To make sure that your business continuity plan is as effective as possible, you?ll want to be comprehensive. If you?re not, chances are that a disaster will still cause issues for you, whether it?s data loss or an inability to access important applications. A complete business continuity plan will consider the following information: Threat Matrix: What kind of threats will your business be targeted by? This shouldn?t be limited to just simple threats that can be prevented with little-to-no effort. You should consider all threats, from the smallest viruses to the most devastating vulnerabilities. Treat each and every one of these possible threats as major problems that need to be addressed in some way. Critical Processes: The next step is to identify what your workflows are and who is accomplishing them. What processes does your business absolutely need to keep going in a worst-case scenario? You should be able to both identify these and ensure that they can happen with minimal interruption. Command Chain: Who are your mission-critical personnel? Who is in charge in the event of a disaster? You should designate someone as the leader in these situations and make sure that everyone knows it. If you don?t do this, you run the risk of chaos taking over. Employee Safety and Evacuation: Employees are essential to the success of your business. If you don?t take their safety into consideration, you could be risking the future of your business. You should have an evacuation plan in place to keep them safe. Communication Plan and Contact Information: If you experience a disaster, everyone involved with your company will want to know. You should inform them of what?s happening and give them a timeframe for how long you suspect it to last. You should also have a plan in place to update them on major developments during this time. Backup Processes and Location: Do you have an off-site location where operations can continue uninterrupted? Is your data being backed up to an off-site location where it can be safe from external factors? In the event your office and internal data infrastructure is destroyed, you?ll want to have both of these to keep your organization going. Inventory and Infrastructure: Your business? infrastructure is full of moving parts. This includes hardware and software. You?ll need to make sure that any and all assets that your organization takes advantage of are accounted for. Having an inventory helps you assess a loss scenario when it comes time to order replacements or file insurance claims. End of Incident Criteria: You should have clearly defined terms that determine when your business is outside the realm of a disaster incident. You can start by creating a list of conditions that need to be fulfilled before declaring that your organization is no longer suffering from an incident. This keeps you from beginning the recovery process prematurely, potentially causing more damage in the long run. Post-Incident Debriefing: Once you?re in the clear, you should take some time to determine why the incident happened and how it could have been prevented. Consider ways that you can improve processes and reduce damage the next time something like this happens (and yes, there will always be a next time). You should put together a questionnaire for all of your contacts so that you can […]
If this sounds incredible, the general consensus agrees with you. During its unveiling at I/O, the demonstration of Google Duplex brought various reactions from the crowd as the Google Assistant called to schedule a hair appointment and to make a reservation at a restaurant. More than just that, too – the Assistant?s requested time for the haircut was unavailable, so it needed to independently agree upon a different time, and there was a language barrier affecting the conversation as it tried to make a reservation, but it still navigated the conversation successfully? arguably, more successfully than many people would. This, in and of itself, is enough to make Google Duplex a huge leap forward for its kind of technology, but that wasn?t all Google had to demonstrate. Not only could Google Duplex intelligently carry on conversations that didn?t always go as planned, it could navigate these conversations while using a natural, human voice, using filler words like ?um? and ?uh? naturally, casually confirming things with ?mhmm? rather than ?yes? or even ?okay.? Google Duplex could even deal with interruptions while reciting information like phone numbers, picking up where it left off and repeating itself, just as a human would over the phone. Clearly, this makes the Google Assistant much more useful to its users, but what about those that don?t use it, and only refer to the web version of Google? Well, Google Duplex takes the information it gathers from its calls and will update a business? page based on the information it gathers. So, if Google Duplex calls a business looking for its hours on Thursdays, the answer it receives will be used to update the results online. This even includes holidays. Some outlets have voiced concerns, however, that there is no indication given that the recipient of the phone call is speaking to an automated assistant. What do you think? Have you seen any of the videos demonstrating these capabilities? Let us know in the comments!
Overarching Technology No matter which kind of student we?re talking about, there are some technology solutions that are in place for just about any of them. For example, many schools at both a primary and secondary level have computer labs, and you would be hard-pressed to find any college campus today that doesn?t utilize them. In many cases, computers are practically required in order to earn an education of any kind. Mobile devices and tablets are also commonplace in schools as well, but they are more of an emerging technology. Gone are the days where teachers would take away phones during class, as they are an invaluable tool to augment education in the modern classroom. Web applications and other online learning tools are also available for use, but their application varies depending on the type of student. Educational Technology in Universities College students have a lot of opportunities to benefit from technology both in and out of the classroom. For example, many students might find that they would rather have the digital versions of their required textbooks rather than investing in more expensive print copies. Instead of taking notes in a notebook, some might find it easier to type in a Word document or in the cloud. Furthermore, many universities have taken the initiative by implementing fully online degree programs that can be earned remotely. This brings in many new possibilities for how one can earn an education. No longer are students restricted by geographic location. Thanks to educational learning software hosted in a cloud-based environment, students can take classes, purchase textbooks, and access educational resources that are all designed to augment and enhance the student experience. Notice a familiar trend? Technology doesn’t just help businesses. Your organization can leverage technology resources to improve efficiency, productivity, and build greater profitability. To learn more, reach out to us at (603) 889-0800.
What is RAM? Simply put, Random Access Memory is a component in your device that allows it to store and retrieve data. Data is accessed randomly rather than sequentially, which allows for a faster loading time compared to other types of data storage such as from a tape or hard drive. RAM needs a constant flow of energy in order to function, however, so the more you have of it, the more powerful a PC you will need. Any data stored in the RAM is lost if the device is powered down. What Does it Do? Essentially, RAM allows your computer to work faster by storing data within it. The first thing that boots up is generally your operating system, which will then be stored in the RAM. Afterwards, any programs opened up will go through the same process. RAM is the component that allows not just your operating system, but any other software in use to be run alongside it. When you run too many programs with not enough RAM, your computer might grow sluggish or programs might crash. This is simply because you have too much software running without enough resources devoted to keeping them running. How Do You Know if you Need More? If your computer is experiencing consistent slowdown when several programs are open, chances are that you need more RAM in your PC. However, you shouldn?t just implement RAM without first identifying whether or not there are other underlying causes of the slowdown. It?s best to reach out to technology professionals before investing in new components for your workstations. Don?t let your business? technology hold it back from being productive. For more information about how your organization can improve your technology so that it becomes a benefit and not a detriment, reach out to White Mountain IT Services at (603) 889-0800.
How Games Can Be Used Just as classrooms devise games to reinforce lessons, the same strategy can be used to help employees engage with and embrace a given task. Research already supports the idea that the happier the worker is, the harder they work. Why not promote that with some entertaining games? Furthermore, a workplace that welcomes some playfulness can present a few other desirable outcomes as well, including an influx of fresh talent, decreased stress levels, boosted motivation, and improved workplace relationships – or in other words, games can make people in an office more enjoyable to be around. As an added bonus, it also promotes the kind of behaviors that will benefit the workplace in its normal operations. These behaviors include the willingness to collaborate and the readiness to create something new. Reflecting on these factors, it makes sense that many companies today find the time employees invest in playing games to be well worth it. Understanding ?Gamification? This integration of games into the workplace is referred to as gamification. Chances are, you?ve experienced it yourself, or would at least recognize a few examples of it in action. For example, was part of your on-the-job training presented as a computer program, with quizzes that needed to be passed in order for you to progress? Have you ever participated in a team-building exercise that involved a group of people tossing a ball back and forth, the person who possessed the ball sharing a little about themselves? These are just a few examples of gamification. By leveraging the innate cravings that the human psyche has, like community, self-validation and improvement, or even your employees? FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out), this methodology can improve a team?s productivity and boost morale and satisfaction on an individual level. Some Basic Workplace Games to Start With If you want to try to utilize gamification tactics in your office to reap some of its benefits, you will first need to determine what it is you intend to accomplish through introducing a game element. Do you mean to boost communication among the members of your different departments? Are you trying to encourage them to work more as a team? Or is your goal to simply allow your staff to blow off some steam before it negatively affects their performance? While this may sound like you?re putting too much thought into playtime, it is actually an important consideration. Much like the ?joke? that a game like Monopoly can ruin friendships, you want to be sure that your chosen activity is conducive to accomplishing your goal, and won?t actually have the opposite effect. If you?re trying to inspire a team to work together, maybe playing a game of basketball between departments or sending each department on a scavenger hunt around the office would be a wiser, more effective strategy. Alternatively, if you are looking to inspire some interpersonal competition, maybe a more competitive activity would be a better option. Games That Help Company Culture Here are a few basic games meant to boost spirits and coworker understanding in the office to get you started: Two Truths and a Lie – This simple game is summed up in the title. Each participant writes three facts about themselves on a slip of paper, two of which are true and one […]
