Summer may have a reputation as a "kick back and relax" season, but it's been anything but that here at Castema. I thought I'd do a rundown of some of the more interesting technology news and projects we're digging into these past few months. If you'd like me to explore any of these in more detail in a future post, please let me know.

In a recent article I discussed using Microsoft SharePoint and OneDrive for Business as your company's "file server" replacement, along with how the OneDrive sync client with "Files on Demand" makes the experience of using cloud file storage very similar to the experience of using mapped drives on a file server.

We are often asked by clients what cloud app or service we recommend for sharing files, and for most of the companies we work with, the answer is easy: the ones you already have as part of your Office 365 subscription, namely OneDrive for Business and SharePoint.

Last time in this space, I discussed why businesses should be looking at Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) to protect themselves, and why MFA is a far better protector of your online identity than just a password. I also promised to report on a new type of "password-less" MFA that Microsoft is now rolling out to its business Office 365 customers.

As I write this, we are approaching Christmas and nearing the end of Hanukkah. For our friends celebrating the Jewish Festival of Lights, we hope you had a Happy Hanukkah. And may it be a joyous Christmas for all those celebrating Jesus's birth. For everyone reading, we wish all of you much happiness and success in the coming new year!
Is Alexa under the tree?
As this is a technology-focused blog, I thought I'd touch on a piece of technology that is destined to be given as a gift many times over this season, if current sales numbers are any indication.

Just this past week, I've made use of several convenient features of Office 365 that help to tie different parts of the service together. Since many of these aren't commonly known, let's talk about a few of them.
Skype Meetings
Hosting an online meeting certainly isn't a new feature, nor is it exclusive to Microsoft.

At Castema, our focus is always on how technology can make our clients' businesses more productive, never on technology just for its own sake. As we're prepping for the next wave of technology deployments, part of our process is to review training options available to our customers.