Consider the Security Issues of the IoT The Internet of Things has done a lot for people over a relatively short period of time. With more access and more information being tracked than ever before, people have more knowledge about their lives. For the modern business however, most of the IoT that is deployed for business purposes, are dependable, built-specifically-for-business, devices. The devices that are causing the most problems are the cut-rate devices that businesses will sometimes purchase to avoid capital outlays and consumer-based devices that staff and customers bring into the business.  A lot of consumer IoT devices have been notoriously vulnerable to cyberattack, resulting in being a point of entry for hackers looking to do more than syphon off a few files. From this entry point, a cybercriminal has plenty of opportunities to create major problems for a business by stealing data, hijacking these devices for use in a botnet, or simply as a revolving door in and out of a network.  Shadow IoT When your staff downloads software that hasn?t been vetted by your IT administrator, they call it shadow IT. Today, with the prevalence of IoT devices, businesses have to be cognizant more of shadow IoT. People have more connected devices, such as wearables, that you may not be cognizant of. With that many endpoints, there is bound to be one that isn?t updated or is completely unsupported. This presents a shadow IoT problem. In 2017, a study showed that every organization surveyed by an IoT security firm were found to have consumer IoT devices on the network that qualified as shadow IoT. Another report, from 2018, stated that one-third of United States, United Kingdom, and German companies have over 1,000 shadow IT devices on their networks every day. This creates a major problem since cybercriminals have been known to hack into IoT devices to gain network access, spy and listen in on conversations, and simply hold control over the device.  How to Minimize Shadow IoT There are a few things you can do to build a stronger, more proactive strategy to deal with the growing number of IoT devices on your network.  Accept IoT devices in the workplace. Rather than not accommodating these devices or blacklisting them completely, if you make it simpler for your employees to bring them onto your network through proper channels, they?ll be more apt to share them with your IT admin. Transparency and cooperation can be effective tools to get everyone on the same page. Keep IoT devices separate. You can partition your wireless network as to keep IoT devices (and software) away from core business systems. Seek out potential threats.  Over 80 percent of the IoT is fueled by wireless networking. By monitoring wireless signals for shadow IoT devices and networks, you can avoid IoT-induced headaches. The IoT is big and getting bigger; and, you need help to get your IoT threats under heel. Call us today at (603) 889-0800 to learn how we can help you manage your exposure to the Internet of Things.

There are several reasons why instant messaging can make or break your internal communications infrastructure. Here are a few ways it can benefit your organization. Fewer Errors Miscommunication happens, but a business setting is no place for this if it can be helped. If you fail to share the correct information with the right people, productivity could decrease and put operations at risk. Proper communication is able to minimize the risk of these errors. Increased Accountability When a business keeps its communications open all around, you might see an increase in companywide compatibility. This means that employees from all parts of your business will be forthcoming about their responsibilities for certain milestones in a process, keeping each member of a team productive, focused, and up to speed. Improved Teamwork Better communication leads to better cooperation, leading to problems being solved easier and quicker. In this way, communication can help your organization mitigate issues and solve them in a more efficient way. Furthermore, problems that span departments can be resolved without interpersonal issues affecting the work involved. Effective Problem Solving Communicating gives your team a better pool of talents to work toward a goal. It doesn?t matter if the problem is strategic or technical; this ability will give you more options to resolve an issue and benefit your business? operations. Instant Messaging in the Workplace All of these outcomes can potentially result from a messaging application?s use, as long as it?s implemented correctly. You want to make sure that the solution you intend to use works properly with your business? goals. Furthermore, an instant messaging solution is only valuable if your staff are using it effectively. Here are some best practices to consider for your instant messaging system: Keep it in check: There?s a fine line between your staff properly using instant messaging capabilities and aimlessly chatting all day. Encourage your staff to limit their conversations to those related to the workday. Remain professional: Conversations that occur through your instant messaging software should be focused on workplace matters and strictly professional. The instant messaging application shouldn?t be used to share jokes, GIFs, memes, or other silliness in excess. As always, moderation is key here. Don?t rely too much on it: Not all conversations should be held through your instant messaging platform. It?s important that you keep in mind certain conversations are better had in person or via email. What are your thoughts on instant messaging in the workplace? Be sure to let us know in the comments.

Smartphones in the Workplace Why don?t we start with the truth. Yes, smartphones are a distraction and largely a hindrance to productivity. Some businesses deal with it more than others, but a study conducted suggests that employees spend an average of 56 minutes per day on their phones. Since for the full-time worker that works out to about 1/8th of the time, that means that productivity is at least 10 percent lower than it should be. Until you factor in the other way that smartphones affect an employee?s performance.  Businesses today want their staff to be available more than ever. You don?t punch a clock anymore, you use software to track your time, so when a work-related issue comes up in non-work hours, waiting for the answer can make a big difference. The modern employer takes advantage of their staff?s reliance on their personal devices by effectively extending access to their knowledge around the clock (more about this later). With a chunk of the day being spent on their phones, the modern worker has to know that this behavior isn?t in the best interests of the organization. Conversely, management has to know that their staff can?t possibly care less about their concern. They get their salary–or more frequently their hourly wage–to come to work and do a job. They need to have a life outside of work, after all.  With this thought in mind is where companies start to go wrong. Managers realize that it is much costlier to onboard new people who don?t use smartphones, or who are less willing to do so, so they create archaic and completely unrealistic policies and are left scratching their heads when even their best performers don?t comply with the policy.  The truth is that since people are going to use their phones, making them understand where you stand on the issue is the best policy. You have to make it clear that you understand that people have hobbies and families and all the other things that have people spending all that time at work; and, ask them to respect the organization. In doing so you set a very solid guideline to what facilitates wasting time on phones that people will do their job and use their phones more sparingly. The fact is that trying to control an uncontrollable situation will leave you tearing your hair out and should be avoided if possible. Smartphones Out of the Workplace Outside of work is where the business can make up some of that ten percent. Since it?s obvious that everyone uses their phones inside your office (where it is taboo), it stands to reason that they will be constantly using their phones outside of the office. For the most part, this is true. Studies routinely show that people use their phones between three and four hours per day on average. That means that the average person is on their phone for over three hours per day outside the office. At first glance, this seems like a ridiculously high number, but when you begin to think about it, the smartphone is a major part of so many people?s lives that four hours per day seems about right. How long do you last without checking yours? This opens up opportunities that haven?t traditionally been there to engage […]

What is SQL Server? SQL server is Microsoft?s relational database management system (RDMS) application. It is used to manage the data found in the databases your company uses to effectively utilize applications. While there are several types of RDMS servers on the market, they typically have specific applications they are used with. The SQL Server RDMS has been updated numerous times in the 11 years since SQL Server 2008 was introduced and the nine since 2008 R2 launched, with all types of additions for new dataflows and cloud resources.  What Are Your Options? Since the end of support date is only four days away, your options are severely limited. If you choose to keep using the SQL Server 2008 or 2008 R2 titles, you will run into problems as any software that doesn?t get frequent patches and updates will inherently have vulnerabilities that hackers can use to deliver malware, steal data, and otherwise make your IT administrator?s life difficult.  Since it may be extremely difficult to sufficiently modernize a new in-house server before the deadline, Microsoft has extended organizations that use these RDMS titles a lifeline. They have offered three additional years of support as long as the organization moves their existing databases to the Azure cloud–a pretty solid deal since the software will no longer be supported otherwise.  By migrating your SQL Server 2008 to the cloud (in Azure), Microsoft will continue to support your software through July 2022. This extended support gives organizations time to come up with a viable plan without having to move forward with unsupported software that could present a whole litany of security problems.  If you are staring down the July 9th deadline, a migration to a secure Azure environment may be your only hope to avoid very serious security issues. For more information about RDMS platforms and hosting, reach out to the IT professionals at White Mountain IT Services today at (603) 889-0800.

An application?s API is often a web-based interface that returns data, but the API is actually just the code that governs the access point or points for the server. All an API does is provide the ability to receive data from outside sources. Think of it as the door into the software. The developer sees the API as a way for their software to communicate with other pieces of software. For example, a database that is accessed by your application might be structured outside of your development platform, meaning that you?ll need an API to allow developers a way to call the data from the database for use in your development platform. In this way, developers use data from other applications in your favorite solutions, allowing for integration between them. One great example of how APIs work is how you can sign into your favorite news site using your Facebook or Google account. This is because the developer of the website uses the Facebook or Google API to give you access to the content. It?s clear that APIs are extremely important for mobile application development. APIs are able to provide the following benefits to mobile application developers: Accelerated app development: APIs give developers the ability to eliminate wasted time through building specific integration methods. Increased app functionality: APIs provide access to data from other applications, allowing for enhanced functionality. Improved application marketability: More integrations mean more usability in various markets, meaning that it will be more common and useful for more people. This only scratches the surface of what an API is and does. What are some other tech terms that you?d like to see covered on our blog? Let us know in the comments.