A business that manages its data efficiently will be well positioned to handle growth. One of the most crucial components of data management is ensuring that everything is backed up properly; an increasingly difficult task as businesses use more data every year. Implementing a cost-effective and reliable data backup solution should be the goal of every IT professional.
Macro Systems Blog
Consolidation makes life easier. Your smartphone is a prime example of this: consolidating dozens of individual gadgets down to one easy-to-use device that can fit inside your pocket. Before smartphones, we had to travel with a carry-on bag full of electronics, but now, thanks to smartphones, traveling is much easier. This principle of consolidation also applies to IT services.
The CEO baton at Microsoft has been passed from Steve Ballmer to Satya Nadella, making Nadella the third CEO in Microsoft's well-publicized history. You may not think that this will have an impact on your business, but considering how intertwined Microsoft is with the the global economy, you may be surprised to learn that this move will affect your company.
Mobile devices are changing the technology landscape in the modern office. What kind of changes are smartphones specifically having on human productivity? We are looking at this question in two parts. In our last blog article we looked at how mobile devices impact networking. In part two, we will take a look at smartphones and human awareness.
What kind of phone do you have? Or rather, what kind of person does your phone have? With people relying on constant connectivity and constant communication, do devices have an interface for constant productivity, or is it just a constant distraction? Do all these outstanding new gadgets have the kind of value business professionals claim they do?
As the world of business becomes increasingly dependent upon technology, the role of IT is changing. Historically, the IT department has been viewed as a separate entity in the office that fixes and maintains the IT infrastructure. Today, more companies are involving IT when making important business decisions. Have you consulted your IT professional lately?
Some people refuse to upgrade their technology because they're ardently committed to the principle of "if it's not broke, don't fix it." We admire a person's resolve to stand up for their convictions, but there are cases when old technology gets in the way of profits. Here are four examples of old technologies that may be holding your business back.
"Heigh-ho, heigh-ho. It's off to work we go!" Do you know the secret to why Dwarves are so good at mining? It's because they don't have an Internet connection in the caves to distract them from digging and singing. If you're looking to turn your staff into a loyal Dwarf-like workforce, then you will want to take advantage of content filtering.
Is your business taking advantage of desktop virtualization? It's a great money-saving solution that allows you to host a desktop environment from your server so that it can be accessed remotely on a terminal or device via your network. Businesses wanting to control their data while enjoying the conveniences of the cloud will get the most from desktop virtualization.
There seem to be some commonly unspoken rules about the appropriateness of using certain technology throughout the course of the workday. You may have an IT practices policy in your office, but for some of us, we need to infer proper times, places, and limits of our technology use. Here are some courtesy tips for tech use throughout your day at the office.
Tech savvy individuals and businesses alike have moved away from traditional Internet browsers such as Microsoft's Internet Explorer and Apple's Safari to Google's Chrome browser. After all, many people enjoy having a simplistic, yet powerful web browser that easily integrates it's Google Docs tools and Gmail email service. However, users may want to think twice about using the browser now that a new YouTube video has surfaced entitled "Chrome Bug Lets Sites Listen to Your Conversations." In the video, user Tal Ater walks through a very dangerous exploit that allows anyone to access your microphone through Google's voice recognition software embedded in Chrome.
You may think that the standard security policies that come with your email account can protect you from hackers. It's an easy mistake to make, but the truth of the matter is that, if a hacker really wants access to an account, then they will employ every tactic possible to get it, which can make standard password security measures woefully inadequate.
Social media isn't just some fad used by teenagers and twenty-somethings. It's not only a place to share pictures of your favorite dish, your status about your spouse, or where you can get the best deal on the latest war video game. Social media is a virtual powerhouse in the business world as well, and as it continues to grow, you must find a way to harness its potential and utilize it to give your organization an advantage. Where should you begin on your journey to social media proficiency? The answer is easy: Facebook.
With the NSA and Edward Snowden making headlines around the world, it's enough to make any user of the Internet think twice about online security and wonder if they are being monitored or not. Google Search has been a popular hub for third party monitoring, which makes Internet users ask, "Is there a more secure search engine available?" There is with DuckDuckGo.
Technological and smart device leviathan, Samsung, has announced its plan to turn homes into smart hubs with its Android mobile devices controlling the action. Samsung is already at the forefront of the smartphone and smart TV market, but it also manufactures other products such as refrigerators, washing machines, and air conditioners. Now it has created a way for all of them to speak to one another.
Remember back in elementary school when you memorized lists of words and studied hard to become the top speller in your class? Thanks to spellchecking technology from word processing applications like Microsoft Word, memorizing spelling words is about as worthless as cursive handwriting. Here's how you can use Word's spellchecker more efficiently.
In a digital age where nothing seems to be private or secure, no matter what steps you take, comes hope with a technology called LiFi. What is LiFi? Put simply, it's a new way for digital information to be passed through spectrums of visible light. It's very fast, at 10 gigabytes per second; currently more than 250 times faster than the fastest broadband connection!
"The Cloud" may mean very different things to different people, and has certainly been used in a number of ways that obscure its actual definition. The cloud a place to store and access files, run software, automatically back up files, virtualize data, and much more. Globally, smaller cities are becoming cloud cities using all of these capabilities to save money and improve their infrastructure and services.