When a business finds new software solutions that can effectively replace their older, less efficient systems, applications can often go unused for extended periods of time. However, these unnecessary apps can waste time and money for your business, which can add up quickly. In fact, as much as 38 percent of enterprise applications are wasting away on organizations? networks. More specifically, 30 percent of applications went unused, while only eight percent were somewhat unused (less than once a month). According to a recent study by 1E, between the United States and United Kingdom, there are $34 billion dollars wasted on unused or rarely used software solutions. An average large enterprise stands to lose $7.4 million every year on unnecessary software solutions. Of course, small companies don’t spend nearly as much in this area, but it?s very true that software licenses aren?t as cheap as you?d like them to be. Of course, you may not have the time or resources to really pay attention to how much use your organization?s applications get. Unless you have an internal IT department whose sole responsibility is improving the way your business functions, you might just be renewing software licenses with little reference as to how often you actually use them. This is a practice that can cost your company a pretty penny in the long run, so it?s your responsibility to find a solution. A comprehensive network audit is often a necessity when attempting to find improvements in your organization’s infrastructure. It?s needed if you want to find where resources are being allocated and if they?re being used in the most efficient way possible. If your network is filled with unused or unnecessary applications, a network audit can identify them for you so that you know where to start your network cleanup procedure. White Mountain IT Services can perform a comprehensive network audit that identifies bottlenecks and other inefficiencies in your business?s network infrastructure. We can then suggest ways to improve your network by streamlining operations and introducing you to new and improved software solutions that allow you to do more with less. We also want to mention that it?s important to only pay for software licensing for solutions that you know you will be using, and to keep a close eye on when these licenses expire. Furthermore, through remote monitoring and maintenance, your business can more efficiently deploy patches and monitor software license expiration dates so that you know for sure that you?re only paying for solutions that you want to be paying for. To learn more about network audits and remote monitoring and maintenance, reach out to us at (603) 889-0800.

When was the last time you had to reach out to IT support, only to have to wait for the tech to drive to your office and resolve the problem far too late? This is a common occurrence amongst business owners, and if your technology is mission-critical, you can?t afford to deal with more downtime than necessary. How can your business more effectively take advantage of technology support? A remote monitoring and maintenance solution may be just what you need. Remote monitoring and maintenance allows your business to get the help you need, when you need it. An outsourced provider can keep an eye on your business?s systems for any discrepancies and address them without an on-site visit. There are plenty of benefits that your organization can reap from a remote monitoring and maintenance service. Resource AllocationWhen you have components and applications across your network infrastructure being accessed by your entire workforce, it can be tricky to make sure that everything is working to your specifications. When you have remote monitoring and maintenance, resources can be adjusted as needed to ensure maximum functionality. Threat ManagementUnless you have eyes on your network at all times, chances are that a threat could slip into your infrastructure and remain undetected for some time. Thanks to remote monitoring and maintenance technology, it?s possible to discover threats before they manifest into problems and root them out. Furthermore, you can detect telltale signs of hardware failure and take preventative measures before something goes wrong. Patching and Security UpdatesOne of the most valuable services offered through remote monitoring and maintenance is the ability to patch and apply security updates as they?re released. This can be challenging for a small company that may not have the time or resources available to deploy patches, so it makes the most sense for an outsourced provider to administer them. This way, you can be sure that you never miss an update again. You might be surprised to hear that most problems that your technology experiences can be resolved remotely, without the need for a costly on-site visit. Therefore, it makes the most sense for your organization to invest in remote monitoring and maintenance, as it?s a mutually beneficial service for both your organization and your provider. You don?t have to pay for the time that the tech spends on the road to reach your office, and they don?t have to saddle up for an on-site visit. Granted, some problems simply can?t be resolved remotely and require an on-site visit, but the fact remains that the more problems that you can fix remotely, the better. Trust us–your budget will thank you. White Mountain IT Services can help your business get started with remote monitoring and maintenance. To learn more, reach out to us at (603) 889-0800.

The biggest difference between an on-premises and hosted cloud phone system is the shift in responsibility for maintenance. An on-premise solution is kept on-site in the form of hardware stored in your server room or a dedicated receptacle. On the other hand, a cloud-hosted phone system is stored off-site and is maintained by an outsourced provider. It is a phone system that users access through an Internet connection. While it might seem appealing to shift this responsibility away from your organization, there?s a case for on-site solutions that you may want to hear. Here are some of the advantages of hosting your own VoIP solution in-house, compared to going through a cloud-hosted provider. Control: Compared to a hosted solution, your organization can have greater control over the phone system. You can add or remove users, phone numbers, and the like, rather than calling your hosting provider and having them do it for you. Of course, this also means that you have greater responsibility over the system as a whole, so it?s imperative that you have staff on-site or outsourced IT support that you can rely on for assistance Use your existing infrastructure: Your organization already has an infrastructure laid out which connects your workstations to networks, servers, and other important hardware components. When you implement an in-house phone system infrastructure, you can use this same network to connect your employees to the phone system. If you?re hosting your solution in the cloud, this entails configuration of the system and its setup–something that you may not have control over with a hosted solution. How does your business communicate? Do you use a traditional phone system that?s difficult to scale, or do you take advantage of a cloud-hosted VoIP solution? Have you ever considered moving your communications infrastructure in-house? If so, White Mountain IT Services can assist with the implementation and maintenance of your phone system. To learn more, reach out to us at (603) 889-0800.

Protect Important Security CredentialsHackers often target the credentials of major figures within your organization, such as those of corporate executives or IT administrators. These usernames and credentials can then be used to target sensitive information, and must be protected at all costs. It?s important to use encryption to protect these credentials, and to make them as long and complex as possible. If these credentials are stored somewhere, make sure that they?re located in an encrypted password manager, not a shared plain text file. Restrict Admin AccessYou should be able to restrict certain parts of your network on a per-user basis. This means keeping average employees from spying on information that they don?t need to be privy to. This could include financial or personally identifiable information. The basic idea is to restrict this type of information to only the departments that need access to it, like accounting or human resources. The fewer people who can access it, the less chance there is that it will be compromised. Therefore, your team should only have access to information that they require to do their jobs, and nothing more. Improve Password Security with Best PracticesIf you?re using a password manager, you can take advantage of password best practices without forgetting your passwords. These best practices are required if you want to optimize the security of your accounts. You want to use different complex passwords for every single account. These complex passwords should include both upper and lower-case letters, numbers, and symbols. The goal is to make them as difficult to guess as possible. Don?t worry–your password manager will do all of the remembering for you, which is why it?s such a valuable investment in the first place. Eliminate Shadow ITOne of the ways that hackers will infiltrate your systems is by using forgotten-about software solutions that may lurk on your organization?s workstations. This happens when an employee unknowingly downloads a solution that hasn?t been cleared by IT. This often happens if they want a program, like Microsoft Word, but it hasn?t been officially issued to them. Shadow IT is well-known as an opportunity for hackers to attack systems, as fake software licenses or malicious programs might be included with any ?freeware? your team finds. You need to emphasize to your team that there?s a process that must be adhered to for new software solutions, and that they need to go through the proper channels (like through IT) before implementing an unapproved solution. Train Your Staff on IT Best PracticesIf you understand the basics of IT security, it can only get you so far without your entire staff being versed in it as well. You want to make IT security a part of company culture. This can be accomplished through extensive training and consistent reminders of how best to avoid threats. Teach them what to do if they suspect that they?ve been hacked, and help them avoid dangerous threats, including malicious links, spam phishing attacks, and unsolicited email attachments. To learn more about how best to secure your infrastructure, reach out to White Mountain IT Services at (603) 889-0800.

What the 10,000 Hour Rule IsThe 10,000 hour rule is a concept that claims the best way to develop what?s called ?world-class skill? is to have at least 10,000 hours of experience using the skill. The original report discussing the 10,000 hour rule was published in 1993 and used an example of musical students at an academy in Germany to reinforce the point. The students put in an average of 10,000 hours of practice by the time they had turned 20 years old, resulting in ?world-class skill.? Why It Might Be WrongAnders Ericsson, who worked on the original study, claims in his new book that the 10,000 hour rule is much more complex than simply ?practice makes perfect.? Alongside his co-author, Robert Pool, he attempts to take a more scientific approach to the rule. Here is a short summary of their conclusions: There?s nothing special about 10,000 hours: Rather than chosen through a scientific method, the number 10,000 was chosen because it?s a round number, and that it?s a large number. Regardless, the musicians could be prodigies but still be nowhere near their peaks. It?s been proven that pianists usually reach the pinnacle of their abilities by the time they?ve reached 30 years of age. 10,000 was only the average: 10,000 might be a lot of time, but it will only be enough to reach the average of those who are also working toward the same skill level. If others have a similar skill level, how can you be deemed ?world class?? Other studies have shown that it can take as many as ten years to reach this skill level. Practice isn?t enough: While it certainly helps to put plenty of time into practice, that isn?t enough. You need to go out of your way to challenge yourself and put in ?deliberate practice.? Go beyond your comfort zone and work toward improving yourself. The Lesson: Practice Makes Perfect, Not Necessarily TimeRegardless of whether or not you believe in the 10,000 hour rule, there are still some lessons that can be gleaned from this study. Here are three ways that you can apply the 10,000 hour rule to your professional development. Train the right way: If you take the time to focus on your skills, you?ll surely see results. Make sure that you devote yourself entirely to learning the new skill. For example, a writer who?s trying to hit his daily word count probably shouldn?t do it with the television on in the background, as it will take away from his focus and reduce the quality of his work. Practice, practice, practice: Regardless of how much time you spend on a certain skill, you?ll be gaining valuable experience and improving it. Even if you only spend a couple hours a week here and there on learning about your chosen craft, your knowledge will undoubtedly grow and you?ll see at least some results. There are no limitations: It?s important to remember that there will always be ways to improve yourself and your skills. Even if you?re at the forefront of your chosen industry, there?s surely something else you can learn if you work hard at it. While it might be impossible to become an expert on a craft in a short period of time, if you focus on the right aspects of […]