During the Symposium ITxpo 2011, Gartner unveiled its prediction for the top technology trends in 2012.
Mobility and social media are taking a front seat for the ride into the future. Many of these technologies will drive the future of your business if they aren’t already:

1. Media tablets and beyond
2. Mobile-centric applications and interfaces
3. Contextual and social user experience
4. Internet of Things
5. App stores and marketplaces
6. Next-generation analytics
7. Big Data
8. In-memory computing
9. Extreme low-energy servers
10. Cloud computing

Here are a few simple things you can do to prevent your server and network equipment from overheating and crashing:

1) Tidy up the server room; a neater room will increase air flow.

2) If you have more than one server, arrange them in a row so that the cold air comes from the front and is expelled out the back.

3) Keep the doors to the server room closed and seal off the space.

4) Make sure cold air reaches all the equipment

5) Have a redundant A/C that is specifically designed for computers.

6) Buy a rack enclosure where the cooling is built in to the bottom of the rack.

7) Keep the temperature at no more than 77 degrees.

8) Use blanking panels over any empty spaces on your server rack.

9) Consider virtualization or hosting in a cloud environment so you are generating a lower amount of heat in the first place.

Last night I startled out of bed in a cold sweat, heart racing, with fear racing through my mind…and you were the reason for my panic! Was I having a nightmare? Was I just watching too many episodes of “Ghost Hunters?” Maybe taking the Halloween spirit too far?

No
– it simply occurred to me that you might not know the importance of having a solid backup and disaster recovery plan in place! And if your server data was erased, corrupted or destroyed because of a hardware malfunction, system crash, fire, flood or some other random, unforeseen disaster, you might not be able to be back up and running again FAST!

The Thought Of That Happening Scared Me Half To Death!

And quite honestly, it should scare you too! Just imagine what would happen if your server went down and you…

Lost all accounting documentation and history…
Lost all the work files you’ve spent YEARS developing…
Lost the work files and documentation you desperately need to service your customers…
Lost all the e-mails you’ve had saved and couldn’t access yourinbox…

Can you even put a price tag on it? Probably not – yet so many business owners aren’t 100% certain that they could be back up and running after a disaster and are purely hoping that their current tape drive or backup is working and storing a usable copy of their data.

That’s why I desperately urge you to have a Data Security and Backup Audit done, to ensure that your data is secure, your backups are taking place, and that your data is recoverable.

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It’s not uncommon for many small and medium-sized companies to use file sharing and peer-to-peer (P2P) platforms as a means to share information and data – especially when it comes to larger files that are difficult and sometimes impossible to attach to emails.

And why not? File sharing and P2P is easy to use, simple, and inexpensive. And never mind if some employees download some personal files on the side – a song or a movie here and there never hurt anyone. Right?

Wrong.

The big catch when using P2P programs and common file sharing platforms is that it compromises your company’s security. Exposing your computers and your system to such a mode is filled with all sorts of risks.

First, people can accidentally share files that aren’t supposed to be for public consumption. They may also inadvertently download viruses and Trojans that infiltrate your system, steal sensitive information, and cause untold damage. If you are on a network, even if just one computer becomes infected, it can spread to all other workstations on the network. Some unscrupulous P2P abusers even use other people’s computers to remotely store illegal data, such as child pornography.

It’s very important that you have a secure system in place to handle large file transfers that cannot be shared through email. Guarding your network from outside infiltration is a must, but you don’t have to sacrifice efficiency and ease of use. So if you’d like to explore your options for secure file sharing, we’d be happy to lay out a plan that will fit your specific needs.

For businesses of all types and size, managing data online is critical to the smooth operation of a website. However, incorporating data collection programs can be time consuming, especially if any of your data is “time bound” – meaning it’s only valid and useful during a specific period of time.

Here’s a solution. FormSpring provides free and paid website data collection services that eliminate the need for additional programming or the purchase of additional software.

If your website includes contact or event registration forms, surveys, and the like, FormSpring provides services ranging from a basic free option to more feature-intensive offerings with custom made forms based on your unique requirements. There’s no long-term registration contract, and you may cancel at any time. FormSpring also offers a 30-day money back guarantee.

It’s worth noting that the data is stored on FormSpring’s servers, so if you have special compliance requirements for privacy or security you might want to check to ensure you remain compliant.

Overall, FormSpring is a very useful website for companies or groups that need a hassle-free way to collect data through their website. Check out their free version of the plan or use the 30-day money back guarantee to explore whether FormSpring meets your data collection needs.

Most small and medium businesses can’t afford the luxury of a qualified IT administrator, let alone an entire IT department. If you’re in this position, how do you maintain the information technology infrastructure that’s critical to your organization?

One option is Managed Services, in which you outsource this role to an IT expert called a “managed services provider,” which will typically offer on-site or remote network and security monitoring, data backup and technical support.

Because the Managed Services model allow a business to focus on its core competencies, it is increasing in popularity—but sometimes it’s hard to separate the real benefit from the hype.

What’s the value to you?

• Peace of mind. Your managed services provider will monitor your IT infrastructure and prevent or resolve any problems—a sharp diversion from the traditional “fix it when it breaks” model of IT management.

• Simplicity. Your managed services provider will provide many of its services remotely, via the Internet, instead of through on-site visits. This reduces time and cost.

• Constant support. You don’t have to worry about support; your  managed services provider will offer the assistance you need, when you need it.

• Affordability. Managed services providers typically offer several price structures, including a per-month fee—which is much lower than the cost of building an in-house IT support department.

• Accountability. Have you ever tried to resolve an IT problem only to find that one vendor blames it on another who blames it on another? With managed services, you don’t have to go to multiple vendors to figure out why your network is down or you’ve experienced a security breach. You’ll have one point of contact: your managed services provider.

Want to learn more about how Managed Services can give you dependable IT with predictable costs? Give us a call.