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Edge Computing

Edge Computing & Business: Getting Closer to the Action

If cloud computing was the first wave of digital transformation, edge computing is what’s happening next, quietly reshaping how businesses process data, make decisions, and deliver real-time experiences. For business leaders managing technology budgets, edge computing isn’t just a trend. It’s a strategic shift in how infrastructure is designed to support speed, efficiency, and scalability. Over the last two weeks we have touched on how edge computing correlates with Well-Architected Framework and Embedded Systems; this week we dive into the details of it. What is Edge...

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Embedded Devices and Microcontrollers

Embedded Devices & Microcontrollers: The Intersection of Software & Hardware

From smart factories to connected medical devices, embedded devices and microcontrollers are quietly powering the modern economy. They don’t get the same attention as cloud platforms or AI models, but without them, most digital innovation simply wouldn’t function. For business leaders managing technology investments, understanding the unique nuances of these systems is becoming increasingly important. What Are Embedded Devices & Microcontrollers? An embedded system is a specialized computing system designed to perform a specific function within a larger device. It includes...

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Well-Architected Famework

What Is the Well-Architected Framework (and Why Should You Care)?

According to Gartner, 52% of technical leaders are prioritizing cost reduction over the next 2 fiscal years, including IT optimization. Cost cutting initiatives without cutting staff is a key concern globally, and is echoed in our recent calls with our Clients. Last week we touched on the importance of evaluating Well-Architected Framework as part of an optimization strategy, this week we dive into the details of it. AWS Well-Architected Framework is built around six key pillars: Operational Excellence Security Reliability Performance Efficiency Cost Optimization ...

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Down the software rabbit hole

Down the Software Rabbit Hole: Why Business Leaders Should Lean into Technical Deep Dives

We’ve all been there, you’re in a meeting with stakeholders and technical SMEs and you ask a simple, budget-conscious question: Is it possible to make the app faster for users and cheaper to maintain?” One of your brightest developers enthusiastically leans forward, and says: “Yes… but it depends.” And just like that, you’re in a conversation that includes terms you’re sure are made up, acronyms that you’ve never heard of and concepts you suspect went into the Artemis II launch. You try and keep up but gapped somewhere after they said, ‘quad trees,’ but before ‘performance...

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Linux for Business

Linux for Business: Scalable, Secure, Innovation Foward

In technology boardrooms and engineering teams alike, a quiet but decisive shift has been underway over the last 25 years. Linux is not just a developer preference; it has become a strategic business choice.  From cloud infrastructure to embedded systems, Linux has  positioned itself as the backbone of modern software development. Have your non-tech teams caught up? For executives evaluating digitalization & technology strategy, understanding why developers prefer Linux offers valuable insight into scalability, security, and long-term innovation. Linux Basics ...

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Spaceships and Software

Software: The Real MVP of the Artemis II Mission

When most people think about space missions, they picture rockets, astronauts, and dramatic launches. But behind every successful mission, especially one as ambitious as Artemis II, there’s something far less visible doing the heavy lifting: software. For business and technology leaders, Artemis II is more than a space story. It’s a masterclass in how mission-critical software enables complex systems, manages risk, creates competitive advantage, and determines success or failure. Let’s dive into the software that is taking humans around the moon and back. A Mission Half a Century...

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Large Language Model

What Is an LLM (Really)? A Practical Guide for Business and Technology Leaders

Large Language Models (LLMs) are having a moment. They’re hot topics around boardroom tables, branches of product roadmaps, and part of just about every vendor pitch deck. But behind the buzzword is a concept that’s both simpler and more nuanced than it first appears. For tech and business leaders, understanding what an LLM is (and just as importantly, what it is not) is key to making smart, strategic decisions. This week we dive into LLM’s from the perspective of a software development company who fields questions about with our advisory client’s and uses them to achieve our client’s...

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21 Years of STEP Software

21 Years of STEP Software: Celebrating Change

March 2026 marks an exciting milestone for STEP Software: 21 years in business. That’s right, STEP is officially old enough to… well, legally drink in the U.S., which feels appropriate given everything the tech industry has put us through over the past two decades. But jokes aside, 21 years in technology isn’t just a milestone, it’s a front-row seat to one of the most transformative periods in business history. From clunky legacy systems to cloud-native platforms and AI-powered tools, the way organizations build and use software has changed dramatically. This anniversary is a...

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User Acceptance Testing

The Importance of User Acceptance Testing

Custom software development projects involve months of planning, design, coding, and internal testing. When done well, User Acceptance Testing reduces project risk, improves adoption, and helps ensure custom solutions deliver the business outcomes it was designed to achieve, when done poorly is can lead to delays, project confusion and team discourse. For IT leaders and business stakeholders, UAT represents the moment when software moves beyond technical validation and into real-world usability. It is the stage where the people who will rely on the system every day confirm that it...

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System Failure

When Disaster Strikes: What to Do If Your Legacy System Goes Down

For many organizations, legacy systems are still the backbone of critical business operations. They run billing, logistics, manufacturing systems, financial systems, payroll in many cases and even customer records. When faced with a cyberattack, software defect, or natural disaster, the consequences are immediate for businesses and downstream partners. Over the last five years alone, there have been several high-profile incidents showing how quickly a technology failure can become a business crisis. The lesson is simple: legacy systems don’t fail gracefully; and if you don’t have a...

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