What we mean by this is that, due to the fast-paced changes and high demands of today?s work environments, older technology strategies like ?just go with what?s always worked,? may not cut it. Here are four approaches to technology that future-minded business owners should adopt. Quit Fighting Mobile Devices In the Workplace When mobile devices first hit the scene, many business owners were skeptical of whether or not they could really be a productive force in the workplace. Plus, there was the concern of employee-owned mobile devices compromising network security. While both of these concerns were valid when mobile devices first came out, enough mobile solutions have been developed over the years to make mobile devices a secure and productive force in the workplace (if they?re properly implemented and managed). If you decide to embrace mobile technology in your workplace, we think you?ll be pleased with the results. Design Your IT Infrastructure to Accommodate the Workload of Future NeedsAs wonderful as all of these new, productivity-enhancing solutions are, they require a significant amount of network resources and bandwidth. Therefore, you?re going to want to design your network with future needs in mind, like more people on your team taking advantage of video conferencing (a resource-heavy solution). To have a network that?s agile enough to handle the future of your business, you?re going to want to consult with the technology professionals at White Mountain IT Services who are knowledgeable of IT trends that affect your industry, and what it takes to implement these money-making trends. Learn How to Let Go of Faithful Solutions of the Past That No Longer Cut ItFor some business owners, ?out with the old and in with the new? is difficult to adopt when dealing with a solution that?s faithfully served your organization over the years. While it?s good to be sentimental when it comes to birthday cards and family photos, being overly attached to outdated technology can have disastrous consequences to your bottom line, especially if your competitor has adopted a better solution. This is the benefit of having a fresh, outside perspective assess your company?s technology infrastructure. IT professionals like White Mountain IT Services are able to spot outdated solutions that you may not even know are holding you back. Strive to Make Technology More SimpleThe goal of updating your enterprise-level technology is to make everything simpler. New solutions that are added haphazardly and without a plan have the potential to complicate matters, which will offset what you?re trying to achieve by adding the new solutions in the first place. NetworkComputing cites communications technology as an example: By integrating communication functions like calling, faxing, texting, and hosting virtual meetings, with software suites like Google and Microsoft, everyday communication becomes easier. Consolidate the number of siloed tools it takes for workers to get their jobs done. Give employees the luxury of never having to toggle between multiple screens or search for customer contact information again. At the end of the day, it?s all about planning for the future, so your profits don?t get stuck in the past. White Mountain IT Services can help prepare your network for anything the future throws at it. To stay ahead of the curve by taking a future-minded approach to technology, give us a call at (603) 889-0800.
These devices encompass technologies that you don?t generally interact with very much, or even think about, yet they?re needed to drive society forward. Devices like gas meters, water gauges, trash cans, soil moisture sensors, and much more, are all being retrofitted for the IoT. In fact, of the billions of devices that make up the IoT, and the billions more that will connect to it in the near future, the majority of these ?things? will actually come from small, data collecting devices, instead of flashy gadgets like the latest smartphones. To the careful observer, the prospect of all of these devices connecting to the Internet should raise the question, ?How will all of these small and obscure devices connect to the Internet, or even have the power to do so?? This is a fair inquiry, especially considering how spotty 3G and 4G coverages are in some areas, and how the batteries of many modern devices can?t go more than a few hours or a few days without needing to be recharged. Take for example an IoT-enabled gas meter on a log cabin in the middle of the woods. It?s located in a place with spotty Internet coverage, and it doesn?t make fiscal sense to have a technician replace the meter?s battery every few months, due to the fact that it?s so far out of the way. To help resolve issues like these, narrowband Internet of Things technology is being developed (NB-IoT). Experts are predicting that this technology will essentially be ?the glue? holds IoT together. Consider this description of NB-IoT from NetworkComputing: NB-IoT, originally called the cellular Internet of Things, is an emerging industry solution designed to enhance the global deployment of low-power wide area (LPWA) networks. Through licensed operator spectrum, in-band, guard band and standalone deployments, NB-IoT can provide connectivity to devices in hard to reach places without requiring much power to do so. NB-IoT technology is specifically designed for inaccessible and hard-to-reach areas, like our log cabin example, as well as other important-yet-overlooked places that can stand to benefit from IoT technology, like basements, underground pipes, islands, boats, etc. NetworkComputing again explains: This is where NB-IoT and LPWA technology come in, because they can provide a long-range mobile connection with low power consumption. This combination of connectivity and low-power needs means a utility company can install connected flow meters around a water distribution network to automatically detect leaks without worrying about whether or not the sensor will work. This technology is already revolutionizing several industries, while having the potential to dramatically improve many more. In fact, the full potential of IoT technology has yet to be realized, which should cause business owners in every industry to stop and consider how this next big IT trend can benefit their company. Who knows, with a little creative thinking, perhaps you?ll be able to come up with ways that your business can benefit from accessing data collected by hundreds, or even thousands, of connected devices.
Eat, Drink, and Smoke Somewhere ElseFor many users, eating, drinking, and smoking at their computer is a way of life. This is a big no-no as far as proper computer maintenance is concerned. Crumbs make their way into the keyboard and even to the insides of the computer itself, grease from fingers gets all over everything, and then there?s the risk of accidentally spilling food and drink on the machine. All things considered, it?s better to dine elsewhere. Smoking, too, isn?t good for computers. Computers utilize fans to circulate air and keep the machine cool. If that air is filled with smoke, then a disgusting, tar-like residue will coat the inside of the machine. In addition to this residue being just plain nasty, it causes performance issues. Give Your Computer a Good CleaningIt?s common sense to clean a dirty computer, but not every user understands just how often they should bust out the cleaning supplies. How often one should clean their PC actually varies a lot, depending on factors like environment, lifestyle, how much the computer is used, etc. One tool to help users determine how often they should clean their machine is an online calculator from ComputerHope. Generally speaking, giving a computer a thorough wipe down every two years is adequate, but heavy PC users will want to do this more often. Also, another common-sense rule that we feel the need to mention is to always power down your computer before popping the case open to clean it. If you are unsure how to do this, you can ask one of our IT professionals by giving us a call at (603) 889-0800. Give the Computer its SpaceBe mindful of where your computer?s fans and vents are located, and be sure to place your PC in such a way that the machine has ?room to breathe.? If any of these vents are obstructed, the machine will overheat and potentially cause critical damage and even data loss. Additionally, placing a PC or laptop on a cushy surface like a carpet or blanket should be avoided, or else risk overheating and the intake of too much dust and dirt. Give Your PC a Good DustingDusting your PC should be done more frequently than the thorough cleaning we mentioned earlier. While a small layer of dust can be annoying, a significant amount of dust can actually risk coating the insides of your PC and cause overheating and performance issues. The best way to dust off your PC is by using compressed air, found in cans at most electronics stores. Whatever you do, do not apply cleaning liquid directly to your PC. Liquid of any kind and electronics don?t mix, period. For more great tips on how to take care of your technology, subscribe to White Mountain IT Services?s blog.
What is an Uninterruptible Power Supply?If you?re unfamiliar with what a UPS device is, consider this technical explanation from Wikipedia: An uninterruptible power supply, also uninterruptible power source, UPS or battery/flywheel backup, is an electrical apparatus that provides emergency power to a load when the input power source, typically mains power, fails. A UPS differs from an auxiliary or emergency power system or standby generator in that it will provide near-instantaneous protection from input power interruptions, by supplying energy stored in batteries, supercapacitors, or flywheels. The on-battery runtime of most uninterruptible power sources is relatively short (only a few minutes) but sufficient to start a standby power source or properly shut down the protected equipment. Essentially, a UPS device protects your company?s electronics from the ill effects of an unexpected power loss and unpredictable power fluctuations, which can lead to, but isn?t limited to, data loss. These power inconsistencies can be caused by a host of different factors, like natural disasters, unreliable power grids, a faulty IT setup, and more. In events like these where power is lost, a UPS device jumps into action and buys you enough time to properly shut down your IT equipment. To clear things up, a UPS device is different than a backup generator. Whereas a backup generator will supply enough power to continue operations, a UPS device only supplies enough power to allow for equipment to be properly shut down. Additionally, a UPS device provides extra power when not enough electricity is being supplied, as well as protects equipment from electrical surges. In several of the UPS models, the device automatically signals and shuts down the equipment in the event of a power loss. What Kind of UPS Should You Get?As mentioned, there are a variety of UPS devices on the market. You can get a single UPS device for a single PC, or you can get an enterprise-level UPS device designed to safeguard your entire IT infrastructure. Therefore, getting a UPS device for your organization should be a well-researched decision. To that end, White Mountain IT Services can work with you to select a perfect UPS device for your business continuity needs. In addition to selecting an adequate UPS device for your company, White Mountain IT Services will take the time to select for your business the other pieces of the business continuity puzzle. This includes having a data backup and recovery plan, as well as an enterprise-level firewall to protect you from threats that can compromise your data. White Mountain IT Services can provide all of these IT solutions for your business, and more. To take advantage of the best IT solutions for your business, give us a call today at (603) 889-0800.
VoIP is growing more popular in businesses all over the world, and for good reason. It makes communicating with both internal and external parties exceedingly easier, especially if your office has limited space to conduct meetings. Here are three benefits that you get from using VoIP as your preferred conference calling solution. VoIP Uses Your Internet ConnectionBack in the day, picking up the landline phone and calling your employees was the best thing you could do for collaboration barring face-to-face meetings, conference calling was a pain in the neck. Now, however, it?s so much easier to communicate, and it?s all thanks to the Internet. Voice over Internet Protocol allows your employees to transmit their voices across an Internet connection in much the same way the traditional telephone system works, but without all of the complex landline cabling. Additionally, cable companies are generally stingy with the services they offer, packaging them together in an effort to get you to pay more for services that you might not necessarily want or need. Since VoIP only uses your Internet connection, you won?t have to worry about additional charges. If you want any additional services, however, VoIP solutions are very flexible. Plus, you?ll never have to worry about long-distance phone calls for your remote team (if you have one). This also means that limitations for trunks (the number of physical phone lines you have leaving the building) are a thing of the past. As you grow, your phone system won?t limit your team from making outbound calls. VoIP is More MobileWith a traditional phone system, you?re tethered to your desk. Even if you have a cordless phone, you can only go so far away from the receiver before it stops working. With VoIP, you?re essentially using a web or desktop application that transfers your voice through the Internet, allowing you to access the system anywhere, anytime. You can even use your smartphone with a VoIP solution, if you so desire, making for a familiar experience. Depending on the VoIP solution, you can also just use a headset on your desktop or laptop. Considering how versatile and mobile VoIP is compared to traditional phone systems, you can potentially allow your team to work remotely. By giving your team the tools to help them stay productive at all times, you?re paving the way for greater success and workplace fulfillment. VoIP Has Ideal Add-OnsOne of the best features of a VoIP solution is that they often come with video conferencing capabilities. Just like how the average consumer uses Skype to video chat with their friends, a VoIP solution has video conferencing capabilities that allows users to speak ?face-to-face? without being in the same room (or even the same country). This helps your team stay connected even if they?re scattered all over the world. Taking advantage of VoIP can be a life-changing event. White Mountain IT Services can walk you through the entire setup process, from start to finish. We can even host your VoIP solution off-site so that its maintenance and management are a hands-off experience for you. To learn more, give us a call at (603) 889-0800.
