Small- and medium-sized businesses don’t have the time to maintain IT infrastructure, let alone assess whether it’s still driving value for the company. However, if you want to ensure everything runs smoothly, it’s important to be proactive and conduct technology business reviews when you can. <b>What is a technology business review?</b> A technology business review reveals the strengths and weaknesses of your company’s IT framework. It’s often performed by a third-party IT consultant who will give an objective assessment of…

Amidst the current climate of malware, hacks, and phishing scams, the internet really isn’t safe for any company that doesn’t take precautions. Without safeguards, browsers that you or your employees use are vulnerable to cyber attacks that may cripple productivity and profit. There are wise steps that every company should take to browse the net safely. Data stored on desktops, servers and in the cloud, doesn’t make it safe. If anything, it makes it available to anyone who has the…

If most of your company’s computers are obsolete, they double or even triple your chances of experiencing a data breach. This emphasizes how dangerous it is to have outdated applications, operating systems, and even web browsers. Failing to update your firmware could expose your business to major security threats. <b>What is firmware?</b> Firmware is a basic type of software that is embedded into every piece of hardware. It cannot be uninstalled or removed, and is only compatible with the make…

If you’re thinking of transitioning your business to the cloud, consider the security of the platform. While providers would like us to believe that the friendly, fluffy cloud image used to market the service means it is automatically secure, the reality is far different. Just ask one of the nearly seven million Dropbox users who had their accounts hacked. This is not meant to scare you, but to make you aware that cloud security needs to be taken seriously especially…

Microsoft only supports each version of Window for a certain period and the end of its support for a software product can be a significant challenge for businesses. Currently, Windows 7 is on “extended support” until January 14, 2020. What does it mean when Microsoft terminates support of your Windows version? Let’s have a closer look. <h3>No more security updates</h3> End of support for Windows means Microsoft stops issuing security updates for that operating system (OS). For example, Windows Vista…

Office 365 is a complete cloud solution that allows you to store thousands of files and collaborate on them, too. In addition to its productivity features, the service comes with security and compliance solutions that will help businesses avoid the crushing financial and legal repercussions of data loss. However, even with its comprehensive security tools, the service has some data security risks that need to be addressed. The following tips will keep your business data private and secure. <strong>Take advantage…

Because it is cost-effective, Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) is a popular choice today among small- and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) looking to upgrade their phone systems. But before you contact just any VoIP distributor, make sure you are dealing with a respectable and trustworthy one. Here is a checklist of the must-have qualities of a reputable VoIP distributor. Highly trained technical support A good VoIP distributor will provide some technical support before and after the sale. But a great VoIP…