Why a Network Might Perform PoorlyIt?s actually much easier than you might think for a business to hit their network?s maximum capacity. If your business has experienced unprecedented growth recently, this usually means that there will be more strain on the network than originally anticipated. More users accessing the same applications across the same old network will inevitably cause some problems down the road, especially if nothing is done to facilitate and accommodate the increased traffic. Other times, however, a network might just be suffering from old age. Hardware that?s been around the block a time or two might not hold up the way it used to, and your access to information could suffer because of it. This is why it?s so important to monitor your business?s infrastructure and ensure that any malfunctioning hardware is promptly taken care of. Indicators of Poor Network PerformanceIf you feel that you might be losing some productivity due to poor network performance, consider these telltale signs: Poor application performance. If your employees are having trouble accessing important applications, one problem might be due to an overloaded network. If a network is trying to process too much traffic, applications will load slower, and therefore, won?t be as useful for your productivity as anticipated. Ask employees. Nothing helps you understand the current state of your network better than asking the end-users. Perhaps you?ve run into a couple of issues yourself, but either way, you need to confirm that there?s a problem with not only your own network access, but all avenues of your organization?s network access. Slow network performance in general. You know there?s something wrong with your network when it takes several minutes to load files that are stored on it. Get a Network ConsultationThe problem with managing a network is that it?s an exceptionally knowledge-intensive task. You don?t want just anyone managing your entire network infrastructure. Instead, you should have skilled professionals like those at White Mountain IT Services take a comprehensive analysis of your network infrastructure. We have the ability to point out bottlenecks in your network infrastructure, potential resource hogs that are bogging it down, and other troublesome flaws that might be hurting your staff?s ability to get its job done. Give us a call today at (603) 889-0800 to schedule a network audit and consultation.

Remember, in the face of every disaster, the key to coming out unscathed is to back up your data. Loss of PowerThe thing about power loss is that it?s a devastating side effect of some of the most common disasters. Now, you might be thinking that losing power is no big deal; just light some candles and keep working on your fully-charged mobile device. However, for your IT infrastructure, losing power is a huge deal because the sudden loss of electricity could lead to data loss due to your system being improperly shut down. You need to have a plan in place to safeguard your data from such a disaster. Unless your company happens to have deep pockets or you’re located in a place that has spotty electrical service, it?s likely the case that purchasing a full-blown backup generator isn?t feasible. Instead, a more reasonable option for SMBs is to equip your network with an uninterrupted power supply (UPS). This is a battery-powered tool that kicks on as soon as the power is cut. Different models of UPSs provide your system with different amounts of power. The overall goal of the device is to buy you enough time to properly power down your system in the event of a power loss, not to act like a generator. Floods and Tropical StormsIf your office is located next to a body of water like a river, lake, or ocean, then there?s a realistic chance that heavy rains will one day cause major flooding that will damage your facility. Even if you?re not directly next to water, a major storm like a hurricane can move inland and cause flood damage to structures far from the coast. Not sure what kind of risk your business is in from a major flood? Research your local history; you may be surprised to learn that your location was hit with a flood a hundred years ago. If that?s the case, it?s only a matter of time before a big flood happens again. To prepare your IT infrastructure for a flood, one action you can take is to make sure that your equipment is located off the floor. Of course, a measure like this will only protect you from a minor flood that trickles in and ruins your carpets. For a major flood that wipes away everything with a tsunami-like wall of water and debris, there?s little you can do except to have your flood insurance policy paid up. In regards to any disaster like this, having your data backed up off-site is the way to go (this is achieved with White Mountain IT Services?s Backup and Disaster Recovery tool). EarthquakesThe risk from earthquakes isn?t as regional as you may think. The Earth?s tectonic plates are constantly shifting and their movement can be unpredictable. In fact, Oklahoma used to only average two small earthquakes per year. In 2014, the state was hit by 585 earthquakes, which is three times more than California, which sits on the infamous San Andreas Faultline. We don?t have to tell you how devastating ?the big one? can be for your business; having your data backed up off-site and available for recovery once you rebuild is the fastest way to get your business back on its feet from a major disaster. Additionally, taking advantage of cloud services […]

The first thing that you should know about workstation and other technology upgrades is that they?re absolutely imperative if you want to keep your systems as secure as possible. Many viruses and malware types try to take advantage of security flaws that are periodically discovered in the source code of operating systems. This helps them get into your systems, even when they shouldn?t. These flaws are often addressed in system updates issued by the software provider. So, the reality of the situation is that you shouldn?t be missing software updates; yet, this happens more often that you might think. When technology management isn?t the sole responsibility of your staff, regular maintenance which should be routine are often neglected or forgotten entirely, leaving your systems exposed to the myriad of threats that are found in the online environment. To avoid this, consider the following when analyzing your network to make upgrades a priority. Software UpdatesSoftware updates aren?t limited to just your operating system; many of your mission-critical applications also need to be regularly updated if you want to ensure that they too don?t have any unnecessary security flaws. Furthermore, these updates often enhance the user experience to make your workday more productive. You really have no reason to not be using the most recent version for all of your software solutions. Often times, however, you might realize that you can get the same job done by switching to a more convenient piece of software. It?s always recommended that you consult with a professional technician before making drastic changes to your business?s software infrastructure. Antivirus UpdatesAlthough your antivirus solution is another type of software, it?s worth mentioning separately. If your antivirus and other security software solutions aren?t properly maintained, it?s like you?re basically ?leaving your keys in the front door,? so to speak. Your antivirus solution needs to be managed on all workstations, or better yet, centrally controlled from the server to ensure that all users are protected and up-to-date. Hardware UpgradesSimilar to software, your organization will need to replace or update your hardware solutions consistently to ensure your data is as safe as possible. Old hardware can be detrimental to the operational efficiency of your organization, and you can potentially lose all of your data in one sitting due to an unexpected hardware failure. This means that it?s more important than ever to make sure you?re monitoring your systems for hints of degradation or even a looming hardware failure. Of course, if you simply don?t have time to review your business?s network and the status of your technology updates, White Mountain IT Services is willing to provide you with the time and expertise needed to address these important issues. We can perform a comprehensive network audit that helps determine where potential update problems might be holding your business back. Furthermore, we can offer our remote monitoring and maintenance solution, which allows us to monitor your technology infrastructure for potential signs of hardware failure and the detection of lacking software updates. Give us a call at (603) 889-0800 to learn more.

There are plenty of ways your organization can maintain maximum security protocol when dealing with online threats. Here are four ways you can avoid running into the odd hack. Implement Two-Factor AuthenticationWe?ve said it before, and we?ll say it again. Two-factor authentication is a great way to keep hackers out of your accounts for the sole purpose that it makes them extraordinarily difficult to break into by brute force. Hackers will need two sets of credentials instead of one, with the second code being sent directly to you. This could be an alternate email address, a phone call, or an SMS message to your smartphone. Even if the hacker has managed to steal your password, they won?t be able to get into your accounts unless they have access to whatever device you have your secondary credential sent to. Review Your Login HistorySometimes you might get the feeling that your accounts have been tampered with. If you feel like there?s some suspicious activity, you can check to see how many current sessions you have open with the application of choice. For example, your Google account lets you see your latest logins, what device they are on, and more. You can even see the geographical location of the login, so if there?s some weird activity going on, change your password and implement two-factor authentication immediately. Additionally, viewing your network?s activity logs is often a solid way to monitor who accesses your network, and what information they are privy too. Keep Your Systems Up to DateOne of the key ways to ensure that your system?s security is always at its finest is to make sure that your software and hardware is properly maintained. This includes keeping an eye on the current state of the system, as well as applying patches and security updates. By doing so, you?re eliminating avenues that threats have been proven to move through in attempting to infiltrate your network. Staying on top of these necessary updates is crucial to improving network security, as well as maintaining compliance with various legal protocol. Take Advantage of Antivirus and Firewall SolutionsYou might have heard this before, but if you aren?t using firewalls or antivirus protection, you absolutely need to be doing so. Your firewalls, antivirus, and spam protection should focus not just on keeping threats out of your systems; they should also concentrate on identifying and quarantining existing threats so that they don?t cause any further harm. These solutions should be enterprise-level to ensure that they?re powerful enough to protect your business from all types of threats. In fact, White Mountain IT Services offers several of these services, including security solutions, and providing businesses with the remote maintenance and management necessary to ensure critical systems are always secure and functioning properly. Give us a call at (603) 889-0800 to learn more.

Consider for a moment how expensive hardware, or even software, can be right out of the box. Workstations, servers, and other network equipment can easily rack up your business?s capital expenses, effectively breaking the budget and crippling your company?s ability to handle technology. Perhaps the costs of replacing this hardware far exceed your expectations, which forces you to free up funds from other vital portions of your budget in order to meet the costs. Now, imagine how much your business could benefit from having all of these expenses covered under a maintenance agreement with a managed service provider. This is known as Hardware as a Service (HaaS). It takes the capital expenditures of purchasing new hardware, and transforms them into monthly payments that are easily more affordable than outright costs. HaaS is capable of changing the way you handle your technology by almost eliminating up-front costs. Software as a Service, or SaaS, is another similar platform that helps businesses manage their mission-critical software solutions. Instead of purchasing software, like cloud computing applications, many businesses are instead opting to turn them into operational expenses. This provides them with a scalable solution that?s much less risky of a commitment than going all-in on expensive technology. Notice a pattern? Both Hardware as a Service and Software as a Service are designed to help your organization save money by avoiding the immense expenses associated with integrating new solutions. Being innovative and replacing old technology shouldn?t have to break your budget, and managed service providers like White Mountain IT Services understand this trouble. IT maintenance is one of the largest pain points that small and medium-sized businesses encounter these days, especially when it comes to ensuring that all hardware and software is kept up-to-date and competitive with the industry?s best practices. We make it simple by providing the technology you need to facilitate maximum productivity without the immediate deficit caused by the outright purchase of brand new technology. If your business is ready to commit to transparent scalable costs that technology as a service can provide, give White Mountain IT Services a call at (603) 889-0800.