DP Solutions Newsletter

March 2017 Newsletter

 

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What's New

 

CRN-MSP_500_award_2017.pngWe’re excited to announce that for the 4th year in a row, DP Solutions has  been recognized for excellence in Managed IT Services by CRN®, a brand of The Channel Company. We have been named to their 2017 Managed Service Provider (MSP) 500 list in the Pioneer 250 category. This annual list recognizes North American solution providers with cutting-edge approaches to delivering managed services. The MSP Pioneer 250, recognizes companies with business models weighted toward managed services and largely focused on the SMB market. 


 

Network Abuse: Don't Push Your 'Luck' 

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Look around your office. Isn’t it great to see your team hard at work on their computers? Yet if we take a closer look, let’s see what’s really happening…

 

Joe, your new sales rep, is poring over last weekend’s game stats…

 

Amy in marketing is looking for a new job, surfing your competitors’ websites, chatting with their HR people…

 

Wes, over in customer support, just bogged down your entire network by downloading a video file of Metallica in concert…

 

Guy, your new hire in shipping, is on hotdate.com, viewing questionable photos…

 

Bob in accounting is browsing stock-investing sites, in search of a hot tip…


Okay, so maybe it’s not that bad at your company. But this type of behavior will happen to some degree if you don’t proactively prevent it. The real problem is, unfiltered content often links to malware and other threats. Ignore it and you risk productivity losses, legal liabilities, extortion, blackmail and fraud. And not only that, the resulting data loss and corruption can cost your company big-time. Cyberthreats stemming from unfiltered content aren’t something you can count on your lucky leprechaun or four-leaf clover to protect you from.

 

In today’s mobile environment, content filtering has become a greater challenge than ever before. Your company may already be doing some filtering at the network level. However, when was the last time you checked the number of mobile devices linked to your network? As your workforce goes mobile, your network is exposed to a rapidly expanding 

“attack surface.” With BYOD (bring your own device) now the norm, the old rules of content filtering just don’t cut it anymore.

 

Are You Making Any Of These Mistakes?
Old content-filtering models presume your network has a safe “firewall.” But now, with BYOD, you need a different way to protect your data. And that’s where endpoint security comes into play. Endpoint filtering keeps devices on your network safe from infection, no matter where they hook into the Internet.

 

But make ANY of the following mistakes with endpoint security and your network could be a sitting duck:

 

  1. Missing even ONE endpoint. This applies to tablets and smartphones as well as home-based machines that VPN into your network.

 

  1. Skimping on security policies, protocols and training. Believing that tech tools alone will keep your network secure is a recipe for breaches. In fact, no technology can keep a network safe if users cut corners.

 

  1. Leaving endpoint filtering out of your overall security plan. Ad hoc security invites disaster. An improperly designed system exposes holes that hackers love to find.


So, What Exactly
Should You Filter?

Forrester Research states that companies whose users access the cloud should:

  • Detect and intercept unusual or fraudulent activities related to data in the cloud.
  • Detect, neutralize and eliminate malware in cloud platforms.
  • Detect and monitor unsanctioned cloud applications and platforms usage.
  • Protect against leaks of confidential information.
  • Encrypt structured and unstructured data in cloud platforms.
  • Investigate suspicious users and incidents.

Between BYOD and ever more complex cyberthreats, you simply can’t afford to run around putting out fires. You absolutely MUST proactively defend your network in depth with endpoint content filtering.

 

We’re offering a FREE Network Assessment for any Mid-Atlantic organizations with 10 or more computers and a network. We’ll come to your office and conduct a complete review of your computer network, data, software and hardware and how you work. We’ll then give you helpful answers and insights about cloud computing for your business – all at no cost or obligation to you.


Claim your free Network Assessment today at www.dpsolutions.com/free-network-health-check or give us a call at 410-720-3300 x2.

 


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Guest Article

What to NEVER Do When Deciding

Robert Stevenson

 

We all have to make decisions every day. Some decisions we make require little thought and the consequences will not be earth-shattering or career-changing. But there are other decisions we have to make that can have an enormous impact on our lives.

 

A while back, I had to make a very big decision. I sought out counsel from people I respect and I measured all the pros and cons. I tried to consider all the “What ifs” and I assessed the consequences of doing it or not doing it. I received advice that ranged from “You should absolutely take the offer, no questions asked” to “No way take the offer, it’s not in your favor.” I’d been working toward this goal for several years, and when the offer came in writing…I turned it down.

 

So, what pushed me to say “NO” to the offer? What really helped me decide were two things. The first thing was there was a huge “What if” question that had a very bad result, if all didn’t go well. The second thing was a statement they made: “This is our standard agreement that is non-negotiable.” Everything in business is negotiable, and they just told me it isn’t. That one statement made me start reevaluating everything…and to finally make a decision to say “NO.”

 

I started thinking that once we began doing business together, what else was going to be “non-negotiable”? That one statement triggered me to start considering alternatives, options, other possibilities and a new direction I could pursue if I said “NO” to their offer. I felt reenergized, stimulated, excited about the other options, and, even more surprising to myself…I was feeling no remorse about saying “NO.”

 

Who is to say I made the right or wrong decision? Some people might say, “Only time will tell,” but I still have a great deal to do with…the story that will be told. In all my years in business, I have learned two very important things about making decisions.

Ask yourself if you can live with the consequences if it fails…because if you can’t live with it, don’t do it.

 

NEVER doubt your decision, NEVER look back, NEVER SECOND-GUESS…because if you do, those actions will help to sabotage your decision.

 

My job now is to make my new direction the right direction, the right choice, the right decision. You should never make a decision because it is the easiest thing to do, nor should you make it based on convenience, and, most importantly, never “second-guess” the decision you made.

 

Former President Harry S. Truman once stated: “Once a decision was made, I didn’t worry about it afterward.” I would recommend we all follow his advice; I know I do. 

    

 

robert-stephenson (131x175).jpgRobert Stevenson is a highly sought after, internationally known speaker. He is the author of the best-selling books How to Soar Like An Eagle in a World Full of Turkeys and 52 Essential Habits For Success. Robert is a graduate of the Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech) and is a former All-American Athlete. He started his first business at 24 and has owned several companies. Robert has international sales
experience dealing in over 20 countries, and his client list reads like a Who’s Who in Business. He has shared the podium with such renowned names as Generals Colin Powell and Norman Schwarzkopf, Former President George H.W. Bush, Anthony Robbins and Steven Covey. www.robertstevenson.org  

FREE Report:
What Every Business Owner Must Know About Protecting and Preserving Their Network



If you depend on your computer network to run your business, this is one report you DON'T want to overlook!

This report will outline the common mistakes that many small business owners make with their computer network that cost them thousands in lost sales, productivity, and computer repair bills, as well as providing an easy, proven way to reduce or completely eliminate the financial expense and frustration of these oversights.


anti-spam Important! We hate spam as much (or more!) than you and promise to NEVER rent, share, or abuse your e-mail address and contact information in any way.

Client Spotlight: 

Planning Solutions Group

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Planning Solutions Group (PSG) is a financial planning firm that specializes in developing innovative concepts for wealth creation and preservation. PSG is comprised of 3 partners with over 60 years of combined industry experience, a team of associate planners, and a dedicated support staff which includes two attorneys who provide advanced estate and tax planning solutions, and a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) for the development of creative investment strategies.

 

PSG’s innovative solutions are the result of a collaborative approach; the firm coordinates with their clients’ existing advisors and reviews their financial outlook to design a comprehensive plan to fit their needs. PSG’s approach is unique because they make recommendations based on all aspects of their clients’ lives.

 

PSG is committed to providing clients with outstanding service and “Exceeding Expectations” to ensure a positive and life-changing planning experience.

 

To guarantee that they can continually provide clients with reliable, high quality service, PSG relies on DP Solutions’ Managed IT Services with Microsoft Office 365 for their IT support needs. This combination provides 24x7 secure access to files and applications along with constant monitoring & updates so their IT always runs at peak performance.

 

To learn more about PSG, visit psgplanning.com.

 

 

Help Us Out & We'll Give You
Two Tickets to See the Baltimore Orioles or Washington Nationals!

Through Our Referral Program orioles-nationals-tickets-referral-program.png 

During the month of March & April we are holding a special “refer a friend” event.

 

Simply refer any company with 10 or more computers to our office and once we’ve completed our initial appointment with your referral, we’ll send you two tickets to either an Orioles or a Nationals game to thank-you. Your referral is under no obligation to use our services. We also promise to be 100% respectful of their time.


Fill out our referral form or email us at sales@dpsolutions.com with your referral’s name and contact information today!