Why Failing Technology Is a Sign of Failing Strategy!

It is never too late to create a technology plan. Does technology frustrate you in the workplace?  Are you constantly dealing with slow networks, unreliable Wi-Fi, data management headaches, or recurring hardware and software issues?  Maybe you are worried about cybersecurity threats or just tired of waiting for things to break before they get fixed. You are not alone.  These challenges are all too common across businesses and organizations of every size.  There is one root cause we see time and time again: a lack of IT strategy. Most organizations treat IT as a reactive function.  Something breaks-you call IT.  A system slows down-you reboot.  A security breach happens-you patch it.  But this reactive cycle keeps you one step behind and constantly frustrated. At L6 Technology, we take a different approach.  We believe IT should be strategic, not chaotic.  That is why our mission is to help you build a proactive, future -ready, IT foundation that supports your organization-not one that holds it back. What Makes L6 Technology Different? It starts with a comprehensive assessment of your entire technology environment.  We evaluate: Network infrastructure and Wi-Fi Data centers and servers Firewalls and cybersecurity Hardware performance Software reliability User satisfaction and frustration points   We also conduct user surveys to understand how your team interacts with technology-what works, what doesn’t, and what they need in order to be more effective. Using this full-picture view, we help you develop a customized IT strategy designed to eliminate inefficiencies, boost performance, and ensure long-term resilience.  It is not about reacting to problems-it is about preventing them. Ready to Stop Fighting with Your Tech? Let’s turn your frustration into functionality.  Partner with L6 Technology, utilizing our expertise, to build a strategic IT plan tailored to your goals.  We will help you move from putting out fires to powering innovation-with an IT environment built to perform. Contact us today to start your journey towards smarter, smoother, more strategic technology.

When Your Gut Talks, Listen!

Have you heard the expression “trust your gut”?  The expression suggests going with your instincts when making a decision.  According to an article by Melody Wilding of HBR.org, Scientists call the stomach the “second brain” for a reason. There’s a vast neural network of 100 million neurons lining your entire digestive tract. That’s more neurons than are found in the spinal cord, which points to the gut’s incredible processing abilities.  “Trusting your gut” certainly applies to managing your IT systems and considering the hiring of an outside IT Vendor.  Chances are, if some systems are not working quite right, or it’s been a while since you have gotten a “check-up”, it makes sense to assess your systems’ security, efficiency, and connectivity. When you are looking for a vendor to do an initial assessment or one to manage your IT more regularly, what should you look for?  What should you expect? First and foremost is TRUST. As the client, you may not be as well-versed and experienced in IT. The IT vendor’s job is to be the expert and handle all things associated with adequately assessing and managing your IT systems. This includes ensuring the client’s technology is efficient, protected, monitored, and safe against hacks and infiltration. As the client, you should always receive regular and proactive COMMUNICATION from the commencement of your working relationship. You should not just hear from your IT vendor when there is a problem. Following the initial assessment, your vendor should bring forth ideas, identify concerns, and reach out frequently to educate you and your staff on how your systems can be improved and enhanced. Your IT vendor must be RELIABLE.  This includes having a quality helpdesk that responds promptly.  They should not only solve your IT issues when they happen.  They should formulate ways to prevent reoccurrence.  Systems should be monitored, and any concerns should be shared and rectified.   A reliable IT vendor will do all these things and more. Technology is constantly changing, and so are the techniques used to abuse systems and ways to capitalize on an agency or company’s complacency. Security should be approached strategically. A good vendor is STRATEGIC, dealing with constantly shifting and evolving platforms. Building and managing an IT plan is key to the success and safety of your systems. Assessing your IT and associated systems is a priority for a successful, secure agency or business. When you search for a vendor, make sure you include trust, reliability, and strategy in your expectations and require a guarantee that you are getting what you pay for. When it comes right down to it, you may sleep better at night if you know your systems, data, and information are safe and secure. Is it time for you to listen to your gut?

Listen to your IT department, not your users.

Over the last decade technology has changed a lot. Although the internet has provided many positive things, risk has increased tremendously. Keeping the users happy is very important but it is the technology departments responsibility to protect the users from themselves. Over the history of small to medium sized organizations, technology departments have been viewed as a maintenance department. When a computer breaks we call the tech to come fix it. When leadership or users want new technology they buy it and have the technology department make it work. Inherently, users were driving the bus and the tech department saw to their needs with minimal push back. This approach is no longer sustainable. Anyone that does not evolve will eventually wish they had. Protecting your organization from cyber risk can be daunting and expensive. Especially if you are still giving your staff what they are “comfortable with” or “used to”.  If you want to reduce the cost and effort to protect your organization, it all starts with a basic methodology. Implementing common sense policies and simple easy to manage technology increases security and reduces cost. Unfortunately, this will impact your users. Nobody likes change but if you do not change with the times it is much more difficult to reduce risk. Things like multi factor authentication, strong passwords, and a more restrictive environment usually does not make everyone happy. Executive leadership needs to listen and support the technology department. At the same time the technology department needs to step up and define the right way to do things.  Standardizing on the same software for everyone. Standardizing on a platform and not having Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android. The more platforms the more there is to secure and support. They are all handled differently. Not allowing personal devices to be connected to the organization’s network. When a simplified methodology is implemented properly the users will be safer. If you cater to the wishes of the users and have a cybersecurity breach the first place the finger will get pointed is at the technology department.

You’ve had your financial audit…. Next up is your technology audit!

Given how much businesses now rely on digital infrastructure, a comprehensive, formal technology audit could be argued to be just as essential to an organization’s long-term health and success as a financial audit.  Just like businesses conduct financial audits to evaluate the accuracy, compliance and efficiency of their financial state, a technology assessment can be just as critical, if not more so, in today’s tech-driven world. Technology changes rapidly, and with it, new vulnerabilities emerge.  A technology assessment evaluates vulnerabilities in your network, data systems, and infrastructure. Given the growing threat of cyberattacks, regular assessments can help identify weaknesses before they’re exploited. Similar to how financial audits examine how well a company can weather a downturn, a technology assessment ensures that a company can recover quickly in the event of a cyber attack, hardware failure, or other tech-related disaster.  A key component of a technology assessment is evaluating disaster recovery plans, data backups, and system redundancy. Just as financial audits look for waste or inefficiencies in spending, a technology assessment can uncover redundant tools, processes, or systems that could be streamlined or replaced and can help identify areas where the company is overspending on technology services, licenses, or subscriptions, and suggest more cost-effective solutions. In short, technology isn’t a secondary concern anymore—it’s woven into the very fabric of how modern businesses operate and compete. The risks of failing to regularly assess and improve your technology is just as severe as failing to properly audit your finances.

Sophos 2024 Gartner award

Sophos does it again! For the third consecutive year, customers have named Sophos a Gartner® Peer Insights™ Customers’ Choice for both Endpoint Protection Platforms and Network Firewalls reports. L6 Technology leverages Sophos products at many of our customers. Sophos is a comprehensive cybersecurity solution managed from a single dashboard. The integration between the different areas of cyber protection is a cost effective proven option.

Free Internet for Park Districts?

Illinois General Assembly Bill SB2631 could make that happen. The following is what the bill states. Synopsis As Introduced Amends the Illinois Century Network Act. Provides that, on or before June 30, 2028, the Department of Innovation and Technology must offer free internet access through the Illinois Century Network to park districts, forest preserve districts, conservation districts, and soil and water conservation districts. The full bill information can be found here SB2631 Senate Sponsors Julie A Morrison Illinois has a state and federally subsidized internet network that was put in place to help schools and libraries. It is called Illinois Century Network (ICN) and if you click on the logo below you can get to their page. Illinois General assembly bill SB2631, if approved, would allow park districts to take advantage of this network. If that happens, park districts will be able to get high quality fiber internet access at a much lower cost and even free. It will be faster, more reliable, have better support, and many more features. Illinois Century Network (ICN) also has a shared hosting datacenter in the basement of the Schaumburg Police Station. They provide this service at a dramatically reduced cost compared to standard vendors that provide these services. For our customers that use VSI products, this is a great cost effective value.