Month: August 2018

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August 2018 | VPLS Monthly Newsletter

August 2018 | VPLS Monthly Newsletter

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VPLS IT Solutions and IT Services in Orange County

VPLS Highlights for August 2018

As summer slowly transitions into the fall season, there was no such slow-down with the VPLS team this past August! From celebrating a team player’s outstanding performance to sprucing up an east coast data center to honoring a manager’s dedication to his job; it’s easy to see why this team was still on fire even though temperatures outside were cooling down! Come see why August was a such a HOT month for the VPLS team by checking out our monthly recap…

Kate

VPLS Recognizes Greatness in Character: July 2018 Employee of the Month Kate Bisaillon!

VPLS sincerely appreciates a team member who takes the initiative to lend a helping hand around the office without being asked. This is why Executive Assistant Kate was named Employee of the Month for July 2018. Kate plays an important part in the day to day operations at VPLS Solutions. She handles all forms of communications with utmost professionalism in addition to ensuring all shipments are sent and received in a timely manner. She is Co-Founder John Minnix’s right hand and she steps in to take care of his correspondence when he’s not available. Congratulations Kate! Your award is well-deserved!

Servers in Room

VPLS Upgrades East Coast Data Center: The Second Coming of Virginia Data Center!

A major project at VPLS calls for the entire team to be unified as one! Currently, VPLS is refurbishing the data center (IAD2) located in Ashburn, Virginia, in order to expand company presence on the East Coast as well as to better cater to data center users by providing additional services including Disaster Recovery as a Service (DRaaS), cloud hosting, along with increased bandwidth and storage. To ensure a smooth execution during this renovation, every team involved, internally and externally, is in constant communication with one another (while fulfilling their own assigned tasks) to help move the project forward as a whole. The team spends numerous hours configuring, testing, modifying and retesting the necessary equipment to properly prepare for the project. Being the reliable and supportive team that VPLS stands for, every single team member is committed until completion, turning this project into an opportunity to actively put the company’s core values into practice.

VPLS Celebration

VPLS Appreciates Loyalty: Celebrating Mike Ly’s 10-Year Anniversary!

It always very special day here at VPLS when we have the honor to welcome another team member to the 10’s club; General Manager Mike Ly! Mike is a key player to the company; he loves his job and he does it so well! His personable customer service skills and seasoned technical skills are vital to maintaining some of the company’s biggest clients. Mike drives his team with result-oriented leadership while maintaining his humility as he assists in all areas regardless of his demanding schedule. Mike adds tremendous value to the team and VPLS could not be more grateful to have him! Thank you Mike for your loyalty and workmanship to the company! Cheers to many more years to come!

We hope that you enjoyed reading our company highlights for the month of August. We will continue to share more of our favorite moments in the months to come, so please stay tuned!


If you want to keep up with the latest security trends and other IT related products and services, please visit the VPLS blog and stay current with the latest news!

Don’t forget, VPLS Data Centers are uniquely situated in the heart of technology centers around the country and safeguard performance, security, reliability, and offer peace of mind for users, so contact us today!

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EDUCATION TECHNOLOGY STRATEGIC CONCEPTS

EDUCATION TECHNOLOGY STRATEGIC CONCEPTS

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Original blog by Darryl Vidal

In order to assess and analyze the current state of educational technology we must look at baseline metrics to establish a starting point. The following is an objective summary of instructional and technological innovation strategies in light of “industry standards” or within the educational realm, other similar school districts, and educational trends.

Status Quo

The notion of Status Quo – or the current state of things – in the realm of technology can also be viewed as a concept of standing still – as in not falling down, but also not moving forward. The technology realm is guided by Moore’s Law that states, “overall processing power will double every two years.”

This exponential expansion when applied to schools and school districts manifests in infrastructure requirements and device counts growing in the thousands of percentiles – imagine the growth of moving from one computer per staff member to one computer per student, and the impact on wireless and wired network capacity.

If organizations are not advancing at the pace of technological growth, they are, in essence, losing ground to the rest of the community. Worse yet, if obsolescence or disfunction of any sort become part of the infrastructure or organizational environment (Ed Tech and IT), the status quo is really not.

Some of these characteristics can be observed in a school district’s inability to report data effectively – both internally (Chronic Absenteeism) and externally (State Reporting data), respond efficiently and effectively to projects and requests, and foster a cohesive strategic cooperation between instruction and IT operations.

The Leapfrog Effect

The leapfrog effect takes its name from the schoolyard game of Leapfrog where students form a line and the students stoop down while the rearmost student leaps over the others in sequence as the whole chain of students advances forward. This concept as applied to technology strategy endeavors not to just move forward by one step at a time in a gradual progression from status quo to phase 1, and phase 2, but to move from status quo to phase 2 by executing phase 1 and phase two at the same time.

In effect, if the status quo is currently in a state of ineffective and inefficient, then addressing and remediating these inefficiencies can be one leap, while advancing to strategic innovations at the same time.

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Disruption

The concept of disruption is well documented both for business as well as in education. The book by Clayton Christensen “Disrupting Class” has been widely read in education circles. Fundamentally, the concept is similar to the leapfrog effect but to a larger impact. Instead of incremental and sequential improvements and innovations, disruption breaks the progression and redefines a new starting point well beyond the classic incremental progression. By seeking to disrupt the typical path of improvement and innovation, the strategy seeks to move beyond the traditional metrics and milestones and set a broader set of goals, and a faster pace.

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Instructional & Technological Innovation Strategy

The Innovation Strategy chart details an example of an improvement strategy for both the Instructional Technology and Information Technology services departments. The progression (moving from bottom to top) shows factors of inefficiency and ineffectiveness that may be symptoms of disfunction or lack of structure or process below the RED LINE OF DISCONTENT, and progressively complex factors moving up from the red line.

This is not to state that an organization is at or below the red line, only to demonstrate how an improvement and innovation strategy might deliver more complex and innovative instructional and operational support systems.

The higher levels of this strategy focus on more leveraged and complex integration, customization and instructional trends.

On the instruction side – use of LMS, content development and content redefinition (SAMR) are on the top. On the technical side – integration of data systems and report, analytics and decision support, and student access to performance and outreach services top the list.

By disrupting the progression and seeking a new baseline above the red line, organizations can disrupt the slow moving progression suffered by many a school or business.

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Zerto Lunch & Learn

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A Zerto Lunch & Learn

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Don’t miss out on your chance to be delighted and enlightened at our Lunch and Learn event brought to you by VPLS and Zerto!

Come join us as we explore DRaaS and Zerto products and services as well as compare them to Legacy DR/Backup methodologies with an engaging demo delivered by Bobby Silva of Zerto while dining on five-star cuisine from The Capital Grille.

Seating is limited. Sign up today!

Event Details
Date:
Wednesday, Sept. 19th

Time:
11:30 – 1:30 PM

Location:
The Capital Grille
3333 Bristol Street
Costa Mesa, CA 92626

Registration for this event has now been closed. Thank you

VPLS Orange County and Los Angeles County California

VPLS is a Managed Service Provider located within Central Orange County, serving both local and long-distance customers with a variety of IT Solutions, Networking, and Cybersecurity needs.


If you want to keep up with the latest IT and Security related products and services, please visit the VPLS blog and stay current with the latest news! We strive to offer the best service in Orange and Los Angeles County, as a Managed Service Provider.

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School Cybersecurity tips

Cybersecurity Tips: Back-to-School Edition

Cybersecurity Tips: Back-to-School Edition

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School Cybersecurity tipsSchools are integrating more and more technology into their classrooms, requiring students to have computers, mobile devices, and other tech gadgets to be successful. As students become accustomed to technology in their everyday lives, they forget basic cybersecurity fundamentals.

The fear of being hacked should be the least of any student’s worry, especially during a stressful school year. VPLS offers these tips to help students stay protected throughout the school year.

Social Media

Social Media that uses Geo-tagging Make sure all your social media accounts are on private and not public to prevent strangers from stalking your social media accounts. In addition, don’t post any personal information on social media such as your school ID, dorm, or other private places. Be aware of the risks of geo-tagging and people having access to your current location. Click here to read our previous blog about Geo-Tagging Tips.

Secure Your Password

It is important to keep your account passwords secure. Make sure your passwords don’t include any personal information such as your name, birthday, etc. Passwords should include a combination of upper-case letters, lower-case letters, symbols, and numbers. Don’t forget to change your password periodically, to ensure ultimate security.

Another tip is to not use the same password for all your accounts. If one of your account’s password is hacked, the hacker now has access to your other accounts that use the same password. To avoid this problem, consider using LastPass. LastPass is a free password manager extension that remembers all your passwords used for different accounts. LastPass stores all the passwords in an encrypted vault which is secured by a master password.

Now you do not need to remember all your passwords while having the passwords remain secure.

Infected USB Drives

If you find a random USB drive or other similar hardware in public, do not insert it into your computer. Chances are that it is infected. Hackers can implant viruses into USB drives that can infect computers once they plug it in.

Hackers can access the infected computer and gain access to their private information. Only use your own USB drives or USB drives from a trusted source. Do not use one that is not your own.

Phishing Attacks

Phishing is when a scammer tries to trick users into giving them sensitive information by pretending to be a trusted source. Scammers can pretend to be a bank company, IRS, school, or a fan page and ask for your personal information. They can create fake websites, fake emails, or phone calls that seem very similar to the real thing.

Always double check where the source came from before inputting personal information. Remember, companies will never ask for your password. Be sure that websites are secure before adding personal information.

Public Wi-fi

Many shops and public places offer their customers free wi-fi. This may seem very convenient, but you are using unprotected public wi-fi. Hackers can exploit vulnerabilities found in public wi-fi and gain access to your computer and personal information.

If you are using public wi-fi, make sure to use a VPN along with it. This makes public wi-fi act like a private wi-fi, making your information more secure. If you decide not to use a VPN while using public wi-fi, stay away from websites that give off private information.

If you want to keep up with the latest security trends and other IT related products and services, please visit the VPLS blog and stay current with the latest news!

Don’t forget, VPLS is a Fortinet Gold Managed Security Service Provider, to provide maximum security for all your web and database server needs.

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Cybersecurity Tips: Potential Risks of Geotagging on Social Media

Cybersecurity Tips: Potential Risks of Geotagging on Social Media

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Geo-tagging has slowly integrated itself into modern day social media. Geo-tagging is a great way to keep up with friends and family, but you should learn these basic geo-tagging tips to protect your privacy and keep yourself safe.

What is Geo-tagging?

Geo-tagging is adding pieces of geographical information (geo-tags) for the ability to share location on social media. 

Users can geo-tag via:

  1. Snapchat geofilters
  2. Yelp check ins
  3. Instagram geostickers
  4. Find My Friends on IOS
  5. Many other social media options

But, sometimes the option of filling in the location can also bring many security risks. Here are some tips to protect your privacy and ensure your safety

Set Social Media Accounts to Private

Make sure all your social media accounts are on private, not public. Setting your account to private will allow established friends to see all your post. Private accounts prevent strangers from stalking your social media and knowing your location.

A common mistake people make is posting your current location on a social media post. If your account is not on private, strangers have access to your whereabouts.

Posting your current location on social media indirectly tells strangers you are not at home. Thieves and burglars can discover the times that you are not home, making your house a potential target for robbery. Wait until you are at home or at a safe location to post with geo-tags on social media.

Also, restaurants and shops sometimes give out rewards and discounts for those who check in on Yelp. Yelp can post your check in on your Twitter and Facebook account if they are linked to Yelp, giving away your current location. You can turn off Yelp’s option of posting your check-in and still receive check-in discounts.

Snapchat Geotags

Snapchat has a feature called geofilters. These are filters added on top of the user’s post to showcase the city they are in or even the specific location (restaurant, store, landmark, etc.) they are at. People use geofilters to show off to friends the places they are traveling to (Click here to learn how to use geofilters).

Unlike other social media platforms where you can add a geo-tag from a different location, people post on Snapchat from their current location. 

Geofilter examples

We suggest you avoid adding geofilters to posts that give off private information such as your home, school, work, gym, etc. Before adding a geofilter, think about whether you want people to know where you are. If you feel that you are safe, feel free to add a geofilter to your Snapchat post. Just remember that you are giving away your current location whenever you use a Snapchat geofilter. Geo-tag with caution!

Turn Off Share My Location

There are apps that have a share my location feature which allow you to track your friend’s location and vice versa. Find my Friends (iOS) and Snapchat (Snap Map) are examples of these apps. These apps require users to add each other on their respective platform before being able to use the share my location feature, preventing strangers from gaining access to your location.

Share My Location can be used as a safety feature when traveling, so loved ones know that you are safe. At the same time, the people you add on these apps will have access to your location 24/7.

If you want privacy, turn off the share my location on the app so people cannot find you. Another option is to set your share my location so only certain people have access to your location. You can choose trusted people to see where you are while blocking your location from other users.

Geo-tagging is a great way to show off to your friends and family about the places you have been to. Just make sure you have proper geo-tagging etiquette to keep yourself and others safe.

If you want to keep up with the latest security trends and other IT related products and services, please visit the VPLS blog and stay current with the latest news!

Don’t forget, VPLS offers Cloud Replication with Zerto services to best automates your recovery process!

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Blizzard Launches World of Warcraft: Battle for Azeroth

Blizzard Launches World of Warcraft: Battle for Azeroth

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Battle for Azeroth World of Warcraft 2018

Battle for Azeroth World of Warcraft 2018

The Battle for Azeroth Begins!

Launching in late 2004, World of Warcraft is still one of the largest and most popular gaming communities found worldwide. As of this week, Blizzard releases a new chapter to the series, Battle for Azeroth, bringing with it new features, captivating storylines, and (hopefully) resulting in more exciting gameplay.

VPLS discovers the latest updates, features, and whether or not your latest PC build has the potential to run the expansion without any hiccups.

Battle for Azeroth Release 2018 and what to expect
Blizzard Entertainment

Battle for Azeroth Release 2018 and what to expect

August 13th marked the official release date for Blizzard’s latest expansion pack, Battle of Azeroth. The expansion pack aims to bring new features and a change in gameplay, making fans both excited and nervous. What changes are about to take place in this new world of chaos?

Most recently, fans took to social media to voice their displeasure with Blizzard’s move to ignite yet another war between Horde and Alliance factions. For a better understanding of upcoming changes, let’s take a look at what you can expect with the latest expansion pack.

Voice-Chat System

World of Warcraft introduces a voice chat system! It’s true that many of the players today can already be found on the favored voice-chat app, Discord, but it’s nice to have an alternative. This is especially important when connecting with users that you only plan to encounter once or twice in game.

War Mode

In the past, players were forced to choose between a Player-versus-Player (PvP) or Player-versus-Environment (PvE) server. A choice that few found favorable as it split friends apart. In Battle for Azeroth, all servers are now PvE by default. The option is now in the hands of the player, as they can choose to toggle PvP mode on/off.

Character Customization

New options to change the appearance of some characters are now available. Players can select new faces for their Bloof Elf characters, including golden eyes. Male Orcs will now have an upright posture option to choose from.

Community Feature

Another great feature to strengthen connections is the community feature. Communities are available through the Blizzard launcher, meaning players are able to connect with friends and players that may be located within other games, such as Destiny or Overwatch.

Teldrassil is on fire

Teldrassil Burns

Players will complete new quests and learn that in order to survive this new world, there will be wins and losses on both sides. The powerful and magical island and great tree of the night elf, Teldrassil, is targeted and made to burn.

Meanwhile, the Alliance responds by taking back one of the Horde’s most beloved capitals, Undercity.

Battle for Azeroth System Requirements Blizzard

System Requirements - Windows

Battle for Azeroth is packed with content, so be sure to check out the mimimum and recommended requirements for World of Warcraft and the Battle for Azeroth expansion pack.

Battle for Azeroth System Requirements Blizzard Note: System Requirements may change over time.

If you want to keep up with the latest security trends and other IT related products and services, please visit the VPLS blog and stay current with the latest news!
Don’t forget, VPLS offers Cloud Replication with Zerto services to best automates your recovery process!

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Back to School Tech Trends 2018

Back to School Tech Trends 2018

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With the end of summer quickly approaching, one occasion is certainly on the rise: Back to School! At the moment, every school supply store is loaded with the classroom basics to fully equip teachers and students for another year of classes. Though being a teacher as a profession will always remain constant, their essentials and teaching methods however are being upgraded to a more tech savvy and efficient way to educate their students.

Let’s see how these five latest tech trends in classrooms can revolutionize the school scene…

education internet tech

1. The Internet of Things Will Be a Catch-All Solution for Classrooms!

Everything is possible in the classroom with the Internet of Things! Because of its capability to perform a multitude of daily tasks using sensors located around the classroom, teachers and school officials will be able to automate their tasks, like scheduling when lights turn on and off; customize their settings such as controlling the air conditioner and heater; and protect themselves and their students by arming and disarming various alarms, just with their mobile device. For a school setting to be able to fully utilize the Internet of Things, school officials should ensure that are enough codes and systems for their classroom setting so that there will be no overlapping that block the sensors.

minecraft videogame tech

2. Gaming Technology Will Make Learning Fun!

Who says learning cannot be fun? Incorporating gaming technology with various educational programs can provide students both an interactive virtual environment while they learn in school. Such technology will consist of virtual programs that will provide different responses based on how students answer each question. This is good way for students to acquire problem-solving skills as well. A great example of this is the game Minecraft where players can only move on to the next level by building their own solutions using blocks as their resource. By adding a fun technical flair to the learning process, students will be more engaged at school, thus making them more invested in their education in the long run.

computer laptop technology

3. Use Data to Advance Your Class!

Using data in a classroom can be quite advantageous for any school setting. This data can then be reviewed by teachers, to see how theirs students perform in a class, thus allowing teachers to adjust and improve their lesson plans accordingly. Additionally, by storing such data using a managed enterprise cloud environment, school officials will be able to access and retrieve data anytime and anywhere the occasion calls for it. Data plays an important role when it comes to ensuring that teachers are providing their students the best learning experience they possibly can.

education technology cybersecurity

4. Technology Encourages Students to Be Creators!

By incorporating computers and tablets into classrooms, students will be able to learn through the concept of creating. There are many programs on their devices to encourage them use their creativity to find solutions for problems. This will also help build great strategizing skills in the long run as well. By exposing their students to technology on the regular, teachers are preparing them to know how to master any computer program they will encounter in the future.

computer keyboard technology

5. Technology-friendly Learning Spaces are the New Norm!

Technology in the classroom has sparked the re-designing of traditional learning spaces. These spaces are specifically designed to host computers along with other technology devices that will assist teachers and students alike in many areas of their education. An instance of this would be a makerspace where unique tech-related projects, such as coding and robot-building, can be created and completed in one setting.

It is easy to see that these technology features will help the education industry flourish in 2018. Technology is the key to making learning relevant and more enjoyable by providing both teachers and students a reason to look to forward to going to school every day.

If you want to keep up with the latest security trends and other IT related products and services, please visit the VPLS blog and stay current with the latest news!

Don’t forget! VPLS offers Cloud Replication with Zerto services that prepare, plan, and test for any problems or issues that may occur in your cloud environment!

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Enterprise Mobility Management Strategy: Cost-Effective Solution To Increase Employee Productivity

Enterprise Mobility Management Strategy: Cost-Effective Solution To Increase Employee Productivity

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Enterprise servicesThere’s a long list of reasons for why an employer will choose to subscribe to Enterprise Mobility Management services for their big (or small) business needs. Afterall, this cost-effective solution saves businesses money without having to sacrifice any of the essentials.

What Are Enterprise Mobility Management Services?

Enterprise Mobility Management (EMM) services use the latest in technology to help employees stay connected to most (if not all) company applications, documents, and more. Employees are able to access company applications and information through any device, any time of the day, and from any place in the world. EMM services help employers and their employees focus on important tasks and spend less energy focusing on the minutiae of everyday life.

What Features Are Included With EMM Services?

Enterprise Mobility Management with VPLS Orange County, CaliforniaToday’s EMM technology services come loaded with features. These features vary and are customizable according to your business needs. However, it’s important to understand some features are dependent upon the provider and can vary.

Here are a handful of features available with EMM services that you won’t want to skip out on:

Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) is exactly what it sounds like. EMM providers that offer this feature allow for employers and their employees to carry over their preferred devices, regardless of the device’s platform. This includes Android, iOS, Windows, and macOS.

The ability to access important company information is great but it may come at a cost, if not cared for properly. EMM providers that use VWware AirWatch technology are a sure sign that your company data will always be available and always be safe. No shortcuts here!

Endpoint management is a breeze with one management console across all major operating systems. Employers will have the ability to manage the entire lifecycle through one system. If a device goes missing, simply wipe the device remotely. Endpoint management helps protect intellectual property.

Why Should I Consider EMM Services?

VPLS Enterprise Mobility Management Services and VMwareIf you read last week’s VPLS blog, Top 5 Benefits on Working From Home, you learned that more and more businesses are choosing to offer their employees a remote option, even if it’s only once or twice a week. Why? Here are a few reasons:

The option saves employers and their employees a lot of money.
Gallup studies show continue to show a rise in this trend.
Less need for sick or personal days.
Higher employee satisfaction and a rise in work productivity.

Additionally, top-notch providers like VPLS are able to stack on additional security features and resources to guarantee seamless service. VPLS is a proud partner of VMware, meaning your company data is always secured with the best in technology. The best part? It won’t cost you much more than one or two cups of coffee a month.

If you want to keep up with the latest security trends and other IT related products and services, please visit the VPLS blog and stay current with the latest news!

Don’t forget! VPLS offers VMware Hybrid Cloud services that can seamlessly integrate data, applications, and functions up to the cloud!

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July 2018 | VPLS Monthly Newsletter

July 2018 | VPLS Monthly Newsletter

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VPLS Highlights for July 2018

Fireworks weren’t the only reason why July shined so brightly at VPLS headquarters! Let’s take a look back and reflect on some of our favorite moments, as they made the month of July one to remember. VPLS reached company milestones, established major sales, and eagerly celebrated multiple employee anniversaries!

Let’s take a look at how VPLS made the most out of the month of July.

Harold Valenzuela Systems Engineer of Orange County California

VPLS Employee of the Month

VPLS always makes sure to recognize excellence when an employee embodies it. Associate Systems Engineer, Harold Valenzuela, was named July’s Employee of the Month for being an example of what a team player embodies. As well as being a true professional when it came to taking on new projects and tasks. Harold has been a tremendous help with his Help Desk Team contributions and he does everything while keeping both his team and VPLS customers in mind. Harold takes great pride in his work and it has made all of the difference.

VPLS Human Resources Winnie Sung

VPLS Celebrates Employee Anniversaries

Human Resource Manager and Head of Accounting Team, Winnie Sung, rang in her 10-year anniversary this month! Winnie has solidified herself as a key player at VPLS, taking on multiple crucial roles and executing them effectively throughout her duration here with the company.

dean work anniversary vpls

Channel Account Manager, Dean Wang, celebrates his 5-year anniversary this month! Dean plays a huge role in supporting and maintaining clients for our dedicated and cloud server hosting company, Krypt.com.

VPLS feels very fortunate to have such committed members on the team. Here’s to many more happy and successful years to come!

vpls 4th of july celebration
VPLS Ice Cream Social

Happy 4th of July

VPLS rang in the Fourth of July with a morale-building, patriotic-themed ice cream social! Every team member was encouraged to sport their red, white, and blue attire, as we all bonded over our custom-made sundaes. What an incredible variety of delicious ice cream and festive toppings, mmm!

Orange County VPLS Von Jackson Geoffrey Ventura

Company festivities such as these remind us that a team that plays together, stays together! Our ice cream social was the cherry on top of a very loaded and fulfilling month!
We hope that you enjoyed reading our company highlights for the month of July. We will continue to share more of our favorite moments in the months to come, so please stay tuned!

If you want to keep up with the latest security trends and other IT related products and services, please visit the VPLS blog and stay current with the latest news!
Don’t forget, VPLS offers Cloud Replication with Zerto services to best automates your recovery process!

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