Tabush Group's Cloud & Managed IT Blog

The Internet is probably the most significant invention in the last fifty years. It's hard to believe that only 20 years ago, the Internet as we know it didn't exist. Most office desks had computers, but they were for internal applications only. Today, we all know how much that has changed.

But just because every business needs the Internet to function, and the access is limited only to the speed of your connection, should companies allow their employees unrestricted Internet access from their office computers, or should it be limited to business use only?

As a service provider who has worked with over 250 small and mid-sized businesses over the years, I've heard pretty good arguments for both sides.

Unless you've been living in a bubble without access to the news or Internet for the past 3 months, you've heard about the massive security breach that Target suffered. Hackers were able to get into Target's computer system and download over 110 million credit and debit card numbers. While we don't know who these 110 million lucky winners are, you can rest assured that if you weren't in that group, someone very close to you was.

Last week, more details on how the attack occurred were released. Apparently, Fazio Mechanical, a HVAC contractor who does work for Target, had someone hack into one of their PC's through a targeted phishing attempt. Fazio's systems were set up with certain access to Target's system to communicate work orders, invoices, etc. The hackers used that connection to access Target's database containing credit card numbers, and somehow downloaded it all from there. This is shameful at best.

While it’s still officially summer for the next week or so, for most of us, summer ended with labor day last week. Of course, I’m not complaining about the weather outside, but my prediction for this Fall is a cloudy one, referring, of course to cloud computing and how it’s affecting IT as we know and use it. Cloud is everywhere, and every business that does not use cloud needs to start seriously considering it.

Those of us in the northeast vividly remember what happened right around this time the past two years: Hurricanes Irene and Sandy. We don’t know what’s in store for 2013 and all need to be prepared. Don’t wait until the news starts predicting a storm and there is a run on everything at the stores. For business owners or IT staff, be ready for whatever mother nature may bring. Off-site backup, disaster recovery/continuity, and cloud are all great solutions, but none of them can be implemented overnight. I’m proud to say that many of our clients did have these protections in place, and despite power outages and facility damage, their systems were not affected by Sandy. Don’t wait until it’s too late.

Like most people I know, I consider myself a busy person. As a small business owner, I wear many hats in the company, dipping my hand into sales, marketing, finance, management, and client services.

Over the years, I've tried using a number of different strategies to keep all of my tasks, ideas, and projects organized. I've used Outlook Tasks, email folders, file folders, and enough post-it notes to fill a small landfill.

As far as information technology goes, the data storage industry has become one of the most dynamic sectors today. Businesses depend on information and data, which must be stored securely to ensure that it’s safe and accessible at all times, from anywhere.

Technology can be expensive to purchase, as well as maintain. Although computer devices and technology are critical investments for any business, many of them just can’t afford to upgrade or replace hardware or software as needed. What’s the best solution for these businesses? Virtualization.

On April 8^th, 2014, Microsoft will officially end all support, security fixes, vulnerability patches and software updates for Windows XP. Any PC running on the operating system after April 2014 will be subject to hacking, cyber-attacks, data and identity theft, and network intrusion; both via individual machines and across internal networks.

It’s important for small-to-mid sized businesses to plan in advance, with the end of XP near.

In my 15+ years in IT consulting and managed services, I've seen people make a lot of mistakes. So I’m listing some of these in the hopes that you won’t make them yourself:

Across the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), including the majority of Mississauga, intense rain knocked out power for hundreds of thousands of residents. The rain also managed to flood some roads and major highways badly enough that drivers were forced to abandon their vehicles.

Allowing employees to bring their own device and use it at work is very popular due to the benefits of increased productivity and cost effectiveness. With BYOD , employees provide their own technology, which means their more likely to work on their own time. 

If you own or run a business this may sound like a winning proposition; although there are risks with BYOD when an employee is fired or let go. You must inspect their iPhone or laptop to ensure it doesn’t contain company information and this may not always be possible.