Technology Blog

This blog post gives nonprofits advice from Microsoft experts on how to remain productive and stay secure when employees work from home. For more information on the security measures provided by Microsoft solutions, contact us today. Read More...

More frequently than ever, consumers are utilizing apps for news, food, information, social networking and more. Of course, the cloud forms the core of the app economy and small to medium businesses need service providers that support their financial needs and requirements. In his article, "Bringing Apps and Start-ups Together," Prabhakar Jayakumar writes that 90% of all data used over the last two years was created using an optimized data management tool. For digitization to progress, modern app development requires efficient data management and processing. The app must engage users and generate content, "and then process the data generated to garner insights, which can enhance the performance of the app or brand," writes Jayakumar. He adds that this is where cloud service providers can be of great help, in setting up databases to be quick and fail-proof. In short, Jayakumar sees service providers can help SMBs deploy applications quickly and cost-effectivel...

Our educational institutions are constantly facing complex security challenges. In order to handle everything from physical security to data protection, most schools have multiple systems in place-all working hard but not working together. This e-book examines the problems schools are facing and how an integrated solution can save money, increase effectiveness, and reduce IT burdens. View: Digital transformation in education: Smart and secure campus

It is easy to think of physical and digital security as occurring in two separate worlds. In reality, they do share some overlap and so do their defense solutions. Check out this infographic to learn more about the variety of threats facing universities and the integrated solutions available to tackle them. View: Keep students safe online and on campus

This asset provides nonprofit organizations with an overview of how Microsoft 365 helps empower employees, volunteers, and stakeholders to stay secure while working remotely. For more information on the security measures provided by Microsoft solutions, contact us today. View: Work securely across all devices

This infographic provides the steps for nonprofits to strengthen security across users, devices, apps, and data. For more information on the security measures provided by Microsoft solutions, contact us today. View: Top 10 Security Deployment Actions with Microsoft 365

Are you considering moving to the cloud? As global competition heats up and customers demand more innovative solutions, businesses are adopting cloud services at an increasing pace. What if you could lower your costs, increase productivity and enhance security? Explore this eBook to discover four reasons small businesses should make the move. View: 4 Reasons Businesses Should Make the Move

University IT teams have the huge task of monitoring and responding to threats across multiple vectors, including emails, academic resources, and internal networks. This video explores the various components of Microsoft Threat Protection, which helps IT teams more effectively track and respond to attacks on their organizations.

According to the World Trade Report, it takes hackers 4 minutes to get into servers through email attacks. And that it takes an average of 286 days to detect a security breach and an additional 80 days to repair the damage. Enhance your security and go modern with Windows 10 and Microsoft 365 Business. Check out this infographic for more industry trends and see how you can protect your company against external threats and leaks with Windows 10 and Microsoft 365 Business security and compliance tools built into your devices. Don't let hackers access your data. Contact us at DistribuCloud Technology Services to #GetModern today! View: Enhance Security with Windows and Office

Cloud and on-premise ERP solutions might look identical at the surface, but not all costs are obvious. Have you considered the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) of your current ERP solution and what your ERP might look like in the cloud? This TCO estimate explains the six cost areas every company should know when visualizing a transition to the cloud—including software, training, hardware, personnel, and more. By carefully evaluating these cost areas, you'll understand the savings inherent in a cloud ERP system. View: Business Central TCO Overview

Check out the ways in which Azure SQL Database Managed Instance is designed to provide you with exactly what your business needs so you can save money without missing a beat. View: Discover the benefits of modernization and save with Azure SQL Database Managed Instance

Take an in-depth look at the standardized test results following the first year of Fresno Unified School District's implementation of their Personalized Learning Initiative. Examine comparisons of everything from grade level and subject matter to student background, to gain a better understanding of where this initiative is having the greatest impact. View: Advancing achievement and equity: Growing evidence from the Fresno Unified School District Personalized Learning Initiative

Knowing your customer data is secure can free you up to do what you do best--and put your focus on customers and employees. That's where the right tools and tech come in. Support for Windows 7 and Office 2010 is ending, and it's critical to ensure you not only have the most productive experience, but also the most secure. Work from anywhere, whenever, on a protected modern device. Read the blog and learn more about three small businesses that use Windows 10 and Microsoft 365 Business to help grow their businesses and remain secure. Read More...

Our classrooms are no longer tasked with simply teaching multiplication tables and spelling. An equally important factor in a child's education is their overall emotional well-being and the emotional literacy skills they develop. This survey compiles responses from educators across the world to paint a picture of emotional well-being in schools, including what matters most, what is being done, and what technology can do to support future efforts. View: Emotion and cognition in the age of AI

With many employees suddenly working from home, there are things an organization and employees can do to help remain productive without increasing cybersecurity risk. Read More...

This video presents how Microsoft 365 delivers best-in-class productivity apps along with intelligent cloud services that help nonprofit organizations address today's security challenges and proactively protect network devices against persistent threats. For more information, contact us today. Read More...

This case study demonstrates an excellent example of a real-world implementation of Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central. In it, Nucleus Research describes the key business benefits to Kelly Roofing and breaks down how they achieved a 508% return on investment (ROI). Kelly Roofing notes these positive outcomes. - Reduction in costs - More efficient use of resources - Increased productivity from automation - Reduction of working capital Page 6 comprises a detailed financial analysis that can be leveraged as a model for customer decision making. View: ROI Case Study: Kelly Roofing Case Study

Safety is a priority for companies, especially those working in industries where a few seconds can mean a significant deficit for thousands of customers. This time we show how companies such as Lizo partner their apps with Microsoft Azure for instant status updates of facilities and equipment that are vital for site operators to maintain safety around the globe. Their customers funnel real-time data from multiple sources into a single platform. Their facility oversight is improved, their operations are more efficient, and the workplace safety is right where it should be—at the top. Watch this video to see how other data-driven companies could partner with Microsoft Azure to offer cloud-based software solutions to customers who need real-time response.

Safety is a priority for companies, especially those working in industries where a few seconds can mean a significant deficit for thousands of customers. This time we show how companies such as Lizo partner their apps with Microsoft Azure for instant status updates of facilities and equipment that are vital for site operators to maintain safety around the globe. Their customers funnel real-time data from multiple sources into a single platform. Their facility oversight is improved, their operations are more efficient, and the workplace safety is right where it should be—at the top. Watch this video to see how other data-driven companies could partner with Microsoft Azure to offer cloud-based software solutions to customers who need real-time response.

In Garfield Prep Academy, 100% of the students are classified as economically disadvantaged, a statistic that brings a host of challenges. But Garfield is overcoming these through the help of personalized technology and an incredibly talented staff. Learn more about their story in this video. Read More...

With its global client base increasing, Think Up Consulting needed to improve its remote working capabilities and enhance security. The company adopted Microsoft Teams to securely accommodate remote employees. And with Windows 10 and Microsoft 365 Business, Think Up unites its entire team. All employee devices are automatically updated with advanced-level security features, so Think Up can seamlessly deliver the top-notch service their customers expect and trust.

When the world is changing at breakneck speed, innovation becomes an organization's most important weapon. History offers a few key lessons about how to wield that weapon in the future. The article underscores that the process of innovation itself is morphing into 'outside-in' models in addition to other important trends. Share this forward-thinking article from Inc. on your social media accounts to attract new followers. Read More...

Tucked away on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, the small district of Port Alberni is making a big impact on its students through technology. As part of a three-person IT team, Jack Hitchings was able to simplify the district's technology landscape while offering a stronger set of learning tools. Check out the story. Read More...

Replacing older accounting software can be easier and more affordable that many people think. The purpose of this guide is to help prospective customers understand the benefits of a modern technology platform, the advantages of a cloud-based solution, and how to evaluate the options. View: The Business Owner's Guide for Replacing Accounting Software

IT professionals have a unique perspective on technology in education. This study picked the brains of over 150 educational IT professionals, to learn more about their challenges, their priorities, and their future goals for technology in their schools. The study compared those responses with the two most prevalent device management systems on the market: Microsoft's Intune for Education and Google's Chrome Management Console. Check out the results for yourself. View: The state of modern device deployment in education

This on-demand webinar demonstrates how nonprofit organizations can speed up their move to the cloud with Windows Virtual Desktop and provides best practices to simplify the secure deployment of desktops and applications on Azure. For more information on Microsoft Azure and Windows Virtual Desktop solutions, contact us today. Read More...

From deployment to security, Intune for Education was built with the needs of schools in mind. Check out the features and benefits, especially for your hardworking IT professionals, in this infographic. View: Intune for Education Technical Datasheet

This e-book "crash course" will show you how adopting cloud-based Microsoft 365 Business gives you ever-improving versions of apps with new capabilities delivered every month. Learn how Microsoft 365 Business empowers you to access content from any device, coauthor with anyone in real time and use the power of AI to create more impactful content with less effort. Contact our team at DistribuCloud Technology Services to learn more about our Office 365 solutions. View: Crash Course in Microsoft 365 Business: How it Can Help You Grow Your Business

Stephen Goodson, IT manager at NQCranes, worked with his Microsoft partner to envision and create an ideal tomorrow for his company—a future that successfully connected their 60 technicians to their more than 15,000 pieces of equipment. After trying several different applications, Microsoft 365 Business Central was the only whole platform that could be fully integrated to meet their needs. After choosing Microsoft 365 Business Central, the comprehensive, cloud ERP platform for mid-sized enterprises, the entire company was able to access data quickly, eliminate many manual processes, and improve visibility across all reporting.

This 30-minute on-demand webinar, delivered by the Microsoft Tech for Social Impact team, addresses all the top questions that customers are asking about working remotely from home during COVID-19. For more information, contact us today. Read More...

It's no secret that more people, more than ever, are more digitally connected. The underlying network needed to support this connectivity must be faster, closer, and smarter, according to Forbes contributor Steve Alexander. "On-demand content, bandwidth-hungry mobile apps, IoT devices, and new cloud-based applications are driving the need for more bandwidth and network capacity," Alexander writes. He reminds us that "fast ethernet" used to be the descriptive phrase for the network edge, and that over time we have quickly increased connectivity times—because users' needs demand it. This is no exception. "Since its inception, the internet has a been a catalyst for service providers to facilitate faster connectivity, an imperative that will increase over time," states Alexander. Read the entire article, "The Network in 2020: Faster, Closer, Smarter" for valuable insight on why network requirements will continue to align with the ne...

Managing 800,000 students in over 2,200 schools is a challenge in itself. The district of New South Wales has gone even further, tackling the challenge of preparing students for the job market of the future by integrating STEM technologies in their curriculum. Check out this video to learn how the second largest school district in the world is able to manage over 360,000 devices, while improving both teacher and student experience. Read More...

Employees spend 50% more time collaborating with other employees. Yet many are still not working to their full potential because of disorganized collaboration, file sharing and decision-making processes. With Windows 10 and Microsoft 365 Business, you can collaborate in real time and leverage the intelligence of the cloud with the latest from Windows 10 and Microsoft 365 Business. Check out this infographic for a quick view of industry trends, pain points, proof points and more on how going modern with Microsoft improves productivity. To learn more, contact DistribuCloud Technology Services. View: Improve Productivity with Windows and Office

This infographic highlights five tell-tale signs that demonstrate when a business has outgrown its accounting software. For example, siloed systems, complicated reporting, and duplicate entries are just a few of the symptoms to watch out for. What's more, learn how to grow beyond the limits of accounting software and how to start a free trial! Read about these signs, and more: - Siloed and disconnected systems. - Complicated reporting - Duplicate entries and errors - Utilization of spreadsheets for accounting - Lack of audit trails View: 5 Signs a Company has Outgrown its Accounting Solution

Curious about the ROI of Microsoft Azure Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS)? Have a look at this infographic that shows Forrester's conclusions after six customer interviews and data aggregation for a five-year financial impact. Businesses experienced reduced data center and outsourcing costs, website scale and performance improvements, ease of experimentation through virtualized environments, and developer and testers enhancements. Want to learn more about the potential ROI that could be realized by shifting some or all of your management and operations to Azure? Contact us today. View: MS Azure IaaS TEI Infographic

End of support is fast approaching for Windows 7 and Office 2010. Is sticking with Windows 7 worth the risk? How much will it cost? What does this mean for your company? Check out this article to explore these questions. Contact DistribuCloud Technology Services to #GetModern. Read More...

According to Forrester, Microsoft Azure SQL Database Managed Instance has the best ROI, with a migration payback in six months or less and a potential 212% ROI over three years. Additionally, Azure's intelligent database offers dynamic scalability that enables your database to transparently respond to rapidly changing requirements, and you pay only for the resources you need, when you need them. Azure works with your on-premises investments so that customers use their same skills when they migrate, using familiar tools and features. All of this, along with easy and free migration tools, makes Azure the best fit option for your cloud needs. Read More...

Simply putting devices in classrooms will not create impactful learning experiences for students; those come from the teachers. If teachers are unable to integrate this new technology into their classrooms due to time constraints or lack of training, students will not benefit. This in-depth study explores the reasons, and possible solutions, to address this experience and implementation gap. View: The role of familiarity in predicting the ability of technology to improve learning outcomes

Based in Washington, DC, Special Olympics is a global inclusion movement with over 5 million athletes and 1 million volunteers that supports sport, health, education, and leadership programs every day to empower people with intellectual disabilities. Now, youth leaders with and without intellectual disabilities have a richer platform they use to exchange knowledge and bring a wider world of diverse human talent and potential to their communities. Using Microsoft Teams, the organization's youth leaders across the globe collaborate and communicate more effectively, breaking down barriers, sharing their ideas, and driving greater inclusion. Read More...

The role of technology in business has led to tremendous growth in trade and commerce. Business concepts and models have been revolutionized from today's innovative technologies. What business doesn't want to streamline accounting, manage costs better, and connect with customers in a more immediate and authentic way? In this article, you'll learn about a wide range of new technology solutions that can be key enablers of growth and expansion. Read More...

This "10 tips to tackle your remote work day" eBook presents easy things nonprofit organizations can do to optimize how their teams work and keep connected so they can work effectively. Nonprofits can also learn to use these tips with Microsoft Teams to help them learn how to increase the efficiency of their workspaces, improve collaboration and communication, stay connected when not in the office, and run more effective remote meetings. For more information on Microsoft Teams, contact us today. View: 10 tips to tackle your remote work day

The role of schools is changing. Today's kindergartners need our education system to offer knowledge and skill development opportunities, to ensure they graduate with the tools that employers of the future will be looking for. Check out this infographic to learn more about what the future will require and what we can do now to help our schools meet those requirements. View: Preparing the class of 2030

10 ways to run effective remote meetings is helpful for nonprofit customers who are new to remote meetings or want to improve the ones they already have. This crash course presents simple things teams can do right now to increase efficiency, collaborate effectively, and keep everyone engaged. For information on Microsoft Teams, contact us today. View: 10 ways to run effective remote meetings

Our third Lizo video shows how utilizing Cosmos DB, SQL Database and Cache for Redis is advantageous for a company managing large volumes of data. The outcome: increased operational efficiencies and improved visibility in predictive maintenance. Watch this video for another quick look at how Azure drives business results!

Watch a Norwegian school prepare its students for the ever-shifting landscape of the working world by combining tools with concepts in order to develop widely-applicable soft skills along with technical literacy. Read More...

Think Up Consulting is a business built on collaboration. Its 39 team members--known as Thinkers--spread their time across as many as 11 projects each. Seamless communication is a must for creating customized solutions for every Think Up customer. With Microsoft Teams, Thinkers can easily access the tools they need from the platform. The company creates new channels for each project, so Thinkers can keep project-specific conversations and files organized and accessible. Since adopting Microsoft 365 Business, the company has quickly shifted much of its communications to Teams. Through Windows 10 and Microsoft 365 Business, Think Up has streamlined communications across the organization, improving productivity. To learn more, contact us at DistribuCloud Technology Services to #GetModern.

At NQ Cranes, the implementation of Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central was a total success. Not only did the business flow automation immediately reduce time on internal processes, but it also allowed more time for client management. Stephen Goodson, IT Manager at NQ Cranes touches on Business Central selection, implementation, and results—asserting that they were able to spend less time on internal processes and devote more time to account management.

The "Accelerate your nonprofit's mission with Teams" webinar shows how nonprofit organizations can digitally transform to improve operations and efficiencies with secure, private, and compliant communication tools. Teams provides nonprofits with a valuable tool to achieve their mission by driving innovation and staff productivity when technology resources are limited. To accelerate your organization with Teams, contact us today. Read More...

After 10 years, it is time to say goodbye to Windows 7 and modernize your desktop by embracing the exciting new advancements of Windows 10. Even though we couldn't be more excited about what's to come, we also understand that the shift can be stressful for your business. Check out this guide and contact us to learn all about preparing for a smooth transition. View: Making the Shift to a Modern Desktop with Microsoft 365

What technology in our schools is really about is providing already brilliant educators with the tools they need to better communicate and implement their curriculum. That's what Teams was able to accomplish for Catholic Education Western Australia. Check out their incredible success story in this report. Interested in replicating their success in your own classrooms? We at DistribuCloud Technology Services are too. Contact us to get started. View: Building Collaborative Teaching Communities

This free, 10-session "Instructor-led training for Microsoft Teams" series will teach your nonprofit customers how to roll out and manage Microsoft Teams across their organization. With a wide range of topics, there's something for everyone, and attendees can get their questions answered interacting with live instructors. To learn how to manage Microsoft Teams for your organization, contact us today. Read More...

It's perfectly natural to be apprehensive about adopting new technology. Do we really need it? Will we actually use it? For schools contemplating the adoption of Windows 10 and looking to improve learning outcomes for students, we believe the answer to these questions is a resounding yes! Still unsure? Check out this infographic and contact us to have your concerns addressed. View: Windows 10 helps prepare students for the future with skills needed for work and life

The "Crash Course in Microsoft Teams" eBook helps nonprofit customers discover how to quickly start using Microsoft Teams to communicate instantly with chat, online meetings, calls, and more. The eBook also explains how to set up meetings with file sharing, recording, and transcription; co-edit documents in real time; and collaborate with people inside and outside the organization. For more information on Microsoft Teams, contact us today. View: Crash Course in Microsoft Teams

One in five organizations have lost customers as a result of a cyberattack. Nearly 30% have lost revenue, with the average cost of a single data breach reported to be $4 million. At the same time, 74% of IT leaders say security concerns hold them back from moving to the cloud. What about you? Get the real story. Here are four common myths about cloud security and facts about the Microsoft cloud. View: Exposing the Top 4 Myths of Cloud Security