That isn?t to say that cloud resources are lacking security, but many cloud options are managed by cloud providers and don?t give organizations enough control over the infrastructure to deliver sufficient peace of mind. As a result, cloud security becomes more end-point oriented, and like any other computing platform, requires a lot of the same strategies that you?d expect. They include: Ensuring data/solutions are securely accessed. Sufficient monitoring of all user/system access Thorough alert system in the event of unusual user/system behavior Obviously, managing and maintaining local infrastructure is much more intensive than managing end-points, but when a platform is accessible from anywhere on many different types of devices, maintaining vigilant policies that dictate user accessibility will go a long way toward keeping your cloud resources secure.  Understanding Cloud Security For small business owners, there is something that is relatively unsettling about cloud computing, especially when you consider how much companies have come to depend on those resources. Some businesses run their entire business in the cloud. Consider that, in essence, to manage the financial risk that you would take on by purchasing and managing onsite equipment, you are willing to take on the risk that your hosted solutions are managed and maintained up to your standards. For millions of companies, that transfer of risk pays off, but when it doesn?t, it can be catastrophic.  That?s why cloud security isn?t just a feature that comes with your business? cloud platform, it is an ongoing strategy that needs to be maintained. Consider how you protect the systems you host locally: you control access. You control who can access certain resources, how they can access them, and what types of authentication they need for access. Part of the benefit of cloud resources is its relative ease-of-use, and since cloud resources depend on the transfer of data/resources over an Internet connection, that simplicity can be problematic. One action you can take to adjust your security strategy is to make cloud platforms a little harder to access. Many cloud services offer solutions for multi-factor authentication. This technology goes beyond the password method by adding an additional step to the sign-on process. After a user enters their login information, instead of accessing the resources, the user will have to put in a randomly generated code to gain access. By adding a step to the sign-on process, the chances are better that the person accessing the platform is authorized to do so. White Mountain IT Services can help you use the cloud from start to finish. Our experts can help you find the cloud platform that meets your organization?s needs and utilize it in the most productive and secure way possible. To learn more, call our IT professionals today at (603) 889-0800.

BlueKeep Background Discovered in May of 2019, BlueKeep was patched to try and prevent the malware from emulating EternalBlue, which was the exploit that enabled the infamous WannaCry cyberattacks which, among other terrible effects, took several hospitals out of commission in the United Kingdom. Now, with precedent established as to how important it is to keep solutions patched and up-to-date, you?d think that hospitals would move fast to implement it. Unfortunately, this isn?t the case.  Worse, BlueKeep impacts Windows 7, along with Windows Server 2008 and Windows Server 2008 (R2). You may recognize these systems, because they all have recently passed their end-of-life date and are therefore no longer protected against cyberattack. So, what does this mean? Simple: Not only was BlueKeep resolved via a patch, the impacted systems should no longer be in use in the first place. Reports have also indicated that an entire 22 percent of devices vulnerable to BlueKeep have not added the patch, and that almost half (45 percent) of connected medical devices are still vulnerable. These connected medical devices include things like x-ray machines, anesthesia machines, and other components critical to care. In summation, the state of medical IT looks grim. We can help. White Mountain IT Services is here to offer our assistance to healthcare organizations–and any other organization in a similar predicament–that need to improve their IT so that their patients are safe. For assistance with your IT (even if it only supplements your internal team) give us a call at (603) 889-0800.

Evaluate Your Current Technology Before you can create a new IT roadmap, you should evaluate your current technology first. Make a record of the company’s total systems and programs. Are they being leveraged correctly or used to their full potential?  Do they have any limitations that may be a problem in the future? After you’ve noted the full capability and quality of the company’s technological tools, you can start working on improving it.  Determine Your Goals and Objectives Once you’ve made those evaluations, it’s time to figure out the company’s most important strategic goals and objectives. The goals should be clear and specific. Next, spend time brainstorming how technology help the business achieve those financial and operational goals more quickly and efficiently.  Anticipate the Future Companies that don’t anticipate the future rarely succeed. Consider what the company may need in the future to stay ahead of the competition. Do you anticipate any federal or regulatory changes in your industry? Does your company plan to expand into different markets or offer new products? When you plan ahead, you can have the foresight to use technology that’s flexible and can easily scale with the company.  Plan Realistic Budget and Time frame Create a realistic timeframe and budget for the IT roadmap with several milestones you can use as markers to determine your progress. The most important objective should be the highest priority. Remember to include SaaS (software as a service) subscription fees, maintenance fees and other one-time or ongoing expenses when creating the budget. Incorporate Business Continuity Plans  The IT roadmap plan should also have a section that discusses how the technology will continue to function in case of an emergency. Every process should be clearly mapped out so that there’s no confusion later on.   Make the IT Roadmap Transparent To Every Employee Your company’s IT roadmap should be transparent to every employee. That can allow everyone to understands how leadership plans to leverage technology to meet the company’s strategic goals. When management is open about the entire process it can help build trust and credibility with employees, while making it easier for them to accept the changes. Hire Professionals To Create the IT Roadmap  Not sure where to start in making a tech roadmap? Don’t worry, you can easily outsource this to an experienced managed IT company. They can evaluate your company’s needs and consult key decision-makers before helping you develop a solid plan. An objective party can facilitate communication easier between departments and get a holistic view of the company. Besides creating the IT roadmap, they can monitor the progress of the project and make assessments.  Frequently Update the Plan Let’s face it, your technology strategy will continue to grow like your business. The IT roadmap will evolve over the years due to changes in the marketplace, government regulations or competition. You can also revise the plan to capitalize on new opportunities. White Mountain IT is a New England based company that specializes in providing professional IT management and support services to small businesses. Regardless if your company needs a short-term technology solution or a dedicated outsourced IT team, we can help. Please contact us today to learn more about how our experts can assist you with developing a long term technical strategy or roadmap.

Why (And How) Does Google Do This? The ?why? is simple. Google actively works to make its services more useful to its users, just as any solutions provider should. As to ?how?, that part relies on machine learning. Basically, Google?s technology constantly incorporates data to better work around cognitive bias and adapt to the way that people work. In this case, Google processes common sentences and phrases to better understand how they are intended to be used. By doing so, Google (and again, other solutions with similar features) assists users as they try to put their best foot forward in their writing. Of course, this is precisely why trying to come up with a name for your business or a service can be frustrating, unless you know how to ?teach? Google that your invented word is acceptable.  How to Add a Word to Google?s Dictionary This process is a remarkably simple one. Open one of your documents in Google Docs. Make sure your invented word (or name, etc.) is spelled as you want it in the document. In the top-left corner, you?ll see the button for Spelling and grammar check (Ctrl+Alt+X). Clicking it will open a box at the top of the right-hand side of your window. Your invented word should appear in the box, with Google?s suggested change. You will have the ability to:  Ignore the change Accept the change, or  Access more options through a triple-dot menu  For this process, you?ll want to open the triple-dot menu.  There, you have the option to Add ?[your invented word]? to dictionary. You can also review your personal dictionary from here. Of course, you could also just right-click the word and select Add ?[your invented word]? to dictionary from there, as well. Removing a Word Accidents happen, or you may eventually decide to stop using an invented word. You can remove words from the dictionary by: Opening a Google Doc that contains the word. Right-clicking on the word. Selecting the option to Remove from personal dictionary. Of course, if you happened to access your personal dictionary by following the process to add a word, you can easily delete a word with the trash can button that appears when you hover over an entry. There you have it: how to modify your personal dictionary in Google Docs. For more IT tips, tricks, and best practices, make sure you subscribe to our blog!

Outsourcing HR The human resources department, like any other job that is difficult to track, has been under fire. Traditionally, they handle seven core functions in a business. They are: Recruitment Payroll Administration Benefits Administration Training and Professional Development Performance Reviews Labor Relations Managing Compliance Over the past several years, the company human resources department, especially at small and medium-sized businesses, has been outsourced to vendors that can help the business reduce costs by replacing a dedicated HR staff with a whole team of HR professionals. This service uses software as the intermediary between the business and their HR professionals.  The Relationship Between Automation and HR Technology changes things. Does it make it better? That?s a matter of opinion, but for the business owner, it can work quickly to reduce overhead costs, making it advantageous. The benefits of automating HR tasks is the same as automating any other part of your business. It allows for a reduction of human work, which reduces business costs and improves efficiency. Some benefits of HR automation include: Reduced employee turnover through improved employee engagement Reduced storage and printing costs Improved risk management and properly managed compliance Improved document management Enhanced business decision making with comprehensive reports Optimized business growth through efficient onboarding Of course, there are many software titles that work to help build a more productive and efficient business, but the act of automating human resources is taking humanity out of it. Most HR automation platforms are moving away from traditional HR administration and moving to something called human capital management.  What is Human Capital Management? Human capital management is a strategy that encourages business owners and managers to look at their staff as they would look at any other asset they have. The core thesis behind the strategy is: since the goal of most businesses is to get their human staff to work as effectively and efficiently as possible, spending time on the individual needs and motivations of workers is not going to help the bottom line. Human capital management looks for metrics that can be quantifiable and strategically improved upon, that?s all. It doesn?t matter how people feel or what is going on in their lives. None of that is the business? responsibility. It basically aims to change an organization?s view of their workforce from a commodity to an investment.  What Strategy Is Best for Your Business? There are multiple ways that automation can be implemented in the HR/HCM process, but depending on your staff, the strategy that is used will make all the difference. Basing your business? HR decisions solely on inhuman productivity metrics may actually have the opposite effect than you may expect.  HR is always a balancing act. If you would like to talk about technology for your business reach out to us at (603) 889-0800 today.