Author Archives: Megan Carnes

In business, you need to be ready for anything, including potential disaster scenarios. Therefore, it stands to reason that you have a solid disaster recovery plan in place to help you address them should the need arise. We’ve outlined three disaster recovery best practices you should consider for your business continuity strategy, as well as some tips to help you implement them seamlessly into your own operations.

Figure Out What All Potential Threats Look Like

The first step toward figuring out your business’ continuity plan is to consider the types of disasters you will be facing. This means that you need to perform an analysis of all the potential threats your organization could face, no matter how unlikely they might seem. Granted, you should lend more credence to the most likely of disasters, but you can’t rule anything out. Otherwise, you could be ignoring a glaring hole in your plan.

Basically, we’re not telling you to plan for when an asteroid levels your office, but we are telling you to have a strategy in place to account for physical damage or power loss to your office. Your business continuity plan should be specific enough to address the most likely issues you’ll face, but flexible enough to account for other less likely incidents, too.

Determine Your Business’ Benchmarks

No matter the disaster, your organization will have critical data and systems that need to be recovered. It’s up to you to determine what they are and how you will prioritize them. This will help you when it comes to responding to these disasters.

What it boils down to is knowing your various systems’ maximum tolerable downtime, or MTD. This is how long a system can remain down before permanent damage is done to your business. Knowing this number gives you more flexibility and room for making important decisions in the event of a disaster. Your MTD can also help to inform your RTO and RPO, or your recovery time objective and recovery point objective, respectively. These metrics help you better prepare for a disaster by establishing how often a backup should be taken and how long it will take for you to restore said backup.

Test, Revise, and Test Your Plan Again

Your disaster recovery solution will only be successful if you have multiple people working in tandem to ensure that it happens regularly and effectively. Otherwise, if the disaster renders that one person responsible for the strategy unavailable, you’ll be left in dire straits. On the other side of things, the more people involved means more can get done, and the work is easier to achieve.

This is why it helps to have a hierarchy of people responsible for various parts of your plan; if one key person is unable to pull off the full plan, then at least certain other aspects of your continuity strategy will go off without a hitch. Furthermore, these processes should be written out to make them as accessible and easy-to-follow as possible.

After you have your continuity plan mapped out, you should routinely test it to make sure that it works properly. This will help you in the event you actually need to use it, as you can be confident that the plan works as it should. It will also help you determine where weaknesses in your strategy lie.

Nobody Likes to Think About Business Disasters, But They Need to Be Anticipated

At Thrive, we have plenty of recommendations to provide for your business’ continuity plan, so be sure to contact us for more information and tips!

Managing business technology is a challenge that many small businesses have difficulty overcoming, and this is largely in part due to the fact that managing technology is not the focus of these small businesses. The inability to overcome IT challenges can hold businesses back that otherwise would flourish. Let’s discuss some of the biggest issues that companies have for IT and how they could potentially be addressed.

Digital Transformation is Here to Stay

The pandemic forced the hands of businesses all over the world, forcing them to adopt new technology solutions in response to the rapidly changing global situation. There are no signs which indicate that this digital transformation is slowing down, as businesses are more focused than ever on optimizing their processes with what was previously seen as a taboo working environment, i.e. remote technology.

Cybersecurity is More Important Than Ever

You can’t go on the Internet or turn on the news without seeing a new devastating cyberattack against a major business or government entity. A 2022 study from Evanta found that cybersecurity is the number one priority for CIOs, and considering the number of remote and hybrid workers out there, we’re not surprised.

Taking Full Advantage of the Cloud

The cloud is the second largest growing spending category for businesses, at least according to the Evanta study; 54 percent of businesses are investing in cloud solutions. Businesses want the freedom and agility that comes with cloud infrastructure, making it one of the highest priorities and biggest challenges facing organizations today.

Supply Chain Problems Linger

Hardware and other technical components are harder than ever to get, particularly because of disrupted supply chains as a result of the pandemic and conflict between Russia and Ukraine. We like to recommend that businesses plan ahead with their technology acquisition by planning out a hardware refresh cycle and IT roadmap.

Talent Acquisition is Difficult

Paying to hire in-house IT workers can be expensive, especially if you want IT workers who know what they are doing and have the skills required to keep your business technology running. Unfortunately, many small businesses don’t have the resources to pay top dollar for IT talent.

Managed Services Can Solve a Lot of These Issues

The closest thing you can get to a silver bullet for all your technology problems is to work with a provider like Thrive. Our trusted technicians have the know-how to help your organization overcome any technology-related obstacle, from technology acquisition to management to maintenance and beyond. To learn more about what we can do for your business, contact us today.

State of Women in Technology

Companies in the tech industry are always scrambling to find qualified IT talent. Achieving greater female representation in those technology roles requires companies to think outside of the box to recruit and retain women in areas such as cybersecurity and software engineering.

According to the ISC2 Women in Cybersecurity report, women make up only 24% of the overall workforce, and another report showed about the same percentage of women account for data and AI positions in the workforce.

While these numbers slowly creep up each year, it’s not fast enough to keep up with the opportunity and demand in the technology industry.

However, Thrive is an industry leader that is committed to making a positive impact. Currently, women make up 40% of Thrive’s Platform team and the company is actively recruiting to increase that percentage.

“At Thrive, we are thrilled to be working alongside the most talented women in tech,” said Foster Hardie, VP, Digital Platform Architecture at Thrive. “From engineering and technical support to financial and  cybersecurity, we empower women throughout our technology ecosystem to grow and succeed.”

Focus on Retention

What’s also concerning is that women are leaving the tech industry at a 45% higher rate than men. Bias, microaggressions and being passed over from promotions are huge factors for women leaving the IT workforce.

So, while it’s difficult to increase the female representation in the technology space, it’s even more difficult to maintain that demographic diversity. This ‘quicksand effect’ shines a light on the imperative of retention alongside the importance of recruiting.

Choosing the Right Place, Right Culture

The tech industry can recruit all day every day, but retention is the critical component to moving the needle. However, only 38% of CIOs say that talent acquisitions and retention strategies are key issues.

To truly make an impact, the entire tech industry must unite to make a positive change in women’s representation in the tech workforce. A big step in the right direction is changing company culture to demonstrate inclusion and build trust in the workplace so that women feel heard, respected and that they belong.

Thrive has stayed one step ahead from the norm by providing training and support for its female tech employees.

“I’ve been at Thrive for 15 years and I’ve grown as a team member and a leader of this company,” said Jackie Erickson, Director of Platform Operations at Thrive. “Throughout my time at Thrive, I’ve moved up the ranks from a support professional to a director of our critical platform operations. The amount of support and training Thrive has given me is a testament to the company’s inclusive culture that also recognizes and rewards women in technology roles.”

Investing in the Next Generation of Tech Talent

It’s crucial that the tech industry invests in the next generation of women tech talent through support, mentoring and providing available resources to contribute to their growth and development.

One great resource is the Women in Technology (WIT) organization. This group is made up of a dedicated team of female professionals committed to empowering women to be architects of change in the technology industry.

At Thrive, we strive to make the best team of professionals. In our numerous employee spotlight blogs, our amazing team and culture are often touted as our secret to success. While there is an effort to increase awareness about women in tech in our industry, Thrive already leads the way as a company that focuses on its people and a place where everyone can ‘thrive’.

When your business experiences a significant disruption, a disaster recovery plan is critical to getting back to normal. Some disasters are the result of external threats, while others come about from internal problems with your company’s operations. Here are some things you should consider when looking into potential disaster recovery solutions to help you get through a data disaster.

Disaster recovery, as far as IT is concerned, focuses on protecting your data and information systems, but it can also refer to the broad overarching strategy you use to keep your organization operational in difficult times. Companies today handle more data than ever before, and customers are much more cognizant of when companies don’t appropriately manage or protect their data, so it’s more important than ever to have a strategy in place to keep it safe and protected. Here are three things you should properly manage for your disaster recovery plan.

Planning is Imperative

First, we want to dispel the misconception that disaster recovery is a big, complicated process and strategy that needs to be handled before you take care of general, everyday business. This is not true; many small businesses can leverage a comprehensive data backup and recovery plan with relative ease, although larger organizations might require more details to be addressed, specifically how systems are to be recovered, as well as applications and working conditions.

It doesn’t matter what type of company you are–there are certain aspects of data recovery that always need to be addressed. For example, you’ll need to know how your backup system works, who is in charge of it, and what the responsible recovery point objective (RPO), or the amount of data you need to back up, is. Furthermore, knowing these details can dramatically reduce the time it takes to get back in business following a disaster to help you meet your specified recovery time objective (RTO).

Test Your DR

One major problem that organizations have with their disaster recovery processes is that they aren’t routinely testing them. Nearly a quarter of businesses have never tested their disaster recovery plan, and considering the dire consequences of a failed data recovery, this should be a major cause for concern. You should test your platform regularly, whether it’s once a month, once a quarter, or even once a year.

Testing your disaster recovery system can interfere with your business’ operations and potentially even cut into productivity, depending on when it takes place. Whenever you test your systems, you’re bound to find something wrong with it, so you’ll find your DR strategy changing over time as you address these issues. If you can appropriately address these issues during the testing phase, you’ll have a better chance when you actually need to seriously use your DR strategy.

The Human Element

While it might seem like your disaster recovery strategy is governed by your IT infrastructure, remember that your IT infrastructure is governed by people. You’ll want your DR strategy to take human behavior into account. For example, if your company’s location is compromised by a disaster, do you have the ability to get your business’ employees access to the data they need to effectively do their jobs?

The COVID-19 pandemic made it that much more apparent, as organizations that did not have contingencies in place to handle the remote operations struggled to adjust to the new normal. Businesses that did not have the capital to implement the appropriate technologies and accommodations for remote employees had significant problems in the early days of the pandemic, many of which could have been prevented if they had ensured continuity through work-from-home strategies and other possibilities in the event your office is inoperable short or long term.

Thrive can help your business implement and test a business continuity solution. To learn more, contact Thrive today.

Welcome back to another installment of our “Thrive Spotlight” blog series.

Our featured Thrive Employee is Moira Danaher, Director of Talent Acquisition at Thrive.

As Director of Talent Acquisition, Moira is responsible for the company’s recruiting initiatives across several different departments to keep up with Thrive’s rapid growth. She is primarily focused on finding candidates for infrastructure, technical support, sales, project management and client roles.

Moira lives in Weehawken, NJ, and enjoys summers at the beach and pool! When she’s not outside trying to avoid a sunburn, you can most likely find Moira on a spin bike or trying out a new recipe in the kitchen!

Hi Moira! Can you tell us about your background and how you came to Thrive?

I started my career at TheLadders, an online job board that caters to executives. I transitioned from a customer service focused role into recruitment. I’ve recruited for all different sorts of roles for a wide variety of companies including an experiential marketing agency, expert network and a technology medica company.

I joined the Thrive family in the summer of 2021 through the acquisition of S7 Technology Group in NYC. I went from recruiting for a 50+ person organization to recruiting for a 500+ person organization.

Where did you go to school or get training?

I graduated from Marist College in Poughkeepsie, NY, with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications.

What do you most enjoy about working for Thrive?

The fast pace is definitely exciting! I enjoy being a resource for my co-workers. The culture at Thrive is amazing and I’m always so eager to talk to candidates about how the company is both personally and professionally rewarding. My opinions and ideas are valued and appreciated by Thrive!

Any recent exciting projects at Thrive that you can tell us about?

Recruiting, recruiting, recruiting! I enjoy helping Thrive grow and deliver incentives to our incredible employees and future employees.

Are you interested in learning more about Thrive? Click here!

And don’t forget to follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn for the latest news, and continue checking our blog for more in our “Thrive Employee Spotlight” series. Until next time…

By now you’ve probably heard the term Internet of Things (IoT). You may not completely understand what it is, but you know it has something to do with all those “smart” devices that you see popping up everywhere. Today, we thought we’d get into what types of things are on the IoT and how they can have an impact on your business.

What Is the Internet of Things?

The Internet of Things started growing a decade or so ago as “smart” technologies were being developed to present people with technology that they can use to make their lives easier. This concept is what technology is all about, after all, and it quickly became a business opportunity for OEM (original equipment manufacturers) and other companies. This has led to a massive explosion of “smart” devices designed to unburden the lives of their users.

Of course, the more businesses that are developing this technology, the more tools will be aimed to transform business. There are now 14 billion IoT devices (including smartphones) connected to the Internet, so there is a breadth of options for businesses to choose from. It’s also one of the more funded technology markets by venture capital firms with close to $5 billion being invested annually, as the practical use of IoT is just now scratching the surface.

The IoT Is Everywhere

The IoT can be used in multiple ways in and around your business; and each adds its own unique variables to the way you go about integrating them. Obviously, a large portion of your employees have smartphones, that is an added consideration because you need to ensure that all those mobile devices are working with the applications that you use; or, if you don’t go that far, at least that they don’t bring unwanted passengers along on to your network.

More complex industrial IoT (IIoT) platforms can really alter the way a business operates, so training will have to be considered to help your employees understand how they work. There is a lot of good that the IoT can do, but it also comes with some challenges. Not only do you need to set up your IoT platform from the ground up, but you also need to make sure that it integrates with your back-end software systems and any other applications that would provide the benefits needed to implement them.

Set up and Security Questions for the Implementation of Business IoT

For most businesses looking to implement IoT to help automate some things will first start by using it in the ways that your average home consumer might. You get systems that can help save you on utility costs and help you save time (smart thermostats, smart lights, voice-driven personal assistant hubs, etc.).

More complex systems like asset tracking and inventory management allow for pinpoint control over supply chain issues. This can get complicated, quickly, but that’s the point. The IoT helps humans do things humans couldn’t do without these tools. It is the perfect confluence of human-made tools (hardware and applications) and constant data streaming that can help businesses automate more and collect more data to help them make better business decisions.

Businesses need their technology to be scalable and secure. This is where the IoT hits a snag a lot of the time. There are serious security questions with any number of devices, but that part of it is improving. For the business, however, “improving” could mean “still too expensive/risky”.  The truth is that any business can utilize some form of IoT to help them cut costs, improve efficiency, and improve decision making. You just need to know how.

At Thrive, we understand where and how the IoT fits into a business. If you would like to learn more about the Internet of Things and how it can help your organization grow, contact Thrive today.

CHALLENGE

A manufacturing firm was seeking a new Managed Services Provider (MSP) to scale its leadership needs. The previous MSP failed to act with urgency after a minor breach occurred. The firm also needed a NextGen MSP to solve IT business challenges by automating routine tasks and securing IT operations.

SOLUTION

Thrive was selected because of its innovative platform, automation, best-inclass cybersecurity, and NextGen technology services with the ability to scale. Thrive’s Account Management, or “pod” model, which includes virtual CIOs, Client Engagement Managers, and Account Executives was also key to the company choosing Thrive. Thrive implemented NextGen Managed IT, End User Support & Security, Managed Azure & Backup, Managed Infrastructure and Managed Office 365. Managing these services through The Thrive Platform, powered by ServiceNow, allowed the company to deliver better service with less time and effort.

RESULT

By making self-service easy and automating frequent manual tasks, like password resets or new hire provisioning, The Thrive Platform enabled the company to free up staff and resources for its core business objectives. The partnership with Thrive, a NextGen MSP with a white-glove service approach, was imperative for the company’s plans to double in size over the next 18 months.

How can Thrive help your business?

Thrive is a leading provider of outsourced IT Infrastructure designed to drive business outcomes by helping you get the most out of your IT.

To learn more about our services, CONTACT US

Sometimes it can be easy to take cybersecurity for granted, especially when you consider that built-in security features are more powerful than they have ever been. Unfortunately, if you think that cybersecurity is something that ends with the built-in security of your desktops and laptops, then you’re in for a rude awakening.

Most Devices Are Connected These Days

Besides older industrial machinery and equipment, just about all devices connected to your network communicate with each other in some way, thereby making them a cybersecurity risk. Individual workstations and desktops might be protected, but you also need to keep them updated, along with all of the other endpoints that might be connected to your network.

In fact, you might be surprised by some of the other devices that could potentially be threats to your network.

Network Printers Can Be Dangerous

Does the name Stackoverflowin ring a bell? Back in 2017, this hacker hijacked 150,000 printers all over the world from big brands like Canon, Brother, Epson, HP, and Samsung. They were then able to send documents to these printers to print out the messages. The attack might be harmless, but it showcases just how serious issues of cybersecurity with printers can be, as they can be controlled and manipulated in ways you might not expect.

In essence, the above attack could be categorized as a botnet, or a large group of infected devices from all over the Internet using their collective power to launch an attack against a network. This segues nicely into our next topic of discussion, the DDoS attack.

Internet of Things and Distributed Denial of Service Attacks (DDoS)

Just last year, the world saw the most massive DDoS attack yet. A DDoS attack is when countless devices—we’re talking hundreds, thousands, or even millions of infected devices—band together to launch all of their power against a website or service. It’s like when the grocery store has too much traffic and people get stuck waiting around in the aisles, or when a highway experiences traffic congestion.

Anyway, back to the attack. It went after its target with 17.2 million requests per second, three times larger than the largest DDoS attack which preceded it. With a varied list of compromised devices, including smart appliances and various Internet of Things devices such as smart light bulbs, thermostats, washing machines, and others that can connect to a smartphone, anyone with connected devices has reason to fear these attacks. And, of course, if a hacker can take over your washing machine, you bet they’re not going to be doing your chores for you. They’ll likely use it to gain deeper access to your network and create all kinds of problems for you.

Networking Equipment Like Routers, Switches, and Other Hardware

Any device which sends or receives network traffic throughout your office is going to be vulnerable, as it’s likely connected to your workstations, which your employees use on a day-to-day basis. Even in the home environment, you can expect there to be threats aplenty, as just last month a new type of malware was discovered making its home on consumer and small-business grade network routers. This particular threat allowed hackers to influence connected devices using the Windows, Linux, and macOS operating systems.

The malware, an incredibly complicated and sophisticated threat called ZuoRAT, is believed to have been created by a major organization or perhaps even a nation-state. The threat is quite difficult to identify and detect, all while granting a considerable amount of control to any potential attacker, making it a dangerous combination of stealthy and powerful. It can also be used to roll out additional malware, bypassing security measures along the way.

Yes, Even the Bluetooth Earbuds

Bluetooth headphones might seem small and of little consequence, but even these devices can be vulnerable to threats. Take, for example, the vulnerability which was discovered within the microcontrollers of a handful of earbuds, allowing hackers to gain control over the device for the purposes of a botnet. The threat has only been used by researchers, but security experts were able to break into their own Bluetooth earbuds and disable the Bluetooth and wireless communications on the connected device. Imagine the repercussions this could have in the realm of a physical security system, where security cameras could be broken into and turned off.

Pretty scary stuff, although we would like to mention that we don’t bring this up to scare you—merely to open your eyes to the possibilities out there for hackers, which are seemingly infinite in scope.

It’s Never a Bad Time to Consider Your Cybersecurity Strategy

We know it can be a little unnerving to think about the many threats out there, but you don’t have to do it alone. Thrive is here to help you navigate the cybersecurity landscape. To learn more, contact Thrive.

CHALLENGE

A financial firm that offers conventional business loans, rainmaker plans, retirement plans, and insurance solutions was looking to manage its IT operations and reduce premise-based hardware with less time and effort while stepping up its cybersecurity.

SOLUTION

Thrive enabled several best-in-class security platforms to provide a multi-layer defense to protect the firm’s data and end users from advanced threats. The Thrive team of experts implemented the Thrive Cybersecurity Bundle, a defense to protect end users from advanced threats, as well as the Thrive Security Incident and Event Management as a Service (SIEMaaS) and the Thrive Vulnerability Scanning & Management solution. Thrive also delivered the ThriveCloud to expand the firm’s digital infrastructure operations from inside the traditional office walls to the Cloud. In addition, Thrive deployed a fully-managed IT infrastructure with Managed Backup and Disaster Recovery.

RESULT

As a result of Thrive’s deep portfolio of IT infrastructure, cybersecurity, and Cloud solutions, the firm was able to reduce on-premise hardware and increase its overall security posture. Thrive also added its Virtual Chief Information Security Officer (vCISO) services to take the strain off the financial firm’s IT staff. The vCISO services optimized the firm’s day-to-day operations to become more secure, productive, and efficient.

How can Thrive help your business?

Thrive is a leading provider of outsourced IT Infrastructure designed to drive business outcomes by helping you get the most out of your IT.

To learn more about our services, CONTACT US

CHALLENGE

The law firm’s current Managed Services Provider (MSP) was not meeting business operational objectives and failed to accommodate planned future growth and IT demands. The local MSP lacked technical skill sets and follow up. SLAs were not being met and the firm’s attorneys experienced downtime, which resulted in the loss of billable hours to their clients. The law firm vetted other local MSPs but found
they couldn’t scale the business and provide white-glove service.

SOLUTION

After an extensive search, the firm selected Thrive as its MSP because of its national footprint/platform that allows its engineers to resolve most issues remotely. Thrive’s maturity level and security as an MSP/MSSP could help the firm grow as an organization. Thrive provided its own equipment to eliminate the firm’s risk of supporting off-platform hardware. The Thrive team mapped out a strategy to fortify its security measures and implemented several services and processes, including Managed Firewalls, Managed Infrastructure, End User Support, End User Security Bundle, Managed Azure, Managed 365 with Backup and Technical Account Management.

RESULT

The law firm was impressed with Thrive’s onboarding process and the white-glove service. Since the firm has non-technical users, it has peace of mind that the Thrive team of experts is keeping its operations running smoothly and securely with next-gen technology.

How can Thrive help your business?

Thrive is a leading provider of outsourced IT Infrastructure designed to drive business outcomes by helping you get the most out of your IT.

To learn more about our services, CONTACT US