October 14, 2026

Before joining DataHawg full-time, I served as Director of IT at two separate higher education institutions. That experience changed how I think about technology - and the people responsible for it.

Because when you're the person responsible for technology inside a school, you learn something very quickly:

Technology problems aren't really technology problems.

They're people problems.

When the network goes down, somebody can't teach.

When a system isn't available, somebody can't do their job.

When security is questioned, somebody has to sit across from leadership and explain whether the institution is protected.

And when something goes seriously wrong, nobody wants to hear about servers, switches, firewalls, or software.

They want to know:

"How did this happen?"

I've been the person who had to be ready for that question.

I've Sat on Your Side of the Table

Recently, DataHawg was named a finalist for the 2026 MSP Titans of the Industry Awards.

I'm proud of that.

But the recognition got me thinking about something that happened long before DataHawg was receiving awards.

I used to sit on the other side of the table.

I know what it feels like to be responsible for an institution's technology because I've had that responsibility myself.

That experience influences what I believe schools should expect from the people responsible for managing their IT.

1. Your IT Provider Should Understand That Information Comes First

At DataHawg, we remind everyone that "IT" is two words™: Information and Technology.

And of the two, Information comes first. ALWAYS.

That isn't a slogan we came up with because it sounds good.

It's how we believe technology decisions should be made.

The systems and technology come second.

Our job is to make that information available to the right people, protect it from the wrong people, and keep it available when it's needed.

When you start there, technology conversations change.

You're no longer buying another tool.

You're protecting the institution.

2. Your IT Provider Should Understand the Human Impact of Technology

It's easy for an IT provider to look at a technical problem and see a ticket, device, application, or network issue.

Inside a school, that same problem looks very different.

That's why school IT shouldn't be evaluated only by technical specifications.

The real question is whether technology is helping the institution fulfill its mission without creating unnecessary disruption, risk, or uncertainty.

3. Good School IT Should Be Quiet

After more than 20 years serving schools, nonprofits, and businesses, I've developed a strange definition of successful IT:

Nothing happened.

That's a successful day.

There won't be an award ceremony for most of those days.

That's fine with me.

4. Your IT Provider Should Help Protect the Institution, Not Just Manage Technology

Schools don't invest in technology simply because they want more technology.

They depend on technology to support the work of teachers, administrators, employees, and students.

That's why I believe an IT provider should start by understanding the information and operations the institution depends on.

Then the technology decisions can follow.

That changes the conversation from:

"What technology should we buy?"

to:

"What information and operations do we need to protect, and what technology will help us do that?"

That's a very different approach to IT.

5. Your IT Provider Should Understand the Responsibility You're Carrying

This may be the biggest lesson I brought with me from higher education.

The person sitting across the table from an MSP isn't simply purchasing technology services.

That person may be responsible for keeping systems operating, protecting institutional information, answering questions from leadership, supporting employees, and making difficult technology decisions.

I've carried that responsibility.

And I haven't forgotten what it feels like.

So, About That Award...

Being named a finalist for the 2026 MSP Titans of the Industry Awards means a great deal to our team.

I'm proud of our owner and President, Rhonda.

I'm proud of our team of people.

I'm proud of programs like DataStars, our DOL-approved apprenticeship program, that help us invest in the next generation of IT professionals.

And I'm proud that the way we've chosen to serve our clients is being recognized.

But, if we happen to win, an award won't change what happens tomorrow morning.

There will still be a teacher who needs help.

There will still be an administrator trying to make a difficult technology decision.

There will still be information that needs protecting.

And we'll still be here doing the work.

What Should a School Expect From Its IT Provider?

After sitting on both sides of the table, I believe the answer comes down to 5 things:

1. Put information first. Understand what the institution actually needs to protect.
2. Understand the people behind the technology. An IT problem affects someone's ability to teach, learn, lead, or work.
3. Make good IT quiet. Reliable systems should allow the institution to focus on its mission.
4. Protect the institution, not just its devices. Technology should support a larger information-protection strategy.
5. Understand the responsibility IT leaders carry. When something goes wrong, someone has to answer for it.

I understand that responsibility because I've sat on your side of the table.

I remember what it feels like.

And I haven't forgotten.

Information First. Technology Second. Students Always.

— Darnell Payne
Director of Technology Operations, DataHawg