Entries by Mario Casier

Thinfactory Newsupdate

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 August competition: Win a Yubikey: more protection, less hassle! 

Unfortunately, Covid-19 is still very present in our lifes and still limits our freedom. Fortunately, technology tools are helping us to work remotely from home in a productive way. We hope you have enjoyed good holidays and we sincerely hope you, your family and colleagues are doing well. 

Last month, Microsoft has organized their annual partner event ‘Microsoft Inspire’. Usually, this happens in the US with 30.000 people from all over the world but, no surprise, this year Microsoft Inspire was organized digitally. Nevertheless, we have participated again and it was interesting to discover newest features and trends. The most interesting topic to us was the changing CIO priorities due to Covid-19, resulting in budget increases on Compliance and Protection to secure Remote work against increasing Cybersecurity risks….

According to a worldwide Covid-19 Security and Compliance flash poll 2020 report commissioned by Microsoft, CIO’s priority list has changed because of Covid-19:

  • Compliance budget increase 65%
  • Cybersecurity +40%:
    MFA (Multi-Factor Authentication) & Endpoint device protections become most important Cybersecurity Technology investments
  • Remote work solutions +35%

In addition, 49% of Compliance Decision Makers believe that Data Protection is the most important solution area!

In this month’s update, we also have a small Yubico competition where you can win a Yubikey in a very easy way. We promise: it will take less than 2 minutes to participate and this Yubikey may change your life forever in a more secure way leaving changing-passwords-hassle behind you forever! (Read More)

This is what it takes to make a chance winning a Yubikey:

  • Like and share our Yubico post  before 25 August 2020
  • Propose us a timeslot to have a short online meeting about Yubico and other security tools which takes place before before end August 2020. 
    Mail your meeting date to sales@thinfactory.com, subject ‘Yubico meeting’
  • Conditions: Only (potential) customers can participate. Max 1 winner per company. If more applicants we will pick randomly 2 winners. Yubikeys will be send in September 2020.

Last but not least, we would like to highlight our Thinfactory vCloud Director Iaas (Infrastructure-as-a-Service) solution which will replace our Cloud Plaza environment soon. This vCloud platform is based on VMWare technology and keeps your data in Belgium (or The Netherlands, up to you!) and is a fast, flexible and secure way with predictable costs as we do not charge network bandwidth usage and connectivity! Of course, you can count on our local support specialists in case you need them. (Read more)

Don’t hesitate to contact us for questions or suggestions.

Stay safe!

Regards
Thinfactory team

P.S. Did you know Flemish SME (Small Medium Enterprises) can get 50% government funding up to 50.000Eur per project related to digital transformation with an external expert company, such as Thinfactory? Applications need to be sent between 1 September 2020 and 31 October 2020. Read more here (in Dutch).

Press release: Thinfactory is Certified Yubico Reseller

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No key, no authentication

Thinfactory is expanding by adding YubiKey by Yubico to its portfolio. The YubiKey allows for ‘passwordless’ log-in at different Thinfactory cloud services. This makes log-in process easier and more secure. No YubiKey means no authentication. This reduces the risk of identity theft, such as account take-overs, on cloud services.

Mario Casier, Sales Manager at Thinfactory: “A total of 81 percent of all data breaches are related to stolen or weak passwords.
With the YubiKey, we can guarantee maximum data security, without tiring users
with complex log-in procedures and passwords.”

 One key for all cloud applications

The YubiKey is a physical identity security key to be used for example for multi-factor authentication (MFA), smartcard authentication and single-use password
challenge authentication. One key that can be used for all applications, both
private and professional accounts, and available for every device, connected
via USB or NFC.

Perfect match with Thinfactory’s Secure Business Continuity strategy

This collaboration perfectly aligns with our strategy to help organizations implement cloud solutions. With these cloud solutions, clients safeguard their business continuity in a safe way. In addition to our infrastructure solutions and Microsoft-supporting services, we are equipped with the expertise that is needed to offer maximum protection for company data. Without losing sight of ease of use.


Focus on security

Together with Microsoft, Google, Amazon and other members of the FIDO
Alliance, Yubico developed ‘passwordless authentication’ as a new standard. It
is simpler than smartcard authentication and safer than One Time Password
(OTP). Sjaak Koekkoek, Sales Director Benelux at Yubico: “We need
partners like Thinfactory, that focus on security solutions, in order to
support our strong growth. Thinfactory is one of our strategic partners in
creating a safer internet for everyone. Together, we make sure IT environments
are less attractive for cybercrime and that organizations have an easier time
adhering to privacy guidelines. In addition, we use YubiKey to help
organizations significantly minimize the number of support tickets relating to
password support.”

If you are interested to find out more about Yubikeys, please fill in form below and we’ll contact you how we can help you.



Stay productive while working remotely – 6 months FREE trial Microsoft Teams

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With COVID-19 continuing to impact people and countries around the world, teams and schools everywhere are moving to remote work and distance learning. Get Teams for free and learn how to get started. Thinfactory has the expertise to help you with this adoption inside your company. What is Microsoft Teams? Teams is a great tool for online collaboration […]

What companies can benefit most from cloud computing?

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There are many benefits of moving parts of your IT to the cloud. Like cost benefits, added flexibility and productivity. But what type of organizations benefit most from the advantages of cloud computing?

In my opinion the following types of (SME) companies will benefit most from the advantages of Cloud Computing:

Project organizations

When collaboration within a group is an important part of your processes, you can maximize the benefit from the advantages of Cloud Computing. Especially the possibility to edit and share documents with multiple users in real-time will lead to cost benefits.

Decentralized organizations

Are your colleagues on the road a lot or do you work with different locations across the country? Then the central storage of data and programs ensures that information is always available to virtually the entire organization.

Cost-conscious organizations

Cloud Computing eliminates the necessity to invest in an ICT project in advance. OK, everything still needs to be set up and adjusted, but at least the high costs of hardware and software are eliminated. This lowers the costs and makes you more flexible towards the future.

Growing organizations

Do you need more storage space? With backup? Does the memory need to be expanded to have a new program run properly? Are you gaining five new users next week? Cloud Computing offers the possibilities to add capacity immediately. Without requiring an additional investment. That being said the opposite is also true: with the cloud computing model scaling down is far more easy. So shrinking organizations would benefit too.

Do you know these top 6 advantages that make cloud computing so attractive?

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More and more companies decide to choose a cloud server over a traditional on premise server. And that’s in most cases a no brainer given de numerous advantages of cloud computing over traditional IT. Gartner projects the cloud services industry to keep growing exponentially through 2022.

Here’s my top 6 advantages that make cloud computing so attractive:

1. It’s scalable

It provides organizations with capacity at the moment they need it. Without large investments in advance.

2. Higher reliability

If you have chosen a serious provider, Cloud Computing offers higher reliability because multiple servers form ‘The Cloud’ together. This creates redundancy because the functioning of the system is no longer dependent on individual servers or components. On top of that it’s run by a company whose only job is to keep everything up and running. That’s why it’s usually more reliable than your own on premise server.

3. Lower costs

Because you only pay per use and unused capacity is shared among users, it is less expensive than hosting and maintaining a server yourself.

4. Always up to date

A Cloud server always runs the latest software version. This means there will no longer be any difference in document formats within a company. Another advantage is the added security that always updated software brings.

5. Universal access

No matter where you want to open your document or programs from, you and your colleagues always work in the same environment. From the office, at home or on the road.

6. Easier collaboration

Because all data is located centrally on the same system, it is easier to work together within a company.

The differences between Acronis backup online and Veeam cloud connect

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Many times I get the question what are exactly the differences between the two backup products Acronis backup online and Veeam cloud connect? And in what situation one product is preferred to the other?

Having a good functioning backup that you can rely on is one of the most important (and most overlooked) aspects of modern IT. At least by end users. Assuming data in the cloud is in safe hands of the services provider is not always the best mindset. Especially with the rise of cryptolockers and other malware.

Advantages of Acronis backup cloud

When would I prefer Acronis backup online over Veeam cloud connect? Let me first say that both Veeam cloud connect and Acronis backup online are both very good solutions. Acronis however is a pure cloud play where the central management dashboard is located online. From there all backups can be monitored. Acronis is a real software as a service solution.
The downside of having the dashboard in the cloud is that you need a third party remote management solution to push the backup agents to the clients. Or you could install them manually of course.  On the other hand no on prem configuration for the management portal is needed which is a huge advantage for smaller companies without on prem server infrastructure.

Advantages of Veeam cloud connect

Veeam is the younger one of the two and that could mean an advantage over older solutions because of the lack of legacy components. Veeam needs a local installed component Veeam Backup & Replication or Veeam availability suite. With Veeam cloud connect you get the possibility to use all the functionalities of the product. Like pushing agents to servers and workstations within your network and monitor all backups through the management portal. With all the advantages of a geo redunant backup in the cloud.

Acronis and Veeam compared

In order to decide for yourself which product is best in your company’s situation I created a comparison table. Please note that Veeam cloud connect can only act as an add-on to your existing Veeam Backup & Replication solution where Acronis is a full backup solution.

Acronis backup online vs Veeam cloud connect

Testdrive Acronis or Veeam backup?

Get your free

30-day trial



Try Acronis



Try Veeam

10 most important misconceptions about cloud computing

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The cloud is no longer the hype that many people thought (or hoped) it was ten years ago. Now it’s here to stay, and uptake by computers – as well as expansion of the scope of offerings on the market has exceeded everyone’s expectations. I can only imagine you would agree. But still there is a large number of prevailing misconceptions about cloud computing that have stubbornly remained with us throughout this evolution. Here is my top ten of misconceptions I hear regularly.

Misconception 1.
Cloud Computing is simply another word for the old Server Based Computing

In the past, ‘dumb’ terminals would be connected to a central mainframe. All computing power was located on a large computer. With Cloud Computing, you can make use of the computing power of hundreds of different computers and integrated applications from software suppliers all over the world.

Misconception 2.
Cloud Computing is unsafe

On average, so-called ‘on-premise’ systems (computers and servers within a business network) are not as safe as systems within a Cloud. This is because there is less control over what is installed over time and what is opened up to the outside world. Cloud suppliers often build the network with a good security policy from the first server.

Misconception 3.
Cloud Computing is not suitable for larger organizations

Software for larger organizations does not need to cost more per user than for smaller organizations. Research shows that 60% of all IT projects get delayed or even fail completely, which incurs costs for (mainly larger) organizations. CIOs of these organizations are increasingly asking for affordable standard alternatives. Flexibility, scalability and availability are high on every CIO’s applications wish list. Some Cloud suppliers offer services to millions of users and have long met these three important requirements. Recently, TNT Post announced that it will transfer its 13,000 workplaces to the Cloud.

Misconceptop 4.
With Cloud Computing, you lose control of your automation

The concept of Cloud Computing often invokes the association with Outsourcing from ICT to an unknown supplier, causing you to lose control over your automation. However, this is an inaccurate picture. By opting for a reliable supplier with proven experience, organizations can ensure that it is always clear where what information of the organization is located, when a backup is made and where it is saved, and how information can or cannot be shared.

Read also: five tips to prevent vendor lock-in with Cloud Computing and Saas.

Misconceoption 5.
It is only suitable for low-end consumer applications

Cloud Computing is indeed widely accepted for consumer applications, but is now also being used by many companies. Especially for separate applications and tools, such as tools for online collaboration and communication, and online backup and storage. When this is combined with a remote workplace and a remote server, 80% of all types of companies can transition to 100% Cloud Computing with the highest availability. And profit from the many efficiency benefits that come with it. Cloud suppliers are ready.

Misconception 6.
Cloud Computing applications cannot be integrated

Cloud Computing applications have at least the same integration options as in-house applications. Moreover, lots of software is re-released in an ASP or Software as a Service license model. Much of this software has standard integration options with the most commonly used applications.

Misconception 7.
You no longer need IT staff with Cloud Computing

Cloud Computing will certainly reduce the need for IT administrators within companies. But that does not mean that you do not need any IT advisor at all. Organizations need to be able to make the right choice for one or multiple Cloud and SaaS suppliers. Integration tools need to be configured. And with new user needs, the most suitable solution needs to be found. Management becomes less important, but support all the more. A good user experience depends on the speed and quality with which support is provided, one of the main aspects of The New Automation. And for that, you need good IT staff or an choose an IT partner that can properly take care of this for the organization.

Misconceoption 8.
Reliability is a problem

Cloud Computing is based on virtualization techniques that have existed for decades and are still widely used by many companies. What is new is the increased speed and reliability of the Internet, which creates new opportunities to make this technology available to every company. Cloud technology has superior availability and reliability that can be guaranteed in Service Level Agreements. Moreover, additional computing power can be added quickly if the current available capacity is insufficient at peak moments.

Misconception 9.
Performance is a problem

Performance is rarely a problem with Cloud Computing, because capacity can easily be added when necessary. Systems and performance are continuously monitored and a good Cloud supplier will respond proactively to an impending shortage on a system. Moreover, with the right Service Level Agreements, companies get uptime guarantees.

Misconception 10.
The Total Cost of Ownership is too high

This is the most common misconception regarding Cloud Computing and, moreover, not true. Cloud Computing should show the financial director of a company savings. Because there is no more need to invest in hardware and software, the migration to a new system is far less expensive and it has a major impact on the availability of cash within the organization. In addition, there are direct hard and soft benefits such as: lower management costs, higher availability, better security, more flexibility and, ultimately, more productivity.

Struggling to choose between cloud server or on-premise server? Here are the main (dis)advantages!

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When a server at the office needs to be replaced, management faces a choice between continuing operations the “traditional” way – simply replacing the hardware and upgrading the software, introducing automation during the upgrade while continuing to run on hardware in-house, or transitioning the server’s role or application to Cloud Computing. The fact Cloud Computing brings a number of advantages to many large companies should be clear to anyone who has been observing the Infrastructure as a Service market over the past few years…

But what are the benefits of Cloud Computing for SMEs? What should we take into account if we want to make the switch? How do we approach this technically? Where are the points of attention? And can we learn from others who have already taken this step?

SMEs lack a clear overview of the costs, the benefits and challenges of a switch to Cloud Computing and a practical manual of how this can all be realized at the technical and management level.

That’s why I created the table below. To at least help to choose between a cloud server and a server on-premise.

Struggling to choose between cloud server or on premise server? Here are the main (dis)advantages

Renewed portfolio Thinfactory

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It is has been an exciting summer at Thinfactory! We have put a lot of work into renewing our portfolio, and are finally ready to update you on some of the upcoming changes!

 

IT at the core

Every business needs a strong foundation for its IT environment. At Thinfactory, we are happy to guide you on the journey of ensuring IT availability. We’re cloud architects, we enjoy thinking about and working on cloud solutions that ensure business continuity. In everything we do, we challenge ourselves to translate IT complexity into easy to understand and reliable IT solutions that maximize your IT availability. We own our state of the art infrastructure with two data centers connected through a redundant ring so you can sleep well at night.

Quality service & support

IT is the core, but people make the difference. That is why we believe in the following rules to make sure we do IT right:

  • We want to know all about your business before we suggest a solution fitted to your needs. This means quality over speed, the best solution over ‘quick and dirty’.
  • We only make proposals we truly support and say no to customers that want us to comprise on quality.
  • We make sure we explain our offers simply and transparently. Yes, we know all about IT and its complexities, but we’ve got to explain it simply!
  • We build long term relationships and focus on continuous optimization.
  • We offer proactive monitoring, preventive management and responsive support.

Our portfolio

Core IT services: ensuring IT availability, composability, and agility:

  • Infrastructure (VMWare, Azure)
  • Backup (Acronis, Veeam)
  • Disaster Recovery (Veeam, Azure)

Strengthened with security, workspace, productivity and collaboration services:

  • Security (Kaspersky, F-Secure, Microsoft Enterprise Mobility & Security)
  • Modern Workspace (Citrix, Workspace365, Microsoft 365)
  • Productivity (Microsoft 365)

In order to offer Microsoft 365, we have entered into a direct relationship with Microsoft by becoming a Cloud Solution Provider (CSP). Acquiring your Microsoft software through a CSP has a lot advantages over the ‘traditional’ open license model

  • Adjust your number of users on a monthly basis
  • Free feature updates and major upgrades included
  • Install Microsoft 365 on multiple devices without paying extra
  • Access your apps and data everywhere on any device, online and offline
  • Support via Thinfactory.

You can expect to hear more from us soon but you cannot wait to know more about Thinfactory, our team or our services? Just give us a call at +32 (0)2 669 05 00 or email us at sales@thinfactory.com