The Killing IT Podcast
IT authors and entrepreneurs Ryan Morris, Karl Palachuk, and Dave Sobel provide commentary on the changing world of technology opportunities and emerging tech. We want to expand the discussion from the SMB IT channel to all things tech - with one eye on the future and the other on profits. Join us!
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Episode 122 - China Takes on Cybersecurity; TikTok Resumes; and Undisclosed Facial Recognition
07/27/2021
Episode 122 - China Takes on Cybersecurity; TikTok Resumes; and Undisclosed Facial Recognition
Topic 1: The Impact of China on the Cybersecurity Industry & Data Protection China was on both sides of the cybersecurity story last week. On one hand, they were accused by the whole world of orchestrating the attack on Exchange servers. On the other hand, they starting cracking down on cybersecurity internally. This also has direct implications for US companies selling into China. What will be the impact of these moves on the US security market and our domestic business operations? Links: Topic 2: Another New Application for Video: TikTok Resumes TikTok had introduce a "Resume" service. Will you go there for your next hire? Could video essays be the next thing in hiring? Through July 31, job seekers can upload video resumes with the hashtag #tiktokresumes. Is this just a Gen Z thing? Topic 3: Toronto airport tests facial recognition software . . . without disclosing it For several years, the Province of Ottowa tested facial recognition in crowds at the airport. What are the disclosure rules? What’s the ethics here? -- -- -- Vendor Memo: Did you know that the average MSP spends 10 hours manually inputting accounting data each week? That time is 120 prospect calls, a month’s worth of the Business of Tech, or building an entire lego death star. Gozynta Mobius can make your life easier through accounting automation. Automatic sync of invoices, expenses and inventory from ConnectWise Manage into QuickBooks Online in just a single click of a button. With onboarding, direct support, and regular feature releases, Gozynta is a family owned company dedicated to making software suck a little less each day. Visit us at :-)
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Episode 121 - RIP RMM? NP Tires. And shorter work weeks.
07/20/2021
Episode 121 - RIP RMM? NP Tires. And shorter work weeks.
Topic 1: Revising RMM - Ready for Disruption? Question - Is the problem super sophisticated and difficult or crazy simple and easy? We summarize a few arguments as well as look at the next topic: IOS. One of us is ready to drop RMM; one is not; and the tie goes to . . .. Links: Topic 2: Next Generation of Tires . . . on a 3D printed shuttle bus This one's a fun story about several future-facing technologies working together. First question: Why did it take 120 years to make airless tires that work? Second question: Can we see what this means for the future of the support industry for tires? Link: Topic 3: Shorter Work Week Experiment in Iceland Produces “Groundbreaking Improvements” Karl loves the conclusion but can't accept research. But we jump on the opportunities for workers, management, and companies of various sizes. Link: -- -- -- Vendor Memo: Think you know PC Matic? Think again. PC Matic is working with MSPs to deliver true zero trust/default deny endpoint security. Allowing only trusted applications and blocking all the rest. A light weight, simple to deploy & easy to manage approach to application allow listing. Layering a default deny approach provides MSPs of all sizes the ability to again focus on prevention, and PC Matic delivers this without impacting performance or efficiency. Find out more about by visiting Be sure to ask about PC Matic's exclusive lead sharing program for MSPs backed by a prime time national TV campaign. :-)
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Episode 120 - Riffing on Cybersecurity and the IT Industry
07/13/2021
Episode 120 - Riffing on Cybersecurity and the IT Industry
Episode 120 - Riffing on Cybersecurity and the IT Industry After the Kaseya attack, there really was nothing else to talk about. In a slightly different format, we take the full show to just enjoy a totally unrehearsed discussion of the state of cybersecurity and what it means for the IT industry. Lots of opinions here. Give us your feedback. Share with a friend. Always more good Killing IT Podcasts at Vendor memo: Are you still relying on a frustrating patchwork of legacy solutions? Modernize your cybersecurity and data protection with Acronis Cyber Protect Cloud. It’s a single solution that combines backup, anti-malware, and endpoint protection management. As an MSP, you can easily improve clients’ security posture, eliminate complexity, and generate more recurring revenue. Learn more about Acronis Cyber Protect Cloud at . :-)
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Episode 119 - Neuro Diversity, Robo Cops, and Big Tech
07/06/2021
Episode 119 - Neuro Diversity, Robo Cops, and Big Tech
Topic 1: Neuro Diversity - a different approach to thinking about thinking. We're always looking for people who think differently. But we also put some serious limits on how different we are willing to accept. In this article, TechCrunch looks at the idea of inviting a wider variety of people into the world of cybersecurity hiring. Link: Topic 2: Are robo cops actually doing anything to reduce crime? It doesn't look like it. Maybe Robots AREN’T the answer. Calls to 911 have gone down. But crime hasn't. Is there still some good to tease out of this story? Link: Topic 3: Tech Giant Battles - Lots of updates this week! Case dropped against Facebook over Instagram and What’s App. Somewhat unrelated: “Non-Agression Pact” between Google and Microsoft means they’ll each help the government go after the other. Also somewhat unrelated: Amazon asks FTB Chair to sit this one out. Links: -- -- -- Vendor Memo: Are you still using on-prem file servers and VPNs to share files with remote workers? Egnyte is a business class cloud sharing solution that works more like your on-prem server than other solutions. With a security first approach to file sharing and collaboration, Egnyte offers multiple options for sharing files and collecting files from outside sources. And do it all addressing data governance and compliance. Want to learn more? Check out , and when you do, tell them we sent you. :-)
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Episode 118 - Apple Healthcare; Privacy Agency; Measuring Joy
06/29/2021
Episode 118 - Apple Healthcare; Privacy Agency; Measuring Joy
Topic 1: Apple Healthcare. Are you onboard? Apple is considering direct health care. So, they're testing out a service with their own employees. Of course it all started with data. Now they're connecting devices and data to actual hands-on clinical care. Are you comfortable with this care from an IT company? If so, is Apple the company? Link: - Topic 2: Do we need a Federal Agency for Data Privacy? Proposed legislation would create a data privacy agency for the United States. Good? Bad? Or just ugly? We discuss. Once again, we note that legislation and compliance are the wave of the future. Link: - Topic 3: Can AI Measure Joy? Talkwalker is a company that uses AI to help find information across the Internet using artificial intelligence. Now they've applied their technology to evaluate how much users love specific brands. We list the big results, but also focus on a fun result: Choosing a much-loved brewery. Quote: “The brewery scored more than 15 points in the category defined by artificial intelligence-identified expressions of joy. Average Joy Score for the top 50 most loved brands was 4.” Links: - - -- -- -- Vendor Memo: This podcast is sponsored by the Small Biz Thoughts Technology Community. Check us out at . Forms, templates, and checklists are just the start. Our Community includes ALL of the best-selling books on managed services in all available formats, plus free training, members-only programs, and the best business training available to managed service providers anywhere. Plus, we have weekly live members-only Zoom calls. The average member saves more than 200% of their membership cost each year. We are totally dedicated to YOUR success. Just because you're in business for yourself doesn't mean you have to go it alone. Join us today at . :-)
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Episode 117 - Is Security Possible? And Getting Back to The Office
06/22/2021
Episode 117 - Is Security Possible? And Getting Back to The Office
Topic 1: Is "Patch and Zero Trust" Even Possible? What does doing something different look like? How much do we need to rethink all this? Or, perhaps, is it possible to provide appropriate security at the small end of the market but impossible at the enterprise level? With the explosion of IOT, security may in fact be impossible. If that's true, what else can we do? Link: Topic 2: Status update on getting back to the Office This is still an evolving story. Workers would like to stay home more; managers would like them to be in the office more. This might be the biggest change to come out of the pandemic/recession of 2020-2021. Link: Topic 3: Amazon "burning through" employees What does this tell us about Amazon? And since they are a massive employer, does this massive turnover affect the larger employment market? Employee churn is so high that some Amazon execs are reportedly worried about running out of people. Links: -- -- -- Vendor Memo: Did you know that the average MSP spends 10 hours manually inputting accounting data each week? That time is 120 prospect calls, a month’s worth of the Business of Tech, or building an entire lego death star. Gozynta Mobius can make your life easier through accounting automation. Automatic sync of invoices, expenses and inventory from ConnectWise Manage into QuickBooks Online in just a single click of a button. With onboarding, direct support, and regular feature releases, Gozynta is a family owned company dedicated to making software suck a little less each day. Visit us at :-)
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Episode 116 - FBI Kicks Serious Cyber-Butt, and the AI Wall of Shame
06/15/2021
Episode 116 - FBI Kicks Serious Cyber-Butt, and the AI Wall of Shame
Topic 1: FBI Creates Their own App to Snag Hundreds of Bad Guys Around the World Yes - we use the word “Badass.” We know you've heard about this one by now. But it's the biggest cyber story of the year, so we have to cover it. Great article/press release from the FBI. A few summary notes: 800 arrests; 8 tons of cocaine; 22 tons of marijuana; 2 tons of methamphetamine/amphetamine; 6 tons of precursor chemicals; 250 firearms; and more than $48 million in various worldwide currencies. On top of that, the FBI has initiated dozens of public corruption cases. . . . and MORE! Topic 2: AI Hall of Shame Great new resource to help AI stay on the right side of "ethics." The actual artificial intelligence database is at https://incidentdatabase.ai. This is intended to be a resource to remind us all that AI honestly has a potentially evil side that we need to keep track of. The database: Topic 3: Supreme Court Rules on Computer Fraud and Abuse Act The ruling is, basically, that misusing a computer to which you have access is different from using a computer beyond the level of access you are supposed to have. The said that a police officer didn’t “hack” any part of the computer system. He merely used the computer he had access to to do something he shouldn’t have done. Note two things. First, we have really old laws written before the web existed, and they are being used to regulate today’s behavior. Second, the courts, as a rule, do not understand what we do for a living. WE need to be involved in the way our industry is regulated. -- -- -- Sponsor Note: Are you still relying on a frustrating patchwork of legacy solutions? Modernize your cybersecurity and data protection with Acronis Cyber Protect Cloud. It’s a single solution that combines backup, anti-malware, and endpoint protection management. As an MSP, you can easily improve clients’ security posture, eliminate complexity, and generate more recurring revenue. Learn more about Acronis Cyber Protect Cloud at . :-)
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Episode 115 - Sharing your Bandwidth and Serious AI Questions
06/08/2021
Episode 115 - Sharing your Bandwidth and Serious AI Questions
Topic 1: Amazon devices will soon automatically share your Internet with neighbors. Amazon introduces "sidewalk" network sharing. This feature is ON by default. At this point, Amazon's new mesh network sharing is experimental. How do you feel about that? Is this OK from Apple but not from Amazon? Read in Ars Technica: Topic 2: The Era of the Digital Leash is well on its way. Now add some AI analysis. Bosses putting a 'digital leash' on remote workers could be crossing a privacy line. We've reported about watching both students and employees. Now we find this constant monitoring moving into warehouses and more types of employees. We seriously question whether this is a good thing. Read in CNBC: Topic 3: Emotion-tracking AI. Even if we can, should we? Emotion-detection AI meets eye-tracking technology. A major merger claims to be able to tell how you're feeling (when driving). The really interesting question is, what other applications could use this technology? AI that can recognize emotions has the ability to bring us more-social robots as well as improve customer service chatbots. The emerging question with AI seems to be: Should we? Read in ZDNet: -- -- -- Sponsor Note: Think you know PC Matic? Think again. PC Matic is working with MSPs to deliver true zero trust/default deny endpoint security. Allowing only trusted applications and blocking all the rest. A light weight, simple to deploy & easy to manage approach to application allowlisting. Layering a default deny approach provides MSPs of all sizes the ability to again focus on prevention, and PC Matic delivers this without impacting performance or efficiency. Find out more about by visiting Be sure to ask about PC Matic's exclusive lead sharing program for MSPs backed by a prime time national TV campaign. :-)
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Episode 114 - Google's MUM, 911 Drones, and Ethical Obligation
06/01/2021
Episode 114 - Google's MUM, 911 Drones, and Ethical Obligation
Topic 1: Google Replaces Bert with MUM At I/O 2021, Google introduced MUM — Multitask United Model. According to Google, this new language model is 1000 times more powerful than BERT, the search engine they released in 2019. MUM is coming to Google products sometime in the future. Note: BERT = Bidirectional Encoder Representations from Transformers. Did BERT change your life two years ago? Will you actually notice the move to MUM? Topic 2: Drones as first response to 911 calls. The Chula Vista police drones can now cover 100% Of of the City For Emergency Calls. And they are deploying drones at "first response" to emergency calls. Of course the drones have video recording and two-way communications. Channel note: Go get some of this money! Topic 3: Forum topic - Ethical vs Contractual obligation Warning: Tough discussion of ethics in business. What do you and your clients owe each other? Can you limit your client relationships to transactions? And in the area of security, can you actually inform clients enough that they can make good decisions to operate at a lower level of security? How do we begin to talk about standards around these conversations? It's fine to say "Buyer beware" - but only if the buyer has some chance of understanding what that really means. -- -- -- Sponsor Memo: Are you still using on-prem file servers and VPNs to share files with remote workers? Egnyte is a business class cloud sharing solution that works more like your on-prem server than other solutions. With a security first approach to file sharing and collaboration, Egnyte offers multiple options for sharing files and collecting files from outside sources. And do it all addressing data governance and compliance. Want to learn more? Check out . And when you do, tell them we sent you. :-)
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Episode 113 - Cryto Currency Insanity, and Video Cards that Aren’t Graphics Cards
05/25/2021
Episode 113 - Cryto Currency Insanity, and Video Cards that Aren’t Graphics Cards
Topic 1: Does the obvious stupidity in the Crypto-verse help to increase or decrease the adoption of crypo currencies? A bit of crypto news this week. But on the serious side, what does this activity mean? Elon Musk makes fun of crypto currencies and the market goes wild (down). Dogecoin created as a joke. Now it's going crazy. Then two winners created a spinoff coin because “people seem to like dogs” and became millionaires. Topic 2: Ann Arbor to Launch Autonomous Shuttle Service October 11th But there's one already operating in Fairfax, VA. We have some questions about the experience . . . and we send Dave off to do some homework. Topic 3: Lower hash rates, and video cards that aren’t graphics cards. NVidia is finally making some moves to tackle the shortage of video cards despite the continuing chip shortage. They're designing video cards with lower hash rates, so they're not attractive to crypto-miners. And they're creating cards designed for mining with actual video output. We'll see what competitors do, and how quickly this has a visible effect on graphic card availability for plain old gamers. -- -- -- Sponsor Memo - Did you know that the average MSP spends 10 hours manually inputting accounting data each week? That time is 120 prospect calls, a month’s worth of the Business of Tech, or building an entire Lego death star. Gozynta Mobius can make your life easier through accounting automation. Automatic sync of invoices, expenses and inventory from ConnectWise Manage into QuickBooks Online in just a single click of a button. With onboarding, direct support, and regular feature releases, Gozynta is a family owned company dedicated to making software suck a little less each day. Visit us at :-)
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Episode 112 - AI in the Military, Colonial Pipeline, and Discriminatory NDAs
05/18/2021
Episode 112 - AI in the Military, Colonial Pipeline, and Discriminatory NDAs
Topic 1: Military practices controlling hundreds of robots and drones at once - with AI Like it or not, AI is coming to military operations. It might be cheaper, but is it safer? But is the reliance on AI a problem? Links: Topic 2: What can we learn from the Colonial Pipeline hack? How should companies respond? And are there real consequences for companies that get hacked? We discuss. Topic 3: Proposed law says discriminatory behavior should not be subject to non-disclosure agreements. Is the NDA … too much? Ifeoma Ozoma is a technology policy expert with experience leading global public policy efforts at Pinterest, Facebook and Google. When she left Pinterest, she couldn't tell anyone that she left over complaints she had filed about wage discrimination and retaliation. She could not speak out because the company non-disclosure agreement forbid it. Now she is pushing legislation to make it illegal to include this kind of behavior in NDAs. After all, NDAs are intended to protect intellectual property, not potentially illegal behavior. Link: :-) -- -- -- Sponsor Memo - Are you still relying on a frustrating patchwork of legacy solutions? Modernize your cybersecurity and data protection with Acronis Cyber Protect Cloud. It’s a single solution that combines backup, anti-malware, and endpoint protection management. As an MSP, you can easily improve clients’ security posture, eliminate complexity, and generate more recurring revenue. Learn more about Acronis Cyber Protect Cloud at . :-)
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Episode 111 - Hacking Waze, Cookies by Drone, and Discussing Diversity
05/11/2021
Episode 111 - Hacking Waze, Cookies by Drone, and Discussing Diversity
Topic 1: Burger King diverts McDonalds customers - via Waze This one is kinda cool because it's so sneaky. With just a taste of big data. When people are close to a McDonalds billboard and headed toward a restaurant, Waze lures them off to a Burger King instead. Just sneaky, or actually immoral? Link: Topic 2: Girl Scout Cookies by Drone Not a burrito or pizza. But it's pretty cool to get your cookies by drone. Makes us ponder: Are there things you would actually pay a premium to get via drone? We're thinking yes for cookies, and probably no for a ream of paper. Link: Topic 3: Basecamp Fumbles the Diversity and Inclusion Conversation Background: Some folks at Basecamp were doing something stupid (keeping a list of customer names to make fun of). That led to a discussion of appropriate behavior. But that discussion was cut off from the top. Some employees were still unhappy, and vocal about it. That led to an offer of a severance package for anyone who didn't like it. Well, about one third of the company decided to leave! Link: Sponsor Memo: PC Matic — Endpoint Security built on a zero trust philosophy, allowing only trusted applications and blocking all the rest. Light weight, simple to deploy, easy to manage, find out about PC Matic's unique lead sharing program for MSPs backed by a prime-time national TV campaign. Together, we bring advanced security solutions combined with more than sales enablement … we bring actual leads. Find out more about PC Matic by visiting . :-)
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Episode 110 - Hacked Ice Cream Machine and Right to Repair
05/04/2021
Episode 110 - Hacked Ice Cream Machine and Right to Repair
Topic 1: Hacked Ice Cream Makers at McDonalds A very strange right to repair! If you buy an expensive machine, do you have the right to buy a third-party add-on that makes it work better? Topic 2: EU looking to regulate “High-Risk” AI High risk determined in two steps by considering whether it may cause certain harms and, if so, the severity of the possible harm and the probability of occurrence. Possible damages include - death of a person - damage of property - systemic adverse impacts for society at large - adverse impact on financial, educational or professional opportunities of persons - adverse impact on the access to public services and any form of public assistance - adverse impact on [European] fundamental rights Topic 3: Apple Announces AirTags. Do you care? Apple’s new AirTags just launched with tracking and location data … and they’ve also thought ahead to include an “anti-stalker” feature to protect your privacy. Sponsor Note: Want to learn about Trends in Managed Services, increasing sales, governance or winning in Biopharma? How about an MSP peer panel, or CompTIA’s Carolyn April with their latest research in managed services trends? Egnyte’s first annual MSP summit is coming May 11th, keynoted by Karl Palachuk on setting a cloud strategy. The first 300 attendees even get a copy of Karl’s book on becoming a Successful MSP in 30 days! Win prizes, network with peers, all in a half day online event. Register for free right at :-)
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Episode 109 - Offensive Tech Jargon, Facial Recognition Update, and Geo-Location Ethics
04/27/2021
Episode 109 - Offensive Tech Jargon, Facial Recognition Update, and Geo-Location Ethics
Topic 1: Racist (and other offensive) Tech Jargon Words matter. The most obvious example is "master/slave" but there's plenty of other insensitive terminology around. Remember, these terms might make sense to you, but you clients may hear it and wonder exactly what you're talking about. Link: Topic 2: Facial Recognition Update. Facial Recognition has evolved considerably in the pandemic. It has been banned in a few places. It has been regulated a bit at the local (not federal) level. Amateurs are now getting in the game (e.g., Used to identify police during protests). And the police have adopted it for several purposes, including identifying protesters. It is over-used in China, and illegal in Portland. Big picture: Don’t rely on tech for the answer. Looks to society and local governments. Topic 3: The ethics of geo-location technology. The "Ethical Geo" web site has posted ten founding principles to begin a worldwide conversation about using geo-location technology from an ethical perspective. The ten founding principles presented to the public for further input and refinement are: Realize opportunities Understand impacts Do no harm Protect the vulnerable Address bias Minimize intrusion Minimize data Protect privacy Prevent identification of individuals Provide accountability We discuss. Links: Launch related video webinar - Sponsor Memo: Want to learn about Trends in Managed Services, increasing sales, governance or winning in Biopharma? How about an MSP peer panel, or CompTIA’s Carolyn April with their latest research in managed services trends? Egnyte’s first annual MSP summit is coming May 11th, keynoted by Karl Palachuk on setting a cloud strategy. The first 300 attendees even get a copy of Karl’s book on becoming a Successful MSP in 30 days! Win prizes, network with peers, all in a half day online event. Register for free right at :-)
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Episode 108 - AI on Fiverr, Millions of IOT Devices Compromised, and More
04/20/2021
Episode 108 - AI on Fiverr, Millions of IOT Devices Compromised, and More
Topic 1: Will Bots Take Jobs? AI Robots are coming for your jobs! Or - in a much more realistic interpretation, they are coming to reduce the amount of mundane process work that humans do so they can focus on interpersonal stuff that robots can’t do. We take a mostly positive spin on this one. Related Link: Topic 2: 100 Million IOT Devices Compromised Scary fact: As the number of deployed devices continues to grow exponentially, the size of these incidents will also continue to grow. This will also have an effect on our liability insurance and state/provincial legislation. Related Link: Facebook group mentioned: MSP Regulation and Legislation = Topic 3: Data programming and analytics on Fiverr This is the gig-afying of some very cool new skills. This is an area where we think IT service providers can make some good money. Fiverr is at - Now offering database development, data analytics, machine learning, and more. See specifically . Book Mentioned: by Daniel Pink -- -- -- Sponsor Note: Are you still relying on a frustrating patchwork of legacy solutions? Modernize your cybersecurity and data protection with Acronis Cyber Protect Cloud. It’s a single solution that combines backup, anti-malware, and endpoint protection management. As an MSP, you can easily improve clients’ security posture, eliminate complexity, and generate more recurring revenue. Learn more about Acronis Cyber Protect Cloud at . :-)
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Episode 107 - Best Practices, Ingram/Harmony, and Water Cooled Servers
04/13/2021
Episode 107 - Best Practices, Ingram/Harmony, and Water Cooled Servers
Topic 1: Should you rely on best practices? We return to the question of what ARE best practices and how you define them. But more than that, should you be following other peoples' so-called best practices? Stop leaning on best practices, and experiment! Related Link: Topic 2: Distributor Ingram Micro Buys Harmony PSA. First, do you care? Second, is this a good move? Would you be tempted to a PSA owned by one of your distributors? Related Links: Topic 3: Submerged Servers. Like, IN the water. Last year Microsoft completed a test of sealed server data centers at the bottom of the ocean. But they kep the water on the outside of the tank. Now they're developing a non-conductive liquid so they can cool servers by submerging them altogether. Related Link: Sponsor Memo: PC Matic — Endpoint Security built on a zero trust philosophy, allowing only trusted applications and blocking all the rest. Light weight, simple to deploy, easy to manage, find out about PC Matic's unique lead sharing program for MSPs backed by a prime-time national TV campaign. Together, we bring advanced security solutions combined with more than sales enablement … we bring actual leads. Find out more about PC Matic by visiting :-)
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Episode 106 - Multicloud, Deep Fakes, AI, and More
04/06/2021
Episode 106 - Multicloud, Deep Fakes, AI, and More
Topic 1: Stop Talking About Multicloud and Hybrid Cloud It's time to take this seriously and talk about Integration. As always, we take a stab at the terminology used by our industry and ponder about what's really going on. We all love jargon, but it's important to dig a little a figure out what's really being discussed. Related Link: Topic 2: Detecting Deef Fake Videos with AI Scientists developed a clever way to detect deep fakes by analyzing light reflections in the eyes Related Link: Book to note: Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman. Topic 3: Next Up - Open AI that doesn’t require massive compute power New AI project can generate convincing text that anyone can use. The makers of Eleuther hope it will be an open source alternative to GPT-3, the well-known language program from OpenAI. The Eleuther project makes use of distributed computing resources, donated by cloud company CoreWeave as well as Google, through the TensorFlow Research Cloud, an initiative that makes spare computer power available. Related Link: Book to note: Flash Foresight by Daniel Burrus. -- -- -- Sponsor Memo: Today's show is brought to you by US! Please check out Dave's Business of Tech podcast. Daily five minute podcasts, plus weekly recaps, video, and more. Visit . Also check out Karl's SMB Community Podcast, a weekly 30-minute interview format with some of the most interesting people in the SMB IT Community. Visit . :-)
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Episode 105 - Cops and Robots, Distributors and Bitcoin
03/30/2021
Episode 105 - Cops and Robots, Distributors and Bitcoin
Topic 1: Cops and Robots Move to stop NYC police from using armed robots. Note: The police do not own any armed robots, but they do own some robots. So this is totally a preventive measure. We previously discussed the use of AI and facial recognition by police departments. The question here is, when do we begin the conversation (before or after deployment)? Related Link: Topic 2: Is Bitcoin mining compatible with Singapore’s green initiatives? Bitcoin mining uses about the same amount electricity as Norway! Now Singapore is questioning whether this non-green factor is consistent with their go-green policies. Meanwhile . . . Bank of America says there’s no reason to use Bitcoin. Ethereum has more features. And Ethereum is easier to manage if you’re interested in De-Fi (decentralized finance). BofA released a report last week entitled “8 Dirty Little Secrets of Bitcoin.” See the slideshow link below. Related Links: Topic 3: Tech Data-Synnex merger - Does this matter to IT consultants? Tech distributors Synnex and Tech Data are merging. Karl is surprised this took so long. But, in the big picture, does this affect you? SaaS companies have been taking distributors (and partners) out of the equation for many years. The cloud is moving servers into data centers, who frequently bypass distributors. Cloud services are more effectively sold by Sherweb, AppRiver, Intermedia, Pax8, etc. Were you surprised? Give us your feedback. Related Links: ChannelE2E Announcement re: Synnex / Tech Data Merger CRN Slideshow re: D&H Response to Synnex / Tech Data Merger -- -- -- Sponsor Memo - Are you still using on-prem file servers and VPNs to share files with remote workers? Egnyte is a business class cloud sharing solution that works more like your on-prem server than other solutions. With a security first approach to file sharing and collaboration, Egnyte offers multiple options for sharing files and collecting files from outside sources. And do it all addressing data governance and compliance. Want to learn more? Check out , and when you do, tell them we sent you. :-)
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Episode 104 - AI Mayflower, NFT Artwork, and RMM News
03/23/2021
Episode 104 - AI Mayflower, NFT Artwork, and RMM News
Topic 1: AI Mayflower to Cross the Atlantic This is a recreation of the Mayflower voyage with a 100% autonomous ship. Great for research and proof of concept. The Smithsonian doesn’t talk about autonomous shipping vessels, but that might be an option going forward. There are currently very small crews on shipping vessels, but there might be some advantages with this technology. Related Link: We update our burrito bet. Topic 2: NFT - Non-fungible Token Artwork By now you've heard of NFTs, particularly artwork stored with Etherium blockchain guarantee of authenticity. Sold on Rarible.com or similar web sites. New wrinkle: As bitcoin hoarders attempt to invest in NFTs to avoid taxes, any system that helps organize and verify this data becomes a permanent record for governments that seek to tax. Related Link: Topic 3: RMM/PSA from Tanium Salesforce is announcing an RMM to be sold as an add-on to all of their installations. Dave thinks this is a contender for disrupting the MSP market. Is this just an enterprise/mid-market play, or will they be moving into SMB? We shall see. Related Link: -- -- -- Note from our Sponsor: Are you still using on-prem file servers and VPNs to share files with remote workers? Egnyte is a business class cloud sharing solution that works more like your on-prem server than other solutions. With a security first approach to file sharing and collaboration, Egnyte offers multiple options for sharing files and collecting files from outside sources. And do it all addressing data governance and compliance. Want to learn more? Check out , and when you do, tell them Killing IT sent you. -- -- -- :-)
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Episode 103 - Big Tech Lobbying, Massive Security Camera Breach
03/16/2021
Episode 103 - Big Tech Lobbying, Massive Security Camera Breach
Topic 1: What works, works: Big Tech Targets DC via Old-School Media Facebook, Amazon, and Google ads are blanketing inside-the-Beltway newsletters in a bid to rehab their tarnished reputations. The big tech companies are getting ready to do battle. So they need to soften up members of Congress. Here’s the interesting part: They didn’t use social media to get the job done. They used good old advertising . . . in newsletters. Of course we use this to look at the whole "Big Data vs. Congress" debate going on right now. Link: Topic 2: Security Breach at Security Camera Company IoT security came under a major attack in March. 150,000 Verkada surveillance cameras compromised by super simple hack. The "victims" were as widespread as you can imagine: Jails, gyms, Tesla, and more. Never, never sell an internet-connected device without adding an additional layer of cyber security. That’s why “value added” resellers and service providers exist! Link: Topic 3: Massive Data Center Fire in Strasbourg, France OVHCloud, Europe’s largest cloud provider, has massive fire affecting multiple data centers. OVHcloud's SBG2 data center in Strasbourg France was destroyed by a fire that also damaged SBG1. OVH manages four data centers on the same site, which we think is odd. We look at several practices across industry and across the world. Links: -- -- -- Sponsor Memo: Are you still relying on a frustrating patchwork of legacy solutions? Modernize your cybersecurity and data protection with Acronis Cyber Protect Cloud. It’s a single solution that combines backup, anti-malware, and endpoint protection management. As an MSP, you can easily improve clients’ security posture, eliminate complexity, and generate more recurring revenue. Learn more about Acronis Cyber Protect Cloud at . :-)
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Episode 102 - Drone-Killing Drones and People-Saving Drones
03/09/2021
Episode 102 - Drone-Killing Drones and People-Saving Drones
Topic 1: Drone-Killing Drones Great video from "Drone Hunter." AI Powered Drone captures and eliminates drones over no-fly zones, concerts, football games, public addresses by politicians, etc. Karl notes that we hope California deploys these to take down drones flying around forest fires, endangering the pilots trying to fight fires. Video here . . . scroll down a bit: Topic 2: Robots save people from drowning One bot featured in this story. But toward the end you see there are several competitors. Who knew this is a market with growing competition? And that led us to look at robots that don't save people: They fight! Related Links: Topic 3: Microsoft Stumbles on the Vaccine Software Front Several companies, including Microsoft, have failed to create great, rock-solid software to track vaccines. We wonder how this task is so complicated that the most successful software companies in the world can't solve it. Related Links: Microsoft getting a black eye: Using technology without the data: -- -- -- Sponsor Memo: PC Matic — Endpoint Security built on a zero trust philosophy, allowing only trusted applications and blocking all the rest. Light weight, simple to deploy, easy to manage, find out about PC Matic's unique lead sharing program for MSPs backed by a prime-time national TV campaign. Together, we bring advanced security solutions combined with more than sales enablement … we bring actual leads. Find out more about PC Matic by visiting :-)
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Episode 101 - State of the Channel, 3D Homes, and Splinternet News
03/02/2021
Episode 101 - State of the Channel, 3D Homes, and Splinternet News
Topic 1: ChannelPro State of the Channel survey Bruised but roaring back? We you bruised in 2020? Is this a real reflection of the real channel? Or is this a sampling issue? As always, we think research is good. You just need to be careful about what the results mean. We discuss. And we give a few thoughts on eternal optimism - pro and con. We look forward to concrete house mod kits . . . and more. Related Link: Topic 2: 3D printed home. 1,500 sq feet. $299K We're not sure how much the printer cost - but the houses are serious. The story here is from New York, so the price point of $300,000 is a serious value. We haven't covered 3D printing much, but this is just cool. Related Link: Topic 3: Paying for news in Australia . . . News agencies are finally pushing back on letting social media giants redistribute their product for free. Magazines and newspapers have mis-played the Internet opportunity for twenty-five years. Now they've decided to try to make money. Australia passed a law forcing the major social media outlets to pay for news. In response, Google said "okay" and Facebook threatened to pull out of the country. Social media have been taking advantage of content creators since day one. It may have taken twenty years longer than expected, but a realistic balance is probably on the way. The U.S. is a follower and not a leader on this front. So keep an eye on Australia. Please see previous episodes: The Splinternet continues to splinter! Related Link: -- -- -- Sponsor Memo: Gozynta Mobius – the easiest way for ConnectWise Manage and QuickBooks online to connect. Keep invoices, expenses, and inventory automatically updated right from Manage to QuickBooks Online, and payments right back into Manage. With simple pricing, set it and forget it auto sync, Gozynta Mobius delivers with no restrictions on the number of invoices, expenses and payments, and plays well with others like ConnectBooster. Trusted by over a thousand MSPs. now introducing a free plan, go to , and tell them Killing IT sent you. -- -- -- :-)
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Episode 100 - Zoom Opens the Future, Texas Electricity, and AI Ethics
02/23/2021
Episode 100 - Zoom Opens the Future, Texas Electricity, and AI Ethics
Topic 1: Zoom begins the next wave . . . getting back to the office We were impressed with Zoom's announcement of touch-free office connections for receptionist via Zoom. What other emerging technologies can we look forward to as we emerge from the pandemic? Remember: Innovation and technology both affect culture and are affected by culture. Related Link: Topic 2: Texas Electricity You heard about Texas' problem with electricity. If not, follow the link below. We're tempted to draw an analogy to the availability question regarding bandwidth. And we are reminded: All this stuff costs money! On what this means for the bigger picture, tune into Dave's point at 18:45 . . . There's a great analogy here to zero trust access to data and security. Background on the Texas electrical grid and why it's not connected to the rest of the U.S.: TXU - Your Texas Electricity Company Texas Public Utilities Commission Topic 3: Episode 1 revisit on Ethics At Show 100, we harken back to Episode 1, in which we addressed ethics and Artificial Intelligence. It turns out, that's still a relevant discussion. See the last several shows. Technologists always have to balance what we can do and what we should do. After all, the technology we love can grow much faster than our understanding of the ethics related to that technology. . . . And, of course, we give an update on the Drone vs. Robots delivering pizzas and burritos. What do you think? Give us your feedback. Sponsor Note: Are you still using on-prem file servers and VPNs to share files with remote workers? Egnyte is a business class cloud sharing solution that works more like your on-prem server than other solutions. With a security first approach to file sharing and collaboration, Egnyte offers multiple options for sharing files and collecting files from outside sources. And do it all addressing data governance and compliance. Want to learn more? Check out , and when you do, tell them Killing IT sent you. :-)
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Episode 99 - Nouveau Jargon and Visions of the Future
02/16/2021
Episode 99 - Nouveau Jargon and Visions of the Future
Topic 1: Jargon of the Week . . . DBIO Take it apart: Digital Business Infrastructure Operations. Is this usable terminology? Just another four letter acronym? "Digital Business Infrastructure Operations (DBIO) is an end-to-end approach to delivering managed services. It spans the entire digital value chain – from the core to the edge – and is supported by robust network and security infrastructure." One aspect - building things backwards - just amounts to selling solutions instead of selling “stuff” and integrating it. That sounds like the advice for last 50 years. We'd love to hear comments on this one. Topic 2: Jay McBain sees the Future We love looking at the future of our industry. It's kinda what this podcast is about. We dig into this a bit and then introduce Topic Three - then discuss both of them together. Jay McBain's 2021 Channel Predictions: Topic 3: Techaisle see the Future at Little Differently One important topic here is "Digital Equality" vs. "Digital Divide." Again, great topics here: Give us your feedback! -- -- -- Sponsor Note: Are you still relying on a frustrating patchwork of legacy solutions? Modernize your cybersecurity and data protection with Acronis Cyber Protect Cloud. It’s a single solution that combines backup, anti-malware, and endpoint protection management. As an MSP, you can easily improve clients’ security posture, eliminate complexity, and generate more recurring revenue. Learn more about Acronis Cyber Protect Cloud at . :-)
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Episode 98 - Betting on Reddit Stock Tips, Apple, and the Future of Privacy
02/09/2021
Episode 98 - Betting on Reddit Stock Tips, Apple, and the Future of Privacy
We cannot ignore what's going on with Reddit. This one is more "of interest" than a direct hit on topics we think you need to know about. There are many ramifications for business people, of course. And it's also a reflection of some bigger trends in society generally. We spent more time on Reddit, so this show only features two topics. Topic 1: /r/wallstreetbets/ . . . Good, bad, or just ugly? Sub Reddit takes on hedge funds. “Professional” hedge fund managers are selling Game Stop short - and the Reddit users are forcing the stock UP. They are bankrupting professionals hour by hour. Overall, is this just gambling, or is there s business purpose here? Lots of related links. Reddit: These folks are intentionally manipulating stocks. Completely outside the world of regulations. https://www.reddit.com/r/wallstreetbets/ Topic 2: Apply Says They'll Increase Privacy by Default Apple promises you will be “opted out” by default from targeted remarketing. Is that necessarily a good thing? Do you really want to see a lot of random advertising? Google has this cool tool - https://adssettings.google.com/authenticated Apply thinks you value privacy so much that you don't care that you'll be ignoring a bunch of ads. Google's bet is that you will tire of random, unrelated ads and choose to go back to the world where ads are relevant once again. What do you think? Drop some comments at . -- -- -- Sponsor Note: PC Matic — Endpoint Security built on a zero trust philosophy, allowing only trusted applications and blocking all the rest. Light weight, simple to deploy, easy to manage, find out about PC Matic's unique lead sharing program for MSPs backed by a prime-time national TV campaign. Together, we bring advanced security solutions combined with more than sales enablement … we bring actual leads. Find out more about PC Matic by visiting . :-)
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Episode 97: Alphabet Internet and Creepy Microsoft Chatbots
02/02/2021
Episode 97: Alphabet Internet and Creepy Microsoft Chatbots
Topic 1: Update on the update: Alphabet cancels their balloon-based internet offering Apparently, they listened to last week’s show. After many years and billions spent, Alphabet (Google) has dropped their plans to provide Internet access to remote areas via lighter-than-air balloons. Side note: We are deep inside an era where private organizations are taking on challenges - and trying new things - without direct government help. Related Link: Topic 2: Shall we adopted the word “integrator” to describe our channel partners? A view from another industry. The Commercial Integrator magazine proposes the work Integrator for their slice of the channel. We think this mostly works. Is there a similar term for the so-called managed services providers in the channel? Related Link: Topic 3: Is this a good or bad use of chat bots? Microsoft has patented some technology that they now say they will not produce. Basically, they can take pretty much anyone with a substantial data record and create a "realistic" chat bot. This easily includes lots of famous people. But it might also include someone close to you who just happens to be dead. Creepy? Some people think so. What do you think? Related Links: “Microsoft patented a chatbot that would let you talk to dead people. It was too disturbing for production” -- -- -- Sponsor Memo: MobiusConnect by Gozynta – the easiest way for ConnectWise Manage and QuickBooks online to connect. Keep invoices, expenses, and inventory automatically updated right from Manage to QuickBooks Online, and payments right back into Manage. With simple pricing, set it and forget it auto sync, Mobius Connect delivers with no restrictions on the number of invoices, expenses and payments, and plays well with others like ConnectBooster. Trusted by over a thousand MSPs now, and with a personalized onboarding, go to to try it out for free, and tell them the guys at Killing IT sent you. :-)
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Episode 96 - SpaceX, Microsoft, and Our Channel
01/26/2021
Episode 96 - SpaceX, Microsoft, and Our Channel
Topic 1: SpaceX Takes Off! SpaceX launched sixty more satellites last week - with ONE rocket. They now have more than 1,000 satellites deployed. Their target is a total of 1,440. These will be dedicated to Internet-beaming. Last year, SpaceX launched 26 rockets successfully. This year, the goal is 40. Most of those rockets have landed successfully on their floating platforms in the ocean. Related Link: Topic 2: Microsoft coming after your customers. Really. Amy Babinchak has raised the alarm with a couple of blog posts. We look at Microsoft's complicated relationship with their so-called partners. Third Tier Links: Topic 3: It's never good news when the popular media know what we do for a living When our problems become “mainstreet” topics, it's not good for us. This includes the concept of Managed Services and the basics of Ransomware. We discuss. Related Link: -- -- -- Sponsor Note: Are you still relying on a frustrating patchwork of legacy solutions? Modernize your cybersecurity and data protection with Acronis Cyber Protect Cloud. It’s a single solution that combines backup, anti-malware, and endpoint protection management. As an MSP, you can easily improve clients’ security posture, eliminate complexity, and generate more recurring revenue. Learn more about Acronis Cyber Protect Cloud at . :-)
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Episode 95 - Dude. I need a data center
01/19/2021
Episode 95 - Dude. I need a data center
Closing in on 100 episodes . . . After a few hiccups on the Internet, we managed to record this week's show. Please support our advertiser! Topic 1: Azure in a box? Microsoft is rolling out data centers "in a box." Earlier, we reported on Microsoft putting data centers on the ocean floor. This containerized project has been in the works since at least 2008. Note: We hereby claim copyright to the phrase, "Dude. I need a data center." Link: Topic 2: Net Neutrality Revived for 2021 Dead? Not at all! With the recent election, the Democratic version of Net Neutrality could see the light of day. We use this as a launching pad to discuss access in a larger context, including bandwidth availability, and its effect on education, business, and opportunity. Link: Topic 3: Amazon to compete directly with UPS, FedEx, and USPS? Amazon is buying 11 used Boeing 767-300 jets from Delta and WestJet, the first time it has bought rather than leased. We speculate about what Amazon's up to . . . and several non-obvious related technologies. Once again, supply chain is a huge topic for 2021. Link: -- -- -- Sponsor Note: Headaches with customers texting your technicians? Gozynta Tixt brings your texting conversation into service tickets. Set your MSP apart by allowing your customers to communicate the way they want, without losing control of the conversation. Since text messages are 10 times more likely to be opened than email, you can get your tickets to "Resolved" faster! An essential tool for supporting a growing remote workforce. Go to to sign up for a free 30 day trial. :-)
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Episode 94 - Open Source RMM and Touchless Controls of the Future
01/12/2021
Episode 94 - Open Source RMM and Touchless Controls of the Future
One very serious topic, and two somewhat-lighter topics this week. Please post questions or comments. And don't forget to share with your friends. Topic 1: Open Source Managed Service Tools? Here's a seriously interesting question: Is open source software for managed services a beautiful vision of the future . .. or a nightmare. We have different thoughts on this one. Link: Topic 2: The next interface? Gesture controls. We start with a link to a white paper that lays the groundwork for this discussion. It's a quick read, and very interesting. We also encourage you to Google "computer gesture control" to dig deep into the kinds of products and software you can start deploying today. We also added a link to one cool example: BMW's radio control. Links: Topic 3: Touchless in 2020 On a somewhat related note, gest controls are one example of touchless controls. Clearly, the need to go touchless has come to the forefront during the pandemic. -- -- -- Sponsor Note: PC Matic — Endpoint Security built on a zero trust philosophy, allowing only trusted applications and blocking all the rest. Light weight, simple to deploy, easy to manage, find out about PC Matic's unique lead sharing program for MSPs backed by a prime-time national TV campaign. Together, we bring advanced security solutions combined with more than sales enablement … we bring actual leads. Find out more about PC Matic by visiting :-)
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Episode 93 - Online Shopping Report, Good News on Cybersecurity, Electricity
01/05/2021
Episode 93 - Online Shopping Report, Good News on Cybersecurity, Electricity
Topic 1: Forrester says US online holiday shopping to reach $173 B Constant question: How much of this is temporary vs. permanent? Have you built a store for your clients? We think this is a great opportunity for IT professionals. Related Link: Topic 2: Is there any good news for MSPs in 2021 Cybersecurity? Predictions include: Cloud misconfigurations will be one of the top causes of data breaches. We’ll see the consequences of employees letting their guards down as work-from-home extends. Legacy security architecture like VPNs will be the weak link for many organizations, and use of zero trust network access is likely to accelerate in 2021. Link: Topic 3: 75% of electrical capacity growth expected to be renewable for the next three years Solar, Wind, and Water power are growing dramatically - without regard to political points of view. Coal dominates the power source being retired. This actually matters, going forward. Link: -- -- -- :-)
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