Myth #1 – RAM determines how fast your computer runs. Most mislead tech gurus believe that a computer with more RAM, or random-access memory, means a faster performing PC in general. RAM is essentially a temporary storage space where active programs are called from. This super-fast storage space does nothing more than allow you to run more programs at the same time. While it is necessary, and more RAM does improve your computer, it isn?t the fix-all component. It doesn?t give it hyper-loading abilities, but you could see small improvements depending on the workload you give the computer and the intensity of the software.  Myth #2 – ?Safely remove USB? prevents data loss. USB drives might seem the same as they were 10 years ago, plug it in, download information, click ?safely remove USB?, and pull the drive out. Simple, but do you know what clicking ?safely remove USB? does for your computer, and your USB drive? When this option is selected, your computer ensures it is not sending or receiving data from the disk. If you aren?t saving anything, or pulling data off of your drive, there is no harm in removing your USB drive. Myth #3 – It is unsafe to use your smartphone while charging. This myth is brought up frequently enough that we thought we should address it. Some scenarios, like the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 snafu where devices caught fire, have led people to believe that using a device while it?s charging could lead to burns, fires, or even explosions. Sure, your smartphone will take on extra heat if you?re using it while it is plugged in, but they are designed to be used while charging. Myth #4 – You should not use a different phone manufacturer?s charger. Let?s take a look at an actual phone manufacturing company?s Q&A regarding charging their cell phones.  ?Ensure a manufacturer-approved wall plug and USB charging cable are used to avoid extended charging times or other charging issues.” A common corporate-infused idea is that using a lesser-known charger brand will corrupt your device or destroy the battery. The truth is, your phone does not recognize who made your charger, and it does not care. All your phone looks for when plugged in is a charge to store. We?re not saying go out and buy the cheapest, lowest quality charger money can buy, but if you need to charge your phone with an Amazon Kindle charger, your phone will be fine.  Myth #5 – Using a private (or incognito) browser hides my identity. Sometimes, private browsing is used for absolutely no reason. It doesn?t make you a ghost, you?re not unhackable, and you?re not untraceable. The only thing a private browser does is ignore locally saved data, and clear any additional localized data added whilst the browser is open. Any external source still is able to track your activity. If you?d like a secure and private experience, you will need a Virtual Private Network.  Do you have any additional myths you?d like us to bust? Leave your thoughts in the comments section below and return to our blog for more technology information.

The first thing you have to understand is that most manufacturers don?t sell directly to the public. The ones that do typically do so through a retail arm of the same business; but, for the most part, the goods a manufacturer makes are sold to retail businesses at ?wholesale? prices. For those that don?t know wholesale is the act of buying in bulk so that you can slightly inflate the price your business charges for the goods.  The way IT fits in is substantial, especially since energy costs and payroll can threaten to squash the profit margins a manufacturer sees. In order to keep things running efficiently, the modern small manufacturer needs the following tools: Supply Chain Management – From procurement to managing outsourced contracts, a manufacturer needs a way to track its resources.  Production Control – The physical production of the goods you sell, covering the management of your staff, machinery, and IT your business uses in this process. Quality Control – Testing the products is a must. Customer Relationship Management – From marketing to product support, a manufacturer needs to be able to manage their potential and existing relationships. Being the core considerations of any manufacturing management team, these four elements are usually accomplished using computers. As a result, finding cost effective tools that will manage these processes (and any other they deem important) is essential. One tool that meets the needs for larger manufacturers is an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system. For smaller manufacturers, this platform may be overkill as it provides enterprise-level support to a business.  The tools used by most manufacturers are baked into the ERP; and, because of this, they can be pricey to run and maintain. The key to finding out if the ERP is right for your business is to ascertain if, by rolling out one of these platforms, your business will see increased efficiency, productivity, and sales in order to take on this kind of major business overhaul. Let?s take a look at how an ERP can solve a lot of the operational problems manufacturers run into. Enterprise Resource Planning The first thing you need to know about an ERP solution is that it will take some time to implement properly. In fact, if you don?t have an idea about how your operations would be represented inside a computer system, having an expert to rely on becomes massively important. Our IT professionals can help you decide which system is right for your business, how to go about implementing the system, and how to get the most out of it through proper use and continued support.  The typical ERP has options to help manufacturers manage their business. Firstly, they have options to manage vendors and suppliers, ensuring the procurement process is squared away efficiently. It has operational tools to help manage human resources, payroll, accounts receivable, scheduling, and productivity management, ensuring that your business is functioning in a manner commensurate with demand and on-hand supply.  Additionally, the ERP has options to handle both quantity and quality control, providing managers the information needed to scale production, human resources, and distribution systems as needed. A company that doesn?t have strong quality control faces the risk of losing their market share to companies that don?t need to have as much customer support. No matter how […]

This process is a very easy one to do. Open Gmail and in the top-right, you should see a gear icon. Click that and then go to Settings. Once you?ve clicked into it, you should see a ?Signature? section. Simply add your signature there, or insert your company?s standardized signature. Scroll to the bottom of the page to Save Changes. What to Include in Your Signature As you create an email signature, you need to make sure that it presents you in a professional light. Fortunately, this isn?t too hard to accomplish if you include the right details. Name – I know, I know, but I wouldn?t say it if there weren?t examples of email signatures that neglected to mention the sender?s name. Job Title – This lets your recipient know what you do for your business, and expresses some professional pride in what you do. Company Name – Again, this seems like a no-brainer, but it can also be an opportunity to share your logo. Telephone Number – This makes you appear easier to get a hold of, which translates to ?more reliable? in your contact?s mind. Don?t forget to include your specific extension as well. Website – Linking your company website to an email signature adds another level of function to it, as you can use your signature to showcase any promotions you may be running at the time. For more assistance with your email solution, feel free to lean on White Mountain IT Services?s IT experts. Our team can be reached by calling (603) 889-0800.

Businesses of all sizes are discovering the vast amount of approaches they can take to going green. While there are simple efficiency-saving methods such as changing to LED bulbs, there are countless other ways your business can make a difference. One major method is leveraging the cloud. Cloud Computing Cloud computing allows businesses to access data from wherever, whenever. New servers can be created without the need for bulky hardware. This eliminates necessary real estate and power costs. Server rooms require an enormous amount of electricity to operate, not only to run but to maintain. Server rooms are required to be climate controlled. Overcoming the heat output of hardware is not an efficient task. While it might seem like this is a ?there is no such thing as a free lunch? scenario. This has to cost someone, somewhere. Surely the reduced carbon footprint is negated by the host of your cloud, but that is not the case. While it is true that the cloud is itself a server, and does need to be hosted somewhere, it is far more efficient to host numerous virtual servers in one efficient data center, rather than businesses hosting their own. Cloud providers have efficiency down to a science, even to the point that they take advantage of naturally cool, low humidity environments. After all, their biggest long-term expense depends on the efficiency of their infrastructure. Remote Workforce In the U.S., the average one-way commute is over 26 minutes. Multiply this drive by two (after all your employees need to go home). During a five-day work week, your employees on average are spending nearly five hours per week commuting. Remote work options are one of the most carbon-reducing options your business can take to not only reduce emissions, but also reduce the required real estate, thus reducing cost. Remote workers are still capable of communicating with clients despite being off-premise. There are numerous different meeting software options. The same options are available to employees who need to ask a colleague a question. Instant messaging and online meetings have revolutionized the way we do business. Along with convenience, comes the satisfaction knowing your business is making a difference cutting the carbon footprint. Reduce Printing Ask yourself, do you sometimes print out a document that you could just read on your desktop or smartphone? Reducing the amount of printing will save your business money, space, and resources. You might think that some industries can?t get away from all the excess paper. You need to sign contracts, store records, and file everything away in big bulky file cabinets, right? Actually, modern day document management systems will let you handle all of that and more with digital files. You can convert contracts to digital files and let clients sign them on a touch device, and then you can backup these documents and pull them up with a quick search. At White Mountain IT Services, we have implemented, and encourage our clients to use, green technologies. If you would like to find out how your business can introduce efficient, cost saving technology, call us at (603) 889-0800.

Most are familiar with the Office 365 suite in at least one of its iterations. Not so many are acquainted with the Microsoft 365 package. What is Microsoft 365? Microsoft 365 takes the business utility of the Office 365 solution suite and bundles it together with the Enterprise version of Windows 10, along with Microsoft?s Enterprise Mobility + Security and machine learning features. As a result, it offers businesses who need these solutions a simple and convenient means to consolidate their assorted services into one – which is much easier to manage. What Microsoft 365 Includes In no uncertain terms, quite a bit: Windows Enterprise OS Installed versions of Microsoft Office applications  Word PowerPoint Excel OneNote Access Mobile versions of these applications Office for the web Outlook Exchange Teams SharePoint Yammer OneDrive for Business Sway for Office 365 Stream Task management tools To-Do Planner PowerApps and Flow Device and Application Management Microsoft 365 Admin Center Intune Windows Autopilot and Device Health Analytics System Center Configuration Manager Identity and Access Management Azure Active Directory Premium 1 and 2 Windows Hello Direct Access Credential Guard Threat Protection Microsoft Advanced Threat Analytics Windows Defender Antivirus and Device Guard Microsoft Defender Advanced Threat Protection Office 365 Advanced Threat Protection Azure Advanced Threat Protection Information Protection Office 365 data loss prevention Windows Information Protection and BitLocker Azure Information Protection 1 and 2 Cloud App Security Security Management Microsoft Secure Score Microsoft Security and Compliance Center Advanced Compliance Advanced eDiscovery Customer Lockbox Advanced Data Governance Service Encryption with Customer Key Privileged Access Management Advanced Analytics MyAnalytics Power BI Pro We realize that?s a lot, and there are a lot of complicated services and features that you may not know if you need or even want. Fortunately, our technicians are very familiar with Microsoft 365 and its massive set of tools and capabilities. That?s why New Hampshire businesses lean on White Mountain IT Services for assistance. Not only can we help you determine the best solution for your business, we?ll help you procure it, implement it, and manage it. Reach out to us at (603) 889-0800 to learn more.