Welcome to 2025, and goodbye 2024. Looking back, there were two things in 2024 that stood out for us: First, CoPilot hit the mainstream in the Microsoft ecosystem; AI, whether you love or loathe it, is now entrenched in modern computing and looks to revolutionise business, in fact one of our clients has been trialling Copilot for M365 (read about that here).
Second, the Crowdstrike worldwide outage; though not a cyberattack, it demonstrated the global reliance on IT - and the ability for one careless action to create massive fallout.
Keeping You In Step
Some current news articles that caught our eye, from the world of IT and technology.
Simple Guidance about Ransomware-resistant backups from the National Cyber Security Centre.
Backups are an essential part of an organisation’s response and recovery process. Making regular backups is the most effective way to recover from a destructive ransomware attack, where an attacker’s aim is to destroy or erase a victim’s data.
Read the National Cyber Security Centre article here,
If in doubt - ask
A ban on ransomware payments
The existing ban on ransomware payments within UK government departments will be extended to cover organisations such as local councils, schools and the NHS should new government proposals move forward.
How to protect your business from cyber criminals. For free
This cyber security toolkit includes quick and actionable guidance to keep your money and reputation safe. The toolkit is specifically designed to meet your needs, that's why:
- It's totally free.
- It's simple and easy to follow.
- No prior cyber security knowledge is required.
The Vodafone / Three merger has been approved
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has decided Vodafone’s merger with Three should be allowed to proceed if both companies sign binding commitments to invest billions to roll out a combined 5G network across the UK.
Find out more by following these links:
Tech Tips
Some tech tips to keep you on your toes, so you can get even more from your IT.
TIP 1
Here's How to Declutter Your Google Search Results (And Make It Your Default)
Thanks to a new filter option, you can remove the cruft that's been building up around certain types of searches, and you can even make it your default search mode. Here's how.
FYI - cruft : noun. Informal•Computing - badly designed, unnecessarily complicated, or unwanted code or software
TIP 2
New PC - look before you leap!
If you're buying a Windows PC for business, check that you're buying the right edition of Windows. Windows Home is cheaper than Pro or other editions but misses out on useful networking, security and interoperability features. The devil is in the detail.
If in doubt ask us, were here to help.
TIP 3
Start the year with a mini tech detox?
Emphasis here is on the mini. No matter what your family’s screen time looked like in the previous year, it’s always healthy to take some sort of break. So pick a time where it would make sense to go screen free with family. This could literally just be one evening where phones and gaming consoles are put away. Or, it could be a day, a weekend, or more. Whatever feels achievable to your family and significant enough to feel disconnected from the draw of technology.
In the Spotlight
Data Migration
Recently we've had a couple of projects to migrate businesses email and files from Google & Dropbox into the integrated M365 ecosystem and are well-versed in managing migrations.
If you know any businesses looking to migrate to M365 please put us in touch.
M365 benefits include: Seamless Integration & Collaboration, Powerful Tools for Enhanced Productivity, Advanced Security Features, Scalability & Flexibility, Access Anywhere at Anytime, Streamlined IT Management as well as being a Cost-Effective Solution,
If there’s a hot topic that you’d like us to cover, we’re open to suggestions, please give us a call: 0333 101 7300