When your business needs IT support, you usually have two choices. A big national provider with massive call centers or a local IT company where you can actually meet the person working on your systems. Both options have pros and cons. The right choice depends on your size, your needs, and how much you value a real relationship with your IT team.

When it comes to managing technology, most businesses fall into one of two camps. Either they hand it all off to an IT provider, or they share the work between their internal IT team and an outside partner. That’s the difference between fully outsourced IT and co-managed IT.

 Hello everyone, this is Bob Coppedge, CEO of your favorite MSP, Simplex-IT. Today, I want to talk about something that's been annoying me for some time in our industry - the never-ending rebranding of the term "MSP."

Outsourcing IT sounds pretty appealing on paper. You get expert support, you don’t have to manage the tech yourself, and often, it looks like you’re saving money compared to building a full in-house team. And honestly, for a lot of businesses, outsourcing IT is a smart move.

Outsourcing your IT can be a game changer for your business. It saves time, gives you access to experts, and takes a lot of technical pressure off your team. But there are stories out there about hidden fees, slow responses, or just not getting the support you expected. Here’s the good news:

Hey spreadsheet warriors! Got a habit of linking your Excel files to random stuff across the internet? Well, Microsoft just said: “Nope. Not anymore.” Starting October 2025, Excel will start blocking links to sketchy file types. Why?

When Is “Co-Managed” Not Really Co-Managed?  At Simplex-IT, we’ve built a reputation as one of the leaders in co-managed IT services, a model where internal IT teams and managed service providers actually work together as partners. 

Let’s talk about Shadow AI. No, it’s not a cool new Marvel villain - it’s the AI your employees are using without telling you. Think ChatGPT, Claude, or whatever shiny tool they found on Reddit last week. If it’s not sanctioned, not secured, and not monitored, congratulations - you’ve got Shadow AI.

Whether you’re running a growing business or just getting started, managing your Microsoft licenses might feel a bit like trying to read a foreign language. What’s a license?

Windows 11 is sleek and modern, but it also comes with pre-installed apps (bloatware) and background processes that can slow it down. If your system feels sluggish, don’t worry - we’ll cover what to uninstall and how to speed up Windows 11 to get the best performance.

Many businesses are starting to explore co-managed IT, but it can be hard to know exactly when it's the right move. So how do you know if your organization needs a co-managed provider? The answer often starts when you recognize that your internal IT team could use a boost, either in expertise, manpower, or both.

Cyberbullying isn’t just a problem for teenagers it can happen in professional environments, too. In this blog, we break down what workplace cyberbullying is, how to recognize it, and what employers and employees can do to prevent it.

In the IT world, the terms "active" and "passive" are used to describe different types of components, systems, and strategies. Understanding the distinction between these two can help clarify how various IT infrastructures operate and how they respond to different situations.

Running a business today means juggling a lot of responsibilities, and one of the most critical yet often overlooked areas is IT. Whether you’re trying to manage your network, keep your data secure, or simply ensure that your computers are running smoothly, it can be a challenge, especially if you don’t have a dedicated IT team.

When it comes to IT support, many clients prefer to have the same technician handle all their service tickets. This is known as "latch-a-tech," where a client gets comfortable with one technician and requests them for every issue, or they go directly to the tech bypassing our ticketing system.

This is a question that a lot of people ask when considering options for IT support. Break Fix is actually a pretty simple idea, but knowing the pros and cons can help you make smarter IT decisions for your business. At its core, Break Fix means “If it breaks, fix it. If it doesn’t, leave it alone.”

Certifications validate an IT tech's skills in specific areas like cybersecurity, networking, or cloud services. A certified technician demonstrates their expertise, which can be critical when troubleshooting complex systems or leading projects.

As we approach 2025, many businesses may not realize that their older Windows systems are reaching a crucial milestone. If you’re still using Windows 7, Windows 8.1, Windows Server 2008 R2, or Windows SBS 2011, there’s an important date you need to know: March 31, 2025.

In the realm of IT infrastructure, certain devices are pivotal to the daily operations and success of businesses. These are known as business critical devices, and understanding their importance is key to maintaining smooth operations. Here's an exploration of what business critical devices are and why they matter.

What is the cost comparison between hiring internal IT vs outsourcing IT? When evaluating the cost comparison between hiring internal IT staff versus outsourcing IT services to a managed service provider (MSP), several factors come into play. Here’s a breakdown of the key considerations.