Deft Blog
Keep up with the latest insights in colocation, cloud, and disaster recovery services
Deft was hybrid before it was trendy
Deft has been around long enough to know that embracing nuance is usually the way to go. We’ll support you through hyperscale bursts, repatriation moves, and everything in between.
Business continuity vs. disaster recovery: Setting up AWS for both
Your plan for keeping business afloat and data secure during disaster relies just as much on technology as it does on teamwork.
Ask the Expert: Network Edition
Peek inside our Ask the Network Expert event featuring a Q-and-A between our customers, friends, and network gurus.
Deft extends colocation footprint within Europe through Digital Realty partnership
We’ve extended our colocation footprint into Frankfurt, Germany through our partnership with Digital Realty.
The shiny object problem in tech that isn’t
There’s nothing inherently wrong with shiny object syndrome — as long as you have an IT partner like Deft by your side.
Deft adds 5 points of presence (PoPs) to global IP network
Deft launched five new points of presence (PoPs): Dallas, Atlanta, Miami, Johannesburg, and Mumbai.
How to run a DDoS risk assessment for your business
When running a DDoS risk assessment, the first step is setting the likelihood of an attack somewhere around 100%. DDoS attacks — targeted floods of traffic attempting to overwhelm servers — are an inevitable part of being connected to the internet. The tools...
Cloud repatriation isn’t a retreat, but a reconsideration
What we need is not a retreat from the cloud (AKA a cloud repatriation), but a reevaluation of how best to use it.
Procrastinators, it’s time to upgrade your VMware vSphere 6.7
If you still haven’t upgraded from vSphere 6.7 yet — or haven’t even started planning to do so — now is the time, my friend.
Private cloud vs. public cloud, which is right for your business application?
Here’s how to make the right choices for your business its applications re: private cloud vs. public cloud.
The increasing importance of hybrid cloud
Deft CISO Thomas Johnson spoke to CyberNews about security, disaster recovery, hybrid cloud, and more. Here’s the summary.
Managed VMware, powered by Deft – Frequently Asked Questions
You have questions about Deft’s Managed VMware services, and here we have the answers.
VPN vs VDI: The best security and access for remote workers
Plenty of our clients use a combination of VPN and VDI access, switching based on tasks and roles. It would be nice to have blanket advice to offer everyone. Like everything else when it comes to infrastructure, however, the best choice depends entirely on your specific situation.
How to control wasted cloud spend as a midsized business
While we wait for true pay-as-you-go SaaS contracts that make financial sense, your best bet is to accurately forecast your usage.
More backup admins should use Veeam Persistent Guest Agent v11
The Veeam Persistent Guest Agent introduced in version 11 is a boon you may have missed for service providers and enterprise customers alike.
Deft Named a 2022 Best and Brightest Company in Chicago
The Best and Brightest Companies award, presented by the National Association for Business Resources, recognizes companies leading HR.
How to choose a data center partner who delivers on experience
When you’re choosing a data center partner, think about how you want to be treated. We bet it’s not like a commodity.
Deft Makes CRN’s 2022 Solution Provider 500 List
We’re proud to announce that Deft has placed #266 on CRN’s Solution Provider (SP) 500 List for 2022.
We’re updating our Customer Portal
We’re improving our support capabilities with a totally updated Customer Portal.
Disaster recovery steps to take now while you build a plan
Don’t have a long-term disaster recovery plan? Here are some disaster recovery steps you can take right now to protect against the worst.
Network protection basics to implement for the modern threat landscape
There’s no single step you can take to fully protect your network. But there are basic network protection steps that you can implement now.
As ransomware protection, immutable data is critical
Ransomware threats and disaster events are more prevalent than ever. The only way to be prepared is to expect it.
A shared responsibility model puts the hard conversations first
No one wants to hire a managed service provider only to discuss a “shared responsibility” model. But you’re always going to have to play a role in protecting your infrastructure.
We stand with Ukraine
We do not currently have customers in Russia and do not plan to do business with any. Deft stands with Ukraine.
SOC 2 Reports, Audit Periods and Bridge Letters
Any participating organization has the opportunity to select the Trust Services Criteria that apply to them.
At Deft, we participate in all five.
Azure support should scale with your business
It’s easy to scale resources in Azure, yet it’s nearly impossible to get meaningful Azure support. Deft’s new Azure service changes all that.
Deft Security Notice: Log4j Update
A critical vulnerability has been made public for Apache’s Log4j Java-based logging tool. It allows an attacker to alter code remotely.
Public cloud resilience – it’s your responsibility
Cloud resiliency is your responsibility. The importance of resilient public and hybrid cloud environments has never been higher.
Deft Ranks #5 on Clutch Global Awards List for Top MSP Services
Deft has been rated as the number five Managed Services Provider worldwide of 2021.
Achieving compliance in the cloud requires a rules rethink
Maintaining compliance in the cloud should be easy. Every industry that manages sensitive data has some form of requirement around how that data is held. SOC 1, SOC 2, HIPAA, or PCI — a regulatory agency, governing body, or compliance board writes the...
Hiring cloud engineers is hard. Here’s what to do when you can’t.
Hiring cloud engineers is only part the challenge. You also have to keep them. And if you can’t, we’re here to help.
The Levels of RAID
Let’s learn what each level of RAID means. As with anything in engineering, each option has its own set of trade-offs.
Azure’s new features can save on cloud costs — if managed properly
Azure new features offer more than just improved security — they can also save you money. We’ve written before about how Azure cost optimization is not set-it-and-forget-it. Just as security features are constantly improving, Azure cost optimization is an ongoing,...
Technology drives transformation, but it’s people who make it happen
The ability to transform is the true promise of technology, but it’s people who turn that promise into action.
Deft Launches Microsoft Azure Practice to Help Clients Unlock the Benefits of Multi-Cloud
Deft’s Azure practice supports customers seeking guidance and management across multi-cloud environments.
Azure cost optimization best practices take mindset shifts
Azure cost optimization best practices are less of a checklist and more of a series of evolving choices. Moving from on-prem systems to the cloud — even refactoring to more cloud-native architecture — requires your team to make a few shifts in how you think about your...
Azure cost management depends on governance and transparency
The biggest threat to Azure cost management doesn’t have to be service spikes or secret charges. Shortcuts and complacency are more than enough to send bills spiraling out of control. The solution is twofold: Create clear governance structures to keep cloud costs...
The pitfalls of Azure cost optimization, and avoiding them
Managing Azure cost optimization is all about balance. Security, scalability and efficiency, none of these can be compromised. At the same time, they can all span the range of affordable to astronomically expensive. Paying more doesn’t necessarily mean getting more...
Deft Expands Managed Object Storage to Further Support Hybrid IT Environments
Managed Object Storage (MOS) is now available in our Chicago, IL and Ashburn, VA data centers.
How to prepare for a ransomware attack
If you’re diligent about having up-to-date backups, recovering from ransomware is as easy as cutting off infected infrastructure and restoring your backups.
Deft Celebrates Seventh Year as an AWS Managed Service Provider
As one of 49 AWS Managed Service Providers in North America, Deft helps businesses realize success with AWS.
ServerCentral Turing Group Rebrands as Deft, Evolving the Company’s Role as a Trusted Advisor
ServerCentral Turing Group rebrands as Deft, evolving the company’s role as a trusted advisor.
Amazon S3 Object Lambda – What, Why and When
AWS S3 Object Lambda is a powerful new service. However, knowing exactly when and why to use it is very important.
Lessons learned from supporting a remote workforce
Here are my top 3 lessons learned from supporting a remote workforce since March.
Decade-old vulnerability found in Linux Sudo bug
Get patching, Linux users! A vulnerability in the popular Linux Sudo package could grant privileged root access on affected systems.
SUNBURST SolarWinds Orion IT management platform security advisory
If your organization is using SolarWinds Orion, the CISA ED advises its immediate shutdown and partnering with an organization that conducts incident response to assess impact.
Goodbye CentOS, hello CentOS Stream
From now on, there will be no CentOS Linux — just CentOS Stream. Here’s how it will affect the IT industry.
The downside of scaling up
The ability to quickly and easily provision resources (either automatically or manually) in the cloud is one of the most famous cloud benefits. People often leverage this ability to address performance issues or sudden increases in demand reactively. But this...
Get your 2021 IT budget right
Follow these recommended steps to get your tech budget right in 2021. Start by looking at your existing IT spend, line-item by line-item.
Chicago colocation pricing — how to avoid the hidden fees
Chicago colocation seems simple. Power. Space. Cooling. Connectivity. Support. You pay for each one based on your needs, and in turn, Chicago colocation providers deliver everything you need to run your critical IT infrastructure. When you start to dig into the each...
