Does an MSP make sense for your small business? HINT: the answer is yes.

msp small business

Maybe you think your business is too small for an MSP, but nothing could be further from the truth. MSPs can help companies of all sizes with cloud computing, data storage and security, software and hardware maintenance and upgrades, and much more. Yes, even the smallest small businesses, including those with 50 or fewer users.

How an MSP can take the burn out of Managing In-house Tech Teams

msp tech team

Leading an IT team is a tough, multi-faceted job, and no one understands that better than an MSP (managed services provider). An MSP is a tech partner that works with you to handle everyday IT tasks and can help you ensure that the changing nature of technology doesn’t leave your business behind.

What Matters More When It Comes to IT? A Generalist or a Specialist?

blog technology expert IT generalist or specialist

An IT generalist is a jack-of-all-trades. They’re by your side every day to manage your help desk, support your staff’s IT needs, deliver service and maintenance, and be network administrators who ensure everything is working as intended. On the other hand, an IT specialist works on more complex technology issues, such as projects and escalations. IT specialists also often take on the role of solutions architects.

How is an MSP Different from a Traditional IT Services Company?

blog traditional it services vs managed it services

Getting your outsourced IT services from an IT Services company seems like an obvious choice. You have someone you can call when things go sideways to help you get your technology back up and running. An MSP, or managed service provider, is a type of outsourced IT, but not all outsourced IT companies are MSPs. We’re going to break down the differences even further.

Business Must-Haves: How to Survive & Thrive in a Tough Economy

blog recession-proof your business

Between inflation, supply chain interruptions, and the looming possibility of yet another recession, it can be difficult for business leaders to chart the best course of action to keep themselves not just solvent, but thriving and growing in the face of such economic uncertainty. One way that businesses can make themselves more recession-proof is by having a solid IT structure in place, including software, hardware, security, data storage, and IT experts, to help everything run efficiently and effectively

A vCIO is Worth Their Weight in Gold

Strategic Planning

Many businesses are turning to outside IT professionals to help them optimize their operations and keep their technology running smoothly and efficiently through strategic planning. A vCIO, or virtual Chief Information Officer, can be the key to streamlining IT functionality for your business.

Ensuring a Secure Onboarding Process for New Employees

Onboarding new staff members can be both exciting and nerve-wracking. While it symbolizes growth and new opportunities for your organization, it’s crucial to implement the necessary measures to guarantee a secure and seamless integration.

In-house IT Team vs. Co-Managed Services: A Comprehensive Comparison

msp co-managed

Co-managed IT services sound great on the surface as you get the best of both worlds – the task flexibility, internal knowledge, and fast responsiveness of an internal IT team, in addition to the wider expertise, established systems, and unique viewpoint of a third-party MSP. 

What’s the process for moving from one MSP to another?

Moving from one MSP to another can be a daunting process. You might be thinking there are so many things that could go wrong, with multiple complexities and challenges to overcome. You’re not wrong, but that doesn’t mean you should stay with an MSP you are not happy with.

How to Approach Budgeting for IT Hardware

Budgeting for IT hardware can be very challenging nowadays. Since there are many variables at play, we decided to bring in one of our vCIOs to share some hardware budgeting best practices,

3 Areas to Focus on when Opening an Office

If you were to write a to-do list of everything that needed to be done when relocating or opening an office, your list would be long. It is better to focus your initial energy on the most important areas. You can then drill down further, narrowing your focus as you go through the process.

A Guide on Creating Business Resilience Plans

An effective business resilience and continuity plan allows your business to continue operating under any circumstance. This article will teach you what to think about when creating your Business Resilience Plan and things to avoid. 

Should Start-Ups Start with Managed IT?

Start-up companies are typically lean, fast-paced, and agile. Do managed IT services fit into this environment, when there is often a culture of breaking things to ensure continuous innovation and improvement?

vCIO Impact on SMBs

Many SMBs have turned to virtual CIOs for a more budget-friendly solution. Choosing an experienced vCIO can have far-reaching impacts for your company.

10 Major Cyber Security Risks for Cloud Users

There is a common misconception among cloud users that the Cloud equals a lower cybersecurity risk. There are massive benefits from cloud services, but eliminating cybersecurity risks isn’t always one of them.

Our vCIO Best Tips for SMBs in 2022

While many small- or medium-sized businesses (SMBs) can’t afford a full-time Chief Information Officer (CIO) position, they are realizing the value of having a budget-friendly virtual Chief Information Officer (vCIO) to provide guidance for how to proceed.

Co-Managed IT for the Manufacturing Industry

Technology is changing the manufacturing industry, so it’s important to keep up to stay competitive. The big question is, how? When it comes to IT, and technology, more broadly, the answer is… well, it depends. It depends where you are starting from.

Co-Managed IT for City Governments

The local government sector is being transformed by digital technologies. With the right applications, platforms, and infrastructure, local governments and municipalities can achieve cost savings and efficiency gains. Better access to data means data-driven decision-making is also becoming the norm, plus the citizen and employee experiences are being improved.

Facts About Co-Managed IT

To help you get a better understanding of co-managed IT, and whether it is a solution that could be implemented in your business, here are answers to the most frequently asked questions.

6 Ways Managed IT Boosts Internal IT

6 Ways Managed IT Boosts Internal IT The technologies that exist today make it possible for your business to do more, faster, and with less. Why then, does your to-do […]

Our List of 2022 Top 7 IT Trends

Significant opportunities exist in IT in 2022, but there are risks too. Here are our top trends for the coming year and beyond that you should be aware of.

Is IT an investment or a cost for your company?

There’s a great difference between investing in IT and seeing it as a necessary cost. Learn what questions you should ask to know if you see IT as an investment — and make better financial and operational decisions.

4 Signs Your IT Staff Needs Help

4 Signs Your IT Staff Needs Help It’s common for Internal IT teams at small and medium businesses to constantly juggle between tasks. Whether it’s performing backups, resolving downtime, implementing […]

How IT Departments can Leverage an MSP

How IT Departments can Leverage an MSP Many small businesses believe they can efficiently manage their technology needs with an internal IT team. While having an in-house IT department has […]

Maximizing Security for an SMB

Maximizing Security for an SMB Organizations can put a lot of money into cybersecurity protection. The truth is, even after having the best protection systems in place, sometimes virus intrusion […]

Ransomware Attack: What Should My Business do?

Ransomware Attack: What Should My Business do? Ransomware continues to be the most prominent malware threat, with over 4,000 attacks happening daily in the US alone, since 2016. This translates […]

Should SMBs be Concerned about Ransomware?

Should SMBs be Concerned about Ransomware? What do Colonial Pipeline, JBS, and most recently, Kaseya VSA all have in common? They all fell victim to elaborate ransomware attacks; however, this […]

The Benefits of Having a vCIO

The Benefits of Having a vCIO Maybe you’ve heard someone talking about it, or maybe you’ve come across the term online: vCIO. Let’s talk about it. What is a vCIO? […]

How Startups Benefit from Outsourcing IT in Eugene

How Startups Benefit from Outsourcing IT in Eugene Starting a business is a lot of work. It requires determination, learning, and most importantly, the right resources. Improving your product, and […]

Switching IT Providers in Eugene

Switching IT Providers in Eugene Switching IT providers or moving to a different Managed Services Provider (MSP) is a decision that you may have delayed for a long time. The […]

How MSP Services are Purchased

How MSP Services are Purchased Your company has decided to partner with a local Eugene-based MSP in order to handle its growing needs in the IT department.  Great!  But, how […]

Considerations When Selecting an MSP in Eugene

Considerations When Selecting an MSP in Eugene Partnering with a managed services provider is a big step for any business, especially when it comes to small businesses who may lack […]

Microsoft Teams Setup Tips for Eugene Businesses

Microsoft Teams Setup Tips for Eugene Businesses Microsoft Teams Setup Tips for Eugene Businesses As businesses in Eugene and throughout Oregon adjust to the hybrid “office and home” work model, […]

Microsoft 365 Post- Migration Considerations

Microsoft 365 Post- Migration Considerations Were you one of the organizations in Eugene that migrated to Microsoft 365 in a hurry last year? Have you been unimpressed with the results? […]