December 2018 Newsletter

Here is your December 2018 newsletter. In this issue… • Letter From the President • What NOT to Do After a Data Breach • Spam, Spam, Go Away! • Looping a Show in PowerPoint   • Do We Need to Pass on Passwords? • Community Sponsorship  • Upcoming Tech Talk

Letter from the President

As I sit down to write this final letter for 2018, I’m amazed by how quickly this year has gone. Before you trade out your calendar for the 2019 edition, I want to challenge you to finish the year well by completing these last three 2018 tasks to set you up for a great start for 2019.

1. Block out a chunk of time to map out next year’s rollouts. If you haven’t already set actual dates for your new technology roll outs, it’s not too late. Planning for resource needs – time, money and people – before you begin installations and roll outs allows you to keep momentum after getting out of the gate. This also assists with inter-team and organization-wide (if applicable) communication. Nothing is worse than starting an implementation and realizing you don’t have the resources to complete it. Use this time to reflect on last year’s busy times or anticipate times where resources (again, think time, money and people) will be scarce. The best implementations have focused intensity of resources, especially if your resources are limited.
2. Plan how you will navigate new technology options within an already established budget. It always seems to happen: You put the final touches on your annual budget and the technology update or solution that will make your organization better rolls out. It sounds counterintuitive to plan for the unplanned, but your budget should allow for unplanned changes so you can adopt the technology you need, when you need it, and stay within your budget. Even if your 2019 budget is complete, review it to determine where you may have some wiggle room to shift resources. One method is to prioritize your budget using Steven Covey’s ABC priority list – What “Absolutely needs done” in this budget cycle, “But if everything goes according to plan” what are the things you can do, and what are the items/solutions you Can’t afford right now (a good list in case there is a shift of resources – a new grant or board allocation) or you may choose to make this a we “Can do without this year” list. Performing this exercise before the budget year starts helps not only see areas of flexibility but also keeps you and your team focused on the big priorities (As) to ensure a successful year.
3. Review areas where technology can save you time and/or money. You probably know that if technology won’t save you time or money in the short or long term, it’s not worth implementing. However, what many businesses overlook are opportunities to implement technology to achieve these goals. Look around at the processes and tasks that are taking you and your team significant amounts of time. This can mean little amounts of time over a long period as well (think slow-moving, outdated networks). Evaluate the time that’s spent multiplied by the hourly wage for each person the issue is affecting. Review prices of the technology solution to determine when you will see ROI.

We are excited to announce that we will be formally introducing three new staff members in January 2019. These three individuals bring years of experience and expertise to augment our already robust team. And, while we celebrate these new beginnings, we are also going to be saying goodbye to Rich Timer on Dec. 31, who will be retiring after 7 years of service at Networking Technologies. We celebrate with Rich as he enters this next chapter, but know he will be missed by our team and many of you who have worked with him over the years. On behalf of all of us here at Networking Technologies, Happy Holidays to you and your family! From all of us at Networking Technologies, James Bahm President, Networking Technologies

What NOT to Do After a Data Breach

used with permission from HP Tech@Work Breathe deep, reduce anxiety, and avoid these 9 things It’s an IT department’s worst nightmare: Your business has been hacked by a third party that has accessed your sensitive, confidential data. And often, by the time you discover it, a breach is well underway: US companies take an average of 221 days to detect a breach, according to a 2018 study. So what do you do? Well, it turns out that knowing what not to do is just as important—because, even with the best of intentions, your team could accidentally make the situation much worse. Here’s what to avoid in the event of a cyberattack. Read more →  

Spam, Spam, Go Away!

used with permission from Norton by Symantec Spam. In some ways, it’s the electronic equivalent of junk mail and junk phone calls. Spam is not only an unsolicited and annoying nuisance, it’s also a pervasive problem that’s clogging and overwhelming the Internet’s email systems. Spam accounts for approximately 80 percent of worldwide email volume. In other ways, spam is worse than junk mail or junk phone calls. Although some spam is simply unwanted but legitimate advertising, much of it is worse. Read more →  

Do We Need to Pass on Passwords?

You be the judge Nearly 15 years ago, Microsoft Co-Founder Bill Gates predicted the demise of passwords. They were too unreliable, he said, noting there were other more secure ways of granting access to computers. Read more →

Community Sponsorship

Networking Technologies sponsored The Black Family Foundation’s 25th anniversary celebration on June 5. Over the past 25 years, the foundation has donated several million dollars to worthy organizations throughout the Erie community and around the globe. All of the event proceeds supported local nonprofit organizations and provided funding for early-stage entrepreneurs — with a focus on women, veterans and minorities — through the recent creation of the Idea Fund Erie. Pictured are (l to r) Anthony Squeglia, Sam & Wendy Aquillano, and Wendy Bahm).

Events & Tech Talk Webinar

A Free Technology Webinar Series 11 AM EST

August 22 Designing the Smart, Digital Workplace

September 26 E-Rate Made Easy

October 24 Protecting Your Data in a Hybrid IT Environment

Holiday Hours: All of us at Networking Technologies wish you and your family a very happy holiday season. To allow our employees to celebrate with their families, our offices will be closed Dec. 24 and 25 and Jan. 1.

Let’s Get Social

We are now providing customers with regular posts on Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook. Check us out!

Monthly Cartooon

Networking Technologies ERI 814.836.0000 | BUF 716.216.3104 | CLE 216.487.3104 | service@net-cloud.com Corporate Headquarters: 3910 Caughey Rd. Suite 207 Erie, PA 16506