CMI Blog

Discover everything you need to know about virtual desktops and the many significant benefits of implementing these solutions within your business. 

Since the dawn of time, technology has had a vital role to play in every facet of life. The development of tools and techniques has seen hurdles overcome, processes..

Cloud adoption is soaring and shows no signs of slowing down. On average, 92% of organisations host at least some of their IT environment in the Cloud. Modern desktops..

In recent years, the daily morning commute to office blocks has been replaced with the luxury of working from the comfort of our own homes – the modern workforce has..

One of the main conversations that we have with business is about moving to the Cloud, some of the key concerns of our clients have initially been about cost, downtime,..

The world of Fintech (financial technology) has changed dramatically in recent years due to the benefits of online and mobile solutions. But with most of our..

For those entrusted with managing or leading a business, cutting costs and saving on unnecessary expenditure is at the forefront of the decision-making process. No..

As of July 2022, all new and renewing Microsoft subscriptions must be purchased through the New Commerce Experience (NCE), with all incentives on Microsoft’s legacy CSP..

The finance industry faces many challenges, from costs, to competition and from customer service to Covid. How can utilising Cloud services conquer these issues?

As the business world modernises, operating a successful business without using technology is practically impossible. While innovative technical solutions are..

Like many other industries, the financial services sector has changed drastically over the past years. That’s why many financial services and wealth management companies..

Our inboxes are bombarded with hundreds of emails on a day-to-day basis – important business emails, event invites, etc. And there’s risky emails like spam and a myriad..

Most businesses are aware of the increasing threat of phishing attacks. Plus, with the shift to remote working, more end-users are exposed, and more likely to fall for..

With cyber security, most businesses – quite understandably - tend to focus on computers. But one major security gap businesses overlook is their printers - they can..

A business’s data is typically a lot more valuable than bank details. This is because, as we’ll see below, data can be used for a number of different activities, each..

The major upheavals of the last couple of decades, such as the global recession and the COVID-19 pandemic, have demonstrated that firms will suffer severe setbacks if..

Cyber Security is one of the biggest risks for businesses currently, as the threat landscape is not just continuously developing, but the attacks are getting more..

There are a couple of commercial changes coming to Microsoft 365 that you need to be aware of and prepare early for. If you’re a managed services client of CMI’s, then..

2021 hasn’t been short of cyber security breaches with the pandemic ushering in a new era of cyber-crime. What’s more, as the world gets more digital and remote, these..

Whether it’s phishing emails exploiting the current COVID vaccine situation, or the recent rise in ransomware, cyber-crime seems to be in the news and more prevalent..

Microsoft wants us to use and remain productive with their products as much as is humanly possible. So, to add to their recent flood of new software, they’ve brought..

Microsoft is always improving on its product. And with their software being a full-time contributor to most businesses’ productivity, any new operating system from..

COVID-19 showed us just how easily criminals could jump on an opportunity. Phishing rose by 67% since the start of the pandemic, with many of these attacks directly..

Ransomware is a form of cyber-attack designed to encrypt a victim’s data until they pay a financial reward to the attacker - i.e. a ransom. In recent years a business..

There are all sorts of areas businesses overlook on the cyber security front. And with cyber security being of particular importance in the current climate, we should..

Time, experience and some eye-watering headlines have helped to hammer it home: your business needs adequate Cyber Security. The business world is arguably more aware..

Combining a wealth of familiar apps and collating them under a single software suite, it’s no wonder Microsoft 365 is the industry leader in office software. For a..

There’s no such thing as too secure – not when your business, your users and your clients are at risk. In a year that saw our working and online lives unavoidably..

‘It’s not a case of if, but when…’ It’s a phrase quoted regularly by cybersecurity experts to confirm the possibility of a cyber-attack on organisations, and while the..

This Spring, Microsoft is launching a new operating system, Windows 10x. Upon its launch, it will only run on low cost, low end devices. However, the long-term goal is..

Your employees are your first and your weakest line of defence. Cyber criminals know this, hence why they’re always targeting businesses with phishing emails. To fight..

Phishing attacks are becoming more and more popular. This means cyber security has never been more important. To quickly recap, phishing is the use of a fake domain,..

This time last year our workplace looked very different. We were all in offices. Most businesses have had to embrace the Modern Workplace far faster than they’d..

Recently we had the honour of being named IT superhero at IT Europe's Techie Awards. This award was created to acknowledge the IT experts that rose to the challenges..

Cyber security has always been smart. But in 2020, it’s more important than ever. Let’s assume that you’re covering the basics. Top of the cyber security essentials..

Pretty much since the dawn of the internet, companies and their data have been at risk. But now, in 2020, cyber security has become more necessary than ever.In the fol..

The future is somewhat unpredictable and as we have seen in 2020, the workplace can be affected dramatically overnight. However, one thing that you can always count..

Agile teams promote openness, wellbeing and visibility in the workplace. They encourage collaborative teamwork and often thrive off co-location environments.

So, what do..

Several decades ago, any businesses that shunned IT for a significant period would have either halted their progress or gone bust.

Not much has changed, and modern..

Downtime after a disaster can cause havoc for any business. Unlike simply rebooting a computer, you can’t press a button and expect your business to return to normal...

The mandate to work from home affected pretty much every business capable of it. It also presented us with both a new normal and a stress test on workplace agility. A..

Effective collaboration and partnerships are vital for every business. If your relationship with your IT partner is a good one, you will feel understood, productive and..

Cyber Essentials is a government backed scheme run by the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC). The primary aim of the scheme is to encourage companies to adopt best..

The past two months has clearly demonstrated that those businesses who had already invested in modern workplace technology, were able to navigate the transition to..

Those responsible for protecting your data and ensuring systems are available face a broad and growing range of threats. Combine that with an ever increasing volume of,..

Clearly, Microsoft Teams has seen huge growth in use over the past few weeks as remote working has been enforced. Microsoft Teams helps colleagues to collaborate, but..

What backup does Office 365 provide natively?

Office 365 does include some native capability to restore data. For example, information deleted from your mailbox goes..

Your immediate priority at the start of COVID-19 lockdown was to resolve the remote worker challenge. This forced change, in such a short amount of time, will mean that..

Office 365 is key to collaboration, especially during COVID-19 as teams need to remain productive whilst working from home.You will have heard of SharePoint, Teams, and..

The current coronavirus outbreak has resulted in many more employees working from home, however this isnʼt isnʼt a new phenomenon. Many organisations offer a flexible..

Take a second to consider just how integral telephone communication is to the modern workplace. Along with the internet, it’s the defining technology of the modern age...

Few cyber threats are as prevalent and costly as phishing attacks. In 2019, Sonicwall documented a 27% increase in encrypted threats through email, which masquerade as..

What makes a good leader? One who makes the big calls based on what we’d call gut instinct? Or one who needs to seek lots of input before they make their final decision?

CMI are delighted to receive recognition as a Top 50 Best Managed IT company in the UK at the award ceremony in Pall Mall, London.

We recommend reading and sharing our tips for detecting a phishing email to reduce the risk of infecting your workstation or network with malicious software.

CMI are delighted to receive their MSP of the Year 2019 Award at the Connect IT Europe event with Kaseya. CMI had to demonstrate excellence in a multiple of disciplines..

For several decades, Google has dominated the world of online research. With the powerful algorithms and keyword indexes unique to this search engine, Google’s reach..

A big hardware buzzword is multi-core, with companies like AMD and Intel releasing processors with more cores than ever. They’re exciting, particularly in the gaming..

With our numerous technological advancements – AI in the home, always-on devices in our pockets, the cloud storing data in perpetuity – we are facing more challenges..

Data breaches and Cyber Security should be big concerns for business owners. A hacked system is more than just a hassle. With the potential to destroy your company’s..

2019 promises to be revolutionary when it comes to technology and business. AI, Blockchain, autonomous things, digital ethics, and quantum computing are just some of..

The global volume of data is increasing exponentially along the growth of the Internet of Things (IoT) and the ubiquity of connected devices. In the global IoT market,..

More companies than ever are using social media as a key strand of their customer service offer and it’s no wonder, given how social media plays an ever-growing role..

Often taken for granted as a simple extension of our laptop display, monitors are the unsung heroes of the business world. A great monitor will not only enhance the..

IT Automation is key to IT optimisation and digital transformation. With our Managed Endpoint Automation service, we are harnessing the benefits of IT automation for..

SEO, or Search Engine Optimisation, is the process of optimising your website through content so that keywords and terms related to your business show up through online..

In this digital age, business owners can get inspiration and advice from anywhere in the world. If you have a long commute, or you’re one of those business owners who..

20 years ago, we could not have imagined how natural it would be to have a device in your pocket that connects you to anywhere in the world in a matter of seconds. The..

Over the past 20 years, technology has become much more accessible and affordable.  In all industries, business operations can rarely run without either PCs, laptops,..

The explosion of data has been a constant trend in the last decade, and businesses are still figuring out what this means for them. The term ‘Big data’ is used to define..

• Britain sends 235m items of clothing to landfills each spring after our annual spring clean, the majority of which could have been re-worn, reused or recycled.

• ..

A high quality wireless network can make your business more agile and efficient, so it’s vital to make sure a fast and reliable network covers your offices. Wireless..

Password management best practice

The Facebook and Cambridge Analytica scandal and the 87 million accounts affected by privacy violation have made data privacy and..

Keep your business safe

Following on from BTA’s recent Cyber Essentials Plus Certification, we’d like to offer some guidance on how to improve your own cyber security.

What is the GDPR?

Following on from our September blog, here is a recap about the upcoming General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

The GDPR comes into force on 25th..

Blockchains could be the most important technological innovation since the Internet itself. Facilitating transactions between organisations and people requires trust...

Cloud computing can make any business more responsive and efficient, but many businesses fear the cloud, citing issues surrounding data protection, security and..

According to a 2017 Fujitsu study among senior finance professionals in small and medium sized businesses (SMEs) data storage requirements are predicted to double over..

In December 2017 the United States Federal Communications Commission (FCC) voted to repeal a set of regulations that govern what has become known as net neutrality. 

The..

In recent news, major CPUs have been dealing with issues known as Meltdown and Spectre. These are vulnerabilities that can allow access to sensitive memory data..

Cloud computing solutions offer a wide range of benefits to businesses, from lowered costs to better disaster recovery, and UK businesses are catching on. The Cloud..

Not too long ago, the country with the largest military and most advanced warfare technologies held all the cards in geopolitics.  But things have changed. Hackers are..

Enterprise mobility management (EMM) is a set of services and technologies designed to secure corporate data on employees’ mobile devices. It generally consists of a..

If your business hasn’t already moved to Office 365, it may be time you consider making the switch. Office 365 offer the most up-to-date versions of the applications you..

Even with all the amazing technology of recent years, most of us still find ourselves having to press the little letters on our keyboard to write manuals, proposals and..

Most of us live in Outlook. It controls our diaries, our email and to-do lists.  Without it, we would have to walk down the hall to verbally deliver messages and put a..

Virtual reality, augmented reality and mixed reality tools are coming to the workplace sooner than you think. With the launch of Apple’s iOS11 and most recent iPhones,..

There is an entire world of apps for Windows 10. Some are incredibly useful, others are fun, and a few seem to perform minor miracles (like recover deleted files from an..

I have to start this blog article by saying I am not a lawyer and so if you are reading this I would urge you to take legal advice for your particular situation.

It is the time of year for sunshine, long lunches, and a good holiday break.  But even if you plan on turning your phone off for a device-free Bank Holiday trip, you may..

When it comes to start-up technology companies, particularly those in the business IT space, we are always watching.  Some of these companies may become BTA partners..

According to the government, nearly half of UK businesses suffered a cyber-attack last year. Cyber threats are affecting businesses of all sectors and sizes, reducing..

It wasn’t that long ago that the head of IT didn’t have an office. Instead, he usually sat in a room in a remote part of the building, filled with IT equipment. He..

Even the most sceptical people can now see that cyber security is something we all need to take seriously. Whether it is as consumers, retailers, employees or..

The sun is shining, the weather is sweet. Make you want to move… to more environmentally friendly IT.

The Bob Marley song may not go exactly like that, but with sweet..

BTA would like to warn customers of an unusually authentic-looking phishing scam that attempts to obtain a photo of the target holding a bank card and photo ID in order..

The blockchain is unquestionably an ingenious invention – the brainchild of a person (or group of people) known as Satoshi Nakamoto. But what has been a way of..

Wearable technology such as Google Glass, Apple's iWatch and Samsung's Galaxy Gear smartwatch is beginning to gain traction with consumers. What seemed too futuristic..

The WannaCry Cyber Attack has made worldwide news over the past few days. And as a Managed Service Provider with expertise in IT security, we have received a lot of..

This is a guest blog from Wendy Zamora at Malwarebytes, first published here.

Approximately one million people have had their Gmail account accessed by a phishing scam involving a Google Docs email yesterday.

It used to be that a good security system and a building with a manned gate kept businesses safe. Employees with key cards and CCTV surveillance were icing on the cake. ..

If all your communications mediums work together seamlessly, you are more efficient.  You can work more, and with less effort. This is why businesses are investing in..

A quick little chat message vs. writing an email: which would you rather do? Most of us would rather send a chat message, especially if the messaging platform was..

Most of us know how to do the basics in Microsoft Word—bold text, copy, paste, create bullet points and change font size. But few of us have ever been shown how to use..

A few weeks ago, the world celebrated International Data Privacy Day. The goal of the day is to draw attention to all the personal information you own, and make sure it..

It is that time of year when many of us begin dreaming of, or indeed preparing for, a warm weather holiday.  Short, dark days and constant drizzle is enough to make..

You may have thought twice about the security of messages sent over WhatsApp, or about using an app for online banking. After all once you press ‘send’ or ‘transfer’,..

They may not all be new gadgets, but they are new parts of gadgets or improvements to gadgets we already know and love. They are… (drum roll) the exciting device..

Sure, your business uses cloud services—Microsoft Office 365 for example, or perhaps you even have StorageCraft Cloud Back up for your Office 365.  But what about your..

iOS 10 is filled with practical improvements that most of us would use – if we knew about them.  Some things are obvious, but others are little hidden gems that most of..

It is the well-known organisation that you talk about frequently with your friends: the Zero Outage Industry Standard Association.  You shorten it to ZOISA in..

Technology evolves somewhat like a garden does—with some elements growing slowly over time, and others spreading like wildfire given the right conditions.

The end game for many technology start-ups is to sell to a large company, or go public to facilitate growth. LinkedIn is hardly a start-up anymore, but it has now done..

It is a hot topic that continues to stay ‘hot’ and a growing issue for businesses worldwide: cyber security. But can we expect to see the same issues next year that we..

We have noticed an increase in the number of IT security breaches lately, particularly in companies being hit by ransomware attacks like CryptoLocker. [See related BBC..

They both tell decent jokes, they both stream BBC4 if you ask for news, and they give recipes and random facts with ease. They can quickly tell you how to get somewhere,..

Most of us know the feeling: that annoying frustration that builds as you try to open documents and pages that seem to take years to finally appear. It is even more..

Cybercrime is a constantly evolving threat that most businesses are acutely aware of, however have not set aside adequate resources to protect against.  When it comes..

You no longer have to be an IT geek, trained programmer or tech engineer to create an app—and by app, we mean a real app that you could buy… one that other people could..

There are some IT terms that are no longer “IT”. In fact, they are now mainstream words used by youth and adults alike in everyday conversations.  Some of these words..

You may have excellent passwords—varied, long and with lots of different characters.  But if you are like most people, you probably thought up a password for one of the..

With the rise in popularity of cloud-based applications and data storage, you may be wondering where and how information is actually stored. Or you may be wondering what..

Technology has come a long way in recent decades, and it would appear advertising has too.  IT companies, hardware manufacturers, electronics corporations, computer..

Brexit has huge implications for almost all parts of British life and commerce, including the technology sector.  We can’t foresee exactly what a post-Brexit world will..

This may come as a shock. There is no such thing a catch-all security software that your IT provider can implement to keep your company safe. Instead IT support..

It is the 10pm email that you shouldn’t have read, in which a colleague accidently gives misinformation to a client. What do you do? You do what most of us do: turn down..

Digital information is to businesses what a white water rapid is to a hydroelectric power plant.  It fuels things. Whether it be customer information, competitor data or..

Search is now being integrated into everything—our cars, phones, homes and even glasses. As such the stakes, and rewards, for successful search engines are higher than..

The IT department of a company is in many ways like its heart. All other areas of the organisation depend on it for vital everyday functioning.  But in recent years, IT..

Many people have now upgraded to Windows 10, but few are aware of everything Windows 10 can do. And it can do a lot. Windows 10 is packed with user-friendly shortcuts..

If your businesses is relying on older network hardware, it is probably time for an upgrade.

The first 1G system was introduced by Nordic Mobile Telephone in 1982, using phones that cost around £2,000, and weighed approximately 5kg. Lucky for us, we have come a..

If you run in techy circles, you will already know about the rise of the bot to mainstream stardom—and how apps, which have recently been all the rage, are on the back..

If we ask you if you’ve heard of The Edge, you might think we were talking about Microsoft Edge—the “enhanced Windows 10 search experience”. But The Edge we are talking..

We are in the midst of a major technology revolution—specifically a digital revolution. It affects businesses of all shapes and sizes, of all sectors and regions.

As an IT consultancy that procures its fair share of Dell devices, we were interested to hear that Dell has recently become the largest retailer in the world to accept..

You may have seen the news last week about a former employee of Ofcom recently offering his new employer a significant amount of sensitive data he had stolen from the..

It is one of the most talked about spaces in technology today: the Internet of Things.

It is the stuff of Sci-Fi films, but it is happening—and soon. Next year a Japanese company is opening the first farm run almost entirely by robots.

Somewhere between hiring the best employees, the streamlined operations process, the carefully crafted management meetings, KPIs and customer support, lies what is..

Beware of a new ransomware called CryptoJoker that encrypts your data using AES-256 encryption and then demands a ransom in bitcoins to get your files back. CryptoJoker..

Security is still perceived as a concern for Cloud computing. Despite the ability of the Cloud to free the limitations of infrastructure and logistics, a recent survey..

Artificial intelligence exists all around us in subtle ways, embedded in our daily activities thanks to the rise of machine learning.

It is hard to believe but true: 95% of all corporate security incidents involve human error. Whether deliberate or accidental, humans are the weakest link in information..

Google is testing an interesting new authentication idea. In a bid to get rid of the password, Google may switch to phone authentication. Under this scheme you would..

Hidden amongst the servers, shiny new laptops and other IT hardware in our tech lab, we found a small, but perfectly formed crystal ball. It was indeed a strange..

We all remember Y2K and the global fear that digital devices would all stop working. As it turned out that fear was mostly unfounded. But now we have a very real..

Ten years ago we thought we were in the midst of a digital revolution. But many would argue, if that was revolution, what we are in now is a total transformation. ..

Wearable computing may not quite rival the luxury brands yet in terms of fashion statements, but wearing devices is on the rise. In fact the IDC predicts 112 million..

The Talk Talk cyber attack has left many wondering how at risk they are and what they should do to protect themselves. 

BTA's inhouse technical guru, Scott Bartlett,..

You probably have an alarm system for your home (or at least a very good lock and a very loud dog), because you know burglars are constantly lurking.  But it is doubtful..

The answer for most SMEs is both.

SMEs all over the world are reaping the benefits of cloud based voice and data services..

Each month we share the latest updates from our technical service team, relating to trends we are seeing, new software releases and the latest technology we think is..

Remember the ‘Bring your own device’ movement? It wasn’t quite as big as the Climate Change movement, or grow-a-beard movement (thank you Hipsters), but it was..

Click.

Wait, wait, wait, wait. 

Your page finally loads.

“GRRRRRRRR,” you say, “Why is the internet so slow?!”

Well we are going to tell you.  Below are the top 5..

It goes without saying that technology is a necessary investment for all businesses. But being clever about how that investment is made is critical to ensuring pounds..

If you are like most people you use your iPhone to… well do just about everything. You use it for work, fun, staying connected to friends and hundreds of other purposes..

One major technology pain point businesses have revolves around communication. If your clients and prospects can’t effectively reach your staff, customer support and..

The incorporation of mobile devices into day-to-day life has changed our culture significantly. When Apple introduced “iPhone” less than a decade ago, Steve Jobs..

Have you ever wondered how your PC is identified from the billions of other devices out there? Just like every human being has specific physiological traits that make up..

If you are up-to-speed with the latest tech news, you will already know that passwords are considered an "old-school" method of authenticating account logins. If you..

For most businesses, one of the largest expenses is payroll.  Good people cost money, and by hiring talented employees, a large portion of the operational budget is..

Most of us know what an Administrator profile is, as well as a general User profile when it comes to our PC.  Admins are liken to God and Users are liken to the general..

Microsoft’s latest PC operating system arrived with fanfare last week, and so far has received overwhelmingly positive reviews.  As Sophie Curis at the Telegraph wrote..

Hackers are always coming up with new, often ingenious methods of hacking companies around the world. Despite their best efforts, technology professionals have managed..

It is getting closer and closer to the big day - the launch of Windows 10 on July 29th! And here at BTA, we are excited. After all, Microsoft’s new OS provides features..

If you are like most business owners, you probably find yourself checking out your competitors to get a feel for their prices and services. With these six apps, you can..

Do you know the difference between virtualisation and cloud computing? Most business owners have a hard time distinguishing between the two and find the topic to be..

We have all had moments where we desperately need a WiFi connection but don't have access to one. The good news is if you have a PC with a wireless card, you can take..

Mobile devices like smartphones and tablets are marketed as powerful productivity tools. However some workers may find their device’s apps to be more of a distraction..