🔒 Patreon Special
IT Pros: exclusive shows await you on Patreon, focusing on the more challenging aspects of running your practice and working with clients and employees.
561: UniFi-ed by Chaos: Adventures in Ubiquiti Network Warfare
/Discussing the new MacBook Air M3 and its migration process
Highlighting the improvements in data transfer speeds
Network hardware lifespan and how to recommend upgrades to clients
Signs to look for to determine if network hardware needs to be upgraded
Discussing the benefits of Wifi 7
Common challenges faced during network upgrades and how to address them
Exploring Ubiquiti UniFi products including the Flex Switch and Switch Ultra
The client needed to replace an access point with a switch and an access point.
The client also had a builder working on their house who reset the network devices, causing additional problems.
The issue was resolved after the network devices were reconfigured.
Learned that the client should not touch the network devices and to label them accordingly.
Unifi devices were discussed. There are pros and cons to pre-configuring the devices on site vs on location. ░
560: Interview with Justin Esgar of ACES Conference - May 15th - 16th 2024
/Thank you to our VIP sponsors!
Topics:
-Today we welcome Justin Esgar of Virtual Computers and The ACES Conference.
-Justin gives us his full review of Vision Pro.
-Joe gets practical about flying with a Vision Pro.
-Justin recommends a book called MSP Secrets Revealed (he happens to be in it as well).
-He does not recommend crying while wearing a Vision Pro.
-Our show now uses Streamyard, which Justin highly recommends.
-ACES Conference is back live!
-This is not a technical conference. Rather, it’s more about improving the ways we run and profit from our MSP practices.
-Justin tells us about many of the great names that will be in attendance, as well as Apple and other sponsors.
-Super Ops is giving away an Apple Vision Pro at ACES Conference!
-There will be great swag given away and, as Joe mentions, the hallway sessions.
-This is the 10th ACES Conference!
-Justin tells us why he started, and continues to run this conference.
-All sponsors have some requirements from Justin - no roadmaps.
-Make yourself accountable when you are there. Make the best use of your time.
-We talk about the ACES Mastermind Program. They group meets regularly to help each other accelerate growth of their businesses.
-Use the code commandcontrolpower for 10% off the ACES Conference!
-They are also offering a travel stipend. If your cost of travel is $650 or more ACES will help make it more accessible to be there.
-If the content doesn’t draw you in, come for the skiing!
-Both Joe and Adam Rice have their anniversaries during ACES.
559: Talking NSITSP with Jason Harrison of Harrison Technology Consulting
/Topics:
-This week we welcome Jason Harrison, of Harrison Tech Consulting.
-He is also heavily involved with NSITSP (National Society for IT Service Providers).
-Jason takes us through the history of his consulting practice, where he handles a variety of operating systems.
-We discuss how IT support is not just supporting the endpoint anymore. You have to be a security expert as well.
-Jason says this is also where the NSITSP comes in.
-The idea of NSITSP is that our industry wasn’t represented well. It is a completely member driven organization that aims to establish high standards and ethics and improve the credibility of IT providers.
-The other aspect of the organization is that legislation is inevitable, and it would serve all of our best interests to be a part of crafting that legislation.
-Sam curiously asks about their code of ethics.
-Compare our industry and ethics to that of a locksmith who may have privileged access and has to have their own code of ethics.
-Want to get involved? Visit NSITSP and look at the membership and volunteering options.
-Switching gears, we get into a conversation about cloud vs private data storage.
-Understand the lack of regulation around cloud data storage.
-Jason uses Kerio Connect and Kerio Control for private cloud setups.
-Just call Jason “Mr. On Premises.”
-Some of the questions to ask a client are their tolerance for risk, exposure, and speed needs.
558: Battery Powered M4 iMac
/Topics:
-We talk about on air meltdowns and recall similar situations when dealing with clients.
-When dealing with a financial site, Jerry works with support to “enable cross website tracking”. Tech support is impressed with his technical prowess.
-Similarly, Sam has experienced issues loading the Microsoft 365 admin panes when in Safari private browsing. Refreshing and reducing protection features allows it to work.
-Joe mentions using profiles in Google Chrome as a resolution. Sam uses Arc for this purpose.
-Joe & Sam talk about their 1Password experiences.
-1Password searching can now search note contents (again).
-They also adjusted their billing methods to bill for unverified accounts.
-Joe explains how to find items in macOS.
-Jerry was dealing with a client that kept having QuickBooks issues using Parallels. It turned out to be a feature that will “pause” Windows when idle.
-In another Parallels story, Jerry finds a resolution to his problem with Joe’s help…by finding our own show notes!
-Should you run AutoCAD on Parallels?
-Jerry runs into an issue with MacPractice at a high priority client after a security update. Unbelievably, MacPractice not only does not support macOS Sonoma, but even the latest updates of Ventura.