5 warning signs that shadow IT lurks in your company

Here is a blog by our friend Joe Stangarone of mrc's Cup of Joe Blog. He writes about the dangers of shadow aka stealth IT and how to spot it. Shadow IT is basically software and services that enter your company network without your knowledge or permission. Here is his blog....

Summary: A growing trend, “Shadow IT” is a term used to describe IT systems and solutions built and/or used inside organizations without the approval of the IT department. This could include anything from employees emailing spreadsheets back and forth to entire departments licensing third-party, cloud solutions behind IT’s back. The problem: Since Shadow IT usually happens on the sneak, IT departments don’t know where (or how much) it’s happening. Is Shadow IT lurking in your business? Read this article to learn the warning signs. 

 

Like it or not, Shadow IT is probably alive and well in your organization. Recent surveys find that it’s not only growing, it’s far more rampant than business leaders realize.

What can you do about it? In past articles, we’ve explored a few ways to address and reduce risks of Shadow IT. We’ve looked at:

That being said, there’s still a problem: You can’t address Shadow IT if you can’t see it. How do you know whether or not Shadow IT lurks in your company?

 

5 warning signs that shadow IT lurks in your company2024-04-21T19:36:30-07:00

New Year’s Resolutions for IT 2017

Now that you have settled into the New Year it is time to focus on you New Year resolutions for IT or you risk a bad year. It is February 1, 2017 and you now have all the year-end closing of the books, inventory, etc. behind you. Now that your head is cleared up it is time to get more focused on IT.

This blog is a compilation of ideas from Team Alvaka Networks:

1.       Roger Nixon said, Keep moving forward by backing up… the importance of good backups for sustainability of a business when things go wrong. Actually almost everyone at Alvaka said something similar. Roger is right. If you have not recently done a complete review of your back up systems you are at great risk. Ask yourself and test whether –

a.       Is your backup system running? Is the scheduler running backups at the appropriate intervals?

New Year’s Resolutions for IT 20172024-04-21T19:33:36-07:00

6 signs that you need a new IT strategy

1. Key IT constituencies are expressing dissatisfaction

2. Shadow IT is growing

3. Your IT strategy has diverged from the company strategy

6 signs that you need a new IT strategy2014-04-10T01:09:22-07:00

Today on Linked I celebrate 32 Years in…

Today I am getting many congratulations on LinkedIn from friends.  It is 32 years ago I got started in what we today call IT.  Here is what I wrote back to them: Thanks everyone. It has been and continues to [...]

Today on Linked I celebrate 32 Years in…2017-09-18T00:43:25-07:00

Selling to the LOB manager: Reseller, beware

At many businesses, line-of-business managers and staff are making decisions to move mission-critical and often sensitive data to the cloud, and they're performing local installs without the knowledge of the IT department. Read more: http://searchitchannel.techtarget.com/opinion/Selling-to-the-LOB-manager-Reseller-beware Alvaka Networks is available to [...]

Selling to the LOB manager: Reseller, beware2018-05-07T09:15:53-07:00

Schnuck’s Might Be in Big Security and Insurance Trouble, Can the Same Be in Store for Your Firm?

Is it better to insure than secure?  Maybe not.  You better dust off those old insurance policies that most of us look at all too infrequently.  Schnucks has been notified by their insurance carrier that they don’t plan to cover them for the lawsuits.

The problem that likely exists with your current insurance policy is that they were designed and sold in a pre-Internet era.  Data is not considered....

Schnuck’s Might Be in Big Security and Insurance Trouble, Can the Same Be in Store for Your Firm?2023-08-10T23:36:44-07:00

Fast Fun At The Race Track – Alvaka Networks Client Appreciation Day

We had another successful day at Auto Club Speedway for our second annual client appreciation day at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana. In attendance were 40 drivers getting driving instruction and taking fast laps around the road course.

 
Fast Fun At The Race Track – Alvaka Networks Client Appreciation Day2023-08-10T22:47:53-07:00

Opinion Piece By CompTIA Member And Alvaka Networks EVP Kevin McDonald

I’ve noticed a lot of gratuitous talk by our legislators about being all for small business and protecting the individual. They bandy about rhetoric about the Constitution and consistently are finding rights that are not spelled out or even vaguely contained in its language. Then they blatantly violate a key provision that is in fact clearly spelled out.

Opinion Piece By CompTIA Member And Alvaka Networks EVP Kevin McDonald2017-09-18T01:00:14-07:00

The Dangers Of Posting Your Photos Online

Be careful when posting photos on-line. Almost all new smart phones record where and when you took a photo. Many of the new high-end dedicated cameras do the same thing. Beyond the photo that you see and innocently post is a wealth of data you may not want to publish. That data is called EXIF, for Exchangeable Image Format.

The Dangers Of Posting Your Photos Online2023-08-10T22:49:46-07:00