Even as organizations accelerate their move to the cloud, a surprising amount of critical business operations still depend on on-premise infrastructure—servers, switches, and networks that quietly keep everything running.
But many of those systems are showing their age. And while modernization efforts often prioritize software, the physical backbone of your operations can easily become the weakest link if ignored.
The Hidden Cost of Standing Still
It’s easy to assume that once workloads are in the cloud, infrastructure modernization becomes less urgent. In reality, the opposite is true. Outdated on-premise and hybrid networks can cause costly ripple effects: downtime and lost productivity from failing hardware or slow response times, reduced employee experience due to latency and connectivity issues, and heightened security risks as aging systems lack the firmware, configurations, or ongoing software patching and support to withstand modern cyber threats.
The longer these systems remain unchanged, the greater the risk they pose security, agility, and profitability, three pillars that matter more than ever in 2026’s competitive landscape.
Why Infrastructure Still Matters in the Cloud Era
Whether your ERP is deployed in the public or private cloud, as a hosted or SaaS application, or on-premise, the network is still the bridge between your operations and your data. Even partial modernization can create silos if not supported by a strong infrastructure strategy.
A well-planned refresh can improve application performance and reliability, especially in hybrid environments. It strengthens security posture by closing legacy vulnerabilities and supports scalability for new workloads, integrations, and modernization initiatives.
Modernization isn’t just about replacing old equipment, it’s about intentionally designing a network that where all of the components work together to support the speed, stability, and resilience today’s businesses demand.
Join the Conversation: Live Webinar December 12 at 12 PM EST
To help business and IT leaders navigate this critical topic, Aktion’s Network Engineering team is hosting a live 60-minute webinar: “Modernizing What’s Left Behind: Why Network Infrastructure Still Matters” on Friday, December 12, 2025 at 12:00 PM EST.
During this interactive session, Aktion experts will share insights from the field, including the most common and costly mistakes companies make when delaying infrastructure refreshes, how to align modernization with existing cloud investments, and proven strategies to balance cost, uptime, and performance without disrupting daily operations.
This discussion will feature real-world examples from organizations that have successfully modernized their hybrid environments while improving reliability and scalability.
Who Should Attend
This session is designed for C-level leaders, Operations Managers, and IT Directors in construction, manufacturing, and distribution who are responsible for ERP performance, business continuity, or infrastructure modernization planning.
Aktion’s Expertise in Modernization and Managed Services
As a long-time partner to hundreds of mid-market organizations, Aktion Associates combines modernization consulting, managed services, and infrastructure design to help clients future-proof their technology foundations. From lifecycle management to cybersecurity integration, Aktion’s team brings the tools and expertise to help you refresh strategically, not reactively.
Don’t Wait for Downtime to Force Your Next Move
Modernization doesn’t have to be disruptive or expensive, but delaying it always is. Your infrastructure plays a direct role in your ability to scale, protect data, and deliver seamless ERP performance.
Join our experts on Friday, December 12 at 12 PM EST to learn how to modernize what’s left behind before it slows you down.
From Reactive to Proactive: Building a Culture of Cyber Resilience
Cybersecurity Awareness Month Spotlight
October marks Cybersecurity Awareness Month, a timely reminder that true protection isn’t about reacting to the latest threat — it’s about preparing for what’s next.
In today’s landscape, attacks are faster, more sophisticated, and increasingly targeted at small and midsize businesses. Automation, AI-driven phishing, and credential theft have made it easier than ever for cybercriminals to exploit vulnerabilities. The organizations that thrive are those that move beyond basic protection and embrace cyber resilience — the ability to anticipate, withstand, and recover from threats.
From Defense to Resilience
Traditional cybersecurity focuses on blocking attacks. Cyber resilience goes further — it prepares your people, processes, and technology to adapt and respond under pressure. It’s a proactive mindset that turns uncertainty into readiness.
Being resilient means:
This shift from reactive to proactive is what separates those who survive an incident from those who come out stronger because of it.
Aktion’s Six-Phase Cybersecurity Roadmap
During the “Before the Witching Hour: Fortify Your Digital Defenses with Aktion” webinar, Aktion’s cybersecurity experts outlined a clear, six-phase approach to building resilience — one that replaces chaos with structure and fear with confidence.
Each phase builds upon the last to create a layered, sustainable defense strategy:
The goal: ensure that when the lights flicker, everyone knows what to do.
Turn Awareness into Action
Knowing your risk is the first step — addressing it is the next. Aktion’s Cybersecurity Risk Management Checklist was designed to help organizations assess their current posture across all six roadmap phases.
Use it to identify where you stand and where to focus next. It includes checks such as:
Unchecked boxes reveal potential vulnerabilities — but they also mark opportunities to strengthen your defenses and improve readiness.
Building a Culture That Lasts
Cyber resilience isn’t a one-time project. It’s a culture built on awareness, accountability, and continuous improvement. Every employee plays a role in keeping data safe, every system adds to the defense, and every process supports faster recovery.
As Cybersecurity Awareness Month reminds us — awareness is the beginning, but resilience is the goal.
Download the Aktion Cybersecurity Risk Management Checklist to see how your organization measures up and take the next step toward a stronger, more secure future.
For years, VMware has been the backbone of virtualization for organizations of every size. It was reliable, flexible, and accessible whether you were a Fortune 500 company or a regional business with a single rack of servers. That balance shifted in 2025, when Broadcom restructured VMware’s business model to focus more on the enterprise market, leaving many small and mid-sized businesses to re-evaluate their long-term strategies.
A License Model That Raises the Stakes
One of the biggest changes has been VMware’s move from a 16-core to a 72-core licensing minimum. For smaller environments, this adjustment translates into annual support costs that can climb from around $2,000 to $10,000 or more.
Other updates have reshaped how customers consume VMware technology:
Partner Program Realignment
Broadcom has also streamlined the VMware partner program, reducing the number of smaller resellers and emphasizing Select, Premier, and Pinnacle partners with advanced VMware Cloud Foundation capabilities.
This realignment ensures consistent enterprise expertise across VMware’s partner ecosystem, but it also means that many customers are now working with larger providers instead of local or regional IT firms. For some organizations, that can translate into:
Why It Matters
Broadcom’s strategy is designed to maximize the long-term value of its $69 billion VMware acquisition. The focus is clearly on enterprise-scale customers. For small and mid-market organizations, this signals that VMware may no longer be the most cost-effective or flexible choice over time.
The impact isn’t just financial. It’s about having the right level of support, predictability in operations, and flexibility to align IT decisions with business goals.
Exploring Alternatives
The positive outcome of this disruption is that it has accelerated interest in alternative platforms. Several options are already proving themselves as strong candidates for organizations looking to transition:
We’re already seeing increased adoption of Hyper-V, Scale Computing, and cloud-native migrations. Even Microsoft 365 services are filling roles for smaller organizations where VMware once served as the backbone.
A Moment to Plan With the Right Partner
Migrating away from VMware, or even optimizing how it fits into your environment today, isn’t something that can be done overnight. It takes planning, testing, and a clear roadmap. The landscape is shifting quickly, and waiting too long can mean facing higher costs, renewal surprises, or fewer partner options.
At Aktion, we understand the challenges this creates for small and mid-market organizations. Our team works every day with businesses navigating infrastructure changes, whether that means evaluating public cloud options, designing a hybrid strategy, or moving to hyperconverged platforms.
We believe the right path forward isn’t one-size-fits-all. It’s about understanding your workloads, your budget, and your growth goals, then building a technology strategy that supports them. VMware remains a powerful solution for the right use cases, but the broader message is clear: organizations need to be proactive. Aktion is here to help guide you through the uncertainty, evaluate alternatives, and create a roadmap that keeps your IT aligned with the future of your business.
If audits feel scary and cyber risk keeps you up at night, this fast‑paced session is for you. On Thursday, October 16, 2025, 12:00–12:45 PM ET (9:00–9:45 AM PT) we’ll walk through a six‑stage, no‑nonsense roadmap that takes you from reactive firefighting to resilience—just in time for Cybersecurity Awareness Month.
Why a Roadmap (Not Just More Tools)
Tool sprawl, ad‑hoc projects, and last‑minute audit scrambles can turn your environment into haunted‑house IT. A structured roadmap fixes that. Each stage builds practical proof points (artifacts, reports, and remediations) that leadership and insurers actually care about – without detours or rework.
What You’ll Learn in this 45 Minutes Webinar
The 6‑Stage Risk → Resilience Roadmap
1) Discovery & Awareness — See what attackers already know.
Phishing Snapshot/Simulation, Dark Web Credential Check, BECA (Employee Secure Score). You’ll get quantified people/credential risk and an executive‑level readout.
2) Credential & Access Hardening — Close the crypt.
MFA rollout (incl. admins), password manager adoption, RDP/attack‑surface cleanup. Reduce privileged pathways and stop easy break‑ins.
3) Email & Communication Security — Keep the door shut.
SPF/DKIM/DMARC alignment, auto‑forward rule audit/monitoring. Block spoofing and silent exfiltration through inbox rules.
4) Data Resilience & Recovery — Raise your data from the grave.
Test restores, validate RPO/RTO, ensure cloud/endpoints are covered. Prove recovery is possible before ransomware strikes.
5) Baseline Security & Compliance — From hocus‑pocus → to hard evidence.
Tenant baseline (e.g., M365/Azure AD), firewall cleanup, public storage exposure checks. Produce artifacts auditors and insurers accept.
6) Resilience & Strategic Prep — When the lights flicker, everyone knows what to do.
Vuln scan + remediation sprint; Incident Response plan (roles, comms, call trees); tabletop test outline; policy pack mapped to CIS v8 IG1.
Register now (Oct 16, 12pm ET)
Who Should Attend
Why Now
October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month – a perfect time to align leadership, budget, and projects around a clear plan. This session is short, practical, and geared toward immediate next steps, with take‑home checklists and a 30‑minute optional follow‑up briefing.
Event Details & Registration
Date: Thursday, October 16, 2025
Outdated Infrastructure Can’t Keep Up with Today’s Project Demands
As Deltek Vision reaches end-of-life and project complexity increases, architecture, engineering, and professional services (AES) firms are facing a critical decision: how to modernize IT without sacrificing control, flexibility, or performance.
Join Aktion Associates for a focused, no-fluff session built specifically for architecture, engineering, and professional services firms. We’ll explore what ERP hosting should look like — and how to make the move to the cloud without disrupting your business.
You’ll learn:
What fully managed cloud hosting looks like for Deltek Vantagepoint — and how to retain direct access to your data
The hidden costs and risks of aging on-premise infrastructure in project-driven firms
How cloud hosting enhances uptime, security, and scalability — while easing the IT burden on your internal team
Whether you’re preparing to move off Deltek Vision or looking for better control of your hosted environment, this session will equip you with the clarity to move forward.
Reserve your spot now — space is limited!
In the distribution industry, uptime isn’t a luxury; it’s a necessity. From warehouse automation to connected inventory systems, every second counts. But as technology advances, so do the risks, and many distributors are learning the hard way that cyber insurance doesn’t always cover what they think it does.
In our upcoming Cyber Insurance Readiness Webinar, we explore how your answers on cyber insurance applications can directly impact claim approvals, policy premiums, and even your operational continuity. Here’s what every distribution business needs to know.
Cyberattacks can cripple warehouse operations, delay shipments, and compromise vendor or customer data. And yet, many distributors unknowingly jeopardize their cyber insurance coverage by misrepresenting their network security posture.
For example, saying “yes” to having backup and recovery procedures in place means more than backing up data once a month. In the Distribution Industry, this should include automated and encrypted backups of key operational systems, such as order processing, inventory management, and ERP platforms, with tested restoration protocols to minimize downtime during ransomware or system failure.
Here are the five most common areas where distributors fall short, yet still check “yes” on insurance forms:
During the webinar, we will share how a distributor reported full MFA coverage but had only deployed it for the finance team. A phishing attack targeting their warehouse management system led to data theft and significant delivery delays. Their claim was denied due to misrepresentation.
One Wrong Answer Could Cost You Coverage – Stay protected and insurable.
At Aktion, we specialize in supporting the security needs of ERP-driven distributors. Our cybersecurity risk management services include:
Get Ahead of What You Need to be Prepared:
Join our webinar “Understanding the Questions On Cyber Insurance Forms” – June 18 @ 12:00 pm ET – Register Today
And
Schedule a security consultation with Aktion to strengthen your defenses and protect your coverage. Schedule My Review
Cyber insurers are asking tougher questions — and how you answer them could make or break your coverage.
Join Aktion Associates for a practical, eye-opening session that breaks down what insurance providers are really looking for in your cybersecurity practices, why it matters, and how to avoid the costly risks of misrepresentation or incomplete answers.
You’ll learn:
Whether you’re preparing for a renewal or evaluating your risk exposure, this session will give you the clarity and guidance you need to stay protected.
Reserve your spot now — space is limited!
As cyber threats continue to evolve, organizations must shift from reactive risk management to a proactive resilience strategy. Join us for an insightful Risk to Resilience webinar, where industry experts will explore key security challenges, best practices, and innovative solutions to enhance your organization’s cyber resilience.
What You’ll Learn:
Whether you’re a security leader, IT professional, or business executive, this webinar will equip you with the knowledge to navigate today’s complex security landscape confidently.
Don’t miss this opportunity to learn from top experts and gain valuable insights to fortify your organization.
The step-by-step incident response playbook that could save your business millions
In this comprehensive 60-minute webinar, we’ll move beyond theory to provide you with actionable, real-world strategies for responding to and recovering from cyber attacks. Whether you’re updating an existing incident response plan or building one from scratch, you’ll leave with practical tools and templates you can implement immediately.
Agenda
Who Should Attend
Data breaches can have devastating consequences for businesses, affecting both their finances and reputation. At the Cybersecurity Awareness Summit 2024, we will delve into the true cost of data breaches and discuss how to mitigate these risks.
The financial impact of a data breach can be substantial. According to recent studies, the average cost of a data breach in the United States is over $8 million. This cost includes a range of expenses, from immediate response efforts to long-term reputational damage. When a breach occurs, businesses must invest in forensic investigations to determine the extent of the compromise and identify the cause. This often requires hiring external experts and deploying specialized tools, which can be costly.
In addition to the direct costs, businesses may face regulatory fines and legal fees. Many industries are subject to strict data protection regulations, such as GDPR or HIPAA, which mandate specific security measures and reporting requirements. Failing to comply with these regulations can result in significant fines. Furthermore, affected customers or partners may pursue legal action, leading to additional legal expenses and potential settlements.
Operational disruption is another significant cost associated with data breaches. When a breach occurs, businesses often need to shut down systems or limit access to contain the incident and prevent further damage. This disruption can lead to lost revenue, particularly for organizations that rely heavily on online transactions or digital services. The time and resources required to restore normal operations and ensure the integrity of systems can further exacerbate the financial impact.
Beyond the immediate financial costs, data breaches can cause long-lasting reputational damage. Customers, partners, and stakeholders expect businesses to protect their data, and a breach can erode trust and confidence. News of a breach can spread quickly, particularly with the rise of social media, leading to negative publicity and damaged brand reputation. Rebuilding trust and repairing reputational damage often requires significant investment in public relations and marketing efforts.
The loss of customer trust can also have a direct impact on revenue. Customers who lose confidence in a business’s ability to protect their data may take their business elsewhere, leading to lost sales and diminished customer loyalty. Attracting new customers can become more challenging as potential clients may be wary of associating with a business that has experienced a data breach.
To mitigate these risks, businesses must invest in robust cybersecurity measures. This includes implementing comprehensive security policies and procedures, investing in advanced security technologies, and providing ongoing training for employees. Regular security assessments and audits can help identify vulnerabilities and ensure that security measures are effective.
At the Cybersecurity Awareness Summit 2024, experts will discuss strategies to prevent data breaches and minimize their impact. Attendees will learn about the latest tools and techniques for detecting and responding to incidents, as well as best practices for protecting sensitive data.
Protect your business from costly data breaches – secure your spot at the summit today!
