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Month: June 2019

PCS Engineering Team Members Obtain Sophos Central Architect Certification

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Security threats of all sorts are a real concern to businesses these days. Sophos UTM (Unified Threat Management) is one of the leading next-generation cybersecurity systems specializing in keeping data safe in the rapidly developing cloud computing environment. To better serve our clients, two members of the PCS engineering team recently completed their Sophos Central Architect Certification. PCS congratulates Dan Allen and Ryan Ward for completing this advanced level of training.

Arrayed To Advance Our Service Level

Staying abreast of the latest technologies that enable businesses to protect themselves from security threats and breaches is a significant component of our philosophy of continual learning at PCS. By completing the required courses, attaining the Sophos Central Architect Certification and advancing their knowledge of network security to the next level, these engineers have positioned themselves to serve the needs of our customers better. They are now ready to assist our clients with advanced design and implementation of systems to increase security for wireless networks and web servers.

Committed To Remain on the Cutting Edge

As online attacks and business computing requirements become more complex, PCS remains committed to the challenge of equipping our team members with the tools necessary to provide simple, straightforward solutions for our clients. By mastering the intricacies of deploying and maintaining advanced tools such as Sophos, we can take much of the burden of IT management off of our clients’ shoulders. We focus on the details of cloud-based computing, helping you to make intelligent use of technology so that you can focus on expanding your business and reaching your goals.

We are ready to help you take the next step by leveraging technology to your full advantage. Contact PCS today and find out how our commitment to learning can help you improve your operation and move your organization toward more profitability and growth.

PCS Programmers Attend 2019 Stir Trek

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The tech universe is rapidly expanding, and exploring its multiple frontiers is a bold adventure. One event that happens each spring in Columbus, OH, helps intrepid pioneers navigate their way through the vast nebulae of as-yet uncharted territory.

That event is Stir Trek, a fun and informative session-packed workshop topped off with a blockbuster movie. This year, PCS sent Adam Maust and Jay Holliday from the programming team to learn about the latest in development technologies. The pair found themselves immersed in a daylong quest for new knowledge about technology and business, including over 30 sessions each led by a recognized expert in a specific tech field.

Continual Learning Translates to Better Service

Stir Trek is one of the more unique settings for increasing technical knowledge. Held in a modern multiplex movie theater, the organizers arrange in each of the theaters workshop sessions that range from in-depth technical presentations to business soft skill primers. The event amounts to an all-day smorgasbord of the latest information about technology trends and how businesses are capitalizing on the digital revolution. As a bonus for attendees, the day’s climax featured a screening of the first of the summer movies, in this case, Marvel’s Avengers: Endgame, on the movie’s opening day.

Some may wonder why PCS is so committed to seeking out new opportunities for our team members to learn new things. The answer is simple: The more we know about the latest trends in technology, the more we can help our clients grow and prosper. We believe if we invest in learning for our team, the result will always be better value for clients using our consulting services.

Our Specialty Is You

Our expertise is in technology, and more specifically, utilizing the latest technology to help our business clients grow their operations and meet their goals. Reach out to PCS, and let us show you how we can help you boldly go into the future.

PCS Attends Global Azure Bootcamp

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Microsoft Azure, the ever-evolving set of cloud-based tools from the prolific software giant, is one of the dominant forces in cloud-based computing and hybrid systems solutions for every size of business. So, when over 300 communities worldwide host a day devoted to every topic imaginable relating to this growing set of services, you know that PCS will be there to learn all we can learn about the latest trends and implementations.

That level of learning took place on April 27, 2019, when PCS team member Jay Holiday attended the Microsoft Global Azure Bootcamp in Cleveland. His sole intent on being present was staying current with the latest tools and features within the Microsoft Cloud platform.

Learning More, Serving Better

At PCS, we believe the more we learn about the latest technologies, the better we can help our clients implement them in meaningful ways to affect their businesses positively. Since Azure is currently such a significant part of the cloud and hybrid solutions for business, we knew attending and gleaning as much information as possible was crucial to our clients’ success.

The Azure-related topics covered at the workshop were wide-ranging and included security, data analytics, machine learning, bots, cost optimization and business implementations. Another aspect of the conference that matters as much, if not more than, the actual information sessions was the opportunity to make contacts and network with professionals involved in developing and deploying Azure applications at every level.  Nurturing these contacts results in the growth of a valuable information resource that we use to benefit our clients in their endeavors.

Making Contact With PCS

We specialize in helping companies leverage the latest technologies to improve their competitive advantage in the marketplace. Our commitment is to study your operation, gain a thorough understanding of what you do and then offer our expertise in technology to help you do it better and more profitably. Contact us today, and let us start working together to build a better future for your company.

Insights on the Future of Unified Communications

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At PCS, we founded our company on the principle that business technology is our passion. Earlier this year, when the world’s largest gathering of experts and industry leaders gathered in Orlando, FL, at Enterprise Connect 2019 to discuss the latest trends and development for enterprise communication and collaboration, it was priority that several of our team members made plans to be there.

Our team makes an effort to witness and hear firsthand from tech-industry frontrunners what companies can expect from their investments in communications and collaboration systems, software and services. The following is a quick summary of some of the important trends to watch.

More Companies Launching to the Cloud

Years ago, many IT departments were starting to learn about a looming force lurking on the horizon known as “the cloud.” Today, cloud-based technology and applications are firmly rooted in the business landscape. In the area of communication and collaboration, the trend of an ever increasing home-based workforce is leading to the expansion of the cloud as the dominant force. The primary advantage that many businesses see in investing in cloud systems is that they enable them to focus more on serving customers rather than on supporting IT equipment.

The cloud now offers companies a way to prototype an idea, prove it out and then bring it to production. If offers scalable ways to accomplish communication and collaboration, while also enabling integration across the entire organization. Moving services to the cloud as opposed to maintaining the infrastructure in-house gives companies an advantage through increased flexibility, technology adoption and reliability.

With 50% of the nation’s workforce operating remotely by 2022 and a current increase of 36% of call centers in the cloud, the burgeoning trend to move applications to the cloud is becoming more apparent. The large cloud developers are still pushing the direction forward, but more companies are crowding this ever-shifting landscape.

What the Future Holds

One of the more exciting technologies that we hear more about is AI, Artificial Intelligence. The time is ripe for AI-driven technologies to revolutionize many industries on a global scale, but in communications and collaboration, artificial intelligence is already starting to make a significant impact. For example, AI is giving companies the ability to use chatbots to facilitate requests or answer questions without the need for a human to help make simple decisions.

Companies still seem a little unsure about jumping into the AI waters, but they are dipping their toes in to see what all of the fuss is about. As the technology matures, and developers help define more ROI-based uses for AI, it will continue to grow and become an integral part of the business world. As the significant cloud players like Google get involved with AI, the acceleration of this technology will only continue to intensify.

Challenges and Pitfalls

As has been the case in the past, when the rate of advancing technology begins to increase, the major challenge is to find ways to keep up with the rapid changes. Getting left behind due to making a wrong turn or failing to act is never desirable from a competitive standpoint.

Consultants with UC experience, serving as trusted advisors, play a critical role in:

  • Guiding business leaders in planning for the future, ensuring ongoing success
  • Identifying and managing pain points during transitional change
  • Ensuring all business stakeholders are represented and aligned
  • Aiding in organizational success and overall progress

Business Technology is our Passion!

Our focus at PCS is integrating business systems to enable efficient business processes. In line with what we learned at Enterprise Connect 2019, businesses are more concerned with the value that technology brings to the market. What results do technology investments bring to the company? Is it creating new revenue, improving workflow or cutting operation costs? For many businesses to fully adopt the new wave of technology, they need help with answering these questions.

The team of specialists at PCS focuses on helping companies identify which technology will benefit them the most. We are also experienced on assisting them in purchasing it, using it and customizing it to their specific needs. As the technologies continually evolve and converge, we dedicate ourselves to helping customers figure out how to use the cloud, AI and other similar tools to their full advantage.