing, in as such that it optimizes processing operations to be more efficient based upon the job at hand. Processes like gaming go run on the more robust, power intensive cores, while operations like scrolling through emails utilize the more efficient cores, ultimately leading to improved battery life.

Team Akins at VMworld

Thu, 01 Sep 2016 19:48:50 GMT

This week a couple of our favorite teammates made the trek out to Las Vegas for a full-blown-tech immersion at VMware’s VMworld. Chris and Spencer have been attending breakout sessions, participating in hands-on labs, and upgrading their CVs with the latest info from leaders in virtualization technology.

Among a handful of exciting announcements they reported, is VMware’s update to its Virtual desktop line (VDI). Long touted as a more secure and cost effective solution to large-scale deployments, virtual desktops struggled to deliver on the lofty promises made since their inception. As the industry quickly found out, the overall stress placed upon networks and system resources often times led to a less-than-acceptable user experience. VMware claims that their revision to the software makes it more efficient, adding that the new update was fine tuned to improve performance on iPads and similar tablets.

This development could prove instrumental for companies looking to leverage both A.I. and Big Data integrations with hosted systems in the cloud. Which begs the question; “Will we see a rubber-band effect, bringing centralized computing back to the forefront of modern business?”

AkinsIT Named to Inc. 5000 List of America's Fastest-Growing Private Companies

Tue, 23 Aug 2016 19:49:43 GMT

We are thrilled to announce that AkinsIT has earned a place on the Inc. 5000 list of America’s Fastest-Growing Private Companies !

It’s been a whirlwind of success over the last two months. This latest announcement comes on the heels of recognition for CRN’s Fast Growth 150 , as well as Orange County Business Journal’s Best Places to Work 2016 list. Thanks to our team’s commitment to delivering best-in-class service and a company-wide focus on business development, AkinsIT has ranked #1430 with 268% growth over the last 2 years.

We’d be remiss if we didn’t thank all of our amazing clients and our stellar team for helping us reach this new landmark. We couldn’t have done it alone. Cheers to the future and continued success!!

Fashion Meets Function: Smart Tattoos

Mon, 22 Aug 2016 19:50:57 GMT

All the kids are doing it… You’ve seen them more and more often at music festivals over the last couple years. Flash Tattoos adorn the skin of millennials everywhere. No w thanks to new developments from MIT and Microsoft, these trendy tats can double as digital inputs for a variety of applications all through your smart phone.

By integrating circuitry with the gold leaf, the temporary tattoos can sense touch input, provide wireless communication of biometric data, and with integrated LED lights, can even provide an output display.

We’re still a ways away from turning into cyborgs, but the lines are starting to get blurry. Wearables, combined with AI and augmented reality, are changing how we interact with technology. How long will it be before we can do away with keyboards? You can read more about it here: http://duoskin.media.mit.edu/

Restricted YouTube for Schools

Mon, 15 Aug 2016 19:52:01 GMT

The Internet presents great opportunities for learning but also poses some issues as administrators must figure out ways to sort content and ultimately keep inappropriat e content out of student hands. Many schools had used “YouTube for Schools” which allowed content only from educational sources. YouTube “Restricted Mode” allows for much more control as it allows in videos from all sources as long as it is not marked as including inappropriate content by Google. Essentially, YouTube Restricted Mode allows admin to change YouTube settings in Google Apps and manage the users on their networks.New features were added earlier this year to “Restricted YouTube” and include:

Channel whitelisting : Admin can now whitelist on a channel basis rather than simply approving particular videos.
Choice between levels of Restricted Mode restrictions : You can choose either strict or moderate permissions for users and can use HTTP header and a new DNS configuration to enforce these permissions.

Forget Backup and Disaster Recovery... Business Continuity Is Where It's At

Wed, 10 Aug 2016 20:04:42 GMT

Earlier this week Delta Airlines’ computer systems suffered a catastrophic failure, leading to the grounding of over 1,000 flights and delays to countless more. Analysts attributed the colossal service interruption to a power outage in Atlanta that crippled its network infrastructure. Given the cobbled-together nature of the airlines systems, it’s not hugely surprising that one of the many points of failure eventually gave way. After all, each time Delta absorbed another airline, the systems had to be integrated together on the fly… pun intended.

But what stands out to me are two main points. The first, that I just can’t seem to ignore, is how on earth the systems for one of the worlds more prominent airlines didn’t have gasoline powered generators to cover at least 24 hours of downtime. I’m just going to leave it at that.

What seems to be a much more common problem, is that Delta just continued to kick the can down the road when it comes to business continuity. In typical old-guard fashion, execs under scrutiny of the board and/or stockholders didn’t make the necessary investments in infrastructure to ensure that if a failure did take place, a reasonable RTO (Recovery Time Objective) could be achieved. It’s not as pretty as a new fleet of planes or fancy accommodations in the admiral’s club, but when it comes down to overall customer satisfaction, ensuring that your systems are available will always reign supreme.

In today’s world, merely having a backup of your data won’t cut it. Businesses are no longer able to tolerate an interruption to their technology services and ensuring that systems can fail-over within minutes is the new standard. Hopefully the failures of titans like Delta can teach smaller companies valuable lessons in how to properly allocate funds for IT; specifically, when it comes to the resiliency of their infrastructure.

AkinsIT Has Ranked #25 on CRN's 2016 Fast Growth 150 List!

Wed, 10 Aug 2016 20:03:35 GMT

We’re excited to announce that AkinsIT has made the top 25 for 2016!

Each year, CRN ranks 150 of the fastest growing solution providers across North America on its annual Fast Growth 150 list. The Fast Growth 150 ranks companies based on their two-year growth-rate of their annual gross revenue (2013-2015), with revenue of at least $1M both years.

With a tight-knit team supporting client experience from the initial conversation through project completion and beyond, AkinsIT is redefining what customers can expect from a VAR. By assisting organizations with their strategic vision for IT, the Akins team puts the best interests of its clients first. The overall results are more dependable systems, greater ROI, and reduced long-term IT spend.

As the channel continues to evolve, AkinsIT is uniquely positioned to build upon its growth by curating Best-of-Breed solutions, supported by award winning talent. Our team is humbled by the honor and excited to continue raising the bar.

How To Hack Pokemon Go

Thu, 04 Aug 2016 20:05:56 GMT

How To Hack Pokemon Go

Pokemon Go is trending like crazy. And if you think it’s just for teens, you’re wrong. Tons of people- kids and adults alike- are catching Pokemon everywhere. Basically, these Pokemon roam around and it’s your job to try to catch them. It works by using the GPS on your phone for your location and pulling up Pokemon there. You can also create a digital self that can be customized with different clothing and as you get to higher levels, you have more options.

Everywhere you go, you see people with their phones out trying to find new Pokemon. But, can you imagine catching Pokemon in Times Square, Hawaii, or Yellowstone National Park all from your bedroom? There are ways to spoof your location so the Pokemon app thinks that you’re in different places, giving you access to the most Pokemon-rich areas. Click here for specific instructions on how to spoof your location.

Microsoft Introduces Minecraft for the Classroom

Fri, 29 Jul 2016 20:06:58 GMT

The popular and thriving video game has been instilled in the classroom since 2011. The original creators of Minecraft (Mojang) had released an education version called "Minecraft EDU". The idea behind this was to create a hands-on and interactive environment for students which allows students to express creativity, exercise team building, and problem-solving skills. Minecraft's digital world has arrived in classrooms in 40 countries all over the world with tremendous success.

Microsoft has recently acquired Minecraft and revamped Minecraft EDU to what is now Minecraft: Education Edition. This new version will be available summer 2016. The education edition will have an expanded set of features and will be free of charge for the first year. This innovative way of teaching is just one step towards , new, fun and creative education.

Akins IT Listed as #18 in OCBJ's Best Places to Work List

Thu, 28 Jul 2016 20:08:08 GMT

The Orange County Business Journal recently released its 2016 list of Best Companies to Work For and listed Akins IT as # 18.

Every year the Orange County Business Journal, a weekly publication examining business within the Orange County economy, recognizes the best employers in Orange County . The process requires surveys to be taken by the employees of each company and reviews leadership, culture, communications and policies, and overall employee engagement and satisfaction.

You can see the full list here .

Bookings for Office 365

Fri, 22 Jul 2016 20:09:10 GMT

It seems that there is no end to the stream of announcements from Microsoft these days, as they revealed a new offering this morning called Bookings. As the name suggest s, Bookings is an online scheduling tool coming to the O365 suite.

The new software is right in line with the current strategy of widening the breadth of functions available through Office 365, which in turn will integrate with CRM. Bookings will allow businesses to use the scheduling data to build out their customer lists and create contact info for marketing purposes. In order to get Bookings, Microsoft will require at least one subscription to the Office 365 Business Premium Plan, but synching can happen across platforms… even to Google Calendars.

Microsoft is Combining ERP and CRM

Thu, 14 Jul 2016 20:10:20 GMT

One of the biggest challenges in the software world is being able to move data across various platforms and avoid situations where it exists in silos, making it difficult to leverage. In an effort to further integration, efficiency, and gain more market share, Microsoft announced today that it intends to combine its ERP products with Dynamics CRM. This move is a direct shot at its partner, Salesforce, who covets nearly 20% of the CRM market.

So why should you care? This means that Microsoft is providing one common platform that will be able to handle both “front of the house” and “back of the house” operations. This is a distinct advantage from Salesforce, which is only equipped to provide Customer Relationship Management and not the operational functions that an ERP system can offer. In addition, this gives one more option for businesses to take a step towards the cloud without having to go all the way since Microsoft still maintains both on premise and cloud code bases.

Microsoft also announced that it will launch an app store called AppSource so that developers can build and distribute apps, furthering Business Intelligence visualization and voice intelligence features available to the market.

You can read more here on TechCrunch

Did Microsoft Just Change the Game?

Wed, 13 Jul 2016 20:11:18 GMT

Yesterday Microsoft announced at its Worldwide Partner Conference that the Surface line of computers will be available as a subscription service, furthering the notion t hat the end device is simply another commodity. While the initial offering will be limited to the enterprise market through Cloud Solution Providers, it seems only logical that Microsoft will follow its traditional strategy of putting as many devices into the hands of consumers as possible before too long.

This blatant revision to the meaning of “SaaS” sends a clear message that Microsoft isn’t just erasing the line in the sand, but that they’re planting a new flag squarely in the heart of the endpoint market. They’ve literally replaced “Software” with “Surface.” In retrospect, their move to bow out of the smartphone game makes even more sense.

Before long, the end device will be just like your dinner plate. As long as it’s big enough to hold your meal, you won’t care too much about what it looks like under the food. While we’re at it, perhaps we should change “Hardware” to “Flatware?”

Sorry, couldn’t resist… you can read more about the WPC here

Future Proofing Your Infrastructure

Thu, 30 Jun 2016 20:12:26 GMT

A client who is moving into a new office recently asked for advice in setting up his infrastructure. After scoping out the best spot for mounting his server rack, we sur veyed the space to get an idea of how he wanted to deploy the data drops. As soon as someone brings up data drops, the next topic is naturally cabling and what type to install. In this situation, our recommendation was to run “Category 6e” cables… but why and what’s the difference between 6e, 6a, and 5e?

The simple answer to the first half of the question is that whenever you’re installing infrastructure, whether it’s cables, switches, or servers, you always take into consideration the length of time you expect to be using it and plan for likely growth.

However, this still leaves the question, “What’s the difference?”

Here’s where the answer gets nerdy. The difference in cable categories comes down to a handful of relevant features; specifically, frequency range (MHz), electromagnetic compatibility (EMC), and signal-to-noise margin to name a few. It gets nerdier, but in plain English this means that the higher the grade of cable the more bandwidth it can handle with less interruptions and less potential packet loss.

From Cat 5e to Cat 6, the frequency range increases from 1-100 to 1-250 MHz. From Cat 6 to 6A, the frequency range doubles to 1-500 MHz. The Telecommunications Industry Association doesn’t actually recognize “6e” as a standard, but the “e” is a naming convention referring to “enhanced” that manufacturers began incorporating to convey the increase in performance.

So we’re not 100% accurate when we are saying Cat 6e, but unless you want to split hairs feel free to continue… everyone will still know what you mean.

Accomplish More with Microsoft Azure

Wed, 29 Jun 2016 20:13:43 GMT

In the early days of computing, business apps and data were run on individual local hard drives. As companies began to realize the advantages of central management and c ontrol, they transitioned to hosting their apps and data from servers on the local network. Nowadays, everything is stored in the “Cloud.” But what is it exactly, and how does it wo rk?

Read more in our lastest Microsoft Azure Solution Brief. Download n ow and start reading more about Microsoft Azure -- no strings attached.

Office 365 to Enhance and Streamline Communication

Tue, 28 Jun 2016 20:15:01 GMT

Moving to the Office 365 Cloud is pretty much like getting your own IT department – you’re able to pass all your IT-related burdens onto Microsoft, rather than having to deal with them yourself. Your organization will continue to use the same applications and software you’re familiar with, including Outlook, Word, PowerPoint, Excel, OneNote, Publisher, etc., without having to worry about constant upgrades and maintenance.

Read more in our lastest Office 365 Solution Brief. Download the link now and start reading more about Office 365 -- no strings attached.

Microsoft Azure Takes Another Step Towards Securing Data

Thu, 23 Jun 2016 20:17:03 GMT

It goes without saying that the race to protect and secure data is never ending. Today Microsoft announced its latest attempt to bolster data security and augment its Az ure Rights Management service with a new program called Azure Information Protection service.

The tool is designed to give power to the end user in the form of classification and labeling. Once a document is classified and labeled, administrators can assign varying levels of protection commensurate with the criticality of the data it contains. This would mean that the security would travel with the data as it moves through the internet and between devices. The tool would even allow administrators to track documents and revoke access on-the-fly should they be found to be in the wrong hands or destination.

To watch an Introduction to Microsoft Azure Information Protection click her e

How Secure Is the Cloud?

Thu, 23 Jun 2016 20:16:01 GMT

We all remember The Fappening, the iCloud hack from 2014 where nude pictures of celebrities were leaked over the internet. While it has started serious conversations ove r privacy rights and other laws relating to the internet, it has also led some to question how secure the cloud really is.

The major benefits of cloud-based security include ease of deployment and maintenance, performance, and ability to scale. Perimeter protection for on-premise IT and the cloud are very similar. Often, however, security issues arise due to human error and employees who accidentally click on a link from an email with Cryptolocker or fail to keep their software updated. Moving data to the cloud reduces the likelihood of employees harming data in this way.

Wieland Alge, VP and GM of EMEAR at Barracuda Networks stated, “Almost all of the massive data breaches we’ve seen as of late were within traditional on-premise IT. Sometimes we are too quick in stating that the cloud is an inherently insecure element.”

Albert Logic investigated cloud security and how it measures up to on-premise security. It completed a survey pulled from 2,200 customers and 232,364 verified security incidents in both cloud and on-premise systems and found that brute force attacks occurred as frequently in the cloud as in on-premise IT systems. On the other hand, 56% of on-premise systems had malware attacks, whereas only 11% of cloud systems were attacked. Likely, we'll begin to think differently about cloud security as more and more companies deploy public cloud systems.

Fixing the Workplace Email Problem

Wed, 22 Jun 2016 20:18:09 GMT

The problem could almost be considered the elephant in the room. Its impact can be felt across the board in almost every industry, but the solution has escaped every dev eloper to date. Outlook gives you the ability to create plenty of rules to govern the flow of your email although, given the sprawl of most of our inboxes, we could spend just as much time setting up rules as we do actually reading the darn things.

In physics, the simplest solution is generally regarded as the best. Dublin-based Hiri is aiming to be just that. They begin by asking one retrospectively obvious question, “Is this an FYI or is there a task associated?” From there, the tool attempts to change your behavior by having you score your emails, thus creating your very own set of analytics by which Hiri can help you sort. It also takes a stab at preventing you from becoming Pavlov’s dog and constantly checking your email by limiting your ability to once every ½ hour. While the very thought of this feature elicits images of a tiger in a cage for me, I must concede that it’s probably a good idea for me to space out visits to my inbox .

Get the full scoop here: http://techcrunch.com/2016/06/07/hiri/

Microsoft Focuses on the Future with Windows Holographic

Wed, 15 Jun 2016 20:19:13 GMT

This month Microsoft shifted the spotlight back to the future – Windows Holographic. The Hololens will be the keystone for Microsoft’s “Mixed Reality” platform and is to uting innate Windows 10 integration… Basically, developers can count on Microsoft’s commitment to seeing this one through.

With the advent of the next frontier on our doorsteps, the potential for businesses of all types to leverage the collective power of AI and mixed reality is huge. The real question is, “How?”

We’ve already seen a surge in gamification with apps like Waze awarding points to users for simply engaging in the “community” and improving the integrity of the data set. Everyday chores can be turned into immersive experiences with rewards that extend beyond just getting things done. And with a mixed reality layer added in, Microsoft will enable us to take the screen out of the equation, free up our hands, and reshape the world in front of us.

Hololenses are currently being put in the hands of a select group of Microsoft’s internal teams and partners, and it looks like we’ll get a chance to play with one sometime soon. Stay tuned for an update on how it goes!

In the meantime, we’d love to hear what would you do with one?

https://blogs.windows.com/windowsexperience/2016/06/01/opening-windows-holographic-to-partners-for-a-new-era-of-mixed-reality/

Microsoft Planner Launched

Tue, 07 Jun 2016 20:20:32 GMT

Microsoft Planner will be included in the Microsoft Office bundle and is comparable to Trello and Asana. The software focuses on team collaboration and organizes work and tasks in a bulletin or board-type format. Teams can create plans, assign tasks, chat, and share documents and files.

The software is also very visually focused and each task on the board includes a picture or may include an attachment so you can see the tasks to be completed at a glance. The beauty of Planner as compared with other similar software is that it integrates with all other Microsoft products. It also integrates with OneNote. Planner will offer a great alternative to Sharepoint tasks also because it’s easier to use.

Planner is rolling out now and will automatically appear in the 365 launcher to eligible Office 365 customers including Office 365 Enterprise E1-E5, Business Essentials, Premium and Education plans.

Tips to Protect Against Ransomware

Mon, 06 Jun 2016 20:21:32 GMT

What is ransomware?

Ransomware is software that hackers use to hold your computer files hostage while demanding some sum of money for you to recover them. There are a nu mber of different ransomwares but Cryptolocker is one that has received a lot of news coverage lately. Cryptolocker hackers have targeted the US and UK by emailing it out and it has been associated with spammers, password theft, backdoor Trojans, and may also find its way to your computer through a download or ad-click. When Cryptolocker first began going out, it targeted home users but has progressively come to focus more on small and mid-sized businesses. The malware can affect users' files that are on drives that are mapped or have been given a drive letter.

Here are some steps you can take to prevent ransomware from doing damage beyond repair:

Backup your data: As long as you are regularly backing up your data, even if you are attacked with ransomeware, you can restore your data to a previous snapshot and will lose only minimal data. Because cryptolocker can encrypt files that are mapped to drives, your backup plan should include backing up to an external drive or backup service that is not assigned a drive letter.
Disable Files Running from AppData/LocalAppData Folders: Cryptolocker commonly runs its executable from the App Data or Local App folders so you should create a rule in Windows to disallow.
Show Hidden File Extensions: Often, Cryptolocker comes in a file named with the extension “.PDF.EXE.” As a default, Windows hides known file-extensions but you can re-enable this to make it easier to spot these types of files.
Email Filtering: You may be able to filter emails that contain “.EXE” files. If you generally need to exchange executable emails however, you can consider using password-protected ZIP files or cloud services.
Disable RDP: Cryptolocker commonly accesses machines via Remote Desktop (RDP). You can consider disabling RDP if you aren’t using it.
Patch and Update your Software: Malware writers exploit known vulnerabilities on machines that are running outdated software and can silently get into your system.
Disconnect Immediately: It does take a bit of time to encrypt all files so if you open a file that you suspect may be ransomware, you may be able to stop communication with the server before the encryption is complete. This, of course, won’t prevent all damage but may prevent some if you act immediately by disconnecting.
Don’t pay the ransom! Cryptolocker generally has a payment timer set for 72 hours and when that initial period expires, the price will go up significantly. While paying the ransom MIGHT get you your data back, there have been cases where the decryption key never came or it was unable to properly decrypt the files.
Add Ad Blocking- Clicking on ads are another way that ransomware can affect your machine so enabling blocking of adds will help reduce this risk.
Authenticate In-Bound Email: Ransomware, especially Cryptolocker, uses email and often these emails will appear to come from someone that the target user actually knows and communicates with. These emails may have a malicious attachment that will download ransomware onto the machine once opened. Organizations can consider validating the origin of inbound email through sender identity technologies to identify suspicious email.

4 Reasons CIOs Get Canned

Wed, 18 May 2016 20:22:38 GMT

CIOs have challenging jobs which require them to balance ongoing projects, IT planning and budgeting, and putting out a number of other fires. Some CIOs lose their jobs in a very public manner or are demoted. Why?

The most frequent reason is simple failure to perform their job responsibilities. The picture from Forbes magazine above speaks 1000 words… Often there is disconnect between what the CIO may consider to be priorities and what the CEO considers to be the highest priorities. Silverton Consulting and CIO Magazine both published studies on the top specific reasons why CIOs lose their jobs. Translation: Read this and make sure you aren’t falling short in any of these areas.

Security Breaches: These become more and more commonplace and it is usually the CIO who takes the blame for not having put a system in place that could protect the company’s data and network. Many large networks have particular susceptibilities whether it is due to un-patched servers, inadequate passwords, or out of date equipment.
Project Failures: These include projects that go terribly and those projects that seem to linger on forever and never complete. A project may also be considered a failure when it ends up costing more than initially budgeted for or signed off on. Even though a number of people may be at fault including project managers, solutions architects, and software developers, the CIO again takes the final blame because he or she is in charge of overseeing these projects.
Failure or lack of disaster recovery plan: Every organization should have a plan in place to handle a disaster and it is the CIO’s job to ensure that this plan allows recovery of critical services and applications quickly. Often, these plans fail not because they don’t exist but because they have not been updated.
System collapse: A system collapse occurs when there is an outage due to the inability to scale system performance, rather than a disaster of some sort. In our own experience, we have seen this cost one of our clients $35,000 per hour to be down.

Your New Password: Coffee, Muscle, Car, Beer

Thu, 12 May 2016 20:23:50 GMT

Emojis have changed the way we communicate and many people use them to communicate via text more than actual words. They have a clear place in younger social environments with 64% of millennials communicating only with emojis regularly. But, research suggests that emojis may have a valuable place in business too.

New security software will make emojis usable as passwords in place of numbers, letters, and other symbols and is predicted to be more secure than traditional 4-digit PINS. The software will take the PINS, like what you put in to get into your iPhone, and offer 44 unique emojis instead of numbers. A traditional PIN has 7,290 variations whereas the emoji system will offer almost 3,500,00, making it 480 times more secure.

Many companies have tried to stay ahead of hackers by requiring stronger passwords - a capital letter, lowercase letter, number, and special character. But, likely you’ve shared our frustration in having to create various versions of your regular password to satisfy these requirements and then, of course, you frequently forget it.

Worried you’ll forget an emoji password? Roughly 1/3 of people forget their PINS. The firm introducing the new emoji software suggests that users create a story using the emojis to reduce their likelihood of forgetting the combination. For example, you get up and have coffee, go to the gym, drive to work, walk your dog, and have a beer to end the day. In emoji, this would translate to: coffee, muscle arm, car, dog, beer.

Email Retention Policies: What You Need to Know

Wed, 04 May 2016 20:24:52 GMT

After awarding a $500 million iPad contract, emails surfaced demonstrating that former Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) superintendent had begun meeting personally with Apple and Pearson a year before the contract went out to public bid. The FBI is now sorting through old emails as evidence and LAUSD has announced recently that it will double the amount of time emails are saved to two years.

Companies that cannot produce electronic documents, including emails, during the process of legal discovery are generally disfavored in court. At times, the inability to produce such documents may even be seen as destruction of evidence. A good email retention policy can protect against this.

An email retention policy determines how long emails will exist in your archiving solution before being automatically deleted. Even beyond a working email retention policy, you should consider using legal holds which allow you to prevent particular mailboxes or messages from being automatically deleted from the email archiving system.

Why it’s a big deal: In a nutshell, an email archiving policy reduces your risk for liability. Your industry may even be regulated by federal or state laws requiring that you maintain emails for a specific period of time. Even within industries the details of the laws and regulations may have nuances depending on the type of work being performed or area of expertise so it’s important to take the time to really familiarize yourself with them. The chart below lists out some of the regulated industries.

You can start to build a best practice retention policy with these few tips:

Determine what regulations apply to your organization and start with those as minimums
Segment to avoid keeping everything for the legal maximum. You can segment by content (for example, you might have different policies for sales records, invoices, etc.). You can also segment by department or use- for example, human resources, executive emails, marketing, etc.
Consider other department and business needs

Cloud Battle: Azure v. AWS

Wed, 27 Apr 2016 20:26:26 GMT

We’ve been asked a couple times now about the differences between Azure and Amazon Web Services (AWS).

Here are our thoughts on how the two compare:

Security: Micros oft is the industry leader when it comes to protection and privacy of data evidenced by the fact that they were the first cloud provider to adopt the new international standard for cloud privacy, ISO 27018. Security has been built into Azure from the beginning with Microsoft’s Security Development Lifecycle (SDL).
Ease of Use: With Azure you can make ground on your first day in the cloud. It gives you access to already familiar technologies like Windows and Linux, Active Directory, and virtual machines.
Pricing: Cloud providers know that they have to be ultra-competitive to win market share in the cloud business and both AWS and Azure have cut prices multiple times. Prices are generally very close and both offer free introductory tier pricing before charging and provide price calculators for customers. You can take a look at the AWS calculator and see how it compares to the Azure calculator . Ultimately, because price is so close, the decision between AWS and Azure comes down to the feature set for both and which fits best with the particular organization.
Pros and Cons of Both: AWS has the largest market share for cloud right now although Microsoft is quickly gaining speed. Benefits of Azure include ease of use because it links well with Microsoft on-premise systems that are already in play in an organization like Windows Server, System Center, and Active Directory. Another of Azure’s strengths is in its PaaS capabilities. On the other hand, if you want to run anything other than Windows Server, AWS might be a better fit although Microsoft has stated that it now provides support for Red hat Linux operating systems and more.

If you're looking for a more detailed comparison, check out Microsoft's chart .

Take a Vacation! Outlook on the Web is Making it Easier to Get Away.

Tue, 26 Apr 2016 20:27:50 GMT

Summer is just around the corner. Get ready to dig your toes in the sand and grab a fruity cocktail because Outlook on the web is making it even easier for you to go on vacation now. Even though the point of a vacation is to relax, most of us find the period before the vacation more stressful than usual since there is a lot to get done in order for us to be out of office for a week.

Outlook on the web allows users to automatically decline meetings and offers you the following options when you set an automatic reply:

Block time out in your calendar so others know you’re on vacation. This way, when a coworker looks at your calendar, it will show you as “away.”
Clear existing meetings while you plan to be out by cancelling or declining them. Outlook will pull all meetings that occur while you plan to be gone and will give you the option to choose which you want to cancel or decline.
Send an automatic response to new calendar invitations while you’re out. Just click on the gear icon in the upper right corner and select Automatic replies.

These features are available to all users with Office 365 subscriptions so, take a stress-free vacation. You’ve earned it.

Erate Filing Deadline Extension

Wed, 20 Apr 2016 20:28:55 GMT

USAC announced on April 15th that the filing window for Erate would be extended due to some delays various applicants have experienced with the EPC portal system.

Here are the new deadlines:

May 26, 2016 for schools and districts filing a 471
April 28, 2016 for schools and districts filing a 470
July 21, 2016 for libraries filing a 471
June 23, 2016 for libraries filing a 470

The schools and libraries univeral service support program, also known as the Erate program, helps schools and libraries obtain funding for telecommunications and internal connections. Discounts and funding is provided based on the poverty level in the area in which the school or library is based. Discounts range from 20-90%.

You can maximize your opportunity with Erate in the following ways:

1. Don't wait to appy! $3.9 billion dollars are available this year in Erate. Even though the deadline has been extended, there is quite a bit of work that goes into submitting a form 470 to apply for funding. You will need to understand what discount rate applies to your school and how much money you need to upgrade your network.

2. Understand what is Erate funded and what is not. The Federal Communications Commission has released an order on exactly what equipment is eligible for Erate funding. As you pull together your form 470 and decide what equipment should be included, we recommend that you read through the order so you include all equipment that is eligible.

3. Don't go in blind. The program provides a discount up to $150 per student over a 5 year period so it makes sense to develop a 5 year technology plan so you can use these dollars wisely.

Life-Work Balance. It Matters.

Tue, 19 Apr 2016 20:30:32 GMT

Its 5 pm on a Thursday and you’re beat from the week and still have laundry to do, dinner to make, bills that are coming due, and kids to pick up. We spend roughly 47 of the 168 hours in a week working. Sadly, only 13% of people enjoy their jobs.

If you’re lucky enough to fall in the 13% of people who like their job, working can improve your life because those 47 hours are spent on something enjoyable. You don’t dread going to work in the morning and overall, are more content. For the less fortunate who have high-stress jobs and dislike their work, working can make them more stressed overall. Many people are unable to separate personal from work life and added stress in one area of their life quickly begins to affect all the other areas.

How to Gain more Life-Work Balance:

Plan out your downtime.

Setting aside time to go out with friends to a movie or happy hour or planning quality family time helps preserve precious time and incentivizes you to manage your time well during the rest of the week. Another great example is gym time. You will never have time if you’re not intentional about reserving time for this. Overall, people who work out regularly have lower stress levels and are healthier than those who don’t.

2. Get smart about errands and chores.

No one enjoys chores and errands. Think about how you can improve how these get done. For example, you can order your groceries online and save your grocery list so that the next time you order, it populates your cart in seconds. Other companies offer meal prepping services where the meals are already made for you which saves time on grocery shopping and cooking. Most bills can be paid online quickly. Also, think about what chores you can outsource, like gardening or yardwork.

3. Remember that a little goes a long way

Small changes like leaving the office early one night a week or taking 10-15 minutes a day to recharge will help. You don't have to change how you do everything.

4. S et Limits

If you find that work is beginning to consume all of your time, begin tracking your time and managing it. Find activities that can be delegated and get them off of your plate. Make a to-do list and prioritize it so that you make the most of your time.

The Scoop on Regulatory Compliance

Thu, 14 Apr 2016 13:38:51 GMT

First, what is it? Regulatory compliance means that your business is obeying the state and federal restrictions set in place. These regulations aim to prevent the devast ating impacts that can result to both consumers and companies from poor management of sensitive data.

For most companies, IT is in the spotlight when it comes to compliance and most of these IT departments are given the task of ensuring compliance by their CEO, CFO, CIO, or other director. The reason? Beyond the penalties we'll discuss below, many of these laws carry personal liability for high-ranking corporate officials.

PCI DSS

This type o f regulation applies to companies that deal with credit, meaning they either accept credit card payments or deal with the transfer of information relating to a credit transaction. With identity theft on the rise, failure to comply may lead to the theft of your client's identity. Not only will you have lost their trust, but you will also be likely to have to pay restitution (a reimbursement of the amount taken) in addition to other fines and penalties.

HIPPA

HIPPA laws are oriented around the protection of an individual's right to privacy in their medical forms. This does not only apply to doctors, but rather applies to every single organization that interacts with this type of sensitive data. The penalties for failing to comply with these mandated restrictions include fines, loss of business license, and in severe cases may even include imprisonment!

S OX

SOX compliance focuses on accuracy in bookkeeping, accounting, and other types of financial reporting. Getting creative on the corporate books is a bad idea. Need more persuading? Take a look at Enron, WorldCom, Tyco International, and Adelphia. They had to learn the hard way. Fortunately for you, we've written a blog.

The morale of the story? Regardless of the specific regulatory law or industry, the answer remains the same - the cost involved with failing to comply is high and jeopardizes your business.

Benefits of a Virtual CIO

Fri, 08 Apr 2016 13:40:34 GMT

Many companies find that bringing on a CIO is not feasible and instead the responsibilities that would typically be assigned to a CIO find their way to the CEO or CFO’s plate. These tasks often include assessing and reviewing the strength of current systems and disaster recovery plans and developing budgets for future IT expenditures. Often these companies turn to a virtual CIO offering to help offload these tasks. Further, having an internal IT manager take on these tasks is usually not possible. These managers are often bombarded with service ticket requests, or are putting out a variety of fires whether it’s an issue with a server, a virus, or setting up a desktop for a new employee. These tasks can be extremely time consuming and tasks like planning and budgeting for IT growth get pushed off. These managers also become burned out and overloaded with the number of tasks.

What is a Virtual CIO?

A CIO’s job responsibilities include developing a strategic plan that uses technology as a tool to accomplish overall business objectives. A virtual CIO takes on the same responsibilities but is generally outsourced to a trusted outside company.

Benefits of a virtual CIO include:

Knowledge and Expertise: Outsourcing the role of a CIO to an outside company means that the company is focused on developing a strategic roadmap for your company. It also generally brings unique experience and insight from working with companies similar to yours.
Reducing costs: Hiring a CIO is expensive. These salaries are usually well over six figures. Outsourcing allows the company receive the benefits of planning and budgeting without the high overhead.
Developing a technology roadmap: IT is not a cost of doing business. Rather, it should be viewed as a tool that can and should be used to further overall business objectives. A virtual CIO can adopt an IT strategy to promote business growth and goals.
Creating a plan for security and disaster recovery: Unfortunately, plans for security and disaster recovery are often not thought of until a disaster has already occurred or security been breached. A virtual CIO gets in front of these possibilities by developing and implementing a preventative plan.

Are you Moving?

Fri, 01 Apr 2016 13:41:54 GMT

Moving to a new office has a major impact on the IT department in a company. The more time that is dedicated to planning and preparing for the move, the better. Restorin g workflow is a major concern for companies that are moving. In particular, it’s important to confirm that the new office has enough space, power, and cooling for your network and server equipment. Here are some tips on how to approach an office move:

Develop a checklist! Nothing is worse than “winging it.”
Give plenty of notice to your phone and internet vendors. Failure to do so could result in unexpected downtime after the move and additional costs.
Use the move as an opportunity to practice good cable organization. Time to break out that label maker.
Consider moving some of your services to the cloud.
Inventory equipment. This should involve determining whether the equipment is owned or leased, whether any requires an upgrade or replacement, and whether the new space will require additional equipment.
Complete a site visit. If you are having your IT provider help with the move, the provider should also attend the site visit. The visit should include a review of the layout of desk placement, determine where devices like printers, copiers, and other office equipment will be placed, and verify that the server room meets requirements for power, cooling, and security.
Consider your DR plan. You should review all business continuity and disaster recovery plans. For example, you should test your backup and create multiple copies of your backups to store in different offsite or cloud locations.

Integrating Engineering in Education

Wed, 30 Mar 2016 13:42:57 GMT

It’s no surprise that Palisades Charter High School (Palisades) is leading the way to integrate technology and engineering in high school in unique ways as it has been named one of America’s Best High Schools by Newsweek and U.S. News & World Report in 2015 and based on its API score is the second highest performing comprehensive high school in Los Angeles . Palisades recognizes that the public school system falls short when it comes to preparing students for careers in STEM fields, which account for roughly 2 million job openings in the United States.

The STEAM shop (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) allows students to engage in hands-on innovation to promote access to STEM career paths. It provides digital technologies along with traditional shop tools in innovation labs and includes robotics, rocketry, Arduino, introduction to coding, iOs app development, auto shop, unity game design, and 3D printing. New programs to be added this year include the tinkering studio, open lab, and community membership.

Donna Mandosa, the technology supervisor at Palisades states, “Spaces like the Pali STEAM shop are essential to education and schools. In the shop, students decide what projects to do.” The shop gets students involved in engineering that otherwise may not consider careers in these fields and promotes student driven learning and entrepreneurship.

What to Expect During a Microsoft Licensing Audit

Mon, 28 Mar 2016 13:43:55 GMT

Unless self executed, ‘audit’ is never a good word. Many software vendors including Adobe, IBM, and Oracle conduct audits on licensing products, including Microsoft. In fact, 58% of surveyed executives reported that they had been audited by Microsoft in the last 12 months. If your company has been or is the subject of an audit or licensing compliance review, you should weigh heavily which system attributes need to be prepared for the audit.

Microsoft may initiate an audit in several ways including a letter or email to the company requesting that it do a self-audit and reply via email verifying that it believes it is compliant, a letter or email from the US SAM team requesting the company go through a formal SAM engagement, or a letter or email from Microsoft Legal and Corporate Affairs or the Licensing, Contract, and Compliance team. Audits can be somewhat time consuming and Microsoft generally gives between 15-30 days to complete the process. It is common for Microsoft to approach you as a customer requesting that you initially conduct a self-audit. The self-audits can consist of the following:

Determining what software you actually own- i.e. License Entitlements
Reports of software actually deployed
The License Entitlements assigned to these deployments.

The best way to approach a compliance review is to treat it as an ongoing rather than single event. In other words, companies should create a process for ongoing software asset management which would involve not only the IT department but also a number of other departments including purchasing. In particular, it may be helpful to pull a Microsoft Volume Licensing (MLS) statement to recognize areas of non-compliance.

Reverse Archiving: The differences between short term and long term data retention and their implementation

Fri, 18 Mar 2016 13:45:09 GMT

When discussing or reviewing data retention and archiving data, what you should determine is if the data is going to be for short term or long term storage. Generally s peaking, short term archived data is part of a disaster recovery plan. Some examples of situations where you may wish to pull data from archives would be for accidental deletion, data corruption, or maliciously effected files. Long term storage is going to generally be data that is beyond 30 to 45 days, and often is stored off local storage, off site, or offline on media like DVD or tape. This type of data would likely be recovered for historical review, legal requests, or compliancy regulations.

It's also important to think about the cost differences. First, repeatedly archiving data multiple times is going to add extra expense. This should not be difficult for you to overcome by using an archive mechanism that evaluates previous backups with a CRC or MD5 value and compares that value to the current proposed data set to be archived. Additionally before being archived, the file or directories can be reviewed for their date time stamp. By reducing repetitive storage you should find you can lower your costs associated with the actual storage by preventing usage of physical media, and by lowering time of human interaction of the archiving process.

The downside to restricting the archive process to prevent data duplication is that if the single data set is lost for any reason, there is no other way of retrieving the data. Performing a mixture of the two processes, also known as Active Archiving, allows the cutting of costs with leveraging minimal amounts of data duplication. While this requires more effort upfront from IT, the long term benefits to a solid process allow for more data to be archived at a lower total cost of operation.

Hybrid v. All- Flash Storage

Thu, 03 Mar 2016 14:46:08 GMT

Solution providers and their clients are increasingly turning to flash storage in order to improve the performance of their storage infrastructure. Therefore, the tradit ional hard disk approach is clearly being outpaced by a flash-based strategy with two flash options to choose from: a hybrid system that combines spinning disk technology with flash, and the all-flash option. Many are arguing about which one is superior, yet the best way to know is to determine which one best fits your business. Here we'll look at the advantages that an all-flash array can offer and why many businesses are embracing this new storage solution.

Difference Between Hybrid and All-Flash Storage

All-flash arrays are storage arrays that exclusively use flash-memory or SSD's for primary storage. On the other hand, hybrid arrays are a mix of flash storage and spinning disk. Hybrid arrays are not the same as more traditional disk-based arrays with flash-based cache. In hybrid arraYs, the total capacity is considered primary storage, whereas on disk arrays with flash-based cache the flash is used for temporary fast reads or writes with the actual storage of the data done on the hard drives.

Which Option to Choose?

Speed and performance are the two words that consistently come up in any discussion of all-flash storage. The near-immediate access to information that flash can provide is a huge step beyond what hard disk-based storage can offer. What distinguishes flash from disk-based arrays is that it doesn't rely on any moving parts the way a spinning disk system does. Without any internal machinery such as motors or a disk arm, there's a reduced chance that something will malfunction. Since it doesn't rely on mechanical internal parts, solid state drives (SSDs) allow nearly instantaneous access of data, a far greater efficiency over disk-based technology. Also, if your business doesn't require that massive amounts of data be permanently stored, yet does need to maintain a constant data throughput, then an all-flash system would be the best choice.

Cost-effectiveness

Whenever someone makes a business choice, it's with the intention of gaining the maximum benefit while incurring the minimum cost. In the past, when it came to storage strategies, cost was an issue with an all-flash approach, but now that logical flash storage prices are on par with hard disk costs, an all-flash approach is a viable option.

Related to expenses, disk drive storage requires a lot more power than a flash array and, due to the nature of its machinery, generates a lot more heat. Furthermore, racks of hard drives take up a lot more physical space, requiring a room or two where storage racks can be located. They also require frequent maintenance and have a lifespan of three to five years at the most, whereas flash can serve your company for a much longer period and without the physical requirements. Thus, an all-flash approach will reduce your energy expenses and make life a great deal easier for your IT department.

The Future of Storage

Although rotational disk drives will continue to have their place in IT operations for certain functions, the advantages that flash and SSD are offering are strong enough that an all-disk storage system is quickly becoming outdated and inefficient. Many well-known companies are rolling out all-flash storage arrays; this is a trend that will likely continue. As the advantages become better known, businesses will identify their needs as being in line with what an all-flash approach can provide: greater speed, greater performance and greater durability. All these add up to greater opportunities for your company's profitability.

What Makes For a Good VPN?

Thu, 25 Feb 2016 14:47:55 GMT

What is a Virtual Private Network?

A VPN is a Virtual Private Network. Through the use of software and sometimes, at the corporate and governmental level, hardware. A VP N creates a virtualized network between two physically separate networks. For example, If an Akins employee decides to work from home in Los Angeles, but wants to access our comapny intranet located in HQ which is in Orange County, they are allowed to do that as if they were physically there. The same technology can be used by consumers to bridge their phones and laptops to their home network so, while on the road, they can securely access files from their media server or desktop computers.

Why use a VPN?

One of the core reasons that people use VPN's is to secure their network, while increasing their privacy. Another reason people use VPN's are because a lot of sevices are geogrpahically blocked. I'm sure many of you (including myself) have gone to Europe or some other country and tried using Netflix, but came across only to be alerted that "This video is not available in your country". If you've experienced this, then you've experienced geo-blocking.

Unfortunately, a large number of people live in countries with high levels of overt censorship and monitoring and countries with more convert monitoring, like the US). With the being said, one of the best ways to get around censorship and monitoring is to use a secure tunnel to appear as if you’re from somewhere else altogether. In addition to hiding your online activity from a snooping government it’s also useful for hiding your activity from a snooping Internet Service Provider (ISP). If your ISP likes to throttle your connection based on content, a VPN completely eliminates that problem by narrowing all of your traffic to travel to a single point through the encrypted tunnel; thus your ISP remains ignorant of what kind of traffic it is.

In short, a VPN is useful anytime you want to either hide your traffic from people on your local network, your ISP, or your government and it’s also incredibly useful to trick services into thinking you’re right next door when in reality you are miles away.

Every user is going to have slightly different VPN needs and the best way to end up paired with the ideal VPN service for your needs is to take careful stock of what your needs are before you go shopping. You may even find you don’t need to go shopping because home-grown or router-based solutions you already have on hand fulfill your needs just fine. Let’s run through a series of questions you should ask yourself and highlight how different VPN features meet the needs highlighted by those questions.

To be clear many of the following questions can be satisfied on multiple levels by a single provider, but the questions are framed to get you thinking about what is most important for your personal use.

Do You Need Secure Access to Your Home Network?
Do You Need Secure Casual Browsing?
Do You Need to Geo-Shift Your Location?
Do You Need Anonymity and Plausible Deniability?

We understand that selecting a VPN service can be a daunting task and that even armed with the questions we outlined above you’re just not sure where to turn. Whether you’re paranoid that your government is logging your web browsing activities, you’re sick of your ISP throttling your connection, or you want to secure your browsing sessions while on the roador at home, there’s no substitution for a securely deployed Virtual Private Network. Now that you’re armed with the knowledge necessary to pick a good VPN it’s time to secure your internet traffic once and for all.

Akins IT Named to CRN's 2016 MSP 500 List

Mon, 22 Feb 2016 14:49:21 GMT

Recognized for Excellence in Managed IT Services

Newport Beach, CA, February 22, 2016 – AKINS IT announced today that CRN® , a brand of The Channel Company , that they have been named to the 2016 Managed Service Provider (MSP) 500 list in the Pioneer 250 category. This annual list recognizes North American solution providers with cutting-edge approaches to delivering managed services. Their top-notch offerings help companies navigate the complex and ever-changing landscape of IT, improve operational efficiencies, and maximize their return on IT investments.

In today’s fast-paced business environments, MSPs play an important role in helping companies leverage new technologies without straining their budgets or losing focus on their core business. CRN’s MSP 500 list shines a light on the most forward-thinking and innovative of these key organizations.

The list is divided into three categories: the MSP Pioneer 250, recognizing companies with business models weighted toward managed services and largely focused on the SMB market; the MSP Elite 150, recognizing large, data center-focused MSPs with a strong mix of on-premise and off-premise services; and the MSP Hosting Service Provider 100, recognizing MSPs focused primarily on off-premise, cloud-based services.

The core of Akins IT brand is upgrading lives and its growth may be credited largely to selecting the best team to work with- including employees, partners, and clients. Akins IT has worked with hundreds of mid-sized businesses, state, and local education (SLED) organizations in California to plan, implement and manage hybrid solutions for their IT infrastructure and applications. It has helped these organizations free up 20% to 50+% of their IT budgets and resources by providing easy to manage, robust yet less complex IT solutions that upgrade their clients’ life.

“MSPs meet a critical need in the IT market, providing customized, turnkey services that allow for predictable operational expenses, effective control of expenditures, precise allocation of limited resources and convenient access to on-demand and pay-as-you-go technology,” said Robert Faletra, CEO, The Channel Company. “We congratulate the service providers of the MSP 500, who continually reinvent themselves to successfully meet their customers’ changing needs, helping businesses get the most out of their IT investments and sharpen their competitive edge.”

When asked for his comments on the continued success, Chief Upgrade Officer, Shawn Akins said "I'm very proud of our team and honored by this acknowledgment. I would also like to thank our many clients for letting us help them upgrade their lives."

The MSP 500 list will be featured in the February 2016 issue of CRN and online at www.CRN.com/msp500 .

Be Careful of 'Locky' Ransomware

Fri, 19 Feb 2016 14:50:54 GMT

Ransomware persists as one of the top crimeware threats thus far into 2016. While the use of document-based macros for ransomware distribution remains relatively uncommo n, a new family calling itself “Locky”. It's suspected that the group that distributes Locky is affiliated to one of those behind Dridex "due to similar styles of distribution, overlapping file names, and an absence of campaigns from this particularly aggressive affiliate coinciding with the initial emergence of Locky," Palo Alto wrote.

Ransomware has proven to be an enormous problem. The malware encrypts files on a computer and sometimes on an entire network, with attackers demanding a payment to gain the decryption key. Files are unrecoverable unless the affected organization has regularly backed up and that data hasn't been touched by ransomware, either.

There are indications that Locky's operators may have staged a large attack. Palo Alto Networks said it detected 400,000 sessions that used the same kind of macro downloader, called Bartallex, that deposits Locky onto a system. More than half of the systems targeted were in the U.S., with other affected countries including Canada and Australia.

This is what the landing page of the Locky operators for people to pay a ransom.

If you are using any form of anti-virus please make sure that all of your users are on the most recent versions to help avoid the havoc Locky will create.

Don't Assume That Your Data is Backed Up With Office 365

Wed, 17 Feb 2016 14:54:02 GMT

Many organizations are recognizing the benefits of moving to Office 365. Some benefits include network accessibility anywhere at any time, easy email access both inside and outside of your organization, as well as reducing operations and management overhead. Making the move to Office 365 provides organizations with many benefits like increased end-user productivity to reduced cost and complexity of maintaining on-site hardware. Additionally, Microsoft reduces the risk of downtime substantially by running applications across highly available frameworks spread across different regions. While application downtime is reduced in Office 365, the risk of data loss due to human error is not. Office 365 does provide customers with some protection against loss of data, but the window for data recovery is short and the recovery options limited. Seeking an additional layer of protection against accidental or malicious data loss, organizations have begun to use third-party backup solutions that offer enhanced protection of Office 365 data, which include longer retention periods and more robust recovery options.

Why Office 365 Backup is Necessary

More often than not, data is deleted and then later realize that it is still needed. While it is possible to recover deleted items from within Exchange Online and OneDrive for Business, the retention for these items is often inadequate. In Exchange Online, individual emails that are deleted by users get moved to the users’ 'Deleted Items' folder. Those items will remain in the 'Deleted Items' folder for the duration set by the administrator (usually 30 days by default). While the 'Deleted Items' folder does provide a layer of protection against end-user errors, messages can be permanently deleted if the user chooses 'Empty Deleted Items' folder. Once items are deleted from the 'Deleted Items' folder, they are then moved to the 'Recoverable Items' folder and into a subfolder named 'Deletions'. The default duration of items in this folder is 14 days, with a maximum duration of 30 days and once an item exceeds the retention setting, the item is gone forever.

According to Microsoft, the number one cause for data loss is accidental data deletion. About 70% of all lost data is due to either accidental or malicious deletion of data by end-users. While Microsoft does takes several measures to ensure that service availability is not disrupted, the measures taken to ensure that permanent data loss does not occur are limited. Mistakes happen. Users accidentally delete files or a disgruntled employee or hacker takes malicious action in deleting or corrupting data. That is why it is important to have a third party backup solution in place to prevent data loss if you and your organization are using Office 365.

Get the Most Out of Your Business Email

Tue, 16 Feb 2016 14:55:18 GMT

In the business world, email is an important backbone. It allows us all to communicate at fast speeds—without having to pick up the phone. It gives us the power to thoug htfully consider projects, questions, answers, opinions, requests and feedback, all of which opens the door to better communication. And it gives us the ability to see the advancement of conversations without digging through a mountain of individual messages. However, most people aren’t taking full advantage of what their email systems offer. Sure, most of you know how to send messages, set tasks, and schedule reminders; but there are also some pretty great features that you may not know about that could just transform the way you use your business email.

Future/delayed delivery: Whether you have news that you don’t want to share immediately or a project that’s ready for delivery but you don’t want to submit it too early, future/delayed delivery allows you to create and distribute messages on your schedule.
Message grouping: For heavy email users, the ability to group messages into conversations related to specific topics can help you keep track of emails, stay up to date on developments and work more efficiently.
Conditional formatting: Like message grouping, conditional formatting can help you organize conversations and stay on top of a certain topic. However, instead of grouping all messages into a batch that you can browse at a glance, conditional formatting simply displays messages matching selected criteria in the font and/or color of your choice.
Rules: The rules feature allows you to create and manage settings that empower your email system to automatically process messages in a certain way. Some systems can check for and include sender, recipient, email size, date and more. This way, you’ll never miss a message from your boss or your most important client; messages with large attachments can be singled out, etc.
Desktop alerts: Whether you need to reduce distractions for a day or indefinitely, by disabling desktop alerts you can eliminate pop-up notifications about new messages and focus on whatever the task at hand may be. Conversely, if you’re waiting for an important email that you can’t afford to miss by a moment, you can easily turn on desktop alerts for a few hours or turn them on and leave them on for good.
Save messages as files: If you want to save certain emails in the same file as project work, contracts or other documents, you can simply drag your message from your email window to your file folder. Or, you can click SaveAs and choose to save a message in a specific location. This way, you can refer back to messages without digging through your inbox and/or archive.
Multi-action shortcuts: If your email system supports shortcuts, it may also support multi-action shortcuts, which gives you the ability to combine several shortcuts into one quick action. For instance, if you want to mark a group of emails as read and simultaneously move them to a specific folder, or even mark messages as read, flag them as important and forward them to your team, you can do that with multi-action shortcuts. Some email systems that support multi-action shortcuts also allow you to create your own shortcuts, so you can customize your actions and make quick work of managing your inbox.
Automated cleanup: Some email systems include an automated cleanup function that can help you save space and keep your inbox tidy. When a conversation (message and response) occurs over email, some email systems can analyze the contents of that conversation and determine if a message is completely contained within each thread. If it is, then the previous message will be automatically deleted—so you’ll have access to both the original message and all comments within a single email conversation, but your inbox won’t be clogged by redundant emails.
Of course, if someone keeps clogging up your inbox with messages you don’t need or want, you can generally block their messages by using your “junk” or “spam” filters. But if you don’t want to permanently prevent someone from contacting you via email, you can simply select to send certain conversations directly to your trash by clicking the Ignore button.
Delegate access: Finally, if you are going on an extended vacation or parental leave and you don’t want to either check messages daily or weekly, you may be able to give someone else permission to manage your inbox so that you don't come back to a mountain of emails. Simply look at your account settings. If you see a Delegate Access button (or something along those lines) you can choose to give access to a coworker who can step in and respond to messages in your absence. Of course, you’ll still have the ability to check messages and respond as appropriate, but this feature can help you keep things in check while you’re away.

Email continues to be an important tool in the business world, and your mastery of these tools will only enhance your value in the workplace. Hopefully, I have shared one or more features that you will introduce into your business stockpile, leading to increased productivity.

Importance of Creating a Strong Password

Tue, 16 Feb 2016 14:52:11 GMT

A password is a string of characters used to access information or a computer. Passphrases are typically longer than passwords, for added security, and contain multiple words that create a phrase. Passwords and passphrases help prevent unauthorized people from accessing files, programs, and other resources. When you create a password or passphrase, you should make it strong, which means it's difficult to guess or crack. It's a good idea to use strong passwords on all user accounts on your computer. If you're using a workplace network, your network administrator might require you to use a strong password. In wireless networking, a Wi‑Fi Protected Access (WPA) security key supports the use of a passphrase. This passphrase is converted into a key that is used for encryption, which is not visible to you

Importance of Creating A Strong Password

The use of strong passwords can slow or often defeat the various attack methods of compromising a terminal’s security. Although many alternatives for user authentication are available today, most users log on to their computer and on to remote computers using a combination of their user name and a password typed at their keyboard. Some retailers will configure their Point of Service terminals to auto login on boot. Some retailers will allow the user to select their own password. To make it easier to remember their passwords, users often use the same or similar passwords on each system; and given a choice, most users will select a very simple and easy-to-remember password such as their birthday, their mother's maiden name, or the name of a relative. Short and simple passwords are relatively easy for attackers to determine. Some common methods that attackers use for discovering a victim's password include:

Guessing—The attacker attempts to log on using the user's account by repeatedly guessing likely words and phrases such as their children's names, their city of birth, and local sports teams.
Online Dictionary Attack—The attacker uses an automated program that includes a text file of words. The program repeatedly attempts to log on to the target system using a different word from the text file on each try.
Offline Dictionary Attack—Similar to the online dictionary attack, the attacker gets a copy of the file where the hashed or encrypted copy of user accounts and passwords are stored and uses an automated program to determine what the password is for each account. This type of attack can be completed very quickly once the attacker has managed to get a copy of the password file.
Offline Brute Force Attack—This is a variation of the dictionary attacks, but it is designed to determine passwords that may not be included in the text file used in those attacks. Although a brute force attack can be attempted online, due to network bandwidth and latency they are usually undertaken offline using a copy of the target system's password file. In a brute force attack, the attacker uses an automated program that generates hashes or encrypted values for all possible passwords and compares them to the values in the password file.

Tips for Making a Strong Password/Passphrase

Each of these attack methods can be slowed down significantly or even defeated through the use of strong passwords. Therefore, whenever possible, computer users should use strong passwords for all of their computer accounts. Listed are some criteria for creating a strong password/passphrase:

A strong password:A strong passphrase:Is at least eight characters long.
Does not contain your user name, real name, or company name.
Does not contain a complete word.
Is significantly different from previous passwords.
Is 20 to 30 characters long.
Is a series of words that create a phrase.
Does not contain common phrases found in literature or music.
Does not contain words found in the dictionary.
Does not contain your user name, real name, or company name.
Is significantly different from previous passwords or passphrases.

(Note: Windows passwords can be much longer than the eight characters recommended above. In fact, you can make a password up to 127 characters long)

Strong passwords and passphrases contain characters from each of the following four categories:

Character categoryExamplesUppercase letters

A, B, C

Lowercase letters

a, b, c

Numbers

0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9

Symbols found on the keyboard (all keyboard characters not defined as letters or numerals) and spaces

` ~ ! @ # $ % ^ & * ( ) _ - + = { } [ ] \ | : ; " ' < > , . ? /

A password or passphrase might meet all the criteria above and still be weak. For example, Roses4U meets all the criteria for a strong password listed above, but is still weak because it contains a complete word. R0s3s 4 U ! is a stronger alternative because it replaces some of the letters in the complete word with numbers and also includes spaces.

Let's Get Ready to Yammer!

Tue, 09 Feb 2016 14:58:19 GMT

Yammer is your company's private social network that enables you to transform team collaboration. Yammer helps you get work done, by providing teams an easy way to self- organize, stay connected on the go, and tap into the network of stakeholders inside and outside your company. Microsoft announced that they are activating Yammer for every new and existing Office 365 tenant without requiring additional action on the part of admins. This allows all Office 365 customers to reap the full benefits of Yammer. This change also marks the height of Microsoft's efforts to get Yammer fully integrated into Office 365 by managed datacenters and undertaking identity work with Azure Active Directory.

Availability Now in Office 365

Now with this groundwork laid out, Microsoft is able to provide a new set of high-value user and admin scenarios. Every Office 365 user with a Yammer license will be able to easily access Yammer from the Office 365 app launcher or start a Yammer conversation from SharePoint, Office 365 Video Portal and, coming soon, Delve and Skype Broadcast. This enables you and your coworkers to share ideas and work together in the open using Yammer’s flexible workspaces.

Making Yammer available in Office 365 is key to unlocking new experiences for users that span their productivity apps. As a case in point, Yammer will hook into the Office 365 Groups service in the first half of 2016 to deliver powerful cross-suite scenarios that let you escalate your Yammer conversation into a Skype call, schedule a meeting using Outlook calendar, access your files in OneDrive, create tasks in Planner and more, all from your Yammer group.

Covered by Office 365 Trust Center

Organizations benefit from the industry-leading control, security and privacy commitments of Office 365 when using Yammer—enabling collaboration to take place against a backdrop of trust. Yammer is now covered by the Office 365 Trust Center, which offers the protection of international and regional standards such as the Office 365 Data Processing Agreement with European Union Model Clauses, Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Office 365 Business Associate Agreement (HIPAA BAA), ISO 27001, ISO 27018, compliance with Section 508 for web accessibility and SSAE 16 SOC 1 and SOC 2 reports.

Microsoft also announced that they are delivering more powerful admin experience with the ability to manage key aspects of Yammer from Office 365, including identity, user and license management. Moving forward, we’ll continue to work closely with regulatory bodies to track evolving standards and requirements and offer you controls that help you meet these requirements when you use Yammer and Office 365.

Experiencing Yammer

Yammer is easy to use and integrates with Office 365, so teams can get started on Yammer and realize value quickly. At the same time, adopting any new service involves planning, understanding and evangelizing inside the organization. We have put together some key adoption material to help you do this, including the following:

A detailed catalog of common Yammer use cases, such as Yammer fo r Help Desk and Yammer for HR.
List of ideas on how to launch Yammer in your organization.
An email template that you can customize to announce Yammer in your organization.

Sign up for free here or if you already have Office 365 you can activate now. If you have questions about this integration, visit the admin center.

Why You Should Migrate from Evernote to OneNote

Mon, 08 Feb 2016 15:00:21 GMT

Have you heard good things about OneNote, but feel like your too deeply invested with Evernote? Migrating your notes from Evernote to OneNote is relatively easy and you should really consider it if you want to be able to take notes for project management. While you can do some creative stuff with Evernote, OneNote let's you organize things however you want, but in a way that makes it easier to prioritize. Simply put, OneNote can help ease your life. Here are some ways that OneNote can help you be more organized and focused:

Tabs - OneNote is built around tabs. OneNote lets you break notebooks down into sub-tabs, rather than having every notebook be just a list of notes. This is perfect for brainstorming and compiling yours and everyone else's ideas

Formatting - The formatting in OneNtoe is just like Word, so most users will feel comfortable using it since it's a familiar platform.

Notes are not linear - Evernote treats notes like linearly. With OneNote, you're allowed the freedom to jot things all over your document and even in separate text boxes. As well as move images and attachments around. It's more free-flowing, which can be messy, but very effective.

No cost - Since OneNote is included in the Office suite, you don't need to worry about Microsoft bugging you to pay to use it. Evernote asks people for money to use the service, which can be a little intrusive.

How to Migrate All Your Notebooks

If you have a lot of notes that you want to keep, the best way to go about transferring all of these is to use the application Evernote2OneNote. This can help you migrate your content from Evernote into a default notebook in OneNote, where you can then move around to wherever you'd like. In order to utilize this app, you'll need 1) a computer (yes, even Mac users can utilize OneNote). 2) Evernote, OneNote and the Evernote2OneNote applications to be open. Evernote should be fully synced and up to date as well.

To start the migration, you will need to open all the Evernote2OneNote application. A small pop-up window will appear then proceed to pick, which Evernote notebook you’d like to migrate from the dropdown menu. Then click "Migrate". Your migrated notes will show up in the default section, typically “Quick Notes” of your default notebook (Typically “YourName’s Notebook”). There’s a good chance you don’t actually want your migrated notes to live in your default section, but it’s simple enough to move them. Just create a section where you’d like them to live, in any OneNote notebook. Once that’s done, select the notes you’d like to migrate (hold Shift, then click the first and last note from the migration). Right-click the selected notes, then click Move or Copy. Just pick the section you created for this content. You’ll need to repeat the process for all of your notes, which obviously isn’t ideal, but it’s a lot easier than copying-and-pasting everything.

OneNote is a simple, yet powerful tool. There are plenty of features worth learning about in order to maximize your note-taking productivity. Done properly, OneNote can make your life so much easier and hopefully this post has convinced you that Microsoft OneNote is definitely worth a try, or worth diving further into if you’re just a casual user.

Not sure where to start? Check out these OneNote tips for beginners . And if you’re still yearning for more, keep going with these advanced OneNote tips .

What Protection Exists For Your Data With Office 365?

Wed, 03 Feb 2016 15:01:56 GMT

Office 365 has one of the biggest data sets in the world. As people send emails and collaborate on their day-to-day tasks, terabytes and terabytes of enterprise data flo ws through the service paltform at any given time. Microsoft focuses on protecting your data everywhere it is authored and shared, without any downtime or disrtuptions to your work.

This is a very real and vital engineering goal for Microsoft that requires an approach that balances both information security surrounding the needs of the end-user. It starts with harnessing the intelligence of the service itself and providing the controls to tailor protection to your specific organization requirements. Perhaps the most important engineering principle is ensuring that you are able to define and set rules for your data that follow your data. This is a departure from past approaches in the industry where the focus was on protecting device endpoints. Most importantly, you don't have to take your data out of the service to protect it. Micorsoft's Office 365 offers pervasive protection, which means the control levers are built into the service.

DATA LOSS PREVENTION (DLP)

Data Loss Prevention (DLP) in Office 365 allows you to set granular policies that govern your data and define specific actions taken when information is shared.

To minimize disruption for yo u, as an end user, Microsoft ensures that the protection they offer is not counterproductive. They base off a people-centric approach to make sure that everything happens in the background. For example, as you are authoring a document that contains sensitive information we warn you if the action places your data at risk through policy tips. These will be based on policies that you set.

In addition, they protect your data independent of where it resides, while additionally ensuring device protection. At the foundation is robust identity and access management that governs who has access to your data and sets permissions that may be revoked at any time from the user. With mobile devices, you can even selectively remove corporate data from any managed device.

ADVANCED THREAT PROTECTION (ATP)

Another example of how the service proactively protects you from incoming threats from external sources is Advanced Threat Protection (ATP). For example, as you are reading your email, the service may be activated to isolate suspicious attachments and block malicious links across your devices to protect you from phishing attacks. All suspicious content goes through a real-time behavioral malware analysis that uses machine learning techniques to evaluate the content for suspicious activity.

INTELLIGENT PROTECTION

This service-level protection is an example of intelligent protection where we track vulnerabilities at scale through machine learning and mitigating them. This allows you to access our service logs so that you can integrate it with your in-house or third-party security monitoring systems. In the future, with the intelligence available in the Microsoft Cloud, their potential to aggregate security signals so that you can gain a 360-degree view on the se curity of your data even outside of the Microsoft Cloud, including data stored on-premises, in other Cloud services and on devices.

What is Big Data and How Can Small Businesses Utilize It

Tue, 02 Feb 2016 15:03:50 GMT

Everyone is leveraging big data these days, but how can a small company maneuver a world of data intended for giant mega-companies? The truth is, Big Data has existed fo r ages, but isn't just for big businesses with even bigger budgets anymore. Now thanks to falling tech costs and new tools that display complex databases, today small businesses too, can reap the benefits of the massive amounts of online and offline information to make wise, data-driven decisions to grow their businesses there are several ways that your small business can gather, analyze and make sense of data you already have.

What is Big Data?

Big Data is a term that describes the large volume of data (both structured and unstructured) that occupies a business on a day-to-day basis. But it’s not the amount of data that’s important; it’s what organizations do with the data that matters. Big data can be analyzed for insights that lead to better decisions and strategic business moves. Aside from this definition, there is a very large difference between what it means to use Big Data, and a company simply having the capacity to store large quantities of information. Big Data is about putting information together, and connecting dots that wer e not connected in the past.

How is Big Data Relevant to Small Businesses?

When one thinks of Big Data, the mind would probably think volume. But thats not necessarily the case. The role that Big Data plays the new modern era to businesses is an opportunity for businesses to increase their analytics IQ. You can increase your IQ by looking into raw data you can connect the dots between your systems of record and systems of engagement; and much more.

Data consultant Bernard Marr in the Business Standard eloquently put that, “In many ways, big data is suited to small business in ways that it never was for big business – even the most potent insights are valueless if your business is not agile enough to act on them in a timely fashion. Small businesses have the advantage of agility, making it perfectly suited to act on data-derived insights with speed and efficiency.”

So small businesses should not fear of big data and adopting such blank is no different than what a larger business should use. The competitive advantages for small businesses are the same advantages they can create for large businesses. All companies from SMBs to large enterprises can benefit from a 360-degree view of your customer. Simply put, that means small businesses have access to big data in the same way they have access to big infrastructure through Amazon AWS, Microsoft Azure, or any other IaaS provider. In the same way they can now lease processing power, they’re no longer locked out of taking advantage of big data because of their size. Its never too late (or too soon) for small companies to start thinking BIG!

Learning Tools Toolbar for OneNote

Wed, 27 Jan 2016 15:07:01 GMT

Today’s classrooms include students with a wide range of abilities. Educators are expected to adapt content to meet the needs of each of their students, including studen ts with learning differences. While technology can be an enabler to learning, but for some, technology is a challenge. Many educators lose valuable instructional time discovering, deploying and maintaining assistive technology for students with learning differences. In order to address these issues, Microsoft has come out with Learning Tools for OneNote; a toolbar add-on for OneNote 2013 and 2016, which improves reading and writing experiences for all students.

According to Microsoft's site, they have "designed reading and writing solutions that leverage what works for people with learning differences and for other users based upon research." This is a great example of inclusive design because it builds on solutions for people with learning differences, but it works for everyone and is non-stigmatizing. This matters for students and educators for a few key reasons:

The ability to read impacts our ability to learn and our lifelong earning potential.
OneNote is growing, and educators are advocating for OneNote because it helps students get organized and gain their independence.
Most importantly, it can improve learning outcomes through enhanced reading and writing tools

All of the features seen in the OneNote Learning Tools have research-based benefits :

Feature Proven BenefitEnhanced dictationImproves authoring textFocus modeSustains attention and improves reading speedImmersive readingImproves comprehension and sustains attentionFont spacing and short linesImproves reading speed by addressing "visual crowding"Parts of speechSupports instruction and improves writing qualitySyllabification Improves word recognitionComprehension modeImproves comprehension by an average of 10 percent

This is just the beginning of their work in creating a more inclusive classroom with these tools. The challenges that come with language and literacy barriers are vast and varied, but technology can help students overcome these obstacles and become more independent in class.

Just one example of tackling said barriers is the ability to quickly capture content from a worksheet, handout or other text using Office Lens to take a picture (click here to get the app). After snapping the photo, you can send the content directly to OneNote. Office Lens recognizes the text via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) and also provides ALT text to the OneNote page. The Learning Tools Immersive Reader can be used on the captured photo to quickly read back the text using the text-to-voice technology, and the other Parts of Speech features can be used on the text from the photo.

Microsoft's mission is "to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more." In line with that mantra, they are investing in bringing the OneNote Learning Tools and other accessibility features not just to OneNote, but across Windows and Office 365.

Download the public preview version of Learning Tools for OneNote onenote.com/learningtools .

Differences in Cloud Deployment Models

Tue, 26 Jan 2016 15:08:49 GMT

Cloud computing comes in many flavors and has evolved in recent years. In the new world of the hybrid cloud, which is an environment that employs both private and public cloud services. Companies are realizing that they need many different types of cloud services in order to meet a variety of customer needs.

The growing importance of hybrid cloud environments is transforming the entire computing industry as well as the way businesses are able to leverage technology to innovate. Economics and speed are the two greatest issues driving this market change.

There are two primary deployment models of clouds : public and private. Most organizations will use a combination of private computing resources (such as data centers and private clouds) and public services, where some of the services existing in these environments touch each other which is equivalent to a hybrid cloud environment.

Public Cloud

The public cloud is a set of hardware, networking, storage, services, applications, and interfaces owned and operated by a third party for use by other companies or individuals. These commercial providers create a highly scalable data center that hides the details of the underlying infrastructure from the consumer.

Public clouds are viable because they typically manage relatively repetitive or straightforward workloads. For example, electronic mail is a very simple application. Therefore, a cloud provider can optimize the environment so that it is best suited to support a large number of customers, even if they save many messages.

Public cloud providers offering storage or computing services optimize their computing hardware and software to support these specific types of workloads. In contrast, the typical data center supports so many different applications and so many different workloads that it cannot be optimized easily.

Private Cloud

A private cloud is a set of hardware, networking, storage, services, applications, and interfaces owned and operated by an organization for the use of its employees, partners, and customers. A private cloud can be created and managed by a third party for the exclusive use of one enterprise.

The private cloud is a highly controlled environment not open for public consumption. Thus, a private cloud sits behind a firewall. The private cloud is highly automated with a focus on governance, security, and compliance.

Automation replaces more manual processes of managing IT services to support customers. In this way, business rules and processes can be implemented inside software so that the environment becomes more predictable and manageable.

Hybrid Cloud

A hybrid cloud is a combination of a private cloud combined with the use of public cloud services where one or several touch points exist between the environments. The goal is to combine services and data from a variety of cloud models to create a unified, automated, and well-managed computing environment.

Combining public services with private clouds and the data center as a hybrid is the new definition of corporate computing. Not all companies that use some public and some private cloud services have a hybrid cloud . Rather, a hybrid cloud is an environment where the private and public services are used together to create value.

What Is SD-WAN and Why Organizations Are Making The Switch To It

Fri, 26 Oct 2001 13:14:54 GMT

In 2019, it became clear that SD-WAN had secured its position as the way forward for enterprise WAN connectivity. Market adoption is growing rapidly, and industry experts have declared a winner in the SD-WAN vs MPLS debate. For example, Network World called 2018 the year of SD-WAN , and before the end of Q3 2018 Gartner declared SD-WAN is killing MPLS .

Times have changed, and enterprises are using the cloud and subscribing to software-as-a-service (SaaS). While users traditionally connected back to the corporate data center to access business applications, they are now accessing those same applications in the cloud.

As a result, the traditional WAN is no longer suitable mainly because backhauling all traffic – including that destined to the cloud – from branch offices to the headquarters introduces latency and impairs application performance. SD-WAN provides WAN simplification, lower costs, bandwidth efficiency and a seamless on-ramp to the cloud with significant application performance especially for critical applications without sacrificing security and data privacy.

SO WHAT IS SD-WAN?

Software-defined WAN (SD-WAN) brings the abstraction of SDN to the WAN; however, it is only the latest in a series of transformations of WAN. The very first stage of WAN, in the 1980s, used point-to-point (PPP) lines to connect different LANs. The price and efficiency of these connections were improved with the introduction of Frame Relay in the early 1990s. Instead of requiring a direct PPP connection between each pair of communicating parties, Frame Relay allowed connection to a “cloud” from a service provider, allowing shared last-mile link bandwidth and the use of less expensive router hardware. The next stage was the introduction of Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS), which provided an IP-based means of carrying voice, video, and data on the same network. MPLS provides dependable network connections protected by SLAs but is expensive and slow to provision. In 2013, SD-WAN emerged, showing the potential to be a viable and cost-effective alternative to MPLS – making it the logical next step in WAN technology. By abstracting away, the network layer and routing traffic based upon a collection of centrally defined and managed policies, SD-WAN can optimize routing and prioritization of various types of application traffic. The flexibility provided by SD-WAN also allows it to better meet the needs of cloud and mobile users. As this type of use is becoming more common, it is unsurprising that many organizations are anticipated to adopt SD-WAN.

What’s driving all the excitement around SD-WAN? It effectively comes down to this: SD-WAN is more cost-effective and operationally agile than MPLS. SD-WAN reduces capex and opex while also simplifying WAN management and scalability. However, if you do look beyond the high-level conclusions, it can be hard to quantify how SD-WAN will matter for your business.

Interested in learning more? Stay tuned for the top 5 benefits of SD-WAN and why IT professionals and industry experts alike see it as the future for enterprises.

Blog - Akins IT

Microsoft 365 Pricing Update: What’s Changing and How to Prepare

A straightforward look at the upcoming increase and what renewal timing means for your business

One Important Detail About Renewals

What’s Being Added to Microsoft 365

How Akins IT Helps

How Akins IT Helped Palisades Charter High School Rebuild After the 2025 Palisades Fire

How Akins IT Helped a Wildfire‑Displaced School Restore Learning, Rebuild Infrastructure, and Strengthen Its Future

Akins IT’s Disaster Response: Protecting Data & Restoring Operations

Building a Temporary Campus Network in a Former Sears Building

Complete Network Deployment at the Temporary Sears Campus

Returning Home: Rebuilding the Original Pali High Campus

Looking Forward: New Server Infrastructure for a Stronger Future

Why Schools Choose Akins IT

AWS stumbled this morning. Here’s why multi‑cloud keeps you moving.

What happened (and why it matters)

Multi‑cloud: practical resilience, not buzzwords

The bottom line

Microsoft Confirms GoAnywhere Exploitation: What IT Leaders Need to Know

How a Zero-Day in GoAnywhere MFT Sparked a Ransomware Wave—and What Mid-Sized IT Leaders Must Do Now

What Happened?

Why It Matters for Mid-Sized Organizations

Action Steps for IT Leaders

The Bigger Picture

The Windows 10 Deadline Is Here—Are You Ready for What Happens Next?

The clock is ticking: Learn your options for Windows 11 migration, Extended Security Updates, and cost‑smart strategies before support ends.

TL;DR

What “End of Support” Means (and Why It Matters)

Top 10 Copilot Prompts in Outlook That Actually Shrink Your Inbox (and Your Stress)

The 10 Outlook Copilot prompts your team should try this week

1) “Summarize this email thread in 5 bullets. List open questions, decisions made, and who owns next steps.”

2) “Draft a reply that: (a) confirms we’ll deliver X by [date], (b) asks for Y file from [Name], (c) is 120–150 words, (d) friendly‑professional tone.”

3) “Turn this thread into a checklist I can paste into Planner: task | owner | due date | status.”

4) “Write a ‘TL;DR’ I can forward to the exec team: 5 bullets, decision first, risks second, ask last.”

5) “Compose a polite nudge to [Name] about [deliverable], acknowledging their workload and proposing two specific options to proceed.”

6) “Summarize what changed between [Sender]’s last two updates and flag any scope creep or new risks.”

7) “Translate this email into plain language for a non‑technical stakeholder. Keep tone reassuring and action‑oriented.”

8) “Prepare a reply that declines the request but offers a viable alternative, includes a resource link, and ends with a clear next step.”

9) “Create a follow‑up response that cites the original ask (1 line), current status (1 line), and a specific ask with a date.”

10) “From this thread, generate a calendar blurb (title, agenda bullets, attendees to invite) I can paste into an invite.”

Bonus: Three high‑leverage scenarios (Outlook + the rest of Microsoft 365)

1) Major incident comms (exec‑ready in minutes)

2) Renewal and license cleanup (negotiate from your inbox)

3) Change window and Patch Tuesday rollout (from email to execution)

FAQ

Palisades Fire Recovery: How AkinsIT Reconnected a Displaced School in 3 Weeks

9 IT Security Trends Every Mid‑Sized Business Should Care About

A CEO’s guide to staying secure in a fast‑changing threat landscape.

﻿

1. Passwords Are Out—Passkeys Are In

2. SaaS Apps: The Hidden Back Door

3. 24/7 Security Monitoring Is No Longer Optional

4. AI Is a Double‑Edged Sword

5. Phishing Just Got Smarter (and Sneakier)

6. Patch Fast or Pay Later

7. Zero Trust Isn’t Just for Big Companies

8. Ransomware Is Still Here

9. Partner Up

Ready to Strengthen Your Security?

Top 10 Copilot Questions in Teams That Actually Boost Productivity

Tired of Copilot sounding like a confused intern? These 10 prompts will help your team get real work done—without the AI drama.

1. Summarize the last 3 messages in this channel and highlight any action items.

2. Draft a response to [Name]’s question about [topic] using a professional tone.

3. Create a meeting agenda based on this conversation and add time estimates for each topic.

4. List key decisions made in this thread and who made them.

5. Summarize this document and explain how it relates to our current project.

6. What were the most recent discussions with [Name]?

7. What are some highlights from the past 7 days in this channel?

8. Summarize what I missed while I was out on vacation.

9. Translate this message into plain language for a non-technical audience.

10. Create a follow-up message to check on progress for [task/project] discussed earlier.

Final Thoughts

Why MFA Alone Isn't Enough: Enhancing Security with Microsoft Conditional Access

Strengthening Your Security Posture with Dynamic Access Control

The Limitations of MFA

The Power of Microsoft Conditional Access

Implementing Conditional Access with Azure AD

Conclusion

Alternatives to VMware: Cost-Effective Virtualization Solutions for Your Business

Discover Affordable and Reliable Virtualization Platforms

Nutanix