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We're growing again. Deon has joined Pebble IT as our Infrastructure Engineer, bringing 13 years in IT experience with him. His job is the layer most people never see. Deon looks after cloud infrastructure, ours and our clients', making sure it stays updated, secure and built the way it should be. Patching, hardening, tidying up the things that get left half done, and keeping an eye on the platforms our clients run their businesses on. When infrastructure is done properly, no

In 2026, UK managed IT support usually costs somewhere between £40 and £150 per user per month. What you pay comes down to how many users you have, what's actually included, and the bit most guides gloss over, which is how much responsibility the provider takes for keeping you secure. Most Pebble IT clients land in the £50 to £70 per user per month range depending on team size, and we can build on-site support into the contract so a visit isn't a surprise bill. Here's what mo

If your business has been asked for Cyber Essentials certification recently, you're not alone. We've taken five businesses through Cyber Essentials so far this year, two of whom went on to achieve Cyber Essentials Plus — and in almost every case, the push came from the same place: a customer or supplier further up the chain asking for proof of security before signing or renewing a contract. That's the reality of Cyber Essentials in 2026. It has quietly become the entry ticket

Our New Apprentice IT Technician We’re delighted to welcome Nathan to the Pebble IT team as our new Apprentice IT Technician. As part of our continued commitment to developing local talent and delivering outstanding customer support, Nathan has joined us to gain hands‑on experience while building the foundations of a career in IT. Nathan is working on his AZ-900 and Comptia A+. To help you get to know him a little better, we sat down with Nathan for a quick Q&A. What’s your

Updated August 2026: this post was first published in March when we announced our certification. We've refreshed it now that the 2026 Cyber Essentials requirement changes are in force, because the questions clients ask us have changed with them. We're proud to say Pebble IT is Cyber Essentials Plus accredited, the highest level of certification in the UK government-backed Cyber Essentials scheme. Protecting our customers, our colleagues and the data we're trusted with has alw

Remember the floppy disk? That little square of plastic once held the future of data storage—1.44 MB of capacity that felt limitless at the time. Fast forward a few decades, and we now store terabytes of data in the cloud, accessible from anywhere in the world, on any device. This evolution isn’t just about technology—it’s about adaptability. Businesses that embrace change thrive. Those that don’t? They risk being left behind. The Journey: From Physical to Virtual Floppy Dis

Outsourcing your IT to a new provider is a big decision. Whether you're looking for a better service, stronger security, or more strategic support, the onboarding process is where it all begins and usually your first time working together after being promised the world—and it’s where things can go very right or very wrong. A proper IT onboarding isn’t just a handover of passwords that are written down and which users to ‘look out for’. It’s a deep dive into your IT infrastruc

It's been over 2 months since Callum joined us at Pebble IT. Callum is in charge of our IT helpdesk - so we thought it was time for a little Q&A to learn more about the man behind the tickets and who you might be working with. 1. What’s your role at Pebble IT, and what does a typical day look like for you? I'm an IT Technician at Pebble IT. My day usually starts with checking the ticketing system for any urgent issues. From there, I handle anything from troubleshooting hardw

Managed IT and Seamless Migration from Google Workspace to Microsoft 365 Customer: Learn Away Sector: Educational Group Tour Operator Location: Hertford, Hertfordshire, remote users Website: www.learnawaytours.com 🚀 The Challenge Learn Away are a fast growing educational tour provider in the UK. They had no Managed IT support and was using Google Workspace, but found it limiting as their operations became more collaborative. With the business growing and increasing coo

At Pebble IT, we pride ourselves on delivering IT solutions that not only work but help businesses grow. One of our recent success stories is the digital transformation of Allendale Group, a company that came to us with a variety of legacy systems and growing IT needs. What followed was a full-scale IT overhaul designed to bring their technology infrastructure up to speed—and ready for the future. The Challenge Allendale Group were facing several IT-related challenges that we

Microsoft officially announced that Windows 10 will reach its end of support on October 14, 2025. While that may seem a long way off, the reality is businesses must start preparing now to avoid security risks, compliance issues, and unexpected costs. In this post, we’ll cover the key dates, what "end of support" really means, and what your business options are. What Does End of Support Mean? When an operating system reaches its end of support, Microsoft stops providing: Secur

We had some fun earlier creating some AI images of ourselves using ChatGPT, the outcomes were quite accurate and funny ! Follow the below guide to create your own : Open ChatGPT, if you have not used it before, sign up for free - https://chatgpt.com/ Upload a photo of yourself, and beneath it type in the below prompt - then just wait and let AI do it's thing ! Text to copy : Make a picture of a 3D action figure toy, named YOURNAME. Make it look like it's being displayed in a

How an MSP can support business growth & scalability

Here’s Why It Matters At Pebble IT, we’re thrilled to share some fantastic news: we’ve officially achieved Cyber Essentials certification! This milestone represents our unwavering commitment to cybersecurity and protecting both our business and the businesses we support. But why is Cyber Essentials certification so important, and what does it mean for your business? What is Cyber Essentials? Cyber Essentials is a government-backed certification that helps organizations prote

QR codes have become an everyday convenience, allowing us to quickly access information, make payments, or visit websites with a simple scan. But as their popularity grows, so do the risks associated with them. Cybercriminals are exploiting QR codes to trick users into sharing sensitive information or installing harmful software. Here’s what you need to know about fake QR codes and how to protect yourself. Learn how to better spot fake QR codes How Fake QR Codes Work A fake Q

On December 19th 2024 Pebble IT was honored to have been given a special mention at the prestigious yearly SuperOps IT Industry Awards in the Solo MSP of the year category. This is a huge honour for us, and we are extremely grateful for all the support we received from our customers, from all the help and encouragement we received from within the IT community and from our family. This certainly puts the cherry on the cake for a great year at Pebble IT. In total there was 250+

Email phishing has become one of the most common cyber threats businesses and individuals face. Understanding how phishing works and how to protect yourself is important in staying secure online. Striking the correct balance between the correct IT systems, user training and remaining vigilant can be difficult - but the first step is understanding what the problem is, then finding the right IT partner to help your business stay safe. What Is Email Phishing? Email phishing is a

Cybersecurity is no longer just the IT department’s responsibility—it’s everyone’s. A single data breach can have catastrophic consequences, from damaging your company’s reputation to costly regulatory fines and lost revenue. Having the correct next-gen tools to stop threats such as endpoint protection and email security are the first layer, however often overlooked is the importance of training the end-user, and creating a cybersecurity culture embedded in the fabric of your

Why on earth would you want a job in IT?? Only joking . IT is a really rewarding career choice that is one of the fastest-growing and most dynamic fields today. From IT hardware, cybersecurity to software development or IT support, the demand for skilled professionals is ever-increasing. If you're looking to break into the IT industry or advance your current career, this blog may help you find that edge. Self-Assessment: Identify your interests and skills Determine Your Area

Why have a checklist? In today's digital age, protecting your business from cyber threats is more critical than ever. A robust IT security strategy not only safeguards your sensitive data but also ensures business continuity and maintains your reputation. This blog outlines a comprehensive IT checklist to help you secure your business against potential cyber threats. 1. Conduct a Risk Assessment Identify Assets List all your digital assets, including hardware, software, data,

In the dynamic landscape of modern business, unexpected disruptions can pose significant threats to operations and profitability. Whether due to natural disasters, pandemics, cyberattacks, or human errors, these interruptions can have severe consequences and loss of business. To safeguard against such risks regardless if your a 1 person business or large corporation, businesses are advised by us to implement robust disaster recovery (DR) and business continuity (BC) plans. He

In today's hyper-connected world, the convenience of public Wi-Fi is undeniable. Whether it's catching up on emails at a coffee shop, streaming music at the airport, or checking social media at a hotel lobby, public Wi-Fi networks offer us the freedom to stay connected wherever we go. However, this convenience comes with its own set of risks and challenges. In this guide, we'll delve into the dos and don'ts of using public Wi-Fi and explore strategies to protect your personal

We look at why outsourcing your IT may or may not be a good idea for your business. Many businesses are choosing to outsource their IT departments, or work in a co-managed environment where an IT provider supports the local IT department. Let's delve into why outsourcing your IT could be the game-changer your business needs. Focus on your own business: Your core business functions are what set you apart from competitors and drive your success. By outsourcing IT tasks such as

This weeks blog post is not quite as techy as last weeks one on Cyber Security tips sadly, this is more about me.... I've been asked multiple times since forming Pebble IT what brought me into IT, how have I lasted 20 years and what created that spark. I'm usually quite a private person - but I feel this is now something I want to share, especially as my own children want to understand more about why I've done the same type of job for so long without getting bored and still