2 Dog Digital

10/21/2026

Well, isn't this just a fine how-do-you-do!

The computers are locked, nobody can get any work done, and somebody's knocked over the coffee.

(I'd ask the cat what happened, but she's suddenly nowhere to be found. Suspicious, if you ask me.)

Fortunately, the business has good backups, and IT can restore everything.

Unfortunately, nobody thought to make a plan for what happens 𝘄𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗲 they're restoring it.

Bless their hearts. Apparently, the plan was for everybody to sit around and wait.

𝗧𝗵𝗮𝘁'𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝘆 𝗯𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗻𝘂𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝘄𝗼 𝗱𝗶𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀.

Digit explains the difference in his latest blog, including what small businesses need to figure out before disaster comes knocking.

And he shares 𝗗𝗶𝗴𝗶𝘁'𝘀 𝗥𝘂𝗹𝗲 #𝟯. You know how he loves his rules.

Give it a read!

𝓓𝓸𝓽𝓽𝓲𝓮 🐾

Business continuity vs disaster recovery: two plans every small business needs and most confuse. Learn the difference, and what happens if you only have one.

10/20/2026

Well, well, well. Look at that desktop.

I see somebody's been collecting files like I collect tennis balls. Except I can actually find mine.

(I'm looking at you, Ami DePierro . That woman is a digital hoarder. Bless her heart.)

This week's Tuesday Tech Tip is a challenge, and I'm only asking for TWO MINUTES. Surely we can manage that between meetings.

⏱️ Start your timer and get to work:

🐾 Delete the junk. Old screenshots, duplicate downloads, and those mysterious files named "Document (17)."

🐾 File the keepers. Move important documents into their proper folders. Your desktop is not a filing cabinet, sugar.

🐾 Retire the shortcuts. If you haven't opened that program in six months, do you really need its shortcut staring at you every morning?

🐾 Empty the Recycle Bin. But check what's in there first. I don't want any phone calls about missing spreadsheets.

And when that timer goes off? STOP.

You don't have to finish everything today. Just make your desktop a little easier to navigate.

Now, I want to know: How many icons are on your desktop right now? Be honest. We're not judging. (And by we, I mean Digit -because I'm definitely judging)

𝓓𝓸𝓽𝓽𝓲𝓮 🐾

10/19/2026

Well, would you look at what the mail brought! 🐾

A rather handsome certificate from the MSP Titans of the Industry Awards, recognizing Ami DePierro and Richard DePierro as 2026 finalists for the Southeast region!

Now, I've always maintained that those two work awfully hard. Of course, I also think they could benefit from a few more breaks to appreciate their Scottie, but apparently running an IT company requires some attention.

All teasing aside, I'm mighty proud of them.

They've spent years building 2 Dog Digital, taking care of small businesses, and trying to do right by the people who trust them with their technology.

And it's lovely to see their hard work recognized alongside others in our industry.

The awards ceremony is coming up in Beverly Hills this December. I understand it's quite the fancy affair.

Still waiting to hear whether Scotties are on the guest list.

𝓓𝓸𝓽𝓽𝓲𝓮 🐾

10/14/2026

I've never quite understood golf.

You hit a perfectly good ball, spend half the afternoon looking for it, and somehow call that relaxing.

Personally, I prefer fetch. At least somebody gets excited when the ball comes back.

But I do understand supporting a good cause. And this one's close to home.

⛳ 𝗜'𝗺 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝟮 𝗗𝗼𝗴 𝗗𝗶𝗴𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗶𝘀 𝗮 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗼𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲 𝗥𝗮𝗹𝗲𝗶𝗴𝗵 𝗖𝗿𝗶𝗺𝗲𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗚𝗼𝗹𝗳 𝗧𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗮𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁!

Raleigh Crime Stoppershelps people share information about crimes anonymously, giving our community another way to help law enforcement solve cases.

Our very own Ami DePierro serves as Vice President of Raleigh CrimeStoppers, so you might say we're a little personally invested in seeing this organization succeed.

And here's where I'd like to have a word with my fellow Raleigh businesses.

𝗪𝗲'𝗱 𝗹𝗼𝘃𝗲 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗼𝗿 𝗹𝗶𝘀𝘁!

There are opportunities for businesses to get involved, support the work of Raleigh CrimeStoppers, and enjoy a day on the golf course.

And don't worry if your golf game is questionable. I've seen my humans throw a ball. Let's just say there's a reason I'm the one who retrieves it.

Take a look at the tournament and sponsorship opportunities:

https://raleighcrimestoppers.org/golf-tournament-outing-2026/

𝓓𝓸𝓽𝓽𝓲𝓮 🐾

10/01/2026

Well, Michael, you’ve gone and said something that will make my humans awfully happy.

“IT manageable for our business.”

That’s pretty much the goal around here.

Answer the phone. Fix the problem. Explain things in regular human language. Try not to make anyone learn what DNS stands for unless they actually want to. (Ami DePierro probably wants to. Ami asks questions.)

Thank you for trusting our pack with your business, Michael, and for taking the time to leave such a kind review. We’re mighty glad you found us. 💙

𝓓𝓸𝓽𝓽𝓲𝓮🐾

09/30/2026

Well, sugar, this is why we don’t wait for somebody to call and say, “I think I clicked something.”

Because sometimes 𝗻𝗼𝗯𝗼𝗱𝘆 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗰𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗸𝗲𝗱 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴.

Our software stack spotted suspicious activity with one of our clients, so we called her.

Our tech logged in and found her partway through a device code phishing attack.

She hadn’t finished it yet.

Here’s the particularly rude part of this scam: if the victim keeps going, they can eventually end up on 𝗠𝗶𝗰𝗿𝗼𝘀𝗼𝗳𝘁’𝘀 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝘄𝗲𝗯𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗲 and enter a code the criminal gave them.

Now, I don’t know who decided phishing needed to get this clever, but I’d like a word.

Digit, meanwhile, has boiled the whole thing down to:

“𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗻𝘁 𝗱𝗼𝗼𝗿 𝗶𝘀 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝗮𝘀𝗸𝗲𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘁𝗼 𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗻 𝗶𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗯𝗹𝗲𝗺.”

I still hate it when that dog makes a good point.

We wrote about what happened and how device code phishing works, because this is one of those scams people need to know exists 𝗯𝗲𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲 it lands in front of them.

Go read it. Digit and I will keep an eye on things around here.

𝓓𝓸𝓽𝓽𝓲𝓮 🐾

Device code phishing can use Microsoft’s real login page and get past MFA. Learn how the attack works and how businesses can reduce the risk.

09/29/2026

Ya'll, if your keyboard has enough crumbs in it to qualify as a snack drawer, we need to have a little talk.

Rich has been having this talk with Ami DePierro for years. Apparently, “stop eating at your desk” is one of those marital conversations that never actually reaches a conclusion.

And we won’t discuss the coffee incidents.

You can clean your keyboard without sending an emergency ticket to your IT company afterward.

First, turn the computer off (or unplug the keyboard).

Turn it upside down and gently tap it to shake loose the crumbs, dog hair, and evidence of lunches past.

Use compressed air in short bursts between the keys. Keep the can upright. We are removing debris, not pressure-washing the thing.

For the keys and surface, use a microfiber cloth lightly dampened with 70% isopropyl alcohol. Lightly dampened, y’all. Nothing should be dripping.

And please don’t spray cleaner directly onto the keyboard. Electronics and surprise baths have never been particularly good friends.

If something is wedged under a key and won’t come out easily, don’t start prying at it with whatever happens to be sitting on your desk. That’s about the point where a five-minute cleaning job becomes a support ticket.

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have questions about what I just found under Ami’s space bar.

Richard DePierro, you may have a point.

𝓓𝓸𝓽𝓽𝓲𝓮 🐾

09/21/2026

Well, y’all, apparently we have 𝐓𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐬 in the house.

Richard DePierro and Ami DePierro have been named 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔 𝐌𝐒𝐏 𝐓𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐈𝐧𝐝𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐲 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐬 for the Southeast. 💙

I’ve watched these two build 2 Dog Digital for more than ten years. There have been long days, late nights, plenty of “well, THAT didn’t go according to plan,” and a whole lot of figuring things out as they went.

So seeing them recognized like this? I’m pretty darn proud.

There is, however, a small problem.

Digit heard the word 𝐓𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐧 and immediately assumed everyone was talking about him.

He is a Great Dane, so I can see how the confusion happened.

The “legend in his own mind” part is harder to explain.

🐾 𝓓𝓸𝓽𝓽𝓲𝓮

09/18/2026

Three days.

Three whole days that connection issue had been carrying on before Kimberlee called our humans.

Now, I’m a patient little Southern lady (Oh if you could see Digit's face right now, but I digress), but three days of your business being disrupted is enough. At some point we quit sweet-talking the technology and send Richard DePierro after it.

He jumped in, found the problem, and got them back up and running.

Kimberlee says he “fixed the issue immediately.”

I’d like to point out that nobody mentioned how much supervision I provided, but I suppose there’s only so much room in a Google review.

Thank you, Kimberlee, for trusting our crew when you needed help. And thank you for the five stars. I personally think they look lovely on us.

09/17/2026

So apparently you don’t even have to know how to build ransomware anymore.

You can outsource that.

I’ll give the criminals this: they do keep up with technology.

It’s called Ransomware as a Service (RaaS). Someone else builds the ransomware, criminals use it, and they share the money if a victim pays.

I asked Digit why they’d bother with a small business.

I got The Look.

Turns out, they don’t necessarily have to be looking for your business. They’re looking for one they can get into.

Well. That’s considerably less comforting.

Digit explains what RaaS means for small businesses in this week’s Digest, including what you can do to make your business a harder place to get into.

And yes, he talks about backups.

That dog really does have one favorite subject......

Ransomware as a Service makes cybercrime easier to scale. Learn how RaaS works, why small businesses get hit, and how to reduce your risk.