The end of life date for these software solutions has been announced as January 14, 2020. If your business uses these solutions, it?s imperative that you have a strategy in place to move away from them and embrace more up-to-date software solutions. Failing to do so will mean running your business without protection from threats such as viruses and malware created by hackers. Let?s take a look at these two major software titles that are losing support in the near future. Windows 7One of Microsoft?s most popular operating systems and software titles even now, Windows 7 will be losing support. Microsoft has initiated a major ad campaign to inform people of how to upgrade away from Windows 7 as soon as possible, but what these organizations don?t always anticipate is that relying on this software up until the end of support date means that it can be a serious expense and a time-consuming process to move away from this operating system. This issue is only exacerbated by the number of workstations your business has, meaning that it?s imperative to determine a plan of sorts before your time runs out. The clear option is to upgrade to Windows 10, but we recommend working with a professional IT consultant to determine what the best path forward is for your business. Our staff can help you make the best choice for your infrastructure well ahead of the end of support date. Microsoft has also launched the Microsoft 365 service to get the millions of Windows 7 users off the platform before the end of support date. We can help you determine the pricing of Microsoft?s offerings, including whether a cloud-hosted virtual desktop solution with OneDrive, Outlook, and Office 365 support is right for your business. It doesn?t matter which choice your business makes, as long as you make it as soon as possible. Come January 14, 2020, PCs running Windows 7 that aren?t the Pro or Enterprise versions will stop receiving support for any price. Extended security updates are available at a premium price for those who have Pro and Enterprise, but the support is offered per license, meaning that it will be quite pricey. Windows Server 2008 R2In January 2020, Microsoft will be retiring the entire Windows Server 2008 suite. If your business utilizes Windows Server R2 for data and application hosting, you will need to have a plan in place to upgrade prior to the end of support date. Just like Windows 7, Microsoft will stop offering security patches and updates to Windows Server 2008 R2, meaning that there is a very real possibility that your organization could go without security updates if you fail to upgrade. Microsoft has since released two new versions of the Windows Server software, as well as implemented a cloud-based option in Azure. It might be able to help you save money with cloud-based server management, but you won?t know for sure if it?s the right call to make without talking to the IT professionals at White Mountain IT Services. To learn more about how you can get ready for these important end of support dates, be sure to contact White Mountain IT Services at (603) 889-0800.

The Benefits of a Private Cloud Database Databases need to be accessible, but they need to be secure in order to be effective. The cloud is the ideal resource to make this happen, but in an always-on environment, you?ll need to secure your data and resources so that they are protected from external threats. When you host your private cloud databases in-house on your own infrastructure, you still have to secure it, but you also have much more control over those defenses. Maintaining an in-house private cloud database means that you need someone with knowledge of how to manage such a thing? unless you outsource this responsibility to a managed service provider. With the right support, you can make sure that your private cloud databases are as secure as can be. Here are some methods you can use to determine which private cloud provider is best for your business. Considerations for Choosing a Provider Location The physical location of the server will be important. Ordinarily, a private cloud database would be hosted on-site in your office, but there are hybrid solutions out there that are hosted off-site in a managed service provider?s office, which is then accessed remotely. Either way, the option to have these systems maintained and secured by professionals exists. Reliability Your employees need reliable access to your business? cloud-based databases. Your goal should be to work with a provider that can ensure maximum uptime, as time when databases aren?t working properly can mean situations where your employees can?t get work done, as well as moments where your clients can?t use certain parts of your services or order products. Security Opting for a private cloud database means that you have greater amounts of control over the security measures you implement. Even if you’re not the one who manages the security of your cloud database, ask your cloud provider what kind of additional features you can leverage to best protect your data. Options include secondary authentication methods, encrypted databases, virtual private networks, and so on. Flexibility One of the biggest perks of a private cloud database is that you have complete control over user access and functionality. Therefore, you?ll need to put some serious thought into how you want to get the most out of your private cloud system. Furthermore, you?ll need to take careful stock of which users can access databases at any given time, as changes in staffing could affect the security of your database. If you?re looking for a cloud provider that can host your databases in the most secure way possible, White Mountain IT Services can help. To learn more, reach out to us at (603) 889-0800.

Multiple studies have been performed about how wellness programs impact the workplace, but they don?t have any consistent results. Some show health improvements and cost savings, but others don?t. Studies performed in the past had several problems, though. There were often no comparison groups or personal biases that interfered with signups. Simply put, the end result of these studies couldn?t be relied on as accurate. Researchers from the University of Chicago and Harvard, on the other hand, have conducted larger studies that are much more reliable. The BJ?s Wholesale Club Experiment 20 of these big-box retailers were chosen to offer an employee wellness program, compared to 140 other locations that did not offer this program. Between the 160 locations, 33,000 workers were involved in the study. All participants were asked to take part in a health risk questionnaire, and they also took health classes and had basic medical tests performed. 18 months later the results were evaluated. Workers that were involved with the program identified they were partaking in healthier behaviors, but all other factors were unchanged, including blood sugar levels, job performance, attendance, and employer health care spending. Why This Might Be It?s possible that the incentives offered by this program simply didn?t appeal to the participants. These incentives included gift cards totaling about $250. According to CEO of Bravo Wellness, Jim Pshock, this may not have been enough, as he predicts that any amount less than $400 simply isn?t enough to get people excited about workplace wellness. As he put it, ?It?s simply too small to get them to do things they weren?t already excited about.? Another study from 2018 published by the University of Illinois found that the workplace wellness program simply didn?t work, finding that they don?t reduce costs or affect behaviors. On the other hand, it did find that participants of the wellness programs were both healthier and more motivated. This indicates that the programs don?t necessarily help businesses cut costs, but they do assist with attracting and retaining top talent. Other potential factors could have contributed to these results. A recent survey indicated that 84 percent of employees found their wellness programs to be ?one-size-fits-all,? something that doesn?t necessarily work for health and individual wellness. In response to this, 80 percent of respondents thought that more personalization could have made their programs more successful. Why You Want to Adopt a Workplace Wellness Initiative While the results are mixed, there is one redeeming factor to this argument; promoting the health of your employees means that they are less likely to call in sick, whether it?s the result of mental health days or actually being ill. Here are some other benefits to these types of programs: Reduced Stress: Stress management can lead to healthier behavior. Through a proper workplace wellness program, your staff can significantly reduce stress and address the issues associated with this stress more easily. Community Building: Activities in the workplace can be a great way to build camaraderie. A wellness initiative is one way you can break down barriers and establish a company-wide initiative. Better Moods: Wellness programs give your employees the opportunity to try out new activities, all while keeping them engaged and productive. Employees that participate in these activities have been proven to have better moods while at work. What are […]

Businesses of all sizes and industries can improve the way they function with the right collaboration tools, including the following. Cloud-Based Collaboration As a more broad solution to your organization?s collaboration troubles, cloud-based services provide a medium for employees to work together on projects in a secure online environment. Cloud collaboration can take place in documents, spreadsheets, projects, and so on, whether the team members are in the office or out and about, on any approved device. Instant Messaging and Communication Instant messaging gives employees the ability to send and receive messages on the fly in a way that email can?t. After all, not everyone checks their email every other minute, so an instant messaging program gives your business a more immediate way of getting an answer to a question. In essence, it takes the guesswork out of when someone will respond to a voicemail or email. Task Management Productivity hubs and intranet solutions give your business a way to access all needed resources in a single location. One example of this is Slack, which can provide access to communication and collaboration tools for individual employees, teams, and departments. All of this combines to create a great solution for getting projects done. Video Conferencing and Meeting Software If you want to have a meeting in your office, it?s easy enough to do; just find a room that?s not being used and pull together a team. Unfortunately, in crowded spaces, or for remote employees, this approach doesn?t work well. The right technology can give you the ability to hold meetings whenever and wherever you want. Video conferencing provides a way to hold meetings and collaborate in real time similar to a face-to-face gathering. White Mountain IT Services can equip your business with all the tools it needs to succeed. To learn more, reach out to us at (603) 889-0800.

Cybersecurity Artificial intelligence is being used to make automated systems smarter. As this automation ?learns? how to be most effective, it can be used for a litany of purposes. One of the main purposes where AI is already being utilized is in cybersecurity. The results have been mixed thus far, but one could see how AI?s role in cybersecurity will be profound in the future. The truth is that since the technology is still very much in its infancy that the application viability with something as complex as cybersecurity isn?t helping mitigate some of the most dangerous threats. That?s not to say that today?s AI doesn?t offer some value. According to the Ponemon Institute, AI is already affording businesses cost savings, a reduction of data breaches, and higher productivity tied to system viability. They found that companies have been able to cut their cybersecurity budgets by nearly 65%. Another benefit AI is currently providing businesses is that it makes up for what is a long-standing industry shortage in talent. With companies relying on so few IT onboarded technicians, simple issues can be quickly remedied before they become problems; and, coupled with analytics it can help the IT professionals that companies rely on, pinpoint where (and what issues) to analyze further. Operations Most businesses today rely on their IT to conduct operations. Distribution companies that rely on asset and fleet management, to manufacturers that use dedicated supply chain management, to the office where customer relationship management solutions are typically used to sync business with the demands of their customers, all need powerful software solutions to help keep costs down and keep business moving fast. AI is beginning to help these automated systems work more effectively. Most of AIs work within these constructs has to do with managing data and its analysis. Since so much data is created within these systems–especially in systems that also deal with the dissemination of services- it is hard for people to sort through it all. AI-enabled analytics systems are now being used that can automatically go through the mounds of data to find helpful information that can be used in the day-to-day application of business. Another place AI has begun to be utilized is in payment systems. For all the tech that many businesses use, their supply procurement and customer invoicing strategies are largely paper-based. When all other parts of a business is streamlined, having such crucial parts wasting time, being rife with errors, and causing inefficiency is not helping the business. AI systems are being used to sift through the documents and properly invoice customers in ways that were only capable through human labor only a short time ago. How Can I Use AI? This question is both laughable and sincere, much like the technology we are talking about. AI is nowhere near what you may think it is, but that hasn?t stopped some businesses from looking to incorporate artificial intelligence for IT operations (AIOps). The truth is that AI–that is, artificial intelligence–probably won?t help your business right now. The technology is way too new and it?s only been in the last couple of years that major software developers have been interested in creating products with modern-day AI technology. That shouldn?t alter your strategies to find the best solutions you can to eliminate business problems, and […]