The annual launch of the new iPhone lineup is here, and the inclusion of iPhone X may seem a bit confusing.
Learn why Apple may have chosen to use this unique name for its newest iPhone.  

It’s no longer a secret. Since a leak just days before the official release, people have known this year’s annual iPhone release will be something special. Apple’s not only launching iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus on September 23, but will offer an additional option which is a mysterious and radical departure from the look of their previous iPhone. Apple calls this new phone, iPhone X. “X” as in the Roman numeral ten. Wait! Is Apple really calling it iPhone 10? What happened to iPhone 9? Is This Just an Apple Marketing Ploy?
It’s almost impossible to know for sure what to expect from a company like Apple. They’ve had a history of blazing their own trail for everyone else to follow. However, with the launch of the iPhone X, Apple is closely following in the footsteps of another computer giant, Microsoft.

Microsoft famously chose to skip Windows 9, and jump straight from Windows 8 to Windows 10. There was an immediate backlash when this happened, with people accusing Microsoft of trying to use the double-digit version number to convince reluctant Windows users to cough up the cash for an upgrade. Is the odd name choice just Apple’s attempt to get fans to buy a new phone when there isn’t a compelling need to do so?

On the one hand, the official reason for the odd naming convention is that it’s a tribute to the iPhone’s 10th anniversary. While this may be part of the reason, I can’t believe there isn’t something else going on here. Anyone who’s been following the release of new iPhones in recent years (which is probably most people) will notice that the S version is missing from the iPhone 8 lineup. This probably isn’t an oversight, but a measured response to this year’s release of the Galaxy S8 from Samsung. Perhaps Apple wants to avoid confusion of their iPhone model with a competitor’s.

On the other hand, a few critics hold the improbable belief that by calling the new iPhone design X, Apple is attempting to play off the word “exclusive” to create a psychological need for early adopters to purchase it. What’s more likely is that Apple wanted to add a little more cache to this unique model, and the special naming convention let them deviate from the iPhone’s normal look without creating any additional expectations for future iPhones. Of course, there’s an even more practical reason why the marketing gurus at Apple could have called the new phone X. With a price point well above the cost of other iPhones, the one-off name lets them charge a higher price without appearing too greedy.

Apple may also be engaging in one of its favorite marketing techniques called “price anchoring.” Since the entry-level iPhone cost $999, a price that’s significantly more expensive than the $699 for the most basic iPhone 8 (and makes the iPhone 8 Plus a downright bargain at only $799), this technique of offering a higher-priced version makes it seem more affordable by comparison.

What Makes the iPhone X Special?

So, is the iPhone X worth $999? The answer to this important question is yes, but only if you count yourself among the most ardent Apple supporters, and you have the cash to spare. iPhone X needs a bit of magic to assuage some of the guilt of buying it. Fortunately, the new model delivers a good amount of sparkle with its new look and capabilities.

The biggest change you’ll notice is that the screen takes up almost all the real estate on the front of the phone. Almost, but not all. Apple did away with the Home button on the bottom of the phone and stretched the screen to fill up much of the front. The screen is quite large at 5.8″. However, despite what some people claim, iPhone X is not bezel-less. But, it’s Apple’s first OLED screen and has a 2436 x 1125 resolution which is impressive.

One of the most anticipated features of the iPhone X is Face ID which allows you to unlock it by simply smiling at the camera. This is a new technology for iPhone, and despite its failure to function at the introductory presentation, Apple assures everything will work fine upon the launch. Plus, the rear-facing camera offers a 12-megapixel rear camera with dual optical image stabilization that allows for wide-angle and telephoto photographs. The camera also has options to take better selfies using Portrait mode and offers TrueDepth, which helps the camera analyze up to 50 muscles in a user’s face to allow for some fun animation possibilities.

The same A11 Bionic chip with 64-bit architecture powers the iPhone X, which powers the iPhone 8 and 8 Plus as well. And, the iPhone X runs on the brand-new OS 11 and works with Qi chargers, to allow for wireless charging capability—Another great feature.

As someone who’s always interested in new technology, the new iPhone X is intriguing, but I don’t know if I see myself spending the money to buy this model. However, for people who spend a lot of time with their phones, and might regret purchasing one of the iPhone 8 models, I think it would be a reasonable purchase.

Cloud computing is popular, but make sure you’re ready to make the switch.   

Business owners are considering whether to transition from running software locally, to join the millions of companies already using cloud-based applications. According to RightScale’s 2017 State of the Cloud, the majority of companies depend on cloud-based solutions to run their business applications. Smart business owners recognize the inherent benefits of using these solutions to increase flexibility and scalability and lower costs while gaining the ability to reduce the need for in-house technical support.

However, RightScale’s findings aren’t all positive. Roughly a quarter of the businesses taking part in the survey still have concerns over the cost of cloud services, fears over security, or the belief they don’t have the expertise necessary to take full advantage of the cloud.
Computer Network Systems believes cloud-based solutions can benefit all businesses, but only when you put a solid cloud plan in place. We tell our clients that before they spend money on a cloud-based service, they must take the time to assess their needs, choose the correct cloud solution provider, and develop a strong cloud-management plan. And, of course, we’re always here to help them do this.
Assess Your Company’s Cloud Needs.

Before you even think about moving your company’s computing to the cloud, you must understand your computing requirements. While this may seem obvious, each year thousands of businesses purchase services that don’t meet their needs—They wind up wasting money for extra services they’ll never use. Industry experts estimate the average business wastes between 30 and 45 percent of their cloud resources. Decide what you need—Are you looking for a lower cost, better access, or more security? Your answer will influence which service is right for you. In addition, you should know what specific applications you require, and if moving to the cloud will require switching to different ones. If this is the case, you must determine whether the new application is compatible with your business operations.

How Do You Find the Right Cloud Service Provider?
Using the right cloud service provider can mean the difference between a successful stress-free transition to the cloud, and a disaster. Before you choose a provider, do your research. Start by asking each to explain what they offer.
Be sure to request a demo account to verify that the cloud solution you choose meets your needs.
Once you find a cloud service that works for you, it’s time to ask some specific questions.

Find out about the providers:
Security. How does the cloud provider prevent security breaches and protect their customers’ data? Ask whether they have a history of hacks, how they handled them, and what they did if customer data was breached. Also, make sure you know what happens to your data in the event you stop using the service. If your business has compliance requirements (like HIPAA or FINRA) you must be especially careful when selecting a cloud provider. Pricing. Many businesses are looking to save money by using a cloud-based solution. In this case, it’s important to know the real cost before committing to a change. Ask the provider about its pricing structure—Is it a per-user / per-month cost, or do they offer a flat fee? How about contracts? Does the service have multiple pricing tiers? What do they include? Is it possible to switch to a new tier level, or increase/ decrease the number of users?

Set-Up and Customer Service. The faster you can set up your account, the better. Most cloud-based business solutions make it fast and easy to get started—However, it’s a good idea to know how long the process will take before signing up. Make sure the company you choose offers adequate customer service so they can walk you through the set-up. Also, ensure they have a good reputation resolving technical issues, promptly and efficiently.

You Must Devise a Cloud Management Plan.
The last step before making the switch to a cloud-based solution is to come up with a detailed plan to manage different cloud services.
Did you know that the average business that switches to cloud-based solutions uses two or more different clouds? —And that some businesses require much more?

Who Will Manage Everything?
Between updating users, maintaining licenses, and making sure everything runs smoothly, there’s a lot of work to do. For companies that retain an IT department, this normally becomes its responsibility.
But this arrangement can lead to problems. Many IT professionals don’t have the experience to manage cloud-based services. This means you have to either hire a Cloud Service Manager or retrain your current staff to fulfill the role. And, businesses without an IT department still need someone to take care of their cloud services. This can add additional costs and may lower productivity. If cost-costing and a higher level of productivity are important reasons for changing to cloud services, you need to consider if it is worth it.
And, What About Migrating and Training?

You also need to plan how you’ll migrate your current data to the new services. Depending on the data you need to move, this may be a long and expensive process. If you can’t replace your legacy software with a cloud-based alternative, you’ll then need to maintain both the legacy software and the new cloud service, and find a way to incorporate the two into your workflow.
Plus, don’t forget—You’ll need to train all of your employees on the new system. Many cloud service providers provide training material to get your staff up to speed.  However, you many need to rely on a managed service provider to do this properly.

Security vulnerabilities are no joke, especially in the healthcare industry.
See how keeping patches and security measures up-to-date will protect your patient data, and your organization’s future.

Healthcare poses a unique challenge for cybersecurity professionals, with some of the largest threats in recent history coming from ransomware attacks. With billions of dollars lost each year in data breaches, healthcare organizations have a lot to lose if personal data is breached.Hospitals, in particular, are vulnerable (as proven by the May 2017 global ransomware attack tied to a National Security Agency leaked exploit). The hospitals that hadn’t installed a critical Microsoft patch were susceptible to the hack.  This could have been prevented by ensuring all maintenance tasks were up-to-date.

Healthcare Cybersecurity Threats Are Increasing!
As the IoT (Internet of Things) expands into the healthcare realm, security becomes an even bigger challenge for healthcare IT administrators. The cyber threat landscape continues to evolve, making it even more difficult to predict where attacks will come from in the future.The widespread use of healthcare-related devices such as heart monitors, mobile phones, and other mobile-ready devices provides a “playground” for individuals looking to hack corporate healthcare networks. The fast-paced adoption of digital health records continues to provide challenges to IT leaders due to the lack of interoperability between systems.
Fortunately, IT managed services firms like {company} offer a way for understaffed hospitals, healthcare providers and networks to leverage additional support to ensure that the “guardrails” remain strong, and threats are minimized.

Your Employees Are Your First Line of Defense.
Without extensive cybersecurity training, most employees won’t understand the potential severity of their actions. IT professionals should constantly be on the lookout for opportunities to preach IT hygiene with users, including the practice of limiting orphaned or untracked devices.There are plenty of headlines around cyber security threats from malware and hacking. And phishing is on the rise again as employees are targeted, being the weakest link in the security chain.
New staff members who aren’t familiar with security requirements, both physical and digital, may not be taking the necessary steps to ensure workstations are fully secured before stepping away. Passwords may be less-secure than administrators would like, and the fast-paced environment may lead to skipped steps.
Much of the work to educate employees about cybersecurity is left to business-level leaders who may not understand the full impact of the requirements themselves. This is why it’s imperative that IT security training is done by experts like those at Computer Network Systems.Improving Breach Response and Blocking Attacks with A Proper Defense.

A proper defense involves:

A diligent attitude about applying server and software patches. This can substantially limit the ability of hackers to gain digital entrance to your organization. While time-consuming to manage, keeping Windows and other critical patches updated can stop many widespread attacks. Microsoft provides immediate access to updates that are known vulnerabilities to help keep organizations safe. Take advantage of them.Penetration testing by IT experts with technical testing, and replace or refresh end-of-life platforms with options that can be more secure.The use of sophisticated detection software, as zero-day attacks, are likely to become more common and the overall sophistication of hackers will increase. Advanced anti-virus and malware detection solutions are critical, as well as upgrades to next-generation firewalls.

Controlling access to critical information. This provides hospitals and other healthcare organizations with a way to reduce the opportunity for social engineering or phishing hacks to occur. Personally identifiable healthcare information, also known as PHI, can be sold for as much as $50 per record on the open market, making it an exceptionally valuable target for hackers.
A need-to-know policy. If employees only have access to information that they need to do their jobs, then there’s less of a chance they’ll be able to inadvertently provide access to unauthorized parties. Limiting privileges at all levels of the hospital administration provides an intermediate step that helps manage support requests and reduce the number of potential breach incidents that happen on an ongoing basis.
Advanced tools to combat advanced threats. Attacks today can be focused on DNS servers, where hackers have the ability to knock out an entire range of systems in one fell swoop: email engines, web-based services and more. The level of disruption caused by this type of attack can be difficult to return from and causes a serious distraction from crucial patient care. The new AI (artificial intelligence) options, as well as behavioral analytics, are one way that organizations can help manage the potential threats through quick attention to any breaches.

The recent Equifax hack clearly demonstrates the importance of quickly rolling out security fixes, and ensuring that all patches are up-to-date. If the Equifax team had simply applied a security patch, it’s unlikely that the hack would have been successful–saving the company millions of dollars in remediation, notifications and lost business.