Basically, VoIP uses your organization?s Internet connection to transfer your voice to its recipient. VoIP tends to use a software client that?s installed on the user?s workstation, laptop, or smartphone, which works anywhere as long as you have an Internet connection. Many organizations are finding VoIP to be an alternative to the traditional land-locked phone systems issued by telecommunication providers. Here are some of the major benefits of using software-based VoIP phone systems. VoIP is VersatileThe problem with traditional office telephony is that office workers can?t (easily) take their office phone numbers with them when they leave the office. With VoIP, users can install the softphone application on any applicable device, be it a smartphone or a laptop. This makes it easier to stay in touch while on business trips or working remotely. All the user needs is a headset or a microphone. VoIP is FlexibleOne of the biggest pain points with telephone systems is the struggle that comes from onboarding new employees. When you acquire a larger workforce, you need to add telephones to your communications infrastructure, which can include anything from running new wires around your office, to completely remodeling to accommodate for more space. With VoIP, it?s as simple as adding new users, numbers, and extensions to your software-based phone system. You still have to watch out for bandwidth restrictions, however, due to the fact that your phone system is using your Internet connection. VoIP is Cost-EffectiveLet?s compare VoIP to traditional telephone services. Providers tend to bundle together services that your business may not necessarily want or need, which winds up costing your organization more money in the long run. Instead of bundling together undesired services, you can build out a VoIP service that?s specifically designed for your business. Other great features include screen sharing, instant messaging, conference calling, and so much more. You only have to pay for what you want. Regardless, VoIP uses a service which you already pay for–your Internet connection–so that you don?t have to worry about another big expense in your budget. If your business is rethinking its communications strategy, a VoIP solution from White Mountain IT Services can be just what you need. Every business is different, though, and you need a VoIP solution that?s designed specifically with your organization?s needs in mind. To learn more, reach out to us at (603) 889-0800.

One of the big problems with free Wi-Fi is that people who use public connections are fully aware of just how dangerous it is; yet, they still want to use it. The Identity Theft Resource Center claims that 78.5 percent of users who connect to free Wi-Fi understand that there are major risks involved, and yet only 26.7 percent use a VPN to keep themselves safe. Thus, free Wi-Fi should be approached with caution. Here are just a few reasons why you need to be careful when accessing public Wi-Fi. Anyone Can Access ItIf the Wi-Fi isn?t protected by a passcode, the network is vulnerable to hacking attacks and other threats. Plus, if the router isn?t configured properly, the passcode doesn?t offer much help. The fact that anyone can access it at their leisure means that there?s virtually nothing stopping hackers from connecting to the router and spying on other users. It?s worth mentioning that, although we use the term ?hacker,? even a mischievous child with a bit of curiosity and the proper know-how could access your files via public Wi-Fi if the connection isn?t secure. Free Wi-Fi is Highly UsedIt?s natural that a free Internet connection will attract attention from people. That said, the more people who connect to a Wi-Fi network, the slower the connection, and the more likely it is to house a hacker. Hackers understand that free Wi-Fi draws plenty of victims, so they?ll use the convenience to find new targets. Data Isn?t EncryptedEncryption adds an extra layer of protection to any data that?s sent to and received across an Internet connection. When routers have encryption, hackers have a more difficult time stealing data. Therefore, you should only connect to routers that have encryption, and it?s unlikely that your run-of-the-mill router at your local restaurant has it. What You Can DoYou may not be able to control who secures their public Wi-Fi routers, but you can take steps to protect yourself if you?re ever in the position where you feel you must use it. Here are three best practices for keeping your devices safe while using a public Wi-Fi network: Only connect to networks that require security codes. Set your phones and devices so that they don?t automatically connect to any new Wi-Fi network. Use a Virtual Private Network (VPN). To learn more about how you can keep your data safe from prying eyes, reach out to White Mountain IT Services at (603) 889-0800.

Regardless of what type of organization you run, there is always a need for a word processor, spreadsheet software, and email solution. You might already take advantage of Microsoft Office, but do you take advantage of the subscription service (Office 365), or do you purchase the software licenses outright? The primary benefit of Office 365 compared to Microsoft Office 2016 comes from understanding the difference between the two. In particular, users and business professionals need to know that Office 365 is a subscription-based model, while the traditional Office 2016 suite is a one-time purchase. However, the differences don?t stop there. Here are three of the major reasons why your business should consider Office 365 as its primary productivity suite solution. Office 365 is More Cost-EffectiveWhen you consider the fact that small monthly payments fit into budgets easier than large up-front expenses, the benefits of Office 365 are clear. When purchased through Microsoft, Office 365 provides users with a discount for paying for 12 months ahead of time, allowing for further cost savings. Office 365 Stays Up-to-DateWhen using the traditional Microsoft Office suite, you would purchase the most recent version of the software. In this case, it would be Office 2016. However, in several years when the next version of Microsoft Office is released, users who paid up-front for their solution will have to, once again, shell out for up-front costs. A better option is to just pay for the Office 365 subscription, which will take into account all of these upgrades so that you?re always using the most recent version of Office–for no real additional costs. Office 365 is More FlexibleUnlike Office 2016, which is a one-time download of your productivity solutions, Office 365 benefits from its subscription-based status by providing varied levels of service. If your current service plan doesn?t quite meet your expectations, you can change your plan to better suit your business?s needs. This type of flexibility is great for businesses that are growing or anticipating growth. So, have we convinced you to switch to Office 365, or at least give it a shot? Either way, regardless of how you want to take advantage of Microsoft Office, White Mountain IT Services can help you get started. To learn more, reach out to us at (603) 889-0800.

Hardware refreshes are often a time of great turmoil for businesses, particularly because of the cost of new servers and the time it takes to migrate data from one location to another. Thankfully, with the advent of virtualized servers, businesses have a viable alternative to the outright purchase of expensive, new hardware solutions. Instead, a virtual server that?s hosted in the cloud offers not only a more immediate reprieve, but can also significantly reduce costs for your organization in the long run. Server virtualization is the act of separating the computing resources of the server itself and allocating them within a cloud-like infrastructure, where they can be delegated and managed according to the specific needs of your business. Server virtualization is particularly helpful for organizations that have a limited budget and don?t have the time or resources to manage multiple hardware solutions, as it?s simple to outsource the care of a virtualized server environment to a third party. Here are three major reasons why virtual servers are your next go-to IT refresh. Virtual EnvironmentsOne of the major boons of using a virtual server is the ability to create multiple computing instances on the same virtual machine. For example, if you have a mission-critical application that only works on a specific operating system, your organization can have a virtual machine dedicated to running it. This prevents the need to purchase an entirely separate server unit just to run one application, and the cost of operation and maintenance along with it. Save on Operating CostsAnother key benefit of virtualizing your servers in a cloud environment is that you?ll be hosting less hardware on your infrastructure. Servers eat up a ton of electricity, and you need to keep them cool with air conditioning in order to guarantee longevity. This in turn creates higher energy costs that can put unnecessary strain on your budget. With server virtualization, you can consolidate your infrastructure onto one device, rather than spread across multiple servers and network components, significantly cutting down on operational expenses. Effectively Manage ResourcesThe convenient part of virtual machines is that you can manage their workloads through a cloud-based dashboard to optimize efficiency. You?ll be able to monitor workloads and adjust them in real time, so as to keep operations moving forward in the best way possible. You can do this remotely, or have a third-party provider do it for you, which is entirely dependant on whether or not you have the IT staff on-hand to handle it. If you?re considering a hardware refresh for your server infrastructure, be sure to consider virtualization, you might be surprised by how much money and time you can save. To learn more, reach out to White Mountain IT Services at (603) 889-0800.

To give you an idea of just how much time workers spend on the road, consider this statistic from the U.S. Census Bureau; in the United States, the average commute is around 25 minutes each way. This equates to almost a full hour each work day being lost to fighting traffic. It?s also worth noting that 50 minutes of drive time is just the average commute–you shouldn?t have to look too far around the office to find employees that spend significantly more time than this getting to and from work. There are some fairly significant disadvantages to commuting, and when you compare them, you begin to see how this accepted practice may actually be holding your business back from reaching its full potential. Commuting Eats Away at Your EnergyEvery productivity-minded person understands how each person has a limited amount of energy that they?re able to give each workday. Having to spend a significant amount of this energy doing something stress-filled like fighting traffic can be frustrating, especially when one finds themselves lacking the energy to do more important things, like spending time with their family. It can also be equally frustrating when you start the day on a good note, only to have a bad traffic experience on the way to work that puts you in a bad mood for the rest of the workday. Commuting Causes Exhaustion and Sleep DeprivationNot only can spending so much time behind the wheel be exhausting, but it can also cut into precious sleep time. A lack of sleep can be devastating when it comes to two important areas. In the workplace environment, a sleep-deprived worker is prone to making costly mistakes. Also, during the commute itself, a sleep-deprived driver is at a higher risk of falling asleep behind the wheel, which can have some disastrous consequences. By finding ways to give your staff more time to rest, like removing the commute, you?ll help negate these risks. Perhaps one of the biggest misconceptions about remote workers is that implementing the practice will cost your business too much money. However, the reality of remote work is that it actually improves your bottom line by decreasing operational costs. For example, consider the resources around the office that you won?t have to spend money on if an employee worked from home; a move like this will save on electricity, computer hardware, and even having to rent office space altogether. One CEO who has found this to be the case is Sara Sutton Fell of Flexjobs. She states in an interview with Inc that 47 percent of her staff works remotely, saving her organization around $78 million. As you can see, even a small business stands to gain some level of cost savings from having a remote workforce. All of these points considered, making the decision to ditch the commute is an easy one to make, which means that the next step is to make sure that your remote workers and your office are utilizing the right technology that allows for a smooth and secure remote work experience. To make sure that your company is fully equipped to enjoy the benefits of never having to commute again, give White Mountain IT Services a call today at (603) 889-0800.