March 31, 2025: Is Your Business Ready for Windows End of Support?
As we approach 2025, many businesses may not realize that their older Windows systems are reaching a crucial milestone. If you’re still using Windows 7, Windows 8.1, Windows Server 2008 R2, or Windows SBS 2011, there’s an important date you need to know: March 31, 2025.
Understanding Business Critical Devices: Essential Components for Operational Success
In the realm of IT infrastructure, certain devices are pivotal to the daily operations and success of businesses. These are known as business critical devices, and understanding their importance is key to maintaining smooth operations. Here's an exploration of what business critical devices are and why they matter.
Internal IT Costs vs Outsourcing IT Costs
What is the cost comparison between hiring internal IT vs outsourcing IT? When evaluating the cost comparison between hiring internal IT staff versus outsourcing IT services to a managed service provider (MSP), several factors come into play. Here’s a breakdown of the key considerations.
What to Expect When You Submit A Service Ticket
You just submitted a service ticket and don’t know what’s next. Here’s what you can expect: Throughout the life of your ticket, you’ll receive emails when the ticket is updated. Sometimes these updates are automatically generated, and other times they are messages from real life technicians working on your issue.
Steps for Submitting a Service Ticket to Simplex-IT
Submitting a service ticket is an important part of working with your IT provider, but it shouldn’t be complicated! Here at Simplex-IT we have an easy process for you! So how do I submit a service ticket? There are three options:
Does My Company Need a CIO or a vCIO?
A CIO (Chief Information Officer) is a high-level executive responsible for overseeing a company's information technology (IT) strategy and operations. A vCIO (virtual Chief Information Officer) is a consultant or an outsourced service provider who provides similar services as a CIO.
What The Heck is a TSP?
I’m glad to hear that other industries are getting into the three-letter acronym (aka TLA) world. A TSP can be a teaspoon. Or it can be a Thrift Savings Plan. Or Trisodium Phosphate. Or Travel Service Provider. But for this blog, we’re sticking with IT. The term stands for “Technology Service Provider”.
What If I Need IT Services But I’m Not Tech-Savvy?
Working with an IT Managed Service Provider, MSP, can sound like a daunting task if you don't have any prior knowledge about IT. Instead of trying to go in blind, here are some tips to help you get started.
What to Look for in an IT Service Provider
Are you a business owner or manager in search of a reputable IT service provider but unsure where to begin? You're not alone. In today's technology-driven world, selecting the right IT support company is crucial for your business's success. In this blog post, we will discuss key factors to consider when choosing a reputable IT provider, backed by three illustrative examples.
Why Does Your MSP’s Price Change From Year to Year?
It’s easy to just say “inflation” when someone asks why there’s a price increase for what seems to be the same service from one year to the next. And boy, there's truth there. But it can be more complicated than that.
Are You Overpaying for IT Managed Services?
When you’re shopping for IT services, It’s important to understand the different pricing models that MSPs and IT providers use. Not only do you want your provider to be transparent in their pricing and their model in general, but you need to know when you’re comparing providers as well.
What Should I Ask Before Signing Up With An IT Provider?
If you're a business owner looking to partner with an IT provider, there are a few important questions you need to ask before signing up. In this blog, we'll explore five crucial questions that will help you find the right IT partner for your business.
Steps for Selecting a Reputable IT Provider
Are you a business owner or manager looking to select a reputable IT provider but not sure where to start? Well, you're not alone! In today's world, technology plays a crucial role in running a successful business. In this blog, we will discuss some key factors you should consider when selecting a reputable IT provider.
What Options Are Available Aside From an MSP?
Remember an MSP is essentially an extension of your company, your partner, one that’s going to monitor and manage your entire IT environment on an ongoing basis. If that’s not what you’re looking for, there are plenty of other options for you before you hire your own internal IT.
How Can I Prevent Choosing the Wrong MSP?
As technology continues to advance, businesses of all sizes rely on their IT to support their success. With this growing reliance on technology comes the need for expert IT support, leading many businesses to turn to IT Managed Service Providers (MSPs). However, not all MSPs are created equal, and choosing the wrong one can be a costly mistake.
What Does a Virtual CIO Do For an Organization?
A Virtual CIO (Chief Information Officer) is a third-party consultant who provides strategic IT guidance to organizations on a part-time or project basis. As the title suggests, a Virtual CIO performs many of the same functions as a traditional, in-house CIO, but without being a full-time employee.
How Much Will Managed IT Services Cost Me?
To tackle this topic, we're going to break the managed service providers (MSP for short) into three tiers. Simplex-IT generally falls somewhere in the mid to high range. We'll never be the cheapest option, but we're usually not the most expensive either.
Managed Service Agreements…What’s Covered?
At Simplex-IT, we believe in building strong relationships with our clients by providing clear and transparent IT solutions that meet their unique business needs. We understand that every business is different and that's why we offer customized monthly IT agreements that cover everything required to maintain the status quo of your business operations.
Break Fix and Managed Services Comparison
What’s the difference between Break Fix and Managed Services? Let’s compare them against each other (with plusses and minuses). Of course we’re specifically talking as these concepts relate to IT resources for organizations.
What Can You Do To Keep Your Services Up to Date?
Here at Simplex-IT we’ve developed our services around an annual cycle. We consistently watch the market for emerging technologies, evaluate, and then select the best options for our clients. Each year we modify our agreements to include the appropriate new and updated services. We call this Simplex-IT Managed Services, or SiMS for short.