Network Solutions

Is it time to retire the VPN? For more than 20 years, VPNs have been the standard for remote access. But a growing number of security incidents are raising questions about whether that model still makes sense. Recent vulnerabilities across multiple VPN vendors highlight a fundamental concern: Once attackers gain access, they may be able to move laterally throughout the network. And with AI accelerating vulnerability discovery, the window between disclosure and exploitation is shrinking. In this Network World article, Zeus Kerravala makes a compelling case for moving toward Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA), where users, devices, and AI agents receive access only to the applications they need. VPNs aren't disappearing overnight. But the conversation about replacing them should already be happening. Is your organization planning for life after the VPN? Read the article: hubs.ly/Q04CWzS50 #ZeroTrust #NetworkSecurity #CyberSecurity

Cisco is giving its partners powerful new tools. And customers stand to benefit. One of the biggest themes coming out of Cisco Partner Summit is how AI is transforming network management, security, and IT operations. This Network World article highlights innovations including Cisco IQ, Cloud Control, AI-powered automation, and expanded network visibility. For Network Solutions, these developments create exciting opportunities to help customers reduce risk, simplify operations, and maximize their Cisco investments. The next generation of IT is becoming more proactive, intelligent, and connected. We're excited to help customers put it to work. Read the article: hubs.ly/Q04CWtph0 #CiscoPartnerSummit #CiscoNetworking #AIOperations

What happens when a trusted AI coding assistant becomes the security threat? Developers using Cursor recently faced exactly that scenario. A malicious version of Anthropic's Claude Code extension was distributed through Cursor's marketplace for approximately 11 hours, potentially affecting up to 5,000 users. The compromised extension attempted to install persistent SSH backdoors, collect system information, and establish remote access to developers' machines. Cursor has removed the malicious version and taken the attacker's server offline. But there's an important catch: Simply uninstalling the extension may not remove the backdoor. It's a timely reminder that as AI development tools become part of everyday workflows, software supply chain security deserves just as much attention as the applications being built. How closely is your organization monitoring the tools your developers trust? Read the full story: hubs.ly/Q04CWvp10 #CyberSecurity #SoftwareSupplyChain #AISecurity

What if your network could troubleshoot itself—and ask permission before making changes? That's exactly what Cisco is demonstrating with AgenticOps and Cisco Cloud Control. In this 12-minute CIO video, Cisco shows AI agents identifying network problems, diagnosing root causes, performing security audits, and recommending fixes. One example? An AI agent identifies a VLAN mismatch, explains the problem, and prepares a configuration change for administrator approval. Hours of troubleshooting potentially reduced to minutes, with IT teams still in control. For organizations dealing with growing network complexity, alert fatigue, and limited IT resources, this is a compelling look at where network operations are headed. Watch the demonstration: hubs.ly/Q04CRFsh0 #CiscoAgenticOps #NetworkAutomation #ArtificialIntelligence

Powering Partner Potential in a World of Agentic AI IT teams must modernize their networks and rethink how they operate while keeping systems secure against fast-changing threats. AI workloads are placing new demands on infrastructure, and agents are entering production workflows. At the same time, AI-discovered vulnerabilities are rapidly reshaping the threat landscape. The PHP2Shell disclosures are one recent example of this broader problem, creating an urgent focus on networking as a key enforcement point for security. hubs.ly/Q04CzmSQ0

We are so grateful! Two great days. Countless conversations. One incredible community! What a fantastic experience at the MAEDS Fall Conference in beautiful Traverse City, Michigan! We want to extend a huge THANK YOU to everyone who stopped by the Network Solutions booth, shared ideas, talked technology, and made us feel so welcome. There's something energizing about connecting with education technology professionals who share a passion for helping Michigan's schools succeed. The conversations, collaboration, and enthusiasm were truly the highlights of our time together. A special thank you to the MAEDS committee, organizers, and volunteers! Your dedication to bringing this community together was evident throughout the event. What an outstanding conference! We're heading home with new connections, fresh perspectives, and an even greater appreciation for Michigan's education technology community. To our MAEDS friends: What was your favorite moment from this year's conference? We'd love to hear it! Until next time, Traverse City. Thanks for the memories! #MAEDS #EdTech #MichiganEducation

Wireless is the next security frontier, and Cisco is leading the way The long-standing idea that wireless is more than connectivity is rapidly becoming a day-to-day reality. It is the primary interface for people, devices, machines and AI systems. This transition makes security a top priority, and AI adds a new level of urgency to this mission. AI agents are moving beyond occasional user requests as organizations put more compute closer to employees. hubs.ly/Q04CLllG0

What should customers expect from their Cisco partner in the AI era? A whole lot more. That's a conversation we're having firsthand at Cisco Partner Summit in Vancouver, where Bob Tadevich, Victor Martino, and Mark Kamerer are connecting with Cisco leadership. As this Network World article highlights, innovations like Cisco IQ, Cloud Control, and AI-powered operations are changing what partners can deliver. For Network Solutions, it's an exciting evolution of the Cisco expertise and customer relationships we've built over decades. The technology is evolving. So are customer expectations. And we're making sure NSI is ready to deliver. hubs.ly/Q04CLk-T0 #CiscoPartnerSummit #CiscoPartners #AIInfrastructure

Technology brings us together. Relationships make us stronger. One of the best parts of Cisco Partner Summit is spending time with the people who make this partnership so special! Our NSI leadership team — Bob Tadevich, Victor Martino, and Mark Kamerer — enjoyed connecting with some of our favorite Cisco friends, Mike McDaniel, Kevin Snyder, Alexa Trifilo, and Leonard Thompson! Great conversations, shared vision, and plenty of laughs along the way. As Network Solutions enters an exciting new chapter, these relationships are more valuable than ever. Together, we're building on decades of trust, innovation, and a shared commitment to our customers. Great technology matters. Great people make it happen. #CiscoPartnerSummit #CiscoPartners #NetworkSolutions

Adobe has released patches to address multiple critical security flaws in Campaign Classic that, if successfully exploited, could result in arbitrary code execution, security feature bypass, and privilege escalation. The list of eight vulnerabilities is as follows ... hubs.ly/Q04Czlm90

Big ideas. Bold innovation. And incredible momentum coming out of Cisco Partner Summit in Vancouver! Oliver Tuszik brought tremendous energy to the stage, reinforcing the enormous opportunities ahead for Cisco and its partners. From AI and intelligent networking to cybersecurity and managed services, one message stood out: The future of IT is about bringing technologies together to deliver better business outcomes. With Network Solutions now part of the Pinnacle Technology Solutions family, we're more excited than ever about what's ahead for our customers. Great people. Strong partnerships. An incredible city. And bigger possibilities than ever! #CiscoPartnerSummit #CiscoPartners #NetworkSolutions

Advanced persistent threats were once the domain of highly skilled and well-funded attackers. Infrastructure teams could realistically deploy “good enough” security to reduce friction in their day-to-day because nation-state techniques demanded budgets, time, and expertise that most attackers did not have. That assumption no longer holds. AI is making sophisticated attack capabilities cheaper, faster, and available to many more adversaries. hubs.ly/Q04Cvq4_0

Windows Server 2016 is approaching end of support in January 2027. For IT teams, now is the time to identify affected workloads, review application dependencies, confirm upgrade paths, and build enough testing time into the migration plan. Waiting until the final security update can turn a manageable lifecycle project into an urgent business risk. BleepingComputer summarizes the timeline and Microsoft’s recommendations: hubs.ly/Q04Cmz3Z0 #WindowsServer #ITInfrastructure #LifecycleManagement #Cybersecurity #ITStrategy

Enterprise AI becomes more useful when its scope becomes more specific. This look at AI agents inside ERP systems highlights a practical design principle: give each agent a narrow job, clear delegated authority, and appropriate human oversight. For IT leaders, the takeaway is less about adding another assistant and more about defining what an agent can access, decide, and change before it reaches production. hubs.ly/Q04Cmxt40 #EnterpriseAI #AIGovernance #Automation #ITStrategy

It's 2:00 AM. Your security tools detect an attack. Who's watching? Most organizations have invested heavily in firewalls, endpoint protection, MFA, and monitoring platforms. But every one of those systems generates alerts that someone needs to investigate. And attackers aren't waiting for business hours. Our latest blog examines a cybersecurity challenge that often gets overlooked: the gap between detecting a threat and having someone available to respond. We look at alert fatigue, limited IT resources, 24/7 monitoring, and how managed security operations can help organizations get more value from the tools they already own. Here's a question every IT leader should be able to answer: If an attack started tonight, who would know—and what would happen next? Read our latest blog: Who's Actually Watching Your Network at 2 AM? hubs.ly/Q04Cc7Cf0 #CyberSecurity #SecurityOperations #ManagedSecurity

For our friends at Cisco wondering what comes next: Victor Martino has a clear answer. Cisco remains our number one partner. And there’s ambition behind that commitment. With NSI’s engineering expertise and Pinnacle’s expanded resources, we’re looking at how much more we can accomplish together for customers. Hear Victor’s perspective on taking the partnership to the next level. #Cisco #CiscoPartner #TechnologyPartnership @cisco

Everything You Trust. Bigger Possibilities. We've got a story to tell, and were telling it in this 21-minute video conversation! Watch the full conversation: hubs.ly/Q04Cc6g40 Network Solutions has joined Pinnacle Technology Solutions, and Bob Tadevich and Victor Martino sit down with John J. Roger of Southern Technology Partners, LLC to share the story behind the acquisition, what it means for our customers and employees, and why this combination is a force multiplier for Cisco. While the acquisition is big news, the real story is what happens next. More capabilities. Greater reach. Deeper expertise. And a whole lot more opportunity for our customers and @Cisco. But what about the people, culture, and customer-first commitment that have defined NSI for 37 years? That’s not changing. We’re building on it. If you’ve been curious about what’s next for NSI, this conversation answers a lot of questions. Same commitment. Bigger possibilities. And were just getting started. Watch the full conversation: hubs.ly/Q04Cc6g40 #CiscoPartner #NetworkSolutions #PinnacleTechnologySolutions @Network Solutions, Inc. @Pinnacle Technology Solutions

Technology costs do not begin and end with the purchase price. CIO examines the budget consumed by vendor-mandated upgrades, licensing changes, migrations, and the operational work surrounding them. The practical takeaway is lifecycle planning: understand dependencies, assess upgrade paths early, and build flexibility into contracts and technology roadmaps. Better visibility helps IT leaders align spending with business priorities while maintaining a stable, supportable environment. hubs.ly/Q04C8j2M0 #ITStrategy #TechnologyLifecycle #FinOps #VendorManagement

Restoring systems is only one part of recovery. IT leaders also need confidence that identities, configurations, dependencies, and access rights have returned to a trustworthy state. This CIO article offers a useful reminder: define what “good” looks like before an incident, map critical dependencies, establish decision rights, and test the organization as well as the backup. A thoughtful read for teams reviewing their resilience plans: hubs.ly/Q04C48Mj0 #DisasterRecovery #BusinessContinuity #ITLeadership #OperationalResilience

Two critical PHP vulnerabilities. And now Cisco is investigating potential exposure across its own product portfolio. Cisco Talos has disclosed details of two remote code execution vulnerabilities, collectively known as PHP2Shell, each carrying a critical CVSS score of 9.2. The flaws could allow attackers to execute malicious code without authentication, potentially affecting websites, applications, and infrastructure running vulnerable PHP versions. Cisco has also issued a security advisory identifying products under investigation, including Cisco ISE, Catalyst Center, Hypershield, SD-WAN Manager, and Webex, among others. Importantly, Cisco has not confirmed those products are vulnerable. Its investigation is ongoing. AI-assisted research helped uncover these flaws, another example of how quickly vulnerability discovery is evolving. For IT teams, the priorities are clear: Identify affected PHP installations, apply available security updates, and monitor Cisco's advisory for product-specific findings. Two important resources: Cisco Talos: Two Critical RCEs in PHP Core hubs.ly/Q04B_V7q0 Cisco Security Advisory: PHP Vulnerabilities Affecting Cisco Products hubs.ly/Q04B_V6p0 #CyberSecurity #CiscoSecurity #VulnerabilityManagement