What’s Under the Tree from Nortec
FREE Whiteboarding session with your Executive team and Nortec! We work with you to develop a high-level architectural design for potential networking solutions customized to your business needs. This should be the first step in prioritizing your projects for 2019.
FIRST THREE people to sign-up get FREE 30-day trials for Office 365, Microsoft Azure, or Microsoft Intune and:
The FIRST PERSON to sign up will receive 2 tickets to a Washington Capitals Hockey game with limousine service to and from the game!
The NEXT TWO PEOPLE to sign up will receive 2 Washington Capitals Hockey tickets.
GO CAPS!
Take advantage of this offer through now through Dec. 31, 2018. Just contact Alison Childs at [email protected]
Current Nortec Managed Services Customers not eligible.
Why Everyone’s Talking Teams
It’s been two years since Microsoft unveiled the collaboration game-changer, Teams. Since its release, Teams has been a paradigm-shift for unified communications, expanding from the siloed voice and video to a fully collaborative environment that offers a single place to integrate contacts, conversation and content.
Teams changes the communication and collaboration game, shifting it away from the phone plus collaboration model to a fully collaborative environment with all channels of communication enabled. Some of the features we love are the external and internal work areas, so you can have different teams with contractors, internal staff and other collaborators. Teams can share common files, calendars, channels and communications.
Teams is set to take over for Skype for Business as a more collaborative environment where you can take advantage of artificial intelligence for your communications and productivity, but it’s not a move you have to make. According to Microsoft, customers will be able to determine the timing of their migration to Teams based on their needs. The upgrade is an easy transition, and one that reaps benefits for management and end users alike.
It’s little wonder then that Microsoft can now be found as a top challenger in the Gartner Magic Quadrant for Unified Communications (October 2018). With billions in financial backing and clearly the highest ability to execute, Microsoft is positioned to upset and dominate the industry with innovation.
Is Teams the right move for you? If you want the analytics, integration and collaboration, we recommend getting on the Teams train soon and start taking advantage of the benefits. We’re here to help you take Teams for a test drive. Let’s talk Teams. Hit reply to this newsletter and we’ll get you connected.
Phones, Tablets, Laptops and Desktops – Oh My! The Need for Better Endpoint Security
You can get malware on any platform – phones, desktops, laptops and tablets are all susceptible. Protecting your network requires a strong outer fortress around any and all devices accessing your network. Like the mobile phone your employees are checking their email on.
There are many endpoint protection (EPP) tools on the market; however, Microsoft’s unique approach has the industry abuzz and has even earned it a spot squarely in Gartner’s Visionary quadrant, according to the Gartner Magic Quadrant Report (October 2018).
What’s so visionary about Microsoft’s approach? Addressing endpoint protection through the operating system, Microsoft continues to improve Windows 10 security features such as augmenting the deployment of Windows Defender with Advanced Threat Protection, making it directly competitive with some of the leading contenders on the endpoint protection market.
This new approach includes adding capabilities to Enterprise E3 and E5 Windows, including Application Guard, Credential Guard, Exploit Guard and Secure Boot. Windows users can also leverage Windows Defender for file-based protection that uses signatures and machine-learning to detect, test and report on new malware strains, something that has dramatically improved Microsoft’s detection accuracy in test results. If a third-party end-point protection system fails or is out of date, Windows Defender automatically kicks in as a safeguard, so there is less reliance on individual users to keep their devices protected.
Microsoft is sweeping the business cybersecurity market off it’s feet. Perhaps because people like the simplicity of having built-in security, or maybe because the idea of security beginning in the operating system is as revolutionary as it is reasonable, Microsoft’s EPP solutions are one of the most talked about and asked after end-point protection solutions on the market. As Gartner placed inquiry calls for their annual EPP Magic Quadrant Report, Microsoft was the most asked about end-point protection provider in all their conversations.
How does your end-point protection stack up in the Gartner Magic Quadrant? Contact us and let’s talk.
Important Mitel Pricing Update
The US Trade Representative Office announced possible new tariffs on hardware products imported from China effective January 1, 2019. The tariffs impact Mitel hardware phones, switches and other related UC equipment.
Despite Mitel’s efforts to limit the tariff’s impact, Mitel is imposing a 25% price increase on all Mitel components on January 1, 2019.
If you are planning on purchasing any new or additional Mitel phones, switches, or other related hardware in 2019, we highly encourage you to make those purchases this month, December 2018, to avoid the coming 25% price increase.
If you have any questions, please reach out to your Nortec Sales Professional who will be happy to assist you with a purchase or offer alternative virtualized options.
Legal Research Firm Gains Efficiency, Security with Managed Services
Based in Washington, D.C., and with an office in China, Fastcase provides research software to help lawyers, law firms and bar associations across the United States access the entire American law library online. Millions of cases, legal briefs and regulations are made available at a fraction of the cost of other legal resources. Although in business since 1999, Fastcase’s quick, organic growth left the company still operating under its start-up structure 18 years later in 2017. As employees focused on building Fastcase’s stellar reputation as the cutting-edge leader in online legal research, its infrastructure suffered from neglect and needed improvement to keep up with its growing staff and client demand. To meet Fastcase’s needs, Nortec used scalable, cost-effective solutions like these…
The Nortec Nine
- Is Your Cloud Services Provider Taking You for a Ride
- Company Cybersecurity: 10 Ways to Build Employee Buy-in
- Why Microsoft is Resurgent is Threatening to Overtake the Slumping Apple
- Artificial Intelligence Will Soon be Used to Tweak Malware on the Fly
- Microsoft EVP: Multi-cloud Approaches are Good for the Industry
- Is Cloud Good for Humans? The Ethical Angle
- Small Businesses Need to Get Big on Cybersecurity
- Why CTOs Need to Revive Their Backup Strategy
- Sophisticated Malware Could Target Your Home by 2019
Meet the Nortec Team – Alison Childs, Marketing Manager
Alison Childs has been the face of marketing at Nortec for 10 years strong. Preferring to be behind closed doors making it all happen, she reluctantly agreed to be interviewed.
1. What is your role at Nortec?
I coordinate our marketing efforts including online and customer facing events.
2. If you had an unofficial job title, what would it be?
“Special Projects.” Being part of a tight-knit team like Nortec means pitching in when and where needed, whether it fits neatly into your job description or not.
3. What do you love the most about Nortec?
Nortec is a friendly, casual office. You don’t have to make appointments to speak with someone! You can talk to anyone, anytime about any issues at hand. I think it allows us to get more done and solve problems for our clients more quickly.
4. What’s your vision for Nortec in 2019?
Creating more leads in our marketing efforts! It makes everyone happy.
5. What don’t people know about you?
I speak French, although am out of practice. I also knit scarves and blankets.
6. Favorite place on Earth?
Northern Ontario in the summer, it is filled with pristine lakes and sunshine!