Holiday-season cyberattacks are a very real threat. Cybercriminals know that as companies wind down for the holidays, they have an opportunity to exploit overlooked security gaps. The stakes are high, and failing to secure company systems can have serious consequences, including job loss. Here’s how you can protect your company—and your job—by securing systems when everyone else is winding down.

Why the Holidays Are Prime Time for Cybercrime

During holiday seasons, most businesses run on reduced staff, with many team members out of office. This creates several issues:

• Lower Surveillance: Fewer people on duty means attacks are less likely to be quickly noticed and stopped.
• High Data Traffic: End-of-year financial data and large volumes of customer activity mean cybercriminals have a lot to gain if they successfully breach a system.
• Delayed Incident Response: When key people are away, response times can lag, allowing attackers more time to exploit systems without interference.

Cybercriminals love the holiday lull, and they’re counting on unguarded systems. Don’t give them that opening.

The Top Steps to Protect Your Company (and Your Job) Over the Holidays

By taking these proactive steps, you can keep your company secure and avoid becoming the unfortunate face of a cybersecurity failure.

1. Implement Strong Authentication Protocols

• Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA): This extra layer requires more than just a password, which can thwart attackers who manage to steal login credentials.
• Password Hygiene: Encourage everyone to use strong, unique passwords for each system. Weak passwords are an easy entry point, so make sure all team members are using secure passwords and possibly a password manager.
  

2. Complete System Updates and Patch All Software

• Vulnerabilities are often addressed in software patches, so make sure all updates are completed before the holidays. Cybercriminals are quick to exploit known flaws that haven’t been patched, especially during times when IT teams are thinly staffed.

3. Educate Employees on Recognizing Holiday Scams

• Many breaches start with business email compromise through phishing scams. Business Email Compromise (BEC) is a cybercrime where scammers impersonate trusted figures via email to steal money or sensitive company information. Common tactics include requesting fake bill payments or obtaining data for further scams. BEC incidents are increasing, with nearly 20,000 complaints reported to the FBI last year, partly driven by the rise in remote work.
  
• Educate your team on common holiday scams, like fake shipping notifications, “urgent” donation requests, and deal offers from suspicious sources. Even if most employees are out, training them beforehand reduces the chance of anyone clicking a dangerous link while away from work.
  
• Criminals adapt to seasonal trends, so watch out for holiday-specific scams:
  • Phony Promotions or “Holiday Deal” Phishing: Fake emails promising discounts or gift card promotions are a common tactic for spreading malware.
  • Bogus Shipping Updates: With increased online orders, cybercriminals send fake shipping notifications with malicious links.
  • Emotional Charity Scams: Appeals for urgent donations can lure employees into giving out financial details or clicking harmful links.

4. Set Up Continuous Monitoring and Alerts

• Automated monitoring tools are essential for spotting unusual behavior, like unexpected login attempts. Set up real-time alerts for suspicious activity and ensure there’s a plan to address alerts if IT staff are out.

5. Limit Access to Critical Systems Temporarily

• Consider limiting access to sensitive systems during the holidays, especially if staff don’t need regular access to them. Temporarily deactivating access for unnecessary users can minimize risk during low-activity periods.

6. Conduct a Security Audit Before the Holidays

• Do a thorough check for open vulnerabilities, from unused accounts to outdated software. This proactive approach reduces the chances of falling victim to opportunistic attackers.

7. Back Up Important Data and Test Your Backup Process

• Make sure all critical data is backed up and that your restoration process is tested. Should a ransomware attack occur, you’ll want a secure way to recover without paying attackers.

8. Develop a Rapid Incident Response Plan

• Ensure there’s a clear protocol for handling a security breach even if key people are out. Know exactly who to contact, and make sure every team member understands the process, no matter where they are.

Don’t Start the New Year with a Pink Slip

Cybersecurity isn’t just about protecting company assets—it’s about protecting your own job. Failing to secure systems over the holidays could lead to more than a reprimand if an attack costs the company financially or damages its reputation. 

The team at DMC Technology Group are Toledo’s local cybersecurity experts. Prevention is your best defense; whether a DMC security audit, or a full penetration test, a small investment in holiday cybersecurity can keep the holiday spirit—and your job—intact.

The post Protect Your Job Over the Holidays by Safeguarding Your Company’s Security appeared first on DMC Technology Group.

In today’s digital landscape, the threat of cyberattacks looms large over businesses of all sizes. Among these threats, ransomware attacks have become increasingly prevalent and devastating even for companies in Toledo, Ohio. This is why having an effective incident response plan is not just beneficial, but essential for every company. At DMC Technology Group, we aim to shed light on what incident response and ransomware attacks entail and why a proactive approach is crucial for your business.

Understanding Ransomware Attacks:

Ransomware is a type of malicious software designed to block access to a computer system or data until a ransom is paid. These attacks can cripple an organization’s operations, leading to significant financial losses and reputational damage. Here’s how a typical ransomware attack unfolds:

• Infiltration: Cybercriminals gain access to a company’s network through phishing emails, malicious websites, or exploiting vulnerabilities.
• Encryption: Once inside, the ransomware encrypts critical files, rendering them inaccessible.
• Ransom Demand: The attackers demand a ransom in exchange for a decryption key, often accompanied by threats of data leaks or further damage.
• Decryption or Data Loss: Victims may choose to pay the ransom (which is not guaranteed to work) or face the potential loss of valuable data and operational downtime.

What is Incident Response?

Incident response refers to the systematic approach taken by an organization to prepare for, detect, contain, and recover from cyber incidents. This process involves a series of steps designed to mitigate the impact of security breaches, limit damage, and ensure a swift return to normal operations. An effective incident response plan includes:

• Preparation: Developing and implementing policies, tools, and training to prevent and handle incidents.
• Detection and Analysis: Monitoring systems to identify potential threats and analyzing the severity and impact of these threats.
• Containment, Eradication, and Recovery: Containing the threat to prevent further damage, eradicating the root cause, and recovering affected systems.
• Post-Incident Activity: Reviewing and analyzing the incident to improve future response strategies and strengthen defenses.

Preventing Ransomware Attacks

While having an incident response plan is critical, prevention is the first line of defense against ransomware attacks. Companies can significantly reduce their risk by implementing the following preventive measures:

• Employee Training: Educate employees about the dangers of phishing emails and the importance of cautious online behavior.
• Regular Backups: Maintain regular backups of critical data and ensure they are stored securely offline to prevent ransomware from encrypting these backups.
• Security Software: Use advanced security software, including antivirus, anti-malware, and intrusion detection systems, to detect and block ransomware.
• Patch Management: Keep all software and systems updated with the latest security patches to close vulnerabilities that ransomware might exploit.
• Access Controls: Limit user access to sensitive data and systems based on their roles and responsibilities to minimize the potential impact of an attack.

Why Every Company Needs an Incident Response Plan:

Regardless of size, every company is a potential target for ransomware attacks. Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are often perceived as easier targets due to potentially weaker security measures compared to larger corporations. Here’s why an incident response plan is indispensable:

• Mitigating Financial Losses: Cyberattacks can result in significant financial repercussions, including ransom payments, recovery costs, and lost revenue due to downtime. An incident response plan helps minimize these losses by enabling a swift and coordinated response.
• Protecting Reputation: A well-handled incident can maintain customer trust and protect the company’s reputation. Conversely, a poorly managed response can result in long-term reputational damage.
• Ensuring Business Continuity: An incident response plan ensures that critical business functions can continue or be quickly restored, reducing the impact on operations.
• Compliance and Legal Obligations: Many industries have regulatory requirements for data protection and incident response. Having a plan in place ensures compliance and can help avoid legal penalties.

In the face of ever-evolving cyber threats, the importance of a robust incident response plan cannot be overstated. Ransomware attacks are not a matter of "if" but "when," and being prepared can make all the difference. 

Check out proprietary Security Posture Checklist to better understand your vulnerabilities.

At DMC Technology Group, we are dedicated to helping businesses of all sizes develop and implement effective incident response strategies to protect their assets and ensure resilience against cyber threats.

Invest in your company’s future by prioritizing cybersecurity and incident response planning today. Contact us to learn more about how we can help safeguard your business against ransomware and other cyber threats.

The post Understanding Ransomware Attacks and Incident Response: Why Your Company Needs a Plan appeared first on DMC Technology Group.

Because DMC serves multiple municipalities and city governments as co-managed customers, we understand the complexities of ensuring efficient, secure, and modern IT governance to support administration operations and public services.

Municipalities, townships and local governments carry the significant responsibility of ensuring the security and integrity of data to protect citizens and efficiently provide services.

As with any industry, the “operating system” that allows these community organizations to serve their constituents involves network infrastructure, software, communication systems and cybersecurity measures, all of the traditional elements of a modern IT ecosystem. 

However, many townships and local city governments are spread thin and lack internal IT staff or expert resources to manage this burden. After all, the focus is on serving residents in a wide range of capacities, from public safety to city services like maintaining parks. But IT systems are the core of any operation, and these organizations have many of the same needs as other businesses and some specific requirements. 

When DMC Technology Group partners with a township, municipality or local government, we like to perform a tech audit and assessment to determine risky IT gaps, such as using a single admin account that logs into each device and caches credentials. 

Because DMC serves multiple municipalities as co-managed customers who enlist in support, we understand the complexities of ensuring efficient, secure and modern IT governance to support administration operations and public services. Here are some ways DMC takes the load off managing IT for Ohio townships and municipalities. 

Test 1, 2, 3 — Cybersecurity for Municipalities

Understanding IT vulnerabilities is the first step in establishing a stopgap cybersecurity strategy. First, is the existing IT security infrastructure working? We perform disaster recovery tests to find out, along with security and vulnerability testing. Then, we help Ohio municipalities establish and implement threat detection and prevention protocols, and incident response and recovery plans. This includes data encryption and addressing user authentication. For example, a general best practice we make sure is in place is using LAPS (Local Admin Password Solution). 

Specific to the public sector, we often help set up MDT (Mobile Data Terminals) for police and EMS units to protect those life-saving and public safety terminals and workstations. If malicious activity is recognized, an alert is dispatched and immediate action is taken to head off a breach. 

Many municipalities and public sector clients benefit from Arctic Wolf Incident Response (IR) retainer partnerships and IR builders, which are software tools that help IT partners respond to and recover from cyber attacks, data loss and service outages. When you’re serving a community and its citizens, you can’t risk downtime. 

>>Case Study: A township administrator had an incident on Thanksgiving evening. DMC’s cybersecurity tools locked down the server automatically. There was no cybersecurity incident response plan in place. They called their insurer and other companies to respond, but it took a few hours and yielded no results. However, if they had an Arctic Wolf IR retainer with guaranteed rates and a one-hour response service-level agreement with a plan in place, they would not have to adjust on the fly. Arctic Wolf has a copy of the plan so they can quickly respond. 

Plan Ahead — IT Budgeting to Manage Municipal Expenses 

Just-in-time IT break-fix decisions are costly and present a tremendous security risk. Software licensing updates can fall through the cracks. Cloud migration is put on the back burner because there’s no one in-house to manage the process. On-premise server and firewall updates are unintentionally overlooked because everyday municipal business takes precedence. But these IT musts add up to big expenses when not planned for, and municipalities are budgeting taxpayer dollars. 

Lack of IT strategic planning and budgeting can result in damaging cybersecurity threats, outdated hardware, and not enough earmarked dollars to secure systems and prepare for the future.

Proactive technology planning also includes Virtual Chief Information Officer (vCIO) services to safeguard a municipality and stakeholders from spoofing and to ensure reliable email delivery from trusted sources. 

>>Case Study: At one village, the administrator couldn’t figure out why all their emails to @yahoo addresses were failing. They didn’t realize that DKIM implementation was essential. How would you know unless you had a trusted IT co-managed services partner?

A Ready Resource, Supporting Your City 

Your No. 1 priority as an Ohio municipality, township or local government is to serve the people. We take the same approach at DMC, serving the public sector and a range of industries that require IT support. By introducing services such as LastPass Password Management or offering KnowBe4 Security Awareness Training, we act as the IT public safety officer for your operation. 

Just as you’re testing emergency response systems, DMC Technology Group is performing readiness assessments. For example, when a police department wanted to learn whether its headquarters was a fit for the Cloud or if an on-prem server needed to be refreshed, we conducted a full audit and determined the file types should live on an on-prem server because the local phone system that relies on this infrastructure. 

>>Case Study: While a police department was better served with an on-prem server, the fire department engaged in a project with DMC to successfully migrate to the Cloud. We leveraged the benefits of their Microsoft 365 licensing and moved an on-site server and domain management to Entra ID, SharePoint Online and OneDrive. Now, they will not have to worry about protecting or supporting their on-prem server, alleviating an IT management burden. 

You Run the City, We’ll Support Your IT 

At DMC, we are constantly tracking system performance, identifying bottlenecks, and making necessary adjustments to ensure that your IT environment continues to meet strategic goals.

Ready to get started? DMC’s expertise and industry knowledge can help your Ohio or Michigan local municipality, township or local government develop and execute a robust IT strategy with your efficient operations and citizens’ security in mind. Let’s talk tech.

The post Managing IT for Local Municipalities appeared first on DMC Technology Group.

That’s why DMC Technology Group has partnered with the Arctic Wolf platform to provide our clients with top-of-the-line cybersecurity coverage.

Even when all this information is accessible to an IT security team, existing systems often generate too many alerts and false positives, so alerts are ignored. This is how many high-profile breaches occur. Cyber alert fatigue and a lack of 24/7 IT security coverage amount to significant data breach risk. 

Here’s a statistic that proves how vulnerable many organizations are to cybersecurity threats. When we deploy the Arctic Wolf managed detection and response solution, its concierge security team finds latent threats lingering in 73% of business environments within the first 90 days of engagement. 

What you don’t know about your cybersecurity status will eventually damage your business. 

The good news is, an around-the-clock “security advisor” is within reach and can integrate seamlessly with your existing IT environment, so you do not necessarily have to invest in new systems or equipment. 

How Does Arctic Wolf Secure Your IT Environment?

Arctic Wolf is essentially a security advisor as a full-service incident response partner providing continuous risk management, detection and response. Its concierge security team works as an extension of your IT security team or managed services provider. 

What makes Arctic Wolf different than other incident response vendors? 

A lot of incident response companies will identify cyber threats. But, they do not analyze the root cause of security incidents or restore your business to pre-incident operations. Arctic Wolf stands out because it is a full-service wrap-around cybersecurity solution that provides comprehensive digital forensics and data recovery. 

Basically, Arctic Wolf is a three-legged cybersecurity solution that stabilizes your business IT environment with threat detection, incident response and recovery. We’ll explain how. 

Detect: Hunting Down Cybersecurity Threats

Today’s highly motivated, malicious cybercriminals use social engineering skills to trick your employees, or they simply slip through gaps in existing security controls. While you’re focused on running your business and serving customers, these bad actors are hard at work finding backdoors to feed on your data. Even IT environments with security solutions in place are prey for increasingly sophisticated breaches. 

We know, it’s frustrating and overwhelming to think you’ve got your IT environment covered only to discover there are many weak links. Detection is an integral part of a three-step, full-service cybersecurity risk management solution. 

There a number of essential risk detection actions your business needs to secure your IT environment. Some of those include: 

• Security risk scoring: You need to know if your secure posture improves or declines over time, so you know where you stand. 
• Account take-over risk detection: By scanning the dark and gray web for breached data, action can be taken to secure compromised accounts. Arctic Wolf provides details such as the source, data breach description and exposed emails. 
• Asset criticality and tagging: Arctic Wolf labels assets based on their importance, such as critical, high, medium, low or unassigned. This allows for prioritizing risks for hardened security. 
• Asset inventory: Your attack surface is ever-changing as you add IT assets to your environment. You need to be sure your managed risk platform identifies, profiles and classifies IT assets automatically and continuously. 
• Vulnerability assessment: Continuous scanning is essential for understanding your company’s digital footprint and quantifying business risk exposure. Additionally, audit reporting and security controls benchmarking elevate threat detection. 
• Advanced threat detection: Machine learning with adaptive tuning allows Arctic Wolf to detect advanced threats and provide forensic analysis. This improves efficiency and broadens the scale of threat detection. 

Cybersecurity threat detection is one aspect of a full-service risk management solution. But it’s not enough to identify the threats. How will you respond to incidents and strategically delete future risk? 

Incident Response — Now What?

When a threat is detected, how will your risk management partner investigate the incident and rapidly respond to the alert to contain the threat? This requires 24/7 monitoring, alert triage and prioritization. 

What your business needs is a team of digital forensics analysts, which is how Arctic Wolf determines the root cause of cybersecurity compromises and can determine if data was accessed, deleted or stolen. This intel allows for targeted incident response, recovery and future risk mitigation. 

When vetting managed risk vendors, we recommend partnering with a provider that can deliver these incident response services: 

• Dedicated Incident Director: Arctic Wolf assigns an Incident Director to every case. This expert has an intimate understanding of your cybersecurity situation and is a primary point of contact that is in constant contact. 
• Progress updates: Communication is key during incident response, with progress updates and milestone tracking. 
• Forensics findings: Clear explanations of forensics investigation findings will inform risk management strategies to prevent future attacks. 

Strategic Recommendations — Recover from Cybersecurity Incidents

Many incident response vendors drop the ball after detecting and responding to cybersecurity threats. But what was the root cause of the attack? What digital forensics were discovered during incident response that can inform your cybersecurity strategy? How is a provider working diligently to restore your business to pre-incident operations? 

Ultimately, what did you learn about your IT environment because of the security incident so you can prevent future data breaches? 

We believe a critical part of the incident recovery process involves remediation guidance and strategic recommendations to harden your security posture over time. It’s a full-circle cybersecurity approach that starts with understanding your “attack surface” and security posture, and continues with ongoing cybersecurity scans to maintain full visibility, measure progress and mitigate incidents.

Level Up Your IT Cybersecurity Profile 

At DMC Technology Group, we are committed to doing the right thing for our clients and providing a high level of hardware solutions, managed services and cybersecurity solutions such as Arctic Wolf. We take pride in our talented staff of engineers and IT specialists with strong communication skills that allow us to develop long-term relationships with clients, who see us as a vested partner in their success. 

Let’s talk. Arctic Wolf + DMC Technology Group can create a secure business IT environment so your Ohio or Michigan-based business can focus on what you do best. Contact us to learn how.

Posted by Greg Gomach, Business Unit Manager at DMC Technology Group

The post Arctic Wolf Helps Manage Your Cybersecurity Risk 24/7/365 appeared first on DMC Technology Group.

The world is changing fast with rapidly transforming industries, evolving economic drivers, and technology at a pivotal point. Generative artificial intelligence (AI) is redefining the way we conduct business. Twice as many leaders now believe that AI will increase productivity, not reduce headcount. Employees say they are 70% likely to “delegate” work to AI. 

Rather than fearing AI, more businesses can and should adopt, learn and leverage this robust and quickly advancing technology. 

AI can give organizations a competitive edge, with 87% of businesses surveyed by Microsoft affirming that generative AI’s capabilities will help move the needle for performance and profitability. Because 64% of employee respondents indicated a lack of time and energy to effectively perform their jobs, AI can provide a layer of support and even boost morale. AI tools can give team members the traction to perform at higher levels on targeted tasks while assigning mundane roles to AI.

Enter Microsoft 365’s Copilot, a business AI companion now available in the Microsoft Cloud Solution Provider (CSP) program. Our experienced IT engineers and specialists believe that Copilot for Microsoft 365 is an organizational transformation that can unlock productivity, foster creativity and integrate AI into daily workflows.  

Here, we’ll address how your business can capitalize on the technology and answer your questions Copilot for Microsoft 365:

• What is Copilot for Microsoft 365?
• What is the value of Microsoft Copilot for businesses? 
• How can different job functions in my business benefit from AI with Microsoft Copilot?
• How secure is Copilot for Microsoft 365?
• How do I prepare to integrate Copilot for Microsoft 365 AI companion? 

What Is Copilot for Microsoft 365? 

Think of Microsoft 365’s Copilot as your ultimate productivity tool that works across Microsoft applications to streamline communications, integrate data and provide real-time intelligence. The AI companion allows your people to enhance their creativity and skills. Here’s a snapshot of how Copilot for business functions in apps you use daily.

Copilot in Outlook: The AI tool helps clean up your inbox and messages, streamlining the amount of time dedicated to inbox management and email communications. For example, you can ask Copilot to summarize emails missed while you were on vacation. Or, request a thank-you draft response in a professional tone. You can also initiate emails, such as inviting everyone in a group to the conference room for a meeting. 

Copilot in Teams: Organize discussion points before a meeting and summarize action steps afterward. You can ask Copilot, “What decisions were made during the meeting and what are suggested next steps?” From creating pro-con lists to summarizing missed meetings, Copilot for Microsoft 365 is the sharp assistant you’ve been missing. 

Copilot in Word: Need to create a proposal for a vendor or client? Editing a document for a presentation? Seeking perspective for an outline so you can write a project draft? Copilot’s writing, editing and summarizing capabilities allow you to focus efforts on the creative side, which delivers more value to an organization. 

Copilot in PowerPoint: You have an idea, and you need a PowerPoint presentation. Copilot for Microsoft 365 allows you to automatically create a slide presentation based on content in a Word document and include stock images that align with each thought. You can ask the AI companion to consolidate a lengthy presentation and repurpose it for a different audience. 

The Bottom Line: Copilot works across Microsoft 365 business applications to save time, drive productivity, increase accuracy and improve systems. 

What is the Value of Microsoft Copilot for Businesses? 

Not sure if your business will benefit from Copilot for Microsoft 365? Let’s take a look at the potential time savings, workflow advantages, quality output, financial gains and employee well-being. 

We know that aside from talent, time is the most precious and finite asset a business has, and maximizing how time is spent directly impacts the bottom line and employee morale. So, how much time can people save with Copilot for Microsoft 365? According to Microsoft’s Early Access Program survey results, 67% of respondents said the AI tool, “Saves me time so I can focus on more important work.” Then, 77% said they would not want to give up Copilot after using it, and 30% noted that access to Copilot would influence their choice of employer. 

Every month on average, employees saved 10 hours of time using Copilot for Microsoft 365 because of its impact on workflow. That includes conducting more effective meetings, analyzing data, creating content and email processing. All of this improved productivity translates to financial gains, and employees are more satisfied at work because they can stay in the flow, spend less time on rote tasks like filtering email and searching for information, and simplify complex tasks. 

The bottom line: Time savings realized from implementing Copilot for Microsoft 365 weeds out waste and, as a result, improves quality and overall business outcomes. 

How Can Different Job Functions in My Business Benefit from AI with Microsoft Copilot?

No matter your industry or job function, AI with Copilot for Microsoft 365 advances your competitive edge and performance. Let’s address various departments in a typical organization and how the AI companion for Microsoft can save time and drive more focused, effective work. 

HR: Job descriptions and employee manuals are ever-evolving documents that easily collect dust because of the time and effort required to update them. You can ask Copilot to write draft job responsibilities, create training materials or respond to job applicants’ emails. 

Marketing: What relevant market trends and segments should your business target? AI can help identify these “hot spots” so you can align marketing efforts with a warm audience. Copilot can summarize a marketing campaign’s results with visuals you can present to the team. Another opportunity: creating the first draft for a project, saving time and innovation for the final product. 

Sales: Looking for a conversation starter or need to develop a case for a potential customer to buy from your business? Copilot can research industries, providing key data and negotiation points to close more deals. Analyze sales data to track performance and set goals, and create proposals. AI from Microsoft 365 can help you finetune sales skills by assisting with time-consuming legwork, allowing sales professionals to focus on more relationship-centric activities. 

IT: From staying up to date on project calls to identifying data patterns, trouble-shooting and communications, IT professionals benefit from added support that Copilot for Microsoft 365 provides. 

Finance: Take the complexity out of financial reporting and planning, and ask Copilot to identify areas for improvement. Rather than spending time generating charts to communicate data, reassign this task to your AI “assistant.” 

The bottom line: Every aspect of your organization can benefit from implementing Copilot by Microsoft 365, freeing up your people to focus on what they do best. 

How Secure Is Copilot for Microsoft 365?

Our team at DMC Technology Group believes that Copilot for Microsoft 365 is a transformative technology, and whenever implementing any IT tool, we focus on security first and foremost. Let’s evaluate how AI will impact your IT environment from a vulnerability perspective. Copilot’s best-in-class security controls provide tremendous peace of mind because of a few key features. Those include user/session risk and access controls, and automatic sensitivity labels for non-Microsoft products that mean your IT systems are “on alert” when operating apps and programs outside of the Microsoft 365 suite. 

Copilot allows your IT team or managed services provider like DMC to discover and evaluate the risk of more than 400 AI apps and implement controls so you can work securely. With Copilot, you can receive automated, ready-to-share reports on security investigations along with guidance to increase your IT security posture. You can also customize Microsoft 365 Copilot’s access and interactions with internal documents by assigning sensitivity labels. 

The bottom line: We appreciate how Copilot allows us to help you set the boundaries for the AI tool with settings controls that allow you to integrate the AI companion as you choose.

How Do I Prepare to Integrate Copilot AI for Microsoft 365?

Copilot for Microsoft 365 is designed to work with commercial business and enterprise New Commerce Experience (NCE) subscriptions such as Microsoft Business Premium or Standard, Microsoft 365 E3 or E5, and Office 365 E3 or E5. DMC Technology Group can resell Copilot licenses for your organization because of our Cloud Solution Provider (CSP) status as a Solution Partner for Modern Work.

Ready to enter the AI revolution with a tool that will measurably impact the way your leadership and employees work? 

At DMC Technology Group, we are committed to doing the right thing for our clients and providing best-in-class IT solutions. We take pride in our talented staff of engineers and IT specialists with strong communication skills that allow us to develop long-term relationships with clients, who see us as a vested partner in their success. 

Let’s talk about how Copilot can add value to your organization. DMC’s expertise and industry knowledge can help your Toledo, Ohio-based organization develop and execute a robust IT strategy that drives growth and innovation.

Contact us to learn how.

Posted by Greg Gomach, Business Unit Manager at
DMC Technology Group

The post The AI Evolution: How Microsoft 365 Copilot is Transforming the Way We Work appeared first on DMC Technology Group.

There are several common challenges we hear when discussing the role of a managed services provider (MSP). Some of these scenarios will probably sound familiar.

A Toledo-based business has 50 employees, and the sole on-site IT manager whose primary role isn't tech support, is responsible for managing IT affairs. This IT manager, who also serves as a software developer, carries a substantial workload that includes help desk-related duties like troubleshooting issues related to email and printers.

“But we have someone on staff, we don’t need IT managed services.” We hear this sometimes, too. 

Then there is the security question. The business lacks 24/7 monitoring, so threats can quickly escalate into full-blown cyber attacks that cause financial and reputational damage. 

What if an IT manager wants to take a vacation? 

What if a Chief Information Officer (CIO) finds a job opportunity elsewhere and leaves your business? Who will fill in while you search for a replacement, and how will you train this new person? 

As for cost, can you afford additional IT support staff on payroll with benefits, plus the cost of resources like disaster recovery backup, software licensing, storage, cyber monitoring and end-point detection? 

There can be gaps that exist even with an IT manager on staff, which can expose organizations to significant liabilities. Especially if that person is the only one on staff that understands technology. There are no checks and balances!

In fact, a managed service provider supports your internal IT staff with technical expertise and resources, giving you the flexibility to scale up or down as your IT needs evolve. Yes, an MSP can serve as a single source for support and IT leadership. But in most cases, we work as an always-on, around-the-clock go-to for everything from server support to network management, troubleshooting, proactive patching and cybersecurity. 

Does your company need an IT managed services provider? Here are some factors to consider. 

How IT Managed Service Providers Support Your Business 

Can your internal IT staff provide instantaneous alerts and threat detection 24/7/365? What about offering employees a help desk so tech problems do not prevent productivity? When your IT manager goes home, even if it’s late evening, who’s watching over your IT infrastructure and devices for nefarious actors, phishing attacks, ransomware and a growing list of cyber threats? 

If your company employs an IT manager, this is one person. They have strengths and weaknesses in different IT disciplines, and probably a family at home and a life outside of work. “Always on” with one person just isn’t possible. 

Plus, keeping up with the latest, most secure IT best practices is a struggle for most businesses, let alone an individual. 

Across industries, every business has IT needs. Most are underserved because there is no way to cover all of your IT bases with a single employee, no matter how talented. 

Tech Support: Fulfilling Help Desk Needs

We hear it all the time. IT managers and CIOs for Toledo, Ohio regional businesses often get bogged down with support requests when their focus is supposed to be on IT strategy, development, process improvement, engineering and other big-picture endeavors. There are not enough hours in a day to do it all. 

When an IT manager is distracted with help-desk inquiries, tech support takes away from profit-driving initiatives. Meanwhile, productivity and revenue-driving activities decrease because a team member’s system is “down.” Even technical questions or adding new software becomes a burden when there is one or no IT staff member on site. 

At DMC, we offer efficient, responsive, always-on IT diagnosis and support. A reputable MSP should offer communication options, including in-person support if necessary or preferred. Around-the-clock IT support solves IT problems and prevents business interruptions. 

An MSP to Protect Servers and Workstations 

The threat is real. And it’s growing. Today’s dynamic cybersecurity environment is introducing sophisticated attacks, and often the “open door” to your data occurs because of network security vulnerabilities, and expired antivirus protection and licenses. We get it. You have other mission-critical tasks on deck to manage for your operations. 

This is where an IT managed services provider like DMC can step in and ensure there are no gaps in protection with license renewals, server antivirus software and installation management. We suggest that every business have real-time scanning to detect and block threats. Are these tasks you want to pile on to in-house IT staff? 

Also consider that not all MSPs include the cost of tools in the fee, but DMC does include these costs so you are not paying extra.

Along those lines, when maintenance agreements for hardware and software expire, this leads to more downtime and a loss of return on your tech investments. An MSP can oversee and manage agreements so you can focus on running your business. 

At DMC, we handle agreement procurement, documentation and expiration date tracking. Have questions about which vendor can provide the best value? A trusted IT managed services provider can offer consultative advice, including evaluating new and current vendors. 

IT Managed Services Elevates Cybersecurity 

The single most in-demand IT career right now is cybersecurity, and the reason is because this is the number one demand among businesses that recognize the risk and vulnerability. At DMC, we implement 24/7 cybersecurity monitoring across all devices and are constantly watching for suspicious behavior. Alerts are triggered and response is immediate. 

In one case, in less than 10 minutes we identified a threat for a client and contacted their on-site IT manager, who disconnected the at-risk workstation and prevented a potential disaster. 

If you plan on monitoring your systems in-house, what happens if an IT manager is out sick, on vacation or sound asleep? Who’s detecting? Who’s responding? Also, are you aware of the latest cybersecurity tools designed for today’s sophisticated threats? 

We recommend partnering with an IT managed service provider that includes monitoring as part of its package, not as an add-on (this is often the case, so ask the question). At DMC, we partner with a specialist in security endpoint monitoring for an even more secure experience. 

Weighing the Cost of IT Managed Services 

Can your business afford an IT managed services partner? Cost is always a consideration, and we recognize that businesses of all sizes operate on a budget and must steward dollars wisely. But there are some common misconceptions related to the cost of working with an MSP for IT services and support. 

If you add the cost of an IT professional’s salary along with critical IT tools, there is a significant savings when you partner with an IT managed services provider. 

Another cost factor is insurance. Cybersecurity coverage is essential for businesses, and insurers are now also requiring organizations to put cybersecurity frameworks in place. The Federal Trade Commission suggests finding out whether your cyber insurance provider will defend you in a lawsuit, provide coverage beyond existing insurance, and offer a breach hotline that is always available. DMC works with clients to identify ways to ensure compliance to cybersecurity insurance policies so you don’t find out after the fact that a requirement is missing that will void your coverage. 

We recommend looking for an MSP that employs engineers and IT specialists with a range of expertise. This way, you’re hiring the power of 10 or more high-level technical experts for one monthly fee that is almost always less than an IT manager's salary. When you have a consultative partner on your side who is dedicated to advancing your IT posture, you can focus on your clients, your bottom line and your growth. 

IT Strategy and Planning for Upgrades 

How could generative artificial intelligence (AI) benefit cybersecurity and help desk support at your business? This is a question more companies are asking as AI is a major headliner that is escalating. Aside from AI, what other technological advances could drive profitability and efficiency in your business? These are questions you can ask an IT managed services provider with a multi-disciplinary, experienced team. 

A proactive MSP will arrange IT strategy meetings with your company, along with annual business reviews and budget planning sessions. When an IT managed services provider is involved in critical short and long-term strategic planning meetings, they can bring innovative solutions to the table that align with your goals.

The Best IT Managed Services Provider for Your Business 

We recommend asking these questions when comparing IT managed service providers for your business: 

• What is your price structure? If you charge per user, what exactly is included? 
• Are there co-management options? 
• What cybersecurity measures do you use? 
• What is your discovery process to customize an IT solution based on my needs?
• What hardware and software do you recommend?
• How often is the contract renewed?
• Who are your vendor partners and how do you vet them? 
• What accreditations and certifications do you have? Are you a Gold Microsoft Partner, IBM Business Partner or Dell Technologies Gold Partner? 
• Can you provide a referral so I can talk to other companies that have worked with you?
• Do you charge extra service fees for break fixes or is this included in a per-user fee? 
• Do you offer IT budgeting and strategy consultation? 

At DMC Technology Solutions, we are committed to doing the right thing for our clients and providing a high level of services that meet their needs 24/7/365. We take pride in our talented staff of engineers and IT specialists with strong communication skills that allow us to develop long-term relationships with clients, who see us as a vested partner in their success. 

With an IT managed services partner, you can focus on your business and delegate IT responsibilities with the peace of mind that our team is on the same page and coordinates seamlessly with on-site IT staff if you have personnel in this role. 

Let’s talk. DMC’s expertise and industry knowledge can help your Toledo, Ohio based organization develop and execute a robust IT strategy that drives growth and innovation. Contact us to learn how.

The post Does Your Business Need an IT Managed Services Provider? appeared first on DMC Technology Group.

We are deep into a new world of artificial intelligence (AI) and its capabilities are vast, evolving and soon to be ingrained in every business across industries. Chatbots are handling customer service requests. AI-powered machines are taking over low-skill manual labor jobs. AI can detect fraud for financial services firms, predict retail purchases and play a role in national defense, the list goes on. 

A Brookings Institute report illustrates how AI has escalated from unfamiliarity to dinner table conversation. When 1,500 U.S. senior business leaders were asked about AI in 2017, only about 17 percent knew what it was.

Fast forward to today – Accenture's "The Art of AI Maturity" report states that machine learning models suggest that the share of AI Achievers will increase rapidly and significantly, more than doubling from the current 12% to 27% by 2024.

This includes using machine learning for cyber security. And there is good reason why. 

First, there is a demand for skilled cybersecurity experts and a growing talent gap across the globe. We need more security support and intelligence than the industry can currently fulfill. Also, a surge of cyber threats and increasingly sophisticated attacks are increasing organizations’ vulnerability. 

Generative AI, when deployed by an experienced IT managed services provider, can empower cyber security teams. AI can improve an existing end-to-end security system and fast-forward the response time should an incident occur.

The bottom line: AI can help detect, prevent and respond to cyber threats before they cause irreversible reputational and financial damage. 

Let’s explore how AI can elevate IT security services. 

Harnessing Generative AI to Enhance End-to-End Cyber Security 

As a longtime IT managed services provider, we know that anticipating cyber security threats and staying ahead of market evolution is essential. What works today could be improved for tomorrow, and what you expect for tomorrow could change the day after that. 

Our approach is beyond proactive. It’s operational preparedness. 

The leading business partners and vendors we align with share this philosophy and are invested in AI-powered tools to bolster cyber security, as well. For example, in March 2023, Microsoft introduced Security Copilot, the first generative AI security product. It is a ready assistant that builds on the latest in large language models and 65 trillion daily signals to inform security teams so they can outpace today’s sophisticated cybercriminals. 

By working with a managed-services security provider (MSSP) or IT managed services provider such as DMC, security experts can support your team with the latest, transformative technology designed for high-level threat intelligence. (Microsoft offers a “Bring Your Own MSSP” option.) 

Artificial intelligence in cyber security can perform a number of mission-critical tasks to protect an organization, including: 

• Threat detection and analysis — AI systems learn network and user behavior, so they can identify deviations and anomalies that could indicate a cyberattack. The sooner you know, the faster you can respond. 
• Intrusion detection — Every minute of every day, increasingly sophisticated cybercriminals find new ways to breach even the tightest security systems. AI can detect and respond to unauthorized access and suspicious activities in real time, which prevents data breaches and helps ensure “always on” security. 
• Social media monitoring — Through national language processing (NLP), AI can analyze text and speech sentiment for monitoring social media and other sources for potential threats. 
• Email monitoring and filtering — AI-based systems can identify phishing attempts and malicious emails before they damage an organization. 
• Automating security tasks — Routine patching and security updates are essential, and security breaches occur during lapse times before an organization realizes it. While working with an MSP for end-to-end cyber security like DMC lifts this burden, a security expert who deploys AI-powered tools adds one more layer of protection for improving response times. 

AI Is A Cyber Security Support, Not an MSP Replacement 

AI will augment security, whether your organization has an in-house IT professional, a team that is supported by an MSO, or you rely on an IT managed services provider as a turn-key cyber security arm of your business. But cyber security intelligence requires an all-hands-on-deck approach. 

Because AI can help automate repetitive tasks and analyze large volumes of data from IT infrastructure, MSPs can more efficiently gather this information to help inform business decisions. Predictive maintenance can decrease downtime, giving managed IT services advanced notice for upgrades, repairs and updates so they can respond immediately. 

MSPs also can leverage AI-driven analytics to optimize resources and aid in IT planning and strategic budgeting, as well. Along those lines, AI-generated reports can provide real-time status updates on system performance and other key metrics. 

Not sure how artificial intelligence in cyber security could benefit your organization? A knowledgeable MSP can identify cases where AI could enhance your offerings, along with implementing trusted AI cyber security tools that elevate your security posture. Keep in mind, involving an MSP in AI-security-related tools is critical because machine learning models can also be susceptible to cyber-attacks. They must be skillfully deployed and protected. 

Safely Deploying AI Cyber Security Tools 

Position your business for success by staying on top of the latest artificial intelligence cyber security tools that are enhancing the way we monitor, detect and respond to adversarial attacks. At DMC, we are invested in and committed to continuous learning so we can offer clients advanced solutions, including AI cyber security tools, to futureproof their organizations. 

How could AI improve your cybersecurity posture? Let’s talk. DMC’s expertise and industry knowledge can help your organization develop and execute a robust IT strategy that drives growth and innovation. Contact us to learn how.

The post Artificial Intelligence in Cyber Security appeared first on DMC Technology Group.

October is National Cybersecurity Awareness Month, and its purpose is to help individuals and businesses understand the cybersecurity landscape, potential threats and steps to mitigate risk. This year marks the 20th campaign, and the cybersecurity landscape has drastically changed during that time. The tactics cybercriminals deploy are increasingly sophisticated. Now more than ever, we must take proactive steps to secure our tech environments.

This month of awareness and resources is organized by the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Agency (CISA) and the National Cybersecurity Alliance. This year, the campaign is expanding to a year-round effort called Secure Our World. The initiative aligns with DMC Technology Group’s approach to IT cybersecurity as a vital partner in helping organizations develop and maintain a robust security posture. 

When was the last time your business engaged in a security risk assessment? Do your employees know how to identify and prevent phishing attacks? Is software continuously updated to apply the latest security upgrades and patches? These are just a few steps The National Cybersecurity Alliance suggests initiating this month and moving forward. 

As a managed services IT partner for businesses of all sizes, DMC is on the front lines of cyberattacks. We monitor clients’ technology systems around the clock to identify potential threats. We deploy proven strategies from industry-leading partners and our experienced engineers implement cybersecurity solutions that protect the most complex environments. This month, we’re honoring National Cybersecurity Awareness Month with some strategies for improving your IT security posture.

What Is Cybersecurity Awareness and Why Is It Important?

Cybersecurity awareness is understanding potential cybersecurity threats and best practices for protecting every aspect of your technology landscape, from networks and computer systems to email, cloud-based apps and mobile devices. We know cybersecurity can feel overwhelming in our digital world. Virtually everything we do in life and business is somehow connected to technology. Because of this, the windows of opportunity for cybercriminals are ever-expanding. That is, only if we give bad actors the keys. Ultimately, this is the point of Cybersecurity Awareness Month: to inform, share knowledge and secure our world.

Cybersecurity awareness includes:

• Employee education and training to understand and prevent cyber threats
• Understanding financial and reputational risks businesses face when security breaches occur
• Preparing an incident response plan to proactively manage cybersecurity breaches 
• Awareness of legal and regulatory compliance requirements so businesses and individuals understand their responsibilities 
• Promoting cybersecurity best practices and re-committing to essential tech security measures 

Specifically for businesses, cybersecurity awareness is crucial because what you don’t know about your IT security posture can cause significant damage to your organization. 

• Reputational damage
• Loss of customers
• Downtime, related costs and missed sales opportunities 
• Legal ramifications and fees 
• Loss of intellectual property and data 
• Reduced employee morale

Cybersecurity Awareness Education for Employees 

Employee education centered on cyber threats should be ongoing, and we realize that everyday business can push security training down on the priority list. But taking the time to deliver cybersecurity awareness education to employees is just as important as teaching job-related skills. After all, safely navigating the tech landscape is their job, too. 

DMC helps businesses create comprehensive cybersecurity policies for their team members. Even simple efforts like teaching employees how to create strong passwords or use multi-factor authentication go a long way toward protecting your IT environment. 

Here are some basic employee cybersecurity training topics to cover. 

• Assess employees’ cybersecurity knowledge with surveys to identify knowledge gaps.
• Consider employees’ job roles to tailor training for their position.
• Develop and clearly communicate your company’s cybersecurity policy including expectations, guidelines and consequences for non-compliance.
• Implement phishing simulations to test employees’ ability to recognize and respond to phishing emails and text messages.
• Create a cybersecurity incident response plan.
• Use real-life examples and case studies to explain social engineering tactics like baiting and tailgating.
• Enlist in an IT managed services partner like DMC to execute an employee cybersecurity training program and resources—you don’t have to do this alone. 

Business Cybersecurity Awareness Checklist 

Aside from essential cybersecurity employee communications, your business can improve its cybersecurity posture and reduce the risk of threats during Cybersecurity Awareness Month by taking these crucial action steps to mitigate incidents. 

Now is a great time to renew a commitment to cybersecurity. It’s a 24/7/365 necessity to protect your business from data breaches and losses, both reputational and financial. DMC offers a security posture checklist with critical IT cybersecurity measures that all businesses should deploy. One of those is effective security awareness training to help employees understand proper cyber best practices and their role in helping combat IT security threats. 

Following are other high-impact essentials to implement in your overall cybersecurity strategy. 

Assess Cybersecurity Risk — As noted, an IT security assessment will set the stage for your cybersecurity strategy by identifying vulnerabilities, potential threats and plans for resolving incidents. 

Backup and Disaster Recovery — If a security breach occurs, what’s the plan? Every business should have a business continuity plan in place that includes how you will effectively backup and recover to reduce downtime and regain access to mission-critical systems, applications and data. This coincides with incident reporting protocols so employees know how to respond when a security breach occurs. 

Endpoint Detection, Protection and Updates — Your IT environment extends far beyond office computer systems and tech infrastructure. End-user devices including smartphones and tablets are equally vulnerable to cyber threats. There are more endpoints attached to networks than ever before, which is why your business needs to protect those devices with elevated security measures. Additionally, endpoint updates to stay current with security patches will ensure ongoing protection. 

Email Protection — This is the main entry point for phishing attacks and other sophisticated hacks. Email protection should guard against credential phishing and email compromise, and there must be a plan for investigating and remediating attacks. 

Conditional Access — Who has access to your cloud-based and on-premise applications? For added security, there are solutions that allow employees to access those applications only when they are using trusted, compliant devices. You can’t be sure that home laptops and devices are equipped with the IT security measures to protect your business. So, conditional access is another layer of protection. 

Multi-Factor Authentication and Strong Passwords — The National Cybersecurity Alliance emphasizes this practice in its October Cybersecurity Awareness resources. Enable multi-factor authentication that requires employees to provide two or more verification factors to gain access to password-protected information. Also, examine your password policy. Use strong passwords, and then implement the Windows Local Administrator Password Solution (LAPS) to automatically manage and back up those passwords.

Next-Generation Firewall — Modern, high-impact firewalls should include threat protection, gateway security or multi-engine sandbox detection. This tool analyzes suspicious code and behavior so you have full visibility of malicious activity to resist potential threats. 

Encryption — By encoding messages, hard drives and personal information, only those with authorized access can gain access. Encryption also protects workers when they are working off-site or from home. 

Domain Name System (DNS) Security — DNS servers can be cyber attack targets orchestrated in conjunction with other security breaches. Bad actors compromise DNS servers to distract IT security professionals from the main target, which could be sensitive information or proprietary data. DNS is how employees access apps and IT services, whether on-premise or in the cloud. So if DNS is compromised, your business is shut down until the attack is remediated. 

Life Cycle Management — This speaks to the critical need for ongoing cybersecurity awareness and oversight. It includes maintaining up-to-date hardware and firmware, along with support to safeguard systems. 

Grow Cybersecurity Awareness with DMC 

Cybersecurity awareness is a year-round pursuit. Businesses can’t afford to let their foot off the gas pedal of managing IT security. We recommend starting with an IT security assessment to identify vulnerabilities. DMC delivers thorough cybersecurity assessments conducted by our multidisciplinary team of IT engineers, who examine every facet of your operation. From there, we build backup and disaster recovery protocols, IT strategic plans and can oversee the entire tech environment to protect your business from cyber threats. 

Why not start with an IT security assessment and employee cyber training by DMC. We’re spreading the word about cybersecurity awareness—join us. Let’s talk tech.

Posted by Greg Gomach, Business Unit Manager at
DMC Technology Group

The post Cybersecurity Awareness Month  appeared first on DMC Technology Group.

Windows Server 2012 (R2) Retirement & End of Support: What It Means

Windows Server 2012 (R2) retirement and end of support means that Microsoft will officially stop providing updates, patches, and technical support for the operating system. Here's what it means in practical terms:

1. No More Security Updates: Microsoft will no longer release security updates for Windows Server 2012 (R2). This leaves the operating system vulnerable to new security threats and exploits that may emerge in the future. Without regular security updates, your system becomes more susceptible to attacks, and the risk of data breaches.
   
2. Limited Technical Support: Microsoft will no longer provide technical support for Windows Server 2012 (R2) This means you will not have access to support options, including assistance with troubleshooting, configuration, or compatibility issues.
   
3. Compliance Concerns: Using an unsupported operating system may lead to compliance issues, especially if you are subject to specific industry regulations or data protection standards. Compliance requirements often mandate the use of supported software to ensure security and protect sensitive data.
   
4. Compatibility Challenges: As newer software and hardware technologies are developed; they may no longer be compatible with Windows Server 2012 (R2). This could limit your ability to install or run certain applications and drivers on your server.

What To Do If You’re Running Windows Server 2012 / 2012 R2

To address these concerns, it is recommended to migrate to a supported operating system version, such as Windows Server 2022. Upgrading to a supported version ensures that you receive regular security updates, technical support, and compatibility with the latest software and hardware releases. It also helps maintain compliance with industry regulations and standards.

Is now the time to move to the Cloud?

If you are currently running Windows Server 2012 (R2) it’s a great time to look at the cloud. With a migration already required, some workloads could move to a more robust and secure environment. Here are six reasons why you might want to consider migrating to the cloud:

1. Extended Support: By moving to the cloud, you can take advantage of extended support provided by cloud service providers. They often offer extended support for older operating systems, such as Windows Server 2012 (R2), beyond their official end-of-life dates. This ensures that you continue to receive security updates and technical support for your server.
   
2. Scalability and Flexibility: Cloud platforms provide scalability, allowing you to easily adjust your server resources as your needs change. You can scale up or down based on demand, avoiding the need to invest in and manage physical hardware. This flexibility allows you to optimize costs and ensure optimal performance.
   
3. Enhanced Security: Cloud service providers typically have robust security measures in place to protect your data. They invest heavily in security technologies, including encryption, firewalls, intrusion detection systems, and regular security audits. Migrating to the cloud can enhance the security of your IT environment compared to on premises infrastructure.
   
4. Disaster Recovery and High Availability: Cloud platforms often offer built-in disaster recovery and high availability features. You can leverage these capabilities to replicate your server environment across multiple data centers, ensuring business continuity in the event of a failure or disaster. This helps minimize downtime and data loss.
   
5. Cost Savings: Migrating to the cloud can provide cost savings compared to maintaining and upgrading on-premises infrastructure. Cloud services operate on a pay-as-you-go model, allowing you to pay only for the resources you use. You eliminate the need for upfront hardware investments, ongoing maintenance costs, and energy expenses associated with running your own data center. More savings may be available with 1- and 3-year contracts through Azure.
   
6. Access to Newer Technologies: By migrating to the cloud, you can leverage the latest technologies and services offered by cloud providers. This includes machine learning, artificial intelligence, data analytics, serverless computing, and more.

How DMC Can Help With Windows Server 2012 / 2012 R2 Retirement

It's important to assess your specific requirements, budget, and security considerations before deciding. We can help you plan and execute a successful migration to the cloud or transition your infrastructure to an updated version of Windows Server.

Want to learn more about help With Windows Server 2012 / 2012 R2 Retirement? 

Let’s talk. Call us any time at 419-535-2900. Or fill out this simple contact form and we’ll get in touch with you.

Posted by Greg Gomach, Business Unit Manager at DMC Technology Group

The post Windows Server 2012 / 2012 R2 End of Life appeared first on DMC Technology Group.

We need more women in tech jobs — to problem-solve, engineer, innovate, grow relationships and contribute to product development. After all, if about half of consumers are female and we’re designing software, hardware and tech tools without women’s voice at the table, aren’t we inherently missing the market?

Women in tech jobs bring a fresh perspective, diversifying the conversation. This is important for any business in every industry. A Harvard Business Review study found that diverse teams develop more innovative ideas. And let’s face it, women and men are different. (This is a good thing!) When we invite a range of perspectives to the workplace, we grow a more creative talent pool. 

A range of perspectives sparks innovation. More voices at the table means more creativity, more skills and more experiences that contribute to creative problem solving. Studies prove that mixed-gender teams deliver more novel work than all-women or all-men teams. And diverse workplaces also tend to be more profitable. A McKinsey & Company report showed gender-diverse companies are 25 percent more likely to outperform competitors that lack diversity. And the more women represented, the better for a business’s bottom line – by up to 48 percent. 

It’s always the right time to showcase tech jobs for women, and in honor of Women’s History Month in March, we hope highlighting opportunities in IT and tech careers throughout the industry and at DMC Technology Group will inspire more women to pursue tech jobs. 

So, how do women thrive in tech jobs? Here are five qualities that make women an ideal fit. 

Women of Tech are Critical Thinkers

A study in Literacy Information and Computer Education Journal highlights creativity and gender differences, explaining that women naturally analyze and their minds are constantly at work. This is not to say men are not doing the same, but women plan, organize and multitask as a necessity of everyday life. And so it makes sense that in the IT workplace, these skills are valuable for solving problems, addressing challenges and designing new products. 

Sharing is Caring – Women are Communicators 

Explaining thoughts and verbal/written expression are a strength women bring to teams. So is listening. (Communication isn’t just about talking.) Women are effective at perceiving body language and feelings. Women in IT jobs can explain complex concepts to clients, interface with customers in a way that shows understanding and empathy, and listen to client requests and feedback so they feel heard. 

Overall, women are connectors, valuing relationships with each other, their families, friends and communities. In the IT workplace, this provides a rich client experience that is appreciated in VCIO, co-managed and managed service roles.  

Women In Technology Inspire Each Other

Women are patient, taking time to teach and explain. As mentors, women in tech jobs can encourage more females to pursue IT careers by setting an inspiring example. The IT sector provides rewarding, well-paying career opportunities, where women can excel as leaders. 

There’s a high demand for skilled workers in the technology industry, with expected continued growth. For women with the right skills, education and experience, this means many job opportunities. With the tech industry constantly evolving, there will also be opportunities for career growth and advancement. 

Workforce Diversity Attracts Talent

Diverse work environments attract talent in regions that value and support women in the workplace like the United States and Western Europe. Diversity can indicate that a company is competently run and values a range of perspectives. When workplaces recruit and promote women – including them at all levels and in the C-suite – they outperform in the hiring game. Case in point: When the job site Glassdoor surveyed job seekers, 67% of the 1,000 respondents said they evaluate workplace diversity when deciding if a company is a great place to work. Another survey revealed that 61% of women look at gender diversity when considering a future employer. 

Women In Tech Statistics

Even knowing that a more gender-diverse workforce outperforms others, is attractive to job candidates and is proven to be more innovative, women still only represent 26% of the tech workforce in the United States. Only 5% of tech leadership positions belong to women, and the percentage of women in all tech-related careers has decreased during the last couple of years. There’s a significant gap in women’s representation in tech given that women account for 47.7% of the global workforce. When you consider that women account for nearly 48% of the global workforce, it highlights the vast opportunity for companies to diversify their workforce and improve their bottom line. 

Our bottom line? The tech world needs more women in tech.

Want to learn more about IT careers? 

Let’s talk. Call us any time at 419-535-2900. Or fill out this simple contact form and we’ll get in touch with you.

Posted by Greg Gomach, Business Unit Manager at DMC Technology Group

The post Tech Jobs for Women – Inspiring Innovation appeared first on DMC Technology Group.