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WHAT IS SASE?

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Abstract image of SASE Secure Access Service Edge network security

SASE stands for Secure Access Service Edge. It is a comprehensive solution that combines network security and connectivity in a unified cloud-native architecture. SASE removes the legacy part of network security and shifts to a more dynamic, modern, and flexible security system.

 

In this article, I explain why businesses should migrate from traditional firewalling to SASE. Find out why SASE, in my view, is the future of network security.

 

Cloud-Centric Architecture:

SASE represents a paradigm shift from hardware-centric traditional firewalling based on what “tin” in your network to cloud-centric security. Unlike traditional firewalling, which relies on on-premises appliances. This networking system delivers security services directly to users, regardless of location. Whether in the office, at home, or at the local Starbucks, the cloud-native approach ensures scalability, agility, and global reach. This allows organisations to adapt seamlessly to evolving threats and business requirements.

 

Zero Trust Security Model And SASE:

SASE embraces the zero-trust security model, which assumes that no entity, inside or outside the network, should be trusted by default. Authentication/ authorisation of users and devices grants access to applications and resources. In this way, SASE minimises the risk of unauthorised access and lateral movement within the network. This granular approach to security enhances protection against insider threats and external cyberattacks, bolstering overall defence posture. Now, don’t be fooled into thinking that all Zero Trust is SASE! Many vendors use “Zero Trust” to define their SD-WAN or legacy products to compete with SASE products.

 

Converged Security Services:

One of the key advantages of SASE is its ability to converge multiple security functions into a single platform. Unlike traditional firewalling, SASE integrates these functionalities into a unified architecture. Historically, the system required deploying disparate security solutions such as VPNs, firewalls, secure web gateways, and intrusion detection systems.

 

This consolidation streamlines management, reduces complexity, and lowers operational costs, enabling organisations to achieve greater efficiency without compromising security.

What is SASE?

 

Additional benefits of adopting SASE include:

Optimised Performance and User Experience:  SASE leverages a distributed architecture with points of presence (PoPs) strategically located around the globe. By routing traffic through the nearest PoP, SASE minimises latency, optimises performance and enhances the user experience. Additionally, SASE employs advanced traffic steering and optimisation techniques to prioritise critical applications to ensure consistent performance across diverse network environments.

 

Dynamic Policy Enforcement: Traditional firewalling relies on static rule-based policies that are often prone to misconfigurations. SASE adopts a dynamic policy enforcement approach based on contextual factors such as user identity, device posture, location, and application sensitivity. This contextual awareness enables adaptive access controls that dynamically adjust security policies in real time. This gives organisations greater flexibility and responsiveness to evolving threats or business needs.

 

Comprehensive Threat Protection: SASE combines essential security services such as firewalling, secure web gateways, intrusion prevention, data loss prevention, and malware detection into a unified platform. By integrating these capabilities with advanced threat intelligence and machine learning-driven analytics, the business gains a greater ability to operate in the safest environment. Lastly, SASE delivers multi-layered protection against a wide range of cyber threats, including malware, ransomware, phishing, and zero-day exploits.

 

In conclusion, SASE represents a quantum leap forward in network security, offering a transformative approach that addresses the challenges of the modern digital age. By embracing cloud-native architecture, zero-trust security principles, converged security services, optimised performance, dynamic policy enforcement, scalability and comprehensive threat protection, organisations can future-proof their networks and empower their workforce to thrive in an increasingly interconnected world.

 

If you want to talk to one of our experts about how we can help your business secure itself using SASE, please call 01235 433900 or email [email protected]. If you want to speak to me directly, you can contact me via DM or at [email protected].

 

 

Did you enjoy this article? Why not read another of James’ blogs…
The True Cost Of Migrating On-Premise Infrastructure To The Cloud

An abstract image depicting the cost of migrating on-premise infrastructure to the cloud.

 

The True Cost Of Migrating On-Premise Infrastructure To The Cloud

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An abstract image depicting the cost of migrating on-premise infrastructure to the cloud.

With the shift in cloud-based solutions showing no signs of slowing down, we often think about the true costs of cloud migration.

Organisations are enticed by the cloud’s promises of scalability, flexibility, and cost-efficiency. However, the decision to migrate presents some advantages, but it is also valid to note the drawbacks. Especially, when the actual cost can extend beyond the budget, for this reason, we see many businesses flip-flop between the two worlds. Confused and uncertain about the level of commitment and the lack of strategy, leadership is often faced with difficult decisions that can potentially harm the business.

In my experience, there is a lack of understanding of the scope: the benefits and the costs involved in making these choices. In this article, I delve into the multifaceted aspects of migrating on-premises infrastructure to the cloud, unravelling the true costs of migration, hoping to help you make an informed decision for your business.

So What’s Positive About Cloud Migration

 

Scalability and Flexibility:

The cloud enables organisations to scale resources dynamically according to demand. Unlike on-premises infrastructure, scaling often requires substantial upfront investment and time-consuming processes.

This agility enables businesses to adapt swiftly to fluctuating workloads, enhancing operational efficiency and boosting customer satisfaction. For the first time, we have such a large degree of flexibility; it requires a shift in mindset from the sizeable single server instances to the flexible containerised (load-balanced).

Cost-Efficiency:

Cloud computing offers a pay-as-you-go model, eliminating the need for hefty upfront capital expenditure on hardware and infrastructure. Additionally, organisations can benefit from economies of scale as cloud providers leverage their vast infrastructure to offer services at competitive rates. Moreover, the cloud reduces ongoing operational costs associated with maintenance, upgrades, and energy consumption, leading to long-term savings. This has never been more important with the growing cyber threats.

Some instances of lacking upgrades for legacy and patching can leave businesses at risk, now more than ever. Let’s explore this in more detail.

Enhanced Collaboration and Accessibility:

By migrating to the cloud, businesses transcend geographical boundaries and facilitate seamless team collaboration. Cloud-based tools enable real-time access to data and applications from any location, fostering productivity and innovation. This accessibility offers a more agile and responsive work environment, empowering employees to collaborate efficiently, irrespective of their physical location.

Improved Security and Disaster Recovery:

Cloud providers invest heavily in robust security measures and compliance frameworks to safeguard data against cyber threats and breaches. Additionally, cloud platforms offer built-in redundancy and disaster recovery mechanisms, mitigating the risk of data loss and ensuring business continuity by leveraging the expertise and resources of cloud providers and organisations,

If you think, “Nothing beats my 3-2-1 backup” and/or “My disaster recovery is better than the cloud”, then you are wrong! It takes a lot more technology and resources to come anywhere near the scalability and protection of the public cloud. You may get close, but it will always be at a different level than Microsoft, Amazon, or Google can offer in comparison for a fraction of the costs.

The Negatives Of Pushing Your Business Into The Cloud.

 

Hidden Costs and Vendor Lock-In:

While the pay-as-you-go model initially appears cost-effective, organisations may encounter hidden expenses associated with data transfer, storage, and bandwidth usage. Moreover, as businesses scale their operations on the cloud, they may become susceptible to vendor lock-in, wherein switching providers or migrating back to on-premise infrastructure entails significant complexity and cost. This dependency on a single vendor can limit flexibility and hinder strategic decision-making.

Performance and Latency Issues:

Despite advancements in cloud technology, organisations may encounter performance and latency issues, especially in scenarios where real-time processing and high throughput are paramount. The physical distance between users and cloud data centres can introduce latency, impacting application responsiveness and user experience. Additionally, shared resources in multi-tenant cloud environments may lead to performance degradation during peak usage periods, necessitating careful optimisation and resource allocation.

Compliance and Regulatory Concerns:

Migrating sensitive data and applications to the cloud raises compliance and regulatory challenges, particularly concerning data sovereignty, privacy, and industry-specific regulations. Cloud providers operate globally, which may conflict with jurisdictional requirements governing data residency and protection. Compliance with diverse regulatory frameworks demands meticulous planning, robust encryption, and contractual agreements to safeguard sensitive information and maintain regulatory compliance.

Dependency on Internet Connectivity:

The reliance on internet connectivity represents a fundamental vulnerability of cloud-based infrastructure. Organisations may encounter service availability and productivity disruptions due to internet outages or network latency issues. Moreover, data privacy and security concerns may deter businesses from fully embracing cloud solutions, for instance, regions with inadequate internet infrastructure or heightened cybersecurity risks.

Summary

Migrating on-premise infrastructure to the cloud entails a complex interplay of benefits and challenges, each significantly impacting operations’ overall cost and efficiency. While the cloud offers unparalleled scalability, flexibility and cost-efficiency, organisations must navigate potential downfalls, including performance issues, compliance concerns and dependency on internet connectivity. By conducting thorough analyses of regulatory requirements and implementing robust security measures, businesses can unlock the full potential of cloud computing while mitigating risks effectively. Ultimately, the actual cost of moving to the cloud transcends financial considerations, encompassing strategic, operational, and technological implications that shape the future trajectory of organisations in the digital age. The first step is the cloud migration assessment of a business. This is something that Planet IT can help with as a subject expert.

 

If you want to talk to one of our experts about how we can help your business review its environment and plan to move to the cloud, please call 01235 433900 or email [email protected]. If you want to speak to me directly, you can contact me via DM or at [email protected].

Read more about Cloud Implementation Strategy.

How to Create and Implement a Cloud Strategy

 

Meet Emma Kerin, MSP Account Manager

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(Reader, brace yourself 😬!!)

Emma, can you explain your Planet IT journey…?

My journey at Planet IT started in 2009 when I had just come out of college studying IT. Back then my job role was telemarketer, generating leads and writing them down on paper, Yes paper !!

6 months later and unfortunately the job just wasn’t for me, I say it was a mutual decision to leave, but Gav and Sean might think otherwise!

After going into various IT support roles, in 2015 I approached Planet IT as they were starting up their IT support department and I joined to onboard all new clients. Back then there was Mike, Sam B, Nick, Stefan and Rob in our fish bowl. Things were very different in those days, with fewer clients and far fewer staff staff! But it’s great to know I was part of that!

Planet IT were then awarded the contract to replace every device at Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle and Kensington Palace and it was such a honour to be considered for this role.

I have always been passionate about customer experience and making sure clients are listened to and understood. Now, 9 years later I’m a MSP account manager which has allowed me to take all the knowledge and experience I’ve had over the last 9 years and really deliver the best service possible for our clients.

Planet IT Awards

You are excelling in your current role. Why do you think it suits you so well?

As I mentioned, I think it’s the variety of roles I’ve had and the touch points I’ve had with all the MSP clients.

A key part for me is having a partnership with my clients, I thrive on delivering and working together to get the best outcome.

What sort of clients do you like working with?

I like working with all types of clients, having a partnership and not just being their IT company. I like to have conversations and understand what makes them tick and not just talk about IT.

 

What technologies are making the most impact to your clients businesses?

Right now, Azure, Intune and sharepoint are making the biggest impact.

Emma and the Planet team in Dubai

What challenges do you face in your role?

I wouldn’t say there are many challenges, but the industry is constantly changing and sometimes it’s hard to keep up and make sure we are giving the client the right advice.

What is it like to work at Planet IT?

Planet IT is full of opportunities and there are always different paths to take if you show how passionate you are.

When things don’t go to plan we all work together to get through it.

 

You’ve been here quite a while, what is your favourite Planet memory?

Iceland Christmas party, I would never have experienced what I did without Planet IT.

Planet IT Support Team in Iceland

What makes you tick outside work?

Going to the gym, holidays and walking.

I also love having a good time and a drink or two…

 

If you were to give advice to a young person thinking of entering the world of IT – what would it be?

Do it! There are so many different areas and opportunities within IT. You don’t have to be in one role forever.

Microsoft Copilot for Security: Empowering IT Teams with AI-Driven Insights

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copilot for security

Organisations all face an uphill battle against sophisticated and ever-changing threats. As adversaries become more cunning and leverage AI and ML to deliver more complex attacks, defenders need innovative tools to stay ahead. This is where Microsoft Copilot for Security, a ground-breaking solution that combines the power of artificial intelligence (AI) with security expertise to enhance threat detection, response, and overall cybersecurity security posture, comes in. On the 1st of April Microsoft releases, to all Microsoft 365 customers, the ability to gain the intelligence of a threat analyst at the press of a button.

Understanding Microsoft Copilot for Security

What makes up Microsoft Copilot for Security? The product is built from Microsoft’s Copilot platform, leveraging their bespoke blend of the Open AI engine and the threat data they have from the world’s largest endpoint dataset, but it is so much more than that; here are some of the key components that makes Microsoft Copilot for Security different.

The Fusion of Language Models

At its core, Microsoft Copilot for Security is a fusion of two critical components: an advanced large language model (LLM) and a security-specific model. This unique blend allows it to understand and address security challenges effectively but without losing the human and natural level compute understanding gained via an LLM. By leveraging the vast amount of data generated daily (approximately 65 trillion signals) that Microsoft has access to because of its Defender, 365 and Windows platforms, Microsoft Copilot for Security distils relevant insights for you as a defender.

Guided Insights and Actionable Recommendations

Microsoft Copilot for Security acts as a trusted advisor, providing actionable guidance to security teams. Here’s how it works:

  • Signal Interpretation: The solution processes an array of signals, including threat intelligence feeds, network logs, and endpoint data. It identifies patterns, anomalies, and potential threats.
  • Contextual Summaries: Instead of drowning defenders in raw data, Microsoft Copilot for Security generates concise summaries. These summaries highlight critical events, vulnerabilities, and emerging risks.
  • Threat Prioritisation: Not all threats are equal. Microsoft Copilot for Security prioritises incidents based on severity, impact, and relevance. It ensures that defenders focus on what matters most.
  • Step-by-Step Playbooks: To empower junior staff, Microsoft Copilot for Security offers step-by-step playbooks. These guides simplify incident response, ensuring consistent and effective actions.
  • Reduced Response Time: With Microsoft Copilot for Security, response times shrink from hours to minutes. Defenders can swiftly investigate, contain, and remediate threats.

IT can save you money

Integration with Microsoft Security Solutions

Microsoft Copilot for Security seamlessly integrates with the vast array of Microsoft security products, which many of you will be using or will have access to:

  • Microsoft Defender XDR: Prevents and detects cross-domain cyberattacks using AI-driven insights.
  • Microsoft Defender for 365: Pulling threat data from Microsoft Graph and your 365 environments to provide AI-driven insights.
  • Microsoft Sentinel: Collects security data from diverse sources (cloud, on-premises, and hybrid environments) and correlates alerts.
  • Microsoft Intune: Protects devices, enforces compliance, and mitigates threats across endpoints.
  • Microsoft Defender Threat Intelligence: Exposes suspicious infrastructure and provides dynamic threat feeds.
  • Microsoft Entra: Safeguards identities and secures access to resources.
  • Microsoft Purview: Ensures governance, protection, and compliance for data.

Empowering Defenders at Scale

Microsoft Copilot for Security democratises security expertise and puts it in the hands of all, regardless of your experience of exposure to the threats your business is seeing:

  • Natural Language Interaction: Defenders can converse with Microsoft Copilot for Security using natural language. It feels like having an AI-powered security expert by your side. This gives you the quickest route to the information you need while using the language you know rather than throwing logs at you.
  • Efficiency and Consistency: Junior security analysts benefit from guided playbooks, while senior experts offload repetitive tasks. The result is a more efficient and consistent security team.
  • Cloud-Based AI: Microsoft Copilot for Security operates in the cloud, enabling real-time updates and scalability. There is no agent to install, and no extra tools to host. This is all delivered as SaaS.

Microsoft Copilot for Security isn’t just a tool; it’s a force multiplier for IT Teams. By harnessing AI, contextual insights, and expert guidance, organisations can proactively defend against threats. As the threat landscape evolves, Microsoft Copilot for Security remains a steadfast ally, empowering defenders to protect their digital assets and maintain cyber resilience.

Remember: In the battle against cyber adversaries, having a Copilot can make all the difference.

If you want to talk to one of our experts about how we can help your business secure itself and make the most of AI and Microsoft Copilot, please call 01235 433900 or email [email protected]. If you want to speak to me directly, you can contact me via DM or at [email protected].

 

Microsoft 365 Copilot What's New

 

HOW TO FIND YOUR 365’S DATA RESIDENCY AND WHY IT IS IMPORTANT

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Data imagePlanet IT

As digital transformation continues to reshape every industry, it’s important to understand the often-overlooked concept of Data Residency as it has wide-ranging implications for any business.

Data Residency refers to the physical or geographic location where an organisation’s data is stored at rest. The location of an organisation’s data presents certain legal and compliance implications. For this reason, it is essential to have a clear understanding of the concept to ensure the privacy, compliance and security of personal and business data.

Businesses must comply with regulations and failing these regulations can cost hefty fines, a loss of reputation and customer trust.

What is Data Residency?

As mentioned, data residency is a physical and/or geographical location where an organisation’s data is stored. This includes on-premises, in the cloud or in a remote data centre which poses certain legal and compliance implications. Below is an explanation of Microsoft Cloud location storage.

Microsoft separates your Office 365 Data into seven categories, detailed below:

Separated Office 365 Data into seven categories,

Microsoft separates your Office 365 Data into seven categories.

When possible, Microsoft will store your Office 365 Data within the country of your business’s operation. If Microsoft does not operate in that country, it will be stored in the closest Microsoft data centre available.

Most Microsoft 365 customers will be eligible to purchase the “Advanced Data Residency(“ADR) add-on which allows greater control and flexibility of your DR. This will allow you to store data in set regional data centres such as UK West, Instead of UK South. The main feature of this add-on is the ability to control purview-controlled data and its data residency location. You can mark data through sensitive labels and determine the location of its storage. It is a great feature for businesses operating in the UK and the EU!

Where is your 365 Data stored?

To see your current DR you will need to access the Microsoft 365 Admin Portal (Admin.Microsoft.com). On the left-hand pane select “Show more” then drop down the “Settings” option. Select “Org Settings” and on the top row “Organization Profile” then select Data Location.

Where is your data stored?

Dashboard of Microsoft 365 Admin

Where is your Microsoft Exchange Mailbox Data Residency stored?

Different user Mailboxes can be stored on different exchange servers. For example, your Exchange DR might be in the United Kingdom, but your mailboxes will be spread between UK South and UK West Data centres. To view individual mailboxes you will need to use the PowerShell command:

Get-OrganizationConfig | Select -ExpandProperty AllowedMailboxRegions | Format-Table

This will return all mailboxes broken down by Mailbox Region which can be exported as a CSV.

 

If you’re looking for greater control of your Microsoft 365 Data Residency or are interested in the ADR license, please get in touch with Planet IT!

 

Book to meet with me

How IT Can Save Your Business Money and Make It Work Better

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How IT Can save your business money

Technology is an essential part of any modern business, but it can also be a source of frustration, inefficiency, and risk if not managed properly. You need a reliable, trustworthy IT partner to help create and implement a strategic IT roadmap that aligns with your business goals and needs.

We know that IT is essential for modern work, to communicate via email, messaging, video conferencing and apps such as Excel, Adobe and others to enable our businesses. But an IT roadmap is so much more than that. It can allow your business to improve, drive forward, and save you money while doing it.

Let’s explore how…

AI

Artificial intelligence (AI) is the ability of machines to perform tasks that usually require human intelligence, such as reasoning, learning, and decision-making. AI can help your business improve productivity, quality, and customer satisfaction by automating repetitive and complex tasks, enhancing data analysis and insights, and providing personalised and intelligent services. For example, you can use AI to:

Streamline your workflows and processes. 

Use chatbots, virtual assistants, and robotic process automation (RPA) to handle customer inquiries, bookings, invoices, and other administrative tasks.

Optimise your operations and performance. 

Utilise machine learning, deep learning, and natural language processing (NLP) to analyse large and diverse data sets, generate forecasts and recommendations, and detect anomalies and patterns.

Innovate your products and services. 

Tools such as computer vision, speech recognition, and natural language generation (NLG) to create interactive and engaging experiences, such as face recognition, voice assistants, and content creation.

Used correctly and responsibly, AI can save your business money by reducing labour costs, increasing efficiency, and minimising errors. It can also make your business better by enabling you to offer faster, more innovative, and more personalised solutions to your customers and stakeholders.

The next big thing in AI? – Microsoft Copilot. Those lucky enough to use it this early have already seen how it can revolutionise our work. And this is just the start. Copilot is just going to get better.

 

Cloud Technology

Cloud technology delivers computing services, such as servers, storage, databases, networking, software, analytics, and intelligence, over the internet (the cloud). The Cloud can help your business improve scalability, flexibility, and collaboration by allowing you to access and share resources on demand, from anywhere, and on any device. For example, you can use cloud technology to:

Expand your capacity and capabilities. 

Use cloud infrastructure, platform, and software as a service (IaaS, PaaS, and SaaS) to host your applications, data, and systems on the cloud without investing in and maintaining your hardware and software.

Enhance your agility and responsiveness. 

Cloud orchestration, automation, and integration can help manage and coordinate your cloud resources, workflows, and processes and adapt to changing business needs and demands.

Empower your team and partners.

By using cloud collaboration, communication, and productivity tools, you can work together, exchange information, and deliver results regardless of location, time zone, and device.

Cloud technology can save your business money by reducing capital and operational expenses, optimising resource utilisation, and leveraging economies of scale. It can also improve your business by enabling you to access and leverage the latest technologies, innovations, and best practices in the cloud.

Our cloud platform of choice is Microsoft Azure. Azure provides 1000’s of products and cloud services, including the latest in AI. This allows businesses to choose the tools and frameworks that best fit their needs. Whether developing new applications, managing existing workloads, or exploring cutting-edge technologies, Azure offers a flexible cloud-based ecosystem.

 

IT can save you money

Cybersecurity

Cybersecurity can help your business improve reliability, reputation, and compliance by ensuring your IT assets and information’s confidentiality, integrity, and availability.

The right protection can save your business money by avoiding or reducing the costs and losses associated with cyberattacks, such as downtime, data breaches, fines, lawsuits, and reputational damage. It can also improve your business by enabling you to build and maintain trust and confidence with your customers and stakeholders.

A 24/7/365 Managed Detection and Response (MDR) service covering your organisation keeps you protected by a team of experienced threat hunters and saves you the cost of hiring your own managed Security Operation Centre (SOC). As a bonus, your Cyber insurance costs will be dramatically reduced as MDR satisfies many of their policy requirements.

 

Unified Endpoint Management (UEM)

UEM or Device management is the administration and control of your IT devices, such as laptops, tablets, smartphones, and printers, used by your staff and users to access and use your IT resources and services. UEM can help your business improve security, efficiency, and user experience by ensuring your IT devices’ proper configuration, maintenance, and support. For example, you can use device management to:

  • Secure and protect your devices using encryption, remote wipe, and lock to prevent unauthorised access and data loss in case of theft, loss, or compromise.
  • Manage and update your devices using inventory, provisioning, and patching to keep track of your device assets. You can assign and distribute devices to your staff and users and install and update software and firmware.
  • Support and troubleshoot your devices by using device monitoring, diagnostics, and helpdesk to monitor the performance and status of your devices, identify and resolve issues and problems, and provide assistance and guidance to your staff and users.

Device management can save your business money by reducing device downtime, waste, and theft and optimising device performance and lifespan. It can also make your business better by enabling you to provide a consistent and seamless device experience to your staff and users.

At Planet IT, we use Intune to manage our devices and recommend them to most clients. If you want to know more about Unified Device Management, check out our detailed article here: https://www.planet-it.net/uem-unified-endpoint-management/ 

IT Strategy

Software Licensing Management

Software licensing management can help your business improve compliance, quality, and value by ensuring the proper acquisition, deployment, and usage of your software assets and solutions.

Comply with software laws and regulations. 

Software license management can make auditing and reporting easier by verifying and documenting your software entitlements, installations, and consumptions and avoiding software piracy, infringement, and penalties.

Optimise your software investments.

Use software licensing to optimise, consolidate, and negotiate. Evaluate and select the best software license models, types, and terms for your business needs and budget to reduce software costs and complexity.

Enhance your software capabilities.

Managing complex software license subscriptions, renewals, and upgrades is a fine art. You can access and benefit from the latest software features, functions, and improvements and maintain software compatibility and interoperability.

Software licensing can save your business money by avoiding or reducing software over-licensing, under-licensing, and non-compliance and maximising software utilisation and value. Furthermore, it can improve your business by enabling you to leverage the best software solutions for your business processes and outcomes.

By working with a high-level partner like Planet IT, we can secure you better licensing pricing than most other IT companies.

 

IT processes, systems and methodology can save your business money and improve it in many ways. However, managing IT can be challenging and complex, especially in today’s dynamic and competitive business environment. That’s why you need a trusted and experienced IT support provider to help create and implement a strategic IT roadmap that aligns with your business goals and needs.

Speak with James Dell today to find out how we can help you transform your business with IT – [email protected] or reach out on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/delljames/

Meet Maciej Owsiany. What exactly is a Principal Technical Architect?

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Technical Architect

Let’s start with an easy one… what exactly is a Principal Technical Architect?

Well… I’ll do my best to describe that title as we all know it is comprehensive and contains many small bits and pieces.

In a few words, a Technical Architect helps businesses understand how the technology works that they might commit to buying and implementing within their company.

There are a few types of Technical Architect. One is a pre-sale Technical Architect, which is precisely what I do in my role. I often engage in conversations with businesses before the sales process. In the typical jargon, I use simple terminology to speak to executives about existing or new technologies. I often change technical language to something more straightforward for the client to understand so they can more comfortably decide to implement a solution within their organisation.

A big part of my role as Principal Technical Architect is to create IT roadmaps, where we look at the overall existing infrastructure for the business and project changes within a specific timeline to achieve better outcomes, essentially acting as your IT Director or CTO, providing that long-term technical vision for the business.

How does that fit within the Managed IT Support Area of Planet IT?

Within the MSP business, the Technical Architect role is a glue between a client and the infrastructure team. That’s looking after that business on a day-to-day basis. We all try to work together to achieve one goal, and that is, first of all, to make the client’s life easier by implementing technology which works for them first but at the same time makes the infrastructure team happy as they will have to then look after that solution and support the client after it has all been implemented.

A big part of my experience that massively helped me within my role was being a technical liaison. I was a part of the helpdesk and onsite team, assisting clients within the MSP business for over ten years. I saw the major struggles that companies were going through and often had to work under pressure to resolve those problems. I always say that I have been on the other side of the fence and not only seeing technical issues from one side of the monitor 😊.

 

What sort of clients do you like working with?

In our role here at Planet IT, we help over 90 support clients from various sectors, such as pharmaceutical, manufacturing, and consulting. We also manage highly demanding organisations like schools, hospitals, and critical care businesses, where technology has to be delivered on point as those clients are highly dependent on it. Working with companies with a straight mission and vision for their business is much easier as we can focus on longer-term goals rather than short patches. Those kinds of companies often stick to the plan and implement changes that Technical Architects put in the IT Strategies.

 

What technologies do you like working with?

This might sound like a broken tape, and as we hear more about the security solutions, most of us probably think…. oh, not again!

Unfortunately, the world we live in has pushed us to focus even more on the security aspect of every business.

We often work in a hybrid mode, which always makes technical departments very busy, and every aspect of security behind the hybrid working solution requires addressing accordingly.

I am not even sure where to start, as we can talk about it for hours, but mainly these days, we do not work from one secure parameter, such as the office. We do not use only one device to access business data. As everybody knows, and I am sure that most of you agree, we tend to use many devices, such as laptops, mobile phones, and tablets, to access our data.

From a technical perspective, it is our main goal here at Planet IT, and I am sure many other companies, too, secure that data and the devices from which it is accessible. In the technical department, we regularly speak about new technologies that can help secure the data and make sure that in the event of losing a single device, which, let’s face it, is not really hard these days, mitigating the risk of accessing it by someone who should not is achievable as quick as possible.

Using the right technologies, such as Microsoft Intune, is something that we work on daily here at Planet IT, and I can happily say that it makes me almost very proud that many businesses are deciding to make the right move and shift towards it.

 

What technologies are you looking forward to seeing in the future?

Virtual reality and all the AI-facing technologies that we can hear about are things that everybody is talking about at the moment. Many big companies are introducing solutions that can help us with our daily tasks, whether at work or at home, and some of them we might have seen in futuristic movies a long time ago. We all know for a fact that this is happening. We are testing some of these solutions here in Planet IT that might help businesses internally.

 

What challenges do you face in your role?

As I have mentioned, in participating in the Security Summit conversation regarding bridging gaps between technology professionals and executives, the challenge often is to try to convince the senior management team to invest in IT. I have been on many calls when I heard someone saying my system is not broken, so why must we make those changes?

Our job is to ensure that clients understand the importance and often the urgency of the changes that need to be made. Surprisingly, today, we still see many businesses that have not moved from their onsite server operating system, which is not supported anymore, and that is just one example. That may be because they are using bespoke and legacy applications, and the migration might not be that easy, but as long as there is someone who is willing to start a conversation with us and is open to a change, I call it a success as we can then have a discussion and try to face and resolve the current situation.

 

You were recently named the Planet IT MVP – Tell us about that. How did it feel?

That is a huge privilege, and I have to say that I am very grateful to be chosen by Planet IT team and voted for an MVP award, which I think stands for the most valuable player (I have been watching those basketball playoffs for a long time, and I know what that is 😉).

This all happened while I was climbing Kilimanjaro. I remember that my friend happened to catch the internet signal in the middle of nowhere for just 1 hour during our 7-day trip! I wanted to see what happened in the big world, and when I found out about winning…!! We then lost internet access, so I could not even say how happy I was. I feel like this is a team achievement, and although I was lucky enough to get awarded the MVP title, I cannot thank the entire Planet IT team who stands behind it enough!!!

 

What makes you tick outside work?

I love overall physical activity, whether walking, hiking, or training… I love it all!!! Why…? It is probably because during those, I don’t have to think about anything else, and I don’t need to analyse any solutions 😉.

 

The Cyber OODA Loop Explained: Enhancing Cyber Defence with Rapid Decision-Making

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The Cyber Observe Orient Decide OODA and Act Framework

If you follow the world of Jocko Willink or listen to his podcast, especially the one with Andrew Huberman, then you will have heard about the Observe, Orient, Decide and Act (OODA) loop.  

Willink used this model during his time in the Navy Seals to help him overcome challenges. This article explores how the OODA loop can be utilised in cyber response, especially in highly stressful situations, to enable you to see the woods from the trees. 

What is the OODA loop? 

Observe

The first step in the OODA loop is observation. In the context of cybersecurity, this involves actively monitoring our network, systems, and external threat intelligence sources. Key activities include: 

Security Bulletins and Advisories: Regularly track security bulletins and advisories from trusted sources. Stay informed about vulnerabilities and emerging threats. 

Threat Intelligence: Gather information on adversary tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs). Understand their modus operandi to anticipate their moves. 

Incident Detection: Implement robust detection mechanisms, including network intrusion detection systems (NIDS), firewall logs, and user behaviour analytics.

Orient

Orientation is about making sense of the observed data. Here’s how it applies to cyber defence: 

Assess Applicability: Evaluate how the observed threats align with your organisation’s assets and operations—Prioritise based on criticality. 

Operational Issues: Consider operational constraints, resource availability, and potential impact. What can realistically be addressed? 

Risk Assessment: Quantify the risk associated with each threat. Understand the potential consequences of inaction.

Decide

Decisiveness is crucial in the face of cyber threats. Make informed decisions: 

Prioritise Remediation: Decide which vulnerabilities or incidents require immediate attention based on your risk assessment. Create a remediation strategy. 

“Duelling” OODAs: Recognise that adversaries also operate within their own OODA loops. Act swiftly to disrupt their plans.

Act

Execution is where the rubber meets the road: 

Rollout and Monitor: Deploy patches, updates, and security controls. Continuously monitor for any “breakage” caused by changes. 

Active Defences: Implement active defences such as honeypots, sinkholes, and application whitelisting. Deceive, degrade, and disrupt adversary actions. 

Continuous Cyber Loop

Remember that the OODA loop is iterative. As you act, new observations emerge, leading to further orientation, decisions, and actions. Adaptability and agility are essential. 

Organisations face an ongoing battle to protect their digital assets in the volatile landscape of cyber threats. Initially developed by military strategist Colonel John Boyd, the OODA loop provides a robust framework for decision-making and response. Let’s explore how this loop can be applied to enhance our defences against cyber-attacks. 

In an outbreak or live cyber-attack, it can be challenging to remain calm whilst taking the first steps to deal with the situation and do the right thing. We recommend taking time to run an OODA loop model in your mind. In doing so, you can find a better, more effective way to tackle the challenges.  

Those of us who are often in a position where a decision needs to be made fast, risk missing alternative more effective ways due to time pressure. However, this model will give you the best chance to see a clearer picture, so you can make more informed decisions.  

Application Of the Loop in Cyber Security

The first step is to observe the incident and analyse your data:  

  1. What has happened?  
  2. Calmly analyse the facts and the unknown.
  3. Assess the worst possible scenario and the potential impact on your business.
  4. Think of your next steps.  

Once facts have been established, decide on the action and how you will proceed with the informed decision. Hopefully, the decision stemmed from the Observe and Orient model. 

The Act is the last step which puts the plan into action. At this point, you should also be planning to perform another OODA loop to cover the previous loop; sometimes, you may even be running multiple loops at once. The ability to place a cognitive weight on having time to make the right decision is key in a high-pressure scenario. 

If you are looking for further reading, then you can also look at the following: 

Mandiant APT1 Model: Map control implementations to the adversary model. Identify opportunities to detect, deny, and disrupt attacks. 

MITRE ATT&CK Matrix: Align techniques with tactics. Understand where defences are effective and where gaps exist. 

By embracing the Cyber OODA loop, organisations can transform reactive responses into proactive defences. Rapid decision-making, continuous adaptation, and a deep understanding of the threat landscape empower us to stay ahead of cyber adversaries. Remember: in cyberspace, surprise favours the prepared mind. 

If you want to talk to Planet IT experts about how we can help you with your cyber security, planning and innovation, then please call 01235 433900, or you can email [email protected], or if you would like to speak to me directly, you can reach out to me via DM or at [email protected]. 

  

Cloud Security Posture Management, Why you need it!

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Cloud Security Posture Management

It’s time to discuss the importance of moving to an Opex model, the drive towards consumption-based usage and the impact on technologies like Microsoft Azure, as well as the importance of protecting Cloud resources and security when you move resources to the cloud. This article looks at how we put these principles into practice in Cloud Security Posture Management.

What is CSPM And Why Is It Important

Cloud security posture management (CSPM) is critical for any business moving its infrastructure to Microsoft Azure. CSPM helps organisations identify and remediate security risks in their cloud environments, to ensure their data and applications are protected. This rather preventative approach helps avoid any disasters!

When moving to the cloud, businesses must ensure that their security posture is robust and able to withstand the unique challenges of the cloud environment. Once you move to the cloud, you are placing only some, but not all, of the responsibility for the service provided.

In this shared responsibility model, the level of understanding of your risks is critical. This is why CSPM tools are so essential. They provide a comprehensive view of the security posture of an organisation’s cloud environment. It allows them to identify and address vulnerabilities and misconfigurations that could expose their data and applications.

Automation and Benefits Of CSPM

One of the greatest benefits of CSPM is the ability to automate the process of identifying and remediating security risks. Taking the human out of the equation often results in a better, faster, and more secure platform in the long term.

This is particularly important where the scale and complexity of the environment make it difficult for businesses to keep up with the constantly evolving threat landscape. CSPM tools can automatically scan the cloud environment for vulnerabilities and misconfigurations. This alerts security teams to potential risks and provides the information needed to take action.

CSPM also gives businesses greater visibility into their cloud environment, allowing them to monitor activity and detect unusual or suspicious behaviour. With the correct visibility, you can trust that the systems you have in place are configured and protected to the required standard.

The dynamic nature of the environment can make it difficult for businesses to keep track of changes and activities. CSPM tools provide real-time visibility into the cloud environment, allowing security teams to identify and respond to potential threats quickly. Being able to see who has made changes, what risks you have, and the overall nature of your cloud posture is invaluable.

Complying with Standards and Regulations

Many businesses are subject to strict regulatory requirements, and failure to comply can result in significant fines and reputational damage. CSPM tools can help businesses ensure that their cloud environment complies with relevant standards and regulations, reducing the risk of non-compliance. If your business needs to hit Cyber Essentials, ISO 27001 or PCI-DSS, then CSPM is the way to go

In summary, CSPM is essential for businesses moving their infrastructure to Microsoft Azure. It gives businesses the visibility, automation, and control they need to ensure their cloud environment is secure and compliant. By implementing a robust CSPM solution, businesses can protect their data and applications from threats, reduce the risk of non-compliance, and maintain the trust of their customers and stakeholders.

If you want to talk to one of our experts about how we can help your business secure its cloud environment and the benefits a CPSM could have for you, please call 01235 433900 or email [email protected]. If you want to speak to me directly, you can contact me via DM or at [email protected].

 

Unleashing The Power Of Microsoft 365 Copilot

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Copilot for Microsoft Office 365

Microsoft Copilot for 365  is a chat-based tool that integrates into other 365 applications such as Microsoft Teams, Outlook, and SharePoint. It can learn and understand data from these locations, giving it the ability to answer questions, summarise documents, and more. Copilot is also integrated into the applications, allowing you to use it in real-time to draft emails, summarize emails or Teams chats.

 

Watch our webinar about unleashing the power of Copilot for your organisation

 

How will Copilot change the way we will work?

Microsoft Copilot for 365 won’t be coming after your job anytime soon.  Copilot 365 is there to help make your job more efficient and effective by cutting down the time you would have spent reading unimportant emails or messages, drafting base documents and emails and so on.  It will help you improve your time management skills, professionally write emails and recap your entire working days.

The security and compliance around Copilot

However, Microsoft Copilot 365 poses new security and compliance challenges for businesses as it has access to so much data.  Examples of risk can involve data leaking to the wrong user or a compromised user which could be could be devastating.

Currently, Copilot has inbuilt rules and compliance policies to stop certain actions such as users requesting sensitive data like payslips or contracts. It also has built-in security to only show data that the user would be able to access natively.

It is on Microsoft’s roadmap to integrate this policy into Purview to allow IT admins greater control over copilot security.

If you are eager to harness the full potential of Microsoft Copilot 365 to elevate your business through AI integration in your daily operations, then please call 01235 433900 or email our team of experts at [email protected]. As your trusted Microsoft Solution Partner, we seamlessly guide you through every step – from licensing to integration – ensuring that your investment not only meets but exceeds expectations.

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CONTACT

TEL: 01235 433 900

FAX: 1235 433 901

EMAIL: [email protected]

85F Park Drive,
Milton Park, Abingdon,
OX14 4RY

USEFUL LINKS

Knowledge Base

Blog

About Us

Contact Us

Privacy Policy

Managed IT Support

Security

Back-up & Disaster Recovery

Professional Services

Telephony & Connectivity

Hardware / Software & Cloud