Our Learning Center Video Library is designed to provide answers to questions that we are most frequently asked. Since we have so many videos, we have separated them out into categories to help you navigate to the video that will best answer your questions. We also have a search feature on each page.
Conditional access is also known as contextual access. It is a method of controlling user access. You can think of it as several “if/then” statements, meaning “if” this thing is present, “then” do this. Conditional access allows you to add many conditions to the process of user access to a system. It is typically used with MFA.
Ok, this one is mostly an excuse to tell a true story that happened to me back in the mid-80’s. Because…well, I’m old.
What’s my point here? It’s great to create processes and procedures to use in an emergency. Documents that identify processes to be followed and resources to be involved.
Let’s start by saying that phishing is a way of contacting someone by posing to be someone else, usually in the form of an email, text message or even phone call. But what is "simulated" phishing? Organizations use simulated phishing attempts to identify employees that may require additional training.
Adobe Flash was an add-on to most web browsers back in the day. It really enabled web sites to do a lot. It especially makes it easier for bad guys to do bad things. In fact, both Microsoft and Adobe (and honestly everybody else in the industry strongly recommended removing Flash from all computers and web sites.
Everyone – and I mean everyone – can fall victim to a hack! Hacking attempts are an issue that should be taken seriously. Why? Well, 43% of cyber hacks are aimed at small businesses. And 60% of companies who fall prey to a hack experience a complete crash in the following six months.
Simplex-IT was created in 2007 as a managed service provider, to handle the IT services for our clients. Depending on the client needs that can mean we handle everything or partner with them to provide additional support with what we call Co-Managed IT.
So you want to learn a little more about how we come up with our pricing? That’s great! Our SiMS (Simplex-IT Managed Services) offering includes a compilation all of the products and services your organization needs to have the most effective IT for your clients.
Keyloggers are programs that capture everything you type. Passwords, credit card numbers, the webpages, answers to security questions – all by logging your keyboard strokes. The program is installed on your computer, usually through some form of spyware, and records what you type.
So we talked about the security vendor, basically a password vault, LastPass was breached. At that time, both LastPass and we said it was not that big of a deal because they didn't get much. Well, it turned out not entirely accurate.
A DDoS attack stands for “denial of service” attack, where the bad guys try to overwhelm a network or server with a ton of traffic. This will typically cause whatever they hit, like your website, online platform, or application, to crash.
What is a botnet? We talked recently about what a bot (short for robot) is (usually a computer that’s been compromised to do bad things quietly in the background). But what’s a botnet?
What is a bot? A bot is short for robot, but that part you probably knew. These days the term “bot” is used most often for cyber security.
Simplex-IT has had a busy year this year, from Tradeshows to our big office move, to our Annual Party at Quarter Up to our new Content Creation Team to our Awards, here are the Top 10 Moments of 2022.
Cloud9 is the name of a lot of things. Unfortunately, it is now the name of a new botnet. Oh, that’s a network of computers all running malware applications, usually without the knowledge or permission of the computer owner.
You’ve just discovered there are compromised employee credentials or other sensitive data of your company exposed and available on the Dark Web. Your company should immediately start taking appropriate steps and measures to correct or minimize the risks and potential damages associated with this exposed data.
OneDrive is a Microsoft cloud storage service that lets you store your personal files in one place, share them with others, and get to them from any device connected to the internet. There are personal and business versions of OneDrive.
Don’t you just wish you had an album to throw on and reminisce about the good ol’ days? Well, here at Simplex-IT we have curated a list of over 30 classic holiday songs we all know and love, Simplex-IT's Songs of the Season.
We’ve talked about both Break Fix and Managed Services in other videos. Now, let’s compare them against each other (with plusses and minuses). Of course we’re specifically talking as these concepts relate to IT resources for organizations.
Loads of fun! It's easy to get started with Simplex-IT. Once you've agreed to our proposal, the next 30-45 days will be spent transitioning your organization over to our services, or welcoming you into our family as I like to say.
I started Simplex-IT in 2007 and at that time the MSP industry was just getting started. I was then dealing with being a consultant and working with a lot of companies on primarily database, development and infrastructure work. But I wanted to have a company that was based on relationships.
Empowering Clients and Community with open Knowledge Sharing IT is hard. That's why in the first 8 months of '22 we created over 60 videos and held half a dozen webinars aimed at helping explain IT concepts, buzzwords, current happenings, and have some fun. All minimal (usually none) sales tactics.
IT changes. This is especially true with security. Simplex-IT has developed an annual process we call SiMS (for Simplex-IT Managed Services) that involve each year evaluating our Software, Tools, Methodologies and Processes (we call them "STMPs", pronounced "Stamps").
You may have heard the term "Tech Debt", aka "Technology Debt", "design debt" or "code debt". It's a term that is commonly used to describe a situation where an organization is using a technology solution that...well, isn't the best available. But what does it mean, and is it a specific definition?
Simplex-IT has spoken at nearly every MSP conference about Co-Managed Services. CEO Bob Coppedge has written the only two books on the topic (both best sellers on Amazon).
First it must be protected by end-to-end encryption. This means even if your data is intercepted, no one can read it. Next, make sure the manager works across all applications.
Simplex-IT was formed in 2007 as a Managed Service Provider. To this date well over 80% of our revenue comes from either MSP or Co-Managed MSP agreements or projects with clients.
An algorithm is simply a set of instructions given to precisely define a sequence of some kind. That's pretty much it! Usually, we're talking about instructions given to computer systems to allow them to do their thing.
CoMITs is actually a made-up term. And I should know, since I'm the guy who made it up. Co-Managed IT is a collaborative relationship between a Managed Service Provider and the Internal IT resources for an organization.
Each year Channel Futures has created a list of the top 501 Managed Service Providers in the world based on the largest and most comprehensive survey and ranking of IT companies that provide managed services in the technology industry. And once again, Simplex-IT has been recognized within this list.
The Case Weatherhead awards are honestly the premier business awards in Northeast Ohio. And for the sixth year, Simplex-IT has been recognized by those fine folks. Yup, Simplex-IT is a winner of the Weatherhead 100 award for 2022.
Simplex-IT will be at the Design2Part show at the John S. Knight Center in Akron, Ohio, October 26th and 27th, 2022.
How expensive is downtime? "The Server is down." Yeah, we hate to hear that. Because downtime is expensive. But how expensive? That's a really important number that we ignore way too much. Downtime.
Hey, if you're in manufacturing and have some time October 18-20, come visit the Manufacturing & Technology show at the Huntington Convention Center here in Cleveland. Simplex-IT is proud to be one of the folks exhibiting there. So obviously you should attend.
Authentication is a process to validate the identity of someone (or something). For this conversation we’re talking strictly in the cyber world.
Think about the bad guys behind cybercrime. Do you think of the evil genius writing evil stuff living in moms basement? Or the head of an organization with employees, products and marketing strategies making millions of dollars?
I want to show you something that we just received that is actually kind of funny. Spoiler alert it's bad guys trying to get us to give them money and we foiled it. We will show you how!
Does your organization have data backups or an incident response plan? If you already have an organization with a strong cybersecurity background, contact them immediately and follow their lead. If you’re on your own, here are some steps you can follow.
Four unique things about Simplex-IT, MSP first and foremost, the industry recognized leader in Co-Managed IT services, ever evolving solutions with a focus on security, and empowering clients and community with open knowledge sharing.
So who is Simplex-IT? We've also been called simplex it or my favorite simple exit. Simplex-IT was created in 2007 as a managed service provider. We try to help organizations to succeed.
IT Budgeting is a planning tool. The budget helps us see down the road and around corners. Budgets drive lifecycle management and are a critical component of strategic planning. Planning expenses and values behind them is key to creating a strong, healthy IT resource for any organization.
Should You Care About Uber Being Hacked? The quick answer is yes-ish. So far Uber has not come forward with any claims of any meaningful user data but the jury is still out to a certain degree. So what should you do?
IT changes. A lot. And often. So how do we keep up in terms of IT support and cybersecurity services? Here at Simplex-IT we've developed our services around an annual cycle. We consistently watch the market for emerging technologies, evaluate, and then select the best options for our clients.
The bottom line is you’re “big enough” to warrant attention. Everyone is. And your organization is “big enough” to warrant the same attention from the bad guys. All organizations are. It’s time for you to take security seriously!
We've discussed what a Managed Service Provider (aka MSP) is before and we've even talked about when you shouldn't use an MSP to support the IT for your organization. So we still need to cover when you should use an MSP, right?
The principle of least access is the idea that an employee only should have access to the bare minimum amount of technology systems they need to do their job. Applying the principle of least access will limit the amount of information that is compromised during an attack.
We are trying to create the best and most productive and secure IT environment for your organization and there is a lot that goes into every one of these aspects that are critical to your organization’s success. And it’s kind of like Jenga.
So, you've heard us (and lots of other folks) warn you over and over again...use a password manager to protect your...ummm...passwords. Like LastPass. You know, the cloud-based password manager that was hacked two weeks ago.
Here are a few types of phishing campaigns and how they work. And the best way to protect against phishing is to protect your information and your technology by using multifactor authentication, and train your employees.
NIST stands for National Institutes of Standards and Technology and they're the ones that define all these industry standard practices. They're the ones that define what exactly is a pound, but they also write cybersecurity frameworks and compliance frameworks.
What are “Local Admin Rights” for computers, and do I want my end users to have them? Every time you log onto your computer, you’re doing so with your “User Account”. That’s not just your user name and password. It’s all of the setting specific to your account.
In this webinar, we discussed 5 actionable ways that you may be able to save money without compromising the value, productivity and security that IT brings to your organization (and your clients). We also talked about things like Shadow IT, training, financing and more.
Thanks everyone for coming out, we had such a great time! Thank you to Quarter Up for hosting us again!
Pen testing is short for penetration testing, which is where you hire the good guys to act like the bad guys and break into your network. A good pen tester will do some information gathering, which is referred to as reconnaissance, ahead of time.
Technically, the “Dark Web” is simply areas on the Internet that require specific credentials or software or configurations to access. Resources on the Dark Web do their best *not* to show up on search engines.
5 reasons why your organization might not want to use an MSP for their IT support needs.
Shadow IT is a term given to IT resources...hardware, software, subscriptions, services...that are used by an organization without the knowledge of whoever’s handling IT or cybersecurity for the organization.
Insurance companies are getting stricter in what their clients need to do on the security front before offering a cyber security policy.
We had the best time getting to attend and sponsor another @Manufacturing Works networking event.
SSL stands for "Secure Socket Layer" and are important in IT. Companies purchase SSL Certs from 3rd party resellers like GoDaddy or Network Solutions. These 3rd parties verify that the company is who they say they are.
The simple answer is that computers aren't perfect. The bad guys are using low-tech emails from using common email addresses from a legit email provider like Gmail or Yahoo.
Let's talk about IT certificates. There are 2 types: Vendor oriented and Vendor Neutral.
Are IT Certifications worth it? Bob discusses advantanges for the individual, the hiring company and the employer for receiving IT Certifications.
What is Infrastructure as a Service or IaaS, Software as a Service or SaaS, and Platform as a Service or PaaS?
What is the new exchange threat? Should I be worried about the new exchange threat? How can I protect myself against the new exchange threat?
What is the Difference Between Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery? And which would you want for your business?
So how much does the cloud cost? Well it depends on the size and complexity of what you want to use the cloud for. The price will increase when you start including things like VMs, replication, backups, and other applications.
In a nutshell Follina is where bad guys send a malicious document, usually as an email attachment. That document would open up a URL (a web address) and start executing code located on that web site to take control of the system that opened up the document.
What is the difference between CapEx and OpEx? This is a continuation of our Cloud series.
Azure is Microsoft’s version of a cloud service. Other companies like Amazon and Google also have their own versions of cloud services to choose from.
So you’re wondering whether it’s time to replace your desktops and/or laptops. Or you’re buying new computers but want to save as much money as you can. Why should the term “TPM” mean anything to you?
Cybersecurity is complicated. As we’ve discussed before, every opportunity to get data flowing between applications, devices, organizations, anything…is an equal opportunity for a bad actor to access that data.
People are always asking us, "Why is IT so hard?". We love to make it as easy as possible by simplifying the complex. If all of these IT terms overwhelm you, then consider getting a partner for your organization to help you through it.
There are 3 types of clouds: Public- Private- Hybrid. Learn which option is best for you and your organization.
Not all relationships last forever. We get that and although we hope that ours does, the cards might not agree. However it’s important to us that each month we can look at each other and say, “we got value out of this.”
Why do I need to manage Passwords? Because passwords are a pain! Why do I need a Password Management system for my organization? Because passwords and users are a bigger pain!
So, what the heck is the cloud? In the tech industry, the joke is that the cloud is somebody else’s computer. But to break it down, the cloud is taking the server in your office and migrating it to a resilient data center that you access over a private network or internet.
5 ways organizations can get IT support. Depending on the complexity of your organization, you actually might be using more than one! But if your organization uses Abdication or Seagulls, we need to talk.
So, why do we include a one-time onboarding fee to get the relationship started in addition to the monthly services?
That’s a good question, let’s talk about it.
We had the best time getting to attend and sponsor the Manufacturing Works Talent and Technology Showcase Annual Meeting event.
Doesn't IT handle all cybersecurity? In a word no. This video is a great explanation as to why cybersecurity is more than just the IT department or MSPs responsibility.
IT has developed incredible ways to increase productivity for organizations where they bring value throughout the organization and for all their customers and stakeholders.
Silo IT is a form of IT services or support, usually as part of a Co-Managed IT relationship.
Multifactor authentication is another layer of security beyond a password and there are many ways to introduce additional authentication methods.
Hiring a Managed Service Provider (MSP) for your organization shouldn't be a hasty decision. Here are six important factors to keep in mind:
An MSP is a third-party company that a business can collaborate with to help manage part or all of the IT for a business, both locally (aka "on prem") or in the cloud.
We had a great time at the Channel Strong Tour meeting with other MSPs in the area as well as the various vendors that came! Thank you to our clients who also showed up!
Simplex-IT’s Cybersecurity Czar Adam Evans and CEO Bob Coppedge highlight 5 steps your organization can (relatively) quickly and easily implement towards protecting your organization.
Our new and innovative Hyper Security 2.0 service makes the news. It's a foolproof guarantee to protect against cyber phishing and any other attempt to hack into your data or systems.
Happy Patrick's Day!
Drew stole Ryan's office to make a production studio!
