Urban IT Insights
IT guides for small business owners and office managers
Plain-language answers on cybersecurity, compliance, Microsoft 365 and office technology, written by the Urban IT team in Westlake Village for businesses across Ventura County and Los Angeles.
Featured guide Support ends January 2027
Windows Server 2016 End of Life Guide
Still running Server 2016 for file sharing, Active Directory or line-of-business software? What to plan now, what it costs to wait, and your upgrade options.
New to managed IT?
Start here
- What Does Managed IT Services Mean? Explainer · 13 min read
- Break-Fix vs. Managed IT Services Comparison · 14 min read
- What Are Co-Managed IT Services? Explainer · 13 min read
- How Much Does IT Support Cost in Westlake Village? Guide · 4 min read
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Latest articles
Checklists by industry
See what your type of office is expected to have in place
Each checklist covers the security and compliance requirements that apply to that kind of business, with the IT controls behind them.
Law firms
Privileged communications, client files and trust account records.
CPA firms and tax preparers
The FTC Safeguards Rule, IRS Publication 4557 and tax season uptime.
Medical and dental offices
HIPAA safeguards for records, billing and patient communication.
Financial services
FINRA expectations for data protection, email retention and access control.
IT assessment
Not sure where your office’s IT stands?
An IT assessment shows where your security, backups and Microsoft 365 setup stand today, and what to fix first. There is no obligation to sign on.