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IT Guides for Business Owners
Plain-language guides for business owners on choosing an IT company, managed IT pricing, cyber insurance requirements, Microsoft 365 security, CMMC Level 2 preparation and spotting business email compromise.
Guides
Featured guide · Buying IT How to Choose an IT Services Company A practical checklist for choosing an IT services company: what to ask about support, security, pricing, agreements and what is really included. Read the guide- Pricing Managed IT Pricing Explained How managed IT pricing works: per user, per device and flat-fee models compared, what should be included and the hidden costs worth watching for.
- Insurance Cyber Insurance Security Requirements The security controls cyber insurers ask about, from MFA and EDR to backups and training, and how to answer the application questionnaire accurately.
- Microsoft 365 Microsoft 365 Security Checklist A Microsoft 365 security checklist for small businesses: MFA, admin accounts, mailbox rules, sharing settings, backups and the settings to turn on first.
- Compliance CMMC Level 2 Preparation Guide How defense suppliers prepare for CMMC Level 2: scoping CUI, the 110 NIST SP 800-171 controls, your SSP and POA&M, and what the assessment covers.
- Security Business Email Compromise Warning Signs The warning signs of business email compromise, from changed payment details to new mailbox rules, and the steps to take if an account is hacked.
- Compliance Data Breach Notification Laws: A Guide for Small Businesses Data breach notification laws explained for small businesses: deadlines by state, when to notify the attorney general and the federal rules to know.
Start here
Pick the question you are trying to answer
Each guide stands on its own, but most readers come with one of three questions. Start with the guides that match yours.
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Choosing or changing IT provider
What to ask, what should be included and how to compare quotes before you sign.
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Protecting email and Microsoft 365
The settings that stop most account takeovers, and the signs that a mailbox has been taken over.
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Answering an insurer, a customer or a regulator
What insurers ask at renewal, how defense suppliers prepare for CMMC and what state breach laws require.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
Are these guides legal or compliance advice?
No. The guides explain how common rules and requirements work in plain language. For decisions about your own situation, talk to your attorney, your assessor or your insurance broker, and use the official sources each guide links to.
How current are the guides?
Each guide shows the date it was last updated, and we revise guides when the rules or the official guidance behind them change.
Can I share a guide with my team?
Yes. Share the link with anyone who would find it useful. You may quote short passages with a link back to the guide.
Where should I start if I am choosing an IT provider?
Start with how to choose an IT services company, then read how managed IT pricing works. Together they cover the questions to ask, what should be included and how to compare quotes.
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