01 Field notes

What we know. Written down.

Buyer's guides, plain-English explainers, and field notes from the work. Written by the team that does it, not a marketing department.

02 All posts
001 Field notes

Why I Won't Sell to Private Equity (and What That Means for You)

A founder's note on the wave of MSP acquisitions across Texas, what changes after a buyout, and why we're staying independent.

April 26, 2026 Read
002 Security

Cyber Insurance Renewal: The Six Questions Carriers Now Demand a Yes On

What every commercial cyber insurance application asks in 2026, why the bar keeps rising, and what to fix before your next renewal letter shows up.

April 25, 2026 Read
003 Managed IT

Lubbock Business Internet Options in 2026: Honest Read on Each Carrier

What you can actually buy for business internet in Lubbock right now — AT&T Fiber, Suddenlink, Nextlink, T-Mobile, Starlink — with the trade-offs nobody mentions in the sales pitch.

April 24, 2026 Read
004 Security

SPF, DKIM, DMARC: Why Your Domain Probably Sends Spam Right Now

A plain-English walkthrough of the three DNS records that keep attackers from impersonating your domain in email — and how to check if yours are actually configured.

April 23, 2026 Read
005 Security

Cat6 vs Cat6A vs Fiber: Which Cable Run for Which Job

A practical, jargon-light guide to picking the right cable for new office runs, conference rooms, server rooms, and between buildings. Avoid the two costly mistakes most installs make.

April 22, 2026 Read
006 Managed IT

What an MSP Actually Does All Day (the unsexy work behind your $99/seat)

An honest tour of the work a managed IT provider does between the moments customers actually see — patching, monitoring, backups, documentation, the boring foundation that keeps everything from catching fire.

April 22, 2026 Read
007 Managed IT

In-House IT Hire vs Managed Plan: A Lubbock Salary Math Walkthrough

What it actually costs to hire one IT person in West Texas in 2026 — fully loaded — and how that math compares to a Managed IT subscription at scale.

April 21, 2026 Read
008 Phones & AI

AT&T Just Discontinued Your POTS Line. What Now?

Copper telephone service is going away across Texas. What that means for your alarm panel, fax machine, elevator phone, fire panel — and what actually replaces it.

April 20, 2026 Read
009 Compliance

The Texas Bar on Technology Competence: What Lubbock Lawyers Actually Have to Know

Texas Disciplinary Rule 1.01 requires technology competence. ABA Formal Opinion 477R sets the practical bar. Here's what that means for the small or solo Lubbock practice in plain English.

April 19, 2026 Read
010 Compliance

PTIN Renewal 2026: The Question Most Tax Preparers Answer Wrong

Your PTIN renewal asks if you have a Written Information Security Plan. Most paid preparers click yes without checking. The IRS has been clear: that answer matters more than people think.

April 18, 2026 Read
011 Managed IT

Why Block Hours Almost Always Cost You More Than a Plan

Block hour packages look cheap on paper. The math turns once you account for utilization, support window, and what the package doesn't include. Here's the breakdown.

April 17, 2026 Read
012 Security

The Ransomware Math: Why Backups Alone Won't Save You Anymore

Modern ransomware actively hunts for and encrypts your backup repositories. Here's what immutable, air-gapped, and tested actually mean — and what most small business backups still get wrong.

April 16, 2026 Read
013 Compliance

What is a WISP, and Does Your Tax Practice Actually Need One?

A plain-English explainer for paid tax preparers: what a Written Information Security Plan is, who has to have one, and what happens if you don't.

April 15, 2026 Read
014 Compliance

HIPAA Security Rule for Dental Practices: A Plain-English Guide

What HIPAA actually requires from a small dental or medical practice, mapped to the technical safeguards your IT setup needs to deliver.

April 12, 2026 Read
015 Managed IT

Managed IT vs Hourly: A Lubbock Buyer's Guide

When does a monthly Managed IT plan beat hourly support? An honest breakdown for West Texas small businesses considering either model.

April 8, 2026 Read
016 Security

EDR vs Antivirus: What Your Cyber Insurance Actually Wants

The difference between traditional antivirus and modern endpoint detection and response, and why your cyber insurance renewal probably requires the second one.

April 4, 2026 Read