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Want to check out Google Docs? It?s free for anyone with a Google account, although if you are going to use it for your business, you should talk to us about Google Workspace.  You can log in at docs.google.com to see how the free version works. Version History Undoubtedly, one of Google Docs? most useful features must be its referenceable version history. Think about it?you could go back and review how people have edited the document and the rate that progress has been made. This not only enables a higher level of accountability in your work, but it also makes it clear who made certain changes and when these changes were made. As a result, it is far clearer to everyone involved who has contributed their share, and how the status of the team?s efforts currently stands. Accessing this area is as simple as clicking File>Version history>See version history and choosing from the list of dates and times provided. If you want to restore a file from one of these past versions, it is as simple as clicking the Restore this version button at the top of the screen in the review section when one of the past modifications are selected. Interacting with a Document Due to the collaborative nature of Google Docs, the likelihood is high that your documents are frequently shared throughout your organization and amongst your clients. Of course, not everyone who has their hands on these documents necessarily needs the capability to make changes?or even leave feedback at all. Google Docs enables you to share these documents while also dictating the amount of access that your recipients have?as well as to limit your own capabilities as well, to help you effectively accomplish specific tasks. This can be done by altering how the document is presented, which comes in three modes: Editing, Suggesting, and Viewing. Predictably, Editing mode enables a user to make changes. However, with the document set to Suggesting mode, the user can only (as the name would suggest) suggest changes to be made. Likewise, Viewing mode only allows a user to view the document?pretty handy, especially when you?re looking for feedback over collaboration. Mobile Capabilities Google Docs also comes as a very capable (if limited by the platform) mobile application, enabling your team to potentially make quick reviews and edits while on the move. While we wouldn?t recommend anyone write their next novel from scratch using this method, it can prove handy in a pinch. As you would expect, any changes you make there are reflected to any collaborators you are working with. Obviously, Google Docs offers many more capabilities that we encourage you to discover for yourself. For assistance in implementing it for your organization, or more information about the other options available to you, give us a call at (603) 889-0800 today.

Data loss is a negative situation, regardless of the importance of the files. This is precisely why White Mountain IT Services offers comprehensive data backup and disaster recovery solutions. Backing up your data allows you to sidestep the potential catastrophes that would come with the loss of your most critical information. Here, we?ll review a few situations that could put this data at risk to demonstrate how crucial having a backup really is. Actual Disaster Event Just about every business on Earth could potentially be impacted by some kind of weather event. Some deal with hurricanes, some deal with high winds and tornadoes, others with earthquakes and floods? you get the picture. Unfortunately, whichever one impacts your business, there isn?t very much you can do at the moment, which is why it is important to prepare now, so you can reopen again after the fact. Many don?t prepare, and therefore, don?t reopen. Acting proactively and maintaining a backup allows you to more quickly bounce back after a disaster has struck, allowing your business a second chance. Data Corruption or Theft Cybersecurity is a huge topic today, as there are many, many threats out there designed to target businesses. Take ransomware, for example: all it takes for you to lose access to your files is for an employee to click on the wrong thing. Not good. Using a BDR (in conjunction with a comprehensive business continuity plan) to keep your files safely backed up enables you to quickly restore data from an onsite backup copy of your data, while keeping another copy offsite for redundant protections and simplified migrations. This keeps you safe from a variety of threats, including ransomware and many other forms of malware.  User Error The BDR is supremely useful in that it gives you an on-demand resource to pull your data from, on demand, as it is needed. This is particularly handy if a team is collaborating on a project, and somebody accidentally deletes something absolutely critical to the project. With a backup, your progress won?t be lost to bad luck. A BDR allows you to breathe a little easier about your files and their security. To find out about adopting one for your business, reach out to White Mountain IT Services today. Call (603) 889-0800 to get started.

Getting Started with a Google Account If you have a Google account, you have access to Google Drive. Using your browser, or either the Android or iOS version of the application, you can log in to see your storage space. There, you?ll find the root menu, titled My Drive, with options to view items that have been shared with you (under Shared with me) and all Recent documents, ones that have been Starred as important, and those that have been sent to the Trash. You are also provided with an indicator bar that outlines the amount of available storage remaining. You can also find any files that Google has deemed to be of high Priority, as well as the folders that are shared within an organization in the Shared drives section?presuming that you?re using a business account. Above those options is the New button, providing the user with the ability to create new folders and files of different types, or upload files and folders into the space. These files can cover a wide variety of formats, from the core Google applications of Docs, Sheets, Slides, and Forms to many others. Sharing Documents You?ve Created There are a few different ways that a document in Google Drive can be shared with another user, whether that?s between sharing access to a folder wherein it is stored, or by sharing the document directly. Any document you?ve created can be shared from within it, through the Share button. From there, you can adjust editing permissions for those who you have shared it with and send it to them through a link, either by email or copy-and-pasting it as needed. Alternatively, right clicking the file in your Drive itself will present you with a few options, one of which being to share it. When you and your collaborators are inside the document, you will all be presented to the others involved. You can also share entire folders via a similar process. Restoring Older Versions Unfortunately, there is a lot that can go wrong with many hands on a document. To help resolve this shortcoming, Google Drive also saves a record of the document and any changes made to it for 30 days, or the past 100 revisions. From there, you can revert changes back to an older version if needed. To do so, access the file and, from the File menu, select Version History. You can then review the saved versions and restore the ones you need. Searching for Files and Folders Finally, similarly to Google?s original function, Drive also has a search bar that allows a user to Search in Drive, with the option to add more specific criteria. Consider Google Drive an Effective Business Solution Depending on your circumstance, Google Drive may or may not be the right solutions\\ for your needs. For more information, or to discuss your options, reach out to White Mountain IT Services at (603) 889-0800

A Brief Explanation of Disaster Recovery Every business has some type of business continuity plan, and if they don?t, they should. It outlines the actions that need to be taken to ensure that your business isn?t mortally affected by negative situations. Within this plan is disaster recovery, which is a specific plan to get your operations up and running after a ?disaster?. Here are a few examples of disasters that could affect your business? continuity: Natural disaster – Flood, hurricane, tornado, wildfire, electrical storm, worldwide pandemic; the list goes on and on.  Human error – Accidental, negligent, or deliberate situation an employee puts the business in which causes a disaster-like result. Cyberattack – Data breaches can be some of the worst, especially when people?s sensitive information is involved.  Failing Hardware – If the right component goes out at the right time it can have devastating effects on your business.  No matter what problems your business has to deal with, getting your resources back up and running as fast as possible should be one of the core priorities of any negative situation. The reality of the situation is that every minute your business breaks continuity is a massive problem, and can lead to some very unpleasant results.  The Importance of DR The first thing you need to know about your disaster recovery policy, is that it has to be created with the notion that it?s a matter of when, not if, you will need to use it. The statistics reinforce this idea. Three-out-of-five businesses that experience a prolonged system outage will be out of business within two years of the event. So, even if you are able to get back up and running again, the lost revenue may eventually catch up and ruin your business. With that knowledge, the first suggestion we?d make is to stay calm. A business owner?who has toiled and taken his/her business from a one or two-man operation to an organization that people and their families depend on?needs to make calculated decisions to get their business back up and running properly. Acting impulsively will often lead to making decisions that will further hurt your business? chances of returning to normalcy. The first real action that needs to be undertaken is to contact the people that will need to know that a disaster has occurred. Setting up a call list to notify people that need to know is a good practice. Since the focus has to be on getting data accessible, once department managers are notified, they can decide how and when to notify their subordinates. Regardless of how you plan to set this up, communication will be key to get your business back up and on track.  One of the most important parts of a disaster recovery strategy is to have digital copies of everything. We suggest using a Backup and Disaster Recovery (BDR) service that backs up data incrementally and saves multiple copies of data in a network-connected device, as well as in an offsite data center. Having a comprehensive backup is a core strategy of any disaster recovery platform.  Depending on the disaster, you may need to find alternative means of managing your workforce. Being able to provide your staff with that ability in the face of a disaster is extremely useful to keep revenue […]

Let?s go over a few best practices that can help prevent you and your team from losing technology as work is done remotely. Organize, Organize, Organize When working on the move, it can be only too easy to lose track of your assorted possessions?especially if you don?t have a proper means of carrying them from place to place. Therefore, investing in a carrying case of some sort and keeping your technology arranged inside not only helps ensure you have what you need to be productive, it also helps you to be sure that you can get everything out and away and back into storage more efficiently. Of course, you should also double-check that everything is where it should be every so often, especially when you?re in a public place. Keep Your Carrying Cases Closed Here?s the thing: the easier it is for someone to sidle on by and take something, the more likely they are to do so. How often have you seen someone walk away from their laptop bag with their laptop out in the open? How often have you seen someone carrying around a backpack or a messenger bag with it open, their devices practically falling out? It may not seem like a huge deterrent but keeping your carrying cases fastened up can greatly discourage someone from trying any funny business. Help Your Tech Stand Out Making your technology distinctive?adding noticeable stickers, using brightly-colored peripherals, and the like?can provide extra benefits when it comes to keeping track of it. First of all, if you do happen to leave it behind somewhere, it makes it much easier to describe to someone so that you can claim it. Secondly, making it more noticeable will help make it less likely for you to forget it in the first place. Finally, the more recognizable and distinctive it is, the less likely it is that someone will try to abscond with it. Keep Track of Your Technology With More Technology Finally, there are many tech solutions available that are intended to help protect your other gizmos. Of course there are the applications that both Android and iOS have built into their platforms to help locate a lost device, and there are also other add-on solutions and physical dongles that serve the same purpose available. Investing in a few could be what prevents you from losing a far more expensive device and the valuable data it holds. While White Mountain IT Services can only do so much to help you keep track of your IT solutions, we can do far more to help you get the most use out of them. For assistance in managing your business technology, give us a call at (603) 889-0800 and ask about our managed services.