IP Cameras There are many reasons that you may decide that a surveillance camera is a good investment for your business or organization. A camera can be your eyes in difficult to see places like back hallways and entrances. A camera can provide video documentation of comings and goings for places like construction sites, server [...]
5 Essential Keys to Successful IT Projects
December 31, 20055 Essential Keys to Successful IT Projects reprinted with permission from the HP Small Business Center Despite being a hot topic in business for many years, the truth is that project management still isn’t well understood among many businesses. And the success rate of projects appears to be lower than ever. According to The Standish [...]
Desktop or Workstation – Which do you need?
December 31, 2005Desktop or Workstation – Which do you need? reprinted with permission from the HP Small Business Center Workstations are more accessible and more flexible than ever, but do you need that kind of power? How exactly do workstations differ from traditional desktops? Who uses workstations, and what benefits do they offer? Who uses workstations? Workstations [...]
How Strong Are Your Passwords?
December 31, 2005How Strong Are Your Passwords? by Mike Gonsalves, StrategicFusion Most people don’t realize that computer security starts with them. An easy way to hold off trouble is to use strong passwords that you change every so often. What is a strong Password? It is a password that is easily remembered by you, contains uppercase letters, [...]
Rid Your Business of Software Piracy: 7 Tips
December 31, 2005Rid Your Business of Software Piracy: 7 Tips by Monte Enbysk reprinted with permission from the Microsoft Small Business Center Pirates still roam freely in the ocean of software out there, but if your business is among the pirates, it could end up costing you literally and figuratively. You may very well be a smart, [...]
Success comes in cans!
December 31, 2005Success comes in cans! Used with permission of Joel H. Weldon & Associates, Inc. http://www.SuccessComesInCans.com Some said, “It can’t be done!” But “Success comes in CANS, not in cannots!” The first successful cast iron plow invented in the United States in 1797 was rejected by New Jersey farmers under the theory that cast iron poisoned [...]
What Does Your Desk Say About You?
December 31, 2005What Does Your Desk Say About You? reprinted with permission from the HP Small Business Center If you are sitting at your desk now, take a look around and ask yourself: "What is this desk saying about me?" For example, what messages does a three-day-old apple core send to your co-workers, or the photo of [...]
Taking the Pain out of Server Recovery
December 31, 2005Taking the Pain out of Server Recovery Introduction "Complete hardware failure" are three words no IT administrator ever wants to hear. That is because a complete hardware failure is one of the most common reasons for a server to go down — and to most admins, recovering a server is one of the most time-consuming [...]
Selecting a Backup Solution for Your Critical Information
December 31, 2005Selecting a Backup Solution for Your Critical Information A recent study conducted by Insight Express showed that 30% of IT managers estimated that their companies lose at least $10,000 in revenue and productivity after a server failure. For 85% of the respondents, recovering from a server failure takes two or more hours. The same survey, [...]
Business value of Social Media part 1: Online Networking
December 31, 2005Business value of Social Media part 1: online networking reprinted with permission from the HP Small Business Center If you could connect to the world’s business professionals, in the time it takes to check your email, wouldn’t you? Welcome to the world of online networking, where valuable business connections are made every day on social [...]
Business value of Social Media part 2: Blogging
December 31, 2005Business value of Social Media part 2: blogging reprinted with permission from the HP Small Business Center No doubt, you’ve heard the term web log, better known as blog, but you may not know how blogging can actually benefit your business. By definition, a blog is a website that hosts entries—or posts—of commentary, descriptions of [...]
Get up to $1,000 cash back on an HP printer
December 31, 2005Get up to $1,000 cash back on an HP printer reprinted with permission from the HP Small Business Center Are your current printing solutions just not cutting it anymore? As your business grows, so does the list of requirements for your printing solutions. The new HP Trade-in & Save Program makes it easy and affordable [...]
Cool Computer Tools to Make Your Life a Little Easier
December 31, 2005Cool Computer Tools to Make Your Life a Little Easier reprinted with permission from Applied Tech, Madison, WI Here’s a cool computer tool we’d like you to know about because it can save you time and money: PDF995 is simple to use FREE software that converts documents to PDF (Portable Document File) format. What is [...]
Jet Pilots Don’t Use Rear View Mirrors
December 31, 2005Jet Pilots Don’t Use Rear View Mirrors Because the world is changing rapidly, you need to look ahead, not back Used with permission of Joel H. Weldon & Associates, Inc. http://www.SuccessComesInCans.com Commercial jets cruise at about 600 miles per hour, which is the equivalent of ten miles per minute, or three-and-a-third city blocks per second. [...]
Why Laptop Design Matters
December 31, 2005Why Laptop Design Matters reprinted with permission from the HP Small Business Center In these difficult financial times, you need to make sure your technology purchases and partners are reliable and solid over the long haul. HP is the world leader in PC technology and our notebook PC portfolio is already well-known for its reliability [...]
The Threat Within
December 31, 2005The Threat Within Is Your Company Safe from Itself? Did you know the greatest information security threat facing your organization may be sitting in your office right now? This threat has the ability to bypass the physical and logical controls you’ve put in place to protect the perimeter of your network and has already obtained [...]
Strengthen Your Website
December 31, 2005Strengthen Your Website with Security and Service Web consumers have different requirements, motivations, and concerns than those of bricks and mortar shoppers. The news is flooded with stories of credit card fraud, identity theft, spoofing, hacking, and other forms of tampering and theft of information derived from online sales transactions, making many consumers wary of [...]
Steer Clear of Spyware
December 31, 2005Steer Clear of Spyware Spyware programs track and monitor Internet browser usage, secretly collecting your information to use for commercial purposes. If there is spyware on your computer, what you are doing and where you are going on the Internet is being transmitted to remote servers of third parties so they can display targeted advertisements [...]
Security For Ordinary PC Users
December 31, 2005Security For Ordinary PC Users Wendy Tate and Farida Ali of Dynamic Computer Corporation Most security articles are written for network administrators charged with the security and availability of corporate networks. As computers have become a pervasive tool in the office, however, they have begun to be an indispensable one at home as well. Around [...]
Where Laptops Have Been
December 31, 2005Do You Know Where Those Laptops Have Been? The rise of mobile devices and public wireless web access has increased workers’ productivity exponentially. But there’s a dark side to the trend: the increased security risks that come with linking to unprotected public networks. Dirty Deeds The chain of events that leads to a security breach [...]
Website Goals
December 31, 2005Setting Goals for Your Web Site So your business doesn’t have a Web site? Brace yourself for raised eyebrows and blank stares. Today, it seems like everybody has a Web site, whether it’s a small or a large business, an individual or an organization. Without a Web site, your business is missing out on a [...]
Web 2.0 World
December 31, 2005It’s a Web 2.0 World Just a few years ago, the Internet was primarily used for one-way interaction. Anyone with Internet access could go online and get information, products, or services they needed. Fast forward to 2007, and many Web users are now enjoying activities such as tagging, blogging, and podcasting. This more collaborative, two-way [...]
Vulnerability Management
December 31, 2005Vulnerability Management Are You Prepared for Hack Attacks? We’ve all heard the alarming stories about security breaches at data brokers, financial organizations and high-profile retail corporations, proving that even big companies with big IT budgets aren’t immune to data pilfering. These incidents raise an unsettling question: If thieves can victimize large, resource-rich organizations, wouldn’t hacking [...]
5 Tips and Tricks for Using Word for Business
December 31, 2005By Kim Komando Reprinted with permission from the Microsoft Small Business Center Most people don’t use every feature built-in with their software applications. We tend to pinpoint those we find helpful and call it a day. Here are five features within Microsoft Word, the word-processing software in Microsoft Office, that I use in my business [...]
Unified Communications: Right for Your Business?
December 31, 2005Unified communications: Right for your business? by Heather Clancy reprinted with permission from the Microsoft Small Business Center While most of us welcome the opportunity to stay in touch virtually anytime from anywhere, keeping up with phone calls, voicemail, e-mail and instant messaging can distract even the most disciplined person from more important concerns. Enter [...]
Secure Online Transactions
December 31, 2005Secure Online Transactions Have you been thinking about setting up shop online? Taking your goods and services to the Internet will increase your business potential in many ways. However, e-commerce requires a commitment to securing transactional details, including credit card information from customers. As e-commerce has grown, so have security threats. Identity theft, data security [...]
How to Secure Your Handheld Device
December 31, 2005How to Secure Your Handheld Device Losing your PDA or smartphone can pose a security risk, but the evolution of viruses, Trojans, and worms means that your handheld devices can be subject to insidious online threats as well. Below are a few guidelines on how to secure handheld devices in your small business: Establish a [...]
Taking the Risk Out of Managing Your Network
December 31, 2005Taking the Risk Out of Managing Your Network Ever heard a small-business owner say "if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it"? This simple old saying depicts the mentality of thousands of SMBs when it comes to preventing security breaches and assessing vulnerabilities within their networks. If the servers are running, e-mails are accessible and customers [...]
Protecting Your Exchange Server
December 31, 2005Protecting Your Exchange Server Today, email has become a mission critical application for business. According to IDC, No online application is more widely used than email. Even the smallest companies have embraced this technology as a critical communication tool. Businesses count on having 24×7 email access to communicate with employees, customers and partners, so they [...]
Protecting Your Back at Work
December 31, 2005Protecting Your Back At Work Back pain is one of the most common medical problems in the United States. The cause is often poor posture and body mechanics in the workplace. A supervised program of back protection and exercise may be the key to alleviating and even preventing such problems. Correct posture and body mechanics [...]
How to Protect Wireless Remote Connections
December 31, 2005How to Protect Wireless Remote Connections Any employee that is working remotely via wireless connection should not only employ the security solutions and procedures outlined in this month’s theme article, "Create a Secure Remote Working Environment," but they should also take measures to secure the wireless connection itself. Here are some things remote employees should [...]
Productivity Calling
December 31, 2005Productivity Calling VoIP Can Dial In Rewards for Your Growing Business Your company’s IP network already enables your employees to use the internet, e-mail and web resources on the job. But did you know the very same technology can help your company save money — by transmitting phone calls through voice data in packets using [...]
How to Establish a Privacy Policy
December 31, 2005How to Establish a Privacy Policy Imagine that your business has a make-or-break presentation scheduled today with a prospective client. But after arriving at work this morning, you discovered that key files needed for the meeting are corrupt. The culprit: a virus-infected email message that one of your employees forwarded from the Web last night [...]
Help Prevent Identity Theft
December 31, 2005Help Prevent Identity Theft from Phishing Scams What to do if you’ve responded to a phishing scam You can do your best to prevent having your identity stolen by a phishing scam, but no method or system can guarantee total safety and security. If you suspect that you’ve already responded to a phishing scam with [...]
Prepare for the Unexpected
December 31, 2005Prepare for the Unexpected Having an incident response plan can mean the difference between recovering quickly and losing your business entirely. Learn about some key areas to focus on when developing your incident response plan. Your business most likely relies on IT for a variety of tasks, including the storage of business documents, customer information, [...]
Where do you keep your "Junk"?
December 31, 2005Practical Productivity Where do you keep your "Junk"? By Jane Cage, HTS COO I have one – and I bet you do as well. When I look in mine I see some instruction guides, a box of tic-tacs, a golf ball, a pad of personal checks, loose change, some paper clips and a bottle of [...]
PowerPoint Terms Demystified
December 31, 2005PowerPoint Terms Demystified by Annik Stahl. Reprinted with permission from Microsoft Small Business Center Joke all you want (and many do, even me), PowerPoint is the most widely used presentation software in the world; perhaps in the entire universe (although I can’t say that for sure because I’m not one of those "aliens beamed me [...]
Pocket Rocket
December 31, 2005Pocket Rocket Say "hello" to the Smartphone You see them everywhere you go: businesspeople with their heads down and as focused as a five year old ripping into their first package on Christmas morning. Somehow, they traverse busy hallways and squeeze into crowded elevators without collision, while grabbing their email, heave a contract cross country [...]
Of mice and keyboards: the case for wireless peripherals
December 31, 2005Of mice and keyboards: the case for wireless peripherals by Christopher Elliott reprinted with permission from the Microsoft Small Business Center ‘Fess up. It took awhile for many of you to really believe how much more productive you could be with wireless networking, didn’t it? I’m here now to make a case for how wireless [...]
No Fear Everyday Network Security Protects VoIP Networks, Too
December 31, 2005No Fear Everyday Network Security Protects VoIP Networks, Too If your company is implementing voice over IP (VoIP) technology, it’s making huge strides toward lower telecommunications costs. However, you may be concerned about security risks that crop up when your voice and data networks converge. If hackers break into your VoIP network, they now can [...]
You Say "Mice," I Say "Mouses"
December 31, 2005You Say "Mice," I Say "Mouses" If you have three computers, do you have three "mice" or three "mouses"? The answer will likely depend on your personal preference. When the term "mouse" was coined for the "small mobile manual device that controls movement of the cursor and selection of functions on a computer display" (Merriam-Webster), [...]
SECURITY BEST PRACTICE – MANAGE YOUR DESKTOPS FROM YOUR SERVER
December 31, 2005SECURITY BEST PRACTICE – MANAGE YOUR DESKTOPS FROM YOUR SERVER Just when you think you’ve followed all the rules to safeguard your business assets against viruses and hackers and burglars, along comes an employee with a "better" idea. Only it’s not, and it could unravel all of the smart security moves you have implemented so [...]
8 Tips for Launching a Company Intranet
December 31, 20058 Tips for Launching a Company Intranet By Jeff Wuorio Reprinted with permission from the Microsoft Small Business Center Many small-business owners get it when it comes to the influence and reach of the Internet. But what they may not fully appreciate is how that medium can be used exclusively within their own business. Planning [...]
How To Keep Spam at Bay
December 31, 2005How To Keep Spam at Bay Gone are the days when your inbox contained only emails that were of relevance to you and your business. According to a study by the Federal Trade Commission, 77% of email recipients spend approximately 10 minutes per day dealing with spam. What does that mean in terms of lost [...]
Is VoIP Right for Your Business?
December 31, 2005Is VoIP Right for Your Business? More and more businesses tired of racking up high telecommunications bills are turning to the Internet for their phone service. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) services enable businesses to conduct calls across the same network to access the Internet and get email – and at a fraction of the [...]
Protect Your Business from Instant Messaging Threats
December 31, 2005Protect Your Business from Instant Messaging Threats Learn about Instant Messaging (IM) threats and what you can do to protect your working environment. Instant messaging (IM) programs facilitate real-time, text-based communication between two or more users who are using the same messaging program. Though IM first gained popularity as a social interaction tool, it has [...]
Installing Server Software
December 31, 2005Installing Server Software Watch Where You Step What’s not to love? All you need do is buy your company one of those nice boxes of software that promises to help you make more money and, then, plop it on the server . It’s just like installing software on your home machine, right? Actually, no. If [...]
How to Keep Your Job Without Losing Your Mind
December 31, 2005How to Keep Your Job Without Losing Your Mind reprinted with permission from the HP Small Business Center Finding a good work-life balance is difficult in many professions, but the business field is one that is particularly associated with long hours, unusual schedules, and a general inability to leave work at the office. The volatile [...]
How to Control Spam
December 31, 2005How To Control Spam Introduction As the volume of spam escalates and spammers continue to become more technologically savvy, keeping spam out of inboxes is a growing challenge. Small and mid-sized businesses are relying on email more than ever, but many are unequipped to deal with spam. IT administrators at many SMBs are dealing with [...]
7 Ways to Get Customers’ E-mail Addresses
December 31, 20057 Ways to Get Customers’ E-mail Addresses (legitimately) By Monte Enbysk Reprinted with permission from the Microsoft Small Business Center If you’re like most small-business owners, you need a generous supply of potential customers’ names and e-mail addresses to effectively market your offerings online. The good news is you don’t have to deceive or spam [...]
A New Take on Endpoint Security
December 31, 2005A New Take on Endpoint Security Small and mid-sized businesses are becoming keenly aware of the increasing need to protect their endpoints from exposure. Endpoint devices include servers, laptops, and desktops, and these devices are vital to a business’ operations. While threats are becoming more sophisticated and targeting endpoint devices, end users are demanding increased [...]
Getting a Handle on E-Mail Storage
December 31, 2005Getting a Handle on E-Mail Storage E-mail has become so ingrained in the way your company does business that you probably can’t imagine working without it. However, for all its convenience, e-mail can also be a problem. As the daily barrage of messages passes back and forth, in-boxes get clogged, and before you know it, [...]
The Importance of Disk-Based Backup
December 31, 2005The Importance of Disk-Based Backup Learn about the importance of disk-based backup and how you can protect your business’ information. Chances are, a majority of your small business’ vital information is maintained in an electronic format; stored, delivered, and managed entirely by information technologies. Because so much of this data is mission critical to a [...]
Computer Threats: What to Focus on First
December 31, 2005Computer Threats: What to Focus on First Prioritize your security efforts Yes, spam is a problem. Screening and deleting junk e-mail wastes your time and your employees’ time. And if a junk e-mail attachment is opened, it may unleash a virus. But if your company predominantly focuses on battling spammers, you may be ignoring much [...]
Computer Disposal—A Problem We Can’t Toss Away
December 31, 2005Computer Disposal—A Problem We Can’t Toss Away As computers become more powerful and less costly, many families and businesses have added and replaced machines—good for the industry, but not necessarily good for the environment. The problem is that some ingredients that go into the making of computer components—lead, for example—aren’t environment-friendly. The disposal of [...]
What a Company Needs to Think about to Become Compliant
December 31, 2005What a Company Needs to Think about to Become Compliant Federal Statutes The Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act: Requiring every business who accesses or uses a customer’s personal financial information to issue a privacy statement that notifies its customers “in clear and conspicuous language” on an annual basis how that information is collected and used and to comply [...]
Clean Up and Clean Out Your PC
December 31, 2005Clean Up and Clean Out Your PC Spring is a great time of year to reorganize the office and lighten your load. This should include taking some time to clear out unused applications and Internet clutter that has been building up inside your PC, as well as cleaning the dust and debris that has settled [...]
Gain Business Insight with Office 2007
December 31, 2005Gain Business Insight with Office 2007 The world of a typical employee has changed dramatically in recent years. We often hear terms like "empowered" to describe employees, and while that term may be overused and cliché, it is a fact that modern companies expect more from every individual employee. Long gone are the days of [...]
Already Using VoIP? Give Productivity a Boost by Going Wireless
December 31, 2005Already Using VoIP? Give Productivity a Boost by Going Wireless If you’re serious about lowering business expenses and increasing efficiency, you may already be among the growing number of SMBs using Voice over IP (VoIP) technology to offset telecommunications expenses. But did you know that by blending VoIP technology with your existing wireless LAN, you [...]
8 Ways to Help Maintain Your Computer and Devices at Work
December 31, 20058 Ways to Help Maintain Your Computer and Devices at Work You most likely couldn’t do your job without your computer and mobile devices. Everyday you use them to work on files, connect with people, and access resources. Keeping them running smoothly is important to working effectively. So how do you start? At work your [...]
7 Things to Expect from Your IT Partner
December 31, 20057 Things to Expect from Your IT Partner By Jeff Wuorio Reprinted with permission from the Microsoft Small Business Center Your information-technology partner business should be just that — a partner in every sense of the word. On the surface, that may sound a little warm and fuzzy, and possibly a bit optimistic. Some IT [...]
The 7 Deadly Signs Of Server Aging
December 31, 2005The 7 Deadly Signs Of Server Aging Your server is a ticking time bomb. Although it may never actually blow up, sooner or later it will become obsolete and that is a potentially explosive liability for any business. The truth is that the older hardware is, the more likely that a failure and loss of [...]
Forget Luck
December 31, 2005Forget Luck Used with permission of Joel H. Weldon & Associates, Inc. http://www.SuccessComesInCans.com “Good luck,” said the manager to the salesperson leaving for an important sales call. “Wish me luck,” said the student to his mother as he left for school to take an important test. “Boy, were we lucky,” said the lawyer to his [...]
New PC ENERGY STAR® Requirements Drive Savings
December 31, 2005New PC ENERGY STAR® Requirements Drive Savings reprinted with permission from HP What does it mean to have an ENERGY STAR® rated business desktop? Did you know that PCs make up for 40% of a company’s average utility bill? Since PCs consume so much power, the EPA has set up guidelines that are updated from [...]
Social networking: Is your identity at risk?
December 31, 2005Social networking: Is your identity at risk? reprinted with permission from HP The total number of users on the social networking site Facebook has now soared above the 200 million mark. Just to put that into perspective: if Facebook were a country, it would be the fifth largest on Earth, after China, India, the U.S. [...]
The 2009 Recovery Plan: What It Means For Your Business
December 31, 2005The 2009 Recovery Plan: What It Means For Your Business reprinted with permission from HP When the going gets tough, the tough have a smart game plan. And with over 2 million jobs lost in 2008, the situation is definitely getting tough. Fortunately, the US has relieved our 26 million small businesses—those which gross $15 [...]
How to Boost your Creativity at Work
December 31, 2005How to Boost your Creativity at Work reprinted with permission from HP Small Business Center When you think of “creativity”, you might immediately think of artists, musicians or designers. But the fact is that creativity is a useful tool in all sorts of occupations, from accounting to engineering to teaching. Creativity is the fuel for [...]
How To Fire a Family Member
December 31, 2005How To Fire a Family Member by Jeff Wuorio – reprinted with permission from the Microsoft Small Business Center Business consultant: "Sir, the problem with your business is your son — he’s incompetent and destructive. You gotta fire him right away." Business owner: "I know it. Just one problem. I have to sleep with his [...]
Top 3 PC Problems You Can Fix Yourself
December 31, 2005Top 3 PC Problems You Can Fix Yourself reprinted with permission from the HP Small Business Center As we all know, computers are not perfect devices, and they sometimes malfunction. And when they do, this can create frustration, wasted time, and unneeded expense – especially for those of us whose computers are as vital to [...]
Top Printing Tips to Save Money
December 31, 2005Top Printing Tips to Save Money reprinted with permission from the HP Small Business Center It’s a common sight in many offices: wastebaskets filled to the brim with paper. Look next to any desk or printer, and you’re likely to find a stack of misprints, extra copies and other discarded paper waste. So here are [...]
Ten Tips to Faster Backups Ten Tips to Faster Backups
August 1, 2005There isn’t a wizard behind a curtain that will help speed your backups, but there is a formula for successfully cutting backup and recovery time. By following 10 simple tips, backup managers can heal many of their storage headaches. Bottlenecks to successful backups appear throughout the storage landscape. Source disks, small files, the backup server, [...]
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