567: Shelley Watson of DBQ Technology - Evolving Careers and Combating Industry Biases

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In this episode of Command Control Power, we welcome back Shelley Watson, a seasoned professional in the tech industry. We delve into a wide range of topics including Shelley's history of presenting and training and her transition from running Wheelwrights to starting a new business venture. The discussion moves into deeper waters as Shelley shares insights on ageism, gender bias in the tech industry, and the importance of building trust with clients. She emphasizes the value of experience, synthesizing information, and how being seasoned professionals can give them an edge. Shelley also touches on the significance of having a constructive influence beyond just technical assistance and the importance of diversity and amplification in the workplace. The conversation is peppered with personal anecdotes, professional advice, and Shelley’s outlook on the future of her career.

We talk a bit about Shelley's journey and her training days.

There is an art in being an extrovert and engaging with audiences

Shelley talks about transitioning from Wheelwrights to DBQ Technology

Navigating the Pandemic: Adapting to remote work and training

She discusses the challenges and strategies of closing a business

Vendor relationships and the intricacies of business closure can be a tough road

We discuss building trust and demonstrating motives in business

Jerry has questions about navigating age and experience in the consulting world

This leads us down a path to gender bias in our field

Shelley talks about the power of amplification

People say things that are indicators as to who they are. Pay attention to those queues

t may be uncomfortable to do so, but it is key to find ways to make someone aware of something they said

You may not feel like your comment will matter, but you could be one of many that triggers change

Progress, improvement, relief is important for people

The Role of Technology Professionals in Social Change

Concluding Thoughts on Ageism and Future Conversations

Shelley was hoping to get into her favorite conversation like the Hold Harmless clause, which means we will have to have her back on again!

Check out http://commandcontrolpower.com/dbqtech for Command Control Power merchandise

In Memory of Charles Edge: A Conversation Revisited

Beloved Author and Apple Authority Passes Away

The Apple community mourns the loss of Charles Edge, a renowned author and expert who dedicated his career to empowering users with knowledge.

Charles was a cornerstone for many Apple enthusiasts. His acclaimed book series, "Take Control of OS X Server," provided users with clear and comprehensive guidance on managing their server environments. He was also known for his ongoing work on a historical chronicle of computing, showcasing his passion for technology's evolution.

Beyond his publications, Charles was admired for his genuine kindness and willingness to share his expertise. He leaves behind a legacy of not only valuable resources, but also a spirit of helpfulness that enriched the Apple community.

Command Control Power remembers Charles Edge, a friend and expert we had the pleasure of speaking with. This conversation from 2014 is a testament to his knowledge and enduring legacy. We miss him dearly.

Sincerely,

Joe, Sam, and Jerry

563: The Cloud is Cloudy: Why On-Premise Backup Might Be Your Sunshine

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How do you protect domains that do not have email? Here are the key points:
-Email addresses can be spoofed to appear as if they are coming from a different domain. This can be used for phishing attacks.

There are several ways to protect domains without email addresses:
* DMARC record: This tells email servers what to do with emails that claim to be from the domain but don't come from an authorized source.
* DKIM record: This helps to verify the sender's identity for emails.
* SPF record: This specifies which email servers are authorized to send email for the domain.

Jerry recommends looking into Cloudflare.

* Whois privacy: This service hides the contact information for the domain owner. It can prevent ethical hackers from reaching out to report vulnerabilities, but it doesn't prevent spoofing.

Joe talks about creating a separate global admin account that is not used for regular email and has a strong password. MFA (multi-factor authentication) should also be enabled for this account.

Phishing campaigns and training is a great add on to protect clients from the weakest link…the user.

-Some users won’t see the value of services until something goes wrong.

-Sam is concerned about being locked into a cloud backup service once enrolled.

* Challenges of selling security services: Some clients may be resistant to paying for security recommendations, especially if they don't see the immediate benefit. We need to explain the risks and the potential consequences of not taking action.

Let clients say no to additional services, especially with relation to security.

* Synology vs Backup Service: There's a good discussion in the chat between on-premise backup using Synology and cloud-based backup services like Datto or Barracuda. Synology requires an upfront cost but offers more control and potentially lower cost in the long run, while cloud backups are easier to manage but can be more expensive.

Backup Considerations:
* Legal holds: Legal requirements to retain data for a certain period (e.g., 7 years) need to be considered when choosing a backup solution.
* Migration:** Moving between backup solutions can be difficult and expensive.

Synology Management:
* Active Backup can be used for backups.
* Active Insight can be used for monitoring backups and servers.
* Email notifications can be configured for Synology alerts.

Ultimately, choosing a Backup Solution depends on factors like the number of users, the amount of data, budget, technical expertise, and desired level of control.

Joe brings up Genie by Norton as a free scam detector.

Best Of CCP - 120: Shelley Watson of Wheelwrights, LLC - Managing Your Business

559: Talking NSITSP with Jason Harrison of Harrison Technology Consulting

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▶️ New: watch on YouTube!

Topics:

-This week we welcome Jason Harrison, of Harrison Tech Consulting.

-He is also heavily involved with NSITSP (National Society for IT Service Providers).

-Jason takes us through the history of his consulting practice, where he handles a variety of operating systems.

-We discuss how IT support is not just supporting the endpoint anymore. You have to be a security expert as well.

-Jason says this is also where the NSITSP comes in.

-The idea of NSITSP is that our industry wasn’t represented well. It is a completely member driven organization that aims to establish high standards and ethics and improve the credibility of IT providers.

-The other aspect of the organization is that legislation is inevitable, and it would serve all of our best interests to be a part of crafting that legislation.

-Sam curiously asks about their code of ethics.

-Compare our industry and ethics to that of a locksmith who may have privileged access and has to have their own code of ethics.

-Want to get involved? Visit NSITSP and look at the membership and volunteering options.

-Switching gears, we get into a conversation about cloud vs private data storage.

-Understand the lack of regulation around cloud data storage.

-Jason uses Kerio Connect and Kerio Control for private cloud setups.

-Just call Jason “Mr. On Premises.”

-Some of the questions to ask a client are their tolerance for risk, exposure, and speed needs.

558: Battery Powered M4 iMac

Topics:

-We talk about on air meltdowns and recall similar situations when dealing with clients.

-When dealing with a financial site, Jerry works with support to “enable cross website tracking”. Tech support is impressed with his technical prowess.

-Similarly, Sam has experienced issues loading the Microsoft 365 admin panes when in Safari private browsing. Refreshing and reducing protection features allows it to work.

-Joe mentions using profiles in Google Chrome as a resolution. Sam uses Arc for this purpose.

-Joe & Sam talk about their 1Password experiences.

-1Password searching can now search note contents (again).

-They also adjusted their billing methods to bill for unverified accounts.

-Joe explains how to find items in macOS.

-Jerry was dealing with a client that kept having QuickBooks issues using Parallels. It turned out to be a feature that will “pause” Windows when idle.

-In another Parallels story, Jerry finds a resolution to his problem with Joe’s help…by finding our own show notes!

-Should you run AutoCAD on Parallels?

-Jerry runs into an issue with MacPractice at a high priority client after a security update. Unbelievably, MacPractice not only does not support macOS Sonoma, but even the latest updates of Ventura.