In Cisco Live 2019, CEO Chuck Robbins discussed the complexity of IT for most businesses. As technology advances, IT management has become more complex even while staff headcount remained the same. In this complicated IT environment, the staff needs to operate faster than ever while remaining short-staffed.
In response to this trend Cisco has been increasing adoption of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning. Cisco’s AI/ML analyes network data provides IT teams with the following:
Improved Visibility: When the IT environment changes via new IoT mechanisms, and BYOD, the IT team can monitor and manage it via a dashboard.
Insights: Cisco collects data from its customer database. Cisco then uses AI to establish intelligent analyses. This data can provide trends on where network infrastructures can commonly be improved so they can be quickly fixed and preventive measures can be taken.
Fast-Track Resolutions: Machine learning automates workflows to troubleshoot steps that would be used to resolve an issue. This enables engineers to detect issues and vulnerabilities and correct these issues quicker than ever.
These are exciting advancements made by Cisco to improve the networking experience of end-users. It will be interesting to observe further advancements made with Cisco AI/ML to boost network infrastructure.
Comptroller Scott Stringer expressed concern in a recent round-table with Community Board 5 about the lack of effective funding process for nonprofit organizations.
During the roundtable, which hosted local legislators, education advocates, community organizers etc, there was a length of discussion centered around nonprofit funding. The general concern was that while funding support was available for nonprofit organizations, it takes an extensive amount of time for the funds to reach the organizations themselves.
“Why is the city giving a good nonprofit money and then they don’t get the money two years? And then they have to take out loans against the money. It’s called the procurement process,” he said.
“I want a new more transparent procurement process. I want the mayor’s office of contracts to own up to the fact that they are too slow, too outdated and we are jeopardizing a lot of these nonprofit organizations,” Stringer said.
Despite common fearful connotations surrounding artificial intelligence; it is already becoming commonplace in today’s business sector via automation. For example, we see chat bots in websites that respond with automated responses catered to the specific inquiries.
Robotic Process Automation (RPA) is an emerging technology practice that streamlines enterprise operations and reduce costs. It is a way for businesses to automate processes to boost employee productivity while enhancing cost-effectiveness. RPA examples include can include software bots that take care of tedious tasks such as data entry, invoice processing, sales order, payroll, employee on-boarding, User termination etc.
Enabling the automation of repetitive mundane tasks empowers employees to redirect their attention to creative and strategic projects whilst the tasks at hand are addressed. If employees at large are more involved in creative advancement of the overall organization, that can prove beneficial and cost-effective for companies and organizations.
Danielle Arboleda, Director of Operations for Compulink Technologies, recently spoke at Ingram Micro’s TrustX Alliance Conference. She was asked to speak about Compulink’s involvement and experience with the Sales Advance Program created by Ingram Micro. Compulink Technologies has been a top partner of Ingram Micro for twenty years.
Danielle took this opportunity to speak to an audience of Ingram Micro Business Partners and leading IT manufacturers about committing to client success in the sales cycle and the benefits of the Sales Advance Program. Danielle spoke about having a junior team and the importance of growth together with shared experience; the benefits of Sales Advance and learning how to do strategic prospecting; and the excitement behind learning new best practices as well as using a growing sales partner network.
Danielle was able to successfully convey the Compulink Culture to the attendants of the events both in the stage and through networking. Through these exchanges, businesses are able to thrive together thanks to Ingram Micro’s collaborative initiative of sponsoring this event.
Data security used to be a concern relegated
to large enterprises. Small and medium size business (SMB) owners were more
likely to worry about their information security as customers than in a
business context. But as the digital age evolves, the security threat landscape
is becoming more complex, and SMBs are increasingly in the crosshairs. Nearly half of all cyber attacks target small businesses, and
the losses aren’t small. In fact, the
average loss for every 100 compromised records is $25,450 – to say nothing of the damage a breach could do to your
company’s reputation.
Although a Xerox
study showed that more than
40% of businesses still rely primarily on paper processes, most don’t make
print security a priority, choosing to focus instead on their desktops, laptops
and servers – if there’s a security plan in place at all. Hackers know this.
Many businesses don’t appreciate the
seriousness of the risk. Today’s new multifunction printers are going beyond
print, scan, fax and copy to truly help SMBs increase productivity and improve
the way they work. But left unsecured, any intelligent networked device can act
as an open door to the network if left unprotected. Reports of MFPs being
hacked through open ports is becoming more common and demonstrates the need to
ensure devices are protected from unauthorized access.
Another surprising risk comes from your people
themselves. From BYOD to paper left in the printer tray to simple mistakes made
by a busy employee, team members, though well intentioned, can be a serious
security risk, one that is likely to fly under your radar. Fortunately, there
are several ways to minimize the risks to your business, and they are
surprisingly easy to manage.
Assess the Threat
If you’re a larger organization with a diverse
printer fleet, you should strongly consider enlisting the help of a Document
Management Services (DMS) provider to assess device, fleet and
enterprise document security. An assessment will locate the existing points
of vulnerability and help you put a customized security plan in place that
takes into account all factors, from user access to what to do with the device
and its stored data when it’s time to upgrade.
Integrate Device Protection
Hard drive encryption
is standard on most MFPs, along
with data overwrite features. Data overwriting can help you safely upgrade to a
new device when the time comes, without worrying what information is leaving
with it. A sound, comprehensive device protection service ensures that your
MFPs do not provide open access to the network, and that all open ports are
closed as needed. Lastly, enabling automatic firmware and software updates
means you never have to worry about installing patches or making other manual
adjustments. You’ll always have the most up to date protection, without any
interruption to your workflows, or assigning additional responsibilities to
your team members.
Secure Your network
There are a number of ways to make your MFP more secure. The most common way is to encrypt print jobs to make it safe for sensitive documents to be printed via a wired or wireless network. Xerox MFPs use a comprehensive set of capabilities to prevent malicious attacks and unauthorized access. Those devices enabled with Xerox® ConnectKey® Technology also feature McAfee® Embedded Control technology which uses application whitelisting technology to protect its devices from corrupt software and malware.
Regain Control
Few business owners restrict print access
because most don’t realize the threat posed by unrestricted printing. While
your team members will likely never put your business at risk deliberately,
mistakes like leaving critical data in a printer tray can easily lead to a
breach – not to mention the print costs that add up when people print documents
they don’t need. PIN and pull printing enables print jobs to be saved
electronically on the device, or on an external server, until the authorized
user is ready to print them. The user provides a PIN code or other
authentication method such as a swipe card, or fingerprint to release the print
once they’ve arrived at the printer. No more wasted paper, and no more
unsecured information sitting in the printer tray. Access controls can also
ensure that only authorized users can access your MFP’s functionalities, an
important feature when you’re using a printer with app technology, or one that
holds sensitive information on its hard drive.
Monitor Your Devices
Now and Into the Future
The more devices and employees you have, the
more complicated the task of understanding what is being printed, scanned and
copied where and by whom. A knowledgeable DMS partner can integrate print
management tools that will allow them to monitor and track the usage of every MFP
in your organization, giving you valuable feedback like which devices are being
used, how, and by whom. This is an important piece of the puzzle as it not only
protects the security of your devices and the information they store; it can
ultimately lead to reduced costs and a more effective document management
system.
For most businesses, print security is an
overlooked risk and an under-appreciated benefit. By entrusting a DMS provider
to build an integrated approach to print security, you can protect your most
valuable asset, your data, in a way that is hassle and headache free.
Optional: Contact us today and let’s have a
conversation about how Document Management Services can help you protect your
business.
Reducing the likelihood of Cyber-security and Privacy Risks for IoT (Internet of Things) devices are becoming an increasing concern for both the private and public sector. However, “reducing risks” is a broad concept which needs to be clearly broken down into specific goals and steps. Here are three goals in IoT device security that will help your organization reduce cyber-security and privacy risks.
Goal 1: Protect Device Security.
Prevent a device from being used to conduct attacks. Here are risk mitigation areas to help achieve this goals:
Asset Management: Maintain a current, accurate inventory of all IoT devices and their relevant characteristics throughout the devices’ lifecycles for cybersecurity and privacy risk management purposes.
Vulnerability Management: Identify and eliminate known vulnerabilities of IoT device software and firmware in order to prevent a security breach.
Access Management: Prevent unauthorized and improper access to IoT Devices by people, processes and other computing devices.
Device Security Incident Detection: Regularly monitor and analyze IoT device activity for signs of incidents and suspicious patterns.
Goal 2: Protect Data Security.
Protect the confidentiality of data including Personally Identifiable Information (PII) collected by, stored on, or transmitted to or from the IoT device. Here are risk mitigation areas for Goal 2: Data Protection: Prevent access to and tampering with data at rest or in transit that might expose sensitive information or allow manipulation or disruption of IoT device operations. Data Security Incident Detection: As mentioned previously in Goal 1, this is a highly important step in achieving this goal. Be sure to regularly monitor and analyze IoT Device activity for signs of incidents!
Goal 3: Protect Individuals’ Privacy.
Protect individuals’ privacy impacted by PII processing beyond risks managed through device and data security protection. Here are some Risk mitigation areas for Goal 3:
Information Flow Management: Maintain a current, accurate mapping of the information lifecycle of PII.
PII Processing Permissions Management: Maintain permissions for PII processing to prevent unpermitted PII processing.
Informed Decision Making: Enable individuals to understand the effects of PII processing and interactions with the device and resolve problems.
Privacy Breach Detection: Monitor and analyze IoT device activity for signs of breaches involving individuals’ privacy.
The contents of this email was based on a report by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). The full report can be found here.
If you would like to learn more about improving your organization’s IoT Security, contact us!
Note: Some links in the following article links back to the Compulink E-Store for product information. The E-Store is a password protected website and requires user account for access. Registering for an account is 100% free and quick. Click here to sign up!
When refreshing your organization’s
IT storage hardware, it is important to understand what to look out for during
the purchasing experience. After years
of assisting various organizations and government agencies with their IT storage
infrastructure, we have identified three important characteristics to consider
when buying storage hardware.
Performance
Storage performance refers to the speed at which data transfers within a device or from one device to another. The speed of storage device is crucial especially when handling high volumes of data. As the usage of data increase, the performance of the drive where you store them must increase. Consider buying hardware storage device(s) with great performance, well HPE 300 GB 2.5″ Internal Hard Drive – SAS – 10000rpm – Hot Pluggable – 1 Pack is your best bet. This HPE drive offers the highest level of performance and reliability for your most demanding application workloads.
Capacity
Capacity is the amount of data that a storage device can store.If you work with data every day, you need to have Storage device that can handle all your data instead of buying different drives. That is where capacity of your drive is crucial. Don’t wait until you run out of space to store your data. Check out this product to get an understanding of what high capacity looks like!
Data Safety
Data safety refers to the durability of your drive and how you handle it. As much as performance and capacity of storage device is concern, the safely of a drive is more important. Both the drive’s quality and how it is been handled (used) is very important. Buying external hard drive can save you headaches especially when you are in an environment that you can’t access your information on cloud or internet. Do you will need that safe and secure storage device? Well its one click away.
If you would like to learn more about Storage solutions that will meet your needs and optimize your tech infrastructure, click on the image below to learn more!
Though document management sounds like a complicated process that’s reserved for large corporations, it’s actually something that every organization – of every size – does every day. In fact, your office is doing it right now as we speak. Simply put, document management is the printing, copying, and filing you do daily; it’s how you interact with the documents you use to get your job done. It’s also key to helping your organization improve productivity and security, and to everyone’s favorite benefit, reducing costs.
Despite talk of the “paperless office,” some 40% of all organizational processes are still document driven, according to a survey by Xerox. Switching from paper to digital workflows has the power to transform the way your organization operates. In addition to saving time and money, digitizing paper processes can enhance collaboration, and even help to secure your data, a concern which should definitely be at the top of your list.
True
digitization involves creating an end-to-end solution that includes document
routing, storing, sharing and printing. It should also incorporate mobile print
and cloud solutions, as well as state-of-the-art security. Lastly, it should automate
your most complex document workflows to make your work day easier.
Here are a
few simple guidelines to help you know you’re getting the maximum ROI on your
document management investment.
It Boosts Security
Your document management should absolutely be addressing document
security. Did you know that 43% of all cyber attacks that
occurred in 2015 targeted small businesses? Or that a survey done by Keeper
Security and Ponemon Institute found that half of all small businesses in
2016 had experienced a security breach within the past year?
The Xerox Small Business Solutions blog writes, “The security
threat landscape is enormously complex, requiring businesses to protect everything
from their devices to their data and their networks, with many often
overlooking the security vulnerabilities of today’s advanced multifunction
printers (MFPs). For many SMBs, the answer is putting data security in the
hands knowledgeable MPS provider with access to a range of services and tools
which can be adapted and expanded as business needs change.
It Lessens Your Workload
An effective
document management solution should simplify the workflows you rely on every
day – not create new ones.
A truly effective
digitization strategy should allow you to use your digital documents the same
way you do your paper documents – meaning, you should still be able to annotate,
collate, and collaborate any way you see fit. Your scan/capture solution should
allow you to create editable, searchable files that can be scanned right into
existing document repositories, applications, and document management systems to
simplify and automate your workflows. Done well, this should significantly
reduce the amount of time and energy you’ll spend searching for information.
Printers and
multifunction printers (MFPs) with Xerox® ConnectKey® Technology enable you to scan directly
into a breadth of cloud-based services including Google Drive, Dropbox, Box, OneDrive and Office
365, while ConnectKey Apps
simplify the way you scan and share documents to and from email accounts,
DocuShare or Microsoft Office tools. Read here for more about devices that might be right for
your business.
The
Xerox CapturePoint Transformer App
lets you streamline your document workflows even more by securely scanning
documents and importing them directly into the proper apps, transforming paper
into editable, actionable information. You can even create customized workflows
such as scanning to email, FTP, shared network folders, USB and multiple
destinations.
It
Drives Real Value
Digitization
should go beyond convenience to drive real business value. Results from IDC’s Content Workflow Automation Survey showed that organizations who made strides
toward digitizing, automating, and optimizing their document workflows:
Reduced the percentage of time spent on document-related tasks each week by 17.2%
Saved an average of 3.1 hours each week on document-related tasks
Experiences a 3% reduction in paper documents
Decreased the time spent looking for and/or recreating lost or misfiled documents by 12.5%
Reduced the costs of storing documents by an average of 41.2%
Source:
idc.com
The
Role of MPS
Managed Print Services (MPS) provides a bridge
between paper and digital. Naturally, digitization starts with scanning. But
scanning in terms of digitization is complex. Digitization should be approached
as an end-to-end strategy and most businesses need guidance when it comes to
implementing an effective solution. Simply scanning document-by-document leads
to additional challenges rather than lessening them. An MPS assessment can show
you how to integrate digital and hard copy processes so that information flows
smoothly, predictably, and efficiently throughout your organization. By
implementing an end-to-end MPS solution that includes print, document workflow,
cloud technology, security and mobile, you can accelerate your digital
transformation and achieve the maximum benefits.
Better
document management is a truly transformative process that can help you work
better, more securely, and with lower operating costs. If you’re not sure where
to start, our team can alleviate many of the pain points that have prevented you
from making the switch – challenges like investment costs and potential
disruption to your existing business processes.
Contact us today for an assessment and we’ll help you explore the returns you can expect for your document management investment.
Tech Elite 250 List Recognizes Highest Achieving IT Solution Providers in Vendor Certifications
CRN®, a brand of The Channel Company, has
named Compulink Technologies Inc. to its 2019 Tech Elite 250 list.
This annual list honors a select group of North American IT solution providers
that have earned the highest number of advanced technical certifications from leading technology suppliers, scaled to their
company size. These companies have distinguished themselves with multiple,
top-level IT certifications, specializations, and partner program designations
from the industry’s most prestigious technology providers.
To
compile this annual list, The Channel Company’s research group and CRN editors
work together to identify the most customer-beneficial technical certifications
in the North American IT channel. Companies who have earned these elite
designations— which enable solution providers to deliver premium products,
services and customer support—are then selected from a pool of online
applicants.
“CRN’s Tech Elite 250 list recognizes solution
providers with extensive technical knowledge and premier certifications,” said
Bob Skelley, CEO of The Channel Company. “Pursuit of vendor certifications and
broader skill sets in a wide range of technologies and IT practices, proves a
solution provider is committed to delivering maximum business value from those
technologies and giving their customers the highest level of service.”
Compulink Technologies has also won CRN Awards in the past including the Elite 150 Category of the MSP 500 in 2019! You can click here to read more.
“We
are very committed to staying on top of our tech certifications. It is important to us that when we engage our
clients, we are fully aware of what capabilities the products and solutions
have or do not have. This helps our
Compulink team maintain transparency with our clients and ensure client
satisfaction.” – Denise Arboleda, VP of Sales in Compulink Technologies.
Coverage
of the Tech Elite 250 will
be featured in the April issue of CRN, and online at www.CRN.com/TechElite250.
The Channel
Company enables breakthrough IT channel performance with our dominant media,
engaging events, expert consulting and education and innovative marketing
services and platforms. As the channel catalyst, we connect and empower
technology suppliers, solution providers and end users. Backed by more than 30
years of unequalled channel experience, we draw from our deep knowledge to
envision innovative new solutions for ever-evolving challenges in the
technology marketplace. www.thechannelcompany.com
New
York, NY, February 19, 2019 – Compulink Technologies, announced
today that CRN®,
a brand of The Channel Company, has
named Compulink Technologies to its 2019 Managed Service Provider (MSP) 500
list in the Elite 150 category. You can find the
link of our placement here. This annual list recognizes North
American solution providers with innovative approaches to managed services.
These services help customers improve operational efficiencies, maximize return
on IT investments, and continuously help them navigate the complexities of IT
solutions.
Managed service providers are integral to the
success of businesses everywhere. They empower companies to implement and
operate complex technologies while staying within their budgets and keep focus
on their core business. CRN’s MSP 500 list identifies the most groundbreaking
managed service organizations, with advanced solutions that have endless
potential for growth.
This annual list is divided into three
categories: the MSP Pioneer 250, recognizing companies with business models
weighted toward managed services and largely focused on the SMB market; the MSP
Elite 150, recognizing large, data center-focused MSPs with a strong mix of
on-premises and off-premises services; and the Managed Security 100,
recognizing MSPs focused primarily on off-premises, cloud-based security
services.
Compulink Technologies has also received the
CRN Solution Provider 500 Award in 2017 and 2018 (link
here)! Compulink has also was placed in the Fast Growth 150 for CRN
in 2016! So this is the third consecutive year we have received a
recognition from CRN!
“Capable MSPs enable companies
to take their cloud computing to the next level, streamline spending,
effectively allocate limited resources and navigate the vast field of available
technologies,” said Bob Skelley, CEO of The Channel Company. “The companies on
CRN’s 2019 MSP 500 list stand out for their innovative services, excellence in
adapting to customers’ changing needs and demonstrated ability to help
businesses get the most out of their IT investments.”
“We are honored to be a part of this list,” said Rafael
Arboleda, the President and CEO of Compulink Technologies. “This is no
easy feat. This recognition is an accumulation of years of trial and
error in the Managed Services space as well as our diligent dedication to
client satisfaction. I am very proud and thankful for our talented
Compulink Staff and all who have contributed to our company’s growth for the
past 30 years! A big thank you to CRN for the recognition as well!”
About The Channel Company
The Channel Company enables breakthrough IT channel
performance with our dominant media, engaging events, expert consulting and
education and innovative marketing services and platforms. As the channel
catalyst, we connect and empower technology suppliers, solution providers and
end users. Backed by more than 30 years of unequalled channel experience, we
draw from our deep knowledge to envision innovative new solutions for
ever-evolving challenges in the technology marketplace. www.thechannelco.com
