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November 2023 eNewsletter

How to Ensure Business Continuity
During Western NY's Blizzard Season

How-to-Ensure-Business-Continuity-During-Western-NYs-Blizzard-Season-1

In the picturesque landscapes of Western New York, blizzard season may bring with it the beauty of snow-covered landscapes, but for businesses, it can spell potential chaos and disruption. The risks associated with blizzard season are manifold, ranging from employees unable to make it into the office to potential IT infrastructure issues caused by flooding post-storm. These challenges can result in costly downtime that impacts productivity and profitability. Let’s explore how businesses can ensure continuity during Western NY's blizzard season.

TIPS TO OPTIMIZE A DUAL MONITOR SETUP

Dual monitorTwo monitors are often better than one when it comes to getting things done efficiently. A dual-monitor setup can significantly enhance your productivity. This is true whether you’re a gamer, a creative professional, or an office wiz who loves to multitask.

It’s common for people to feel “off kilter” when trying to work from two monitors. The cause is usually the setup.

Here are some dual-monitor setup best practices to help you improve your two-screen experience and take it to the next level.

#1: Match size and resolution

#2: Get the right cables

#3: Positioning is everything

#4: Embrace the Extended Desktop

#5: Focus on Taskbar Tweaks

#6: Leverage Shortcuts

#7: Gaming in style

MVP Partner Spotlight
Simpson & Simpson PLLC

Simpson & Simpson, PLLC

Simpson & Simpson PLLC is the largest intellectual property boutique law firm in Western New York. We are honored to file more than 1000 patent applications and hundreds of trademark applications every year for our domestic and foreign clients. Our practice is focused exclusively on patent, trademark and copyright law, and our clients range from independent inventors and start-ups to Fortune 100 companies. On a fateful day in 2015, a member of our staff accidentally opened an email attachment which launched what could have been a devastating ransomware attack. At the time, MVP was NOT our IT consultant. But Ikram Massabini was a personal friend, and had given us personal advice about how we should protect our law firm and our clients’ valuable information.

Within minutes of the launch of the attack, our IT consultant told us they couldn’t help us for a couple of days. We called Ikram. He called Adam Hilton. Adam responded by phone within minutes and instructed us on damage control. He personally arrived at our office within an hour and took control.

Fortunately, thanks to Ikram’s suggestions and advice, even though we weren’t his client at the time, we had isolated backups of all our data, immune from the ransomware attack. Adam resolved the issue within hours. We didn’t miss a beat in our practice, and no client information or data was compromised.

Needless to say, we immediately fired our IT consultant and hired MVP. Since 2015 MVP has guided us to improve our IT infrastructure, security, systems and methods. Whether opening a new “ticket” by phone, email or with their very cool desktop icon, we have always found MVP at the ready to help.

A few words of advice to existing and prospective MVP clients: be friendly; be polite; be patient; and be respectful. IT problems are frustrating. They always seem to happen at the worst possible time. MVP knows this. They have an extremely difficult job to do – and they always do their best – so please be nice to them! To find out more about Simpson & Simpson, PLLC please visit: www.idealawyers.com.

Employee Spotlight

Andrew Taverna
Andrew_Taverna (1)

Andrew Taverna serves as the Service Manager here at MVP. He embarked on his journey with the company in 2018 as a technician, bringing with him years of technical and customer service experience.

Andrew finds great satisfaction in his work at MVP, as it offers constant opportunities for learning and problem-solving. 

He also values the privilege of collaborating with some of the industry's most brilliant minds.

Outside of work, Andrew resides in Amherst, NY, with his wife, Sarah. They are eagerly anticipating the arrival of a baby girl in December of this year. In his leisure time, Andrew enjoys a range of activities, including being outdoors, video games, and spending quality time with friends and family. He is proud to be a part of the MVP family and is committed to contributing to the company's ongoing growth while delivering top-notch service to our valued partners.

Catch of the Quarter

Misdirected Messages
Misdirected text messages

Seemingly misdirected messages are increasingly the start of a scammer’s ploy. A text message addressed to someone else pops up on your phone. It seems urgent — a rescheduled business meeting, or maybe a romantic get-together. You text back, “Sorry, wrong number!” The scammer keeps up the friendly texts, and may eventually invite you to join an adult website to see revealing pictures so you hand over credit card info and money, or try to convince you to make a cryptocurrency investment (and take your money). ​​

How to stay safe:  Don’t respond to texts from numbers you don’t recognize. Don’t click on links in them or respond with “STOP” if the messages say you can do this to avoid future messages. Block the phone numbers they come from.​ Remember, your phone is a computer and it can hacked!

MVP In The Community

toys Collection
ATS Against the Storm Foundation

In the fourth quarter of 2023, MVP is actively participating in several community events. We proudly serve as a drop-off location for Toys for Tots, accepting donations throughout November until the first week of December. Additionally, we are excited to be part of the 7th Annual Rock for the Cure event organized by Against the Storm Foundation in October. This event has a goal of raising funds for pediatric cancer research and providing vital support to affected families.

MVP_University_Logo_100x109

Upcoming Event

Past Event

Past Event

Hacked
Hidden Gems of Microsoft 365
Disaster recovery

Incident Response 101:

Effective Strategies for Business Owners in the Event of a Cyber Attack

with Esq. Attorney Sheri L. Mooney

Date: Wed., Dec. 13, 2023
Time: 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
Location: Online - we’ll send you instructions on how to join upon registering.

The Hidden Gems of
Microsoft 365

In this video, you’ll learn how to:

  • Utilize the features and tips of Microsoft 365 to increase productivity
  • Master collaboration using Microsoft Teams features
  • Secure your account and stay compliant

How to Build a Robust Disaster Recovery Strategy

In this video, you’ll learn:

  • Strategies for businesses to weather storms and other disasters
  • How to mitigate potential financial damages from cyber incidents
  • How to ensure vital data safety & recoverability

Win a trip for two!Summer-Lovin-Pete-01-e1678221954155

Refer MVP to a business that could benefit from our company, and get a $500 Visa Gift card & an entry to win a Trip for Two to Anywhere!

What's in it for you?

When your referral is officially a partner with MVP Network Consulting you will be sent a $500.00 Visa gift-card, and your name will be put into a drawing to win a Trip for 2 to Anywhere! When 10 referred businesses have signed on, (or before December 31st) we will draw one lucky referee to win a Trip for Two to Anywhere! Good luck and happy referring!

Get Your FREE 3rd Party Cyber Security Analysis with Mini-Penetration Test

Billions of dollars in ransom have been paid in instances where businesses thought they were secure which emphasizes the critical need for a second opinion. If you haven’t had a mini-penetration test to determine how secure your organization is, then sign up today.