iConvergence Recognized on CRN's 2024 MSP 500 List
iConvergence is proud to announce that CRN, a brand of The Channel Company, has named iConvergence to its Managed Service Provider (MSP) 500 list in the Security 100 category for 2024. This marks the fourth straight year that iConvergence has achieved this prestigious recognition.
The annual MSP 500 list compiled by CRN, recognizes North American Solution providers with innovative approaches to Managed Services and serves as a comprehensive guide to identifying and recognizing the top Managed Service Providers (MSPs) in North America. MSPs play a crucial role in supporting businesses by offering managed services that enhance efficiency, simplify IT solutions, and optimize return on investment.
The list is divided into three sections: the MSP Pioneer 250, recognizing companies with business models weighted toward managed services and largely focused on the SMB market; the MSP Elite 150, recognizing large, data center-focused MSPs with a strong mix of on- and off-premises services; and the Managed Security 100, recognizing MSPs, like iConvergence, who focus their Managed Services primarily on keeping our customers connected and secure so they can stay focused on their core business.
Why were we selected for the list? Because not all managed services providers are created equal! At iConvergence, our engineers work on your behalf to ensure critical systems and devices are fully optimized and secure. We go beyond managed services, becoming a strategic partner in your business, anticipating and reacting to your developing needs as your business grows.
Barry Meche, iConvergence CEO, stated, “The growth and development of our Managed Security Practice and Cybersecurity team has had a positive impact for our customers. Our team has worked tirelessly to marshal the vendors, products, training and resources required to provide our customers the ability to withstand the steady barrage of cybersecurity threats that have sadly become commonplace.”
If you’ve been exploring the idea of a Managed Service Provider, we’d love to hear more about your needs! Click the link above to learn more about our services and how to contact us.
PR & Blog Contact:
Doug Meaux
Executive Liaison
337-735-1300
dougm@iconvergence.com
Cisco Talos: Today's Most Sophisticated and Comprehensive Security Group
Cisco Talos is one of today’s most comprehensive and sophisticated security groups. Its combination of AI and human intelligence provides constant network, application, and user visibility and collective threat response to network attacks.
Talos’ mission is to provide verifiable and customizable defensive technologies that help protect your critical assets.
There are over 350 engineers in the Talos research center. Talos engineers often publish blogs to give you current data about trends, attacks, and defense strategies.
In a recent post, you’ll find detailed information about the threats observed between Feb. 19 and Feb. 26.
https://blog.talosintelligence.com/2021/02/threat-roundup-0219-0226.html#more
Talos is continuously learning and adapting to help you protect your assets. Here’s the best part: Talos comes free with any Cisco security product purchase!
Wilson, Arkansas: Preserving the History, People and Passion Through Agritech
In the mid-eighteenth century, an enterprising man named Josiah Wilson began purchasing land covered with flooded timber in the Arkansas delta not far from Memphis. By 1850, Wilson had acquired nine hundred acres and cleared one hundred acres for cultivation, eventually growing his holdings to over 2000 acres. In doing so, he had sown the seed that would eventually make his family one of the largest cotton producers in the world.
After Wilson’s death in 1916 and a protracted legal battle over his estate, Wilson’s holdings eventually passed to Robert E. “Lee” Wilson. Despite Lee’s limited education, he gradually transformed the original holdings into a Delta empire.
Overcoming floods and various legal battles during the first two decades of the twentieth century, as well as significant financial issues in the 1930’s, Lee grew his holdings to forty-seven thousand acres and developed the town of Wilson, a quintessential “one man” company town. Nearly every building was owned by the Wilson family. Ninety-four employees and its residents shopped at Wilson owned stores and even paid for goods with Wilson currency.
Lee died in 1933 and is buried in the center of town square, a constant monument to the man that truly put Wilson on the map. After Lee’s death in 1933, the business was shortly run by his son, who ceded control to a non-family member, Jim Crain, due to health issues. Jim served as a “placeholder” until the third generation of Wilsons came of age. From that point forward, the family transformed the business into a portfolio agricultural business holding with twenty-three thousand acres devoted to three primary commodities: cotton, soybeans and rice.[1]
The latest chapter began in 2010 when Gaylon Lawrence purchased the family agricultural holdings, including the town. Gaylon is gradually transforming the town into a culturally significant destination via an investment in new buildings, the renovation and reopening of the Wilson Café, organic farming, art events and a new private school. All in addition to his nation-wide portfolio of businesses, including Heitz Cellars in California.
October is cotton ginning season, and the ginning operation in Wilson is something to see. The outside of the gin looks like an ordinary metal building; however, inside you’ll find aa sophisticated computerized system capable of sorting, cleaning and processing tons of product. This season, the Lawrence Group will process approximately 175,000 bales of cotton and and 60,000 tons of seed for resale. Each bale is approximately 500 pounds and at a price of .80 cents per pound, that means The Lawrence Group will process approximately $70 million in cotton this season.
iConvergence is proud to be a part of the town’s renaissance and as an IT partner entrusted with making sure The Lawrence Group’s IT system functions correctly. In 2018, we sponsored the Town’s music series, which is well known for bringing national acts to Wilson. Despite having a population of fewer than nine-hundred people, Wilson is blessed with a state-of-the-art fiber optic network and public WiFi. As the primary IT and telecommunications provider for the Lawrence Group, iConvergence designs, implements and supports all of its voice, data and video services across seven locations. This includes Meraki switching, point-to-point WiFi, SD-WAN, managed security, Cisco WebEx collaboration, desktop support and remote datacenter services.
iConvergence has become an integral part of the town. People come up and speak to us when we’re in the Café enjoying a piece of pie or attending town events. They wave to us and see us as “locals,” a sign that the relationship is personal and more than just business. At iConvergence, we try to never lose sight of that and always emphasize the “human” part of what we do.
Y’all come see us in Wilson.
[1] Jeannie Whayne, Delta Empire, Louisiana State University Press, 2011
iConvergence Recognized for Excellence in Managed IT Services
iConvergence is proud to announce that CRN, a division of The Channel Company, has named us to its 2019 Managed Service Provider (MSP) 500 list in the Pioneer 250 category! This annual list recognizes North American Solution providers with innovative approaches to managed services. These services empower companies to implement and operate complex technologies while allowing them to keep their focus on their core business.
Why were we selected for the list? Because not all managed services providers are created equal! At iConvergence, our engineers work on your behalf to ensure critical systems and devices are fully optimized. We go beyond managed services, becoming a strategic partner in your business, anticipating and reacting to your developing needs as your business grows. As we at iConvergence like to say, “you focus on the core while we focus on the chores!”
Bob Skelley, CEO of the Channel Company, says, “capable MSPs enable companies to take their cloud computing to the next level, streamline spending, effectively allocate limited resources, and navigate the vast field of available technologies.”
We do all of that, and much more.
“The team at iConvergence is extremely grateful for the recognition, and thankful for the opportunity to continue to exceed the expectations of our partners. Managed Services continues to be a differentiator for iConvergence as well as a huge focus for us in 2019,” stated Jeremy Roth, Director of Managed Services at iConvergence.
If you’ve been exploring the idea of a Managed Service Provider, we’d love to hear more about your needs! Please get in touch with our Managed Services Team:
Managed Services Contact:
Jeremy Roth
Director of Managed Services
337-735-1300
jeremyr@iconvergence.com
PR & Blog Contact:
Doug Meaux
Director of Business Operations
dougm@iconvergence.com
www.iconvergence.com
5 Ways Digital Technologies Have Transformed Disaster Recovery and Response
In the last few years, Americans have witnessed an escalating number of catastrophic events. Hurricanes, mass-shootings, wildfires, waves of flash floods, and tornados, have damaged or destroyed homes and caused hardship for scores of citizens.
In each disaster, technology has played an essential role in management and relief efforts—saving countless lives. Media often covers the role social media plays in connecting catastrophe victims with help and support services. Not as widely discussed, but just as significant, is the support provided by contemporary technologies.
The cloud has transformed disaster relief and management.
The cloud and cloud-native technologies have been instrumental in transforming the preparation and management of disaster response. Disasters often render local infrastructures ineffective, making data access and communication nearly impossible. Because data is stored and accessed far from the disaster area, cloud-based technologies help circumvent what was once a significant challenge. Additionally, the scalable properties of the cloud, and its ability to meet precise requirements surrounding network traffic and volume, help secure local agencies against issues related to network downtime.
Collaboration technologies have transformed communication in times of catastrophe.
Collaboration tools enable secure communication across physical and organizational boundaries, keeping emergency managers organized in times of disaster. With WebEx Teams from Cisco, for example, managers can enact team-specific rooms where documents can be shared, voice or video meetings can be held, and communication occurs in real-time. Collaboration keeps every member of the emergency operations team prepared and informed, radically improving the speed and efficiency of relief during disasters. This free-flow of information across organizations and groups has had a significant impact in times of catastrophe, helping to connect loved ones, move people to safety and even get clean water, food, and supplies to where it is needed most.
With today’s technology, disaster prediction has taken an enormous leap forward.
Today’s technology has given us the tools to collect, analyze and study data in ways unheard of just a decade ago. With this information, researchers can address persistent problems, create enhanced solutions, predict future catastrophes, and save more lives. As more significant volumes of data are produced and collected during a disaster, researchers are given a more substantial opportunity to examine and learn from lessons and experiences. Findings gathered from big data analytics provide emergency response teams greater ability to move proactively before the next disaster.
Drones are essential for disaster recovery and emergency response.
Drones have become a significant component of the disaster response toolkit. Drones extend the reach of teams working to restore power and accelerate the fulfillment of insurance claims to areas impacted by catastrophe. Protection and speed of recovery are two of the most significant benefits to recovery teams—issues that would have taken days or weeks to address, with drones, can be solved in hours or minutes.
Social networks are playing an ever more critical role in times of disaster.
Social networking applications are playing an essential role during catastrophic events. During hurricane Harvey, Texans took to social networking applications to document issues and find help. Scores of people used platforms like Facebook and Snapchat to draw attention to areas desperate for assistance, letting loved ones know they were safe. The growth of cloud-based applications has allowed civilians and emergency teams to join together, getting people the resources and assistance they need faster than ever before, thereby saving thousands of lives.
Rapid technological innovations have transformed the velocity of emergency operations and recovery before, during and after the initial event. And, as we continue to study and improve disaster response through data, response times accelerate, communications are optimized, and emergency operations become more streamlined.
Find Out If You and Your Business Are Disaster-Ready:
Book an appointment now to schedule time with our Disaster Recovery Advisor so we can show you how iConvergence can help your business become ready with best-in-class cloud and collaboration solutions from Cisco.