We are excited to announce that we will be exhibiting at this year’s Corridor Nine Business Expo.
Come and Join us on April 4th, 2018 at the DoubleTree Hotel in Westborough, MA. It is free to attend!
April 4th, 2018
4:00 to 8:00 p.m.
DoubleTree Hotel 01581
5400 Computer Drive
Westborough, MA
Free to attend!
By Anna D, Client Relationship Manager, Bryley Systems
Choosing which Windows operating system (OS) to install on your computer is not child’s play.
I know, because as the Bryley Systems’ Client Relationship Manager, I have this conversation with clients over and over again, especially when clients are purchasing new computers.
Here’s what I recommend.
If you are purchasing new computers for your organization, you should seriously consider installing Windows 10.
Some clients want to install Windows 7, perhaps because they’re familiar with it. However, Windows 7 has a relatively short lifespan. It will be at “end of life” on January 14th, 2020. This means that Microsoft will no longer be providing security updates for that operating system, in which case your computer will be more susceptible to viruses and your organization will not be compliant. In 3 years, you will have to upgrade that operating system. An upgrade involves labor costs, software licensing, and employee downtime. Not the best idea.
What about Windows 8? Good question. Windows 8 was the operating system that Microsoft “abandoned,” probably because it was not well received. Windows 8 was only around for 3 years, making it one of the most short-lived operating system licenses that Microsoft has ever released. What’s more, many distributors are not stocking their inventory with computers that have Windows 8 or 8.1 pre-installed. That’s a problem.
That brings us to Windows 10, which is definitely my recommendation. Of course, prior to installing Windows 10, you need to find out if all of your applications are compatible with this newest operating system. We can help you make that determination.
Transitioning to a new operating system isn’t always easy, but it is a best practice and we can guide you through the process. For more information, please call Bryley Systems at 978-562-6077 or toll free at 844-449-8770. Of course, you can also email us at ITExperts@Bryley.com.
What would happen to your organization if plant production was taken to a halt? How would you get it back up and running? Or, could you?
Whether the disaster is caused by mother nature, a human error, a cyber-attack of some sort (and yes, there are many types), it can wreak havoc on your organization – it can even take the company down to its knees. Each moment of downtime equates to lost dollars and lost customer satisfaction. Manufacturing firms have to effectively ensure that production and distribution is consistent.
Technology is used throughout manufacturing in many ways – to store data, run automated machinery on the plant floor, track inventory and support distribution. Your technology is intertwined with your business processes and if you suddenly weren’t able to use those processes, it could be a catastrophic situation.
Halt in Production. Complex automated equipment and inventory tracking are just two processes that are severely influenced during a disaster. Do you have a recovery plan in place for a worst-case scenario? Production logistics may be the most challenging area to recuperate, but having a strong backup and disaster recovery (BU/DR) plan safeguards data and allows for immediate access to mission-critical applications.
Whether your organization experiences a cyber-attack, or even a power outage that shuts down productivity for several hours, all of your applications used to run the automated machinery will not work because the system cannot connect to the network. Depending on the size of your plant(s), you could be facing up to millions of dollars in lost revenue and customer reimbursement.
BU/DR To The Rescue. If your senior management team turned to a BU/DR expert – like Bryley Systems – to assess the possible vulnerabilities associated with an outage and developed a proactive plan to recover and access data, your BU/DR provider would be able to access your data and apps to get your operations back up and running with a minimum amount of downtime.
Halt in Distribution. Downtime is never acceptable when it comes to distribution. All schedules must be strictly followed to satisfy delivery expectations. Customers don’t care if your warehouse floods. They want to receive their order on time. Logistics management utilizes computerized tracking and ERP systems to understand how many products are stored and where they are at any given time to enhance product readiness and customer fulfillment.
Imagine this scenario – you work as an IT Director for a large New England pharmaceutical manufacturing company. Your network is more vulnerable to external hacker attempts simply due to the size of your business and the value of your data. All of a sudden, your systems are corrupted with vicious malware and the entire database is inaccessible. To continue operations at your normal efficiency level and avoid downtime, your backup and recovery disaster plan kicks in to eliminate the malware and restore your plant data to where it was before the attack. Investing in a custom BU/DR plan serves as disaster protection ensuring your ability to move products to their destination.
The key to effective disaster recovery is planning ahead. Partnering with a BU/DR professional to support your critical infrastructure and resources adds additional layers of security and communication. When unexpected disasters strike, your recovery strategy will be there to save the day by restoring your data and reducing your downtime.
Isn’t the survival and security of your manufacturing organization worth the investment of BU/DR? Our team of experts will help you navigate through this process and implement the most effective BU/DR tailored to your environment and budget. Contact us at 978-562-6077, or by email at ITExperts@Bryley.com to learn more. We are here to help.
Learn on how Managed IT Services can help your business.
Discover the best IT Company suited for your business.
Here’s a new ‘holiday’ we should all osbserve – it’s called National Clean Up Your Computer Day which is celebrated on the second Monday in February.
Ok, you may be thinking, really??
Technology was designed to make our lives easier and more efficient, but it can only do that if it’s maintained. Files and programs that are unused on your PC can clog the memory. Over time, your computer will slow down, and performance will be sluggish.
Taking the time out of a busy day to look at your files and programs may actually save you time later on and improve your efficiency.
Do you eat on or near your computer? If so, crumbs may have inadvertently fallen underneath them and could be impeding their function. Once a month, turn the keyboard upside down and gently shake it to remove the bigger crumbs. If the keys are still sticking, use a can of compressed air to gently remove the dust and other debris that is out of reach. Don’t forget to disinfect the keys! This can be performed using a Q-Tip, or other cotton swab, and some rubbing alcohol. Make sure you do not saturate the Q-Tip as you only want the alcohol to go on the keyboard surface, not inside!1
If you notice a drop in speed, and you have a SETA drive (one that spins, not an SSD drive) it may be time to defrag your computer. Fragmentation occurs when there is not enough contiguous space to hold the complete file. An algorithm is then used to break that data so that it fits into the available space.2 The slowness is caused upon retrieval; the computer must search the entire hard drive to find all the pieces of the data or file. “When you defrag your computer you not only increase the speed of the computer but you also keep your hard drive healthy and extend its lifespan. The wear and tear of fragmentation will eventually shorten its life but with proper maintenance you keep it running smooth and steady.”3 The general rule of thumb is to defrag when your disk is more than 10% fragmented.4 The frequency of running a defrag depends upon the usage of the computer. If the machine’s main duties are for general use (web browsing, email, games, etc.), completing a defrag every month is recommended. If you use it more often (8 hours per day), it should be performed roughly every two weeks. It is important to know that a defrag may take a few hours to complete so it is best to perform this overnight. Just make sure energy-saving features such as a screen saver are temporarily turned off as this may cause the defragmentor to stop and restart the process.5 Make it easy and set up an automatic defrag schedule.
Take regular stock of what is housed on your computer. If you have files that you haven’t touched in months or even years and are not necessary to keep, delete them from your computer. Having too many files will slow your machine as it needs to sort through them all when conducting a search.
Similar to files that you haven’t opened in a long time, go through your programs and delete ones that you have not used. Maybe this will give you the added push to learn that software you downloaded months ago, but never pursued.
While keeping files on the desktop can make files easier to find, but can quickly become overwhelming and inefficient. The last thing you want to do is to be rifling through icons looking for that one document. Instead, place them in subfolders within “My Documents.” By creating a file system, it will be easier to find the folders and will take up less space on your hard drive. Additionally, files on the desktop are not as protected as those in “My Documents” or “My Pictures. “For instance, if you use System Restore to return Windows to its state as of last Wednesday, the feature will remove any files added to the desktop since that date. The files in My Documents will be left untouched.”6
Similar to cleaning your desktop, it is recommended that you regularly check your browswer applications to see if there’s any that can be removed. This will streamline your browser and lower the demands on the hard drive.
Just because your system appears to be running well, doesn’t mean you should ignore system updates. “Staying current on updates will not only keep your computer running well today, it will fend off unforeseen problems tomorrow.”7
By performing these tasks regularly, you will be able to extend the life of your hard drive, and be more efficient. There’s nothing worse than replacing a device far sooner than you expected because preventative care measures weren’t taken.
References:
1 http://www.popsci.com/clean-your-keyboard-without-breaking-it#page-5. Maldarelli, Claire. Popular Science. 10 March 2017.
2 https://www.techopedia.com/definition/14331/defragmentation
3 http://www.toptenreviews.com/software/articles/defragmentation-keeping-your-hard-drive-happy/
4 https://www.lifewire.com/how-often-should-you-defrag-3976922
5 https://www.bullguard.com/blog/2017/04/pc-spring-cleaning-9-easy-steps-to-make-your-old-pc-run-like-new-again?lang=en-IN
6 http://www.pcworld.com/article/2110003/the-pros-and-cons-mostly-cons-of-saving-files-to-the-desktop.html
7 http://time.com/3841939/computer-clean/
by A. Baker
February 14th is Valentine’s Day! A day devoted to celebrating relationships between people. A day on which we at Bryley Systems like to reflect on the importance of establishing personal relationships with our clients.
After all, trust is the keystone of everything we do as a managed IT/Cloud service provider (MSP). Without trust, our entire relationship with our clients would fall apart. That is why we thought we would take time as Valentine’s Day approaches to comment on the importance of establishing a personal relationship with your MSP, and provide a few thoughts on how to go about doing so.
Think for a moment about your current MSP and your relationship with them. Are you “feeling the love” from your MSP? Do they respond to your requests in a timely manner? Do they really understand your organization’s infrastructure and goals?
If not, read on…
A Healthy Relationship with your MSP is Key to your Organization’s Ongoing Success!
The benefit of outsourcing part or all of your IT/Cloud infrastructure’s needs is to remove those tasks and worries so that your organization can focus on your clients. The cornerstone of maximizing the business value and benefit of your Managed IT/Cloud Service Provider (MSP) is to ensure that the relationship between your organization and your service provider is carefully designed, proactively supported, and jointly managed. Here are a few pointers for building and maintaining a great relationship with your current or prospective MSP partner:
Organizations should spend time with their MSP. Organizations should involve their MSP in discussions and give them access to as much information as possible, without violating any commercial, data, or security policies. Relationships are developed between people and that’s why it’s important to designate a person (or two) to be the key point-of-contact for a variety of reasons: open/create tickets, make phone calls/communicate needs or requests to your MSP, and oversee the relationship in general.
Having regularly scheduled meetings with key people from your MSP is always a good idea. During these meetings, it is important to involve your MSP in your organization’s business plans and to get their input on strategic decisions related to IT/Cloud. With this level of insight, all parties can better understand the bigger picture and contribute to the shared, long-term goals of your organization. A discussion of your organization’s business and technology needs can establish a roadmap for future projects. The creation of that roadmap can, in turn, flow into a conversation around budget planning.
An effective MSP will understand the unique demands, business cycles, and priorities of your organization. Essentially, MSPs want to do a good job but they aren’t always engaged by their client in a way that allows for that. Only when an MSP has that level of information and engagement and everyone works together optimally; enhancing the likelihood your business goals are achieved.
Trust. Your MSP should have a lot of experience in dealing with a range of vendors and products, so they are in the best position to provide you with a solution tailored to your needs. Communicate your needs, and then let them do what they do best – manage IT. Entrusting your IT to an MSP requires some effort, but it may very well be one of the best business decisions you’ll ever make.
By considering these elements, organizations like yours will have the foundation for a genuine partnership that, with the right access, ongoing conversations, and collaboration, can make a positive difference to the success of your organization.
Why Outsource to an MSP?
How do we “show the love” to our clients?
Need an MSP that you can trust? Call Bryley Systems.
Bryley Systems has over 30 years of experience taking the worry off of our clients’ shoulders and effectively managing IT environments at a predictable cost.
For more information about Bryley’s full array of Managed IT Services, please contact us at 978.562.6077 or by email at ITExperts@Bryley.com. We are here for you.
Learn on how Managed IT Services can help your business.
Discover the best IT Company suited for your business.
Tuesday, February 6th is Safer Internet Day. Being observed on the first Tuesday in February, what started out as a campaign to raise awareness about Internet safety is now celebrated in over 100 countries worldwide.
With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, many of us will go online for gifts such as flowers, candy, cute stuffed animals, a book, perhaps a gift card to a store or restaurant – whatever the choice may be, will you be shopping securely? Online shopping is very convenient.
You can click here and there and order whatever product you desire and have it delivered to your front door. You can compare pricing, look for deals, compare products, and it all can be done quickly and in the convenience of your own home, any time, night or day. The downfall? Wherever there is money and users to be found, there are malicious hackers roaming around.
Use familiar web sites. You need to be aware of the safer online shops, like Amazon. One tactic favored by malicious hackers is to set up their own fake shopping websites. Fake websites can either infect you the moment you arrive on them by way of malicious code. However, the most dangerous aspect you should be concerned about is the checkout process. Completing a checkout process will give cybercriminals your most important information: credit card data (including security number), name, and address. This opens you up to credit card fraud or social engineering attacks.
What are some key things to be aware of as you’re shopping? “Sticking with popular brands is as good as any advice when shopping online. Not only do you know what you’re getting by way of quality and price, but you also feel more confident that these well-established names have in place robust security measures. Their efforts can be quite remarkable, as researchers at Google and the University of San Diego found last year.”1
A few things to be aware of:
The old adage “if it seems too good to be true, it probably is,” rings true in this case, and it’s best to steer clear of these sites.
Use Secure Connections. Wi-Fi has some serious limitations in terms of security. Unsecured connections allow hackers to intercept your traffic and see everything you are doing on an online shop. This includes checkout information, passwords, emails, addresses, etc.
Before You Buy Online…
Access secure shopping sites that protect your information. If you want to purchase from a website, make sure it has SSL (secure sockets layer) encryption installed. The site should start with https:// and you should notice the lock symbol is in the address bar at the top.
Update your browser, antivirus and operating system. One of the more frequent causes of malware is unpatched software. Online shoppers are most at risk due to the sensitive information involved. At a minimum, make sure you have an updated browser when you are purchasing online. This will help secure your cookies and cache, while preventing a data leakage. You’ll probably fuss over having to constantly update your software because it can be a time consuming operation, but remember the benefits.
Always be aware of your bank statement. Malicious hackers are typically looking for credit card data, and online shops are the best place for them to get their hands on such information. Often times, companies get hacked and their information falls into the hands of cybercriminals.
For this reason, it’s a good habit to review your bank account and check up on any suspicious activity.
“Don’t wait for your bill to come at the end of the month. Go online regularly and look at electronic statements for your credit card, debit card, and checking accounts. Make sure you don’t see any fraudulent charges, even originating from sites like PayPal. If you do see something wrong, pick up the phone to address the matter quickly. In the case of credit cards, pay the bill only once you know all your charges are accurate. You have 30 days to notify the bank or card issuer of problems.”2
Using a credit card vs. a debit card is safer. Credit cards have additional legal defenses built in that make them safer to purchase online compared to debit cards. With credit cards, you aren’t liable if you are a victim of a fraudulent transaction, so long as you report the fraud in a timely manner. Secondly, credit cards give you leverage when it comes to disputing transactions with a seller. If you pay with a debit card, you can’t get your money back unless the seller agrees to it. With credit cards, the money you paid for a product isn’t counted against you until due process is complete, debit card holders however can only get their money back after this step. Ultimately, banks are much more protective of credit cards since it’s their money on the line, not yours.
Additional tips for safety:
Use antivirus protection. The most frequent tip on how to be safe online is to use a good antivirus tool. It will keep you safe against known malware. ”Before you begin shopping, outfit your phone or tablet with mobile security software. Look for a product that scans apps for viruses and spyware, blocks shady websites, provides lost-device protection and offers automatic updates.”3
Do not purchase from spam or phishing emails. A phishing email with a fake offer for a desirable product is a hard thing to resist for many shoppers, so they make an impulsive decision and click on the “Order Product” or “Buy Now”, and that’s when the malware attack starts. A phishing email is not like a standard email. The cybercriminal simply wants your click, and nothing else. The Unsubscribe button won’t stop the email spam. The best solution in these cases is for you to simply mark the email as spam, this will remove the mail from your inbox and block the sender from sending more spam.
Keep a record of your transactions. If you are a frequent online shopper, it may be difficult to remember from which site you bought a certain product. So, write it down: what you bought, when and from what website. Compare your spending details with the banking records from your online banking account, keep track of which websites you use for shopping and buying stuff online.
Hold on to your receipts and destroy them when you no longer need them. Keep the receipt for your purchase, just in case you need to confirm it again, as well as for warranty and return issues. If you want to get rid of receipt, make sure to destroy it completely, so that any possible identity thief won’t be able to find any information about you.
Don’t give out more private information than you need to. ”In order to shop online you need to provide two types of information: payment information, such as credit card data, and shipping location, which is usually your home or work address. Be suspicious of online shops that ask for information such as: date of birth, social security number or any other similar information. They don’t need it in order to sell you things.”4
Don’t keep too much information on your smartphone. These days, everybody stores a lot of important personal information on their phone, and most of us rarely take the time to secure them. These devices are now much less about calling people, and more about photos, social media, etc. Increasingly, people shop online using their smartphone, but this carries its own risks. Fake online shops can infect your smartphone with malware, and then have access to information such as phone numbers, notes, photos, and even app contents. Be careful what information you store on your smartphone.
“Safer Internet Day is a great reminder that Internet security is something that needs constant vigilance. It’s also a great reminder that a lot of bad things can happen on the Internet if you don’t properly take precautions against them. With that in mind, be sure to have a safe and happy Safer Internet Day.”5
References:
1 https://www.welivesecurity.com – ESET Security Forum
2 https://www.pcmag.com
3 http://www.trendmicro.co.uk/home/internet-safety-for-kids/smart-mobile-tips-for-online-shopping/ – TrendMicro
4 https://bettermoneyhabits.bankofamerica.com/
5 http://www.holidayscalendar.com/event/safer-internet-day/
https://staysafeonline.org – Powered by National Cyber Security Alliance
https://www.americanbar.org – American Bar Association
https://www.foxnews.com
https://www.usatoday.com
Let security and confidentiality be your watchwords!
When it comes to safeguarding your CPA firm’s confidential data, there is zero tolerance for risk. CPAs rely upon various forms of technology to gather data – whether it is a tax return or an independent audit.
CPA firms have made great strides by implementing such technology as electronic data management systems, client portals, and cloud-computing systems. However, records maintained by CPA firms must remain confidential because of professional standards, statutes, and regulations governing record retention. Data breaches can happen in numerous ways, including the following: fraud, hacking, improper disposal of data, or even a lost or stolen device.
A CPA firm will need their IT department (or an outsourced Managed IT Services vendor) to implement and maintain a comprehensive list of data and network security controls. It is helpful to understand the basics:
Perimeter security. This first line of defense includes firewall and intrusion detection systems, in addition to intrusion prevention systems. These should be configured with appropriate restrictions to block and filter both incoming and outgoing Internet traffic.
Endpoint security. Endpoint security requires each computing device on a corporate network to comply with established standards before network access is granted. These measures protect the servers and workstations and include safeguards such as administrative access limitations and anti-virus protection.
Network monitoring. Part of the control environment should include a frequent and ongoing monitoring program for all IT systems.
What We Do
Comprehensive Support Program™ (CSP) — Bryley provides ongoing, proactive maintenance and remediation support to ensure a stable, highly-available computer network. Our most-popular Comprehensive Support Program (CSP) consolidates all end-user devices (mobile and desktop), servers, and computer-network equipment issues into one, Bryley-managed, fixed-fee program. Among the many services delivered under the Managed IT umbrella, Bryley installs and manages all software updates and patches.
Secure Network™ (SN) – An ongoing, managed-IT service that prevents intrusion, malware, and spam from entering the computer network through its Internet gateway and can restrict web-site surfing to inappropriate sites.
Multi-Point Security Hardening Service™ (MPSHS) – A periodic review to harden your computer-network security by reviewing/updating policies and configurations and testing. With this program, Bryley Systems can help your organization comply with the technical aspects of Massachusetts 201 CMR 17.00.
If you are looking for a business partner to help you navigate the ever-changing technology and cybersecurity landscape, we’re here for you. For more information about Bryley’s full array of Managed IT Services, Managed Cloud Services, and Cybersecurity Services please contact us at 978.562.6077 or by email at ITExperts@Bryley.com.
Have you ever had trouble receiving email from someone, even after you have added their address to your email filter’s allow list or whitelist? In some instances you may be able to solve this problem simply by adding the domain from the contact’s email address to your allow list, rather than adding their entire address. If you aren’t entirely sure how to identify the domain in an email address, don’t worry, we will cover first. Then we will take a look at when and why this might work.
Every email address is composed of two major components, the User Identifier and the domain. If we take the address Support@Bryley.com for example, we have the User Identifier “Support,” and the domain “Bryley.com.” Essentially, everything that comes before the @ symbol is part of the User Identifier, and everything that follows the @ symbol is part of the domain.
The problem is that some email systems generate a unique User Identifier every time a user sends an email. As a result, instead of the address Support@Bryley.com, you might see Support+id245789@Bryley.com, where “245789” is a computer generated set of numbers added to the User Identifier every time a user sends a new email. The domain, on the other hand, will remain the same, making it a more reliable means of identifying email coming from a particular source.
There are two major reasons why email systems might create unique User Identifiers. The first is to allow a large number of users to send email through a single system without each user having to have their own dedicated email address. For instance, this is extremely common within help desks at large companies as it remove the need for each staff member to have a separate email address dedicated for that purpose. Instead, unique addresses are created on the fly as needed, and expire once they are no longer necessary.
The second is that it allows an end user to communicate with someone they don’t know without having to expose their actual email address. This effectively creates a buffer between the users email address and various sources of unwanted email.
For instance, when signing up for an online mailing a user can create what is effectively a one-off email address, unique for that purpose. That way, if they no longer wish to receive that mailing at some point, the user can simply delete that unique address, rather than relying on the unsubscribe system of that service.
In addition, if an organization were to abuse a unique address given to them by a user, it would become obvious who the offending party was, as no one else would have that unique address. As a result, the ability to create unique email address is catching on within email security solutions. For instances, this is an option available within Sophos Reflexion, the email security solution deployed by Bryley Systems.
In general, however, these systems will not modify the domain a user is sending from. As a result, if you trust the contact’s organization, adding only their domain to your email filter’s allow list should allow you to receive email from them, even if their User Identifier changes regularly.
There is no crystal ball for an IT manager to look at to accurately predict when a server will need to be replaced, but there are some general guidelines you should observe to ensure that this critical piece of equipment is running properly.
A server refresh cycle is the length of time that typically passes between installations of new servers. Generally, the refresh cycle averages 3 to 5 years. Replacing your server will allow your organization to deploy updated equipment intended to improve reliability, enable new capabilities and save money in the long term.
Here are a few things to keep in mind:
Is your equipment more than 3+ years old? If your server is three years old (or more), you should seriously consider replacing it. Your reaction may be “I just bought it”. You may be tempted to try to squeeze a little more life out of it. You definitely could do that – perhaps you already have, but the reason you want to replace a server after three years isn’t just to avoid a potential server outage.
According to IDC, “the moment your server hits its fourth birthday, support costs raise by approximately 40%. Your users often won’t report the troubles they’re having with your slow server – employees are notorious for working around these issues.” 1
If a process takes much longer than it is supposed to, lost productivity costs your organization money and that lost time adds up.
Warranty. Your server should never outlast the warranty it came with. The reason you will want to replace your server after the warranty runs out is that if it crashes, you will be able to get it fixed or replaced. At the point in which the manufacturer is not going to do this, you should take this as a sign that your server may have reached its use-by date. If your server has a very high workload, it may limit its lifespan.
When you’re choosing your new server warranty, they often come with different support levels to fit your needs. Typically, it covers replacement parts and an on-site tech to replace those parts.
Hardware Support. When you’re considering replacing your server, you should check to see if it is still being manufactured. If your server is still in production, that’s the first piece of good news. If something breaks, it won’t be that hard to find replacement parts.
If it’s no longer being built, hardware issues may be difficult to fix. The parts you may get are going to be more expensive, possibly second-hand, and may take a while to get to you. That’s why if your server is out of production, it’s good to make sure you shelve it as well. That way you won’t be hit as hard by hardware failure. Much like with a warranty, if your manufacturer has decided to shelve the server, it’s likely you should too.
Your Server Has Issues. Oftentimes people try ignoring a temperamental server instead of just replacing it. The longer you ignore it, the worse it will get, and you put your organization at risk if it completely shuts down. There are some things that can’t be fixed no matter how many parts you replace.
You Need More from Your Server. Growing organizations place higher demands on their servers. When use of your server reaches 70% of maximum, or drive space is running low, you’re going to see a drop in server performance. This is where virtualization can come in handy. If you have two or more servers – or you suddenly have the need for them, you can purchase one really good server and run virtual machines off it. Since you can scale virtual machines to your needs, this means you can change your infrastructure to fit your growing business needs. If your organization is expanding with new locations, it’s time to consider upgrading your server.
Your organization’s server hardware is there to support your operating system and applications that you’re running off it. If you are barely running Windows Server 2008 properly, then it won’t handle moving to 2012 or 2016. When you’re upgrading your operating system, it is the perfect time to upgrade your server as well. This effort will take some planning and additional work, but doing it in a phased-approach is much easier.
Before deciding whether or not to upgrade your datacenter servers or virtualize your environment, talk to Bryley Systems. Our team of experts will help you navigate through this process and the important decisions including determining how to size your physical or virtual server hardware for the workloads that you are planning to put on it. Contact us at 978-562-6077, or by email at ITExperts@Bryley.com to learn more. We are here to help.
References:
1 – IDC
Tech Target
Business Technology News
UPS stands for uninterruptible power supply. This electrical device is meant to provide a power supply in the event of a power outage or when the power input fails.
Power outages can result from electrical poles being damaged by storms, traffic accidents, fire, flood and other disasters. Faults in the grid or power plant can also cause blackouts. We cope with these inconveniences but our computers, unfortunately, just are not hardwired to cope with them in the same way. Sudden power loss during data transfers can be damaging making the hard drive inaccessible.
Computers can be fragile pieces of machinery. Severe damage can occur with a sudden power outage or fluctuation. Components in a computer such as a hard drive can be affected and data can even get lost when power goes off and you have not properly shut down your computer. It is especially damaging to the computer’s hard drive when there is power interruption. When power is suddenly cut off, your hard drive spins down without being shut down properly. When power comes back and you restart, you may find that much of your work has been lost. When power is restored, it is often accompanied by fluctuations which may turn your computer off again. Hard drives can only take so much, and in some cases, computers can be destroyed. To protect your computer’s hard drive from these unfortunate scenarios, you need to plug your computer into an electrical device called a UPS system.
Right at the moment of a power blackout, these handy devices will act as a battery backup power supply which will automatically provide power to your computer for enough time to allow you to save your data and properly shut down your computer.
Because the circuit in this power device continuously monitors the voltage, it can sense surges, spikes and outages. When the UPS senses an electrical problem, it switches to AC power which is generated by a battery which provides you with protection.
Ultimately, a UPS backup battery gives you peace of mind while working. You won’t have to cringe when a thunderstorm rolls through, wondering if it would be better to simply power down your machine and wait it out. In addition, you won’t have those fears in the back of your mind that a power blackout may instantly cut off your work, wasting your time and efforts, and even worse, destroy your computer.
Remember, having a plan and being prepared is your first line of defense. If you would like more information about emergency power outage strategies please contact us at 978.562.6077or by email at ITExperts@Bryley.com. We are here to help.
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