The European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) went into effect in May. Although it is widely considered to be among the most strict data privacy laws ever enacted, few organizations have made proper preparations. Ninety-three percent of global organizations surveyed in April by the business analytics company SAS said they are not yet fully GDPR compliant.

Given the critical nature of today’s IT systems and networks, the traditional break-fix service model is inching closer to obsolescence. The speed of business requires a more proactive approach to problem resolution, which is why remote management and monitoring (RMM) solutions have become essential.

Organizations of all sizes and in all industries are eager to exploit emerging technologies, but staff limitations often frustrate attempts to launch high-level initiatives. Even companies with in-house IT staff struggle to keep pace with day-to-day operations much less accelerating technology change.

Email is perhaps the original “killer app,” an application so effective and easy to use that it sparked the rise of the personal computer and the spread of the Internet. Today it is the de facto standard for business communication with more than 4 billion email accounts worldwide generating nearly 200 billion messages every day.

In our last post, we discussed some of the warning signs of IT failures, along with suggestions for identifying and correcting problems. However, there are times when things just can’t be fixed. Servers, printers and PCs have moving parts that wear out.

From sales and marketing to manufacturing and shipping, virtually every aspect of modern business has been fundamentally changed by information technology. IT advances boost productivity, efficiency and collaboration to expand the range of what’s possible for businesses of all shapes and sizes.

In the digital age, myths and misperceptions are difficult to dispel. Bill Gates, Floyd Mayweather and Eminem aren’t giving away large sums of money on Facebook. A dying English boy doesn’t want your business card. A Nigerian prince isn’t going to transfer his family fortune into your bank account.

The “break-fix” approach once was the standard model for acquiring IT support. When a company needed computer repairs, network tuning or any other form of tech-related service, they engaged a solution provider on a straightforward fee-for-service basis and paid the bill once the work was completed.

Yoga is a system of exercises designed to improve well-being through increased strength and flexibility. That is also a pretty good definition of what your managed services provider (MSP) ought to be doing for your business.

MSPs help keep your IT investments in good health so you can focus on your business.

Email is a great business communication tool because it’ss fast, easy to use and inexpensive. However, its evolution into a de facto file-sharing application has also made email a potential liability.

It has become a globally common practice to share information with coworkers, partners and customers by attaching files to email messages.