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When Nature Strikes – Is Your Ark Ready to Float Your Business to Dry Land?

October 31, 2014

Scott Blake is a Senior Network Engineer with Tech Experts.

Flooding can strain the resources of even the most well-equipped organizations. Natural disasters give little warning to companies, so preparing for the disaster is the only way to reduce the high cost of rebuilding.

Have a plan ready and in place
Disaster recovery plans are now becoming a requirement for many industries. To be prepared, businesses need to locate and define the regulatory requirements of their individual industry. In addition to reducing hardware damage and data loss, this will help avoid fines, penalties or negative press associated with noncompliance.

The health care industry has begun to require that hospitals have a recovery plan in place. The Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) sets standards for operating a health care organization and evaluates the industry to ensure that these standards are met. Documented and field-tested recovery plans for theft, vandalism, loss of critical data, provision of emergency power, and file and flood recovery are now required.

Trying to implement or even design a plan while in the middle of a disaster will only lead to a less than successful recovery. Make sure your team is ready for action and everyone knows what to do. It’s better to be overprepared than have a plan with holes that will sink your business.

Your data: Make sure you have it
Back up your data regularly. Manage a duplicate copy of all data, programming, and company processes at a different physical location or in the cloud. That way, you can continue working at a secondary location if your system crashes.

One way to do this is to keep copies of all your data, programs, bare metal backups and virtual machines in data centers in other states or in some cases different countries.

Tech Experts offers encrypted, HIPAA-approved, online backup of your files, documents, folders and data bases. If you require bare metal backups or the ability to convert your server into a virtual machine to keep afloat until replacement hardware is in place and running, Tech Experts also offers devices that can fulfill that requirement as well.

Treat your data like your money
Keep it safe and keep a lot of it.

Power: Must have it
An uninterruptable power supply (UPS) and a generator provide consistent backup power for your business if power lines go down. Make sure you routinely test and service them to ensure they’re working correctly.

Electrical components, including service panels, meters, switches, and outlets, are easily damaged by flood water. If they are underwater or come in contact with water for even short periods, they will probably have to be replaced. Make sure all of your computer systems — from servers, workstations, backup devices, and UPS’s — are up off the floor. Servers, backup components and UPS’s should be at least four feet off the floor.

Another problem is fires caused by short circuits in flooded areas. Raising electrical system components helps you avoid those problems. Having an undamaged, operating electrical system after a flood will help you clean up, make repairs, and return to your property with fewer delays.

Good relationships with vendors, customers and partners
Create strong relationships with your partners, vendors and customer base. In good times, they will give you access to new ideas, technologies, and business opportunities. During a crisis, they’re a security blanket with teams of people who know your business model and have resources to help you rebuild.

Insurance: Business is life
Floods and water damage are expensive. Business insurance is crucial and it’s not only for physical property. The right kind of insurance will replace lost income as well. Make sure your business insurance policy is up to date and has the correct coverage to support your business in crisis mode.

If you have questions or you’re looking for suggestions on prepping your business for recovery, call Tech Experts at 734-457-5000.

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Considerations When Buying A Home Wireless Router

October 31, 2014

Choosing and buying a router for your wireless internet at home can be a frustrating experience; you want speed, performance and coverage as well as longevity in the life of your upgraded router.

It’s not an easy task if you add to it the complexity of all those numbers attached to the router and the knowledge required to install it.

So, here are few considerations that will help you choose your next wireless router:

What’s the end goal?
Ask yourself: why am I buying a router? If it’s simply to build a wireless network at home and have access to the Internet, you could probably get away with a router at under $200.

However, if you want extra features, such as added security, parental controls, the ability to connect USB printers, and added external storage drives for data sharing, you need to search for a higher end router.

Also, you may not even need to have a wireless router in your house, especially if you use a PC or laptop that is already connected to a cable or DSL modem and there are no other devices that need to be connected wirelessly to the internet.

Should you go for a single or dual band?
Bands are the frequencies in which wireless communications operate. A single-band is geared toward simple wireless networks and a dual-band router operates on both the 2.4 and 5 GHz frequencies.

Although a router that sustains the 5 GHz frequency will work great for gaming and online streaming, it is not as good as the 2.4 when it comes to distance. So, consider the distance you need to cover when choosing the required band.

Further considerations
When buying your next router, remember that soon enough the 6th version of the Internet Protocol (IPv6) will be here, so you will need a router that supports this transition.

Another consideration is extra features that a router may offer, such as SD card slots and USB ports for printers for example.

If you want to future-proof your investment, make sure you get an 802.11 AC router, which is fast becoming the standard in wireless networking.

Finally, even with home networks, the more security, the better!

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Cloud Vs. On-Premise Systems – Pros, Cons And Costs

August 22, 2014

Thomas Fox is president of Tech Experts, southeast Michigan’s leading small business computer support company.

A common discussion among the business owners I work with is whether to store their data in the cloud or an on-premise IT system. The conversation usually starts with the cost implications; however, there are many things that need to be taken into consideration when comparing the two options, such as some of the following:

Cloud
The recurring monthly service cost is often the main and sometimes the only cost factor that is considered when comparing cloud solutions with an on-premise option.

Pros
• Although much is said about cloud solutions outages, public and private clouds can provide much better reliability and uptime than an old, outdated and poorly maintained on-premise system.

• In the long term, the total cost of ownership (TCO) for cloud solutions is much lower than that for on-premise systems for most businesses.

Cons
• Offloading hefty workloads to the cloud demands sufficient bandwidth. Without it, any savings you might be making from not running an internal server could potentially be negated by slowness and productivity loss.

• Similarly, any increased needs in Internet connection costs should be accounted for in an objective comparison of moving to the cloud versus staying in-house. If you are contemplating moving to the cloud, talk to us about the amount of bandwidth you need for your business.

• When dealing with cloud servers, you will often find that while you can move as much data as you wish into the server, transferring data out usually has an associated cost.

• Moving large amounts of data to the cloud may take a significant amount of time depending on your office Internet connection; it may not be enough to transfer these workloads in a timely manner between endpoints.

On-premise IT systems
Many people mistakenly believe that the cost for on-premise systems start and stop with how much they need to pay for new hardware and software.

Pros
• They are more suitable than cloud solutions for large capacity file sharing of 50GB or more, or for operations that would be bandwidth-prohibitive in a cloud scenario, such as rural offices with weaker Internet connectivity.

Cons
• In contrast to standard computers or laptops, the average solid server has a mixture of multiple-socket processors, dual power supplies, multiple hard drives and numerous other components that all increase your electrical overhead cost. You should also factor in the cost of cooling your hardware, which is critical in maintaining these components.

• On average, organizations replace on-premise systems every five years, which means you will incur upgrade costs to retire old servers. Even if staying in-house may be cheaper than moving to the cloud when you consider the monthly costs, your five-year upgrade or replacement costs could be even more expensive, and opting for cloud solutions may still be better in the long term.

It is worth noting that while one solution may seem more favorable than the other, it may not apply to all businesses.

As such, it is important to objectively compare these factors based on your business needs and make the most suitable decision accordingly.

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Benefits Of Going Paperless

August 22, 2014

Michael Menor is Vice President of Support Services for Tech Experts.

The “paperless office” has been a concept in American business culture since 1979, when it was first coined in Newsweek. As the technology improves and becomes more cost effective for small businesses, the paperless office is becoming a reality for more and more small companies. If you are considering going paperless or adopting a document management system, consider these five benefits.

Increased Productivity
Call it a variant of Murphy’s Law — when you need a paper file, it is inevitably located at the bottom of a large stack of files on the floor in the corner of somebody’s office.

For example, law firm personnel can spend literally hours every year looking for paper files. In an industry that typically charges by the hour, that’s not a productive use of time.

By contrast, you can immediately retrieve a scanned file from your document management system. With a document management system, multiple people can retrieve a given document at the same time, improving efficiency.

When you scan a document, you get an image of that file. To convert the image of the text into searchable text, you can use optical character recognition (OCR ) software — often included with a scanner.

Once you’ve made scanned files searchable, it becomes even easier to find them because you can search for any phrase in the document, such as a client name, not just the name of the document itself. This makes it incredibly easy to find invoice numbers or any other information that is usually hidden deep within a document.

Improved Customer Service
At one time or another, everyone has been on the receiving end of the dreaded phrase “I’ll have to check the documents and get back to you.” Consider how much happier your customers would be if you could say, “Let me pull up the document now and check for you,” resolving their question during a single phone call?

As an added bonus, the ability to search documents makes it less likely that you’ll overlook that key piece of information. More efficient service means happier clients who pay their bills faster.

Even better, improving your client relations will make your clients more likely to hire your firm for other services and make it easier for them to refer your business!

Reduce Operating Costs
Storage costs represent a major expense. Typically, office space is second only to salaries in terms of cost, especially in large cities. As the piles of paper grow, so do your storage costs.

Scanning documents can substantially reduce storage costs by eliminating a significant portion of your paper files and the storage space required to store them. You can then put the space once used for storage to more productive use.

Before you call a shredding company, read your state rules on the retention of physical files, especially in practice areas such as Real Estate or Financial Services.

Even if you have to keep the files for a specified period of time, scanning them will enable you to store them off-site as cheaply as possible. Scanning documents also reduces time spent requesting documents from the file room or even warehouse.

Finally, since you can easily email scanned documents, you can reduce your phone bill by faxing documents less often. Some paperless law firms have even eliminated their fax machines entirely and switched to online fax services.

With a paperless office, you can almost entirely eliminate the costs of printing, such as copy paper, ink and toner. With toner being one of the most expensive liquids on the planet, this can equal huge cost savings for your small business.

Better Security
Paper documents are subject to two risks — physical theft and destruction from a variety of disasters (fire, flood, etc.). When you scan confidential documents, you can restrict access to your eyes only. For example, you can limit the access of sensitive information or specific case files to select people.

Law firms subject to federal and state regulations regarding the protection of client information will find compliance significantly easier with scanned documents. Also, replacing a digital file is much easier than trying to replace a file cabinet destroyed by fire or flood.

Environmentally Sound
If environmental issues are important to you and your business or you have clientele that care about these issues, going paperless can boost your status in the community.
For example, digitization of your files will result in fewer photocopies, reducing company paper consumption.

The less we use today means the more we leave behind for future generations. If you are part of the Green Revolution, making your business paperless is a great place to start.

Going paperless will save your firm time and money – but be wary of anyone selling you a magic software product that will fix all your problems. Like anything else, you get out of it what you put into it.

There are many organizations that can help with this type of solution, but make sure their company culture matches you own. After all, the last thing you want is to try and go paperless with the help of Xerox or any copier company whose main interest is in hardware and consumables.

(Image Source: iCLIPART)

What To Do With Electronic Waste – E-Waste

August 22, 2014

One of the biggest decisions a company or home user has to make after making the decision to upgrade their electronic devices is what to do with the old outdated equipment.

There are still many people and companies out there who are not aware of why it is so important that you recycle your old electronics. I wanted to go over some of the main reasons why all of us should be joining in.

The Federal government requires that companies producing over 220 pounds of electronic waste tested hazardous be disposed of in proper manners.

There are currently no federal regulations for organizations producing less than 220 pounds of hazardous electronic waste, however many states have become more stringent in the proper disposal of e-waste for both businesses and households.

It is estimated that of the approximately 201 million tons of solid waste generated annually in the United States, at least one percent is classified as computer and/or electronic equipment. Of this nearly 2.1 million tons, only an estimated 134,000 tons is actually recycled. Even though e-waste accounts for a small percentage of all municipal waste, it still accounts for about 70% of heavy metals ending up in our landfills.

Some of the toxic materials you can find in old electronics are lead, mercury, arsenic, cadmium, selenium, and more. Computer monitors alone can contain as much as 8 pounds of lead. When these products are just discarded, the harmful toxins will leak out, which is harmful to both the environment and us.

Despite good intentions, much of this nation’s e-waste is exported to developing countries, where processing is done under unsafe conditions and endangers workers and nearby communities. Some progress has been made to end this practice through certification programs. One such program is e-Stewards.

Researcher’s estimate that between 50 and 80 percent of electronic waste from the industrialized world that winds up in the hands of “recyclers” actually goes to a few developing countries: China, India, Pakistan, Vietnam and the Philippines.

There, the unregulated materials are crudely handled in acid baths and burn pits, releasing into the air and soil heavy metals and chemicals that are used to make flexible plastics and flame retardants.

Studies of individual scrapping facilities in Ghana and China have measured contaminants and toxic metals like lead present in soil at more than 100 times typical background levels.

According to e-Stewards, recyclers who meet their certification requirements don’t export to developing nations. They follow safe practices for the handling of electronic waste, and adhere to other standards. Many will also reuse and refurbish equipment.

Lastly, when you choose to recycle your electronic equipment; make sure to choose a certified electronics recycler, that way you are ensuring that any data stored on your device is completely removed.

When you just toss an old computer in the trash, you risk having the right hacker find his or her way to your sensitive information. With so many reasons why you should recycle, it is hard to believe that some people could still put their old laptops in the trash.

If you have questions on how to properly recycle your electronic equipment; give us a call and we will answer all of your questions.

(Image Source: iCLIPART)

Summer Travel Laptop Tips

August 22, 2014

If you’re traveling with your laptop, you may need to carry a few accessories. These include adapters, surge protectors, converters, wireless Internet cards, Ethernet cables and a high-quality carrying case.

Power supply
If you’re traveling overseas, you need to consider possible international voltage differences and plug sizes and shapes. While the United State and Canada both use 110-volt electricity, the rest of the world runs on 220-240 volts.

Fortunately, most laptops can comfortably run on both voltages; however, check your computer label or owner’s manual to be on the safe side. If it runs on 110 only, you will need a converter.

You will also likely need an adapter so your plug can fit into the local outlets. Most countries have one or more adapters that are unique or that they share with a few close neighbors.

Surge protection is critical while traveling, particularly if you are traveling to a country where electricity is not reliable. You will need a surge protection electrical strip for whichever voltage you will be using, bearing in mind that surge protectors for 110 and 220-volt currents cannot be interchanged.

Internet connection
Most hotels offer either wireless or high-speed Internet. You may want to call ahead and find out what is available.

Many hotels will provide a Wi-Fi connection, which is helpful, since your laptop has its own built-in wireless network adapter that can search out the nearest wireless signal. Remember to ask for the hotel’s signal password at the front desk. You can also buy a wireless notebook card, if your laptop does not have an internal wireless network adapter. This would also be helpful for connecting to the Internet in WiFi hotspots in airports, libraries and coffee shops.

Some hotels will require that you plug into their Internet connection using an Ethernet cable. You should bring your own cable just in case one is not supplied to you by the hotel.

Extras
Your computer will more than likely take a few hits while you move around, so a sturdy padded carrying case could save you a lot of frustration and money.

You might also want to bring along a device onto which you can back up your work, just in case the hard drive crashes. An extra laptop battery might also come in handy, along with screen cleaners.

(Image Source: iCLIPART)

Making Content Marketing Work For Your Business

July 31, 2014

Content marketing, in the form of blogs, videos, infographics, and white papers or e-books, is and will continue to be a permanent feature in the online world. The use of such tools is continually expanding as marketers find new ways to offer content to target audience.

In order to attract more people to buy your products, you must also provide useful information that will drive them to your site and build the trust needed to move them through the sales funnel.

Take advantage of social media
Act to reach as many potential customers as possible. Social media helps to boost the visibility of videos, blog posts or infographics that you create.

This can be done by scheduling updates across all social networking channels to encourage your followers to view the content you created and to share them with their own followers.

However, be aware that you are walking a fine line; multiple daily updates may alienate your audience.

Post to bookmarking sites
People trust sites that post content that has been vetted by people who share their interests.

Content which receives the most votes quickly becomes popular, so in most cases, readers will skim through the top links for the best content.

As a small business owner, social bookmarking sites offer a great opportunity to connect with readers you might otherwise never interact with, increasing your chances of bringing in more customers.

Updates
Visitors to your blog should be able to get quick and simple updates each time you post something new. RSS feeds are efficient in ensuring this process.

Every visitor that signs up for updates from your blog can either read them through an RSS feed or get them via email. This eliminates the problem of visitors needing to check on your blog for new content.

Measure results
There’s really no tangible way of knowing whether or not your content-marketing efforts are productive except to measure your results.

Look at your analytics to see how many visitors you are bringing to your site to see if you are taking the right steps in marketing and sharing your content.

Find out which topics people are reading the most to help you generate ideas for future content.

Google Analytics is a free tool you can use to collect data on your content marketing efforts.

You will be able to review traffic to your site over time and make sure it is steadily rising as intended.

It’s no longer enough to simply have a blog, even an active one. It is critical to develop a comprehensive plan of action that will ensure the right people are drawn to your content and ultimately turned into loyal customers.

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Convenience And Security: The New Face Of Two-Factor Authentication

July 31, 2014

Security may be part of an IT professional’s daily world, but these days consumers are just as concerned about protecting their privacy online. It’s no surprise that many businesses are trying to boost their brand image and differentiate themselves from their competitors by promising superior security.

Yet there’s one security action that many of them could take and don’t: two-factor authentication. We all know that online authentication issues can cost both businesses and consumers a high price through cyber-attacks, online fraud and identity theft.

Two-factor authentication has always been a strong solution in mitigating these attacks. By offering secure login, it protects company reputations and provides consumers with an added layer of security during online purchases, personal banking and other digital transactions.

So why aren’t more organizations implementing it? In a word: inconvenience. Businesses are afraid of annoying their buyers by demanding multiple passwords or asking them to take an extra action that might spur them into abandoning the sale.

In a landscape where catering to customer wishes is a common business mantra, risking customer irritation seems dangerous. After all, this is the digital age where consumers expect everything to go faster and smoother and easier online, whether they’re checking email, watching a video or doing their holiday shopping.

Of course, it’s also the age of digital crime. Two-factor authentication might seem user unfriendly at the outset, but ultimately it’s in the consumer’s best interest.

Still many organizations, including those with sensitive information to protect, hesitate to use it. I ran into this recently during a security discussion with a financial institution.

When one of its top executives and I discussed ways to protec their customers online, I asked if the company used two-factor authentication. The executive shook his head and told me the business didn’t want to inflict that “inconvenience” on their customers.

It’s a classic quandary that many organizations find themselves in: they want to offer their customers the utmost in digital security, but worry that if they make that security too complicated or inconvenient, they won’t have customers to protect.

Caught between the Scylla of risk and the Charybdis of inconvenience, these organizations have mostly chosen to forgo two-factor authentication and accept the risk on behalf of their customers.

Luckily there are some new innovations that are solving this very issue, including a unified two-factor authentication protocol in the works, and technologies that manage to sidestep the inconvenience issue.

Next Gen Authentication
It’s worth noting that two-factor authentication is required by the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) for secure remote connectivity.

This is understandable, when you consider the rising number of website and retailer breaches where the hackers obtain buyer addresses, credit card numbers and other highly sensitive information.

But two-factor authentication isn’t just for eCommerce and financial institutions. As the digital health movement surges in popularity, it can be an excellent safeguard for patient Web-based apps as well.

In fact, two-factor authentication looks more and more like a smart security measure for pretty much any process that requires user authentication.

There may be plenty of password-cracking tools on the market, but in theory, even a successful crack won’t get a hacker into an account – not with the second form of authentication stopping him. This is why two-factor authentication continues to be an ongoing quest for many innovative companies out there.

Take OAuth, a popular protocol that provides a reference architecture for universal strong authentication across all users and devices over all networks. There are also cloud-based tools that seamlessly integrate into existing application login workflows using a robust API that works with smartphones and multiple platforms.

Not all two-factor authentication tools are perfect, of course. SMS-based techniques such as texting to reset passwords are compromised on a regular basis, either through malware on the phone or other vectors.

Ultimately hardware is the safest way to go, as seen in several clever two-factor solutions. For instance with some tools, users log in with their usernames and passwords, then activate their second factor by pressing a button on a USB device, which quickly enters a one-time password that is usually only good for a matter of seconds.

Each previous password is invalidated, so that even if a hacker records it, it’s worthless for all future access. Some of the hardware is engineered to work with NFC-enabled smart phones, allowing mobile security without the risk of traditional SMS two-factor authentication.

From cumbersome to convenient
It should be obvious by now that the face of two-factor authentication has changed. The days of burdensome multiple login steps and passwords are over. New two-factor technologies offer speed and convenience to users; brands can assure customer safety during online payments and activities without requesting additional action.

In short, it’s the kind of layered security demanded in these attack-prone times. Let’s hope organizations will look beyond the more primitive two-factor offerings of the past, and embrace new technologies that can provide customers with the protection they deserve.

(Image Source: iCLIPART)

Is A Tablet The Right Choice? Pros And Cons

July 31, 2014

With so many gadget choices on the market these days, it can be very difficult for people to decide what they need and where to spend their money.

Tablets are currently the top of mobile technology. They are compact, very lightweight and extremely easy to carry. However, they do not possess the processing power of a laptop.

Their functionality as a computing device is very limited, although sufficient for some people’s uses. Tablets can be ideal for those who browse the Web casually, such as read the news or popular websites, and those who play “lightweight” games, or want to watch TV or films while traveling.

Despite advances in some niche professions, tablets are often not suitable for hardcore gamers, presentation arrangement and creation or heavy researching.

Pros of a Tablet Computer

Lightweight
Tablets are smaller in size compared to even the smallest types of laptops and this travel-sized gadget is definitely a plus to those who don’t want to lug a laptop around but still want to bring along a computer.

They are also lighter than laptops, putting less stress on the body and can be handled easily with one hand, unlike laptops.?

Longer Battery Life
The best models of tablets can hold power for up to eight hours or more of typical use, which is significantly longer than any laptop. They can even be on standby for days.

Touch Input
Some people actually enjoy using the touch input as opposed to a keyboard input. Touch input is especially useful for drawing digital images, playing certain games and manipulating certain programs.

Cons of a Tablet Computer

Lower Performance Ability
Tablets do not have the same processing power as laptops and can easily become overloaded if a lot is done on them. They are only suitable for simple computer usage that doesn’t involve heavy multitasking, like solataire.

Uncomfortable Usage
Most users still prefer the comfort of using a keyboard to type, as using a touch input is much more time consuming and can result in many errors if the user isn’t accustomed to that kind of input.

Using a tablet and its touch input can also be stressful to the wrists and arms of the user since there is no place for the user to rest his or her wrists and he or she has to use the arms to hold up and use the tablet as long as needed. However, some tablets do come with full keyboards as an add-on accessory.

Higher Fragility
The touch-sensitive display of tablets are also a weakness, as this renders them fragile and in need of proper care. Otherwise, the screen can easily be damaged and once the screen is damaged the tablet is unusable.

While tablets are the newer devices, they are slowly improving but they generally still have a lot to catch up with in terms of performance.

However, for the user who uses computers for simple things like checking email, playing games, going on social networks, and other tasks that don’t require the computer to process heavily, tablets have a convenince factor that makes them attractive.

If you have any questions whether a tablet is the right choice for you, give the Tech Experts team a call and we will help you make the right choice.

(Image Source: iCLIPART)

Ten Ways To Minimize Workplace Interruptions

July 31, 2014

You may be trying hard to practice your organizing techniques but still manage to complete only a few of your tasks at the end of the day. It may be due to uncontrolled workplace interruptions.

We suggest ten ways to minimize interruptions in the workplace without sacrificing your role of being accessible and available to co-workers and clients:

1. Use your voicemail when you are doing something important that needs your uninterrupted attention and concentration especially with a deadline. Schedule a time to respond to your messages.

2. Instead of checking your email every few minutes and responding immediately to each email, set a schedule on which times of the day you should read and respond to email messages.

3. If you are someone whom your co-workers often ask for company policies or procedures, create an FAQ and make it accessible to co-workers.

4. When you are in charge of certain processes in the workplace such as reservations, create a procedure for the process in making requests such as an online form.

5. Clearly communicate information needs and turnaround times especially for job order requests in order to avoid unnecessary follow-ups.

6. Block out time on office calendars so you can work without interruption.

7. If you are on a tight deadline or working on something extremely important, make yourself unavailable for interruptions by working outside your office – even if it is just the empty conference room.

8. If you are able to adjust your schedule, take advantage of this opportunity such as working earlier than usual, or having a different day off and work when everyone’s off. This way, you will have less interruptions and you can get more work done.

9. Set certain hours of the day when you will be available to answer questions from co-workers.

10. If you are working on a project with different departments or co-workers, create a regular update meeting in order for everyone to be clearly updated with information and avoid wasting time updating each other individually.

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