Author: Jim O Brien/CEO

CEO and expert in transport and Mobile tech. A fan 20 years, mobile consultant, Nokia Mobile expert, Former Nokia/Microsoft VIP,Multiple forum tech supporter with worldwide top ranking,Working in the background on mobile technology, Weekly radio show, Featured on the RTE consumer show, Cavan TV and on TRT WORLD. Award winning Technology reviewer and blogger. Security and logisitcs Professional.

Leading File Data Services Provider Nasuni Set to Open New Innovation Centre in Ireland with 55 jobs

Nasuni Corporation, the leader in file data services, today announced that it will create up to 55 new senior engineering jobs over the next three years in Cork, Ireland at its newly established Innovation Centre. This will be Nasuni’s first innovation centre and its fourth office including its headquarters in Boston, Massachusetts, USA and additional offices in Marlborough, Massachusetts, USA, and Cary, North Carolina, USA. The company is also expanding its presence in Germany, Benelux and London as part of its global expansion.

The company is supported by the Irish Government through IDA Ireland. Welcoming the announcement, Taoiseach Michéal Martin TD, said “This announcement is great news for Cork and indeed Ireland. With up to 55 jobs planned, Nasuni is placing a significant vote of confidence in Cork and further demonstrates our competitive position in attracting Foreign Direct Investment. I am delighted that Nasuni chose to locate its Innovation Centre in Cork as part of its global expansion.”

Nasuni has also hired Derek Murphy as Vice President of Engineering, EMEA. Derek is an experienced head of engineering with experience at multinational enterprise companies including Forcepoint, McAfee, Intel, and Apple. In the past 15 years, Derek has worked in the domain of Cyber Security under the areas of Cloud Product and Services, with a focus on Cloud Software Engineering and Cloud Operations.

“We are looking for the right talent to fill senior, ‘greenfield development’ positions, cloud and analytics focused. This is high-value work, crucial to our business, and we are convinced we will find the right candidates in Ireland,” said Murphy.

Paul Flanagan, CEO of Nasuni, added: ‘‘Nasuni is committed to Ireland, and we have already incorporated Nasuni Ireland Ltd. The country is known for its well-educated software talent pool as well as the number and variety of its technology hubs. Together with the strong support and relationship with the IDA and the diversity of the region, Ireland has a track record as a place to invest, and one that yields results. This will complement the success that Nasuni has in its centres of innovation and offices across the globe, continuing to offer the same level of trusted file data services in the region. Our vision is to expand the team to over 55 people over the next three years.”

IDA Ireland CEO Martin Shanahan said: “Nasuni’s investment comes at the right time, as remote work continues to create unprecedented challenges and cyber security is more important than ever for enterprises. The establishment of the EMEA Innovation Centre for Nasuni is a testament to the region’s highly-skilled and talented workforce and reinforces IDA Ireland’s mission to boost jobs and investment for regional locations. I welcome Nasuni to Ireland and wish the team every success with this expansion.”

With the rising threat to business from cyberattacks, Nasuni believes it is more important than ever that the entire IT ecosystem of an enterprise—its suppliers, partners, and managed service providers – offer the highest standards of security and risk management. Enterprises benefit from Nasuni services to achieve cost-efficient, multi-site primary file storage capacity, fast access over standard file sharing protocols and the ability to recover files systems after a ransomware attack in minutes; all for less than the cost of traditional on-premises file infrastructure.

Nasuni has a hybrid working arrangement in place across all its offices as it transitions out of COVID-19. The current expectation is that the Ireland site will also support hybrid working. As Nasuni Ireland scales and hires people, the company intends to open a physical facility in the near future.

Nasuni is hiring across all functions and locations in 2022; for more information, please visit https://www.nasuni.com/company/careers/. 

TP-Link Tapo Wi-Fi Security Camera Full Colour Outdoor Device C320WS First Look

TP-Link®, a leading global provider of consumer and business networking products, today announces the latest addition to its growing Tapo smart home range, as it launches the new Tapo C320WS Outdoor Security Wi-Fi Camera in the UK.

Security in Full Colour

With a resolution of 2560×1440, 2K QHD the C320WS delivers more delicate detail and its 8× magnification features help users to see further. Unlike the black and white view of normal night vision cameras, it’s equipped with a high resolution sensor and full light, catching more colours. What’s more, 24/7 full colour night-vision means that you can see colour video, even at night.

The Tapo C320WS high-sensitive starlight sensor captures higher-quality images even in low-light conditions so that details don’t get lost in the shadows. With an IP66 rating and waterproof microphone, loudspeaker and sealing ring, this robust device can cope with extreme weather conditions to maintain home security at any time of year.

Home Safety Made Easy

In addition to video surveillance, the Tapo C320WS camera boasts a number of features for added home security and convenience. A built-in high decibel siren and light alarm can be activated within the Tapo app to trigger light and sound effects that deter unwanted visitors.

The siren alarm can be paired with motion detection alert features to provide automatic updates straight to your smartphone. Its two-way audio capabilities enable communication through a built-in microphone and speaker, allowing you to always be on site when deliveries or visitors arrive at your door. For even more convenience, the Tapo C320WS is compatible with Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa, allowing users to free up their hands through voice control.

TapoCam

The Tapo C320WS offers flexible wired or wireless installation options and can be connected to the home network through Ethernet or Wi-Fi. Meanwhile, safe local storage allows users to store up to 256GB 2K QHD video on a microSD card, offering fast and simple access to video footage. Through the dedicated Tapo app, users can experience live view recording, playback, save clips and set up–all in one place.

“Home security is a first priority and requires the best in quality, convenience and reliability. This latest addition to the Tapo camera range gives you just that. With full-colour night vision, easy set-up and 8x magnification, this device is packed with features that make keeping an eye on your home easier than ever before. As people start to spend more time out of their homes again, at work, travelling and socialising, the Tapo C320WS is here to give us that much-needed peace of mind whilst we are away,” commented Will Liu, Managing Director at TP-Link UK.

For more information about the Tapo C320WS, please visit: https://www.tp-link.com/uk/home-networking/cloud-camera/tapo-c320ws/

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How to Hone Programming Skills?

Boost Programming Skills By Taking These 6 Steps

A programmer is a person who works on both the design and development of various software systems. When it comes to careers in the field of programming, different types of options exist, such as full-stack development, front-end development, embedded systems development, backend development, and so on.

Programmers use different programming and markup languages. As a rule, the expertise of every programmer depends on the experience and skills that s/he has. That is why every programmer tends to enhance the skill set by taking some steps that we mentioned below. Check the list of practices to enhance your programming skills and become better at what you do.

#1 Set Goals for Yourself

If you have a list of goals at hand, you have a chance to be more productive as a developer. Make sure to ask yourself some of the questions:

  • Why did I decide to become a programmer?
  • What are my key programming goals?
  • What are your dreams when you think about being a programmer?

 

The reality is that every person has personal goals. Below, we offer some of the ideas for you to take into account:

  • Get a freelance job
  • Create a user-friendly website
  • Get a well-paid job
  • Gain enough money to move abroad

 

If you want to stay motivated and succeed, make sure to create as many projects as you can. There’s no need to finish each. The idea is to take every project as the so-called homework assignment, just like the ones that you have in math or biology. You just have to achieve small goals on your way to a successful future. Here’s an example. Let’s say, you would like to learn how to use a database. In that case, you have to start a blog project. However, if you want to learn how to add something to a database and nothing more, feel free to just create a title and description (a simple form) that will enable you to add a record to the database. No matter how simple it may sound, when you do it, you successfully achieve your goal. It is important to work on projects in order to achieve goals since it will eventually lead you to more complex examples. And that’s quite motivating.

#2 Read Code

All codes that you read will hone your programming skills. Moreover, you will discover a lot of interesting things! When it comes to the resources that you can deal with, make sure to check:

  • Books
  • GitHub
  • Articles & newsletters

The point here is that one can learn a lot from the codes written by the other programmers. You can find professionals in your area or go to GitHub, where you can find code that is similar to the one you produced. Seeing how other developers create codes will help you solve problems with yours. Besides, it will boost your critical thinking skills and help you deal with college assignments or your personal coding sessions.

Just like your program every day, make sure to read one or two articles on programming as well. Check some of the most popular books like Deep Work by Cal Newport to hone your knowledge.

#3 Check the Core of the Project’s Architecture

There are loads of software architecture patterns out there. Plug-in, client-server, layered, and sub/pub architecture are some of the most popular software design patterns that experts use at the moment.

As a rule, software architects tend to decompose the whole project into smaller sub-projects. This enables them to reduce the complexity that in turn guarantees higher maintainability factors. As a rule, programmers do not need to understand every fragment of the architecture of the software project in order to contribute to the whole project. At the same time, it is also important to understand the architecture of the software system better in order to have a chance to contribute more effectively.

#4 Have Some Fun

Whenever you comprehend a code bit, ensure to analyze and play with it by changing it. As a result, you will comprehend better how the code works and find some fascinating schemes. Thus, you will get to know different approaches on how to accomplish similar arrangements.

#5 Practice As Much As Possible

If you want to improve your writing skills, you make sure to write as often as possible. If you want to cook better, you cook every day. If you want to boost your statistics or English skills, you focus on these fields and…practice. That’s how it works for programming as well. If you want to code better, you have to write more programs.

For instance, you can start by writing many small programs. If you do so, you will crank up the amount of code that you create regularly. As a result, you will create more programs.

It’s no doubt that many small programs can’t cover the whole scope of programming skills that are needed to be called a pro programmer. For that reason, it is crucial to take a step from writing dozens of simple programs to writing more complex programs. This would reveal a range of challenges that would force you to hone your programming skills.

#6 Work in Group

One of the best ways to hone your programming skills is by working in groups. When you finally find yourself in a professional workplace, you will have to deal with teamwork as well and will be ready for that. Besides, when you team up with the other programmers, you have a chance to share and gain some knowledge, as well as hear some interesting points of view that will help you deal with complex tasks in the future. Are you stuck with the programming issues that your partners can’t find solutions for? Do not hesitate to approach online helpers with the “Please, do my assignments for me” request. Online companies help you get in touch with programming experts that offer cheap yet professional assistance 24/7. 

While all the tips and tricks given above are great if you work solo to hone your programming skills, in the real world, you will have to co-work with other individuals in the area. The reality is that true growth in the field of programming comes when you leave your isolated comfort zone and start working with others, especially someone who is more skillful and smarter than you. Thus, you will be able to learn from them by adopting their methods.

How to Get Casino Free Chips With Bonus Codes Online Casino VIP Programs

VIP Programs is the next most important thing in the casino world. These programs are specially designed for people who play at an online casino on a daily or regular basis. The players who are regular and they also bet big, then these VIP programs are surely meant for them.

Every player wants to get more out of their bets, so use your money in the best way possible to get more rewards out of it. Such VIP programs provides you with the opportunity to become an exclusive member all across the world. You will also be given priority treatment like priority customer service, priority entry into games and many other benefits that are not available for other players.

When you play daily or regularly at a casino, you will be given a membership to a VIP program. It is up to the player what he wants, whether to take that membership or not. The membership option is usually available on the cashier’s page of a casino website. You can also sign up for a new account and get one from there upon verification.

One other way to get yourself a VIP membership is to subscribe online to receive newsletters from the casino. In that case, you will be informed of all the promotions and offers provided by the casino. And once you get hold of them, you can print out a copy so you know exactly what benefits await for you when you become a member.

Casinos usually have a very long list of games. If you are a fan of any particular game, then they will also provide you with that option as well. In that case, you will never have to search for the casino’s website to play your favorite slot machine or table game ever again.

In some cases, casinos may offer special VIP packages to their players. If you are truly interested in the game and your passion towards it is strong, then you can think about buying that package. You will get huge discounts on packages like these if they are bought by members of the VIP program.

It is an excellent way to enhance your playing experience while making some money along the way, so consider getting yourself a VIP program and start playing.

Free Chips

Free chips with every purchase is also an amazing feature that not many online casinos can provide. So if you’re looking for a site that wants to ensure all their players, regardless of how much they spend, receive $50 no deposit bonus  then learn more about All Slots Casino . Their popular welcome package is just the first step to an excellent gaming experience at their site.

A lot of us want to play casino games online but we don’t know how. When we do finally get into playing and having fun, it’s fun and exciting at first, but then the same thing keeps happening over and over again with those bonus rounds and those cash prizes aren’t as easy as they seem. So you keep losing. This is why it’s important to find ways to increase your chances of winning, and one way of doing that is through welcome bonuses for online casino free chips.

 

First, let me ask you this question: What are welcome bonuses? A welcome bonus is a promotion offered by the casino after you sign up with them which provides you with an extra free sum of money to play with. It’s usually called a “Free chip” bonus. Just so you know, welcome bonuses are also sometimes referred to as sign up bonuses or simply loyalty bonuses.

These online casino welcome bonus deals come in different forms but the most common one is to match your deposit by 100% or even more.

How to Get Online Casino Free Chips

It is important to know that in order to get your bonuses, you need to sign up and claim them; they won’t send themselves. Just like with any online free offers or giveaways, they require a bit of leg work on your part. Don’t worry though because I will show you how to get online casino free chips.

  • First of all, you want to make sure that the casino you are playing at has these special welcome bonuses available because not every online casino offers them. The first place I would look is at their FAQ page. If the answer is not there then try calling customer support and ask if they have it or not.
  • The next thing you should do is find a casino that offers this promotion. The best way to do this is by word of mouth or via an online search engine because you don’t want to limit yourself to just one place. You can either ask your friends that play or just type it into Google and see what comes up first.
  • Finally, once you select a casino that has this type of promotion, you need to sign up and make your first minimum deposit (most online casinos will match 100% of your deposit). When you do this, the casino will give you the free chip bonus right away.

Now what you want to do with these welcome bonuses is play smart and bet small. Remember, this extra free money is not meant to help you get ahead. It should only be used to play with while you are learning the ropes and getting a better feel for how things work. Once you have that down then start playing with real money because that’s when these bonuses are really going to start paying off.

How to Get Casino VIP Program

First of all, you need to find a good online casino that has an attractive VIP program. The best way to do this is by using casino review websites that provide information about the presence or absence of online casino VIP programs in the reviewed casinos. Secondly, read detailed reviews and forums on a chosen site in order to make sure that it is safe to play there. Another sign of a good online casino is usually generous bonuses and promotions provided to new players. You can also check whether your preferred site has the most secure e-payment options that would allow you to deposit and withdraw funds with ease and convenience.

Thirdly, stay clear of online casinos that promise you a lot of money and offer no bonuses or promotions like this “we will give you $50,000 to start playing with!”. Well, these sites usually come with big promises and all it takes is for you to make one deposit. Therefore, stay away from such online casinos as they may only take your money and leave you with nothing. Lastly, be patient because it may take some time to reach the VIP level. To become a VIP customer, you will need to play at the casino for a long period of time and meet specific requirements set by the online casino. Once all these steps are taken care of, you can start expecting benefits as an online casino’s player.

As you can see, the whole procedure is not complicated at all and it will be quite beneficial for you in case you follow these instructions. A great online casino with good customer support is usually ready to help newbies find their way around a VIP program so don’t hesitate to ask if something unclear arises.

How Can I Win Money Online?

So, you have read a story of a lucky guy who has won several million dollars in an online casino and would like to repeat his success. There is nothing impossible in life, you know. But not every person is lucky enough to hit a life-changing jackpot. That is why we have prepared this guide based on recommendations from experienced players. Here is more information that will help you become a successful gambler.

Get Ready for Research

If you are new to the field of online gambling, there is a high probability that you have no idea which casino to choose to play. Therefore, we recommend you start your gambling route by reading reviews and looking for feedback from other players. Let us say, you are interested in a Yukon Gold Casino you have found online. So, before deciding if you should create an account on this platform, read as many reviews as you can find. Find out the rating of a casino site. In this way, you will understand what you can expect from a particular gambling platform.

Learn to Play

It does not matter which casino game you would like to select. This might be slots, roulette, blackjack, or even poker. Do not start playing for real money before you are confident in your skills. For this purpose, you can:

  • Read the rules of the game or games you would like to play;
  • Practice in the demo mode – the gameplay is the same, while the money is virtual;
  • Play with low bets – there are a lot of casinos that allow players to make bets of several dollars.

Do Not Look for Quick and Easy Ways

In the process of reading reviews and rules of games, you might come across sites that promise sure-fire strategies or even special codes that will guarantee winnings. Believe it or not, cheating at an online casino is almost impossible. Even if someone manages to use third-party hacking software, the probability that the winning will be paid out is reduced to zero. Before paying the money, every such request is processed by the support team. Having suspected that something is not right, the truth will be discovered.

 

More so, every platform that promises you quick and easy winnings thanks to a special manual or code that you need to purchase is a trick for naive people. Looking for a way to cheat a casino, you will be cheated.

Enjoy the Process

Even if the main intention is to win in a casino, remember how the system works. For a hundred players to win, thousands have to lose. And this might happen that you are not in the first group. Be ready for this. So, if you are playing in a casino, be ready for possible losses. However, the money you lose is not just a loss, this is a payment for your entertainment. That is why consider this money as an investment into your entertainment and enjoy playing your favorite casino games.

KPMG launches the Ireland qualifier for the KPMG Global Tech Innovator competition.

KPMG in Ireland has launched a search for Ireland’s next top tech innovator. The competition, now in its second year, is open to Irish tech entrepreneurs and start-ups businesses which are pure technology, tech-enabled, tech-led, or tech-driven.

Competition entrants will be shortlisted and invited to pitch their innovations and present their growth ambitions to an esteemed panel of judges. The judges, which will include successful entrepreneurs and investors, will be announced shortly.

The overall winner in Ireland will progress to the Global Tech Innovator final to be held during Web Summit 2022 in Lisbon in November. The prize also includes travel and accommodation to Lisbon, tickets to Web Summit as part of KPMG’s delegation, an exhibition stand for 1 day, and access to exclusive networking events and mentoring opportunities.

Last year, KPMG’s Ireland competition was won by CattleEye, a Belfast-founded company which has harnessed the capabilities of advanced AI in video analytics to deliver the world’s first academically verified autonomous livestock monitoring platform. Other Irish companies shortlisted in the 2021 competition included ApisProtect, CitySwift, Dataships, Equal1, ID-Pal, Singularity Alpha and Wrkit.

The competition is open to all technology companies which have operated for 5 years or less, have generated revenue between USD $1-10m (or have raised at least $500,000 in equity) and are registered and based in Ireland or Northern Ireland. Applicants must have innovative, proven technologies, robust business models, the ability to demonstrate traction in their activities and the potential to scale up. Applications must be submitted by 8th May 2022.

The global competition will include technology innovators from 21 other countries and jurisdictions across the world, including Africa, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Colombia, Denmark, Germany, Israel, India, Japan, Mexico, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Taiwan, the UK and the US.

Commenting on the competition, Anna Scally, Partner, Head of Technology & Media and Fintech Lead, said: “Following the huge success of our inaugural competition last year, we’re back on the hunt for the next ‘big thing’ in tech. We have a thriving tech ecosystem here in Ireland and we’re looking to find emerging tech start-ups, with potential to be Ireland’s next unicorns. If your company is tech-enabled, tech-led or tech-driven, this is really an opportunity not be missed.”

Applications are now open for the competition at www.kpmg.ie/GTI.

Irish Agency Opens An Office in the Metaverse

Connector by Granite is the first Irish agency to join the Metaverse. The agency’s Metaverse office joins its other locations in Dublin, Cork, Galway.

The virtual facilities include a reception, 12 meeting rooms and an auditorium for events for up to 200 concurrent users.

Commenting on the launch, Strategy Director, Ivan Adriel, said: “Metaverse is a term first coined in Neal Stephenson’s 1992 novel Snow Crash, but in recent years it has taken the world by storm and is now used to describe a world in which the ‘digital and physical’ are blurred. Our new office is a space for experimentation and collaboration and invites our clients to discover what’s next.”

According to Global Web Index Europe, the knowledge of the Metaverse is split almost equally into three groups: 33% who understand the concept, 37% who have heard of it but aren’t sure what it means, and 30% who aren’t sure at all.

Over half of consumers say they are interested in participating in the Metaverse, with 1 in 3 of those who hadn’t heard of it before still saying they wanted to be involved.

Luciano Jacob, Creative Director, celebrates the possibilities the new space brings “The Metaverse allows us to push creativity to limitless frontiers, break the limits of geography to bring people together. We are delighted to launch our office in the metaverse and experiment with new possibilities.”

TILE Collaborates with Dell, Lenovo, MSI and Fujitsu to make products findable.

Tile, the pioneer in finding technology, continues to expand its Find With Tile business through a variety of collaborations, including a new partnership with Dell to launch the first-ever stylus pen with built-in finding technology. Tile is also further collaborating with Intel Corporation to bring its finding technology to Lenovo™, MSI and Fujitsu PCs.

“Tile brings people peace of mind by eliminating the stress of losing or misplacing the things you need to get through your day, so embedding our technology seamlessly into the tools that are essential for productivity is a clear value add,” said CJ Prober, CEO of Tile. “We’re very proud to be teaming up with Dell to bring consumers the first findable stylus pen and to further grow our PC business to include other top OEMs in the market.”

Starting today, consumers worldwide can purchase the new Dell Premier Rechargeable Active Pen (PN7522W) with built-in Tile finding technology. The new pen features the longest battery life of any active pen with a 40-day run time and lets users create with ease on their compatible Dell 2-in-1 laptops, a convenience that’s lost if the slender pen is misplaced. To avoid that scenario, users can now use the free Tile app to ring their pen if it’s nearby, and if it’s lost on-the-go they can use the Tile app to view its most recent location or enlist the secure help of Tile’s global Network to aid in their search.

Tile is also significantly growing its presence in the PC category with the addition of several Intel-powered laptops, including models from Lenovo, MSI and Fujitsu. In January, Lenovo announced new Tile-enabled ThinkPad™ X1 laptops, and now Lenovo is adding to their lineup of findable PCs with the launch of the ThinkPad X1 Extreme Gen 5 and the latest ThinkPad T Series, arming a total of seven new Lenovo models with Tile’s full suite of finding features. Starting this month, consumers can also leverage Tile’s finding power in MSI’s new Intel 12th Gen Summit and Prestige Series, laptops that are built for productivity and now offer the pre-installed Tile Windows App. In Japan, the new Fujitsu FMV LOOX PCs are also rolling out this month with Tile functionality.

“We are thrilled about our continued collaboration with Tile and the growing list of partners who are delivering great wireless experiences on 12th Gen Intel® Core™ processor-based laptops with integrated Intel® Wi-Fi 6E (Gig+),” said Eric McLaughlin, VP Client Computing Group, GM Wireless Solutions Group, Intel. “We can now offer not only faster Wi-Fi speeds, lower latencies, and enhanced reliability but also innovative Tile finding capabilities as laptops continue to play an essential role in our lives.”

To make any of these new laptops findable, users simply download and install the free Tile Windows App from the Microsoft Store and activate their PC as a Tile. When nearby, they can then locate and ring their laptop using the free Tile app on any Android or iOS smartphone, even if it’s shut down and offline, for up to 14 days. For even more convenient finding experiences, users can sync their Tile account in the Alexa App or Google Home app for voice-enabled finding and they can ring their misplaced phone by tapping “Find” on their phone icon in the Windows app.

Tile’s embedded business has been expanding rapidly in the PC category since its first PC partnership with HP. Thanks to a collaboration with Intel, Tile is able to seamlessly integrate with PC original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), making it even easier to make Intel-powered PCs findable.

Tile’s finding technology is embedded in over 55 different third-party devices across audio, wearables, travel, smart home, pet and PC categories. Learn more at tile.com/partners.

Nearly 90,000 Irish SMEs have had data stolen in the last year

Datapac, Ireland’s leading technology solutions and services provider, today announces the results of a new survey which found that an estimated 89,744* SMEs (31%) in Ireland have had data stolen in the last 12 months. Furthermore, the research revealed that over two fifths (41%) of small and medium-sized businesses have permanently lost critical data within the same timeframe.

The survey of 150 SME business owners in Ireland was carried out by Censuswide in association with Datapac and cybersecurity and backup specialist, Datto, during February 2022.

The research shows 37% of Irish SMEs experienced a known cyberattack in the last year. Looking ahead, 86% of SME business owners are concerned that they will become a cybercrime target. However, almost a quarter (23%) admit that they are not at all prepared to defend themselves against cybercrime.

Evolving Threat Environment

The years of the Covid-19 pandemic witnessed rapid digital transformations across many organisations, largely to help facilitate new remote and hybrid working environments. 56% of businesses reported a reliance on cloud storage for some or all of their data storage needs.

When asked about the impacts of permanently losing data, over a quarter (27%) believe they would go out of business. SME owners also said the loss of critical data would impede their business growth (38%), damage their professional reputation (35%), lead to regulatory consequences (32%), contribute to employee attrition (31%) and result in the loss of some of their customers (29%).

Despite the prevalence of cybercrime and data loss, just 5% of Irish SMEs back up their data in real-time, with nearly three quarters (72%) reporting that their data backup frequency is once per week or less. The research shows around a fifth (21%) of small businesses don’t have a tested Disaster Recovery (DR) plan in place in the event of data theft or loss. In addition, 43% admitted they don’t have a secure copy of their data held offsite.

83% state that they have plans to increase their level of outsourced IT to a Managed Service Provider (MSP) over the coming year. Nearly a third (32%) attribute this decision to a need to address cybersecurity shortcomings in the face of the cybercrime risk, while 36% cited the need to access a wider range of expert IT skills and knowledge.

Commenting on the survey results, Karen O’Connor, General Manager, Datapac said:

“Our survey has highlighted the unprecedented scale of cybercrime for small and medium-sized businesses in Ireland today. With over 4 in 10 of all Irish SMEs permanently losing mission-critical data over the past year and almost a third having data stolen, this can have significant and damaging repercussions for these businesses and their customers.

 “The vast majority of business owners are concerned about being a cybercrime target, yet many still don’t seem to be taking the necessary steps to improve their protection. While threat detection and prevention are important parts of the cybersecurity puzzle, they don’t solve it alone. Data backup is a vital component and one that shouldn’t be overlooked. With almost three quarters of firms only backing up their data weekly or even less, this presents a huge challenge for businesses to maintain continuity after an incident.

 “In the likely event of a cyberattack, a robust backup and business continuity solution is the last line of defence and enables most businesses to recover quickly from business-critical data loss. Put simply, data cannot be recovered if it isn’t backed up effectively to begin with.”

Nicholas O’ Donovan, Sales Manager, Datto Ireland, said:

“The pandemic has permanently changed the way many organisations work, fundamentally altering where data is created and stored. A more dispersed workforce creates a larger network threat perimeter, which increases the risk of cyberattack.

Wherever the data lives, be it in an on-premises server or in the cloud, it needs to be backed up with the highest frequency possible in a way that allows instant restoration for when disaster strikes.”