Practical IT for business.
Plain-English articles on managed IT, security, privacy and AI, from a team that’s been doing this since 1990.
Why we added Cloudflare for our clients, and what it does for you
We now put client domains and websites behind the Cloudflare network. Here is what it is in plain English, how it cuts…
Sophos Endpoint levels, explained: Endpoint, EDR, XDR and MDR
Intercept X, XDR, MDR Essentials, MDR Complete: Sophos has renamed a lot. A plain-English guide to what each Sophos endpoint level is…
Sophos Synchronized Security, explained simply
What happens when one laptop in your office gets infected? A plain-English guide to Sophos Synchronized Security: the Security Heartbeat, automatic isolation,…
Windows 10 ESU year 2: decide now, PC by PC
Year 1 of paid Windows 10 security updates ends October 13, 2026. What Year 2 costs by Microsoft's own formula, which PCs…
AI-assisted IT: why it is our biggest advantage
Modern IT produces more alerts, logs and tickets than any team can read. AI-assisted operations reads all of it, all the time,…
Switching to Brave and Firefox: a practical guide
FTI advises clients to move off Chrome and Google Search. Here is what we recommend instead (Brave, Firefox and Brave Search) and…
Can’t cut the Google cord? How to reduce what Google collects
Some businesses can't leave Google entirely: Android phones, a Workspace account, an app that needs Chrome. Here are the settings that reduce…
We trusted specialists with our websites. Here’s what we found.
We hired a company that specialized in websites to look after two of ours. Years later we checked, and found malware, attacker-created…
Is your website your weakest link?
Your website is always online, always public and often the least-watched system your business runs. Here is how business websites get compromised…
Still on Windows 10? Your options after end of support
Windows 10 support has ended, and the first year of paid business security updates ends October 13, 2026. What to upgrade, what…
AI search in 2026: what it means for your business
AI assistants now answer questions that used to mean a page of search ads. Why we recommend them for research, which plans…
How ransomware gangs pressure victims, and how to reduce your risk
Modern ransomware is more than locked files. Criminals steal data, harvest passwords, disable security tools and then apply pressure. Here is how…