What is the CMMC? The Complete CMMC Compliance Guide
Believe it or not, the day that many of us thought would never arrive is finally here: the Department of Defense is actually going to start enforcing the DFARS/NIST 800-171 compliance requirements and if the conversations we’ve been having with our managed IT services clients are of any indication, there’s certainly a lot of surprise- and dread- to go around. As a direct result of these updates and in an…
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What to Do When You Didn’t Plan Your Windows 7 to 10 Upgrade
Ten years. That’s how long it has been since myself and my colleagues at TSI had to inform our clients that their beloved Windows XP machines would be going away. Once Microsoft had announced that it was ending support for that particular operating system, it represented a fundamental shift in the way that organizations managed and ultimately planned their technology strategies- up to a point. In my experience, there were…
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Guest Post: How IT Plays a Role in Protecting a Company’s Brand Image
These days, user-generated content (UGC) is essential for any company that wants to remain relevant and competitive. Allowing UGC on your platform is a must, as it harnesses the power of your product’s end-user. UGC does come with its fair share of risks, however, including brand-damaging issues like profanity, nudity, and racism. These elements could prove disastrous to a brand if they slip through the cracks. Marketing departments are developing…
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Why You Don’t Really Need Penetration Testing… at Least, Not YET
Coming from a family that has been proudly serving the greater Boston area with innovative, technology-based solutions since 1989, a big part of my life involves staying up-to-date on everything going on in the IT space. When I’m not fielding calls with potential clients or helping existing ones better accomplish their long-term goals, I’m pouring over articles and other resources about the latest tips, tricks, trends and best practices that…
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How The Shifting IT Landscape Gave Rise to the Era of Co-Managed IT
It’s no secret that technology moves fast. But what a lot of people don’t realize is that the very idea of what it means to be an IT professional often changes just as quickly. When my father started TSI Support in 1989 and before the advent of managed services, all MSPs were essentially the exact same thing – computer fixers. They would sit back with their fingers crossed, just waiting…
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Two Birds, One Stone: Here’s How to Address ISO 27001 and 13845 at the Same Time
As someone who has been providing IT support to SMBs for nearly 30 years, there’s one topic that seems to come up with my clients over and over (and over) again: Compliance. We all understand that compliance is important – there’s really nobody on the other side of that issue. But where people start to get frustrated has to do with how unclear compliance requirement can sometimes be. I was…
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MSPs vs. MSSPs: What are the Differences, and Which One is Right For YOUR Business
While TSI has been working with local area businesses, with all of their technology support needs, for nearly three decades, I’ve always seen my primary job as an educator first and foremost. I don’t just want to help you get the most out of your technology – I want to help you understand why that technology is so important to begin with. I was reminded of this again just the…
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MSPs are Giving Clients Ransomware; The Top Questions to Ask Your MSP YESTERDAY!
A part of my week here at TSI is always spent wading through news stories to stay ahead of all the latest trends and best practices in our industry. After all, how can I provide clients with the most complete, accurate and actionable information to work from if I don’t have access to that data myself? Most of the time, the trends I spend so much time researching fall squarely…
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Viewpoint: Manufacturing and Cybersecurity – Know the Essentials
It’s no secret that the security climate on the internet is becoming more dangerous by the day. This is especially true for business professionals in the manufacturing space, where cyber attacks are only becoming more frequent and more costly with each passing year. According to a study conducted by the Ponemon Institute, 70 percent of all organizations said that their security risk increased significantly in 2017 alone. About 230,000 new…
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Just How Important is a FTE IT Security Expert? Let’s Break it Down
I’m often struck by just how quickly the cyber security landscape continues to advance. Hacks and other types of threats are getting more sophisticated, yes – but so are the tools used to defeat them. Cyber attackers and the businesses they’re targeting are making every effort to stay one step ahead of one another, in a relationship that shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon. I was talking to…
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Cyber Security Policy Starter Kit:
10 Critical Policies That Every Company Should Have in Place
