Hedgehog Technology Services commits to helping strengthen the workforce of the future.

Late last year, Richard Feller of Hedgehog Technology Services attended a private White House briefing with small business technology CEO's on behalf of the Consumer Technology Association.  CTA and many of its member companies officially signed on to the President's Pledge to American Workers.  Since President Trump announced this initiative in July 2018, more than 50 CTA members — including previous signatories Amazon, Apple, AT&T, Best Buy, Ford, Hedgehog Technology Services, HP, IBM, Johnson & Johnson, Microsoft, Toyota, VISA and Walmart — have committed more than two million new opportunities which is over 17% of the total pledges to this initiative.  Click here to read more about what CTA and its member companies are doing.

Ivanka Trump, advisor to President Donald Trump, attended this briefing and spoke to us about the impact our commitments would have as we move to build the workforce of the future.  Early this year, she took the opportunity to highlight this initiative as she joined the CES® 2020 keynote stage for a discussion titled “The Path to the Future of Work." This keynote featured discussions about employer-led strategies to re-skill workers, create apprenticeships and develop K-12 STEM education programs.

Ivanka Trump, as advisor to President Trump, focuses on the economic empowerment of women and their families, skills-training and workforce development.  “As a business leader and entrepreneur, Ivanka Trump is an advocate for creating family-sustaining jobs through workforce development, education and skills training,” said Gary Shapiro of the Consumer Technology Association, and..." We welcome her to the CES keynote stage, as she shares her vision for technology’s role in creating and enabling the workforce of the future.”

During this Keynote, Hedgehog Technology Services was truly honored to be highlighted along with other CTA member signatories to show the unwavering commitment we have to strengthening the workforce of the future. Fast forward just a few short months and we find ourselves in uncertain times and it is even more important that we stay the course and focus on how our industry can and will help American families recover in a post COVID-19 world.

Hedgehog Technology Services and Klass Act Solutions combine efforts as they service the IoT industry

Richard Feller, owner and partner at Hedgehog Technology Services was invited to spend the day with Kurt Kruel, Vice President of Klass Act Solutions to expand our efforts to see how the Internet of Things (IoT) is making our world more technological from integration all the way through to the cloud.

Klass Act Solutions, a 13 year old tech company located in Melbourne, FL, has established themselves as the leading integrator of IoT in markets from  the Central Florida area in and through to the East Coast, including the ever growing market that surrounds the tech heavy Space Coast.

With many of these IoT technologies being hosted in cloud environments maintained and serviced by Hedgehog Technology Services, the team at Hedgehog along with the team at Klass Act saw a great opportunity to get a full picture of the work we both do. 

To that end, Richard spent the day onsite with Kurt as Klass Act implemented a myriad of technology products, including indoor and outdoor wifi camera systems, secure and tamper-proof key-free wifi deadbolt locks, wifi thermostat systems and wifi smoke & carbon dioxide detectors for one of their clients. Richard recalls how "...It was really great to see how the IoT that the team at Hedgehog generally only supports and manages in the cloud is implemented to the actual end user."  and in talking with the end user customer, "one of the things that stood out most to both Hedgehog and Klass Act was the homeowners desire to work with companies that were customer service focused, not just on one end of the spectrum... but from installation to the ongoing support long after the installation is complete."

In the end, the day was a huge success and both companies came out with a stronger view of how the Internet of Things is changing peoples lives and adding value to what both companies have been doing for almost two decades. 

It should also be mentioned that both companies are members of the Consumer Technology Association where they have collaborated on many issues within the CTA Small Business Council including visiting Capitol Hill to urge our elected officials to continue to support legislation that is beneficial to both tech companies and small businesses.

Thank you to Robbin and Kurt from Klass Act Solutions for this great opportunity and we look forward to working with you as the future of IoT keeps expanding exponentially.

About Klass Act Solutions

Klass Act Solutions is dedicated to providing a level of customer service in the technology industry that is second to none.  We believe that a strong reliable system begins with the people that help you choose, implement, and maintain not only your computer but your entire technology system. Whether that is just one computer in your home or a network system in your small business, Klass Act Solutions will be there to make sure all your needs are cared for and that you make a proper choice in hi tech equipment.

About Hedgehog Technology Services

Hedgehog Technology Services is the leader in premier managed hosting services, world-class hybrid cloud based technology management and a full suite of data center support services. Hedgehog's unique approach combines unmatched client services with and within world-class infrastructure facilities all over the world.  These systems are deployed and maintained by a knowledgeable and experienced staff who are focused on service which provides a level of support that has become second to none in the industry. 

Hedgehog's Hybrid IT Services Are Allowing Companies To Succeed

Hedgehog Technology Services believes strongly in the Hybrid IT services we provide.  More and more of our clients have both a cloud based environment, which is sometimes sourced outside the Hedgehog network, working in conjunction with their physically hosted environment at Hedgehog Hosting. We believe this model creates a best-of-both worlds infrastructure.

But every company is different and has its own specific business requirements.  That is why a hybrid IT strategy is so compelling. In  a recent posting by Data Center Knowledge, an industry publication, a white paper was offered showing how to combine any number of on-premise and off-premise technologies with different delivery models to create and implement solutions that best meet the unique needs of clients like ours.  

This white paper shows you how a flexible IT environment allows companies like Hedgehog Technology Services help you to build the perfect solution to suit your companies hosted technology needs.

A link to the White Paper can be found here.

Tech Company Brings a Warm and Fuzzy Approach to Hosting

Hedgehog Hosting has had an exceptional relationship with Verisign over the past 18 years and we were very happy to be highlighted in a piece they did to kick off Small Business Week.

Check out the entire story and watch the video here:

https://www.wired.com/brandlab/2018/03/tech-company-brings-warm-fuzzy-approach-hosting/

Hedgehog Strives to Learn More About Frivolous Defamation Suits vs. Online Reviews

Online reviews and commentary have become a powerful voice for enacting change or exposing wrong doers. But the anonymity of the Internet has also given rise to questions of how to protect one's brand against such criticism.

Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation or SLAPP lawsuits are considered by some, an avenue of censorship or a form of intimidation that attempt to silence critics.  These lawsuits are often very controversial and as a result, multiple states have already passed Anti-SLAPP legislation which is aimed at protecting the rights of online users.

But there is then the question that this Anti-SLAPP legislation would present undue barriers to the right to petition for those who sincerely believe they have been wronged?

While there are complex legal questions regarding topics such as jurisdiction, defamation, free-speech, anonymity and many more issues, it is being discussed at length and we at Hedgehog continue to be a participant and active follower of cases such as these.  The general rights of online users and the protection of brands for companies we support and maintain infrastructure for can sometimes collide and we want to make sure we are fully informed when supporting or opposing any legislation.

Richard Feller recently attended a question and answer session hosted by the Congressional Internet Caucus Advisory Committee on Capitol Hill to discuss these questions with thought leaders including our friend and colleague Laurent Crenshaw, the Director of Public Policy at Yelp and Eric Goldman, an Internet Law, Advertising Law & IP Professor at Santa Clara Law.  A complete transcript of this session can be found at:

http://www.netcaucus.org/event/frivolous-defamation-suits-vs-online-reviews-gagged-by-the-lawyers/

Thank you for following Hedgehog Technology Services as we continue to support a free and open Internet for all.

Tech Companies Support National Missing Children's Day - Observed Every May 25th.

Today is National Missing Children's Day. From the MissingKids.org website:

"Every May 25, which is the anniversary of Etan Patz's disappearance, the nation observes Missing Children's Day. For over three decades, NCMEC has continued to help search for children like Etan. We never forget a child and never give up hope no matter how long a child has been missing. National Missing Children's Day honors this commitment to help locate and recover missing children like Etan by reminding parents, guardians, families and communities that every child deserves a safe childhood.

To that end, there are many ways that people can show their support for NCMEC. On Twitter, the hashtag #RockOneSock has set a goal of raising $25k.  You can find out more about this effort at http://rockonesock.org.

BUT, for all of us that are in the Internet and Hosting Industry there is something VERY IMPORTANT that we all can and should do.  U.S.-based companies providing electronic communication services or remote computing services to the public should pre-register with the CyberTipline.  While there is no requirement to do so, Hedgehog believes and will continue to push within our industry that registration be considered a "Best Practice" allowing our individual companies to be prepared to move on any reporting that may need to be submitted.

From the MissingKids.org website:

"You may register with the CyberTipline by providing your name, your company’s name, your telephone phone number and email address to espteam@ncmec.org. If you are an ESP, please visit http://www.missingkids.com/CyberTipline if you wish to register with the CyberTipline. A representative from NCMEC will contact you to complete the registration process.

Please help us support this great organization and make our industry better for all.

Hedgehog Technology Services Celebrates Female Founder Month

Hedgehog Technology Services is proud to honor one of our founders, Amanda Bean, as we help celebrate Female Founders Month.  Amanda is one of the original founders of Hedgehog and over these past 16 years she has been a large part of the warmth that we strive to provide in a very high-tech industry.

Hedgehog would not be the same without Amanda.  While everyone has their niches, Amanda can help in any aspect of the business,  She runs the administrative side of the business,  She actively works on marketing and strategy.  She gets her hands dirty at the data center moving and racking servers.  It seems that anywhere you look at Hedgehog you can see her stamp.

Now, what many of you may not know is Amanda is also the proud mother of four beautiful children which essentially means she has two full times jobs. (Happy Mothers Day!)  As our clients know, all of the partners at Hedgehog are very close.  Over 16 years our families have had the joy of watching each other grow and grow.  It has surely been a pleasure to watch Amanda's family grow.  And did we also mentioned that she is a doggie foster mom.  There is almost nothing that she cannot do.

In an industry that continues to strive for diversity in every different way, I, and I know I speak for my business partners, am so proud of our roots and even more proud to have a business partner like Amanda.  May every company be as fortunate as we are.