Bestul & Associates LLC

05/15/2023

Running IT at an institution of higher learning (HL) has always been a challenge. It was already difficult when all you had to do was keep systems running properly and end users (students, faculty, staff, administrators) reasonably satisfied.

These days, though, there is an entire additional layer of compliance with federal cybersecurity standards added to the workload. Most colleges and universities have always paid some attention to information security, but it wasn't always documented or laid out in a procedural fashion. Guess what? Now it has to be, or your college could be subject to audits and fines. It's like an entire new department is needed on top of everything else just to validate and enforce compliance.

And people wonder why it costs so much to attend a college or university.

If you need help with this, that's pretty much what I do...

06/09/2021

Some simple things you can do to prepare for a ransomware attack.

1. Do you have daily backups?
2. Do you know if they’re any good?
3. Have you done a test restore? Why not?
4. Have you run a test to ensure your backup data or the backup system isn’t already corrupted by malware?
5. Is your backup storage always connected to the internet or your internal network? Why?

If these questions raise more questions than answers, contact me. I can help.

05/24/2020

I thought I would share my new ground rules for leading consulting engagements and interim management roles!

1. Everything is done virtually. Every organization I work with needs to have a Zoom license (or equivalent) for every participant.
2. Meetings with teams and work groups for the purposes of discovery, planning, and status updates will be conducted via Zoom.
3. No more than 7 participants in any single interactive Zoom meeting. If you need more than that then we need to discuss appropriate delegation.
4. The old corporate trappings of (male) managers wearing coats and ties or at least shirts with collars is abolished. Women managers wear whatever you’re comfortable wearing. If you’re not a manager, same rule applies x 2.
5. Haircuts are optional. Showers are not. We can still smell your unwashed stink and bad hygiene through the camera lens.
6. If you and your corporate systems (front facing and back office) haven’t already been digitally transformed then we know what your first project is.

05/03/2020

As our world slowly adjusts to living with COVID-19, colleges and universities across the world are learning new ways to interact and serve their students.

Fortunately, all of the services I offer can be provided virtually. Objective, vendor-neutral, targeted advice backed by 30+ years of experience in higher ed technology management, now offered in the form of a "virtual CIO". If your institution is in need of expert assistance during these trying times, please contact me.

First hour of virtual advisory services is always free. Maybe that's all you'll need, and that's fine. Glad to be of assistance and pay back for all the many productive years where a higher ed technology career supported me and my family.

Good luck and best wishes to all my colleagues around the world!

03/24/2020

One thing all “strategic consultants” like myself can stop doing right now. And that would be stop pestering clients and prospects with how great your services are and how you can help save them in this transformative crisis. They’ve got their hands full just trying to survive and deal with the new challenges of online education, remote workforces, and protecting their customers and employees. They don’t need any extra noise coming from us.

03/12/2020

Don’t fall for these new scams, taking advantage of fear and the national health crisis.

Criminals are exploiting the public's fears about the coronavirus to try to break into their email, social media, and banking accounts, cybersecurity experts have warned.

03/10/2020

For all my higher ed clients... please review, if you haven't already done so.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a virus (more specifically, a coronavirus) identified as the cause of an outbreak of respiratory illness first detected in Wuhan, China.

02/01/2020

My latest thoughts on data protection, privacy, and data collection... Would love to read your reactions and comments...

Sometimes I feel like I’m the only CIO type guy left on Earth who has a problem with what I refer to as the over collection of data, and the resulting “data an

12/14/2019

I can help you with improving your cybersecurity on campus, especially if you're a small institution with limited resources. The need is the same, but the approach is different.

If you’re a small to medium-sized higher ed institution with limited resources to address cybersecurity, Bestul & Associates LLC can help by providing a co

10/16/2019

Educause Top 10 Issues for 2020 is now available. Security is still number one, with privacy showing up as number two. This is a good thing as institutions begin to grapple with the realities of GDPR and the consequences of collecting data about everyone and everything in an effort to improve student success, bolster retention, and regain financial viability in very competitive world.

09/19/2019

Something every institution of higher learning should be prepared for. I’ve had experience with all the recommended steps!