Recent Blog Posts
Some businesses go about their day-to-day duties without a solid business continuity plan. As explained in the above scenario, an external backup is paramount to the survival of your organization, should you face circumstances that threaten to uproot your operations. This generally entails taking snapshots of your business?s data using some sort of backup method. One of the most common methods of doing so is using tape to store data. The problem with tape is that, in physical form, it can easily be destroyed if accidentally left on-site during a flood, fire, earthquake, or another equally devastating disaster. Furthermore, tape backups can be time-consuming, so they?re generally performed after hours; even then, they?re usually only performed once every 24 hours or so, which means that you run the risk of losing that much data in the face of a disaster. Since tape backups often need to be run manually, they?re also more prone to user error than other automated systems. These are just a few reasons why it?s important that you consider your backup and disaster recovery solution carefully. There?s nothing wrong with using tape, but it?s an outdated system that pales in comparison to other, more modern solutions. You want a solution that stores your data in a secure, off-site data center. Unlike data backup, data recovery is the act of restoring from the backups stored in a data center in order to offset data loss caused by any number of variables, like the destruction of hardware, or even user error. The quality of data recovery is generally based on how quickly it can restore your data; therefore, the faster a solution can get you back in action following a major loss of data, the better an asset it is to your business. Of course, data backup and disaster recovery are two very different things that often go hand-in-hand. Take, for instance, our Backup and Disaster Recovery (BDR) solution. It?s a backup solution that takes multiple snapshots of your business?s data, which is then stored off-site and in the cloud for later access, combined with rapid data recovery that helps your business get back in action in a moment?s notice. Unlike our BDR, tape backups can be time-consuming, and when time is of the essence, it can be difficult. BDR ensures that your data is always backed up and readily available when you need it most. It should also be mentioned that our BDR solution has the ability to temporarily take the place of your server in the event of a hardware failure. This adds to the value of your investment, and can help you get the ball rolling again while you decide how to replace your hardware. If you?re ready to start taking proactive measures to ensure the continuity of your business and its data, give us a call at (603) 889-0800.
Of course, this doesn?t help you at all if you?re still asking the million-dollar question, ?What exactly is virtualization, anyway?? The Gartner IT glossary defines virtualization as such: Virtualization is the abstraction of IT resources that masks the physical nature and boundaries of those resources from resource users. An IT resource can be a server, a client, storage, networks, applications or OSs. Essentially, any IT building block can potentially be abstracted from resource users. Basically, virtualization is splitting the resource from any hardware or software constraints it might have. A good example is the use of multiple operating systems on a virtual server. Without the limitations of hardware, you can run multiple instances of operating systems on the same machine. Another example would be separating a desktop?s operating system from the machine itself and running it through a virtual environment, effectively allowing you to run the instance of the operating system through any workstation connected to the network. Virtualizing your applications can provide your business with a number of benefits, including: Application Isolation: As we mentioned in the previous example, virtualization can allow multiple applications that need specific server operating systems to coexist on the same server. This can help businesses that might rely on older applications that aren?t compatible with more recent server operating systems. Application Availability and Independence: When you virtualize an application, you?re essentially extending its life cycle. By doing this, you?re keeping it available until you?ve had adequate time to find a better, more recent solution to your application dilemma. If you were to lose access to a mission-critical application, it could be difficult to keep operations running. It can also make it easier to call applications from one server to another to improve accessibility should one server become unavailable for some reason. Reduced Costs: One of the biggest benefits of application virtualization is that you?re cutting them free of the restrictive nature of hardware. Let?s say you have four applications that all run on different server operating systems. Without virtualization, you would need dedicated server units for each of them, and all four of these will likely be underutilized. Meanwhile, they?re still racking up the electricity bill. Virtualized applications allow you to minimize the amount of hardware you need, and offers a unique return on investment. Application virtualization is a great way to start cutting down on your operation costs and streamlining the way you access applications. Give us a call at (603) 889-0800 to get started.
The marketplace in question, according to WIRED magazine, is known as TheRealDeal Market. Similar to other questionable online marketplaces, it takes advantage of Tor, an anonymity software that masks the identity of all users and administrators, and the cryptocurrency Bitcoin. However, WIRED specifically mentions that TheRealDeal differs in the sense that it?s attempting to provide rare, high-quality code rather than stolen credentials and hacking tools. This essentially transforms TheRealDeal into a ?code market? of sorts, where hackers can turn to in order to find code that?s either difficult to find, or is simply worth more to the upper ring of cybercriminals. Of course, there?s no telling whether any of these supposed exploits being sold are ?the real deal.? According to WIRED: Any of the listings could instead be attempts to scam gullible buyers. The $17,000 iCloud vulnerability in particular, which claims to offer access to virtually all of a user?s sensitive mobile data including emails and photos, seems like an unusually good bargain. For comparison, zero-day salesmen told me in 2012 that a working iOS exploit could sell for as much as $250,000. The next year The New York Times reported that one had sold to a government for a half million dollars. So, for all we know, these might be scammers who are out to steal from would-be hackers. Ironically, TheRealDeal appears to have some sort of fraud protection system put into place, though it?s unclear how it works. Despite this, it?s clear that the market?s practices are questionable at best; especially because they sell other contraband under the radar, including stolen identities, LSD, and amphetamines. This behavior is deplorable, but in a way, it?s somewhat innovative. If this tells us anything, it?s that the buying and selling of online exploits is becoming a serious, organized business. With rare code becoming more accessible (for the right price, of course), hackers will be able to take advantage of it more often. This makes protecting yourself from advanced threats more important than ever before. Comprehensive security measures are necessary to make sure that your systems are always up to date and effectively preventing threats from accessing your information. This is precisely what our Unified Threat Management (UTM) solution accomplishes. Through use of antivirus software, firewall, content filtering, and spam blocking measures, your network can stay as secure as possible. Reach out to us at (603) 889-0800 to learn more.
It may be a pain point for Excel users to view a spreadsheet that?s larger than their screen. It can be annoying to try and scroll up, down, or sideways, only to have a crucial piece of information that you want to reference scroll off screen. The best way to prevent this is to freeze a needed row or column into place so that it doesn?t move while you scroll through your spreadsheet. Here?s how you do it: The first thing you?ll do is select the cell that?s in the first column and row that you don?t want to be frozen. Next, go to the View tab and click Freeze Panes. A drop down menu will appear. From here, click on the first option, Freeze Panes. This will freeze multiple rows and columns in place, which means that they?ll stay in place and visible when you scroll. With your selected rows and columns now frozen, test this out by scrolling sideways, up, and down on your spreadsheet. When you?re ready to unfreeze your rows and columns, simply select any row or column and then go to the View tab. Now go to Freeze Panes > Unfreeze Panes. By freezing columns and rows, you?ll find Excel to be easier to navigate. Check back with White Mountain IT Services?s blog every week for more time-saving tips.
Tethering with Mobile WiFiAdvantagesBy using your smartphone to broadcast a wireless signal, you can easily connect your device using your new mobile hotspot. Also, depending on the quality of your phone?s reception, your device can emit a wireless signal that?s on par with those produced from an actual wireless router. In fact, most smartphone hotspots are able to connect up to five different devices, adding to the versatility of the feature. DisadvantagesThe biggest concern when using your smartphone as a mobile hotspot is security. Your phone?s signal is vulnerable to hackers within range. This means that you should take the same precautions with your mobile device that you would with your office?s in-house router. Another disadvantage is that your device?s battery can get drained pretty quickly when using your device for tethering, which might leave you tethered to an outlet instead of WiFi. Tethering with USB CablesAdvantagesWhen tethering with USB, you don?t need to worry about your battery life. Your phone receives a charge while it?s plugged into your device, meaning that you?ll only have to worry about one battery instead of two. Plus, when you use your USB cable for tethering, the WiFi signal is only pushed through the cable. This means that the only device using it is yours. DisadvantagesAdding one more cable to what you already carry around with you might not feel like a significant addition, but it can be a minor inconvenience. The same can be said for keeping your device by your side, which can be distracting. USB tethering often requires special software or configurations, depending on the device being used. This simply means there are more steps to go through, which can be irritating. Still, despite these minor disadvantages, tethering via a USB cable is probably worth it when possible. Tethering via BluetoothAdvantagesBluetooth, just like WiFi, is capable of using a wireless signal to provide your device with an Internet signal. Bluetooth is specifically designed to use up less battery power, so it?s perfect for use with a mobile hotspot. Additionally, Bluetooth isn?t nearly as common as a mobile hotspot as wireless, so it has better security. DisadvantagesThe disadvantage to Bluetooth is that it?s not as easy to configure as WiFi. According to Pocketnow: It?s a little more involved to set up than WiFi, and a little more involved every time you want to use Bluetooth tethering. If power consumption is a concern, Bluetooth is probably the way to go, if you?re willing to configure it. So which tethering option is the best? It really depends on your needs. If you?re not entirely sure how to tether your device, or need help deciding which method is best for you, give us a call at (603) 889-0800.
