In our increasingly interconnected world, businesses are highly dependent on the dynamic mesh of digital links with customers, partners, suppliers and service providers. While these connections help drive efficiency and productivity, they can also create a conduit for unwanted intrusions.

Few organizations with contact centers were adequately prepared to make the abrupt transition to a fully remote operation with at-home agents in response to COVID-19. According to a Gartner study conducted just a few months before the pandemic upheaval, nearly 90 percent of global organizations relied on-premises contact centers — either at their own site or outsourced to another company.

Nearly a quarter of U.S. businesses continue to rely on the traditional public switched telephone network (PSTN) that has been in general use since the late 1800s. In 2015, however, the Federal Communications Commission established guidelines that would allow carriers to phase out the PSTN and transition to digital-only networks.

Is your company hanging onto a legacy phone system in order to avoid the costs of an upgrade or a replacement? If so, you may not realize just how much that old phone system is really costing you.

If your phone system is more than 10 years old, your maintenance and infrastructure costs are likely increasing every year.

Online collaboration tools have been a lifeline for employees working remotely. Voice and video conferencing, instant messaging, chat and other tools enable workers to stay connected, share information, make decisions and serve customers.

But the rapid transition to remote work caused many organizations to implement collaboration tools in an ad hoc manner.

As we enter National Cybersecurity Awareness Month, it is hard to escape the conclusion that cybersecurity has never been more important — or more difficult.

Threats are growing more frequent, sophisticated and costly. Data, devices and other assets keep moving beyond the reach of network perimeter defenses.

The accelerated adoption of digital technologies is a bit of a double-edged sword. While it clearly drives new levels of efficiency, productivity and innovation, it can also introduce new vulnerabilities. Increased reliance on cloud, mobile, edge and wireless technologies to support remote and hybrid workforces substantially expands the typical organization’s attack surface.

All businesses need a reliable communications system to connect with colleagues, customers and partners — particularly with today’s increasingly distributed and mobile workforces. That’s why unified communications solutions that enhance connections across multiple channels have become a business necessity.

Recurring issues and long waits frustrate users. Managed services can help.

Virtual work is here to stay, but remote IT support remains a vexing issue for the millions of Americans working from home at least part of the time.

Because they are no longer working with office technology that is regularly maintained by the company’s in-house IT staff, remote workers often encounter technology issues they can’t resolve themselves.

Despite low-key launch, operating system update could make a big splash with remote and hybrid workers.

Microsoft has never been particularly modest about launching new operating systems. The Windows 95 launch party, for example, was hosted by Jay Leno and featured circus tents, a full-size Ferris wheel, and Bill Gates and Steve Ballmer dancing to the Rolling Stones’ “Start Me Up.” The company reportedly spent $500 million each on marketing campaigns for Windows XP and Vista and three times that for Windows 8.

However, the company has taken a far more measured approach with Windows 11, which became available on Oct.