Blog & Tools

Popular Resources
  1. World-class internet connectivity coming to homes and businesses in Beresford
    The Beresford Municipal Telephone Company will invest about $5 million to significantly upgrade connectivity for internet and phone services.
  2. Cyber threats are real and stakes are high
    Good preparation for bad weather won’t change the forecast, cybersecurity expert Bryce Austin writes. In contrast, good cybersecurity planning can significantly impact outcomes.
  3. UPTIME is on its way; Wi-Fi trailer delivers connectivity to local events
    SDN Communications’ new Wi-Fi Trailer was a popular attraction at community gatherings around South Dakota during its first event season. The trailer is expected to be in even greater demand in 2019.
  4. Cybersecurity experts provide valuable context to threats
    Businesses that want to enhance protection of their electronic assets should complicate network pathways that hackers might follow, not just try to block them from entering, according to a national cybersecurity expert.
  5. 3 Best password tactics to trump would-be hackers
    The name “donald” cracked SplashData’s list of the Top 100 Worst Passwords in 2018, debuting at No. 23 in the company’s eighth annual ranking of bad passwords.
  6. Free cybersecurity resources, advice now available for small businesses
    The FTC offers free advice online to help small businesses fight threats such as phishing schemes, ransomware attacks and tech support scams. Materials include fact sheets, videos and quizzes.
  7. Watch a hacker at work during Cybersecurity Conference live demonstration
    “Cybersecurity is a concern not only for IT professionals, but also for business owners, executives, HR professionals and others.”
  8. Certified firewall ‘wizards’ help SDN protect customer networks
    Businesses that subscribe to SDN Communications’ Managed Firewall Service enjoy advantages. For one, customers may contact the company no matter what type of cybersecurity challenge confronts them.
  9. SDN’s connectivity reaches far beyond South Dakota
    The South Dakota-based network reaches into eight other states in the region and, from there, ties cooperatively into other networks and extends across the United States.
  10. Burden of protecting information is heavy and growing
    A new report by the Center for Strategic and International Studies and the security software company McAfee estimates that cybercrime costs the world nearly $600 billion a year.
  11. Computer immersion program teaches kids to think critically
    Older students at Lowell Elementary School in Sioux Falls coded laptop computers to build images of multistory structures. Others programmed small, robotic vehicles to stop, go or turn on their command.
  12. Good firewall protection must be a business priority
    Businesses spend months, even years, earning their customers’ trust and confidence. Unfortunately, even close relationships can be destroyed in a matter of days. Data breaches are a major culprit.
  13. 10 Reasons to deploy MPLS technology
    Through the years, new data-transporting techniques have worked to minimize issues. Multiprotocol Label Switching, or MPLS, is among them. MPLS was created roughly two decades ago and has emerged as the prevailing solution, according to some telecommunications experts.
  14. SD successful in connecting schools, challenges remain in digital learning
    U.S. schools have made tremendous progress in connecting students to the internet. South Dakota and neighboring states rank near the top nationally. However, fresh challenges to enhance digital learning opportunities await.
  15. One South Dakota reservation is wired like none other
    Think tribal territories don’t have technology? Think again. Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Telephone Authority in Eagle Butte stands out, not only locally but nationally.
  16. It’s time to clean out your computer and tune up your life
    National Clean Out Your Computer Day, which is the second Monday of every February, is a perfect observation for people like me.
  17. Local ISPs delivering alternate solutions where out-of-state providers won’t
    As the state of South Dakota looks to connect all citizens, it should embrace all forms of connectivity, but do so realizing wireless technologies are a temporary fix.
  18. Concerns about data privacy moving closer to center stage
    Data Privacy Day probably didn’t create three-day weekends for many Americans, but the Jan. 28 observation brought welcome attention to cyber issues of growing importance in the United States.
  19. ICAN helps businesses across rural S.D. effectively use TV ads
    Preparing an ad and running it through Garretson-based Alliance Communications’ TV service turned out to be less expensive than one small business had expected. Running a TV ad in the Brandon region also proved effective.
  20. MPLS, football and the importance of good technique
    In the past, I’ve compared the objectives of MPLS networks to that of basketball teams. But upon further review, comparing MPLS to football probably makes more sense.