Blog & News

We have recently seen a particularly nasty type of malware called ransomware making the rounds. It encrypts important files on your computer, then demands...

Most companies have a backup system in place. If not, that is one of the most important things you can do for any business that relies on data to operate....

Information technology is complex and getting more complicated every day as more things connect to each other. And you don't want to be an expert, right?...

As we approach Thanksgiving, it is a great time to reflect on all that we are thankful for. As I look back on the past few years, I have a lot of reasons...

Business leaders frequently overlook the cost of slow computers. However, the loss of productivity can cost as much as refreshing or upgrading a computer....

Have you experienced poor customer service and frustration with an IT Services company? Unfortunately, you are not alone. The sad truth is that most IT...

For Skyriver IT, 2013 has been a year of growth, excitement and new challenges. It was a great year. I hope it has been for you too.

At Skyriver IT, we deeply believe that culture matters if you want to build a successful business. However, building the right culture and focusing on...

In my previous role as a CFO, I had the IT team reporting to me. And when they were working on any big projects, I let them manage the projects on their...

One of the big challenges with IT that I see time and again is the definition of roles and responsibilities. This is particularly obvious with user...

To bring Frustration-Free IT Support to more of Southern California, Skyriver IT has expanded to Orange County. Our new Orange County office provides...

When you report an issue to your IT team, do you ever need to follow up to make sure it gets resolved? I have found this problem is common to most users....

As the old saying goes, “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” and nothing could be more true for your IT infrastructure. To reduce and...

Skyriver IT is proud to announce that Fujikura Composites, maker of innovative golf club shafts, has chosen Skyriver IT as its IT service provider....

Big Brothers Big Sisters of San Diego County does amazing work in our city. They match adults with kids, ages 7 to 18, who are facing adversity. The goal...

Having experienced the value of a good mentor, I am a strong believer in the power of mentoring. That is why I am a supporter of Big Brothers Big Sisters....

Far too often, we hear of business decisions where IT was not consulted and the organization suffers because of it. Whether it is moving to a location...

Skyriver IT is proud to announce that eMolecules, supplier of a vast array of compounds to researchers, has chosen Skyriver IT as its IT service provider....

As Skyriver IT has grown its network around San Diego, I have been surprised by the strength and vibrancy of the entrepreneurial community here. While...

Some organizations, particularly fast growing ones, can end up with a wide range of computers, servers, operating systems, and software. While this may...

Just because computer network backups aren’t easy, doesn’t mean they should not be done the right way. We recently worked with a new client, The...

There is a security vulnerability that we thought was important to share with San Diego business leaders. You may have heard about a new web vulnerability...

One of the top priorities for an IT team is to prevent IT disasters. However, despite the best efforts of security and proactive maintenance, IT disasters...

Not many people get excited about documenting policies and procedures, including me. However, it is easy to get excited about the benefits. When done...

Jim Kalb, President of Optifuse, recently asked me to write a post for his blog. As someone who has lived in a number of countries, I have a little...

For the past several years, I have been involved with the University of San Diego Center for Peace and Commerce, which has been a great experience....

Many companies find it challenging to figure out the optimal spend on IT infrastructure. If you do not spend enough, then you are losing productivity due...

On IT projects, multiple IT vendors and service providers are involved. And because most IT professionals have not been trained on project management,...

Have you ever made a technology purchase that did not go as planned? In many cases, small and medium-size businesses buy based on a feature set, but end...

It can be difficult to stay on top of everything that is going on in your business. Finding the answers to basic questions about the business can take a...

Even though it was first reported six months ago, a ransomware called Cryptolocker is still affecting some San Diego businesses. Ransomware is a type of...

Is your IT engineer really a trusted advisor, or a salesperson in disguise? Rather than training their IT engineers on providing better service and being...

When we think of cloud services, we think that we do not have to worry about it. And that is the way it is usually sold. However, things can go wrong. One...

Like many San Diego business leaders, you are probably focused on growing your business. One important building block for growing cost effectively is...

Do you have the latest iPhone or or other new gadget? We are often drawn to the latest and greatest. While this can be fun for personal gadgets, buying...

PCI compliance refers to PCI Security Standards set by the major credit card brands (e.g. Mastercard, Visa, AmEx) to protect cardholder data. These are...

A new Skyriver IT client was surprised by how smooth our onboarding process was. He was expecting it to be a big hassle. As we talked further about it, I...

Costanzo Financial Group “What impressed us most with Skyriver IT was their in-depth technical knowledge, ability to communicate our IT needs in a...

TRACON Pharmaceuticals, Inc. “Skyriver IT provides our business IT support as well as our mission critical data management hosting and server...

Big Brothers Big Sisters of San Diego "The email migration you just finished went very smoothly. This project was better managed than any other IT...

Halo Business Intelligence Hi Siyamak & Brett - I just wanted to take a moment to tell you how wonderful it has been having Skyriver IT as our partner...

The Automotive Training Group, Inc. Siyamak, We've NEVER had good backups, and have never been given anything but really expensive options that I had no...

Midsize business owners and managers often ask us about the the benefits of an outsourced IT services team versus an in-house, full-time IT person. While...

When you are looking to move any part of your business to the cloud, it is very important to choose your vendors wisely. That is why I am concerned about...

Are you putting your company and your customers at risk because of poor data security? Lots of companies have their financial, HR, and customer data on...

Do you want to be an expert in IT? I expect not. You want someone to ensure your IT infrastructure works day in and day out. Any failures can lead to a...

It seems an obvious question, at least to someone in the IT field. However, I regularly talk with companies that do not really have anyone in charge of...

Do you ever feel that speaking with someone from IT is like speaking to someone from a foreign culture? Many other business leaders do, too. So, you...

Far too often, companies sign a lease first, then look at their internet options. This can be a big mistake. Even some very nice buildings have limited...

Most companies think their files are being backed up, but that is often not the case. Just having a backup system is not enough. We see a number of common...

Our president, Siyamak Khorrami, will be speaking this Thursday at the Business Executive Council: Siyamak Khorrami from Skyriver IT presents: "Using...

Do you find IT professionals to be condescending, uncaring, and mostly speak in jargon? That is certainly the stereotype. Since the goal of Skyriver IT is...

When we use technology, we want it to just work reliably 100% of the time. The problem is that technology does not always work. So, we should be ready for...

There are some very important keywords that are part of your network. If you do not have them documented, then your IT person can hold your network...

While it is relatively easy to get an accurate estimate of the initial cost of building custom software (although that can balloon as well), two large...

Have you had IT projects run behind schedule and over budget? While working as a CFO, I found that to be a common problem. So, I looked into why that...

Since nearly all employees need technology to do their jobs, downtime can be expensive. And as more things move onto the network or into the cloud, any...

Are you thinking of moving to a new IT Service Provider? Rather than just listen to their pitch, you want to ask questions that will help you determine if...

With Thanksgiving fast approaching, now is a great time to reflect on all all the reasons to give thanks. Looking back on this year, I have a lot to be...

When business leaders are planning to move locations, they often overlook the importance of getting the IT team’s input on the new location. This can...

Do you know where your organization stands in terms of IT security? Many companies do not. You may ask your IT team about security and they say: “Don’t...

There are many small, effective charities in San Diego that help children who are abused, neglected or disadvantaged. Their challenge is that they do not...

Does your work leave you feeling drained or fulfilled? Many business leaders would definitely say “drained” and I certainly know the feeling. That is why...

Not many people get excited about defining roles and responsibilities, but is a very important topic when it comes to educating users. To facilitate end...

Do you feel that your IT team and infrastructure supports your business goals or is an impediment to reaching them? With a little effort, you can ensure...

While most people have all heard of the Nigerian prince email scams, many people do not realize that there is a significant and growing number of business...

At a previous company, where the IT team reported to me, most big IT projects ran behind schedule and went over budget. And this seems to be a common...

One of the most common complaints about IT helpdesks is the need to follow up on issues that users have reported. Users have to ask two, three or more...

Most business people want IT to be something you “set and forget”. Unfortunately, it does not happen that way. With bugs and security vulnerabilities...

A common mistake I see among growing businesses is they choose systems that serve their immediate need, and do not position them for growth. For example,...

Skyriver IT is growing and one of the biggest challenges we face is finding good IT people who are interested in helping us change the IT services...

Cloud Computing has moved from a lot of hype to more mainstream use in businesses. Yet, many business leaders are still not sure if it makes sense for...

Can better IT support really improve company culture? Well, let’s look at the current situation in many companies. Users think of IT support as something...

There seems to be confusion among business people about the benefits of using an outsourced IT team over having someone in-house. And while running an...

Medical Center for Clinical Research Dear Siyamak and Brett, I wanted to make sure you knew how happy we are with the service we have received and...

Lavine, Lofgren, Morris & Engelberg, LLP Alex and Seth, Thank you for the great job you did on the Engagement update. I spoke with Sandy this morning....

Hughes Marino, Inc. “During the past three years, our team has worked directly with Brett Cattell, Director of Operations, as well as many others at...

Skyriver IT is proud to announce that Biocept, an innovative cancer diagnostic company, has chosen Skyriver IT as its IT service provider. Skyriver IT...

Does your organization have a wide range of computers, servers, operating systems, and software? This happens in a lot of organizations, particularly...

There are few topics that elicit more yawns than documenting IT policies and procedures. So, most small and midsize businesses never bother with them. And...

As companies grow, they often want to hire a full-time IT professional. It is often at a point of significant frustration around IT. They figure this...

When you do not consult with your IT team about major business decisions, it can lead to unnecessary business frustration. We have seen it far too often:...

Avoiding IT disasters should be one of your IT team’s top priorities. And no matter how good your security and proactive maintenance, problems will...

A lack of project management skills is the biggest hurdle to keeping IT projects on schedule. However, the second biggest hurdle is vendor management....

If your organization is hiring a full-time IT professional, you face a dilemma: (1) hire a more seasoned IT professional who will be underutilized for...

Many organizations are spending a suboptimal amount on IT infrastructure. Some are spending too little which leads to a loss of productivity due to system...

Your network is not 100% secure, but that does not mean that you should stop trying to improve security. With cloud computing and more business activity...

As businesses grow, there comes a point where you can no longer manage by instinct and need to move to manage by data. That is because it becomes...

Since the Great Recession, many companies have been in survival mode or slow growth mode. And that has meant they have put many investments on hold,...

In advertising, they have a saying: “sell the sizzle, not the steak.” And while that may be good advice for advertising, you want to do the opposite when...

Unfortunately, most advice companies receive from their IT service provider is biased. Why? Many IT service providers resell products and services that...

Cloud services are typically sold as “worry free” and they certainly take a lot of the IT concerns off of your IT team. However, there are still risks...

Many growing businesses  produce a lot of data. However, many of the companies we see do not pay attention to it until it becomes a problem: data is in...

With Windows 10 launching at the end of July, we often get asked if an upgrade is worth it. In general, upgrading to cutting edge technology is a poor...

When many business people look at whether to outsource IT or hire someone in-house, they typically compare the monthly cost of the IT service provider...

Many companies are unhappy with their current IT solution, but they stick with their current situation nonetheless. Why? They expect that switching is...

If your business is large enough to hire a full-time IT professional, it can be difficult to find someone with all of the IT skills needed for your...

Please join us, August 12th, at the San Diego Venture Group (SDVG) Annual Party. It’s a lot of fun and a way to meet entrepreneurs, investors and business...

Many organizations put their business and customers at risk due to poor data security. Financial, HR, and customer data on an open network is not secure....

Are you an expert in IT? I would guess not, since that is not your business, and you probably do not want to be one. However, as IT is now an integral...