Microsoft Ends Free Business Premium and E1 Licenses for Nonprofits: What You Need to Know

As a Microsoft Cloud Solution Provider (CSP) and Partner, Ariel IT Services is committed to keeping our nonprofit clients informed and prepared for changes that impact their technology strategy. One such major change is coming soon: Microsoft is discontinuing its free (grant-based) Microsoft 365 Business Premium and Office 365 E1 licenses for nonprofits, effective July…

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Smart Manufacturing Unleashed: How IIoT is Shaping the Industry 

In the age of digital transformation, the manufacturing sector has undergone a significant metamorphosis. The advent of the Internet of Things (IoT) has paved the way for Industrial IoT (IIoT), leading to the rise of smart factories. These factories are not just a vision of the future; they are a reality today, driving efficiency, reducing…

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From Efficiency to Errors: My Journey with Microsoft Copilot

Since my last post on Copilot, I found a concerning error! In our last newsletter, I wrote an article titled “Microsoft Copilot – Stop Using Search Engines.” Since then, I have continued my daily use of Copilot for various reasons, including research, writing assistance, finding information in our systems, and analyzing data from our other…

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Are You Ready for Windows 10 End of Life?

A Comprehensive Guide for a Seamless Transition The End of Windows 10 Support As technology advances, so must our operating systems. Microsoft has announced that support for Windows 10 will officially end on October 14, 2025. This means no more security updates, technical support, or bug fixes will be provided beyond this date. To ensure…

Ariel IT Gives Back

I have been participating in Guys Who Give – Boulder County since 2018 and it’s an amazing group of guys! Over a 100 of us commit to give $100 (or more) per quarter to a local non-profit. It’s about the easiest way to donate to a local 501c3 there is (and it’s fun)! Once a…

MSPs and IT Service Providers – Cybersecurity is part of the job!

The job of a Managed Service Provider (MSP) or IT Provider has taken a drastic turn in the last couple of years and in addition to being responsible for strategy, security, patches, updates, monitors, failures and helping users with technology, we are being asked to protect our clients from criminals with an arsenal of software…

US formally names Russian Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) as the perpetrator of the cyber espionage campaign that exploited the SolarWinds Orion

The United States formally named the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) as the perpetrator of the broad-scope cyber espionage campaign that exploited the SolarWinds Orion platform and other information technology infrastructures. These attacks continue in Microsoft 365 (M365)/Azure environments.  Read more at https://us-cert.cisa.gov/ncas/alerts/aa21-008a. The best way to minimize the risk of a compromise is through…