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What’s New in Windows 8?

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What’s New in Windows 8?

Currently scheduled for release in October 2012, Microsoft’s upcoming release of its flagship operating system is strikingly different than its predecessors. Sporting a bold new touch-friendly interface, Windows 8 is designed to run as a tablet as well as a desktop and blur the line between the two.

Yoga – An Example of Things to Come

There are a number of manufacturers that are hard at work developing systems for Windows 8. The Lenovo Yoga (pictured below) is an example of a ...

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8
MAY
0

Categories: Ask the IT Expert, IT Blog

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How can a business ensure their firm’s data is backed up?

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It’s downright scary.

In my experience it’s the exception, not the rule, that a firm has adequate backup. Despite the best of intentions, doing all that is required to ensure good backup is typically overlooked in the sea of other demands for IT staff time. In the 1960’s classic book by Charles Hummel, Tyranny of the Urgent!, Hummel stated it best:

“Your greatest danger is letting the urgent things crowd out the important”.

Backups fall into what Steven Covey would call ...

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27
APR
0

Categories: Ask the IT Expert, Backup & Disaster Recovery

What IT pitfalls should I look out for?

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What IT pitfalls should I look out for?

As I engage new clients, we review the state of their technology. Here are some common issues I’ve encountered, in the hopes that you may avoid them. This isn’t meant to be a complete list, just common trouble spots.

Security:

  • Backups –Backup issues are very common regardless of the size of the firm. Review to ensure reliable protection from both day-to-day accidental deletion and disaster (theft is the most common cause of disaster, followed by water, then fire).
  • Insufficient Malware Protection – With ...
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22
MAR
0

Categories: Ask the IT Expert

What suggestions do you have for my website?

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What suggestions do you have for my website?

 

 

 

 

  1. Go to Google
  2. Search for “how should I backup my data”, “what’s the best way to work remotely”, or “how many servers does my office need”
  3. Search for “it support phoenix” (or better yet, go to maps.google.com, which is where a lot of people go when looking for a specific geographic area, and do that same search)

Like your business, more than ever people find us, contact us, and do business with us as a direct result of internet search engines. On the ...

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2
FEB
0

Categories: Ask the IT Expert, Social Media

What does “the cloud” mean for my firm?

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What does “the cloud” mean for my firm?

With over 300 days of sunshine per year, no major city in the country has fewer cloudy days than Phoenix. Despite the sunny weather, it’s impossible these days to avoid the latest technology buzz word – “the cloud.” Cloud computing refers to storing data or running applications from remote or “hosted” servers which are accessed via your (hopefully) high speed internet connection.

Beyond the fluffy white imagery, there is real-world appeal to the cloud. The promise of paying a simple monthly ...

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2
FEB
0

Categories: Ask the IT Expert

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How do I avoid computer problems?

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How do I avoid computer problems?

Tension and drama make for excellent movies and television, but bad business technology. While it is impossible to eliminate all computer problems, it is fairly straightforward to minimize the occurrence of problems by:

  1. Regularly reviewing and eliminating root cause issues
  2. Maintaining and executing a methodical plan to keep your technology current 

Root Problem Elimination

The cost of choosing to live with a recurring issue is almost always far more expensive than eliminating the problem in the first place. You wouldn’t “just accept” recurring minor ...

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2
FEB
0

Categories: Ask the IT Expert, Tips and Tricks

How do I Manage Telecommuter Employees?

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How do I Manage Telecommuter Employees?

Telecommuting is a fancy word for allowing employees to work from home, in remote offices, or while on the road. While this is not a new concept, advancements in remote access technology and security have made it very affordable and easy for any size firm. Telecommuting has grown at a steady 3% per year for more than 15 years. 

Why would a business want to do implement telecommuting as an option? Some firms are being forced to because they’ve run out ...

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9
JAN
0

Categories: Ask the IT Expert, Communication

How Much Internet Bandwidth Does My Office Need?

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High-speed internet has opened up a world of possibilities. Like many of you, my family enjoys Netflix streaming at home. This service would be impossible if a standard developed in the mid 80s, the T1, was still the industry benchmark for high bandwidth. This is 2011. From court or tax e-filing to e-mail to online research your office increasingly depends on your internet connection.

I’m sure you regularly review your internet connection options to take advantage of the continual evolution of service ...

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12
SEP
0

Categories: Ask the IT Expert, Communication

Tags: , , , ,

What’s the difference between a “file backup” and an “image backup” and why should I care?

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What’s the difference between a “file backup” and an “image backup” and why should I care?

Everyone has heard of Murphy’s Law (“whatever can go wrong, will go wrong”). What most people don’t know is that Murphy was a Data Backup Administrator. Files are accidentally deleted. Equipment gets stolen. Pipes burst and floods occur. Fire destroys. Hardware fails. Various degrees of disaster are inevitable and your business depends upon your ability to quickly and gracefully “bounce back”.

All too often, system backups are given insufficient focus in a business network, because the backup part in and of ...

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12
SEP
0

Categories: Ask the IT Expert, Backup & Disaster Recovery

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How many servers does my firm really need?

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If the servers at your firm outnumber your people, you likely have way too many.  If your firm is expanding, a single server may no longer be enough.  Perhaps you would prefer to retire all your servers and run your practice through the “cloud.”  In any case, it makes sense on a periodic basis to review your server architecture to ensure it is engineered to meet the needs of the firm.

Naturally, folks in the IT field love to work with ...

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15
JUL
0

Categories: Ask the IT Expert

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