Business Solutions & Software Group Blog

When you think about technology maintenance, how often do you tend to address issues with your infrastructure? Do you wait for something to go wrong before addressing it? If so, you are going about technology maintenance all wrong. When you take this break-fix approach to your IT infrastructure, you run the risk of serious complications that could result in expensive downtime and costly repairs.

Chances are, you’ve at least heard the term firewall before. A fairly recent term, it was first used as a computing term in the 1983 movie WarGames before it was ever introduced into mainstream computing. Thanks Matthew Broderick! Since then, the term has expanded and grown to include a variety of approaches. Let’s dig into what a firewall does, as far as each of the various types are concerned.

The telephone may have once been the dominant form of communication for the office, but video conferencing has quickly overtaken it and become one of, if not the most popular ways for remote and hybrid workplaces to communicate. We think there is a certain value in looking at the many opportunities businesses have to improve their video conferencing solution, so let’s dive into some of the best features you should look for!

Android applications will be available on Windows 11, a concept that many users are looking forward to. However, there are quite a few terms and conditions that apply. How will this integration work, and can you expect it to be as neat as it sounds? Maybe… or maybe not. Let’s take a look.

Businesses use software throughout their day-to-day operations, but you might have different needs from, let’s say, the small business down the block from you. Even though all businesses have different necessities in terms of software, there are some solutions that are universally helpful for just about any company looking to improve their operations. Let’s take a look at some of them.

With the news that Windows 11 will be released sometime this year, many users are looking to implement new hardware that supports it. However, we want you users of Windows 8.1 to know that we have not forgotten about you; with Windows 8.1’s end-of-life event in 2023 creeping up, we thought we’d focus a bit on how your company can start taking steps to move away from this operating system before it’s too late.

When it comes to network security, there are a lot of complex solutions that solve multi-faceted issues, some so mind-boggling in scope that it is simply overwhelming. Then there are the small-scale solutions that you can implement on a day-to-day basis that can make significant changes over time. Locking your computer is one of these tactics, and it should not be overlooked in your security strategy.

Despite Microsoft’s comments several years back, Windows 10 is indeed not the final iteration of Windows. Microsoft has officially let the cat out of the bag with Windows 11, the latest in its line of PC operating systems. We urge your business to consider the minimum requirements for upgrading to Windows 11 now while Windows 10 is still supported. Let’s take a look at the system specifications and requirements for Windows 11.

Productivity is of critical importance for businesses, but with the COVID-19 pandemic still ongoing, there are many professionals who are still stuck in crisis control mode and struggling to keep revenue coming in. Let’s take a look at how businesses have been able to make it thus far, despite the circumstances, and how technology has helped to shape the trajectory of this movement.

One of the biggest ways that companies can take advantage of technology in the modern workplace is to utilize what is called virtualization, a process that makes aspects of their infrastructures more accessible. Let’s go over what exactly virtualization is, how businesses can benefit from it, and some examples of how you might use it.

With so many costs of running a company, business owners have a lot to consider, especially when it comes to mobile devices and other remote technology. Many are opting to allow their employees to bring their own devices to the workplace in an attempt to save on these costs. While this practice can be an incredible benefit for some organizations, it also presents a considerable risk to those who don’t actively manage potential problems. 

With the COVID-19 pandemic came many organizations who were forced, at the turn of a hat, to transition to remote work rather than in-office operations. While this came with many twists and turns, ultimately, businesses managed to figure it out in the end, and it’s all thanks to remote technology. Unfortunately, one of the biggest pitfalls of working remotely—security—still plagues many organizations.

Any business owner responsible for drafting documents to explain processes or procedures knows that images can aid in this goal, giving your users a way to fully understand where to click and what to do. For Windows 10 users, there is a great feature built right into the operating system that lets you take screenshots, and we’re not just talking about the Prt Sc key. In fact, this proposed solution is more dynamic than that key could ever be.

Owner who takes their craft seriously has a telephone solution of some sort, even if it is just your traditional landline. But what if we told you that there is a much more dynamic, more flexible solution that offers all of the same features without the headaches associated with landlines? A Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) solution might be just what you need to revolutionize your communication infrastructure.

Spam filtering is great for keeping dangerous or wasteful messages from clogging up your inbox, but at the same time, there can be times when legitimate emails get flagged and sectioned off by accident. This is especially pertinent to business owners who do frequent outreach to vendors and valued customers. Here are some reasons your messages might get flagged as spam, as well as what you can do about it.

Would you believe us if we told you that the maps we have grown up looking at are remarkably skewed? That pull-down map in the front of every elementary school classroom probably wasn’t to scale, for one reason or another. Modern technology can make it possible for hackers to skew satellite imaging, and this could very well be used in the cybercrime avenue in the future. The developing technology of deepfake images could bring about a whole new type of threat.

Communication tools are one of the cornerstones of any successful office. While you surely leverage certain communication tools, there are others on the market that might be great investments for your organization. Let’s examine some of the many business communication solutions that your company can leverage to its advantage.

For companies that depend on their computing, the workstation plays an important role. The problem with them is that spending big money on computers that are used for general productivity is not cost effective, but if they don’t have the computing power needed to successfully run the software that your company uses, they won’t do you any good. Today, we will talk a bit about hardware considerations you will need to make when choosing workstation hardware, and the cloud-hosted options that may be a good option for your business. 

When you see the words “artificial intelligence,” what runs through your mind? Some imagine warehouses full of machines pulling items from shelves for order fulfillment, whereas others imagine server rooms operating at maximum capacity. The truth of the matter is that both of these scenarios are correct, depending on the type of organization and industry you’re talking about. Let’s take a look at how artificial intelligence can cut costs, improve operations, and eliminate unnecessary or repetitive tasks for the small business.

No matter how new a device is, the unfortunate truth is that it will not last forever. Eventually, you will need to replace your device; the question then becomes what you do with your old technology. While you could just throw it in the trash, this is not only wasteful but also a security risk. In order to protect both your personal data and the environment, you must go through the proper channels to make sure that e-waste gets properly disposed of.