We share the latest thinking
There’s a lot of knowledge and experience within our team. Hundreds of years, in fact, if you start adding it up. But it’s no good just sitting there in our heads, and our mums always taught us to share, so that’s what we’re doing. As well as finding out the latest thinking on IT, networks, cyber security and automation here, you can also stay up to speed on what’s happening within the group.
"Dynamic Networks Group continues its expansion with the acquisition of Peak Support Services Ltd, a Derbyshire based Cloud MSP."
"David Smith (CEO) and Gareth Leece (COO) have successfully completed an MBO of Dynamic Networks, working with Paul Landsman of Kingland Capital. The MBO provides for a simplification of the Board structure to allow for its continued accelerated growth strategy. The additional investment secured through Kingland Capital provides a significant fund for the Management Team to hire likeminded industry professionals in-line with its hiring plan and also acquire complimentary Cloud Managed Service Providers as they continue their objective to be one of the fastest growing MSP’s in the UK with a strong reputation for quality service. Further announcements to follow."
"For most organisations, email has become an essential part of daily workflow and communications. However, many businesses are unaware of the importance of archiving their emails and having an email retention strategy."
"Leeds Rhinos Foundation is delighted to welcome Dynamic Networks Group as the first member of its new Foundation 500 corporate donations scheme."
"Moving to the cloud comes with multiple benefits. For most businesses, it usually means reducing running costs, faster modernisation capabilities and increased security."
"Here are our top IT trends and predictions your business should be thinking about now to prepare for 2021.
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"This month we’re finding out more about Nick Stevens, Our Innovations Director for our Global Estate Technology division, abbreviated to GET Dynamic.
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"Microsoft have recently announced that Skype for Business Online will be retiring on July 31, 2021. "
"This month we are celebrating our fifth birthday as Dynamic Networks Group, and we couldn’t be prouder."
"This month we’re finding out more about Chris Harrision, our Technical Manager for our Global Estate Technology divison GET Dynamic.
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"For any business, efficient and cost-effective communication is crucial. As digital technology advances, more options have become available when considering methods of telephony. "
"As the business landscape continues to evolve, businesses are seeing the value of collaboration tools at the centre of their communications, driven by a demand for remote and mobile working solutions.
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"This month we’re finding out more about Steve Summerton, our Operations Manager for our Networks & Infrastructure division. "
"Every company takes a different approach to the management of it's IT, with IT outsourcing a popular approach.
Companies of all sizes can enjoy the benefits of IT outsourcing. Here we have outlines 5 of the key benefits to this approach. "
"In the current uncertain times we are all living and working in, a door has been opened for cyber hackers to become increasingly bolder with their attacks."
"This month we’re finding out more about Chris Wrigglesworth, our Project Manager for our Mechanical and Electrical Division."
"In an effort to save on operating costs, British Telcom (BT) has announced that they will switch of all their ISDN and PSTN services by 2025."
"For those familiar with the way we work here at Dynamic Networks Group, you’ll know things never stand still for long."
"Following a year of strong growth, seven new recruits have joined our team at Dynamic Networks Group."
"We all know by now how important data is for modern businesses, however, there’s one kind of data that has a value far higher than most other types of data and that’s payroll data."
"With the rise of card payments, mobile banking and tools such as Apple Pay and PayPal, it’s probably no surprise that many of us a no longer carrying cash."
"Formjacking.. It’s the get rich quick scheme cyber criminals love to use, so here’s everything else you need to know about this relatively new kind of cyber-attack…"
"Microsoft ended mainstream support for Window 7 on wait for it... January 13th 2015 and now, 5 years later, they’re also going to stop extended support for Windows 7 as well."
"When it comes to software, and cyber software especially, there is no shortage of myths and grey areas surrounding the finer details of how it all works."
"In another of our cyber security spotlight blogs we’re taking a look at password attacks to help you understand this particular type of common cyber-attack and how to avoid it.
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"It’s been another interesting month in the IT industry and as a result, we’ve been reading a few interesting articles about everything from Google’s new data centre to the most searched for topics related to cyber security. Catch up with all our favourite news articles right here:
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"In this blog post, we’re taking a look at some of the biggest ever IT disasters that have occurred in recent history. Here we go…"
"In this blog post we’re taking a look at some of the most interesting and most serious cyber attacks and data breaches that have taken place in 2019 so far.
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"In another of our cyber security spotlight blogs we’re taking a look at Drive-by Attacks (also known as Drive-by Download Attacks) to help you understand this particular type of common cyber-attack and how to avoid it.
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"Just like real clouds come in many different forms: cumulus, cirrus, stratus, asperitas…
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"Earlier this month, UK commuters across England and Wales were left in the dark and in chaos after a serious power cut affected rail and road services."
"In this blog post we’ll explore two of the most prominent barriers to cloud adoption and introduce some ways in which your business can work towards breaking these barriers down.
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"It’s been another interesting month in the IT industry and as a result, we’ve been reading a few interesting articles about everything from cyber security to Brexit and unicorns. Here are five of our favourites…
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"In another of our cyber security spotlight blogs we’re taking a look at MitM attacks to help you understand this particular type of common cyber-attack and how to avoid it.
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"5G is finally here in the UK and its arrival comes after months, if not years of both hype and confusion as the BBC so rightly put it."
"In this post we've gathered together some of the most interesting and the most important news articles and reports we've read over the last few weeks. "
"In this blog, we are diving straight into our list of reasons to move your IT disaster recovery to the cloud. Here we go…
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"Forget the three musketeers… in this blog post it’s all about the three-dynamic network-eteers! Okay that’s a terrible play on words, but what’s not terrible, is the three new staffing appointments we’ve recently made at Dynamic…"
"We’ve been keeping a finger on the pulse of what’s happening with GDPR ever since its introduction hit headlines over a year ago."
"Once upon a time, businesses would only declare an IT disaster in the event of something like severe flooding, a raging fire or extreme weather, like hurricanes and tsunamis."
"In the first of our cyber security spotlight blogs we’re taking a look at eavesdropping attacks to help you understand this particular type of common cyber attack and how to avoid it.
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"Lots and lots of businesses are known to be bad at either implementing a disaster recovery plan in the first place or updating and revising that plan on a regular basis to make sure it’s still fit for purpose."
"In 2018, Loup Ventures Research predicted that the industrial robots sector would grow by 175% over the next ten years, primarily due to a rise in collaborative, assisting platforms rather than traditional automated machinery.
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"In this relatively short (but rather complicated!) blog post, we’ll be tackling the following question…what’s the point of nanoparticles in fibre optic cabling?"
"The time has come as we move further into 2019, to just take a moment to recap on some of the top trends and predictions that the experts made around the topic of data centres for this year."
"If you are a regular visitor to our blog, you'll know we like to keep an eye on the latest industry trends."
"BYOD is short for ‘bring your own device’. If you check your work emails on your phone, use a personal laptop at work or run business social media from your tablet for example, then you are part of the ‘bring your own device’ movement.
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"Broadband; we all have it, we all use it, but do we all understand it?"
"As the rise of software has continued and modern computing has developed, so too has the rise of malware."
"In a nutshell, cryptojacking is the unauthorised use of some else’s computer to mine cryptocurrency using crypto mining code."
"Last year we stumbled across quite a few articles and blog posts about how UK businesses would rather pay ransom fees than invest in cyber defences. Anyone else’s jaw on the floor after reading that, because ours certainly were!
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"As we move further into 2019, we thought we’d take this opportunity to ruminate on some of the expected trends set to take hold over the next 12 months in IT. "
"When it comes to the most successful cyber attacks there’s often more going on than simple computer coding."
"The word malware is actually the merging together of two separate words: malicious and software and once you know that, then you have pretty good idea what malware actually means."
"Most modern businesses will need at least some IT equipment in order to function effectively."
"A little earlier this year, it appears as though tech giant Google had its own “Facebook moment” just seven months on from the Cambridge Analytica scandal."
"Dynamic Networks Group, the Leeds-based IT, networks, cyber security and automation business, has relocated to larger premises."
"James Baird has been inspired by the integrity his grandad and father displayed, as he has navigated his career through being an electrician, starting his first business in electrical services and his current business, Dynamic Networks Group."
"To answer that question, we probably better start with an even simpler one; what is pen testing, or to give it it’s proper title, penetration testing?"
"Earlier this year it was revealed that the UK is the “most breached” country in Europe."
"Smart home technology is becoming more and more mainstream and more and more varied."
"September 27th was D-day for the Dynamic team as our new office was finally declared ready for us all to move in."
"Have you heard about it? Chances are... probably not actually!"
"25th May this year was D-day for the new General Data Protection Regulation. "
"Nest Hello is essentially a video doorbell."
"You may remember we made an exciting announcement earlier in the summer, that’s right, we’re moving offices!"
"George Orwell’s 1984 might not be everybody’s cup of tea but today it pretty much is everybody’s reality."
"Airedale House on Kirkstall Road has been the home of Dynamic Networks for 3 years now and what a great home it has been."
"Way way back in 2010, a discovery was made."
"This year marks a decade in business for Dynamic Networks’ Group CEO, James Baird."
"As England played (and won) their opening two matches of this year’s World Cup, it got us thinking about how much preparation goes into events like these."
"First things first, the new cabling regulations are all about electrical wiring and fire protection."
"Smart homes make the most of internet connected devices that are integrated together, to allow the management and monitoring of systems remotely."
"They say bad luck always comes in threes but here at Dynamic Networks it’s the good luck that’s flooding in of late as we are nominated for not one, not two, but three new awards!
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"The future of mobile networks, 5G, is on its way to the UK."
"We hear time and time again about devastating malware in the media; WannaCry, Spectre, Locky, Petya, the list goes on…"
"The Leeds-based Dynamic Networks Group has revealed plans to double the number of apprentices within the business in 2018."
"Incorporating a home cinema environment into a living space is becoming surprisingly popular amongst luxury home owners."
"When it comes to security and CCTV, choosing the right system is an important decision for most businesses."
"It isn’t difficult to believe that in 2016, spam emails accounted for almost 60% of all email traffic across the globe."
"As more companies are choosing to virtualise their systems away from physical servers, many are realising the benefits of an outsourced solution as opposed to having an on-site server room."
"UK workers are losing an average of nine working days per year due to technology and IT failures in the office, according to the UK’s largest independent online tech retailer, Ebuyer."
"The tech industry has been sent scrambling recently, when a vulnerability in Wi-Fi encryption was discovered."
"There was a time when electricity was the most important resource for a business, but today this is no longer the case."
"Category 5, Category 6, ethernet crossover, twisted pair…"
"At the end of this month, Professor Dieter Helm is due to report the findings of his energy cost review back to the UK government."
"At this year’s Ignite expo, Microsoft treated 25,000 of its business customers to a sneak peek at its upcoming enterprise technologies."
"They say you can’t teach an old dog new tricks, but you can certainly teach an older building a thing or two about what it means to be energy efficient."
"In 2017, it feels as though we’ve talked a lot about the effects of cyber-crime and the various ways it can be prevented, but will it ever be enough?"
"If there’s one thing we here in Britain should be good at, it is expecting the unexpected.
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"As you’ll no doubt remember from previous mentions on our blog, the new GDPR legislation is fast approaching."
"A quick tot-up of the wi-fi enabled devices in your life may surprise you."
"Last month we celebrated our second birthday as Dynamic Networks Group, and we couldn’t be prouder."
"It may only be the start of August, but we’ve already been busy at Dynamic Networks this month as we officially declare our new London office open and ready for business."
"We’re very excited to launch our brand new website…"
"History is littered with examples of people and organisations who underestimated how their needs would change in the future, and regretting it further down the line."
"Now that summer seems to finally have hit the UK, many of us find ourselves counting down to our annual escape. Wherever you plan to visit this year, be it France, Japan or the USA, the last thing you want to be worrying about is whether you’ll even be able to get off the ground once you reach the airport."
"As businesses grow, their infrastructure needs to be able to expand accordingly. And while access control may not be the most pressing issue as a company is starting out, as it grows and finds more staff, and more and more clients and visitors begin to require access to its buildings and site, the benefits of effectively controlled access speak for themselves."
"Take a look at the ‘to do’ list of a business owner, and you’d be surprised just how far down that list IT falls. And yet you’d be hard-pressed to find any business that doesn’t rely on IT in some capacity to aid its smooth day-to-day running."
"Following on from the potentially devastating WannaCry NHS ransomware attacks earlier this month, we have been inundated with requests about how businesses can safeguard against future attacks. "
"When you have a build schedule to meet, time is of the essence. You need your site to be up and running, safe and secure, in the fastest possible timeframe and you need the site to run smoothly throughout the build."
"Group CEO, James Baird, speaks with InsuranceAge about how brokers can protect themselves from a cyber attack."
"On Friday, the country watched in horror as NHS computer systems were hit by a debilitating cyber-attack."
"If there’s an unsung IT hero of our modern age, it has to be the data centre."
"At the beginning of the year, we took an in-depth look at the various ways businesses can protect themselves against the ever-present threat of cyber-crime, but statistics released recently by the UK Government show that most firms still have a way to go before they are strong enough to withstand a cyber-attack."
"Leeds Digital Festival has been taking place this week, with events across our home city celebrating all forms of digital culture. "
"With changes to the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) set to come into effect in just over a year’s time, our IT team has produced guidance on getting your business ‘GDPR ready’."
"Today, in the manufacturing industry particularly, the focus is shifting away from the present and looking to the future."
"If you're looking to lose weight, one of the first things you would do is take a look at your diet, and maybe even keep a food diary of what you’re consuming each week."
"They say your school days are the best of your life, and though this is certainly up for some debate there can be no denying that the number of educational institutions, and the number of students choosing to stay in education for longer, has increased."
"When it comes to the health of our cars, we know what we need. Yearly MOTs, regular servicing and top-ups of oil, coolant and screenwash are the bare minimum most vehicles need to keep everything ticking over."
"Can one size fit all? We don’t think so. In a world that is learning to embrace individuality, it’s becoming increasingly apparent that ‘one size fits all’ is losing its relevance."
"This month on the blog we’re talking about Building Energy Management and its role in helping organisations reduce energy waste, energy costs and run more efficient operations."
"Group CEO, James Baird, gives his prediction to Bdaily on Wednesday's Spring Budget 2017."
"For most of us, traffic and noise have become part of everyday life. And, if a regular commute is part of your daily routine, you’ll know how great it feels when you set off that little bit earlier and miss the traffic or find a shortcut nobody else knows about and avoid a queue."
"You’ve probably been advised, at some point in your life, to ‘get your priorities straight’. Whether that means something as simple as studying for an exam instead of watching television or putting time with family ahead of a night out, prioritising can often be difficult. "
"What are the first things you do when you get out of bed each morning, or even before that? Chances are you’ll turn off an alarm and twitch aside the curtain to check the weather before checking your smartphone for any updates you may have missed during the night."
"It seems difficult to believe now, but there was a time, a mere 17 years ago, when the term ‘Wi-Fi’ had never been uttered. And even after the technology was introduced, it may have been years before your workplace became entirely wireless (in fact many still aren’t)."
"This week, in the final instalment of our cyber-security awareness series, we look at the role of training in helping to keep your IT security in peak condition."
"As it’s January, when many people’s minds turn to self-improvement, we’re looking at cyber security awareness and how you can implement the kind of lasting change that will make a difference to the future of your business."
"Did you get a Fitbit this Christmas? Or did you just make a New Year’s resolution to get moving a bit more now that our thoughts have turned to summer plans? Perhaps you’ve just made the decision to be a bit more proactive about getting out and meeting people, either personally or professionally."
"We might be feeling ever so slightly sluggish after one too many late nights over the festive season, but you can be sure that the cyber-criminals won’t be taking time out."
"As we bid a final farewell to 2016, whatever your thoughts on the year may have been, we can’t help but look back with pride at a successful year at Dynamic Networks."
"Previously we’ve talked about firewalls as being the bouncers of the internet. Believe it or not, they also have a lot in common with those fitness DVDs and gym memberships thousands of us will be investing in come January in a bid to shift some of the Christmas pounds."
"Whatever your feelings on the Christmas period, there’s no denying that a little forward planning can make all the difference when it comes to alleviating stress around the main event. "
"Group CEO, James, gives his thoughts and reflects on the last 12 months."
"An essential first step in any company’s online security, firewalls are essentially network security systems that monitor and control the incoming and outgoing network traffic based on predetermined security rules."
"It’s been almost a year since the devastating events that unfolded across Yorkshire and beyond on Boxing Day 2015, when the region suffered its worst flooding in a generation and hundreds of homes and businesses were left submerged under filthy flood waters."
"If you lose your company data, it can be a long road back to business as usual – and some businesses never recover. "
"It’s the season of scares and, while we can be fairly confident that there are no real monsters lurking under our beds, what’s far more frightening is the very real threat of cyber-crime and the number of businesses that continue to leave themselves open to attack from an ever-increasing list of cyber security threats."
"Are you one of the many, many businesses suffering from an email encryption headache? "
"We might make it look easy, but in reality our tech support team works very hard to keep our customers’ IT networks secure and in tip top condition."
"Yorkshire businesses are being invited to save on the cost and pain of cyber-attacks by taking an IT security audit that will directly support local charities in their fight against cancer."
"Don’t you just love it when we give IT products and services fancy names? In this case, ‘proximity secure zoning’. "
"Have you ever actually thought about it, and what the impact of losing that data would be? I had a think about this recently, and thought I’d share a few thoughts with you."
"We’ve talked a lot about cyber crime recently on our blog, but we know from experience that many businesses see it as something that happens to other people: big corporations, national brands - not SMEs in Yorkshire."
"In the final instalment of our series of ransomware blog posts, we look at security risks for mobile users."
"The latest spate of ransomware attacks has seen hospitals across the globe become targets, with hackers reportedly using new techniques to infect networks before demanding payment to return network access to its rightful owners."
"Many of you will no doubt be familiar with the now infamous threat Liam Neeson’s character Bryan Mills makes to his daughter’s captors in the 2008 blockbuster, Taken:"
"A recent survey showed that over 50% of businesses in the UK have been hit with a ransomware attack in the last 12 months, with a third of victims reporting lost revenue as a result. "
"With a quarter of companies reportedly experiencing accidental system failures, data corruption or loss, the importance of effective data backups has never been greater."
"One of the benefits of buying a brand new home is the fact that it’s a blank canvas. Clean, freshly painted walls."
"We’ve all heard the saying ‘you never get a second chance to make a first impression’. The statistics vary: some say it takes seven seconds for people to build a first impression; others believe it happens in the blink of an eye (a tenth of a second!)."
"For many of us, the concept of controlling our heating remotely is a reality."
"Dynamic Networks Group has completed the installation of state of the art VIP door entry and access control systems in 150 luxury apartments at the prestigious Q One and Q Two buildings in Leeds city centre."
"James Baird, managing director of Dynamic Networks Group, answers Yorkshire-based questions with The Business Desk:"
"Another day, another data breach. This time, it was social network LinkedIn that fell foul of hackers, when 117 million users’ emails and passwords were put up for sale on the so called ‘dark web’ this week."
"One of the biggest causes of cyber-crime is malware on spam and phishing emails."
"Have you ever had the experience of troubleshooting an issue on your network or trying to install new equipment, only to be delayed because of poor cable management in your server room?"
"The way we work has changed over the last 20 years and the growth of smartphones, tablets and Internet of Things (IoT) devices is transforming the way we communicate in the workplace."
"You will no doubt have heard people talking about 'virtualising' their IT and the benefits it can have."
"Businesses are under increasing threat from cyber criminals, yet many organisations are not taking the threat seriously or don’t have the knowledge and skills in house to protect their data."
"Leeds restaurant scene stalwart Bibis Italianissimo, Sheffield engineering firm William Cook Cast Products and Leeds decorative panel products business Lawcris are the latest additions to the Dynamic group's growing client list."
"Using an IT MSP has now become a very attractive option for many businesses. Gone are the days of the term “outsourcing”, as a good MSP will become a valued partner and a genuine extension of your team."
"The Hard Disk Drive (HDD) has been the standard storage option for business users' computer infrastructures for years."
"Businesses can invest in the latest, state of the art anti-hacking technology, but what happens if a security breach comes from inside your organisation?"
"The Dynamic Networks Group has become one of 30 local businesses directly supporting invaluable community initiatives by joining the Friends of the Leeds Rhinos Foundation."
"Dynamic Networks managing director James Baird has been shortlisted in the 2016 BQ Emerging Entrepreneur of the Year awards."
"Managing director James Baird says the accreditation recognises the team’s product knowledge, technical and installation expertise and gives customers access to state of the art products at competitive prices, along with the reassurance that that they are dealing with a reputable firm with a proven track record of successful projects under its belt."
"Dynamics Networks Ltd has made its first acquisition since becoming a stand-alone business in July this year."
"A recent splinter business is set for growth after securing the backing of a Yorkshire entrepreneur."