--- title: BLOG | Maria Santacaterina description: Industry news and insights on Information Technology in the Boston Cambridge area, specifically for small and medium business enterprises. Supported by Focus Technology Solutions IT Consulting Firm Boston, MA. --- ![blog-and-news-banner](https://info.focustsi.com/hubfs/blog-and-news-banner.jpg "blog-and-news-banner") ## Maria Santacaterina ### Recent Posts ## [The Best Offense is a Good Defense: Back-Up Data Recovery Solutions](https://info.focustsi.com/topic/disaster-recovery/IT-Services-Boston/The-Best-Offense-is-a-Good-Defense-Back-Up-Data-Recovery-Solutions) Posted by [Maria Santacaterina](https://info.focustsi.com/it-services-boston/author/maria-santacaterina) on Tue, Jun 10, 2014 ![D Fence](https://info.focustsi.com/hs-fs/file-63309374-jpg/images/d-fence.jpg?width=208&height=117&name=d-fence.jpg)Imagine if your business was suddenly hit by a virus or natural disaster that wiped out your entire server, data center and software programs resulting in the worst possible outcome: you lose all of your data. You and your employees no longer have access to your important documents that are crucial to running the daily activities of your business. In the blink of an eye, your business is wiped out. What would you do then? [Read More](https://info.focustsi.com/topic/disaster-recovery/IT-Services-Boston/The-Best-Offense-is-a-Good-Defense-Back-Up-Data-Recovery-Solutions) 1 Comment [Click here to read/write comments](https://info.focustsi.com/topic/disaster-recovery/IT-Services-Boston/The-Best-Offense-is-a-Good-Defense-Back-Up-Data-Recovery-Solutions#comments-listing) Topics: [Disaster Recovery](https://info.focustsi.com/it-services-boston/topic/disaster-recovery), [Data Security](https://info.focustsi.com/it-services-boston/topic/data-security) - [Tweet](https://twitter.com/share) ## [What's your small business cyber security plan?](https://info.focustsi.com/it-services-boston/bid/115903/What-s-your-small-business-cyber-security-plan) Posted by [Maria Santacaterina](https://info.focustsi.com/it-services-boston/author/maria-santacaterina) on Thu, Sep 05, 2013 ![IT Security](https://info.focustsi.com/hs-fs/file-49122941-jpg/images/info_security_med.jpg?width=141&height=101&name=info_security_med.jpg) Small businesses are up against some big fish, and I’m not talking about competition, I’m talking about cybercriminals. **Cybercriminals** are now specifically targeting small businesses. There has been a slow increase in the number of small businesses being targeted by hackers as large enterprises up the ante with their IT security. You may think your small business isn’t on any attacker’s radar. Well you are very wrong! Small businesses are an ideal target for hackers. The lack of resources most businesses have to adequately protect their valuable data and information is making it very easy for hackers to steal that information. Not having a cyber security plan for your business is making it an easy target for attackers. Don’t be a duck sitting in open water! Devise a plan to combat these criminals and protect your information. [Read More](https://info.focustsi.com/it-services-boston/bid/115903/What-s-your-small-business-cyber-security-plan) 0 Comments [Click here to read/write comments](https://info.focustsi.com/it-services-boston/bid/115903/What-s-your-small-business-cyber-security-plan#comments-listing) Topics: [Disaster Recovery](https://info.focustsi.com/it-services-boston/topic/disaster-recovery), [cybersecurity](https://info.focustsi.com/it-services-boston/topic/cybersecurity) - [Tweet](https://twitter.com/share) ## [7 Statistics You Didn't Know About Cloud Computing](https://info.focustsi.com/topic/cloud-computing/it-services-boston/7-statistics-you-didn-t-know-about-cloud-computing) Posted by [Maria Santacaterina](https://info.focustsi.com/it-services-boston/author/maria-santacaterina) on Tue, Aug 27, 2013 **How much do you know about cloud computing?** As a part of an ongoing series to answers questions of IT decision makers, NSK Inc has gathered 7 statistics on cloud computing that you probably didn't know before. **The Governement and the cloud ** ![slideshare](https://info.focustsi.com/hs-fs/file-279959829-jpg/images/slideshare.jpg?width=436&height=327&name=slideshare.jpg)   Over **HALF **of the US government is in the cloud and they spend about **$2 billion **annually on cloud services. Experts say the US government is the biggest cloud user in the world. Government agencies are deploying commercial cloud services, private clouds, shared clouds and using new policies, processes, and tools in order to scale the size of their cloud. **Security has been the main concern for government CIOs which is the reason why government agencies have been early adaptors of private clouds.** Private clouds are scalable and offer close control over the cloud environment.   **What industry has the most ACTIVITY in the cloud? ** ![describe the image](https://info.focustsi.com/hs-fs/file-280621913-jpg/images/banking.jpg?width=430&height=323&name=banking.jpg)   You might think social media would have the most activity in the cloud, and they are definitely top contenders, but **BANKING contributes the most activity in the cloud.** With the introduction of mobile banking the cloud demand almost doubled in 2013. **And the new trend of “peer-to-peer” lending or “crowdfunding” for loans has grown in popularity pushing more applications to the cloud.** Money management services like Mint.com, PayPal and Moneybookers.com have driven many customers to manage their personal finances with the help of the cloud. Soon enough we will all be paying for goods virtually with the support of the clouds (has anyone looked into the growth of Bitcoins lately?)  **What happens when businesses adopt the cloud?** **![good](https://info.focustsi.com/hs-fs/file-281314526-jpg/images/good.jpg?width=430&height=322&name=good.jpg)** ** ** A lot of good things come from adopting the cloud for businesses. These statistics were taken from a survey of a large group of IT decision makers from a variety of enterprises. They found that after **adopting the cloud their businesses** **SAVED MONEY and CUT COSTS. **Some other surprising statistics: **90%** of IT decision makers found at least **ONE area of improvement in their IT department.** **80% **saw improvements within the **first 6 months of adopting the cloud. **   [![New Call-to-action](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/62040/aff86afd-f870-4ee7-a5b5-e6e0952d3f66.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/62040/aff86afd-f870-4ee7-a5b5-e6e0952d3f66)   Let us know your cloud computing questions! Contact us at [sales@nskinc.com](mailto:sales@nskinc.com).        [Read More](https://info.focustsi.com/topic/cloud-computing/it-services-boston/7-statistics-you-didn-t-know-about-cloud-computing) 1 Comment [Click here to read/write comments](https://info.focustsi.com/topic/cloud-computing/it-services-boston/7-statistics-you-didn-t-know-about-cloud-computing#comments-listing) Topics: [Cloud Computing](https://info.focustsi.com/it-services-boston/topic/cloud-computing), [Managed Services](https://info.focustsi.com/it-services-boston/topic/managed-services) - [Tweet](https://twitter.com/share) ## [NSK Inc's Cathie Briggette wins "Ambassador of the Year Award"](https://info.focustsi.com/it-services-boston/bid/117800/NSK-Inc-s-Cathie-Briggette-wins-Ambassador-of-the-Year-Award) Posted by [Maria Santacaterina](https://info.focustsi.com/it-services-boston/author/maria-santacaterina) on Thu, Aug 01, 2013 ![Cathie_Briggette Award](https://info.focustsi.com/hs-fs/file-371003060-jpg/images/ambassador_of_the_year_award1-resized-600.jpg?width=183&height=244&name=ambassador_of_the_year_award1-resized-600.jpg)NSK Inc’s own [Cathie Briggette](https://www.nskinc.com/it-services-company/team/cathie-briggette/) received the "Excellence in Business, Ambassador of the Year Award" presented Tuesday evening, July 23rd by President Kelly Thompson Clark at the [Cambridge Chamber of Commerce's (CCC)](http://www.cambridgechamber.org/) Summer Bash Event at the Kendall Square Marriot. [Read More](https://info.focustsi.com/it-services-boston/bid/117800/NSK-Inc-s-Cathie-Briggette-wins-Ambassador-of-the-Year-Award) 0 Comments [Click here to read/write comments](https://info.focustsi.com/it-services-boston/bid/117800/NSK-Inc-s-Cathie-Briggette-wins-Ambassador-of-the-Year-Award#comments-listing) Topics: [NSK Team](https://info.focustsi.com/it-services-boston/topic/nsk-team) - [Tweet](https://twitter.com/share) ## [3 Key Factors Driving Businesses to Embrace BYOD Programs](https://info.focustsi.com/it-services-boston/topic/mobile-device-management/3-Key-Factors-Driving-Businesses-to-Embrace-BYOD-Programs) Posted by [Maria Santacaterina](https://info.focustsi.com/it-services-boston/author/maria-santacaterina) on Wed, Jul 31, 2013 ![MDM - BYOD Mobile Device Management](https://info.focustsi.com/hs-fs/file-242840490-jpg/images/rsz_1rsz_easelly_visual_1.jpg?width=159&height=127&name=rsz_1rsz_easelly_visual_1.jpg) If you take a look around any office, I guarantee you will see at least one mobile device placed on each employee’s desk. It cannot be denied that as cell phones become more of a necessity people are almost physically connected to their mobile devices. According to one survey in 2013 87% of American adults own a cell phone. Of those adults who are employed, 53% use their own devices for work. Businesses are choosing to embrace the growth of personal devices in the work place and implement [BYOD](http://blog.nskinc.com/IT-Services-Boston/bid/115518/Come-to-the-BYOD-Party-And-Make-sure-to-have-your-MDM) programs for these **3 key reasons:** [Read More](https://info.focustsi.com/it-services-boston/topic/mobile-device-management/3-Key-Factors-Driving-Businesses-to-Embrace-BYOD-Programs) 0 Comments [Click here to read/write comments](https://info.focustsi.com/it-services-boston/topic/mobile-device-management/3-Key-Factors-Driving-Businesses-to-Embrace-BYOD-Programs#comments-listing) Topics: [Mobile Device Management](https://info.focustsi.com/it-services-boston/topic/mobile-device-management), [Disaster Recovery](https://info.focustsi.com/it-services-boston/topic/disaster-recovery) - [Tweet](https://twitter.com/share) | | [Next](https://info.focustsi.com/it-services-boston/author/maria-santacaterina/page/2) | | --- | --- |