Managed support services are well understood and utilized in the IT world, and they are increasingly popular for various reasons. Perhaps one reason not discussed as much is the sheer breadth of technology in use today in organizations of all sizes. In IT, support has to cover services like cloud infrastructure, SaaS (software as a service), networks, wireless and mobile computing, security and cybersecurity, and much more. This breadth requires a significant amount of expertise and training, as well as specialized tools for monitoring and user support.

AV systems in organizations have gone through a similar evolution; they now encompass a wide range of technology and have joined the IT and IoT world as IP-based connected systems requiring the same security and monitoring levels as other IT systems. That means that user support must also include specialized training and tools, further burdening chronically understaffed IT departments. Managed support services for AV can ease the burden on organizations and provide the specialized services needed. Let's explore several models below and their potential benefits for your organization.

Simulation is a fast-growing area of interest in the healthcare education field. Universities and training hospitals across the U.S. are building custom simulation labs to give future nurses, doctors, and PAs real, interactive experiences in a safe and controlled environment. 

And healthcare isn’t the only industry where simulation technology is sparking interest. This blog is part two of a series of blogs that will explore new use cases for simulation technology.

Today, we’re turning an eye toward police training simulation labs. Police academies realize the potential for simulation to provide invaluable training experiences to new and current police officers in Miami, FL, and across the U.S. Keep reading to learn more about what you need to set up sim labs for police training. 

Once upon a time, IT was IT, AV was AV, and never the twain shall meet. Well, those days are long gone. AV devices are smart, connected, special purpose computers, and the digital convergence of video, audio, and communication over IP has ensured that they all meet on the same networks. 

While in the past, the isolation of AV systems meant that they had some immunity from hacking and online attacks, today, they may be as vulnerable as any other connected system. IoT security is a much-discussed subject these days, and AV devices are part of the IoT (Internet of Things). The problem? While other connected computers and systems have benefitted from either native or third-party solutions that add layers of security to those systems, AV technology has lagged in that regard.

Every year Level 3 Audiovisual participates in several philanthropic endeavors. One of our favorites is our partnership with the United Food Bank of Eastern Arizona. It’s a favorite because it is tied in with the raffle we host during our annual Christmas party. Employees purchase raffle tickets to win prizes that have been donated by our vendor partners. Our policy is to match all raffle purchases and then donate that money to the United Food Bank. As the popularity of our Christmas raffle has grown, along with an increasing number of employees at Level 3, we have been able to consistently grow the amount we donate on a yearly basis.

Could you imagine blindly following a recipe in the kitchen without checking or tasting your food along the way? I remember my friend had a recipe for a Penne Alla Vodka dinner-for-four once called for five HEADS of garlic to go in the sauce! Not five cloves... five heads. We were in college, and he was a beginner cook, he didn’t think twice about it and chopped up an obscene amount of garlic (and I’m Italian) added it to the sauce, cooked it up, and served it without tasting it. We literally thought something was burning. It was the garlic. The entire pasta dish had to get thrown out...all that food...all that garlic...wasted. The dinner was ruined. We still had some salad, but there was no main course.

Salesforce. Google Workspace. Adobe Creative Cloud. Slack. Chances are, your business is already using cloud-driven software as a service (SaaS) for customer management, communications, collaboration, business operations, and more. Off-the-shelf software solutions are cost-effective, easy to implement and use, and support hybrid workplaces where some employees work at home and others are in the office.

Managed SaaS takes your software applications to the next level. Under a managed services contract, you’ll pay a monthly subscription fee for your provider to handle everything for you. That includes integrating software and hardware, configuring individual accounts, uptime monitoring, and support as needed. All you have to do is log in and get to work.

Keep reading to learn how an MSP provides a customized, tailored solution for the software applications in your Scottsdale, AZ, or global organization.

For many years, organizations of all sizes have understood the necessity of protecting internet-connected computers from viruses and hacks. What hasn’t been as well understood or addressed is IoT security – securing non-computer connected devices from threats. Why is that? 

Historically, devices not based on general-purpose computing operating systems like Windows were thought to present, in security parlance, less of an attack surface. These systems might have been proprietary or based on open-source systems like Linux, where the development community could see and shore up potential attack points. The attack surface widened considerably in the Internet of Things (IoT), where all devices become "smart" with Internet connectivity to one or more cloud services. Add the ability of many devices to be accessed and controlled by publicly available APIs, and everything is now a computer – and vulnerable. 

What does that mean for AV devices like cameras, microphones, room control systems, and more? These are all now IoT devices, and the intelligence derived from their cloud connectivity makes them as vulnerable to threats as any Windows or Mac laptop. How do you improve IoT security for AV devices in your Phoenix, AZ organization? Keep reading for four general strategies below. But spoiler alert – these are similar to what you do with other connected platforms.

When we consider the educational role of healthcare simulation, the traditional use cases are for nursing, physician, and PA students in training hospitals and universities in Houston, TX, and other major cities across the U.S. However, simulation technology is incredibly sophisticated and vastly adaptable to help medical professionals of all types gain hands-on practice and experience in a safe, simulated environment. 

Over the next few months, we’ll be embarking on a blog series to explore the expansion of simulation technology and new use cases for future healthcare professionals. 

Today, we’re starting with EMS simulation labs built in ambulances and other environments where EMS professionals deliver critical care to patients. Outfitting an ambulance for EMS education requires thinking through several unique considerations. We’re here to help guide you through them — keep reading to learn more.