In the previous post, we discussed the prevalence of unlicensed software in the workplace. This has not gone unnoticed by the software vendors, especially Microsoft, which is why software license audits are on the rise. Simply responding to an audit is costly enough for a small to midsize business, but penalties and true-up costs can [...]
Is every copy of software installed across your organization properly licensed? Very few can answer this question with any level of certainty. According to a 2016 survey conducted by BSA and IDC, 39 percent of all installed software was not properly licensed. Even in highly regulated industries, software license noncompliance was alarmingly high. For example, [...]
Back in the mainframe era, end-users typically accessed applications via “dumb” terminals that allowed them to enter data and perform various functions. They had little control over the computing environment or their data, relying on IT to develop and implement software, enable access, back up data, and more. Today’s end-users have a broad array of [...]
Neil Sedaka obviously wasn’t singing about changing cloud service providers — but he could have been. While the cloud is all about flexibility and agility, it’s not that easy to switch from one service to another. You need to plan for this possibility up front, and include it in your cloud strategy. In our last [...]
Cloud adoption is soaring, with organizations of all sizes and in every industry taking advantage of the benefits of cloud services. According to newly released data from IDC’s CloudView Survey 2017, the top drivers of cloud adoption include improving agility and security, and standardizing the IT infrastructure. Multi-cloud environments have become prevalent, with 56 percent [...]
In the previous post, we discussed IT policies every organization should have. Although most organizations are aware of modern security threats, such as the WannaCry and Petya ransomware attacks that affected hundreds of millions of devices around the world in recent days, the failure to implement or update IT policies is causing unnecessary risk. At [...]
The reality TV series “Hoarders” provides a startling look at people with a compulsive disorder that makes it nearly impossible for them to discard anything, including items with little or no value. When it comes to email, many of us suffer from a similar affliction. It’s been estimated that the typical office worker has thousands [...]
We tend to talk about managed services from a technology perspective — after all, your managed services provider (MSP) takes responsibility for monitoring and supporting your IT environment and handling day-to-day operational tasks. These activities help to increase the performance, availability and security of your systems, ensuring that end-users have access to the applications and [...]
Whether you make software, sprockets or sandwiches, your business depends on information technology to one degree or another. As IT grows in both significance and complexity, managed service providers (MSPs) fill an essential need. For a predictable monthly fee, MSPs provide access to expertise, skill sets and intellectual property that can be cost-prohibitive to keep [...]
In the IT world, are there any problems that aren’t emergencies? From password resets and printer malfunctions to server crashes and security patches, IT issues almost always require immediate attention. This is placing a strain on IT professionals, but that strain can be alleviated through the use of co-managed services that supplement in-house staff. Most [...]
