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Posts Tagged as general articles (page 3)

Handy Tips for Internet Connection While Travelling

If you travel for business, chances are you need to connect to the Internet while on the road. Here are some tips to help: Set up wireless access. If you travel frequently, sign up for a wireless data plan from your service provider. Depending on the features of your mobile phone, you can use it as a substitute for your laptop for accessing your emails or browsing the web. Some devices support tethering—where you use your device as a wireless modem for network access. Newer generation netbooks and laptops natively support 3G, which allows these devices to browse the Internet in places where WiFi is not available. WiFi is your friend. If you haven’t signed up for a wireless data plan, your mobile phone is limited in its features, or you prefer to use a laptop that only has support for WiFi, do your homework and research whether your destination or nearby areas provide WiFi access.  Websites such as WiFi Hot Spot List , JiWire , and gWiFi.net provide a database of places offering free WiFi. HotelChatter.com provides an annual list of Best WiFi Hotels as well. Dial-up as a last resort. You can always resort to dial-up if your location only provides fixed-line telephone access. Some ISPs still provide dial-up as an option and it’s a good idea to keep their access numbers just in case. Feel secure with VPN. If you are accessing sensitive data while travelling, certain programs will ensure secure access via public Internet connections.  One example is the use of Virtual Private Network (VPN) software which can create a private network between two or more computers. If your company provides this service, use it. If not, contact us and we can set one up for you. Note that while you have access to office resources such as company file servers, printers and email as if you were there, you could possibly be restricted to the same security policies as well. Interested in finding out more? Contact us to find out how we can help you stay connected on the road.

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Practical Tips for Creating and Managing your Online Passwords

The average computer and Internet user manages over a dozen passwords for various websites. You probably have passwords for your computer, your company email, your personal online email accounts, your favorite social networking websites, your twitter feed, your online bank account, your favorite online store, and more. Using the same password for everything is not very secure, but keeping track of unique passwords for each can be a pain. Here are some quick tips to help you not only create secure passwords, but also easily manage them: Do not use real words. Words such as “password”, “god”, “love” or some other common phrase can easily be guessed at by hackers. In addition, hackers use tools that automate guessing – randomly trying words from a dictionary one at a time until it gets it right.

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Evolving With the Times: Keeping Your Software Up to Date

There are few (if any) people who’ll tell you that technology has reached its limit. On the contrary, technology continues to grow every day, leaving information technology companies scrambling to keep up and not get left behind. The demands of your industry can be taxing, but one way to make sure that you’re one of those at the top is to always keep your software up to date. Updating software will allow you to deliver your services in a more efficiently and effectively. Updates give you access to improved features that help you work faster and improve your overall output. Updates also fix bugs that cause problems you might not be affected by it now, but sooner or later will come back to bite you – so it’s best to avoid them altogether. Another important reason to update involves security. New viruses and malware are constantly developed, and criminal identity theft rings are on the rise throughout the world. You need to guard against the damage that can be caused by malicious software. Your company’s continued operation, as well as the privacy of your data (and that of your clients), depends on up to date software – especially anti-virus programs. Updating software is a key part of keeping your business on top of its game. Staying current may sound easy – but it can be difficult to make sure things stay secure and are compatible with your current hardware and applications. Don’t hesitate to give us call and find out how our Managed Services takes the headache out of staying up to date.

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Air Travel Tips with Your Mobile Devices

There are plenty of general tips at various websites and blogs for air travelers, but few address travelling with your laptop and gadgets in tow. The following advice will save you time and perhaps even make the trip a more pleasant experience. Keep it light. Bring the absolute minimum you need. Stuff can easily get lost, shuffled around, or become quite heavy in a run from one gate to the next. If you’re a frequent traveler opt for a netbook or an ultralight laptop. And if a PDA or smartphone will serve your needs, use that instead. Carry it on. Don’t put your gear in your check-in luggage – you’d be appalled at how your luggage is handled at some airports. It’s routinely stacked, thrown around, and dropped. Always bring your expensive electronic equipment on board with you. Be prepared to unpack it. In many airports, you’ll be asked to unpack your laptop for x-ray. Normally you’ll be asked to put it in a bin on the conveyor belt for x-ray. Make sure to use a carrying bag that’s easy to open and repack. Be alert. It’s very common for technology items to be stolen in airports and even on the plane. Never let your items out of your sight. Don’t leave them behind where they can get lost, and always be on guard. Keep it accessible. Airport regulations require you to shut off your device during the takeoff and landing. Keep your devices easily accessible, preferably near your body or tucked into the pocket seat in front of you. If you have information stored in your phone or mobile device such as your itinerary, the person who is picking you up at the airport, rental car information, etc., you’ll thank yourself later for keeping it within easy reach. Traveling can be exciting, but without the proper preparation can also be a pain. Hopefully these tips will help make your next air travel adventure more pleasant.

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How Managed Services Can Help You Weather the Recession

Industry analyst IDC predicts that the global economic recession will have a dramatic impact on small and mid-sized companies. But that doesn’t means these companies will stop spending on information technology (IT). “Small and mid-sized businesses…will be increasingly interested in the productivity gains made possible by advanced technology,” said Raymond Boggs, vice president of SMB research at IDC. “New mobile communications solutions, videoconferencing, and online resources will be especially attractive, as will alternative approaches to technology acquisition and deployment.” The reason, says IDC, is that these advanced technologies can help reduce costs and provide growing businesses with an important competitive edge. One way to gain access to these advanced IT technologies is through Managed Services, which offers smaller companies access to and quick deployment of affordable best-of-breed technologies. Managed Services is cost-effective because it offers companies a way to make use of precious capital by fulfilling their IT needs on a pay-per-use basis. Who can benefit from Managed Services? Smaller companies that don’t employ dedicated IT staff but want to take advantage of the latest developments in security, backups, messaging, and business communications. Mid-size companies with some in-house IT staff that want to see productivity gains among by eliminating problems and downtime. Contact us for more information about how our Managed Services can increase your productivity while saving your money.

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Disaster Recovery—An Increasingly Important Aspect of Your Business

As networks and devices become increasingly complex, more and more things can go wrong. As a result, disaster recovery plans have also become more complex. Is yours good enough? According to Jon William Toigo, the author of Disaster Recovery Planning , 15 or 20 years ago a disaster recovery plan might consist of powering down a mainframe and other computers, disassembling components, and drying circuit boards in the parking lot with a hair dryer. That’s because a disaster, in those days, was usually a fire that set off a company’s sprinklers. Today, there are many more threats, including sabotage. Moreover, most companies’ IT systems are too large to be recovered using such a simple hands-on approach. Even if you could recover from a disaster in the manner Toigo recalls, you probably wouldn’t want to due to the downtime it would require—downtime that could have a significant financial impact. Consider the case of Hurricane Katrina. When it slammed the U.S. Gulf Coast in 2005, it wiped out the communications infrastructure of a whole region, uprooting 1,000 wireless towers and knocking down 11,000 utility poles. Many businesses were forced to shut down entirely—even critical ones, including 25 hospitals and 100 broadcast stations. But clients of such company did stay in business—by relocating to off-site facilities equipped with the computing power and backed-up data to keep systems and services online. Some even utilized 18-wheelers with servers and other office equipment inside. Disaster recovery in the modern age is a detailed, step-by-step course of action for quickly getting back on your feet after a natural or manmade disaster. The details may vary depending on your business needs, and can be developed in-house or purchased as a service. How prepared are you for disaster? Call us today for a review of your plan.

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Working Toward a Paperless Office

A paperless office is one of the simplest ways a company can minimize clutter and mess, and also help contribute to making business operations more green and environment friendly. Having a paperless office essentially means drastically decreasing the use and consumption of paper in the office. Of course there will always be a need to use paper for some things, but reducing the paper you consume can save you a lot of money and at the same time help the environment. There are many ways to go about doing this. One is to invest in equipment and technologies to make paper use more efficient for when you do need to use it – for example, printers that allow you to print on both sides or scale down images. Here are some other actions you can take: Digitize your hardcopy files so that you have soft copies as well as reliable backups. Assess which paper records you can recycle (or shred then recycle) – this also reduces your document storage space. Release online memos instructing people to avoid or eliminate unnecessary printouts (such as printer test pages). Send web links through email or IM instead of printing a webpage to share. Distribute presentations on flash drives instead of printing them for your audience, or use websites such as SlideShare.com that allow you to share online. When you use less paper, you save on paper and printer ink costs. Minimizing the paper you store also saves you valuable office space. In fact, one company saved $30 million in lease costs when they went paperless. Of course, we can’t really completely eliminate our use of paper. But even small changes can go a long way toward a paperless office and healthier environment – and lower operating costs. Resources: http://156.98.19.245/workplace/index.html http://www.microsoft.com/smallbusiness/resources/technology/communications/6-tips-for-a-paperless-office.aspx#tipsforapaperlessoffice http://www.ismckenzie.com/eight-ways-to-eliminate-paper-and-clutter-in-your-office/

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Hackers Employing Sophisticated Techniques to Trick Users

Hackers are employing increasingly sophisticated techniques to scam users into downloading malicious software. For instance, today’s hackers and malware authors have begun using so-called “doorway pages” – web pages optimized to rank highly in results for common search engine queries. These pages often feature trending or hot topics to show up favorably in search results, and may contain content that has been copied from other websites. Some even employ sophisticated technology techniques to customize the page based on each individual visitor’s location, browser, and operating system – and may include a referring page to entice users further into the scam. Internet users should be aware of these techniques, and think twice before following search results links. Fortunately there are equally sophisticated tools and techniques designed to block malicious search results. Contact us to find out how you can combat this particularly devious threat. Related articles: Cyber-criminals pounce on McAfee crash story (v3.co.uk) The Importance Of Using Proper SEO Techniques (ronmedlin.com)

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Personal IT in the Workplace: Bad for Your Business?

Consider this:  according to research by technology analyst group Gartner , beyond 2010 end users, not the IT department, will be responsible for 50 percent of business IT procurement decisions—ultimately bringing and running their own systems on company networks. Meanwhile, according to management consultants Accenture , around one-third  of today’s new generation of workers (a group they call “millenials”) not only want to use the computer of their choice at work, but also want control of the applications they use too. What’s driving this trend? Many have been calling it the “consumerization” of IT with the wide availability of cheap and powerful mobile devices and online services. Although there have been some case studies of companies successfully enjoying  benefits from letting employees bring their own personal technology to the work place , there are very real dangers that you should be aware before adopting or allowing this practice in your business: Exposing your network to malware or security vulnerabilities and breaches because of unprotected devices Leakage of confidential or proprietary information Lower economies of scale in procurement Higher maintenance and support costs because of non-standardized configurations Worried about this trend? Need to define a policy for your staff when it comes to bringing their personal equipment to the office? Contact us and see how we can help. Related links: The rise of affordable consumer technology causes problems for businesses (sc magazine) Gartner releases business predictions for 2010 (global services media) Citrix tells their employees to bring their own laptops to work (usa today)

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How Proactive Updates and Patching Help you Stay on Top of the Game

Viruses and other forms of malware can wreak untold havoc in your computer systems, which causes productivity loss and problems that affect the service you deliver to your customers. This is why subscribing to a service that maintains and prevents the spread of viruses in your system and network can go a long way in ensuring that your IT-based operations continue smoothly and efficiently. However, viruses account for only a fraction of the problems your computer system can suffer. With many businesses such as yours relying greatly on the capabilities of their IT systems, it stands to reason that all steps must be taken to ensure that it is properly maintained and functions as effectively as possible. One very efficient way to do this that’s getting much attention these days is Managed Services. This is an affordable and cost-effective means of making sure that your IT continues to function at optimum levels at all times. Here’s how it works: Companies routinely experience IT-related problems that they have difficulty solving. Managed Services provides 24

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