Whether you are suspicious or not, today seems like a good day to talk out what can happen if some bad luck interferes with your business. Disasters can come in all shapes and sizes, from a freak storm destroying your place of business and every IT component you had inside, to an employee whose path was crossed by a black cat accidentally spilling their coffee on their keyboard as they access some key data. With so much that can go wrong on the best of days, can you really afford to go without a little insurance? After all, the majority of businesses that are unable to recover their lost data are out of business within a year–a statistic only made more alarming when one considers how many small and medium-sized businesses don?t bother backing up their data. These businesses are like the character in every horror movie that says that there?s ?nothing to worry about,? Remember, these characters are usually the next to fall into the monster?s clutches. However, instead of being dragged to their fate off-camera, unprepared businesses can do something about their prospects of survival. A Backup and Disaster Recovery solution (or BDR) can be a big help where your business? safety and security is concerned. Your BDR should be cloud-based and needs to be ready to help your business bounce back from whatever threatens it. Here are three different methods that a BDR uses to make that happen. Cloud StorageUsing the cloud to store a data backup is firmly a best practice in today?s business computing needs. First of all, the cloud allows your BDR device to keep your backups away from your physical location. This keeps your backups safe from being destroyed by the same disaster that eliminated the original copy of your critical data. Take a Backup Multiple Times a DayIn the past, tape backups were the method of choice for most backup needs. However, these systems had a few drawbacks that have rendered them obsolete. For example, taking a backup used so many resources, they could only be performed after-hours. This meant that you could potentially lose a full day of progress, especially if the backup was never activated at the end of the day. On the other hand, a BDR that utilizes the cloud to take backups can take multiple backups each day, reducing the amount of potential data loss. Reduced DowntimeDowntime is never a good thing to experience, so minimizing it as much as possible is ideal for any business. A BDR can help to do just that, either by acting as a temporary server while needed, and restore your data instantaneously to a network-attached device, allowing your operations to resume with minimal time wasted. Whether you break a mirror at the start of your day, or you step on a crack in the walkway, we can help protect your business against data threats of all kinds. Reach out to us at (603) 889-0800 for help with your data practices–before it’s too late!

Your computer is mostly just a machine used to accomplish specific tasks. This doesn?t mean that you shouldn?t know all of the advanced tips that help you get the most out of it, though. Here are some of the best shortcuts that you can use to take full advantage of your workstation. WindowsYour Windows workstation has a couple of tricks up its sleeve that even years of use might not necessarily uncover. Here are some of the best ways you can use your Windows computer: Clutter on your screen can be a major cause for distraction throughout the workday, so you should always do your best to keep it to a minimum. There?s a quick shortcut that you can use to minimize all open windows at the same time so you can catch your bearings. All you have to do is click the top bar of any Windows ?window? box that has the minimize, maximize, and close functions, and shake your mouse from side to side. This will minimize any other open windows that you have. If you repeat the function, your windows will return to normal. The taskbar can be used to similar effect. By pressing the Windows key and the number corresponding to your task bar at the bottom of the screen, you can easily minimize or maximize any open applications. If you want to rename a file, just select a file and press F2 rather than going through the right-click and Rename process. To delete a full sentence, just press Ctrl as you hit the Backspace. This deletes your text by the word rather than by the character. To take specific screenshots of any active window, just press the keyboard shortcut Alt and Print Screen. For Google ChromeIf you prefer Google Chrome as your browser of choice, you?ll find plenty of shortcuts available to use as you see fit. If Google is recommending specific searches that you?d prefer it forget about, you can use the arrow keys to select the unwanted suggestion and delete it with Shift + Delete. If you want to move several tabs to a new browser window, hold the Ctrl key to select the tabs you want to move, then drag the mouse to either an existing or entirely new window. For Any BrowserIf you?re not a Google Chrome user, you?ll still find plenty of shortcuts to use that work in most browsers. If selecting the specific text you want isn?t working out for you, just hold down the Shift key and click anywhere in the paragraph you want to select. This selects the entire chunk of text. Access the address bar anytime by using F6 or Ctrl+L. If you?re done with one of your tabs, middle-click it and it will close. This will often be the scroll wheel on the mouse. Do you have any tips to add? Share them with us in the comments.

Facebook Workplace Improves CommunicationIf there?s anything that is critical for collaboration to take place, it would have to be communication. To this end, Facebook has created a desktop app to work with the chat element of their enterprise social network, Workplace. Workplace Chat, as the application is called, allows users to share screens and files in addition to the prerequisite text and video capabilities apps of its kind usually feature. There are also integrations with third-party applications in the pipeline for Workplace Chat, which will only help the over 30,000 organizations that leverage Workplace to communicate more clearly and effectively. Slack Adds Improved Screen SharingSlack has always been intended for collaboration, reaching back to when it was an internal tool to assist in game development. While Slack has offered a comprehensive set of collaboration tools, its screen sharing tool is getting a pretty impressive upgrade: interactivity. After Slack purchased Screenhero in 2014, certain features and elements have been slowly incorporated into Slack?s flagship application, with the latest update as of this writing finally moving the last function over to Slack. Now, paid subscribers will be able to use an improved version of Slack?s remote access capability that enables users to share control of the displayed screen, a useful feature for remote workers. With the ability to make temporary notes, navigate through the shared document, and edit it freely, Slack has given its previous collaboration functions a considerable upgrade. Gmail Accepting Third-Party Add-OnsGoogle plans to make Gmail play nicely with common enterprise applications, potentially improving upon the utility that the email program offers. By accessing the settings button, Gmail users will soon be able to use a variety of tools and programs to incorporate information without having to leave Gmail. With a growing list that includes, among other programs, Trello, DocuSign, Intuit QuickBooks Invoicing, and RingCentral, Gmail will soon have the means to become an invaluable collaboration tool. App developers will even be able to create add-ons for their applications with a write-once code. What is your favorite collaboration tool? Let us know in the comments, and make sure to subscribe to this blog!

For the ShutterbugThese days, we have the technology that enables a complete novice to pick up a camera and take a passable picture. There?s plenty of gift options out there, whether the recipient prefers using a mobile device to take their shots, or is a camera-lugging hobbyist. For the smartphone ?togger, there?s accessories like a lens adapter, a selfie light or remote, while a camera-user might prefer receiving a basic point-and-shoot like the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 V or Nikon D5500, or might prefer some accessory that provides quite a bit of use, like a tripod. Some photography fans might even like a portable backup and editing tool, like the GNARBOX. For the IoT DevoteeThe consumer market has become flooded with connected devices and other Internet of Things doodads. As a result, there are potential gifts for users of every level of experience with the IoT. For beginners, there are kits like the Philips Hue Starter Kit to introduce the idea of the IoT and what it can do. Digital assistants make a great gift for someone who wants to automate the world they live in. Some gifts to consider getting someone like this include the Amazon Echo, Echo Spot, and Echo Show, or the Google Home, Home Max and Home Mini. For the Media JunkieEntertainment has always been a driving force behind technological advancement, which means that there is always a new gadget to give someone who loves gaming, reading, or watching. The groundbreaking Nintendo Switch and Microsoft?s latest console, the Xbox One X make great gift options for a gamer, while someone who always has their nose in a book might appreciate the library they can carry in an e-reader like the Amazon Kindle Oasis. For those who you might plan to spend a little more on, there are always televisions like the Samsung 4K HD and the Sony A1E series OLED 4K. While these items might cost a little more, the smiles these gifts will bring will be worth the cost. What other gifts can you think of for a technology lover who has another particular interest? Have there been gifts that you have given that we haven?t mentioned but belong on these lists? Tell us in the comments!

Online Shopping at Work – By the numbers. 53 percent of employees are using time at work to shop online, an increase from last year. 49 percent of employees use their personal smart phones or tablets to shop at work, an increase from 42 percent last year. Here?s a few ideas that might help you address the issue of excessive use of the Internet for personal purposes: Develop a solid Internet and email policy that provides employees with clear expectations about the employer’s stance on personal time online at work. Follow through with enforcement of the policy when necessary. Train your managers and supervisors about how to establish and maintain the expectations and policies of your workplace. Train them to recognize when an employee might be abusing their Internet access at work. Designate times and/or durations that your team is allowed to use company Internet for personal purposes. Stress that those who don?t comply with designated time/duration will lose the privilege altogether. For those businesses that are looking for a more aggressive approach to handling Internet abuse, consider implementing a web content filter. Web filters give you access control, allowing you to decide which websites your team can access. Filter settings can be deployed company wide, as well as individually for specific user permissions. Since no two companies are alike, you may have to use trial and error to curb Internet abuse by your staff. Whatever you choose to do, White Mountain IT Services can help. We can design an Internet usage policy that works for your company, or implement content filtering or other solutions to keep your staff on-task and productive. Contact us today at (603) 889-0800