by Felicien | Feb 13, 2018 | Education
Collaboration isn’t just a buzzword; it’s a mindset. Team-based environments are key to the success of most major global organizations today, and Microsoft Teams wants to be the foundation of their successful future.
More and more, Fortune 500 organizations are making the leap to a distributed workforce and giving up the keys to their dedicated office space – and all the overhead and costs that go with it!
Real estate prices, utility costs, taxes, physical security, and insurance are just a handful of the financial concerns associated with ownership and operation of a brick-and-mortar enterprise. These costs only rise, never loosening their grip on the bottom line. Alternately, the increasing number of platforms catering to organizations with the goal of enhancing productivity, and thus profit, offer an attractive solution. The worst-kept secret is that the vast majority of these programs facilitate workflow for staff, regardless of their physical location. Increasing efficiency and output while decreasing cost and downtime is a no-brainer, with the greatest obstacle often being the fear of taking that first (giant) step.
What’s a modern company to do? Obviously, a remote workforce may not be the best solution for every operation, but we want to help make sure that this hesitancy isn’t preventing profitability or productivity. Given that you’re reading this article, you already have a wealth of technology at your fingertips that aids in your professional path. For those same reasons, you’re researching how to make the most of your tools – allow us to present a deeper look at Microsoft Teams and its features.
Microsoft has been an innovative mainstay in the professional arena for more than 30 years. Never allowing a product to become stale, Microsoft likes to release something completely new to its line-up every few years. When a program might otherwise start to lag in functionality behind more technologically-advanced competitors, Microsoft releases a newer-and-improved version, designed to be somewhat customizable to cater to its user base. The team mentality was nothing new when the Microsoft Teams product launched last year and took what everyone loved about Skype for Business, as well as competing products like Slack, and combined their features into one product with fanfare and promise.
With the ability to integrate with other platforms, Microsoft Teams has become a popular and stable product. As the professional environment evolves, so do Microsoft products. Microsoft Teams users are a happy bunch lately, with the latest updates to the platform. Team Owners have been happily adding Guest Users since the feature launched, allowing for a deeper level of collaboration with “external” resources being included in team Channels.
Workflows are progressing and evolving, and often it’s more cost-efficient to hire independent contractors, consultants, and other extraneous resources to support permanent staff. Microsoft Teams allows for Guest User access so that these “guests” can collaborate in a team-based environment and maintain transparency, communication, and quality. Guest Access can be granted so long as users have an email address already in an Azure Active Directory or an Office 365 work or school account. As simple as this process is, it’s important to keep a few points
in mind to avoid confusion:
By default, Guest Access is turned off. The global admin can log in to adjust this setting:
Access the portal’s dashboard: https://portal.office.com/adminportal/home
Find the left navigation menu, and expand Settings.
Select “Service and Admin” and scroll to select Office 365 Group settings.
In the menu that pops up, toggle the second option to “On,” giving Group Owners ability to add Guests, and then click “Save”.
Next, scroll through the list to find and select Microsoft Teams.
In the left navigation menu, find the “Settings by user/license type” and select “Guest” in the drop-down menu, and toggle setting to “On”, then click “Save”.
After changing these settings, Team Owners can add and manage Guest Access within their Team. The next step will be customizing the display names of Guest Users. A Guest User’s display name can be adjusted by following these steps:
In the Manage Teams section, find the Guest Permissions sub-menu.
There are two options that Team Owners can control, and both are set to “false” by default:
You can allow Guest Users to create or update existing channels.
You can allow Guest Users to delete channels.
When you add Guest Users that are not already a part of the tenant, the option will immediately appear asking if you wish to add the user as a Guest User.
Microsoft Teams doesn’t know if the Guest User is a part of the domain that can be added.
A few additional key items to remember include:
When adding a Guest User to the tenant for the first time, you can change the display name by clicking on the “edit” icon next to the Guest User’s suggested display name, at which point a drop-down editor will appear.
Only when you click “Add” can the platform verify if the Guest User can be added to a Team:
Guest Users cannot be added as a Team Owner.
Regardless of what you change the Guest User’s display name to, the word “Guest” will be added as a suffix.
If you happen to be adding a Guest User that is already a registered Guest User, their existing display name will show the suggestion:
The only way to modify this display name is to request the tenant admin modify the display name in your admin portal.
When a Guest User is added to a Team, there is a notification posted to the Team about the change. As noted above, the built-in transparency of features like this is designed to help all users in Microsoft Teams communicate more effectively, stay informed about any changes, and enable immediate collaboration. Integrating people, content, and tools are the driving force in this productivity platform, reinforcing connectivity and a team-based environment as the name states.
Is Microsoft Teams the right solution for you? There’s only one way to find out. Let us help you make 2018 your very best year yet with a deeper look at what solutions like Microsoft Teams can do for you, and how to maximize its features for your benefit – and profit!
by Felicien | Feb 13, 2018 | Education
Addressing cyberattack threats, breach points, policies, company readiness, and recovery.
When we asked businesses about cybersecurity threats, breach points, policies, company readiness, and recovery, we were surprised at the responses that we received. The most frightening response of all was the following:
“We have no formal process for assessing readiness to deal with a cyber attack of any sort.”
Hindsight is always 20/20 – how many times has something happened that you could have and should have prevented? There are five questions every company should ask themselves, at least twice a year:
What are our current cybersecurity threats?
What are common breach points within our company?
What are our current cybersecurity policies?
What is our company’s readiness for a cyber attack?
What are our recovery policies in response to a cyber attack?
Cybersecurity Threats
It’s easy to sit back and think that threats and attacks only happen to other people and other businesses, but not to ourselves. Living in a state of paranoia can be beneficial to the security of your company. Former Intel CEO, Andrew Grove, once stated that “Only the paranoid survive”. Knowing all you can about current and possible future attacks helps you to understand why and how you need to be prepared.
With 2 million new malware attacks launching every day, we need to be constantly alert. Recent examples of extremely dangerous cyber threats are the Meltdown and Spectre bugs, which allow potential attackers to access to private data. Forbes magazine reports that the five cyber threats to look out for in 2018 are ransomware attacks, crypto jacking, education and healthcare cybercriminals, and malware attacks.
Cyberattack Sources Of Breaches
Cyber attacks could threaten your business through a few different sources. For example, employee mobile devices make up for 51% of all cybersecurity breaches, which is extremely troubling, given that there are nearly as many employee cell phones as there are employees themselves. Another possible source of a breach is Internet of Things devices. Together they make up 87% of all the cybersecurity breaches.
Cybersecurity Policies
Cybersecurity policies should be in place to ensure that the company as a whole is all in agreement on what the threats are, how to avoid them, and how to respond to one. Employees should be trained to know how to report a possible cyber attack, as well as how to prevent one.
For example, employees should be taught to always look for e-mails that are suspicious, such as those that include simple grammar mistakes or excessive punctuation. Employees should have policies in place such as how to flag or report a suspicious e-mail. Additionally, employees should all be trained on the importance of avoiding opening or clicking on suspicious e-mails or links. Spectre and Meltdown use these emails as vehicles to reach your prized data. If you limit their transportation, you’ll better protect your data.
Cyber Security Attack Readiness
To check your business for its readiness to handle a cyber attack you should see which of the four main categories your company falls into. Is your organization’s readiness passive, reactive, proactive, or progressive? Passive means that your business is not prepared for a cyber attack – you just hope that it won’t happen. Reactive means that while you aren’t ready to protect against a cyber attack, your business is prepared to react to one. Thirdly, your business is proactive if you are prepared to respond, while also seeking to avoid future attacks. Lastly, your company is progressive if it has deep cyber attack prevention, protection, and reactive capabilities in place.
Recovery From Cyberattacks
Once a cyber attack has occurred, you need to have a policy in place to immediately begin recovery. Cyber attacks have four main effects. In the aftermath, most businesses will see a reduction in their operational abilities, downtime, reputation, and revenue. After a cyber attack, 39% of companies reported a decrease in operational capability as their leading complaint. Downtime came in second with 37% of businesses reporting it as the primary effect on their company. Effects on the operation, and downtime, ultimately result in lost profits. It’s reported that 44% of companies estimate that they could lose over $10,000 within just one hour of downtime.
To protect your business, you need to look at the problem from all sides. Ensure that you and your staff are well trained, and remain vigilant against any cyber attack that could affect your company. Have policies in place, to ensure that staff is proactively working to protect the business’ data, staff, and clients. Should a cyber attack occur, your business should be ready to not only combat it but also recover from it?
by Felicien | Feb 13, 2018 | Education
A relatively new set of guidelines enacted in the European Union requires many global organizations to reconsider their security practices and update their protective measures.
A quick review of 2017 suggests that it was the worst year on record for cybersecurity – phrases like “data breach“, “phishing”, and “hackers” were uttered in the news so often that we numbed to the shock factor. Checking our credit reports and changing our passwords yet again for banking, credit cards, email, and everything else that impacts daily life is now nearly a quarterly requirement.
What makes cybersecurity such a complex concept is that it’s something we can’t see and that most consumers can’t even fully understand. These are the very elements that put consumers at the greatest risk because fighting an enemy when we don’t know its weaknesses seems challenging, but when the enemy knows ours, it’s terrifying. Cybercriminals are always working to stay one step ahead of the latest steps that consumers take to protect themselves.
What can we expect in 2018? It’s safe to assume that things may get worse before they get better. In many ways, organizations are still playing catch-up when it comes to cybersecurity. Hackers continue to outthink the latest developments in cybersecurity – and how? Because we make it too easy.
Yes, we make it easy – a breakdown in the corporate communication chain, not enough allocations in the budget, and inefficiencies in our security personnel or protocol are just a few of the factors that contribute to why we can’t keep up with hackers.
Is tech about to become all doom and gloom? Not a chance – and those fighting back are doing so with a vengeance. It’s true that governing bodies can’t pass legislation fast enough to keep up with hackers, but it’s also true that we can’t expect hackers to fear the law or those who enforce it.
Have you heard of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)? If your organization has ever done business in Europe, you’ve either heard of it, or you will very soon. In early 2016, the European Parliament began mandating that companies who operate in, do business with, or ultimately collect data on citizens in EU countries will be subject to strict rules enacted to protect these consumers.
While the GDPR is meant to simplify regulations with exceptional standards of consumer data protection throughout 28 EU member nations, the burden falls on hundreds, possibly thousands of businesses employing innumerable IT security personnel responsible for overseeing the implementation of updated standards to meet new requirements.
Now, you may read this and say to yourself, “I don’t do business in Europe or with citizens of EU countries, so this doesn’t apply to me”. Wrong!
While technically these rules may not apply to you, it’s likely that these rules and guidelines will swiftly spread and become the basis for consumer data protection and cybersecurity in general. Initially, regulators are not likely to audit organizations for compliance to GDPR regulations, and leniency is expected in the event of a data breach if the company can detail cybersecurity measures following these rules that were taken to protect consumer data. As with every data breach you’ve read about in the last several months, this will initially be a reactive measure, but it’s still indicative of new cybersecurity standards.
With the May 25 deadline looming, the question is if IT staff at affected organizations have spent the last 18 months properly preparing. That being said, there are several impacts we can predict for 2018:
Many, if not most, U.S. companies will not meet GDPR compliance by the deadline
American organizations have certain expectations that have long-since been established by our federal government, and we employ an arsenal of auditors and legal experts to read through thousands of sheets of fine print to understand complex guidelines. The GDPR will be no different.
International law does not add clarity to the situation, and where regulations contradict established laws or expectations based on domestic operations, the cost to continue business will be weighed against the benefits – and the risks.
It’s quite common in the U.S. to apply for an extension to a deadline, but that’s not likely to be an option in this case.
GDPR regulators will quickly make an example of an organization
Those that have not made every effort to comply with guidelines will be dealt with more harshly in an attempt to reinforce the strong position that American companies need to take action.
The decline of password-only protection will accelerate
Even situations where passwords require capital and lowercase letters, numbers, special characters and a minimum character count are becoming obsolete.
The same as how recent versions of Apple’s iPhone required Touch ID, and the latest version incorporates facial recognition, we can expect much higher levels of security to access personally identifiable information (PII).
Attacks via compromised IoT devices will get worse
Physical devices that connect to the Internet can still be hacked. This network connectivity is what makes these devices so attractive, in that they allow the collection and exchange of personal data – that needs to be secure. For the most part, we will be reactive until manufacturers build devices that are “unhackable”.
Automation of some threat-detection tasks will increase
Automation is our best friend and our worst enemy, simultaneously. When the idea of writing code to automate the ability to perform tasks first exploded — given the appeal of efficiency and cost-cutting capability — we opened ourselves to being hacked, and offer yet another entry point due to a cybersecurity vulnerability.
Consider the last time you received an email from a friend or colleague that seemed like their email address was compromised. It was likely a message promoting hair growth vitamins, or from someone claiming to be from Google who recommended you reset your password immediately – but neither the web link nor the “from” email address had anything to do with Google. These seemed like obvious threats that are easy enough to ignore.
What happens if a hacker gains access to the webcam on your laptop and read your personal data through the reflection in your eyeglasses? This seemed far-fetched a decade ago, but today? It’s a genuine concern. Imagine that type of scenario but a hundredfold in complexity, and with access to global consumer data – what do you need to do to be ready?
Knowledge is power: arm yourself with an arsenal of information and be transparent in all professional relationships. We’ll face 2018 together, and emerge stronger in 2019 – together.
by Felicien | Feb 13, 2018 | Education
There are few things worse than feeling trapped in an unfulfilling relationship – especially when it’s a vital business relationship.
Technology is an integral part of everything your business does, which raises a few important questions about your current IT set up. For starters, what is your relationship like with your technology systems – rock solid, or more than a little rocky?
How about with your technology service provider – are they always there for you when you need them the most? Do you still love your technology service provider the same way that you did the day you first met? Does your relationship with them still make you happy, and leave you feeling confident and supported in everything your business does? Can you count on them to help you reach your goals and achieve your dreams for the future?
One last question – has your passion for your network faded, leaving you frustrated, disappointed, and longing for happier times? If the answer is yes, then we have some good news for you… Your IT cupid is here to help you get back that lovin’ feeling. Let {company} rekindle your passion for your business technology. Something that is such a core part of your daily life shouldn’t be a constant drag on your mood, your productivity, and your success.
You deserve better. You deserve a technology company who puts you first and treats you like you’re special. IT and IT support are in no way one-size-fits-all. Your technology infrastructure should be as unique as your individual business, and tailored to meet your specific needs. Everything from the software you use to the way your data backup system is configured should take into account the way your company operates, and what your employees need to have access to in order to be effective and efficient.
A cookie-cutter IT infrastructure can’t help your business grow and thrive. If your IT company can’t or won’t treat you like you’re not just another client, it’s time to look for someone who will be more than happy to treat you right.
If you’ve stopped feeling that spark from your tech support when you pick up the phone and call them, it’s a surefire sign that the relationship is no longer working for you. Dreading making a call to the help desk because you know that you’re going to, at best, get an apathetic response from the person on the other end of the line is not a good feeling. This is a company you’re trusting with your business’ most valuable assets, and if they can’t make your needs a priority? That’s a serious problem.
What happens when something goes seriously wrong, and you know that your emergency is going to be treated like just another service ticket? What could possibly be a worse feeling than that?
It’s time to put your foot down and stop being taken for granted by IT companies who have become complacent, thinking that you will always be there for them to come to when they feel like it. You can’t afford to be kept waiting each and every time you need something from your IT provider, and you can’t afford to leave your technology in the hands of someone who isn’t interested in helping you get the most out of your IT. Technology is evolving fast, and having someone there to help you take advantage of innovative solutions can make all the difference to your business’ future success.
Like any good relationship, your IT provider shouldn’t only pay you attention when there is something broken that needs to be fixed. They should want to spend time with you and work on building a solid, trusting rapport with you and your staff. They should want to take the time to learn what your business’ goals and values are, and connect with you without you always needing to be the one who makes the first move.
No relationship should ever be one-sided. If you’re doing all the work, then what’s the point of keeping that IT company in your life? If they’re not giving you everything you need and more, it’s time to let go, move on, and find someone who deserves your business.
Here’s our number: {phone}. Whenever you’re ready to chat with us, give us a call. We’d love to sit down with you, get to know your business better, and find out what we can do to help you get the most out of your current technology and future technology investments. We want to help you reach your business goals, and offer the best possible service to your customers.
And of course, you’re welcome to ask us anything you’d like to know about who we are, what our values are, and what we have to offer. We’re an open book.
Ready to set up that first date and talk technology with a team of professionals who truly care about your business? Give {company} a call at {phone} or email us at {email} today.
by Felicien | Feb 12, 2018 | Education
There are few things worse than feeling trapped in an unfulfilling relationship – especially when it’s a vital business relationship.
Technology is an integral part of everything your business does, which raises a few important questions about your current IT set up. For starters, what is your relationship like with your technology systems – rock solid, or more than a little rocky?
How about with your technology service provider – are they always there for you when you need them the most? Do you still love your technology service provider the same way that you did the day you first met? Does your relationship with them still make you happy, and leave you feeling confident and supported in everything your business does? Can you count on them to help you reach your goals and achieve your dreams for the future?
One last question – has your passion for your network faded, leaving you frustrated, disappointed, and longing for happier times? If the answer is yes, then we have some good news for you… Your IT cupid is here to help you get back that lovin’ feeling. Let {company} rekindle your passion for your business technology. Something that is such a core part of your daily life shouldn’t be a constant drag on your mood, your productivity, and your success.
You deserve better. You deserve a technology company who puts you first and treats you like you’re special. IT and IT support are in no way one-size-fits-all. Your technology infrastructure should be as unique as your individual business, and tailored to meet your specific needs. Everything from the software you use to the way your data backup system is configured should take into account the way your company operates, and what your employees need to have access to in order to be effective and efficient.
A cookie-cutter IT infrastructure can’t help your business grow and thrive. If your IT company can’t or won’t treat you like you’re not just another client, it’s time to look for someone who will be more than happy to treat you right.
If you’ve stopped feeling that spark from your tech support when you pick up the phone and call them, it’s a surefire sign that the relationship is no longer working for you. Dreading making a call to the help desk because you know that you’re going to, at best, get an apathetic response from the person on the other end of the line is not a good feeling. This is a company you’re trusting with your business’ most valuable assets, and if they can’t make your needs a priority? That’s a serious problem.
What happens when something goes seriously wrong, and you know that your emergency is going to be treated like just another service ticket? What could possibly be a worse feeling than that?
It’s time to put your foot down and stop being taken for granted by IT companies who have become complacent, thinking that you will always be there for them to come to when they feel like it. You can’t afford to be kept waiting each and every time you need something from your IT provider, and you can’t afford to leave your technology in the hands of someone who isn’t interested in helping you get the most out of your IT. Technology is evolving fast, and having someone there to help you take advantage of innovative solutions can make all the difference to your business’ future success.
Like any good relationship, your IT provider shouldn’t only pay you attention when there is something broken that needs to be fixed. They should want to spend time with you, and work on building a solid, trusting rapport with you and your staff. They should want to take the time to learn what your business’ goals and values are, and connect with you without you always needing to be the one who makes the first move.
No relationship should ever be one-sided. If you’re doing all the work, then what’s the point of keeping that IT company in your life? If they’re not giving you everything you need and more, it’s time to let go, move on, and find someone who deserves your business.
Here’s our number: {phone}. Whenever you’re ready to chat with us, give us a call. We’d love to sit down with you, get to know your business better, and find out what we can do to help you get the most out of your current technology and future technology investments. We want to help you reach your business goals, and offer the best possible service to your customers.
And of course, you’re welcome to ask us anything you’d like to know about who we are, what our values are, and what we have to offer. We’re an open book.
Ready to set up that first date and talk technology with a team of professionals who truly care about your business? Give MSP Tech Services a call at {phone} or email us at {email} today.
by Felicien | Feb 12, 2018 | Education
Learn the seven key questions every business should ask when deciding on which Managed Security Service Provider to hire.
A Managed Security Service Provider is an extension of your IT services department that focuses solely on the security of your company. The services that a Managed Security Service Provider provides range on the network security management spectrum from virus and spam blocking, to intrusion detection, firewalls, and virtual private network (VPN) management. Additionally, some Managed Security Service Providers offer other features such as system changes, modifications, and upgrades. When your company’s security is on the line, it is incredibly important to fully evaluate your options for Managed Security Service Provider.
To help make this decision, here are seven questions every business should ask when deciding on which Managed Security Service Providers to hire.
What Is Their Reputation?
Checking the reputation and reviews of a business doesn’t only apply to restaurants, but it is also essential when hiring a Managed Security Service Provider. Roger Smith, Amazon #1 Best Selling Author, Experienced Cybercrime and CyberSecurity Expert, Speaker, and Trainer, explains that that reputation is critical in deciding whether to hire a Managed Security Service Provider. Smith goes on to further clarify that “Making a bad decision or deciding on one provider based solely on cost can cripple your business”.
What Can The Managed Security Service Provider Do For Your Business?
Before you hire a Managed Security Service Provider, you need to know what they do, and what they can do for your business. You can evaluate their features by looking into four key categories: Technology, Management, Adaptability, and Compliance. A Managed Security Service Provider typically offers businesses technology such as firewalls, wireless solutions, VPNs and patch management. Managed Security Service Providers are responsible for managing policies, risks, procedures, processes, auditing, reports, training, and education. Managed Security Service Providers should be able to adapt to your business needs under any circumstance. For example, Managed Security Service Providers should offer disaster recovery, business continuity, and backup storage and protection as well.
Knowing each feature, and its importance to your company allows you to better evaluate which Managed Security Service Provider will work best for you. John Penland, the founder of InfoTech, states that “In order to provide exceptional value, a provider must first understand their customer’s business model. This helps providers develop a rock-solid solution that can create a long-lasting, happy customer”.
Do They Have The Expertise?
Not all Managed Security Service Providers are the same. While they might all roughly do the same work, it doesn’t mean that they will all fit well with your company. For example, a Managed Security Service Provider that works for a healthcare business might not be as successful for an accounting business. There are differences in timelines, terms, and expertise that can affect their successful integration into your business. Ian Trump, an ITIL Certified Information Technology Consultant with 20 years’ experience, explains that “When evaluating the Managed Security Service Provider, you need to know whether they have some experience in your particular vertical. A Managed Security Service Provider that specializes in healthcare services may not be a good fit for a logistics and transport or manufacturing company”.
Do They Have The Capability?
You need to be sure of what you need from your Managed Security Service Provider, then cross-reference that to ensure that they are capable of providing those services to you. Brian Laing, an IT Security innovator from Lastline, states that “The key to evaluating a Managed Security Service Provider is to first codify your requirements”. Splitting these into different requirements not only simplifies which Managed Security Service Provider might be better, but it can also completely remove a vendor from the selection process. This will save your business valuable money and time.
What Are They Going To Change To Make Your Life Easier?
Hiring a Managed Security Service Provider should make running your business smoother. When hiring and evaluating your Managed Security Service Provider, ensure that you are firm on nonnegotiable expectations of service. Ian Trump further iterates the importance of a mutually beneficial relationship by explaining that “When contracting the services, I would approach negotiations as a partnership and use language which provides mutual benefit, measurable deliverables, service level agreements (on both sides), and dispute resolution mechanisms”.
What Benefits Are You Going To Get Out Of It If You Partner With Them?
It is essential to create a specific service level agreement with your chosen Managed Security Service Provider. This ensures that all parties involved understand the requirements on both sides –
recognizing this as a mutual relationship is key. They are there to protect your company, data, customers, and staff and you are there to pay them. Just as you wouldn’t hire an employee to sit on Facebook all day, you shouldn’t hire a Managed Security Service Provider that won’t carry their own weight.
How Much Will It Cost?
Outsourcing to a Managed Security Service Provider can save your business 60-75%. Managed Security Service Providers cost on average about $75,000 a year. While this sounds hefty, you can compare it to the cost of a small IT department doing the same amount of work. Three IT staff, with a salary of $72,000 annually plus the cost of cybersecurity software, hardware, and equipment can easily run you upwards of $300,000.
Additionally, the use of a Managed Security Service Provider saves you money by providing your business with critical cyber protection 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. The cost of this with a traditional employee would be exponentially expensive.
It is important to understand all aspects of your contract and to thoroughly investigate the financial aspects of it. Protecting your investment in a business is no different in the process of hiring a Managed Security Service Provider. Due diligence is important during the hiring and evaluating stage, as it provides your business peace of mind and ensures that your Managed Security Service Provider will continue to work as hard as you are.
