“There are more things likely to frighten us than there are to crush us; we suffer more often in imagination than in reality.”
— Seneca
It’s probably the sign of a good quotation that it would still be discussed almost 2,000 years after it was written. It’s maybe an even better sign that its applications are as numerous now as they were two millennia ago.
With all the modern advancements in technology that bring us together – from webinars to Zoom meetings – it can be easy to overlook the importance of in-person meetings. And yet, despite all the conveniences to which we’ve grown accustomed over the last few years, there is absolutely nothing like connecting with someone – in business or life in general – face-to-face.
While there’s no crystal ball to perfectly predict the future of the windows, doors and glass industry, it’s still important to look at industry trends and read the financial forecasts for the sector. After all, this is what decides budgets and drives development.
Have you ever seen a photo of yourself from years ago and wondered “What was I thinking,” when it came to your wardrobe? It’s amazing how the pair of baggy jeans we NEEDED in our teens becomes a cringe-worthy relic from our past when we see it a decade later. Or how a photo from our college days is sure to inspire laughs over how put-together we thought we looked at the time.
AJ Piscitelli, PMPProject Manager | ERP Solutions Provider | Cloud Architect As we enter December, most of us are adapting to scaled-down gatherings and mostly online gift shopping. It’s also a good time to go over things to make sure you’re all set for the holidays and be ready to go for the new year. These are a few of the checks that I do around this time, which may …
AJ Piscitelli, PMPProject Manager | ERP Solutions Provider | Cloud Architect This is the second part of a true story from an IT Vendor dealing with a phishing attack at a small contracting firm, «ABC Contracting.» If you have not read the first part, you can find it here: Phishing Story Part 1. As with Part One, the names and identities of people and companies in this story have been changed …
AJ Piscitelli, PMP
Project Manager | ERP Solutions Provider | Cloud Architect
As we head towards the end of National Cybersecurity Awareness Month, I thought I’d discuss what I consider one of the most dangerous cyber threats today: Phishing. Phishing is when attackers try to steal personal information from you by pretending to be someone else, fake surveys, or other forms of social engineering. It is the most successful strategy that attackers use to gain access to your network. Attackers are getting more and more sneaky and creating more ingenious traps to capture your credentials and personal information.
AJ Piscitelli, PMP
Project Manager | ERP Solutions Provider | Cloud Architect
With so many active threats today, it is important today to protect your most important resources. By segregating your network, you can lower the attack surface area of your equipment. We discussed this a bit in my last blog entry about separating your Wi-Fi networks. But do you segregate your network while still allowing some traffic?
AJ Piscitelli, PMP
Project Manager | ERP Solutions Provider | Cloud Architect
A recent poll that I gave as part of a presentation a few weeks ago showed that nearly all fabricators in our industry are using Wi-Fi at their facility. I can’t remember the last time I visited a facility that didn’t have Wi-Fi available. But are you exposing yourself to attacks by using Wi-Fi at your facility?
AJ Piscitelli, PMP
Project Manager | ERP Solutions Provider | Cloud Architect
As we start to get used to the new normal of operating under a global pandemic, a lot of you may be looking at those long-term improvement projects, wondering how to get started. The costs associated with this health crisis keep coming and may have drained your available capital to improve your infrastructure. Even those of you who have been operating during the downturn may be concerned about spending your cash reserves on updated equipment. So, does this mean you should put off upgrading?
No, of course not.
AJ Piscitelli, PMP
Project Manager | ERP Solutions Provider | Cloud Architect
Yep, we’re talking about backups. Though you should back up a bit. We’re supposed to be practicing social distancing!
In case you weren’t aware, today is World Backup Day. This day serves as a good reminder to check up on our backup strategy. Also, due to the social distancing requirements to slow down the spread of COVID-19, a lot of businesses are currently closed. You may be working from home, managing your IT infrastructure remotely. Now that the load on your internal network is lower and you aren’t dealing with as many day-to-day issues from your users, it’s a perfect time to regroup on your backup strategy. Below are five questions you should ask yourself to get started.
AJ Piscitelli, PMP
Project Manager | ERP Solutions Provider | Cloud Architect
I love learning new things. I admit I’ll sit down at night and binge-watch YouTube and Netflix documentaries instead of a prime-time TV show. While these videos can be entertaining and educational, as well as provide interesting talking points at the coffee maker at work, they don’t necessarily increase my skill set. Fortunately, I also enjoy watching online educational courses on various topics applicable to my profession and hobbies. Video seems to be the best fit for me, as I can watch a couple of class videos while eating a meal, or while traveling.
AJ Piscitelli, PMP
Project Manager | ERP Solutions Provider | Cloud Architect
In today’s age, breaking into someone’s infrastructure comes with low risk and high reward. Whether it’s from foreign, government-sponsored actors, or from someone who just wanted a challenge, our networks are constantly under attack. I manage several publicly facing servers, and I can see the constant bombardment of people from all over the world trying to break into the networks that I manage.
AJ Piscitelli, PMP
Project Manager | ERP Solutions Provider | Cloud Architect
As we start 2020, most people have started their New Year’s resolutions. Some may have already broken them (you know who you are). At lot of these resolutions revolve around change. Whether it’s changing your diet, or changing habits, these resolutions mainly focus on changing something.
«Our vision is to eliminate islands of information by creating a common, open communication standard that all machinery and software providers utilize to share data.» ERP systems provide direct digital communication, passing work instructions to machinery and providing the ability to go paperless on the shop floor. To this end, companies rush to collect massive amounts of data and place it in the cloud with the mindset of, “once we …