by Felicien | Sep 11, 2017 | Education
Should I Consider the Windows 10 Fall Creators Update for My Business?
The Windows 10 Fall Creators Update is right around the corner—And it’s coming with a number of incredible new features that you’ll definitely want to take advantage of.
To say that Microsoft’s Windows 10 operating system is popular is something of an understatement – Particularly as far as adoption rates are concerned. By the end of 2016, Windows 10 was already running on more than 270 million devices around the world. This put it on track to reach one billion users a bit faster than expected!
A large part of this had to do with Microsoft’s massive course correction from the poorly received (yet widely used) Windows 8. After the initial and disastrous launch of the 8 operating system, (and in an effort to fix as many of the flaws as possible) Microsoft responded quickly with Windows 8.1. This was a bit more in line with the previous (and more popular) Windows 7. However, by that time, it was “too little, too late.”
The Windows 10 Fall Creators Update—You’re Sure to Like It.
Windows 10 users already received one fairly popular “Creators Update” earlier this year. Another is right around the corner, as the Windows 10 Fall Creators Update is set to launch. It brings a number of changes that business users, in particular, are definitely going to applaud.
Expected to launch in October 2017, the Fall Creators Update can be summed up in a single word: “improvements.” This isn’t a “reinvent the wheel” update—And for many, not nearly as drastic as the previous 2017 update that rolled out in May, June and July. It does, however, bring a variety of “under-the-hood” and productivity improvements that are more than worth exploring.
The biggest set of changes involve the Windows Shell, which is the main part of the operating system. Made up of components like the Start Menu, the Taskbar and File Explorer, the new version of the operating system will bring with it the following new enhancements:
The Action Center that features a more fluent User Interface design, and will share the same acrylic background as the Start Menu.
A variety of new icons added to the Start Menu.
The Start Menu that can be resized diagonally – something that we’ve all been clamoring for.
The ability to resize the Start Menu, particularly horizontally—now a much smoother experience.
Improved OneDrive integration with File Explorer. It’s now possible to see files that have been saved to the cloud with a new “On-Demand Sync” option.
Microsoft’s Edge browser will also see some much-needed improvement, particularly with the way it handles file compatibility with formats like PDF and EPUB. It’s now possible to “ink” onto PDFs directly within Microsoft Edge. This prevents the need to download a file and open it in a separate program. You can also see the table of contents from within a PDF, and directly interact with forms within a document. This brings Edge much closer in line to applications like Adobe Reader.
Settings: Some of the most relevant changes for enterprise users come in the way of settings adjustments.
The “About” area of the “Settings” app has been completely redesigned to display more relevant information and paint a much clearer picture regarding the health of a particular machine.
“Storage Sense” is also a new feature making its debut. It allows the operating system to automatically delete files in the “Download” folder after a period of 30 days. “Storage Sense” can also be used to automatically delete previous versions of Windows after a successful upgrade has taken place.
Remote Desktop functionality, now in the “Settings” app, brings it more in line with how you’ll actually interact with this feature.
Updates: Each update file has its own individual progress indicator when downloading and installing – making it easy to see what’s going on “behind the scenes,” and how much time is left before updates are available. There’s also a new “Activity Monitor” that shows comprehensive statistics on downloads, updates and other essential factors that occurred during the previous month.
General Improvements: The Fall Creators Update now allows Windows 10 to run on the ARM64 architecture (Advanced RISC Machine, a family of reduced instruction set computing (RISC) architectures for computer processors). This will let you “future proof” your machines in a much more effective way.
Windows is also now “smart” enough to throttle inactive programs, which should go a long way towards generating incremental performance improvements across the board.
Cortana, Microsoft’s Siri-like voice assistance, will also support dedicated speaker devices – something that should improve compatibility with peripheral hardware, and address certain accessibility concerns that some had in the past.
Our Advice? –-You Should Definitely Consider Windows 10 Fall Creators Update for Your Business.
Windows 10 has come a long way since its original release, especially in terms of the productivity and collaborative benefits that it can bring to enterprise users in particular. For a company still struggling to recover from the lukewarm reception to operating systems like Windows 8 (and the outright disaster of Windows Vista), the Windows 10 Fall Creators Update proves that Microsoft is willing to listen to the people who matter the most of all: its users.
If you’d like to find out more information about the Windows 10 Fall Creators Update—Or for answers to your IT questions—Contact {company} at {phone} or {email}. We’re {city}’s trusted, IT Managed Service Providers.
by Felicien | Sep 11, 2017 | Education
Is Your Business Lacking the Productivity You Want? If so, Look to Office 365.
I’ve said it before, and will again (because you’ll thank me once I’ve convinced you)—Microsoft Office 365 increases productivity. With cloud-based collaboration, your employees can use work efficiently as a team wherever they are.
Your success is directly related to its productivity, especially in today’s fast-paced world. If your employees don’t work productively as they should, your competitors will outpace you—Microsoft Office 365 has become the norm for small businesses today, including your competitors.
Office 365 Makes Collaborating Easy.
Working with Office 365 improves the how your teams collaborate. (We use it for our business, and what a difference it’s made.) Multiple employees can collaborate in real time. They can use Yammer on their computers or any other device to keep up to date on the company’s latest news and current activities.
Try One Drive for Business or SharePoint, and let your employees easily share documents with each other while still preventing unauthorized access or changes. OneNote makes it convenient for staff members to leave notes and feedback for group projects, and Skype for Business makes one-to-one video chats, and even large meetings possible at the click of a button.
Microsoft Office 365 helps your employees work together on projects in real time, exchange files and documents, and to do so securely and easily no matter where they are.
Painlessly Manage Upgrade Costs.
Technology is changing at a rapid pace, and keeping your business up-to-date with the latest systems can feel like a never-ending uphill climb. However, Microsoft’s flexible and scalable subscription model allows you to deploy only the licenses you need.
Previous models required the purchase of new licenses, ongoing installation, and upgrades that couldn’t be managed remotely. This resulted in a confusing mishmash of different releases within various business departments.
Plus, software upgrades in past iterations of productivity software required significant upfront investments. Not so with Office 365—You can spread the costs over a longer period of time, making the overall upgrade more affordable for businesses of all sizes.
With Office 365, your employees automatically receive upgrades along with new functionality that helps them work more efficiently.
Your Employees Will Benefit from Multi-Device Compatibility.
Small businesses are notorious for using a variety of platforms based on employee requests and requirements—This makes it challenging to successfully deploy traditional software models.
With the flexible deployment model of Office 365, a single license covers up to five devices at one time, with the ability to switch a license quickly as needed.
Even better, the type of device used no longer matters—The same license you use for a Mac can also be used for a Microsoft Surface, iPhone or iPad. When employees are firm believers in BYOD (Bring Your Own Device), and can work with their chosen devices, productivity skyrockets.
Enhance Your Customers’ Experience with Office 365.
Understanding the needs of your customers is a primary driver in today’s hyper-connected world. When your service reps can interact with prospects at the time, and in the fashion they want, they’re much more likely to connect with them.
Collaboration tools like Skype and Yammer allow you to message your customers in real time. Quickly spin up a video meeting or a chat to resolve their problems or concerns.
Plus, your teams will be more productive with tools like Exchange and SharePoint to manage, store, organize and search for documents their customers need.
Office 365 Provides Flexible Plans to Meet Your Needs.
Microsoft Office 365 pricing starts at an incredibly low entry point per employee, and can be scaled up to allow for even the largest enterprise deployment. There are seven versions of Office 365 to choose from, while keeping operating costs under control.
What’s even better is that there’s no need to use business apps if your team already has a solution in place. This low entry point allows you to selectively implement exactly the right solutions to meet your requirements.
For example, if you want to move to a Microsoft-centric webinar platform, but still have several months left on a prior contract, you won’t be forced to buy your way out of your previous contract. Instead, you can treat the platform as a scaled rollout and implement additional functionality as needed.
Take Advantage of Real-Time Analytics with Office 365.
Microsoft’s Power BI is one of the most comprehensive suites of analytics visualizations on the market today. And, the self-service business intelligence functionality allows your employees to weave together disparate data sources to create a compelling story about the work they’ve completed.
Perhaps one of the least-understood platforms available to smaller businesses, Power BI provides a means for effective decision making without the effort required to implement traditional sales cubes or Big-Data platforms.
A key reason for implementing Microsoft Office 365 solutions is to remove the barriers between your employees and the technology they need to do great work at any time. Having a subscription-based productivity suite provides you with the latest collaboration tools to drive business advances while keeping costs at a minimum.
We benefit from Microsoft Office 365, and so will you. Feel free to contact us with any questions you have.
{company}
{phone} {email}
Work with the professionals at {company} to leverage the power of Microsoft Office 365. We’ll ensure it improves your productivity and efficiency.
by Felicien | Sep 11, 2017 | Education
Have you heard of the Darknet?
Find out what it is and how it may be a danger to your small business.
The Internet can be a scary place. Between phishing, malware and a range of scams, there are many dangers. But there’s an even a darker corner of the web where few people dare to venture—And it can have a wide-reaching effect on your business: The Dark Web.
The Dark Web is a small part of the much larger Deep Web–a common name for a collection of websites that aren’t accessible through normal Internet browsers. These websites are hidden from everyday Internet, or Clearnet, users through the use of overlay networks. They are built on the framework of networks that already exist—And there are lots of them. In fact, the Deep Web makes up the majority of the information online.
Personal information such as school and medical records, bank statements and private emails are all part of the immense Deep Web. To gain access to this information, you must be able to access an overlay network using specialized software and passwords. This is a good thing because it keeps sensitive information safe, and prevents search engines from accessing and indexing it.
The added security of the Deep Web makes it attractive for those who want their online activities to remain anonymous. The Dark Web is a small part of the Deep Web. Unlike the Deep Web which prevents outsiders from accessing information, the owners of dark websites allow anyone with the right browser to access their sites. One of the most popular of these is The Onion Browser, more commonly known as Tor.
So, What’s on the Dark Web?
The Dark Web is like “The Wild West” of the Internet. It’s an area beyond the reach of law enforcement (hence there are no regulations or protection). Although not everyone who uses the Dark Web engages in illicit activities, it has a history of being a platform for political dissidents and corporate whistle blowers—Many visitors are there for less than upstanding reasons.
Most know the Dark Web for its virtual bazaars full of products ranging from illegal drugs and social security numbers, to ready-to-install viruses and hackers for hire. A raid by the FBI and subsequent closure of one the most infamous of these businesses, Silk Road, first alerted many people to the existence of the Dark Web. The Silk Road was one of the largest open marketplaces, operating very much like Amazon where third-party sellers could sell their products (mostly illegal drugs to anonymous buyers). Although Silk Road is closed, and its founder is in prison for life, other illegal businesses still thrive on the Dark Web.
How the Dark Web Can Negatively Affect your Business
Cybercrime costs US businesses billions of dollars each year. The majority of information hackers steal from businesses ends up on the Dark Web for sale to identity thieves and corporate spies.
But, the real danger is that it provides a communication and education training ground for hackers and would-be hackers. Although the competition among different hacking groups is fierce, there’s still a willingness among cyber criminals to share techniques and assist one another.
Be Proactive—Protect Your Business.
When a news story is released regarding a large corporate hack, many of my clients contact me to learn how they can better protect their businesses. The advice I provide involves educating their employees about the dangers of online crime, and developing company procedures to prevent it from occurring. A few of the actionable suggestions I suggest include:
Train new hires on the proper handling of corporate data and procedures to limit data loss, including ways to handle phishing scams. Besides an initial onboarding training session, all employees should attend refresher courses throughout the year. The vast majority of cyber criminals gain access to a company’s network through the mistakes of employees.
Demand the use of strong passwords and two-factor authorization using a hardware dongle token. It’s advisable that you assign strong passwords to each individual employee to prevent them from using passwords that are easy to guess. A two-factor authorization uses a USB dongle token that a user must insert into the computer to access certain information, even when using the proper username and password.
Consider installing a segmented network to handle your company’s computing needs. A segmented network helps to prevent successful hacking attempts by creating completely separate networks that are protected by individual firewalls. If a hacker breaches one portion of your network, he won’t have access to all of your data.
Think about buying hacking insurance and conduct penetration testing. The cost of cybercrime against companies will exceed 6 billion dollars by 2021. That’s a lot of money. Investing in cyber-attack insurance is a good idea for those with a great deal of exposure. Plus, it’s always a good idea to hire an IT Security Firm to conduct a penetration test of your network.
{company} in {city} is your local IT Security Expert. Protect your business—Contact us to learn more about our Penetration Testing Services. {phone} {email}
by Felicien | Sep 11, 2017 | Education
Many businesses rely on cloud computing to support strategic innovation and cost-control requirements.
But if you do, it’s essential that you find the right partner to walk you through the potential pitfalls.
I realize that cloud computing is all the rage in business today, with flexibility and scalability being two of the most-touted benefits. However, keep in mind that there are significant challenges when implementing a successful cloud-based strategy, and the learning curve can be quite steep.
If you find yourself working with an organization that doesn’t have your best interests in mind, you may find your costs increasing without the benefits you expected. (And, by this time, you’ve already signed that long-term subscription agreement.)
The answer? Avoid these pitfalls by working with a reputable managed services provider like {company} and follow my tips below.
Do Your Homework.
Running your business from the cloud is much different than using traditional on premise solutions. Don’t make the move to the cloud without advice from an expert who knows how your business will be affected.
Cloud-based computing is fundamentally different in terms of cost planning, reporting, asset utilization and more. Understanding how these variables can impact your operations will help you make the right decisions.
Public vs. Private Cloud
Whether to build or buy is a perpetual IT question—And that question is especially important when you’re considering cloud computing options.
Private clouds offer a variety of benefits. However, for organizations just starting out, it can create unexpected headaches. Security can also be more challenging in a private cloud environment. During upgrades and times of low availability, this can be difficult, if not impossible.
Many find that sticking to a properly designed shared or public-hosting environment provides all the benefits without the heavy upfront costs and complexities of a private cloud. Compliance with healthcare and financial regulations can often be more effectively managed in a public cloud environment—especially when you’re working with a quality managed services provider who plans for governance needs and ensures you conform to new standards as they’re released.
Application Review
While cloud computing provides a myriad of benefits, there are latency challenges when using high-traffic applications. I always recommend that my clients assess their available bandwidth and speed when considering their cloud computing options. For instance, some applications require massive transfers of data, and in these cases, a hybrid cloud with local storage and remote backup may be the best solution.
When in doubt, document your business needs, and work with a trusted managed services provider to determine the best cloud configuration. They should be familiar with the intricacies and challenges surrounding cloud computing. Doing this can save you from a regrettable decision down the road (for example, deciding to use a public cloud and realizing that your applications run too slowly).
Strategy vs. Tactics
Moving your IT environment to the cloud can be a strategic shift for your organization, supporting your functional business requirements and innovation for a more fluid workflow. I always recommend that my clients start with a full business analysis that involves short- and long-term cost structures. If not, they could just shift from one problem to another.
For example, applications should run cheaper and faster in the cloud, or at least provide additional functionality like remote access. Everything from the cost of servers and hosting, to the structure of licensing, can change with a cloud migration. So, it’s vital that you consider the total cost of ownership and your organization’s ongoing cash flow.
Asset Portability
The level of effort required to successfully move your digital assets should also be considered. Factors to keep in mind include whether contingency plans are in place in the event of a needed move, and the ability of SOA (Service-Oriented Architecture) to provide the necessary building blocks for delivery of services.
A deep understanding of the architecture around your cloud environment will provide clarity into how various segments, or modules, can be separated from others without harming the integrity of the entire solution. This is especially important when contracts end, or you form new partnerships, to ensure you’ll have uninterrupted service.
My Recommendation? —Don’t Do This on Your Own.
Finding the right cloud computing partner can make all the difference. And most businesses need the advice of a Managed Service Provider with an up-to-date and in-depth knowledge of cloud computing.
Contact the IT security and architecture professionals at {company} at {phone} or {email} for a free initial consultation to discuss how cloud-based computing can support your long-term business goals.
by Felicien | Sep 11, 2017 | Education
Traversing the Deep and Dark Web Isn’t Just for Hackers Anymore.
Understanding the nuances of cybersecurity and the Deep and Dark Web (DDW) is the best way to keep your data and organization safe.
In years past, talking about the “dark web” or the “deep web” was something that wasn’t done in polite company. However, today’s information security professionals are now bringing these terms to the forefront of business conversations.
While traversing the DDW may sound a bit perilous, not everything on it is illegal or bad. It’s time to clear up some confusions that surround these hidden parts of the Internet. If so, you can leverage your knowledge to proactively confront hackers and potential cyberattacks.
What is the DDW?
The Deep and Dark Webs are actually two different entities. The Deep Web refers to information on the Internet that’s not accessible by standard search engines such as Bing and Google. It doesn’t usually contain criminal information, but, instead, transactional details such as Instagram account information, banking transactions and confidential emails—Simply, data that’s stored behind a password-protected paywall and hidden from general assess.
The Dark Web is slightly more nefarious, and is technically a portion of the deep web that sells illegal products such as drugs and weapons. The dark web also provides cover for journalists and areas where the Internet is heavily censored.
The Dangers of the Dark Web
One of the key tools used to access the Dark Web is anonymization software such as the Tor browser. With it, people can surf and connect anonymously to these dark webpages. It’s unclear how much of the DDW is being used by cybercriminals, and how much is simply being used by people who choose to remain undetected and unidentified.
It’s no secret that the Dark Web is a clearinghouse for the purchase of DIY tools for hacking—essentially tool kits that help less-sophisticated hackers launch attacks through malware, ransomware and phishing emails. While the average person purchasing these kits isn’t suddenly going to be a hacking genius, streetwise actors make these contacts to further their risky agendas.
Security Changes Are on the Horizon.
A key element of concern is the upcoming upgrade to .onion services managed by the Tor Project. These are designed to upgrade the privacy and security of individuals who want to remain anonymous. The majority of people using these services are completely above the law, and use them to circumvent censorship.
However, the concern lingers that those hosting servers on the Dark Web are now safe is they want a darker path for their surfing. In the past, Dark Web sites were discoverable if you knew their specific location. However, the updates slated for late 2017 are expected to provide a basis for next-generation encryption of applications. This would be a marked departure from the widely-publicized. onion URLs found on social media sites and traditional websites.
Security Threats from the DDW
Because most cybercriminals originate their attacks from within the Dark Web, understand the DDW is the first step towards preventing hacking threats of your business data,
Upcoming NY state regulatory requirements require that organizations take responsibility for formal assessment of cybersecurity risks, and implement an active cybersecurity program designed to address those risks. This requires a thorough understanding of the Deep and Dark Web.
This information can benefit a broader audience than just information security professionals, as DDW data may hint at security or fraud schemes against your organization—or even physical attacks against your company executives. It would be difficult to overstate the benefit that can be gained from taking steps to ensure you’re as well-prepared and knowledgeable as possible about these threats.
If you find it difficult to get your business leaders to invest in cybersecurity education at the level required to gain a true understanding of the DDW, let them know that the payoff can be significant in the form of details about competitors, mergers & acquisitions, and risks to your business.
Ready to learn more the Deep and Dark Web, and how to keep your business in {city} safe from hostile actors? Contact {company} at {phone} or {email}. Our cybersecurity professionals stay up-to-date on the latest happenings in the world of information security. Let us show you how an investment in cybersecurity will benefit your entire organization.
