Arraya Insights

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There was a time when IT was seen as the people who lurked in the shadows, tucked away in massive data centers, only emerging whenever a copier or a computer was on the fritz. That was also when a company’s IT department was the only way for an organization to get at information services. IT was the majority, if not the only, decision-maker in terms of what products were used, how they were delivered, how often they were updated and how they were secured.  

Enter the cloud.

In today’s business world, IT pros are still the first people to hear when something goes wrong. But as technology’s role in supporting the business grows, companies are putting increased pressure on IT to deliver, support and maintain business-critical services. Furthermore, the consumerization of IT has placed a massive amount of control and technology at the fingertips, or should we say credit cards, of non-techies. [Read more…] about Arraya Has Embraced ESM: Why You Should Too

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I don’t think I’m breaking any new ground as a leader when I say it’s a great feeling to see your company receive an award or be named to an industry “Best of” list. Who wouldn’t want to hear what they’re doing is working and that their organization is moving in the right direction? However, I can’t help but feel even prouder at times like this, when that recognition comes about thanks to the words of our own employees.  

Recently Arraya was named as one of the best places to work in the Philadelphia area. We ranked 23rd in the small business category. Making the list and Arraya’s ranking were both based on the results of WorkplaceDynamics’ annual survey, which our team participated in towards the end of last year. [Read more…] about Building One of Philly’s Best Places to Work

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Microsoft Azure has plenty of benefits. But you already know that. It’s why Azure is on you and your management chain’s radar in the first place. The thing is, once you’ve made the decision to go with Azure, there are so many options on how to leverage it, it can be hard to know where to start.

IT teams that have money to burn on extra or “nice to have” deployments are rare these days. If you want to dip your toe into Azure, Microsoft has excellent entry points leveraging your on-premises infrastructure and a hybrid Cloud.

But there are even easier ways to start seeing what Azure can do. [Read more…] about So You Want to Use Azure…Where to Start?

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Workspaces used to be defined by a couple of cube walls, a desk, a computer and a landline phone. More and more though, the definition is changing to wherever you happen to be, with essentially whatever device you have in front of you. The pros and cons of this evolution have been well-documented. Delivering the freedom that end-users crave with the necessary security requirements can bear more than a passing resemblance to a high-stakes juggling act.

That transition is also one of the many issues that will be spotlighted at the 2015 Arraya Tech Summit. This free event will feature courses presented specifically for a tech-savvy audience, presented by Arraya’s renowned team of engineers. In particular, one of the networking, voice and mobility solutions and topics to be covered at the all-day event, will be Collaboration Edge from Cisco. [Read more…] about 5 Things You Need to Know about Cisco Collaboration Edge

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Time is of the essence when it comes to plugging gaps in your IT security. Just ask Premera Blue Cross. Last spring, federal auditors combed through Premera’s systems and uncovered a number of shortcomings. Flash forward three weeks: the issues hadn’t been addressed and hackers took advantage, potentially gaining access to the personal, financial and medical information of 11 million customers. That makes it the second largest healthcare data breach in history.

According to reports, hackers got into Premera’s system on May 5, 2014 and they went undetected until Jan. 29 of this year. Three weeks before the attack began, on April 18, Premera received a report from the U.S. Office of Personnel Management’s Office of the Inspector General outlining several vulnerabilities, including: [Read more…] about Audit Identifies Security Gaps 3 Weeks Before Historic Breach

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Annual list recognizes IT solution providers with deep technical expertise and premier certifications

Arraya Solutions announced today it has been named to The Channel Company’s CRN® Tech Elite 250. This annual list recognizes an elite group of IT solution providers that have invested in the training and education needed to earn the most advanced technical certifications from leading vendors.

In compiling the list, The Channel Company’s research group and CRN editors collaborated to assess the most customer-beneficial technical certifications in the IT channel. These technical certifications—from vendors including Cisco, EMC, IBM, Microsoft and VMware, among others—have enabled solution providers to deliver an outstanding level of premium products, services and support to their North American customers. [Read more…] about Arraya Solutions Named to 2015 List of CRN Tech Elite 250

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New event offers IT pros a unique learning and networking opportunity

Arraya Solutions announced today it will host the company’s first ever technology summit on June 4th, 2015. The event will take place at the Sheraton Valley Forge in King of Prussia and will offer attendees a full day of in-depth technical sessions and networking opportunities.

The Arraya Solutions Tech Summit provides customers with the unique opportunity to learn about new and innovative technology from the same experts that architect, deploy and support IT solutions in their data centers. Arraya’s engineers are excited for the chance to educate, mentor and share their love of technology with their peers.  Attendees should expect a day of deep-level technical discussion and come away with knowledge, experience and insight they won’t get anywhere else. [Read more…] about Arraya Solutions Launches Technology Summit

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Most years, Spring means warmer temperatures, blooming flowers and doctor visits for allergy-sufferers. This year it also means we’re entering the homestretch on support for Windows Server 2003.

On July 14, 2015, Microsoft will stop supporting Windows Server 2003. Most IT leaders have had that date circled on their calendars for a while now and we’ve already talked a lot about the importance of upgrading to newer software to avoid compliance and security risks, among other problems. So, why are we still going on about it? Blame surveys like this one.

[Read more…] about The Surprising Reason Why Windows Server 2003 Continues to Linger

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The clock may be ticking down on the functionality of some of your Cisco lightweight Access Points (APs). When it hits zero, affected devices won’t be able to access the Internet, sending a parade of upset users in IT’s direction. The good news? There’s still time left, so let’s take a look at what could cause this and what can be done to prevent it.    

What’s the problem?

Cisco APs use either Manufacturing Installed Certificates (MICs) or Self-Signed Certificates (SSCs) to prove the legitimacy of a Lightweight AP during the connection process. These certificates are part of an authentication procedure that ensures only sanctioned devices connect to a network. Once a certificate expires, the AP isn’t permitted to make a connection without the necessary upgrade. [Read more…] about Connectivity Issues Loom as Cisco Certificates Near Expiration