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Leveraging the Cloud in the Modern Workplace

If you feel a bit “hazy” when it comes to understanding “the cloud,” you’re not alone. While many businesses have adopted cloud solutions in recent years, some leaders still have questions about what the cloud actually is and why they should use it.

In simple terms, the cloud refers to servers accessed over the internet that host applications and store data. Rather than storing data on local servers or personal devices, cloud computing allows you to access these apps and files from any internet-connected device.

There are a few types of clouds:

  • Public clouds that serve multiple customers (e.g. Microsoft 365, Dropbox)
  • Private clouds used by a single organization
  • Hybrid clouds that combine public and private elements

At Now Micro, we help clients implement cloud infrastructures to give them greater access, robust security, and more control. Moving to the cloud gets technology out of your way so you can stay focused on business priorities.

Other ways cloud technology is beneficial include:

  • Increased accessibility: The ability to access files and tools from anywhere on any device not only accommodates a hybrid work schedule, but also increases collaboration.
  • Scalability: You can easily add/remove features and users based on needs, rather than overpaying for unused capacity.
  • Enhanced security: Reputable providers invest heavily in security measures and best practices. Our team helps configure tools properly to keep your data safe.
  • Greater efficiency: Cloud providers handle maintenance and updates, freeing up your IT staff. Solutions also tend to be more user-friendly.

Now Micro helps you implement a cloud-based infrastructure, giving you unparalleled access, robust security and greater control in your environment. Moving the infrastructure to the cloud pushes technology out of the way so you can focus on your job.

If you have questions about moving infrastructure or workloads to the cloud, Now Micro has the expertise to help. Our core competencies around implementing cloud solutions include Office 365, Microsoft 365, Exchange Online, Teams, OneDrive, Power BI, Cloud PBX, Intune, and more.

With the right guidance, you can transition smoothly to the cloud and gain all the advantages it offers. Contact our Professional Services team to get started!

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Maximizing Your Microsoft Investment

Jon Anderson, Now Micro Senior Systems Consultant, answered some questions to help our customers get the most out of Microsoft.

  1. What are some hidden gems or underutilized features of Microsoft’s products that companies should be aware of?

One of the most valuable products that I regularly see being underutilized is the Microsoft Defender suite of tools. Organizations that own A3 / E3 licensing can take advantage of Microsoft Defender for Endpoint Plan 1, which includes several useful tools for securing devices. Organizations that own A5 / E5 licensing can further take advantage of Microsoft Defender for Endpoint with the Plan 2 license. Also included are tools like Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps and Microsoft Defender for Office 365.

There are also several products beyond the Defender suite of tools that I commonly see being licensed but underutilized or not used at all. Always on VPN, Windows Update for Business, Remote Help (for educational organizations), Conditional Access, Intune, Autopilot, and more. All the products in this list are included at some level in an A3 / E3 license.

2. How can organizations optimize their licensing to fully leverage Microsoft products capabilities?

I recommend reviewing the list of Microsoft licenses that are owned by the organization. Look at the list of features that are included in the license and determine if there is value in implementing any of the features that are currently unused. It is possible to apply different levels of licensing to multiple groups of users and/or devices. I’d recommend evaluating which features are required by the users / devices in the organization and purchasing the appropriate licenses to match the feature requirements.

3. How should companies determine which Microsoft apps/services are most valuable for their specific needs?

I recommend taking advantage of the trial licenses that Microsoft offers. Most of the licenses Microsoft offers are available to use in a trial mode. This allows for evaluating the features of the license without having to purchase it. Trial licenses can be a great tool for evaluating a feature in your own environment. If a longer period is needed to evaluate a product, another option is to buy a small number of licenses. Once the project is ready to move forward at a larger scale, more licenses can be purchased.

4. What are the biggest mistakes you see companies make when implementing Microsoft solutions?

The most common mistake I encounter is a rushed or incomplete implementation of a product. Often, a project may be started without a thorough understanding of the product or a clear goal for the end state. The result of this can be a product that does not work as expected and may require significant effort to fix or re-implement. My recommendation is to spend the time to learn about the product prior to implementing it in a production environment. A Microsoft partner (Now Micro) can also be a great resource to help get a product configured right the first time.

5. How can companies keep up with the rapid pace of innovation from Microsoft? What’s your advice for staying current and training employees on new Microsoft products?

Microsoft has an extensive library of free product documentation available online. Microsoft has also published many free training courses on a wide variety of topics. In addition to these great resources, there are also many Microsoft Tech Community blogs that are worth following. Finally, I’d recommend looking for active user groups in your area. A user group can be a great resource for both learning and networking.

6. For companies invested heavily in Microsoft, what does their IT/infrastructure roadmap need to factor in?

The cloud. Microsoft has been heavily pushing most of their product and service offerings into Azure, and I don’t see that trend changing or slowing down anytime soon. I recommend evaluating the tools and processes in your organization that currently rely on traditional on-premises resources to see if there is a path forward to the cloud.

Inquire with Now Micro to learn how we can support your technology efforts with our team of expert consultants.

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Windows LAPS: Keeping Your Organization Secure

Windows Local Administrator Password Solution (LAPS) is a feature that automatically manages and backs up the password of a local administrator account on your Azure Active Directory-joined or Windows Server Active Directory-joined devices. This solution is one of the most effective ways to protect administrator passwords and prevent unauthorized users from accessing systems or data that they shouldn’t. 

With Windows LAPS, passwords are automatically randomized and updated on a routine basis, so that no two users ever have the same passwords and that passwords don’t become stale and more vulnerable to hacking. This investment in security is crucial for protecting your organization’s data and ensuring peace of mind. This new version of the tool can be configured with Microsoft Intune and can store passwords in Azure Active Directory. 

At Now Micro, we understand the importance of keeping up with the latest technological advancements to help organizations take advantage of new programs. That’s why we stay on top of the news and partner with IT experts to ensure our clients have the most up-to-date hardware and software. 

Contact us at Now Micro to learn more about how we can help your organization take advantage of Windows LAPS and other cutting-edge technologies. Our team of experts can help implement the tool, making it super easy for our customers and their IT staff to manage and maintain security.
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Higher Education’s Future: Embracing Technology for a Better Learning Experience

The future of higher education is exciting as we strive to create a better learning experience for students. Technology plays a crucial role in offering new and innovative ways to enhance the educational experience.

The Challenge: Higher education today faces many technological challenges but with the right guidance, these can be navigated successfully. Some of the challenges include:

These issues have prompted a reevaluation of traditional approaches to education. Universities often depend on experts in the field to guide them in their hardware & software needs, ensuring their investments are effective.

Tech’s Role Today & Tomorrow: Technology is already being used in higher education to improve the learning experience through online courses, virtual classrooms, and digital resources. Exciting emerging trends are:

Investing in Technology for Higher Education: University IT budgets are increasing to support the adoption of new hardware and software. This investment is crucial for improving students’ and educators’ higher education experience.

The Benefits: Embracing technology in higher education can bring many benefits including:

  • Increased accessibility
  • Flexibility in schedules and learning styles
  • Personalization of the learning experience
  • Effective messaging and retainment of information

In summary, embracing technology in higher education is essential for creating a better learning experience for students. Having the correct and most up-to-date hardware is the first challenge. While keeping up with tech innovation can be tricky, partnering with IT experts who stay on top of the news makes it easier. Let’s embrace technology and shape the future of education together!

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Five Reasons Why SMBs will invest in an MSP in 2022 

As times change, business owners need to adapt. Here are some reasons why an SMB may be considering an MSP

1. Modernizing IT 

As SMBs move to modernize their IT, they don’t have the expertise to keep up with the complexities of managing and maintaining their IT environment.

2. Employee Growth

Despite the pandemic, many organizations are growing rapidly. But unfortunately, some can’t keep up with the growth. For example, they can’t continuously upgrade and install the number of endpoints, onboard new employees, or educate them on the best security practices.  

3. Not enough IT support

Many SMBs do not have an internal IT employee, and one of their employees must take it on as an extra job responsibility which decreases productivity. If they do have an IT employee, they often are faced with more pressure than they can handle alone.

4. Outside threats

 Over half of businesses have faced some type of financial cyberattack in the last year; most SMBs don’t have the resources to combat these risks internally.

5. Compliance

Compliance is a tricky concept for most SMBs. Working with an MSP can help them adhere to the often changing regulations.

Since most businesses rely nearly entirely on the internet to perform their day-to-day operations, an important goal for SMBs is to strategize and prioritize digital transformation. Unfortunately, this is no small task and can be very overwhelming for SMBs. However, a Managed Service Provider can take on the entirety of IT management, allowing them to mitigate risk, get the best return on their technology investments, and educate their employees.

If you are interested in learning more about how Now Micro can help you manage your IT more effectively, or you’d be interested in receiving a free network assessment, reach out to Sydney Ellison at sydneye@nowmicro.com or check out our website.

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The Consequences of a Cyberattack on SMBs

Nearly every company relies on the internet for its business operations, which means almost every company is at risk for a cyber-attack. In last week’s blog post, we discussed why Cybercriminals are targeting SMBs, but what are the consequences of falling victim to a cyberattack or data breach for SMBs?

Downtime

After a cyberattack, an SMB is likely to face significant downtime, which means their employees cannot do their jobs. While one can expect revenue to take a substantial hit from downtime, employee productivity usually is the most significant consequence. Employers are still required to pay their employees, they may be missing deadlines, and downtime may cause excess stress on their employees.

The cost of downtime = minutes of downtime x cost per minute.

Damage to hardware 

In the event of a cyberattack, malware, or data breach, not only is your data at risk, but it can also cause damage to your hardware such as PCs, Servers, and more. In addition, the repair or replacement of hardware can be very costly.

Fines and penalties

Legal and regulatory requirements seem to be constantly changing, which can be very overwhelming for a business owner. However, business owners must comply with these rules and regulations, and when they don’t, they are subject to fines and penalties costs.

Damage to reputation and loss of customers

When a company falls victim to a cyberattack, their customer data is often compromised, leading to a loss of customer trust, which leads to customers taking their business elsewhere. Data breaches also hurt attracting and obtaining new customers when the news is public.

High costs

In the event of a cyberattack, an SMB is likely to experience downtime, damage to hardware, fines and penalties, damage to reputation and loss of customers, and more. Each of these consequences has its own cost, and sometimes it is enough for a business to close its doors for good. Forbes states that the average cost of a single data breach on an SMB is $149,000. Additionally, 76% of SMBs have experienced a cyberattack in the last 12 months.

We’ve said it before, and we will say it again: It is no longer a question of if your business will be the target of a cyberattack, but when. Can you afford the consequences of a data breach?

Working with a Managed Service Provider can help you better secure your network and prevent cyberattacks from happening. To learn more about our managed services, visit our website or reach out to Sydney Ellison at sydneye@nowmicro.com.

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4 Reasons to Conduct a Network Assessment

Q1 is a great time to check IT systems and determine how to revamp them for the year. Performing a network assessment is essential when gauging areas for improvement. A network assessment looks at disk & memory utilization, BDR sizing calculation, warranty summary, device stabilization requirements, software and device inventory, active directory user list, and much more. Read more to find out how a network assessment can help your organization.

1. View a detailed and comprehensive report and analysis of your company’s existing IT infrastructure.

If you’re seeking out a network assessment, you are likely trying to learn everything about your organization’s system and see where you’re succeeding or where you’re falling short. A network assessment will look at network performance, security protection, server/storage performance and determine which issues are network-related or user-related. It’s essential to get a comprehensive report on your network so that you can catch hard-to-find errors and fix them.

2. Create a strategy for your IT systems and people.

You’ll likely be working with a managed service provider to execute a network assessment, which will benefit you. A managed service provider has a team of IT experts to gauge the network assessment results and then offer guidance. MSPs, such as Now Micro, work with a variety of clientele and will be able to customize their offerings based on what your organization needs. Once the strategy is in place, your IT issues will be solved in no time.

3. Discover money-saving opportunities.

By filling in the gaps of your IT strategy, you are saving time and money. For example, most IT management is protection, prevention, and modernization. These new changes will save your organization from an IT disaster and save resources that would have been used in recovery and fixing errors.

4. Get an explanation for C-suite Executives.

Sometimes C-suite executives need raw data to convince them to approve significant upgrades. A network assessment will lay out all the data you need to get them on your side. As stated in Reason #3, the improvements may be a high cost upfront, but over time, the company can save money by keeping their IT up to date and not constantly paying for repairs when disaster hits.

If you would like to have a network assessment of your organization’s IT infrastructure, visit Now Micro’s managed services website and click on the “Free Network Assessment” button to get started or email our Managed Services point of contact, Sydney Ellison, at sydneye@nowmicro.com.

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Configuring LAPS (Part 2)- Configuring and Deploying Group Policy

This post is the second part of a two-part series on configuring and deploying the Microsoft Local Administrator Password Solution (LAPS). The first post covered the steps needed to configure Active Directory to support LAPS. That post can be found here . This post will cover the steps needed to enable the LAPS functionally on devices.
 Continue reading “Configuring LAPS (Part 2)- Configuring and Deploying Group Policy”

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Configuring LAPS (Part 1)- Configuring Active Directory

Why is Local Administrator Password Management Needed?

The question of how to deal with users having administrative rights on computers or other network resources is one that has many different answers and has evolved over time. While the scenarios around network and domain administrative access may be more complex, the local administrative rights scenario should be very similar for almost everyone.

Continue reading “Configuring LAPS (Part 1)- Configuring Active Directory”

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Email Notification for Security Changes in ConfigMgr

Have you ever had a deployment or maybe a security change that happened with no one noticing? Maybe you’re working with a team and someone accidentally deployed to the wrong collection. We all have busy schedules, it’s not easy stay on top of changes or deployments in Configuration Manager. Therefore, we need to take advantage of the built-in status system. This post will walk you through creating a status filter rule that sends an email whenever a security setting is created, modified, or deleted in ConfigMgr.
Continue reading “Email Notification for Security Changes in ConfigMgr”