Jim Kandrac to "go jump in the lake" tomorrow for a great cause!

Portage Lakes Polar Bear Jump 2017 

Less than 1 week ago, I was asked and agreed to raise money for The Akron-Canton Food Bank by participating in the Portage Lakes Polar Bear Jump 2017 event which is tomorrow - Saturday February 18th. A personal goal was set of $2,500.00 - I jump started the fund raising by donating $250.00.

I have been overwhelmed by family, friends and business associates who have contributed and brought my total to $3,595.00 as of this morning. Please tune into WKYC-TV Cleveland on Saturday morning at 7:00 am for a live interview with "yours truly" as the #1 individual fundraiser for the event. 

I will be live on TV - interviewed by WKYC's Jasmine Monroe. In total this years' event has raised over $100,000 for The Akron-Canton Food Bank and since it's inception of the event in 2004, the event has raised over $700,000.

If you have sponsored my cause, I truly appreciate it. Please click on my donation page to make sure your donation has been credited to my specific jump. If you do not see your name, please email me at jkandrac@ucgtechnologies.com so I can get it credited.

While we are at it .. why not raise the goal to $5,000.00?!

Please share with family, friends and encourage them to sponsor this great cause. Click on my fundraising page to donate!  

Thank you!

Jim Kandrac

Happy Holidays from UCG Technologies!

In honor of our valued clients, employees, and vendors, UCG has made donations to the following charitable organizations this holiday season.

Akron-Canton Regional Food Bank 

The Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank was formed in 1982 by a group of community leaders who made a commitment to provide emergency food to our neighbors in need. Today, the Foodbank provides food and other essential items to member hunger-relief programs in eight Northeast Ohio counties: Carroll, Holmes, Medina, Portage, Stark, Summit, Tuscarawas and Wayne. These member programs operate nearly 500 food pantries, hot meal sites, shelters and other hunger-relief programs in the neighborhoods and communities where people need food.

Ohio Cancer Research (OCR)

Established in 1982, Ohio Cancer Research is an independent, statewide, nonprofit organization dedicated to the cure and prevention of the many forms of cancer and the reduction of its debilitating effects through aggressive basic seed money research, cancer information, and awareness.

Pelotonia
Founded in 2008, Pelotonia was established with the objective to fund life-saving cancer research. Pelotonia is a three-day experience that includes a weekend of cycling, entertainment and volunteerism. In its first seven rides, Pelotonia raised more than $106 million for cancer research. Thanks to its generous funding partners, Huntington Bank, L Brands Foundation, Peggy and Richard Santulli, American Electric Power Foundation, Nationwide Insurance, Cardinal Health Foundation, Harold C. Schott Foundation, Pelotonia is able to direct 100 percent of every rider-raised dollar to cancer research at The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center – James Cancer Hospital and Solove Research Institute.

Wounded Warriors in Action (WWIA)

Established in 2003, the Warrior Project (WWP) began when several veterans and friends, moved by stories of the first wounded service members returning home from Afghanistan and Iraq, took action to help others in need. What started as a desire to provide comfort items to wounded service members at Walter Reed Army Medical Center has grown into a holistic rehabilitative effort to assist warriors with visible and invisible wounds as they recover and transition back to civilian life. Tens of thousands of wounded service members, their families, and caregivers receive support each year through WWP programs.

Zero Prostate Cancer Run/Walk

Most people don’t know that a watershed moment for prostate cancer was inspired by breast cancer. In 1996, several groups of concerned patients, physicians, and advocates came together to create the National Prostate Cancer Coalition. Modeled after the National Breast Cancer Coalition, this new organization was formed to stand up for men and their families impacted by prostate cancer and become a political force for a cure.

Whether you are a 40-year-old father of three young children in the prime of your life or a 65-year-old excited to enjoy your retirement and spend time with your grandchildren, the face of prostate cancer can look very different. What unites us all is our steadfast commitment to eliminate the pain and suffering and create Generation ZERO – the first generation of men free from prostate cancer.

From our families to yours, we wish you peace, joy, good health, and prosperity. 

Happy Holidays!

Heading into 2017: milestones filled with gratitude

"Remember to celebrate milestones as you prepare for the road ahead." --Nelson Mandela

When UCG rebranded in April, it represented the way forward to a very exciting future for our employees, clients, and business partners.

We’re standing on the threshold of the greatest advances in computing since the invention of the microprocessor. IBM expects half of all software applications developed three years from now to have “cognitive” capabilities, or the ability to reason, learn, discover and advise. The potential for us to apply cognitive reasoning to make our customers’ enterprise operations and applications more intelligent is thrilling.

Big data, cloud computing, predictive analytics, machine learning, and the Internet of Things will change our world in ways we can only imagine today. UCG technologies is committed to helping to guide our customers toward decisions that have the greatest bottom-line impact.

In 2017 we'll reach another milestone—our 30th anniversary! Please visit our website to read our newly updated About page. In the meantime, from everyone at UCG Technologies, we wish you a beautiful holiday season and a happy, healthy, prosperous New Year!

UCG Technologies Seeking a Client Success Specialist - Independence, OH

The Client Success team drives product usage and adoption and delivers honest and helpful UCG product and/or service advice. We act as client advocates and focus on building long-term relationships with our clients. At UCG, client retention is paramount to success. It is our job to ensure clients fully recognize the value of their IT investment. The selected candidate will proactively engage clients to ensure their 100% complete satisfaction. 

 Job duties

With guidance from Operations Manager, set agenda for client interaction as follows:

• Contact new UCG Enterprise Cloud Backup and DR clients to ensure their satisfaction following installation.
• Proactively follow-up and schedule annual Disaster Recovery tests.
• From initial launch, manage client email phishing tests and schedule end user online training for Enterprise Security (KnowBe4).  
• Help ensure all training sessions are completed in a timely manner; follow up on an ongoing basis to ensure 100% satisfaction.
• Work with end user client and UCG sales rep to sell additional services, i.e. Intel / VM backup and KnowBe4 Enterprise Security Training.
• Immediately inform Operations Manager of any client concerns, issues, or requests so they can be managed in a timely manner and to their complete satisfaction. 
• Additional duties as required.

    Download complete job description here. 

UCG Technologies Seeking a Senior IBM i Series Engineer (Power Systems) - Independence, OH

Founded in 1987, UCG Technologies is experiencing significant growth in our MSP practice for IBM i and UCG Enterprise Cloud Backup, DR and H/A. UCG supports clients in over 31 states.

We are seeking a full-time Senior IBM i Series Engineer (Power Systems) to become an integral part of our team at our Independence, OH headquarters. Candidate must be proficient with the IBM i OS, AIX and Linux LPARS. IBM Certifications are required.   

The ideal candidate will have the ability to step in and make a difference on Day One.

Download complete job description here. 

Hope to see you at DRJ Fall World 2016 in Phoenix!

UCG Technologies will be in attendance and exhibiting at DRJ Fall World at the J.W. Marriott in Phoenix, AZ September 18 - 21. 

The IBM i Series Specialists are in the house!

UCG Technologies President Jim Kandrac

UCG Technologies (formerly United Computer Group) was founded in 1987 by Jim Kandrac. UCG specializes in IBM Power Systems running the i OS IBM i Series, and protects all platforms from 10GB to in excess of 100TB. Products and services include UCG Enterprise Cloud Backup, Disaster Recovery, and High Availability (formerly VAULT400); Enterprise Security Training; IBM POWER8 Systems; and Enterprise Management Software (EMS). 

UCG’s Enterprise Cloud Backup & DR solution is featured in IBM’s Global Solutions Directory. UCG is an Advanced IBM Business Partner.

Be sure to stop by UCG's booth #702/704 to say hello to Jim Kandrac and Mike Powall, and learn about UCG's latest and greatest product offerings! In the meantime, check out our videos!

UCG Enterprise Cloud Backup, DR, & H/A

Enterprise Security Training

 

UCG & OPTIMUM SOLUTIONS USERS CONFERENCE 2016

UCG Technologies will be in attendance and exhibiting at the Optimum Solutions Users Conference being held September 13 through 16 at the Hilton Suites in Downtown Nashville.

UCG's president Jim Kandrac will be presenting on Wednesday, September 14 at 1:15 pm. 

BACKUP, STAY SAFE & AVOID DOWNTIME

Top five ways to protect your organization

Jim Kandrac is the Founder & President of UCG Technologies in Independence, OH. UCG specializes in IBM Power Systems running the i OS IBM i Series, and protects all platforms from 10GB to in excess of 100TB with UCG Enterprise Cloud Backup, DR, H/A, and Enterprise Security Training. UCG has been an IBM Business Partner since its founding in 1987.  

You can download the full conference agenda here.

Be sure to stop by UCG's table and attend Jim's presentation to learn more about how your organization can benefit from UCG Enterprise Cloud Backup, DR, and H/A solutions which now include Enterprise Security Training. In the meantime, check out our video below. Hope to see you in Nashville! #OptimumUC2016

Fresh Water Cleveland - Be Part of the Story!

Another fantastic video from our friends at Fresh Water Cleveland!

 

How MSPs Fail Their Clients

Do Your Employees Recognize Phishing Emails?

We recently conducted an email phishing test for one of our clients, a midsize retailer. Employees received an email disguised as coming from their human resources department. It accused them of accessing prohibited sites on the job and threatened them with termination. Employees were instructed to click a link in the email to see a list of prohibited sites they had allegedly accessed.

We were astonished when 48.5 percent of employees clicked on the link, despite the fact that origination address in the email was from an unknown source and the link clearly led to a destination outside the firewall. This may be an extreme example of the susceptibility of companies to the dangers of phishing, but it is by no means unusual. In our experience, between 20% and 45% of employees fall prey to spurious come-ons. And a single click to a malicious site can infect a user’s computer with malware that compromises the entire corporate network.

Many experts believe that breaches are now so common that the issue is no longer whether organizations will be attacked but when. Some data points:

• The Ponemon Institute found that nearly 90 percent of healthcare organizations were hit by a breach in the past two years. Last year’s 80 million-record theft at healthcare insurance provider Anthem reportedly went undetected for nine months.

• Intel’s McAfee Security division reported a nearly eight-fold increase in ransomware attacks over the past year. Ransomware a growing problem; one of our clients was down for four days while they scrambled to pay off an attacker that was holding its servers hostage.

• An analysis of 11 million stolen passwords for cloud services conducted Skyhigh Networks found that just 20 passwords constitute 10.3% of all passwords in use. They include “123456,” which was used by 4.1% of compromised accounts.

• The U.S. Bureau of Labor has estimated that 93% of businesses that suffer data loss from a security breach or disaster within five years.

• Ponemon recently reported that the average consolidated total cost of a data breach is now $4 million.

UCG Adds Cyber Security Training to Cloud Backup

We’ve learned a lot about internal vulnerabilities this year. In January we partnered with KnowBe4, a Clearwater, FL-based security awareness company. The agreement enables us to provide all of our backup and disaster recovery clients with email phishing and exposure tests coupled with online cyber security training for a base number of their employees at no cost. We did this not because it’s profitable be because it’s the right thing to do.

With so many attacks dominating the headlines, we expected that nearly all our clients would jump at the offer of free protection. Surprisingly, only about 20 percent did. We discovered that siloed organizational structures prevented many companies from taking a coordinated approach to security awareness. The people who were in charge of backup and disaster recovery had no responsibility for security. When we were able to tunnel through the organization to find the people who were, they were most receptive to anything that helped increase employee awareness. Unfortunately, finding those people was often like searching for a needle in a haystack.

Technology is Only Part of the Solution

We’ve been in the backup/DR business for nine years, and we compete with many fine companies that provide the best technology: encryption, multisite backup, remote hardware disaster recovery and round-the-clock technical support. But technology is only half the problem. As cartoonist John Klossner pointed out in Computerworld, the finest firewalls, encryption, antivirus software and the like can’t compete against Dave, the accounting clerk whose password is “password.”

Security Training Helps Prevent Phishing Attacks

The good news is that security awareness works. In our experience with KnowBe4, the percentage of employees who are susceptible to phishing emails dropped from 16 percent to 1.3 percent within 12 months after awareness training began. Experts have long agreed that the most serious vulnerability companies’ face is the lack of knowledge of their own people. Security training isn’t difficult or time-consuming. It’s just that many organizations believe its someone else’s responsibility.

Few MSPs are prepared to address this deficit. They have great technology, but they see the security problem as ending at their doorstep. They are failing their customers.

Smart MSPs know that doing business in the cloud is all about partnerships. It’s about taking shared responsibility for customer success and protecting the customer at all levels.

Make Sure You Get the Full Solution

When MSPs come knocking at your door, be prepared to put them through the paces of explaining how their technology protects you. Then ask them what they do about the human side. If you get a blank stare, then proceed with caution. You may be getting only half a solution.

IBM hardware support for POWER5 and older systems is ending.

They had a good run but now it's time to move on... and UCG is here for you.

If your company is behind the curve when it comes to IBM i's latest technology, the time to start planning your upgrade to IBM POWER8 is now!

IBM intends to provide repair parts and labor until the termination of your current hardware maintenance services agreement. However, they will not be providing any additional services due to the obsolescence of these systems. Click here to download a list of EOSS machines. 

UCG Technologies specializes in IBM POWER Systems (iSeries). IBM POWER8 systems provide a secure, scalable, optimized platform for your technology needs. To help you plan for your upgrade, we will provide an analysis and custom proposal to fit your businesses technology needs.

Submit for an analysis and custom proposal to upgrade to IBM POWER8.

IBM Power Systems: Built to confidently support business demands. Learn more.

Contact us at 800.211.8798 or email info@ucgtechnologies.com

69 quick and easy tips to make this the best...and healthiest summer yet!

Bryan Adams had some good times and some bad times during the summer of ’69…he bought a real guitar and played it all summer long, he started a band, the band broke up, he met his girl at the drive-in, and that love just couldn’t outlast the summer of ’69…but, boy, they were the best days of his life! 

For most of us growing up, the summer days seemed to be the best days of our lives too…and they can still be as adults. Staying healthy throughout the summer months is important! Instead of letting our fitness routines, healthy eating, and health in general fail like Bryan Adams’ band and summer love, let’s stay on track to start the fall in the best shape of our lives! 




We’ve gathered 69 quick and easy tips to help make this summer one of your healthiest yet…plus some groovy hydration infographics to help keep you cool this summer.

Download the PDF here:  ucgtechnologies.com/S069

From all of us at UCG Technologies and Fitness Together, have a safe, healthy, and totally boss summer!

IBM i Solution Edition for UCG Enterprise Cloud Backup & Disaster Recovery

Organizations gain significant IBM i pricing benefits, and an easy-to-manage cloud backup and DR solution that delivers a low total cost of ownership!

Benefits:

• Save $6,000 to $60,000
• 4 to 16 Cores
• Discounted IBM i User Licenses
• No Charge Service Vouchers
• Discounted Rational Users

As an IBM Business Partner, UCG has worked with IBM for three decades to ensure tight integration of our solutions. That collaboration has extended to UCG’s participation in the IBM Advisory Council and includes product design and development to testing and go-to-market strategies.

The IBM i Solution Edition for UCG Enterprise Cloud Backup & DR is available for both the IBM Power System S814 and S824 line of servers. Both Power Systems feature the latest IBM processors, which represent a true leap forward to more intelligent systems that reduce complexity, decrease energy consumption, minimize downtime and drive down operational costs.

IBM features UCG's Enterprise Cloud Backup & DR services on the IBM Global Solutions Directory.

Download PDF:

IBM i Solution Edition for UCG Cloud Backup & DR

800.211.8797 | info@ucgtechnologies.com 

Time for an upgrade to IBM POWER8?

UCG specializes in the IBM Power Systems which provide a highly secure architecture and stable platform for deploying business applications.

The IBM Power Systems facilitate consolidation of IBM i, UNIX and Linux workloads for midsized businesses. An IBM Business Partner since 1987, UCG is one of the largest independent IBM i business partners and has been rated in the top 1% of IBM business partners globally.

To receive a no-obligation cost analysis, click on System Upgrade, complete the questionnaire, save, and email it to info@ucgtechnologies.com. If you have multiple LPARS and > 1.5TB of disk, please download and activate our complimentary copy of Performance Navigator.

UCG will respond within two business days. 

Spreading a Wider IT Net At UCG Technologies - IT Jungle

By Alex Woodie

Selling boxes in the midrange isn't easy. A shrinking customer base, falling margins on hardware sales, and tight IT budgets combine to put the squeeze on even the best-run reseller outfits. For longtime business partner Jim Kandrac, the shift was palpable enough to lead him to rename his Cleveland, Ohio-based company from United Computer Group to UCG Technologies.

It's notable that "computer" is no longer in the name of Kandrac's company. Are computers no longer important to the business? "The word computer is becoming more passé," he says. "They're still important, but they're less important."

In the heyday of the AS/400 and the iSeries, Kandrac's company would make 80 to 90 percent of its revenue from hardware sales. IBM's midrange server was the Golden Goose that kept United Computer Group humming, and put Kandrac's kids through college. But today, hardware sales account for less than half of UCG's revenues. The company still counts on a loyal group of customers in the Great Lakes region, but it's also been forced to broaden its horizons, and today UCG has customers spread across 31 states and Canada.

Serving such a geographically dispersed client base isn't easy. "It's challenging," Kandrac says. "In the old days, when you'd sell, you'd call somebody, make an appointment, and see them face to face. That's fine if they're local, but on a nationwide basis, it's more challenging."

To be sure, the midrange reseller channel has been evolving since the dot-com and Y2K bubbles popped in 2000. UCG has managed to hold its own and maintain share in a stable-to-shrinking market. But competition on hardware deals is fierce, and Kandrac is under no illusion that Power Systems sales will ever be as lucrative as AS/400 and iSeries sales once were, or that UCG will come to dominate the channel.

"We're a boutique firm," he says. "We're not going to be a $200-million business partner. It's not really our market. We're definitely in the midmarket. We've done business with 1,500 companies, and have a core base of 250 or so. We're looking to reach out from that and look at different segments."

As Kandrac looks to the future, he sees new opportunities rising in certain areas. The biggest is cloud-based backup, disaster recovery (DR), and high availability (HA), which today accounts for 35 percent of UCG Technologies' revenues.

Over the past 10 years, UCG Technologies has carved a niche for itself in this market through VAULT400, a backup and DR environment. While the VAULT400 name is going away, the service itself isn't changing. And without the "400" attached to it, perhaps more customers will tap UCG Technologies to protect Windows, Linux, and UNIX servers as well. (The company has supported these platforms with VAULT400 for many years.)

Ten years ago, when you tried to sell a cloud-based solution, people would look at you funny, Kandrac says. But today, people just seem to get it. With that said, the cloud discussion around the IBM i has its particulars.

"The reason for going to the cloud with i is more administrative, and getting it off your plate," he says. "You don't have 10 people in IT anymore. You have four or five, and you want to spend more time on running and supporting your internal applications. If you look at the cost dollar for dollar, it's one thing. But when you start looking at the people and the resources--that's really where the money is saved."

Kandrac is also keen to sell business software--in particular the IBM i-based ERP software from his partner, VAI. The combination of industry-specific software for apparel, durable goods, retail, food, and pharmaceutical companies and cloud-based backup, DR, and HA and VAI's applications gives UCG Technologies an edge, Kandrac says.

Jim Kandrac, President
UCG Technologies

Security training is a new thing for UCG Technologies. Last fall, the company announced that all subscribers to its cloud backup solutions would automatically receive ransomware awareness training from its partner, KnowBe4.

The ransomware epidemic is rampant at the moment, and several of UCG Technologies customers have fallen victim to cyber criminals who trick unsuspecting employees into clicking on links that then encrypt the contents of hard drives. 

"Do we make a lot of money? Not really," Kandrac says. "But I feel it's so critical to protect the data, so we include it. It's a cost. I get it. But there's no magic dust out here we can sprinkle to take care of data."

Kandrac ran into IBM CEO Ginny Rometty at the recent PartnerWorld conference, and came away believing that things like Watson and analytics could have a real future. Whether or not it plays with the IBM i platform has yet to be seen, but the pervasiveness of data is certainly getting to a point where it might.

"I think people have to be creative and ultimately come up with new ideas," Kandrac says. "When big data and analytics and Watson first came out, I wondered if this was new term for business intelligence and whether you run it on spreadsheets or Cognos. I'm starting to sink my teeth more into Watson and the cognitive era, and my eyes are starting to open. I'm a conservative person so I don't jump on the bandwagon, but I see how it can potentially help."

There's nothing on the drawing board at this point, but Kandrac recognizes the importance of being nimble. The stress and toil of the rebranding exercise ("It's like December 8, 1987--the day I started the business--all over again") was a potent reminder that creation and recreation is a never-ending process.

"I need to sink my teeth into something, and sink my teeth into things that are valuable for my client base, and how I can do more with less," Kandrac says. "Our eyes and ears are open."

Reprinted with permission from Guild Companies. Copyright 1996-2016 Guild Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Is Your Network Safe?

Cyber criminals are coming up with more and more sophisticated ways to threaten your security. Your network is only as strong as its weakest link and that is why training your employees in security awareness is crucial. 

Train Your Employees. Protect Your Network.

We have your data protected, but not from "human error”. It’s imperative to ensure all employees are educated and up to speed on how to spot ransomware attacks BEFORE they click on a dangerous link.

UCG now provides the following base value-added service at no additional cost to current and new UCG Enterprise Cloud Backup & DR (formerly VAULT400) subscribers.

1. Phishing test for all active email users.
2. List of users whose email addresses are exposed.
3. Twenty-five users will receive online cyber security training. (Additional training may be purchased for $10 per user plus $2 every six months for maintenance, updates and support. This is a complete managed service.
4. UCG will schedule ongoing phishing tests and training on your behalf.
5. Quarterly reports will be emailed to bring your attention to violators who can then be scheduled for additional online training.

Bottom Line: Your organization is 20 to 40%+ risk of being hit with ransomware. With this training, it will reduce to negligible single digits or eliminate it completely.

Get started with a free phishing test or security awareness training quote! 

800.211.8798 | info@ucgtechnologies.com

Announcing UCG Technologies!

April 2016

Dear Valued Clients and Partners,

One lesson I’ve learned in the 29 years since I founded UCG is that your brand says a lot about not only who you are but also what you want to be. That’s why I’m pleased to announce that:

United Computer Group, Inc. is now

UCG Technologies! 

No new owners or a sale or merger, just the same top quality personnel and engineers our clients have worked with since 1987.

Why the change? And why now?

Well, we’re not just a computer company any more. In the early years, 80% of our sales were hardware related. While we’re still one of the largest independent IBM hardware business partners, our business has grown and diversified.

Today, computers account for less than 40% of our revenues. Most of our business is derived from UCG i Cloud, VAI’s S2K ERP solutions, UCG enterprise cloud backup, disaster recovery, and high availability offerings. And now enterprise security training, but more about that in a moment.

Our rebranding prepares us for the future.

The cloud presents dramatic new opportunities for us to solve customers’ problems in ways that would have been impossible just a few years ago.

For example, I recently had a chance to hear IBM CEO Ginni Rometty describe a vision that IBM calls “cognitive computing.” The presentation energized me because it outlined a new vision of computing powered by the intelligence of technologies like Watson to discover insights and relationships that are too complex for human beings to see.

IBM expects half of all software applications developed three years from now to have cognitive capabilities, up from just 10% today. The possibilities for us to apply cognitive reasoning to make our customers’ enterprise applications more efficient is exciting. Its potential to open up whole new areas of analytical insight is astonishing.

Our new name reflects our bigger goal of being a provider of integrated services that help our customers and manage their IT operations and their businesses more effectively. One example of how we’re making this transition is our new Enterprise Security Awareness Training.

Why Enterprise Security Awareness Training is integral to an organizations success.

Over the past 18 months, several of our clients have been hit with cyber-attacks. Phishing and Ransomware have become some of their most worrisome vulnerabilities. So UCG Technologies has partnered with KnowBe4 to offer free phishing and email exposure tests to our cloud clients. In addition, each Enterprise Cloud Backup & DR client will also receive a 25-user license for Kevin Mitnick’s superb nine course Cyber Security Training program. 

One client that recently took the phishing exposure test got an incredible 48% click rate on the malicious messages sent to employees. Thanks to the free training we’re providing, I believe they can reduce that vulnerability to negligible single digits. 

We want to be your full-service IT partner.

We’re expanding not only our product line but also our geographic scope. In fact, UCG Technologies now has corporate clients in 31 states, Canada, and in Europe. Our phones are ringing and our business is growing in excess of 20% annually, but that doesn’t change the principle that got us here: a firm commitment to complete customer satisfaction.

I’m proud of the team that has guided our growth, but most of all I’m grateful to our customers for showing their faith in us.

Thanks, and here’s to new opportunities ahead!   

Jim Kandrac, President

Exciting CHANGES at United Computer Group!

Things are buzzing here at UCG! Now in our 29th year, our business model is evolving to meet the growing IT requirements of our clients. As a Strategic Service Provider (SSP), UCG has long been known as a trusted technology adviser. Indeed, our role becomes even more compelling with greater emphasis on cloud and managed services.

This translates to helping our clients make complex technology decisions, and find the right path to the cloud to digitally transform their businesses and increase their competitive advantage.

In keeping with our philosophy of continuous innovation and evolution, the decision was made to re-brand UCG. Upon launch of our new website in April, UCG will do business as UCG Technologies. Our URL will be ucgtechnologies.com. Rest assured that current ownership, management, employees, and top notch quality service will continue.

UCG's VAULT400 will receive an updated name as well: UCG Enterprise Cloud Backup, DR & H/A.The new name reflects our focus on providing essential IT services to the entire enterprise, including all platforms and databases. New services will include cloud, hybrid cloud, and private cloud, in addition to remote hardware DR and H/A offerings.

Our streamlined, easy to navigate site will showcase the latest in S2K Enterprise Management Software, IBM POWER8 Systems, UCG Enterprise Cloud Backup, DR, H/A, and Enterprise Awareness Training.

We are very excited about this new chapter in UCG's history, and wanted to share our news with you—our valued clients, business partners, and friends! 

Please enjoy our 30-second video, and thank you for your business!

Q1 2016 UCG Newsletter

Designed by Harryarts - Freepik.com Happy New Year! It's a brand new year, and at UCG we've hit the ground running! For nearly 30 years, our focus has been on continued growth through innovation. We view change as yet another opportunity to serve our clients at the highest level of excellence. And we believe that in order to continue to excel, we can never be satisfied with the status quo. 2015: A year in review. Existing clients are steadily upgrading to IBM Power8; adding cyber security training to their UCG cloud backup and disaster recovery solution; and in many cases, have undergone a complete technology refresh including the addition of S2K Enterprise Management Software (EMS).  Increasingly, companies are migrating from tape backup to UCG's secure cloud backup. In February, we entered into a partnership with Expedient Data Centers to meet our clients' growing needs. This is in addition to our existing partnership with BlueBridge Networks. UCG now has access to 19 secure data centers across the U.S. and Canada.  During numerous conversations with our clients, it became clear that we urgently needed to add an additional layer of security to protect their business critical data. Today, the risk of human error and the increasing odds that a company will be hacked cannot be denied. We listened.  At the end of September we announced UCG's partnership with KnowBe4 to add cyber security training and employee phishing tests to our cloud backup and DR solution.  Scheduled simulated phishing attacks and monthly reports now provide executives the insight they need to maximize training ROI and track security compliance.  Year-end results: We rocked! As we have added new product and service offerings and valuable business partnerships, the numbers speak for themselves! At year end, UCG's recurring revenue increased by 27%. Looking ahead to the New Year. In December, Carbonite announced that it had purchased Seagate's Evault. The hope for the industry and marketplace is that Carbonite takes a very legitimate suite of products, integrates it with a much better go-to-market strategy and continues to solve client backup and DR business issues and pains. What does this mean to UCG clients? UCG is being proactive on behalf of our clients to ensure a smooth transition. Rest assured that UCG will continue to serve our clients in the manner of excellence they have deserved and enjoyed for nearly 30 years. James Kandrac, president & founder of UCG has published an industry response to the announcement.You can read the article here. UCG is YOUR Strategic Service Provider (SSP). Our business model is evolving as well. As a Strategic Service Provider (SSP), UCG has long been known as a trusted technology adviser. Indeed, our role becomes even more compelling with greater emphasis on cloud and managed services. This translates to helping our clients make complex technology decisions, and find the right path to the cloud to digitally transform their businesses and increase their competitive advantage. Meanwhile, back at the ranch... In Q3 2015, the decision was made to rebrand UCG in keeping with our philosophy of continuous innovation and evolution. In fact, since its founding in 1987, UCG has reinvented itself approximately every seven years. Behind the scenes, design and development at our marketing firm, MoMo Companies, has begun on our new website, expected to launch at the end of Q1. The new site will be streamlined, easy to navigate, and will include all of UCG's products and services. The site is being developed with our clients at the forefront of our minds.  A preview of what's to come! UCG will have a new name, logo, and URL! Upon launch of our new website, UCG will do business as UCG Technologies. The URL will be ucgtechnologies.com.  UCG's VAULT400 Baas will receive an updated name and logo as well. Our cloud backup and DR solution will be referred to on our website and in our marketing campaigns as UCG Technologies BaaS,UCG's BaaS and/or UCG's cloud backup and DR solution as applicable. A version of our new logo for our BaaS solution is in development now. We are all very excited about this new chapter in UCG's history!  As always, we remain focused as we continue to evolve, innovate, and stay true to our nearly 30 year tradition of engaged client relationships. Thank you for your continued interest in UCG! Please enjoy our newsletter and forward to colleagues within and outside your organization. Thank you for your friendship, your confidence, and your business.  Atlantic Dominion Distributors We are pleased to introduce Atlantic Dominion Distributors, a successful family owned business founded in 1875! They are located in Virginia Beach, VA and Hope Mills, NC.  Atlantic Dominion recently chose UCG’s BaaS cloud backup and DR solution to protect their business critical data. Atlantic Dominion currently supplies over 10,000 different products to all classes of the retail trade. They were referred to UCG by one of their valued business partners, Summit Business Associates of Richmond, Virginia. UCG specializes in cloud hosted hardware as well as cloud data backup and disaster recovery. UCG’s BaaS was selected by Christopher M. Berry, Director of Information Technology for Atlantic Dominion, to backup mission-critical data on their IBM midrange system. Berry stated, “Atlantic Dominion wanted to replace their daily tape drive backups with a cloud backup solution and also have a complete disaster recovery system in place. My IT staff and I thoroughly researched our options. It was clear that UCG’s BaaS would be a perfect fit for our operation. We have received excellent training and setup assistance from their technical staff, specifically Lead Engineer, Vladimir Capitanov. I highly recommend UCG’s cloud backup and DR solution.”    UCG’s BaaS is currently backing up Atlantic Dominion’s data nightly, compressing it, encrypting the data, and sending it over the cloud to two secure HIPAA compliant data centers that can run for seven days without re-fueling. They also have access to UCG’s Quick Ship program at no additional charge. UCG will send out a like system within 48 hours in the event of a system disaster, fire or flood. The backup system can be used up to 30 days if required. About Atlantic Dominion Distributors atlanticdominiondistributors.com  Leroy W. Davis founded the Old Dominion Tobacco Company in 1875. The company began as a cigar manufacturing establishment, supplying retail tobacco stores with handmade cigars. Mr. Davis then acquired several local tobacco jobbers that led the company into the distribution of multiple tobacco products. In 1902 Mr. Davis again bought out several other tobacco companies, and formed the L.W. Davis Tobacco Company. On May 27, 1904, the Old Dominion Tobacco Company was incorporated and was well established in the distribution business.  The company began adding lines of products other than tobacco, and currently supplies over 10,000 different products to all classes of the retail trade. The company is now under the leadership of Robin Davis Ray, great granddaughter of the founder, doing business as Atlantic Dominion Distributors. In addition to the distribution services, Atlantic Dominion Distributors offers a Food Service Division, Vending Department, CO2 and Fixture Installation Department.  From its humble beginning the company has continued to grow and is now the 16th largest convenience store distributor in the United States. They have accomplished this by meeting and exceeding the needs of their retail customers for over 140 years. Visit Our Resource Libraries Be sure to take advantage of the valuable information available for download in our VAULT400 and Enterprise Management Software Resource Libraries. United Computer Group, Inc. 7100 E. Pleasant Valley Road, Suite #250 Independence, OH 44131-5556 Toll Free: 800.211.8798 Main: 216.520.1333 Email:info@ucgrp.comucgrp.com | vault400.com James A. Kandrac, President Michael D. Powall, Vice President January 2016 Click for latest news Best practices for staying safe in an increasingly exploited digital universe start here. Sign up for your free phishing test today. Over the past several months, UCG has been in communication with our new and existing BaaS clients regarding the urgency to act now to shield their organizations from cyber attacks. To protect their organizations, over the last few years, thousands of organizations in the U.S have started to phish their own users. IT pros have realized that doing this adds an essential security layer. Today, phishing your own users is just as important as having antivirus and a firewall.  Why? If you don't do it yourself, the bad guys will. The bad guys are business people too and their time is money. They go after the low hanging fruit; your users. Traditional once-a-year security awareness training just does not cut it anymore. Is there a patch for ignorance? You'd be surprised.  Phishing your own employees and finding out who the culprits are is a logical course of action. It's a great assessment to find out the phish-prone percentage of your organization, and usually higher than you thought.    Request your free phishing test and learn more about cyber security training for your employees.  We have your data protected, but not from human error. We feel it is imperative to ensure all employees are educated and up to speed on how to spot ransomware attacks BEFORE they click on a dangerous link.  Keep your team on their toes with security top of mind! Cybersecurity predictions for 2016 by Steve Weisman, Special for USA TODAY Last year I quoted late, great sage and Hall of Fame baseball player Yogi Berra. Yogi once noted, "It's tough to make predictions especially about the future." Fortunately, for me, mine for 2015 were accurate. And so I will venture out to again make predictions, many of which should be considered warnings, for 2016 — as I remain all the while cognizant of the words of the Chinese philosopher La Tzu that "those who have knowledge, don't predict. Those who predict don't have knowledge." Read Steve's cybersecurity predictions for 2016.  In honor of our valued clients, employees, and vendors, UCG has made donations to the following charitable and educational organizations this holiday season.    The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.  The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) is the largest voluntary health organization dedicated to funding research, finding cures and ensuring access to treatments for blood cancer patients.  Race For the Rescues. This unique non-profit, no-kill organization is dedicated to eliminating animal suffering and euthanasia.Their mission is to unite welfare organizations to fight pet overpopulation and save as many animal lives as possible.  Our Lady of the Wayside. Established nearly 50 years ago, Our Lady of the Wayside supports children and adults with developmental disabilities through a Family of Services.  Wounded Warrior Project. Established in 2003, the Wounded Warrior Project (WWP) began when several veterans and friends, moved by stories of the first wounded service members returning home from Afghanistan and Iraq, took action to help others in need.  The RIFI Institute, Chicago, IL. (Scholarship). The Reason, Individualism, Freedom Institute (RIFI) is a non-profit educational organization devoted to fostering active minds, empowering each individual with the knowledge, reasoning skills, and independence to understand the world and build a life of adventure and creative achievement. Read more about each of these organizations. From our families to yours, we wish you peace, joy, good health, and prosperity. Happy New Year! Socially Connected You can find us on LinkedIn, Twitter,YouTube, Google+, Facebook, and here on our Blog. We make an effort to connect on social media with our clients, vendors, and business partners, so please reach out and let us know where we can find you. Speaking of social media, where have you found the most success connecting with other technology companies/ technology-minded individuals?  Let us know what you think at info@ucgrp.com.