From answering emails on a smartphone and employees working remotely to creating a collaborative workspace with digital services and amenities, mobility needs in the workforce continue to rise substantially and are crucial to your success.

The result of a Gallup poll found that businesses that hire remote employees have grown from 39% in 2012 to 47% in 2016.¹ The use of smartphones and telecommunication channels are also continuing to increase and provide a competitive edge.

These mobile connections are allowing employees and customers communicate in unprecedented speeds, and this is proving to pay off. According to Forbes, “SMBs that adopt mobile technologies are seeing double the revenue growth and are creating up to eight times as many jobs as their less mobile-ready peers.”²

Don’t let your business miss out on growth opportunities because of a lack in your team’s mobility and network support of these technologies.

While it’s one thing to provide mobility within your company, it’s also important to ensure your network can keep up with the demands. Older networks are being challenged while more devices are hitting the workforce. By 2020, it’s expected that each person will have four or more connected devices.³ And network functionality doesn’t stop at devices. The type of content being viewed also effects network functionality.  For example, video accounts for 35% of all smartphone traffic and over 50% of tablet traffic.⁴

Make sure your network is ready for the challenges of a mobile workforce. As an Aruba Platinum Partner, DataVizion’s dedicated team can deliver simple, reliable and affordable networking solutions for small and midsize businesses. These products can help your business mobility growth by offering:

·       Cloud based networking solutions

·       WI-FI improvement tools

·       Network flexibility to support the addition of new mobile solutions and cloud-based applications

·       A secure network foundation that’s easy to manage

Contact us today at (402) 327-1880 for more information about how we can help your business grow with Aruba, a Hewlett Packard Enterprise company, products.

1 Blueprint, “The Rise of ‘Technology Mobility’ in the Workplace,” February 2018.

2 Forbes, “Mobile Technologies Becoming A Growth Engine For Small And Medium Businesses,” February 2015.

3 Mobile World Live, “The number of devices to hit 4.3 per person by 2020—report,” October 2014.

4 Ooyala.com Videomind, “Mobile video traffic to grow 13X by 2019, straining already congested networks,” June 2014.

DataVizion is pleased to announce that Joel Rourke has joined the company as Director of Sales. Joel brings 20 years of IT sales experience. In the past five years, he’s worked for leading IT solution providers Aruba, a Hewlett Packard Enterprise Company, and most recently Nutanix. Joel has significant experience including growing territories and helping customers solve their business objectives through the use of meaningful technologies.

“We at DataVizion are really looking forward to having Joel’s leadership on our team to facilitate the exciting plans we have for DataVizion,” said Kelly Schrad, DataVizion President and CEO. “Joel understands our company values well and especially embodies our top two values ‘Customer first, customer last’ and ‘Our people are the keys to our success.’ I’m confident he will help drive a great sales experience towards the outstanding customers we get work with on a daily basis.”

In his new role as Director of Sales, Joel will work with the sales team to drive further growth for the company.  He will also work closely with customers and DataVizion’s strategic partners.

While Joel is new to DataVizion as an employee, he’s certainly no stranger.

“I’ve known the team here at DataVizion for most of my career and very familiar with their work culture,” Joel said. “This opportunity is a great fit for all of us.”

In addition to knowing the DataVizion team well, through Joel’s past experience he’s very familiar with the territory and understands the challenges customers face.

“This is like coming home for me,” Rourke said.  “I look forward to helping the company, customers and partners grow with us.”

The number of network-connected devices per person is expected to be nearly seven by the year 2020*. Seem like a lot? Not when you consider smart phones, tablets, laptops, fitness trackers, iPods and more.

Nowhere is this more evident than on college campuses, which can put a huge strain on existing networks. For colleges that want to keep up, it’s time to move to a mobile-first campus with Aruba, a Hewlett Packard Enterprise company’s, Mobile First Architecture.

The Aruba Mobile First Architecture will allow your campus to seamlessly transition your existing network to a software-defined enterprise, with new features and functionality all while supporting your legacy systems.

Features include:

Mobile First:  It allows users and devices to connect to the network and receive the same policy and permissions regardless of how they connect, wired or wireless, making them truly mobile.

Open: No business wants to be locked-in and limited by a single vendor’s architecture. This solution supports open standards, but also provides rich API support for a seamless integration.

Secure: This solution provides security for both the wired and wireless infrastructure with signed code, secure boot, and cryptographic hardware protection. Rest assured, user data is protected with strong encryption and per-user level policy.

Autonomous: Machine learning uses massive amounts of analytics data in order to understand the operational and security state of the network. Automated systems optimize performance and will alert administrators of changes or highlight potential changes that require acceptance via on-premise and cloud-managed network operations.

If you want to learn more about what Aruba Mobile First Architecture can do for your campus, give us a call at 402-327-1880. DataVizion’s certified mobile-first engineers are ready to get started!

Source: https://www.statista.com/statistics/678739/forecast-on-connected-devices-per-person/

In an ever-increasing digital world, the use of mobile and other IoT devices will continue to rise along with the expectations of users. Whether it’s at work, on campus or while shopping, users expect to seamlessly access information, without having to worry about network issues.

However, as any IT professional knows, the increase in devices also means that networks are becoming more complex. So what happens when network issues do occur throughout your business? It can take hours or even days to troubleshoot and resolve wireless problems, during which the user experience is less than ideal.

To help our client’s combat this, DataVizion is implementing Aruba NetInsight, which gives your IT professionals access to AI-powered network analytics and assurance to detect problems and help optimize network performance.

“Through the use of Aruba’s AI- powered assurance and analytics, DataVizion is able to proactively customize our customers’ networks to meet their dynamic needs and dramatically improve the quality of experience for users on the network,” Kelly Schrad, DataVizion’s CEO and President, said.  “With a seamless and secure network, our customers can better focus on the user experience instead of reactive network management.”

Not only does Aruba NetInsight help detect issues, but also the web-based dashboard takes the guesswork out of troubleshooting by allowing network administrators to view insights along with root causes. Better yet, it provides recommendations to fix immediate and foreseeable network performance issues.

In addition to improving the network, NetInsight also allows our customers access to data visualizations.  This can provide information such as how people move around your business location or what areas they congregate in, all of which are valuable when it comes to planning and preparing for growth.

If you want to learn more about how AI-powered analytics and assurance can improve your business network, give us a call at 402-327-1880.  Read more about Aruba NetInsight here.

Recently, a group of our DataVizion team members, made their way to Las Vegas, Nevada, at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center for Aruba Atmosphere 2018. Hosted by Aruba, a Hewlett Packard Enterprise company, it’s the largest mobility conference in the world, that brings together networking experts from across the globe.

During the action-packed week, our DataVizion team members, along with several of our customers, attended keynotes from top-performing industry professionals, and hands-on sessions and demonstrations. Along with our customers, we learned about the importance and implementation of intelligent edge, and how to enable its capabilities throughout businesses with Aruba Mobile First Architecture.

We also had the opportunity to hear from Partha Narasimhan, CTO at Aruba. During his presentation, he spoke about the need of Al-powered analytics and assurance. Al-powered analytics and assurance solutions provide connectivity insights that let you measure and manage application responsiveness, so that you can see how your network is performing for your users, in real time.

“Not only does this event enable us to learn more about Aruba and where they are headed, from a partners perspective, is also enables DataVizion to bring customers together to learn more about what can be achieved with the solutions they are considering implementing,” said Tom Burke, Channel Sales Director.

While obtaining an Aruba Mobile First Expert Certification, our DataVizion team members gained insight on:

• How to turn IT resources into assets for businesses
• Closing security gaps while supporting workplace flexibility
• Providing the right collaboration tools for organizational creativity
• Helping organization’s gain an innovative edge;
• Embracing the flexibility and scale of cloud and on-premises solutions.

If you are interested to learn about how mobile-first implementations can benefit your business network,  give us a call at 402-327-1880.

DataVizion’s 2018 Tech Summit kicked off April 9, bringing together industry professionals and technology experts from more than 30 companies.

This year’s theme “Leveraging Next Generation Technology Solutions” focused on the latest in next generation mobility and security and what companies need to do to keep up.

“Advances in technology are shaking up expectations for how every kind of business operates,” Kelly Schrad, DataVizion President and CEO, said. “Technology isn’t going to slow down, so we’re helping our customers not only look how to get ahead of the curve, but also utilize solutions to give them a competitive advantage. “

The day kicked off with a presentation from special guest speaker Dale Cline, the CEO of BlackStratus. Cline discussed the latest in IT security and compliance and what businesses should be on the look out for.

Condall Clegg, the Director of US Channels and Alliances in the Solutions and Technology organization within Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) spoke about how the company has evolved to address changing technology demands.

Breakout sessions from leading technology companies Aruba, a Hewlett Packard Enterprise company, Fortinet and Nutanix, filled the second half of the day.

DataVizion also hosted a special breakout session on the company’s new managed security services solution, VizionCare Secure.

The day wrapped up a cocktail hour and raffle drawing. Several lucky winners walked away with great prizes such as a GoPro HERO6 and a DJI Phantom 3 Drone startup kit.

A special thanks to our partners and sponsors for helping us put together this event.

View photos from the event here.

Looking back on 2017, it was a big year for major breaches and cyberattacks. The success of ransomware went mainstream, which lead to increasing cases of ransomware attacks.

Now that 2018 is here, we’ll continue to see the development of ransomware attacks, which will deeply impact the productivity and security of organizations. Here are some predictions for additional vulnerabilities in store for businesses this year.

• Political motives on the rise: Expect to see ransomware motives that are for political gain rather than just commercial.
• Increased sophistication: Security solutions will need to adapt faster than ever to keep pace with increasingly sophisticated ransomware.
• Expanded targets: Hackers are no longer just going after big business. While the statistics vary, most show a significant increase in attacks on small businesses.
• Focus on customer data protection: Customers are walking away from businesses that suffer cybersecurity breaches. To thrive, businesses will need to not only stay ahead of evolving threats, but also keep pace with updated regulation and compliance standards.
• Internet of Things (IoT) integration fueling threats: Hackers are finding new ways to get into your network through unprotected devices, including everything from point-of-sale machines and intelligent vending machines to smart home and vehicle devices.

While the concern for cybersecurity attacks will continue to rise in 2018, we're committed to protecting your data and your business. Our VizionCare Secure, Managed Service Security Solution, can dramatically reduce your chance of suffering a severe breach with 24/7 active monitoring.

Contact us today at (402) 327-1880 for more information about VizionCare Secure.

There have been a lot of reports, articles and even conflicting statements in the news about substantial security issues now known as Meltdown and Spectre.

In the simplest of terms, these are two hardware flaws that affects nearly every computer and device out there, primarily impact Intel based computers.

While there is a lot of valuable news information available, we wanted to share some basics with you. Rest assured, at DataVizion we stay ahead of evolving security risks, capacity requirements and performance demands that can impact your business.

What It Is

Cyber security experts have discovered chip design flaws in computer processors that could allow access to your sensitive information such as passwords on computers, servers and smartphones.

Company’s (Microsoft, Apple, Google, etc) that develop the operating systems for these impacted systems are taking steps to release patches that prevent the vulnerability from being exploited by hackers; however, even if all updates are made, many devices will remain exposed.

What It Does

The Meltdown and Spectre flaws may have serious implications for users as it allows hackers to access important information such as passwords or the encryption keys held in a device’s memory.

Meltdown allows a program running on a computer to break into an operating system’s central memory, accessing data it shouldn't be.

Normally, this could be addressed using the software updates being rushed out. However, Spectre makes it possible for a program running on a chip to access data in a separate program, without any need to call on the operating system.

What You Can Do Now

Users should make sure to install all applicable patches once released from Microsoft and/or Apple. Once the patch is released, those customers who are subscribed to DataVizion’s patching services will receive the patch and have it deployed automatically and managed by DataVizion. Any other users/customers will have to ensure that their systems are patched or contact Datavizion for assistance for additional help.

What We’re Doing About It

DataVizion is committed to ensuring our customers have the latest and greatest cyber security protections in place. For questions about this or to learn more about our patching/security services, please feel free to reach out to your account manager.

Today, headlines about IT security breaches read very differently than just worms and viruses of early days. Nation states actors, organized crime syndicates and idealistic “hacktivists” have catapulted cybersecurity onto the global stage.

Complex attack methodologies coupled with sophisticated social engineering has resulted in the grim reality that vulnerabilities exist in every organization, regardless of size. Even worse, is that the average amount of time between a breach and discovery is eight months.

This rising trend of cyber attacks has led us to offer a new managed security service solution, VizionCare Secure. This solution can dramatically reduce your chance of suffering a severe breach and reduce the amount of time between a breach and discovery to minutes.

Our solution provides advanced threat intelligence and the same level of security as the largest companies in the world, all at a low monthly cost. Your data is protected in real-time and meets your regulatory audit and reporting requirements. This includes providing specific compliance reports you’ll need to pass HIPAA, PCI, FISMA and other audits.

To show business just how valuable it is, we offer a free, 30-Day Security Health Assessment for your business. During that time, we will assess your security posture, risk profile and identify potential gaps.

Contact us today at (402) 327-1880 for more information or to enroll in the free assessment.

Cyber criminals are increasingly targeting private companies in hopes of easy access. Even basic oversights, such as leaving a laptop unattended or opening a spam email, could lead to a cyber attack and ultimately cause a financial loss for your company.

Having the right technology in place to prevent such attacks is a must. However, you should also provide basic training to employees, as they are a critical line of defense against cyber attacks. Here are five topics to cover.

1. Phishing and Spam

Hackers are coming up with increasingly clever scams using fake emails to try and gain access to your company’s network or employee information. Train your employees to spot these phishing attempts and to alert IT to any suspicious emails. You can even purchase phishing simulator training tools to test your employees’ awareness. The results will show what additional training and education may be needed.

2. Strong Passwords

Between work and personal use, it seems like we all have a million passwords to remember. To combat this, employees may be tempted to create an easy password used for multiple purposes. Train employees on the importance of using strong passwords and ways to secure where they store that information.

3. Reporting Problems

Employees may be hesitant to notify IT if they accidently clicked on something they shouldn't have. Or, they may not realize the risks involved with losing a flash drive with sensitive information. Take the time to educate employees and make sure they are comfortable reporting any, and all, security threats.

4. Public Wi-Fi

With the increase in workplace mobility comes an increase in usage of public Wi-Fi. While convenient, Wi-Fi in coffee shops, airports, hotels and elsewhere may not be secure. Educate employees on how to identify secure website and how to connect through a virtual private network (VPN).

5. Social Media

For starters, if you don’t have a social media policy in place, it’s time to implement one. Social media is ripe with hackers looking to elicit information from individuals. Just one click on a post that appears harmless could inadvertently spread malware. Educate employees on acceptable use of social media and have monitoring practices in place to minimize the risks.

It’s a good idea to continue to provide employees with ongoing training and information updates to keep IT security top of mind.

Do you have questions about your IT security? Give us a call to see how we can help.