The E-Rate process has begun, so we’ve created a quick guide to show you who can claim funds and what you can claim for. Who’s covered? All public and private Pre K-12 schools and public libraries. You receive discounts based on the number of students who are Free and Reduced … Read More
The IT Director’s Guide to Starting a New Job
There are no IT Director manuals on how to start a new job. You just do it because no two situations are the same. On the bright side, there is advice to be offered from those who have done it before. In this article, I’ll share a few of my … Read More
Technical Debt and How to Leverage Quality to Beat It.
Data, data, data. I love data. Way too much. More than is normal. I’ve written about it. Given workshop and conference sessions on it. I’ve extolled the virtues of high, accountable expectations around Help Desk management more times then I care to admit. A technical college even trusts me to … Read More
Achieving Zero % Network Downtime [A Practical Case Study].
In the 2017-2018 school year, the Technology Services team I was part of at Hartford Union High School (HUHS) delivered zero % network downtime! It was a great achievement and was always the outcome we were striving for. In our case, it gave students and staff uninterrupted access to digital … Read More
Fixing Business IT Problems – A Simple Guide for Business Owners.
Fixing business IT problems can be a regular source of pain for many small business owners. Technology is great when it’s working, but can soon become a time and money drain otherwise. Despite the fact that worldwide IT spending was flat in 2016, it still totaled approximately $3.41 trillion. That’s … Read More
Continuous Improvement in IT Service Delivery for Education.
In this article, Director of Technology Services, Nathan Mielke, walks you through how his team at Hartford Union High School (HUHS) have adopted an attitude of continuous improvement to transform IT service delivery at the school and have pushed end-user approval over and above 90%! IT can sometimes be the … Read More
Managed Service Provider (MSP): What They Do and Why You Need Them.
For most organizations, IT is ‘plumbing’ – you know you need it, and it needs to work, but you’d rather not have to roll up your sleeves to work out how to flush your caches or fix that data leak! A Managed Service Provider (MSP) is a technology consultant who … Read More
Cloud Computing Services: Migrating Systems to the Cloud
Here’s a scenario where Cloud Computing Services can provide value-add for your company… Imagine a small Milwaukee video production company’s editor filtering through a network of drives, looking for the right clips to complete a teaser video for his new client. Burning the midnight oil to complete a project due … Read More
Desktop Support and Desktops – Have We Made Them Too Complicated?
Once upon a time, desktop support was the entry-level echelon of the IT infrastructure ladder. The mapping of drives, checking of cables, and maintenance of printers was considered to be the perfect area for junior staff to cut their information technology teeth. Career progression moved you further towards the “back” … Read More
Bearing gifts at the Catholic Educators Convention
Getting the latest technology into the classroom is a perennial problem for schools because of tight budgets and shifting priorities. So when Source One Technology got the opportunity to sponsor this year’s Catholic Educators Convention (CEC), we jumped at the chance to make life a little bit easier with a … Read More
IT Asset Management – 3 Vital Keys to Getting It Right.
Whether you’re a small business, a large enterprise, or anything in between, having at least a basic IT Asset Management (ITAM) process can help streamline the process of planning, deploying and supporting your IT infrastructure. In this article, we will discuss each of the three major components you should focus … Read More
What makes an excellent desktop support technician?
Just about any company needs someone to provide desktop support from time to time. Finding the best people for the job, however, isn’t always simple. Many businesses pick their IT technicians without much thought, and that can lead to huge problems, delays, and disappointments. When choosing the lifeline for your … Read More
The Main Reasons Why Business Projects Fail
If we are going to stem the tide of failed projects, we need to get an understanding of the common reasons why business projects fail. Here are some of the more common reasons, and what can be done to mitigate them. Depending on which research article you look at, anywhere … Read More
Looking at Security & Technology Procurement
Organizations need to have an overarching corporate strategy for staffing and product/service acquisition if they expect to maintain a holistic approach to information security & technology procurement. A key question that needs to be answered is: Build or Buy? Many organizations – especially smaller organizations – take a one-off approach … Read More