This page could be filled with gloriously sexy buzzwords about how I define and design strategic IT environments that drive growth. I decided to skip all that. Truth is, all IT professionals are supposed to define and design strategic IT environments, implement technology that helps drive growth, and so on.
Managed Network Services
The difference between IT in big companies versus SOHO (Small Office / Home Office) environments is that small companies generally don’t have the budget to warrant having a full-time IT professional on staff. Instead, usually someone gets “designated” into IT — often some poor overworked soul that got pressured into taking on the responsibility. Formal training rarely comes with the designation. At best, these folks get comfortable with calling tech support for everything. At worst, they end up fearless enough to click on the wrong thing to do irreparable damage.
That’s where Beach Geek comes in.
I provide professional IT support on-demand. Whether support is done from remote during the day or on-site after hours, the goal is to have as little impact on production as possible. Each Service Level Agreement is tailored to the needs of the client. Cybersecurity and information risk management are a constant factor with my network maintenance practices. Think of it as having both a Chief Information Security Officer and a friendly hacker on your team.
In order to be on-site within 1-to-3 hours to handle emergency calls, these services are exclusive to a small circle of clients. Service Level Agreements are reserved for offices in Virginia Beach and part of Norfolk (the 23502 zip code).
Network Audits and Penetration Testing
Whether a network has five computers or five hundred, security is a blend of knowing everything that is connected and making sure controls and policies are in place and enforced. There’s always a flaw or weak password somewhere. Finding them is merely a matter of time, resources and patient dedication. This is why Network Audits and Penetration Testing are tasks that should be performed on a regular basis. And by bringing in an outside analyst the objective is to work with IT staff to stress-test the network to see what rattles. It’s all about finding those vulnerabilities and fixing them. Every cancer survivor story starts with a routine physical checkup. Having your network assessed and fortified provides the best way to keep malicious hackers and other cybercriminals out.
Digital Forensics and Data Recovery
Data recovery is as much about the art of deductive reasoning as it is the science of knowing how operating systems work. With the average PC having written and/or deleted upwards of a quarter million files within the first six months of operation, data recovery can get tricky.
For basic data recovery, disk imaging, and partition recovery I use best-of-breed and best-of-class open source tools and incorporate many of the same techniques used by Computer Forensics investigators. I retrieve lost, deleted, and hidden data from laptops, desktops, external hard drives, optical media, removable media, USB thumb drives and SD cards. Although I’m still learning and expanding this service, to date I have had more than a 95% success rate.
This service comes with a No Risk Guarantee: No data recovered, no charge for standard service on single hard drives. Client covers all shipping and handling costs.
The Smile Factor
The most important part of great IT service cannot be found in a manual or hotfix — knowing how to work with people from all walks of life. Technical prowess means very little if we can’t keep people happy.
The Secret to my Success
Simply put, I love what I do. To use an applicable idiom, I Go Native. I get to know your business, your staff and become a mostly-invisible-yet-ever-present part of your office culture. Your company is the ship and your IT environment is a big part of the engine. I’m the ghost in the machine that keeps the engine running smooth so you can reach your business goals.
My insight comes from years of in-depth field experience with business clients across a wide variety of industries. I’m also constantly learning, drawing upon global experiences to keep up with the technology and find solutions to its challenges. I do this while practicing the balancing act of helping IT environments evolve with the times, meeting staff needs as we navigate the whitewater rapids of business — all without letting IT budgets spiral out of control.