Successful Remote Working

Remote working, when people do some or all of their work at home or in other locations away from company premises, can bring benefits to all concerned. But it can also cause problems for individuals and businesses if working systems are not thought out carefully from the start. Here are some of the possible pitfalls and their solutions:

Employees become isolated
People working on their own with little or no contact with work colleagues can feel left out of the team and lose track of what’s happening in other departments.

Setting up a Company Intranet is an easy way of ensuring that everyone has access to the latest information and company news. They can keep in touch with each other through blogs and message boards and everyone receives memos and updates as soon as they are published.

Computer problems
With people working in different places on a variety of PCs, laptops and mobile devices, technical failure or human error is not so easy to put right as it would be in a single office situation. If one person has to contend with a slow server, someone else has accidentally lost important data without backing it up, and others have been working on the same project but unknowingly using different software, the problems can quickly snowball.

The simplest and least expensive solution is to use a system called Cloud Computing or Hosted Desktops. All data and applications are stored on an external high-speed server managed for you by a specialist IT Support Company.

Everything is automatically backed up for added security and software is updated so you always have the latest version. There is no need to maintain your own server or store large amounts of data on lots of individual computers. All you or your staff need is an Internet connection through which you can access all the company files, programs and data.

Lack of professionalism
Imagine this: an important client calls and the phone is answered by a small child, or a jokey answer phone message! You can save such embarrassment by using a hosted VOIP (Voice Over Internet Protocol) telephone system to give the impression that all your staff are working together in the same place.

There’s no need to install additional telephone lines or give out employees’ home or mobile phone numbers. Features such as call forwarding and voicemail to e-mail add to the efficiency and ensure that no calls are ever missed. Because VOIP works over a broadband connection, calls are also much cheaper than those from conventional network providers. Many, including those between remote workers, are free.

Remote working is becoming more popular with both business owners and their employees and the trend seems likely to continue. Much of the new technology being developed for use in conventional business can be adapted to make remote working easier, more efficient, and often cheaper.

If you, or your staff, already spend much of your time away from the office, or you are thinking of recruiting home workers but are not sure how it will work in practice, ask the advice of a reputable IT Support Company. You might be pleasantly surprised by the services they can offer.

Uninstall: How do I do it?

Is your PC running too slowly? Does it sometimes freeze or crash? The problem could be caused by unwanted programs cluttering up your computer. The obvious solution is to remove any programs you no longer need.

Simply deleting a shortcut to a program will not remove the program itself. The standard process is much more involved:

1) Open the Start menu
2) Select the Control Panel
3) Select the Programs link (it might be labelled Programs and Features or Add or Remove Programs)
4) Select the program you want to remove
5) Click on the Uninstall option
6) Restart the computer to complete the process

Unfortunately, the above method doesn’t work for all programs. Some of them might not have the uninstall option available in their Programs and Features listing. In these cases, you will have to look for it in the program’s folder. You can access this by opening the Start menu and then selecting All Programs.

If the default uninstall options are missing, or do not work, you can sometimes download other uninstall programs that have been developed for use with particular programs. For example, the Norton Removal Tool can be used to remove that company’s software if it is not working properly.

Worse complications can occur when a large or corrupted program is not uninstalled completely. You might not be aware that this has happened as the program’s folder appears to have been removed, but traces of some files, registry entries and shortcuts are left on your computer. It is this hidden ‘orphaned’ data that causes all the problems by interfering with the smooth running of your computer systems.

For this reason, even if a program seems to have been uninstalled successfully, you should always scan the registry and hard disk afterwards with reliable clean-up tools to detect and remove any orphaned data.

In theory, uninstalling unwanted applications is simple. In practice, it’s not always a straightforward job. If you are not sure how to do it, or you think you’ve done it correctly but your computer is still not running properly, it’s always best to ask an IT expert.

The iPad – what is it, and will it benefit my business life?

Is it a large iPhone? Is it a small laptop? What can you do with it? More importantly, what can’t you do with it?

Just 9.56 inches by 7.47 inches and half an inch thick, The Apple iPad looks like a tablet or slate computer with no keyboard or mouse. The main feature is its high-resolution, multi-touch screen. This highly responsive screen is obviously great for games, videos and photo sharing but the jury is still out on its usefulness as a serious business tool.

Here are some of the ways you could use it:

As an e-reader: Catch up with newspapers and magazines or read an e-book while travelling. Text on the iPad’s backlit screen appears crisp and easy to read, although some people might find it a bit too bright for prolonged reading. Its weight – 1.5 pounds for the Wi-Fi model and just a fraction more for Wi-Fi +3G – makes it as comfortable to hold as a large paperback.

For emails: The iPad works with all the popular email providers. Use the on screen keyboard to write your emails and save or delete incoming mail with a few taps on the screen.

Working on business documents: Apple’s iWorks software for word processing, spreadsheets and presentations has been redesigned with new features for use on the iPad. One drawback is that you can’t multitask as you might on a computer. For example, you can't have a browser window open while you're working on a document or spreadsheet.

Organisation: Calendars, contacts, notes and maps are all available to keep your business on track.

For presentations and meetings: The screen uses IPS (in-plane switching) technology to give it a wide viewing angle. This means you can see a sharp picture with excellent colour whether the iPad is flat on a desk, held up vertically or tilted, and the people on either side of you will see it equally well. It’s perfect for displaying photos, graphics, text and videos in group situations, and is easily handed round when more than one person is involved in creating or editing a piece of work.

The iPad will be able to use nearly 140,000 apps currently used on iPhones and iPods, and more are being developed specifically for the iPad. We’ll just have to wait and see how useful some of them will be for business.

The three different types of IT Support Explained

IT failure can be extremely costly for any business, not only in terms of lost orders and productivity but also in damage to reputation. So what can a business owner do to minimise the chances of such a disaster happening?

Prevention is always the best option, so your first line of defence should be regular maintenance and monitoring of your network. This will keep everything running smoothly and highlight any potential weak spots before they grow into problems. If, in spite of your best efforts, something does go wrong you will also need to be able to get help quickly from a reliable specialist.

Unless you employ your own qualified IT engineers, the simplest solution is to have a maintenance agreement with a reputable IT Support Company. Look for one in your area that has a proactive rather than reactive approach to IT support. A UK help desk staffed by people who can answer your questions is another plus point, and if you have more than one branch make sure that any agreement you make will cover all your premises.

For maximum flexibility choose a company that offers the following three different levels of IT support so you can opt for the package that is best suited to your needs.

Full Network Maintenance Contract
· What you should get: Unlimited telephone support, secure remote access or site visits to solve any malfunctions or breakdowns in your system. Expert advice on all IT issues. A 24-hour server monitoring service to detect potential problems. A guaranteed response time.
· What you will pay: A fixed monthly fee with no callout charges.

Pre-Paid Maintenance
· What you should get: Help and advice on a range of IT issues that you choose. If you are confident of handling routine maintenance yourself you might only want to ask for help with the more complex tasks.
· What you will pay: An hourly rate – the more hours you pay for in advance, the cheaper the rate.

Pay as you Go Maintenance
· What you should get: The simplest arrangement where you only pay as and when you use any of the support company’s services.
· What you will pay: A fixed hourly rate plus a callout fee if a site visit is necessary.

Every business is unique, and no one knows yours better than you, so before you sign up to any IT support agreement, explain what you want and ask questions so you can be sure of making the best decision. Above all, work with a company that is as committed as you to getting the best out of your IT system.

What to look for when upgrading your IT network

Every successful business needs to review its IT system from time to time. Is everything still working at maximum efficiency? Has it been kept up-to-date with the latest technological advances? Will it be able to cope with any planned growth or changes in business practice?

Deciding to upgrade or completely renew your business IT network is perhaps the easiest step. Once you start looking at all the options, the choices can be confusing!

Here are the important questions to ask:

What exactly does the business need?
Ideally, you should invest in a system that can meet all the current needs of your business and will be easy and economical to adapt to future growth. But you don’t want to waste money on a package that includes equipment that will seldom or never be used. To get the balance right you will need to conduct an in-depth analysis of your exact requirements.

Who will I buy from?
Every computer hardware and software company will tell you that their products are the best. If you are not sure, ask the advice of an unbiased expert. Whatever brands you choose, you are more likely to get a competitive price if you buy everything you need from the same reputable supplier. You will also be able to check that all the components are compatible.

Who will install the new system?
To guarantee a smooth switch over with the minimum amount of disruption, have your new system installed by qualified, experienced engineers. Choose someone who will not only test everything thoroughly after installation, but will also make sure that you (or your staff) know how to use the new equipment correctly.

What if things go wrong?
Who will you call if you have a problem with the new network? The supplier? The installer? Or someone who knows nothing about your business and will need to familiarise themselves with the system? Are you – or a member of your staff – able to maintain and monitor everything to keep it running properly and deal with potential problems before they occur?

Upgrading your IT network needs careful planning if you want to avoid expensive mistakes. For many businesses the best choice is to ask the advice of a specialist IT support company. Look for one you can trust to undertake the whole project for you. This should include analysing your needs in detail, procuring and installing the equipment, and offering maintenance cover, 24 hour remote monitoring and all the support you’ll need to get the best out of your new network for many years to come.

Can I Recycle My Old Computer Equipment?

Save the environment! This is the message that has been ringing in our ears for some time now. We all have our recycling rubbish bags and do our best to recycle our plastic carrier bags, so why not also recycle our old computers too?

Why Should I Recycle My Computer Equipment?

You should recycle your old computer equipment for the same reason you recycle your household rubbish and carrier bags; to help our environment and reduce the amount of waste that is dumped on the already overflowing landfill sites.

If your computer equipment and/or phones are still in good working condition, you may wish to give them to a charity instead, so less financially stable businesses or individuals can make use of them.

How Can I Recycle My Old Computer Equipment?

You will need to contact your waste contractor to establish how you need to handle your waste, as this may vary from company to company. However, there are many disposal specialists set up to recycle your computer equipment that can be found online via your local council web site or through a search engine.

Alternatively, you may prefer to return your computer equipment to its original manufacturer for disposal. Manufacturers such as Dell and HP offer a service where you can return your disused equipment to them, and they will recycle it securely and safely.

What Equipment Can I Recycle?

You will be surprised how many parts of your computer system you can recycle; the most common parts are the monitor, server and PC. You can also recycle other technology you may have, such as any scanners and printers as well as your landline and mobile phones.

What Laws Govern Computer Recycling?

Due to the types of materials that are used in the making of computer technology, the recycling of such equipment has to be regulated and monitored accordingly. There are two main governing directives; the WAC (Waste Acceptance Criteria) who specifically deal with the handling and disposal of such equipment as televisions, fluorescent tubes, monitors and PCs; and WEEE (Waste Electronic and Electrical Equipment) which is the European recycling directive. They ensure that electronic equipment is handled and disposed of by specialists who know how to safely dispose of hazardous waste, such as lead, mercury and hexavalent chromium, all of which can be found in computer hardware.

What about the Sensitive Data on my Hard Drive?

This is one of the most important things for you to consider when disposing of your old computer equipment. Since the implementation of the Data Protection Act 1998, you are now legally required to keep all your sensitive data secure and backed up. You will need to incorporate a security mechanism such as reliable encryptions and/or security technology in your working practice to protect such data. Please note that reformatting your hard drive will not sufficiently destroy all your data permanently.

Nobody wants to be a victim of fraud; protect your data, have it disposed of professionally!

How to Streamline your E-mail Communications

Is the standard e-mail package offered by your Internet Service Provider adequate for all your business needs? Are you certain that it is completely reliable and secure? It might not be as streamlined and efficient as it could be if:

· you employ remote workers
· you want constant access to your e-mails while travelling or abroad
· your e-mails are sometimes interrupted by server problems
· you have ever lost important e-mail data
· you are targeted by spammers
· you sometimes forget to update your virus scanners

Setting up a better e-mail system doesn’t mean you have to invest in expensive new hardware or train staff to use unfamiliar software. The easiest way to upgrade is by switching to a service that is fully managed off site for you by a reputable IT support company.

With computer professionals storing, scanning and filtering your in-going and out-going e-mails on remote servers you can be confident that the technical aspects of your communications will always be running smoothly in the background. All data is securely backed up and the unlimited storage capacity means your in-box will never be full.

You and your staff can access your e-mails from anywhere in the world where you have an Internet connection. You can use your office computer, a laptop, mobile phone or other handheld device but, to the recipients, all your e-mails will appear to have been sent from the same place.

A managed e-mail system, tailored to the particular needs of your business, is a low cost option that provides streamlined communication between your workers wherever they happen to be. Vital information can be quickly shared. Colleagues who never meet in person can work together as easily as if they were sitting at adjoining desks.

With no more un-professional delays in responding to clients, or having to solve all the problems that arise from ‘lost’ e-mails, you will no longer need to check and maintain your e-mail system or work around its shortcomings. A fully managed service leaves you free to concentrate on the important things – like running your business!

How to Keep your Business Running – Whatever the Weather

Imagine standing on a packed station platform; it’s freezing and you’re waiting for a train that will never arrive. You couldn’t get the car out of your road this morning and your children’s school is threatening to close for the day. You have urgent deadlines to meet and getting into work is looking bleak.

Whilst your staff are struggling to get into work due to cancelled trains, impossible roads and closed schools, who is going to keep your business running and your customers happy?

The big freeze has seriously disrupted public transport and taken its toll on schools, making child care arrangements an issue with employees with younger children. And as for driving to work, the daunting prospect of a hazardous journey leaves many too concerned to leave their homes.

Sound familiar? If your business is one of the many suffering financial loss and productivity nightmares then it’s time to look to technology for a solution to these problems.

Thankfully due to ‘cloud computing’, a spell of bad weather does not have to spell financial disaster or disruption for businesses.

With cloud computing, otherwise known as ‘virtual desktops’, you and your staff can safely and efficiently work from home, or from wherever you are. Deal with emails; conduct meetings via web conferences and access your document network. And all without the need for an investment in expensive hardware! Providing you or your staff have a standard PC or laptop, a virtual desktop can be accessed quickly and easily.

With virtual desktops, all your applications and data are stored on a central remote server which means you and your staff can access all the files, documents, folders, software and applications you need wherever you are, just by logging in over an internet connection.

In a nutshell, cloud computing allows you and your team to go to work, without actually having to go anywhere – perfect in these horrendous conditions!

It’s also worth mentioning that not only does cloud computing provide an extremely flexible and reliable way of working, with its automated backups and remote IT support it also offers added security and peace of mind for you and will save your business serious time and money. So it would seem that every bad weather cloud has a silver lining after all!

Why Making your IT Leaner Will Save you Money

How is your IT system? Over-complicated? Hard to understand? Runs slowly? Burdened with down time? Costs you a fortune in support?

That’s probably because you have something far too over-complex for your true needs.

Leaner IT systems better suit the needs and budgets of small to medium sized businesses.

How about if you could stop worrying about IT by simplifying you system so that it costs you less in terms of outlay and support?

Saving your business money and reducing risk are the two things that will increase your profits.

Protecting your business and reducing risk is made possible via:

· Simplified systems
· The latest technology
· Off site back ups
· Hosted desktops
· Proactive support

Is it time to make your IT leaner? To improve efficiency and reduce costs? If it is time to make the complex simple then talk to us today.

Latest iPhone Worm targets Dutch internet bankers

The second worm to hit the iPhone has come to light thanks to security company F-Secure. It affects anyone in the Netherlands who uses their iPhone for internet banking with online bank ING.

Attacking "jail-broken" phones: those that have been modified so that the user can run non-Apple approved software, the worm redirects ING customers to a mirror image site with a log-in screen.

The handsets at risk have SSH (secure shell) installed, a feature that allows other programs to remotely connect and transfer files. The feature’s default password, "alpine" should be changed. If the password is changed, the risk is eliminated.

F-Secure warns that the new worm is more serious than the first because it can behave like a ‘botnet’ which means the phone can be accessed or controlled remotely without the permission of its owner.

Research director of F-Secure Mikko Hypponen said in an interview with the BBC, "It's fairly isolated and specific to Netherlands but it is capable of spreading."

There is a risk that the worm could jump from phone to phone amongst those sharing a wi-fi hotspot. An ING Bank spokesperson said that a warning would be issued via the bank's official website.

Ikee, the first iPhone worm, was harmless and saw the wallpaper of infected phones replaced with a picture of 1980s pop star Rick Astley.

How to Communicate Smarter - and Cheaper - using VOIP

Obviously you can’t run a business without a telephone system. But don’t restrict your options to traditional systems that cost a fortune. If you are still reeling from your last phone bill, think about switching to VOIP (Voice Over Internet Protocol).

A VOIP system works over a broadband Internet connection but allows you to connect to any telephone worldwide no matter what system the call recipient is using. They are also able to call you. You don’t need to have your computer switched on in order to make calls as long as the broadband connection is active, but there’s nothing to stop you using your computer while making a call.

Here are a few of the benefits a VOIP system could bring to your business:

Lower costs. Because a VOIP provider doesn’t have the overheads of conventional network providers the calls can be exceptionally low cost, or even free.

Increased efficiency. You can use features such as call forwarding and voicemail to e-mail to ensure you never miss a call.

A system tailored to your needs. You will be able to monitor and control all features through an on-line control panel.

Free site-to-site calls. No need to ration calls to and from home workers or between branches, so everyone can keep in touch, share information and solve problems as soon as they arise.

No need for extra phone lines. Because all calls are sent over the Internet you won’t need multiple analogue lines.

Keep your old phones. You don’t have to replace your existing analogue handsets with new IP phones – another money-saver!

A permanent number. If you move to new premises simply take your number with you. VOIP numbers are not geographically dependent.

Remote access. Take a phone adapter when you go travelling and you will be able to access your VOIP service from anywhere in the world where you can get a broadband connection.

Help and advice. Choosing a hosted VOIP system will ensure that it is installed quickly, you will receive expert advice on how to get the most from it, and there will be continuing support if you need to change anything.

VOIP could help your business communications in many ways: by improving efficiency, reducing costs and achieving the effect of portraying a larger operation than you may actually have. Find out more about installing a VOIP system from your local IT support company.

Why your Company Needs an Intranet

Information is the lifeblood of any company and most of it can be stored on computers. As a company grows however, so does the amount of information, until there is a problem, not with storage, but retrieval. Staff cannot work efficiently if the data they need is held on a number of computers, perhaps housed in different offices or even in separate buildings. E-mailing each other or circulating printed copies of essential information is time-consuming, expensive and can lead to mistakes.

Before your business reaches this stage, it makes sense to consider setting up a Company Intranet.

An intranet works in the same way as an Internet website except that it is only accessible within your company. If you see your public website as a shop window to the world, then an intranet is like a filing cabinet in your private office; an expanding cabinet in which you can arrange all your documents, directories, sales catalogues, financial records, e-books, photos, videos and anything else you need to run your business.

It is quick and easy to set up an intranet. All you need is a web server to host it. If you haven’t the time or expertise to do it yourself, ask a reputable IT support company for help and advice.

Once you and your staff begin to use your company intranet, these are just a few of the benefits you will be able to enjoy:

· Instant updates. As soon as new information is posted it is available to everyone who has access to your intranet.

· No need to print out memos, reports etc. when everyone can access them online. Saves the cost of paper, ink and postage – and helps the environment!

· Content is password protected so you can choose which information is available to all employees and which is restricted.

· No need to buy and license software for each computer – another money saver!

· Individuals and departments can keep in touch with each other and find out what’s happening in the rest of the company through blogs, message boards or regular newsletters.

· If holiday and work rotas are on the intranet there’s no confusion about who is – and is not – available at a particular time. When someone has been away from work, they can quickly catch up on what’s happened during their absence.

· Easier home and distance working. A computer doesn’t have to be on your premises to be connected to your company’s local area network.

· It’s simple to operate and tailor to your needs. You can add or adapt features as your business changes, try out new ideas or discard things you no longer need.

An intranet allows you to work smarter because access to your company’s information is at the finger tips of everyone involved in the business, whether onsite or working remotely. Intranets also save a company money by eliminating the need for printed manuals, and they make staff feel like they are part of a network.

Lean IT makes life easier, saves money and increases profits

Businesses are being shown that it is possible to realise savings of up to 30% on ongoing IT costs, something all of them needs in this economic climate.

Lean IT will have major impact on business profit margins

The IT landscape is changing fast. Traditional methods of running IT systems dating back to the easy credit pre-recession days are now far too expensive, over burdensome and out of date. Smaller businesses can work more efficiently, save money, increase flexibility and reduce risk, and this will have a major impact on profit margins.

Businesses will benefit from a reduction in the complexity of their networks to make them leaner, using the following initiatives:

Virtual, Consolidated Servers: Seriously reduce space, power and maintenance costs

‘Thin Client’ Computing: Save 50% on running costs, power consumption and maintenance by replacing traditional PCs with Thin Clients: computers that don’t do their own processing but rely on a central, often remote processor.Utilise Manufacturer Warranties: Maintain high end servers economically by utilising manufacturers’ warranties.

Remote only Support: Using remote support, IT issues can be rectified without the need for site visits, therefore driving down the cost of support cover.

Flexible licensing: Reduced licensing costs are possible by renting software applications rather than purchasing them.

VOIP and Least Cost Routing: If you pay BT directly for your phone calls then you could save over 70% on call charges by using Voice Over IP (VOIP) or Least Cost Routing.

If you want to make considerable savings on IT and increase your profits as a result, there are many things that can be done. Contact your IT support company without delay to find out more about a leaner form of IT.

Warning: Files Saved to Desktop could Miss Crucial Back Ups!

It’s common to save files to a desktop to make them easier to find and open without the need to drill down through a hierarchy of folders.

The advantages are obvious; however should problems arise with data loss and a system restore is needed, these desktop based files are often lost forever.

The problem with typical small business networks, often powered by Small Business Server 2003, is that the backup regime only includes data on the server and the individual user’s My Documents folder if it has been redirected to the server. This means that more often than not, the user’s desk top based files will miss the back up.

If you operate a network, make sure all users only save data in their My Documents folder or a network folder (or network share) that has been approved by the system administrator. This way, you can be sure that ALL crucial data and documents will be included in the back up.

Workplace Internet and E-mail: Do you have an Acceptable Use Policy in Place?

If you don’t have a solid Internet and e-mail Acceptable Use Policy (AUP) in place in your workplace for employees to follow, your business could be at serious risk.

An AUP should be drafted with care so as to minimise the risks posed by the use of internet and e-mail within your business; risks that could lead to legal proceedings and a serious slow down on your business operations.

It is important, particularly in the smaller business, to be realistic when putting together your policy. Your priority is the safety and security of your IT system and data and of course upholding the good name of your business; however it is important not to make rules overly stringent so as to stop your staff being able to do their jobs properly, or indeed affect morale.

The policy should be updated regularly, and should address the specific needs of your business.

Here are some tips on what a fairly drafted policy could cover:

Do not allow employees to:

• Use internet radio; this saps bandwidth which leads to slow internet, which can slow down working processes


• Use peer to peer file sharing sites; this poses the threat of viruses which can bring a halt to a network operation


• Use social networking sites during business hours; working time should be spent on work, not socialising


• Visit sites or send or forward e-mails that have content related to sex, gambling, violence or racial hatred as this can lead to costly litigation


• Download freeware or shareware – the virus risk is high


• Download copied software – this is illegal and could lead to serious litigation


• Use e-mail for personal use; it is time wasting and e-mails are still generated from and stored on business servers which could lead to legal issues should the content of those e-mails be dubious

Do:

• Restrict personal use of the internet to lunch time or outside business hours


• Use a firewall with programmable content restrictions


• Make it clear that your company owns any e-mail communications stored on your company computers and that you have the right to access them at any time


• Clearly set out the disciplinary process that you will follow should there be a breach of your policy


• Ensure all members of staff are issued with a copy of the AUP and monitor supervisors and managers on its implementation

High profile court cases concerning the use of corporate equipment for personal, social or dubious actions are well documented for costing employers considerably. If you don’t want that to happen to your business, get an AUP place sooner rather than later. And appreciate the knock on effect that seemingly innocent actions can have.

Taking time to draft a strong Acceptable Use Policy that is tailored to your company is an important investment in the future of your business. Make sure you have one in place, and ensure it is enforced!

Why Off Site Backups are the Safest Option

Everyone understands how important it is to back up computerised information, but when was the last time you reviewed your backup systems?

If you’ve never had to cope with a major loss of data you should consider yourself lucky, but don’t allow yourself, or your staff, to become complacent. Periodically check that what should happen in theory always happens in practice. Ask a few ‘what if?’ questions. If they reveal any weak spots, find a solution as quickly as possible.

Many small and medium sized businesses are deciding they can’t afford to take even the smallest risk of having valuable data lost, stolen or destroyed. They are choosing the safest option and using secure, off site backup services. Here’s why:

Reliability
When you’re busy, it’s all too easy to forget about backing up your work until after a file has been accidentally deleted or the hard drive has crashed. But an off site storage system automatically copies data directly from your computers to a remote server at pre-arranged times. There’s no need for reminders, and no danger of a single document being overlooked.

Minimising the risk of theft
Once your backups are carefully locked away they are probably safe from all but the most determined thief. But how often is your data transported from one place to another? Do you carry CDs or USB flash drives in your briefcase so you can take work home with you? Do you copy files to a laptop so you have all the information you need when attending meetings out of the office? Have you stopped to think what effect it might have on your business if that briefcase or laptop went missing?

Using an off site backup service eliminates that risk. You simply access whatever you need from your backed up data using any computer with an Internet connection.

Encryption
This is a layer of security that is often underused. If you only encrypt sensitive information when emailing it, you might not think it necessary to encrypt your stored data. That’s fine if you can be certain it will never fall into the wrong hands, but it’s always better to be safe than sorry. With off site backups all your files are encrypted and compressed before leaving your computers. They can then only be recovered by using your account number, password and encryption key.

Disaster proofing
Is the place where you store your backed up data well away from your computers? Is it completely fireproof and waterproof? No matter how careful you are, accidents and malicious damage can happen. Nowhere is completely safe against all eventualities, but a company specialising in off site backups is far more secure than the average office and many store your data in more than one location.

Long-term storage
Tapes, CDs and DVDs don’t last forever and some – even if they are the same age and brand – become corrupted sooner than others. Although data storage technology is improving all the time it makes sense to check your backups regularly to ensure your data is still readable. And you would be well advised to make new copies of your oldest archives: just in case. All this takes time, which could probably be better spent on growing your business. If you use an off site backup service however, your data is protected for as long as you need.

Why Outsource IT?

Every business needs an IT management plan to ensure the smooth running of its IT systems.

For any business, an IT failure at a critical moment can have far-reaching consequences. Telling your customers and suppliers, ‘Sorry, our system is down’ will do little to enhance either your balance sheet or reputation.

But what options are available to the owner of a small or medium sized business working to a tight budget? One that is worth investigating is outsourcing your IT to a specialist IT support company.

How do you decide if outsourcing your IT is right for your business? When weighing up the costs and benefits, you could start by asking the following questions:

1. What do you do if there is an IT problem?

Do you, or one of your staff, have to stop work to sort it out? Do you call someone in? Do they come straight away?

2. If your whole system was out-of-action for a day, how much would it cost you:

a) to have it repaired?
b) in lost orders?
c) in wages paid to staff who cannot do their work?

3. Have you ever allowed someone who knows all about PC to fix a problem – only to have it made worse?

4. How much time do you spend doing routine maintenance tasks?

5. How often have you neglected to carry out those important but time-consuming computer checks and updates?

6. Are you sure you are using your existing system in the most efficient and cost-effective way?

7. Are you able to keep up-to-date with, and take advantage of, all the latest IT innovations?

If you want to know more about how outsourcing works, contact a reputable IT support company in your area. Look for one that is qualified to manage all types of IT systems and understands the needs and concerns of business owners like you.

Many will offer a free, no obligation consultation that includes an audit of your IT system and suggestions for a range of services that can be tailored to your exact requirements. You can choose to outsource only the more complicated tasks, or you might prefer to opt for a full network maintenance contract that takes complete care of your whole system.

Whatever you decide, you will discover that handing responsibility for your IT over to a reliable specialist service can save money, headaches, and valuable time that you and your staff can put to better use in growing your business.

Wireless Networks: How Secure is Yours?

Is your Wireless Network secure? Are you absolutely sure...?
It is probably the case these days that most home and office networks are running wirelessly, taking advantage of the convenience and benefits a wireless network brings.

However, and very worryingly, we have experienced a number of issues lately where wireless networks have not been properly set up by businesses and were therefore running the risk of a security breech.

Wireless networks, when properly configured, can actually offer a far higher level of security than wired networks. But it is vital to have the network set up by an expert from the outset so as to avoid serious problems that could have far reaching consequences for your business or personal data and privacy.

Keep your Resources Safe

Resources can be anything from your internet service to your software. If your wireless network is not secure, anyone nearby can connect to it. Not only does this mean they will take advantage of the internet access that you pay for, they could also find their way into your data, e-mail and anything else they can lay their hands on.

It is commonly thought that wireless routers are secure by default: this is not true! They need to be set up to be secure and simply hiding your network ID (SSID) is not good enough.

How to Secure a Wireless Network

The best way to ensure security is to get help from an experienced IT professional in setting up your network. This is particularly important if you are running a business. They will ensure:

• Your admin password is re-set to something strong enough to prevent unauthorised access
• Your wireless router is physically secured so as to prevent tampering
• Suitable authentication and encryption are used

Secure your business and personal information by securing your wireless network; don’t think your wireless router is secure just because it says so on the pack. Take appropriate steps to set up your network so that it protects you, and if you are unsure how to do this, seek professional IT advice.

Why you need a content managed website

You need a content managed website: fact. Well, you don't want to be hanging around waiting for costly updates to be made to your website, do you?

Firstly, let’s explain what a ‘content managed website’ is.

Basically, it’s one that you can edit yourself, without having to ask a web designer to do it for you, and without having to know anything about web programming or design.

A content management system is something that will benefit you greatly if you want to keep your website up to date as and when you please. And it will present you with considerable cost savings in the future too.

Report your news as it happens, not several weeks later!

Imagine you have some news to report, or your pricing has changed, or you have added new products to your range. You want to get that information updated on your website as soon as possible; but your website designer is busy or on holiday and they can’t do the updates for you straight away. And when they do finally get round to them, they send you a hefty bill!

Regularly updated website content boosts search engine success

A website needs to be updated regularly so that visitors and search engines alike are fed with new content. Search engines love new content and you will benefit from increased rankings the more you add. Additionally, fresh content on a website keeps visitors interested; if they know there is something new to read, they will keep coming back to see what you have to offer.

With a content managed website you can:

• Improve your search engine rankings by regularly adding fresh content
• Keep visitors interested by reporting your news as it happens
• Update your website text and images via the internet without the need for any software or web programming knowledge
• Stop paying ongoing web designer costs and waiting weeks for updates to be done

If you have a static website, that is one you cannot update yourself, you will already know the frustrations. If you are looking at setting up a website for the first time, think about the benefits of adding a content management system; it will be slightly more expensive at the outset, but in a short period of time you will easily pull back the additional cost and be reaping the rewards of a regularly updated website.

Cloud Computing

Cloud computing: one of the latest buzz phrases, but what exactly does it mean and what effect is it going to have on the way we work?

In a nutshell, cloud computing is a new way of working; and it’s set to be revolutionary, especially for smaller and home based businesses.

Another name for cloud computing is ‘hosted desktops’. This is probably a better term to describe the concept because it sums it up literally.

With a hosted desktop, a specialist provider runs your server remotely. All your data, software and applications are kept on an external server and you simply login via the internet and access your desktop, complete with documents, files, folders, software and applications. It really is as simple as that! But let’s go into just a bit more detail so you can see just how beneficial this way of working could be to your business.

The benefits of using a hosted desktop, or cloud computing, are vast. Here’s a quick summary:

Big Benefits

• Complete security and peace of mind - no data or software stored on site
• No need for manual back ups – your data is constantly backed up throughout the day so you will never lose any of it
• No need to invest in costly server purchases or maintenance
• Access your own familiar desktop wherever you are via the internet and enjoy instant access to your data and applications
• Constant access to the latest software versions without having to load, update or purchase anything yourself
• PC damaged or stolen? No problem; your data is still accessible via another PC
• No need for a costly IT department or maintenance contract
• Substantial cost savings

If you run a small business, a hosted desktop will completely change the way you work; it will enhance your competitive edge by allowing you to compete with larger players in your industry with very little outlay. Cloud computing is safe, it’s secure, and it makes life so much easier.