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The Blog

Short reads on AI and automation, IT and managed services, and the occasional personal reflection.

Your Backup Says Green. That Does Not Mean It Works.
Your Backup Says Green. That Does Not Mean It Works.
A backup had been failing silently for seven months. The dashboard showed green the whole time. Why green is not the same as recoverable, and what to check.
What an Annual I.T. Review Should Actually Cover
What an Annual I.T. Review Should Actually Cover
Every annual review turns up the same surprises: software nobody uses, accounts for people who left, a backup that quietly stopped working. Here is what to check.
I Found Out I Was Dyslexic at 44
I Found Out I Was Dyslexic at 44
A speech therapist suggested I get tested. The diagnosis explained a lot, and it changed how I work and how I run my business.
The Email That Almost Cost $47,000
The Email That Almost Cost $47,000
The email looked perfect, one letter off from the real vendor's domain. How business email compromise works, and how to train your team to catch it.
The Hidden Cost of Free Tools
The Hidden Cost of Free Tools
A law firm sent court documents through a free PDF tool for almost a year. The terms of service gave that data away. Here is how to avoid the trap.
The Google Cloud Billing Incident
The Google Cloud Billing Incident
I assumed our credit card limit would protect us from a runaway API bill. It did not. Here is what actually stops the meter.
Optimism Over AI Fear
Optimism Over AI Fear
Staying optimistic is hard work. Turning negative comes easy. Why I still look for the news nobody watches.
Key Person I.T. Risk
Key Person I.T. Risk
In most small companies the I.T. knowledge lives in one person's head. That is one resignation away from a crisis.
Family First Is a Scheduling Decision
Family First Is a Scheduling Decision
Family first is not a slogan. It is a fixed block on my calendar, same as a client meeting. Here is why that is good for the business too.
Secure Offboarding: Close the Door When People Leave
Secure Offboarding: Close the Door When People Leave
A former employee kept full access for four months after leaving. Nobody meant for it to happen. That is exactly the problem.
Too Small to Be a Target
Too Small to Be a Target
A 30-person company assumes it is too small to be a target. That assumption is the target.