Spam email is nothing new. We’re all used to receiving spam messages, and having an overflowing junk folder is just part of having an email account. In fact, we may joke about the particularly funny or cringe-worthy spam emails we happen to find when we peruse that junk folder. Luckily, email filtering has gotten pretty good—most of us only see a fraction of the spam that’s sent to us actually make it to our inboxes.
It’s no secret that cybercrime and data breaches are on the rise. As technology continues to evolve and more and more people plug into the digital world, the number of cyber attacks is increasing, and the need for antivirus software is greater than ever.
Managed IT Services have existed for years. However, many businesses and organizations have relied solely on in-house IT teams to manage their technology. According to research from CompTIA, that trend has is changing as more businesses recognize the value of outsourced IT firms. Over two-thirds of the companies surveyed have subcontracted IT support during the last 12 months. These IT specialists are able to assist with a wide variety of technical services such as:
When it comes to protecting your computer network, we spend a lot of time talking about hacking, viruses, and cybercrime. While it’s incredibly important to protect your business from digital attacks, you also need to think about the physical security of your network.
For most small businesses, your server is the center of your computer network. You could have all the digital protections in the world in place, but it wouldn’t matter someone with malicious intent could simply walk into your office and gain physical access to your server. That would be like giving them an all-access pass into your network and your business data.
Your computer is acting weird. Strange messages are popping up, everything has slowed to a crawl, and you can’t get your work done. Obviously, something is wrong. You fear your computer has a virus, but you’re not sure.
The first step to curing a computer virus is knowing if you have one. Sometimes it’s obvious, but other times, viruses can cause symptoms that are very similar to other common computer problems. Here are a few ways you can tell if you have a computer virus:
Internet Explorer (IE) is Microsoft’s classic web browser, originally released way back in 1995. For years, the terms Internet Explorer and web browser were essentially one and the same. IE came installed by default on every Windows computer, so nearly everyone with a PC used it. In the early 2000s, IE held about 95% of the market share.
Since then, many new web browsers have overtaken it (like Chrome, or Firefox) – and for good reason. Over the years, IE has been plagued by bugs, security problems, and performance issues. Now, likely less than 10% of people use IE. If you’re still one of them, we’re going to explain why you should get a new browser. (If not, you may want to skip to the bottom where we compare some of the other browser options).
Computers can do a million things – when they’re working. But when they break, a million different things could be wrong. When you call your IT support person to fix your computer, half the battle is figuring out exactly what the problem is to begin with. Only then can the technician fix the issue.
Let’s address the elephant in the room: most people have had bad experiences with customer support, and IT support is no exception. You’re just trying to get your computer fixed so you can get back to work. Meanwhile, you’re dealing with endless robotic menus, script-happy call centers, and IT jargon that you can’t understand. As an IT company, we know how frustrating it can be (which is why our IT team answers the phone live).
However, the trick is that your IT person isn’t sitting there in front of your computer. You know best exactly what you’re doing and seeing. Regardless of whether you’re an experienced computer user or not, you are their best resource for being able to understand the problem. By giving your IT technician the most detailed information possible, you will empower them to identify and solve your issue faster.
Happy 2018! A new year means it’s time for New Year’s resolutions – not only for your personal life, but for your business too. If you’re like most businesses, you’re aiming to grow and prosper in the New Year. To do that, you need your technology and IT systems to support your goals. So we’ve helped put together a list of IT Resolutions that will help make 2018 your business’s best year yet!
Frustration. You know the feeling. The tear-out-your-hair, pound-your-fist-on-the-desk feeling when you’re just trying to get something done and your computer is crawling. Why is your computer running so slow, and what can you do about it? Here are a few of the most common reasons and some advice on how to get your systems up to speed.
Most business owners know the feeling… they head into the office early one morning, anxious to get to work on a critical meeting the next day. But when they arrive, they discover that their network is down, their email isn’t working, and the files they need are gone. Then they learn that their network is going to be down for at least a full week – maybe more.
The cause: Their six and a half-year-old server just died.