Chromebooks are laptops that run Google?s Chrome OS, which is a very lightweight operating system that depends heavily on Internet-connectivity to bring value. This is largely because they typically come with a small amount of storage and aren?t really compatible with outside software. Typically, anything that you can do in your Chrome browser (or with Android apps {more on this later}), you can do on a Chromebook. Let?s look at how Chromebooks could be just what you are looking for for your employee workstation needs. Chromebooks are Affordable The number one thing you should know about Chromebooks is that they can be had for significantly less than other Windows or macOS-fueled laptops. Since they are designed for a particular purpose, you can get a productivity machine for low cost. While some Chromebooks are available at a higher price point, options from HP, Acer, and Asus can be friendlier on the budget than other similarly-specced laptops. All About Productivity Since the Chrome OS operating system isn?t conducive to running all types of stand alone applications, it can be thought to be limiting to what you can do with them. If you are looking for a productivity machine, however, the Chromebook is surprisingly great. Once connected to an Internet connection they can do about anything you need them to productivity wise. This is especially true if your business utilizes the Google Workspace or Microsoft Office productivity suites as both are available and capable in Chrome OS. Android Integration Another cool feature about Chromebooks is that they are capable of running many of the Android apps found on the Google Play Store. Chrome OS is integrated with mobile app compatibility so you can go on the Play Store, download your favorite productivity or communications apps and be up and running as fast as if you were using a smartphone.  Security One of the main benefits of the Chromebook is the lack of dedicated exploits for the operating system. Google uses its ?Defense in Depth? approach that provides many layers of security so if one layer is compromised, there are additional layers of security that are at work simultaneously to mitigate threats. Windows and macOS are much more utilized interfaces and hackers develop their attacks around these often-used platforms. Since Chrome OS is less utilized, but developed by one of the top software companies in the world, hacks and malware are much less of an issue. Furthermore, the operating system can be reinforced with two-step verification and other built-in features that are easy to configure and use. If you are looking for an affordable computing option for your new small business, you should consider the Chromebook as a good tool that is affordable and can give you everything you need out of a budget laptop. If you would like to talk to one of our IT professionals about Chromebooks, cloud-based software, and other computing options that run alternatives to more traditional methods, give White Mountain IT Services a call today at (603) 889-0800. 

How to Identify What Technology Can Help Your Business We discuss how technology can be a huge benefit for your business all the time, and as a result, we know that throwing money at technology to see what sticks is not an advisable strategy. Sure, you may see some added efficiency, but if it is being deployed in a part of your business that already functions well, the return on investment (ROI) will be small. On the other hand, if you are able to put a piece of functioning technology inside a process where your business struggles, you may see a rapid ROI and enjoy better operational efficiency and productivity as a result.  This means you will have to first identify where your business struggles and what type of technology is available to remedy them. If you are like many other business owners and don?t know exactly where to start, or if you have a lot of pain points, but limited financial resources in which to invest into new technology, then it can be tricky trying to ascertain what technology can give you the most bang for your buck. Let?s go through some business areas where technology offers the best ROI if you are just starting out or if you are looking to build on what you already have.  Invest in Technology that Helps Your Employees Be More Productive Your employees are the thing that makes your business a success or a failure, so it stands to reason that you would want to invest in technology that makes them more efficient and productive. You may be surprised that some of these investments won?t put you back as much as you may think. Let?s take a look at three technology investments you can make today to get your business moving in the right direction: Reliable Wi-Fi Productive employees typically have a work environment conducive to working consistently. No other tool is quite as important as access to the Internet. By investing in creating a reliable and robust wireless network, your employees won?t be searching for a signal as they collaborate around your office.  Collaboration Tools Another technology that will get a workout by your employees is an intranet-type collaboration tool. Whether you need dynamic project management or simply an interface for your team to sort out their daily tasks, a collaboration tool can present them with the resources they need to keep productive. Today?s collaboration tool/project management tool can provide your staff with the communication capabilities they need as well as the dynamic integrations to allow them to simply share and collaborate.  Communication Tools While the collaboration tools can provide a lot of the communications interfaces your team may need in the way of video conferencing integration and instant messaging/forums, a business will function best when it has strong communications tools. Solutions like VoIP and hosted email will give them the options they need to communicate within your business while also giving them the tools they need to improve customer satisfaction.  Investing in technologies that will help your employees take your business to the next level has to be a priority. If you would like to talk to an IT professional about integrating today?s most robust technology into your business, give White Mountain IT Services a call today at (603) 889-0800.

Technology Improves Operations Some businesses can be successful without the use of technology, thus leading them to be skeptical about how much time and money can actually be saved by implementing new solutions. You might be surprised by how much technology can influence your policies and procedures for the better. For example, a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) platform can help you automate tons of tasks that would normally fall on your staff so they can focus on revenue-generating activities rather than general upkeep. Speaking of Your Employees? Your workforce is the biggest beneficiary of your new technology solutions, as your staff can use these new tools to work more efficiently and produce higher-quality work. Businesses that are able to make this change can generate more capital and provide better services and solutions to customers. When you invest in your technology, you invest in your employees. Some younger employees might even refuse to work for companies that can?t keep up with modern technology trends. The Effect on Your Customers Your customers expect that your product or service will provide value, but they also expect that you will communicate with them should they need assistance with these products or services. If you can use technology to help make happy customers turn into returning customers, then you can yield considerable returns on your investments in new technology. Technology Every Business Needs All that said, there are certain solutions that all businesses can benefit from implementing. Here are a few of them. Communications There are several ways your business can improve its communications infrastructure. One such way is implementing a Voice over IP system (VoIP). Not only does it utilize your Internet service to effectively replace your phone infrastructure, it also provides plenty of other great features that make communication much easier and more efficient, like instant messaging, video conferencing, and so on. Productivity Providing the right tools for your employees can work wonders for their productivity. Even if you can?t provide state-of-the-art laptops or smartphones for your employees, you can still provide access to tools through the use of the cloud. These types of cloud-based productivity tools are more cost-effective per user, especially compared to the up-front costs associated with deploying a software solution across your entire infrastructure. Cybersecurity With countless phishing attacks making up over 80 percent of the world?s successful cyberattacks, you need to be serious about addressing these issues with your employees and protecting your business. It can take months to discover a data breach, and an ongoing phishing attack could put your business at risk. Thankfully, security researchers and developers have built many great tools to help you protect your business, like antivirus and spam protections. Furthermore, it?s important to train your employees to identify sources of breaches so they can be more cognizant of their role in protecting your business. We know that investing in technology can be challenging; that?s why we make it easy. Here at White Mountain IT Services, we want to help you get the tools you need to be successful and profitable. To learn more, contact us at (603) 889-0800.

How Does AI Security Work? When used appropriately, AI security is a set of tools that can be used to autonomously detect and respond to potential threats. The activity is built upon previous or similar activity, so in a sense, AI security tools learn and grow over time to accommodate changes in the threat landscape. AI is always trying to learn about new threats, so you can expect to see a large number of false negatives and positives. Still, the process itself is much less involved because of its automated nature, and if it?s set up correctly, it can be a huge help when identifying suspicious behavior on your network. What Are the Benefits? It?s a fact that security professionals are expensive to find and hire, and small businesses often have smaller budgets and deadlines. AI makes these problems easier to manage through automating much of the process. AI makes it easier to discover threats and easier to address them over time. That being said, if you have AI with no one to manage or maintain it, it will likely become a burden rather than a help. Is AI Security the Future? When you consider that there is a downward trend in cybersecurity employment, it makes sense for autonomous and automated systems to make up for the shortage in labor. This unfilled labor gap could potentially reach 3.5 million positions by the end of the year alone. AI makes for an easy and efficient way to bypass hiring and training practices, and once it is set up, it can be left to its own devices, as long as someone is around to monitor and maintain it. How Can Your Business Use AI Security? AI security is perfectly accessible to small businesses, and with the right solutions, you can scale them in accordance with your specific needs and goals. If you can implement AI tools that appropriately align with your operational goals, you will find that your team will spend far less time worrying about cybersecurity and more time focusing on getting their work done. White Mountain IT Services can help your business implement the best security practices and solutions for your organization?s needs. To learn more about what we can do for your business, reach out to us at (603) 889-0800.

White Mountain IT Services is in the business of equipping companies with great security tools that allow them to go about their day-to-day operations with little to fear from hackers and other cyberthreats. One way we help organizations shore up weaknesses and allow for convenient and consistent management of security tools is through what is called a Unified Threat Management tool. It differs from the traditional method of threat management in one significant way: it provides a single point of reference for your entire security infrastructure. What does this mean for security? Well, a whole lot. The Greatest Benefit of a UTM Let?s say that you have a team working on a project. Each of them is responsible for handling one specific task and nothing else. While they might excel at doing one particular task, they struggle while communicating with each other. This is often how network security works when you do not have a centralized security tool controlling the process. Your solutions don?t talk to each other correctly, and since you have multiple security software tools, each of them will have licenses that must be renewed every so often.  Having a centralized security solution like a Unified Threat Management tool is the equivalent of assigning a project manager in the aforementioned comparison. The project manager is the central point of contact that each individual team member reports to and the one responsible for steering the trajectory and overall strategy of the project. The UTM is the centralized hub of your cybersecurity infrastructure, each individual aspect of it serving as one of the spokes that keep it together. A UTM commonly consists of a comprehensive array of cybersecurity solutions, including antivirus, firewalls, content blocking, and spam filtering solutions, all of which combine to provide considerable protections against most threats out there. Imagine managing all four of these individually?wouldn?t it be easier to just do so from one central location? That?s right, it would, and that?s why the UTM is such a valuable tool. Get Started with Unified Threat Management Today White Mountain IT Services wants to help your company overcome the countless challenges that come from securing its network infrastructure. We like to start with a comprehensive network security analysis that gives you a clear picture of the current state of your network?s security. We can then work toward implementing comprehensive measures that are designed with your specific needs in mind. To learn more about how to keep your business safe, reach out to us at (603) 889-0800.