Recent tornadoes in Chicago and the surrounding suburbs have starkly highlighted the urgent need for businesses to enhance their disaster preparedness strategies. The destructive storms caused widespread power outages, significant infrastructure damage, and disrupted operations for numerous businesses. These events underscore the vulnerabilities in existing systems and the necessity for robust disaster recovery plans. Being prepared for such unforeseen events is critical to building resilience and ensuring continuity.

The recent tornadoes, which resulted in significant damage and power outages, serve as a stark reminder of the potential for natural disasters to disrupt business operations. As businesses in the affected areas work to recover, the importance of comprehensive disaster preparedness becomes evident. Ensuring that a business can withstand and quickly recover from such events is essential to maintaining operations and minimizing financial loss.

Here are some recommendations for businesses across the Midwest:

Assess and Prioritize Risks

Begin by identifying potential risks specific to the business and geographic location. The recent tornadoes, which caused extensive damage and power outages, underscore the importance of this step. Conduct a thorough risk assessment to prioritize threats based on their likelihood and potential impact on operations.

Develop a Comprehensive Disaster Recovery Plan

A robust disaster recovery plan is essential for minimizing downtime and ensuring business continuity. The plan should include:

• Data Backup and Recovery: Regularly back up critical data and ensure that backups are stored offsite or in the cloud. This prevents data loss in the event of physical damage to premises.
• Communication Strategy: Establish clear communication protocols to ensure all stakeholders are informed during a disaster. This includes updating contact information and having alternative communication channels in place.
• Operational Continuity: Identify key business functions and outline procedures for maintaining these operations during disruptions. This includes having contingency plans for IT infrastructure, supply chain management, and customer service.

Invest in Reliable IT Infrastructure

Modern businesses rely heavily on technology, making IT infrastructure a critical component of disaster preparedness. Cloud services can ensure that IT systems are resilient, scalable, and secure. Important aspects include:

• Cloud Migration: Transition critical applications and data to the cloud to enhance accessibility and reduce the risk of data loss.
• System Redundancy: Implement redundant systems to ensure that if one system fails, another can take over without disrupting operations.
• Cybersecurity Measures: Protect IT infrastructure from cyber threats with advanced security solutions, including firewalls, intrusion detection systems, and regular security audits.

Regular Testing and Training

A disaster recovery plan is only effective if it is regularly tested and updated. Conduct regular drills to ensure that all employees are familiar with their roles and responsibilities during a disaster. Comprehensive training programs can prepare the team for various disaster scenarios.

Leverage Technology for Enhanced Preparedness

Utilize advanced technologies to enhance disaster preparedness efforts. Solutions include:

• Business Intelligence and Analytics: Use data analytics to monitor risks and make informed decisions during a crisis.
• Automation Tools: Implement automation to streamline disaster recovery processes, such as automated backups and failover systems.
• Virtual Dashboards: Access real-time information and insights through virtual dashboards that help monitor the status of business operations during a disaster.

Collaborate with Experts

Partnering with experts ensures that disaster preparedness strategies are comprehensive and up-to-date. Professionals with extensive experience in business continuity planning, IT support, and cloud services can work closely with businesses to develop customized solutions that meet unique needs.

Disasters can strike at any time, but with a proactive approach, businesses can be prepared to handle any challenge. Building resilience and ensuring continuity is essential for safeguarding business operations and minimizing financial loss.

This content was originally posted on Medium.

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How do technology companies manage the continuous demand for innovation while grappling with stringent budget constraints and evolving market expectations? In 2024, firms face a relentless challenge to integrate cutting-edge technologies into new products, all while optimizing operational efficiency under financial pressures. This article explores the aspects that influence the tech world, ranging from the integration of innovative technologies to the dynamics of IT spending and consumer satisfaction. By analyzing critical statistics from industry-leading surveys and reports, we uncover the challenges and opportunities that define the landscape of technology and its impact on both companies and consumers.

Integration of Technologies and Innovation Pressure

For technology-focused businesses, innovation is not just a buzzword but a survival strategy. According to the KPMG 2023 US Technology Survey, 58% of technology sector executives report that their primary challenge is the increased pressure to create new product features by integrating multiple technologies.¹ This indicates a broader industry trend where the rapid pace of technological advancement is not just an opportunity but also a considerable strain.

Companies are compelled to explore and adopt a multitude of emerging technologies—ranging from AI to IoT—each promising to be the next big revolution. The integration of these technologies is not merely about keeping up with competitors but about redefining market standards and consumer expectations. The drive to innovate under pressure not only pushes companies towards technological breakthroughs but also demands a high level of agility and creativity from their leaders.

Budget Constraints and Productivity

The pressure to innovate is juxtaposed with stringent budget constraints. The KPMG 2023 Global Tech Report highlights that 65% of tech companies are expected to do more with less, with reduced budgets compared to the previous year.² Meanwhile, the Deloitte Tech Trends 2023 report indicates that 72% of digital leaders have witnessed improvements in employee productivity due to digital transformation.³

These insights underscore a critical balance that companies must achieve—enhancing productivity without proportional increases in budgets. Leveraging technology for digital transformation presents a solution, allowing businesses to automate processes, enhance decision-making, and optimize resource allocation. The key challenge lies in strategically investing in technologies that yield the highest return on investment in terms of productivity.

Future Trends in IT Investment and AI Adoption

Despite the economic uncertainties, the technology sector continues to see optimistic investment forecasts. In its 2024 Outlook Technology Report, Deloitte predicts an 8% growth in global IT spending,⁴ suggesting a strong confidence in tech development’s ROI. Concurrently, Horton’s anticipates that 75% of software engineers will use AI coding assistants by 2028 in its 2024 Tech Trends report,⁵ signifying a shift towards more automated and sophisticated tools in software development.

This indicates not only a robust investment climate but also a transformative shift in how technology is being developed and utilized. The integration of AI tools in software engineering is set to redefine the traditional methodologies, leading to faster, more efficient, and potentially more innovative development cycles. Such trends are pivotal for tech companies aiming to lead in innovation and efficiency.

Executive Confidence and Technological Adequacy

Confidence among executives regarding their technological capabilities remains high, with 70% expressing confidence in achieving their goals using existing technologies,¹ reveals a significant alignment between strategic goals and technological capabilities within organizations.

This confidence likely stems from successful past integrations of technology that have led to measurable benefits, such as increased market reach or improved operational efficiency. It also points to a maturity in the technology lifecycle where existing tools can still provide competitive advantages without immediate upgrades or overhauls. For tech leaders, maintaining this confidence requires ongoing evaluation of tech capabilities against strategic objectives to ensure they continue to align effectively.

Consumer Experience and Market Expectations

A staggering 94% of consumers report frustration with disjointed experiences when interacting with organizations.⁶ This statistic highlights a significant gap between technological advancements and their implementation in user-friendly ways.

Improving consumer experience is crucial, as it directly influences satisfaction and loyalty. Tech companies must therefore focus not only on the backend integration of new technologies but also on how these technologies are experienced at the consumer level. Ensuring seamless, intuitive, and cohesive interactions across various platforms and touchpoints can substantially enhance consumer perceptions and foster stronger brand connections.

The technology sector’s landscape is complex and challenging, yet ripe with opportunities for those who can skillfully navigate the pressures of innovation, budget constraints, and consumer expectations. Understanding the nuances of this dynamic—through the lens of key industry statistics—provides valuable insights into strategic decision-making. For tech leaders and companies, the goal is clear: innovate effectively, manage resources wisely, and always keep the consumer experience at the forefront of technological integration. By doing so, they can not only survive but thrive in this competitive industry.

Sources:

1. “KPMG 2023 US Technology Survey.” KPMG, 2023,
   kpmg.com/kpmg-us/content/dam/kpmg/pdf/2023/2023-kpmg-us-tech-survey.pdf
2. “KPMG 2023 Global Tech Report.” KMPG, 2023,
   assets.kpmg.com/content/dam/kpmg/xx/pdf/2023/09/kpmg-global-tech-report.pdf
3. “Tech Trends 2023: Life Sciences perspective.” Deloitte, 2023,
   www2.deloitte.com/content/dam/Deloitte/us/Documents/life-sciences-health-care/us-tech-trends-2023.pdf
4. “2024 Outlook Technology Report.” Deloitte, 2024,
   www2.deloitte.com/content/dam/Deloitte/us/Documents/technology-media-telecommunications/2024-tmt-outlook-technology.pdf
5. “Tech Trend 2024 Report.” Horton, 2024,
   hortoninternational.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Tech_Trend_2024_Report-2.pdf
6. “2023 Digital Trends: Financial Services in Focus.” Adobe, 2023,
   business.adobe.com/content/dam/dx/us/en/resources/digital-trends-financial-services-2023/adobe-digital-trends-2023-fsi.pdf

This content was originally posted on Medium.

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I recently had a conversation with colleagues who work in roles related to Cloud Technology but not in a technical capacity. Our conversation focused on Cloud Security – why it is important and what key concepts they should understand.

Why it is important.

For those working with Cloud Technology, but not in a technical capacity, it may not be your core responsibility to answer deep-dive questions about cloud security,.. we have I T Security and Compliance teams for that. However, it can be refreshing for clients (internal and external) to know that we think about cloud security and that we are not completely ignorant on the topic.

If you are just getting started on your journey to understanding cloud security, and you’re figuring out where your role as a Technology professional ends and your I T Security and Compliance teams responsibility begins, here are five things that you should know about Cloud Security to get you started. I encourage you to research each topic and to begin discussing it with others. 

1. Shared Space.

Publishing software and services on a cloud platform, and making it accessible over the web, often means that your “digital stuff” sits on the same physical computing machine (computer or server) that is also used by other entities. However, it is done so in a way that each entity is contained in its very own container (container = a self-contained virtual space) that is not aware of the other containers on that machine. This also means that good cloud providers ensure that processes are in place to prevent other customers from accessing your container.

2. Trusted API Platforms/Environments.

An Application Program Interface (API), is a layer between different parts of a computer program. It is intended to simplify the process of connecting to a program or computing system. Though companies can build and host their own API, it is now very popular for companies to use an API Management Platform or a Cloud API provider to give their customers a simplified way to connect to their services and data. Using an API Management Platform or Cloud API provider can help protect an API from hackers and help manage how internet traffic impacts your applications. It is important to ask which API Management Platform or Cloud API environment is being used when connecting your application to another company’s API. Do you trust the API Management Platform or Cloud API environment that they use?

3. Secure Transfer (HTTP vs HTTPS).

HTTP stands for HyperText Transfer Protocol. HTTP uses a specific set of procedures, known as Transfer Control Protocol (TCP), to send and receive data over the web – allowing computing machines to communicate with websites. HTTP is typically thought of as an unsecured way to communicate over the web even though security measures can be put in place to protect it. 

HTTPS stands for HyperText Transfer Protocol Secure and it also uses TCP to send and receive data over the web but it has an extra layer of security in place that tells web browsers (Chrome, FireFox, Safari) that the connection is trustworthy. HTTPS does this by issuing an SSL Certificate (Secure Sockets Layer Certificate), which is authenticated and signed by a Certificate Authority (CA). A CA is like a Judge who writes a court order indicating that the way your website sends and receives data over the web is trustworthy and that order has the Judge’s signature on it so everyone knows that it is official. Overall, a website that uses HTTPS means that it is connecting to your machine in a secure way and that secure connection is indeed trustworthy. 

Note: It does not mean that those who created the website do not intend to do harm to you. It just means that the data sent between your machine and the website will not be seen by those scanning the public web. 

Note: Each web browser has a specific list of Certificate Authorities that it trusts. Typically, when you see a padlock symbol in the top left corner of the browser then the website that you are visiting is using HTTPS and has a certificate signed by a Certificate Authority that the browser trusts. 

4. Encryption.

We often talk about encrypting data at rest and in transit. However, we often don’t ask how it is being accessed by services and applications within the same entity. What happens when two cloud applications owned by the same company, on the same server and/or in the same container talk to one another? What happens when data is deleted? Start asking these questions.

5. Employees.

The greatest security threat is employees. Your company should have a training plan to educate employees on how to handle potential cloud security threats, a knowledge base library for where to learn about the topic and directions on who to contact in the event of a potential threat. As for the training strategy for non-technical employees, its very simple: Train them on security and then train them again … and then train them again.

If you have more cloud security topics for Non-Technical Technology Professionals that you’d like to share, feel free to message me via Linkedin.

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PASS Summit is the world’s largest, most-focused, and most-intensive conference for Microsoft SQL Server and BI professionals.

Organized by and for SQL Server and BI users, PASS Summit delivers the most technical sessions, the largest number of attendees, the best networking, and the highest-rated sessions and speakers of any SQL Server event in the world.

PASS Summit is produced by PASS, an independent, not-for-profit association dedicated to supporting, educating, and promoting data professionals throughout the world who use the Microsoft data platform. Revenues from PASS Summit are used to support the global community year-round.

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Consultant: Database Administrator/Developer
for Non-Profit Organization

-Installed, configured and maintained SQL Server 2012 Enterprise
-Monitored replication, job execution, database installations and upgrades
-Implemented disaster recovery, backup and restore strategies, standards and scripts
-Maintained and enforced corporate database security policies
-Managed hardware requirements
-Troubleshot network, system and applications to resolve all database issues
-Designed, developed, and maintained database reporting solutions
-Designed, developed stored procedures and SSIS packages
-Led migration of data from external vendors to/from HCI servers/database

Project Time: 6 months

Originally posted on spiceworks.

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–

Why book Wylie Blanchard?

Develop a Web Presence that Makes you Money Now!!! –
Business Technology Speaker – Web Strategist – IT Consultant:

Need a professional speaker to talk about Big Data, Website Design or Cloud Computing at your next event then contact Wylie today. Presentation List: “How to Measure the Effectiveness of your Business Website,” “Understanding Cloud Computing and What it can Offer your Business” and “New Business Gadgets that Actually Solve Problems.”

Overview

Here’s a short list of Wylie’s recent presentations:

How to Measure the Effectiveness of your Business Website – Analytics, Big Data
New Business Gadgets that Actually Solve Problems – Mobile, Security, Apps
Understanding Cloud Computing and What it can Offer your Business – Cloud Computing, Big Data

Bio

Wylie Blanchard is a Web Strategist, Database Developer and IT Consultant.

Blanchard’s mission in life is to better the lives of working professionals by educating them on how to use technology as a tool to amplify their expertise and business lives.

As an Information Technology Leader, he has over 14 years of management and software analysis experience, holds several certifications in SQL and Oracle systems and has developed a reputation for explaining technical concepts in ways, which non-technical audiences can make informed and timely decisions.

For a detailed listing of Wylie’s work experience, please visit his Linkedin profile.

Business and Information Technology

Today, more than ever before, independent business owners and organizational leaders need to understand the advantages of integrating technology into their business. No longer can they rely on one person or one department to maintain the infrastructure and leaders simply react to the competitive demands around them. Leaders need to have an understanding of the technology currently available to them, what it can do for them now and in the long-term and how they can maximize the full potential of their current tools. Being passionate about this subject, Wylie actively researches the business impact of current trends in the information technology industry and actively shares, through his TV show, online articles and other forms of media, how professionals can utilize technology to improve their business lives. As a professional Business Technology Speaker, Wylie will share this knowledge with you.

Speaking Topics:

Independent Business, Online Presence, Website Development, Cloud Computing, Big Data, Mobile Apps, SEO, Social Media and Database Development.

Here’s a short list of Wylie’s recent presentations:

-How to Measure the Effectiveness of your Business Website – Analytics, Big Data
-New Business Gadgets that Actually Solve Problems – Mobile, Security, Apps
-Understanding Cloud Computing and What it can Offer your Business – Cloud Computing, Big Data
Chicago, IL – Aurora, IL – Elgin, IL – Naperville, IL – Joliet, IL – Schaumburg, IL – Lansing IL – Tinley Park, IL – Kenosha, Wisconsin – Gary, Indiana – Hammond, Indiana – Racine, Wisconsin

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www.greattechpros.com

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