[thanks to Chris Rose, a Nerd in Newfoundland, for this post]

Last week, we had a client decide to go with another I.T. provider for the purchase and installation of a new router and primary network switch. The client bought based on price, and experience that a new hire had had with this provider at previous places of work.

The client has an internally hosted email server and uses a line of business application known as ADP. ADP Has their own Internet connection and equipment in the building which we are not to touch – outside of links to the main office network. The office network has its own Internet connection; so the network configuration is not straight forward.

We knew there were problems with the main router and had recommended replacing it, and had made note of all the configuration.

On Thursday, the client gave the other provider the go-ahead, and things were working. The server was up and the router was functional.

Around 2 PM, the client’s network went dark. The other provider did not review documentation that was on-site regarding the router passwords or the configuration.

Periodically over the weekend, the server was active but the E-mail was inactive. The other provider did not even configure the router to handle the internal server properly.

3 PM on Monday he was asked to leave.

8:30 AM Tuesday morning we were in and working on the problem; I met one of the owners and she wasn’t happy with the situation. We reconfigured a router, re-instated the original switch removing any equipment the other provider had put in place. The e-mail services were back around 10:00 and the entire organization was working as they were previously by 12:30 PM. We even had to re-install software components of the server, which the other provider had removed unnecessarily!

As bad as this situation was for their business, and they DID lose money because of it, I am happy that the client understands we are working to make their technology pleasurable to use, productive, and profitable.

Choosing a provider or solution solely based on price is a mistake. It may seem like a better deal, but more often than not, it ends up becoming a hassle, due to less capable and reliable hardware or software causing a loss in productivity, and costing money to deal with – or replace. Money that could be better invested in better quality solutions from the get-go.

This story also highlights the absolute necessity for keeping proper network documentation. The more the better, and keeping it updated as work and maintenance is done on a regular basis. As a team, we pride ourselves on keeping things organized and information accessible to other Nerds, and to each client. The primary Nerd may not always be available, leaving trusted colleagues to rely on proper documentation to know the history of the work done.

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Most of us receive a LOT of email, and it can be difficult to stay on top of it at times. Of course, some are more important than others, but it’s easy for it to get pushed down as the new stuff comes in, allowing them to be possibly forgotten. MailTones helps reduce the chances of this by sending you push notifications on your iPhone.

MailTones is an iPhone app that immediately alerts you the second emails with certain keywords arrive in your inbox.

First, you need to filter the keywords in your email account. This is done with relative ease in Gmail (gear icon > settings > filters tab > create new filter).

Tell it which keywords you want it filtered (subject, or ‘has the words’ in the body of the email), and it gives you the option to forward emails with those keywords to another email account.

The ‘from’ field defines who sends you the emails, the ‘to’ field defines who the email is being sent to.

When you start using the MailTones app, it will automatically give you an email address to use (xxxxxxx@mailtones.net). That’s what you want to give GMail.

To do that, click on ‘continue’, and type in your MailTones address.

You will need to research on your own how to add these kinds of filters if you use another email provider, or get a Nerd to help you..

Next, open up MailTones and tell it which keywords you’ve chosen, and the associated sound you want to hear when MailTones alerts you.

That’s pretty much it. You can follow this process for as many keywords as you want. You can have it alert you to emails that require immediate action, or colleagues or clients that you really want to impress by replying to their emails quickly.

To be clear, you can’t check or reply to your email in this app. You will need to open up your regular email program to do that.

A recent story in the Windsor Star highlights the need for improve security measures at Canadian companies. Simply having passwords is not enough.

All companies use passwords, but nearly half do not require that they are difficult to guess, and almost a third of companies never require employees regularly change their passwords.

“Using passwords is like locking your front door,” the Privacy Commissioner said in a statement. “They can be a very simple and effective way to protect valuable personal information, but simply setting a password is not enough to thwart today’s savvy online criminals — passwords must to be complex and dynamic.”

Personal information, such as passwords, aren’t just stored on servers and personal computers anymore. A good portion can be found on USB stick, laptops, and tablets.

“Roughly half of the businesses that reported using portable devices, such as laptops, USB sticks and tablets,” the Windsor Star explains. “Portable devices are more likely to fall into the wrong hands by being lost or stolen.”

If personal data is stored on a personal device, using encryption is a must. If you are unsure of the steps that need to be taken to encrypt your data, ask a Nerd! Alternatively, having a password that is so complicated that you need to write it on a piece of paper by your computer defeats the purpose. It is better to associate your password with a word, or string of words.

Taking steps to protect the personal data on devices, whether they be workstations or smartphones, is essential in today’s business world. If you would like more information on other steps you can take, give us a call today at 1-877-MY-NERDS!

A slow computer will hurt your bottom line as staff wait for applications to load and work. When you add it up, minutes turn into hours, which turn into days of each month of unproductive time spent waiting for the computer to do what it needs to do. In addition, it can result in your I.T. department and consultants spending time troubleshooting various issues related to the sluggish systems.

There is an excellent article up on Mashable that describes 7 things that can be done to speed up a slow workstation – for those who feel comfortable doing such things, or have the time to dedicate to it.

If you don’t feel comfortable performing these tasks, and would rather take that time to focus on your business, call a Nerd! We can take the necessary steps to speed up your workstations, and find out *why* a system is being sluggish. A slow computer can point to larger issues, which we will pinpoint and find solutions for. In some cases, we may recommend getting a new computer, as your money may be better invested in a new system instead of fixing the old one.

That said, there are some very good tips in the article, which goes on to say that age, malware, and unneeded applications also slow down computers.

“While age is a commonly cited cause of slow PC performance, there are usually additional reasons,” explains the Mashable article. “Many users have no idea that their computers are bogged down with unneeded applications, adware (malware), cookies, and massive amounts of background processes. Left unaddressed, these issues hinder PC performance, decrease productivity, and increase the amount of time spent dealing with IT problems. So what can be done? Here are seven things.”

Cloud storage services are all the rage these days, as they allow for synchronization of your data across multiple devices and online, effectively also acting as a backup solution. They’re also easy to use and inexpensive.

The Verge did a recently thorough comparison article on this very topic, comparing all of the most well known cloud storage solutions, allowing for an easy to understand approach when it comes to choosing the service that’s right for you.

In a recent Security Now podcast episode, Steve Gibson also did a detailed review from a security standpoint of all the major cloud storage services, which can be a dealbreaker, depending on how security conscience you are, and what type of data you’re adding to these services.

The article was prompted by Microsoft’s revamped Skydrive, which is Microsoft’s entry into the mix. It offers 7GB of free storage (Dropbox and others only offer 2GB).

“SkyDrive starts things off right by offering 7GB of free storage, which is best in class,” explains the Verge article. “If you move quickly (and have used SkyDrive before), you can quickly nab 25GB of total free storage space. SkyDrive really excels at syncing documents created using OneNote and other Microsoft Office products like Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.”

Want to help your I.T. department better understand how you use your workstation, and some of the issues that annoy you on a daily basis? Create a list! We all have a list in our heads of the little things that bug us when we use our computers.

For the most part, we put up with it and accept it as something we can’t do anything about, or we figure the I.T. department is too busy with other things to worry about it.

Although they may be busy, they would surely appreciate the occasional email from some staff members alerting them to little issues, as some of them may turn into major issues later on, or may be linked to other issues.

We encourage all of our clients to put together a list of issues or problems they encounter so we can be made aware of them and address them, be it immediately or in the future. This helps us better understand the network, and improve user experience.

We especially emphasize creating a list during the Needs Assessment (part of our 3 N’s process). Once we understand the network and concerns, we can recommend and implement changes (Normalization), then maintain the technology (NerdCare).

[this post is from our Small Business website. You can for more articles like it there.]

Individuals become more frugal as the economy dips into a recessionary period. Businesses who learn how to reduce their operating expenses are far more likely to survive a recession than those who continue to operate “business as usual”. For many business owners, information technology costs are expensive; here are some tips for saving on IT costs during a recession:

Switch to VOIP Phone Lines: Are you still paying high phone bills to make sales calls, handle customer service, or hold teleconferences? This is an expense that almost all businesses can save simply by switching to VOIP lines instead of your landline or cellphone service. From Vonage to Packet8 to Skype, there are numerous options that help you eliminate expensive long distance charges. Most businesses report a savings of around 60% when switching to telephone lines that operate through their internet connection.

Consider Switching to a Less Expensive ISP: Depending on your business needs, you may not require all of the features your current Internet Service Provider is offering. Why pay for something you don’t need? Check other ISP’s to see if you could be saving money.

Consider Dropping Your Merchant Account: Most businesses require a merchant account in order to accept credit cards as payments from their customers. With the increasing merchant account expenses, though, this is often a costly expense. You could still accept credit cards if you switch to an online payment processor, like Paypal, and avoid paying statement fees and monthly fees that are typical of regular merchant accounts. Online payment processors charge a higher fee per transaction than a standard merchant account, but depending on the volume of credit card transactions you may pay less overall than you do with your current merchant account. Run some numbers to see if the savings are significant enough to warrant a switch.

Use a Laptop: If reasonable, use a laptop instead of a full PC. A laptop consumes 90% less energy than the desktop version, and for many businesses, a laptop can do the job as well as a desktop.

Share Stuff: Do you have a computer and printer at every workstation in your office? Sell the individual printers and get a single printer that operates on the network. All computers in the office can print from the same printer and eliminate maintenance requirements on each individual printer, as well as reduce the energy required to power the printers. Think of other computer components that could be networked instead of used individually to further cut costs and set up a more efficient office.

Use Freelancers: When you discover you have a need for someone to complete a project that falls outside the scope of your current employees – instead of hiring another full time or part time employee, consider using a freelancer. Freelancers don’t require office space, do not receive the employee benefits you provide to your current staff, and can be hired on a per-project basis instead of placed on salary.

Downsize Your IT Department or Re-evaluate Your Current Outsourced IT Service: Consider using a flat rate IT support service rather than maintaining a full IT department on payroll, or maintaining a reactive outsourced IT service whose monthly costs are unpredictable. Flat rate IT service providers allow you to budget for and reduce your monthly and overall costs, increase your profits and act as your virtual IT department so you can focus on running your business and not the technology that supports it.

[this is a post from our Small Business website.]

The days of keeping confidential business information locked in a metal filing cabinet are gone. Most businesses have most everything, from personnel files to client information and financial information, stored on their personal computers or computer network. What happens when your company runs out of storage space? Or, worse yet, what if your computer information is attacked by a virus, stolen, or damaged by a flood? Would you be able to quickly recover all of your important information and keep your company running smoothly?

Many companies find that keeping their own network running and up-to-date is expensive. In this economy, most companies are looking for ways to cut expenses in order to survive. There are many online data storage companies currently available, so if your business is looking for an online storage company, here are some questions that you need to ask:

What Features Does This Service Offer?

Look at what features the company offers in its basic package. Most online services offer online file storage, backup services, remote access that allows you to access your data from anywhere in the world, the ability to file share with other employees in your office, and the ability to upload and download files.

How Secure is This Service?

Does the service offer any type of security? Businesses will want a service that offers file encryption, authentication, and password protection in order to keep your information secure. You may also want to know if they offer any type of tracking in the event of a security breach, as well as the ability to lock out former employees after they have left or been terminated. Also, businesses should inquire as to what type of backup plan the service offers in case of any unforeseen disasters such as a virus attack or fire.

Is the Service User-Friendly?

The service should be easy to learn and use, easy to access for the average employee, and not require a computer science degree. If the service is too difficult or complicated to use, look for another service.

How Much Does This Service Cost?

Is the service reasonably priced and does it fit into your company’s budget? Find out how much storage you get for the price.

Does the Service Offer Technical Support?

Even with the easiest to use service, you may one day have a question or a problem that you may not be able to resolve on your own. Does the service offer a customer service hotline, or chat support? Is it available 24/7, if needed?

Additionally, it is important to look for a well-established online storage service that has a stellar reputation. Online storage has many benefits for your company. A good service can be cost effective, offer better security, up-to-date software, and unlimited storage space.

An issue exists with Adobe Reader X version 10.1.2 where the program may crash when attempting to print to a network printer. The error is shown on the left. There is a forum page on Adobe’s website that talks about how to troubleshoot it at length and various methods to try.

That said, we have simply upgraded systems to the latest version of Adobe Reader (will vary depending on your operating system. It worked successfully for us on a few Windows 7 workstations with version 10.1.3). You can get 10.1.3 here.

There is a patch that Adobe claims will resolve the issue. It can be found here.

As a temporary workaround, Protected Mode can be disabled, which some users claim resolved the issue for them.

You can turn off protected mode using following steps:

 1. Launch Reader X and select Edit->Preferences

2. Select General from left navigation

3. Under application startup uncheck “Enable Protected Mode at Startup”

Alternatively, you can remove Adobe Reader and install a free alternative such as FoxIt PDF Reader, which we find is more lightweight and has many of the most common features.

Battery life has always been a concern with laptops, and it’s important to utilize the limited hours between charges as efficiently as possible. Choosing which programs you use on your laptop can influence how long the battery will last.

The more resources a program uses, the harder the laptop needs to work, which determines how much power is in demand from the battery. Here are some applications that use up less resources.

OpenOffice is a free alternative to Microsoft Office. It’s been around for a while, and uses significantly less resources. Some may argue it’s not as fully featured.

Keep in mind that most people use less than 10% of Microsoft Office’s capabilities, so you shouldn’t notice much (if anything) lacking.

The only thing OpenOffice doesn’t include is an e-mail application, but there are plenty of options out there.

Foxit PDF Reader is a great replacement for Adobe’s Acrobat PDF Reader – at least the free one. It’s much smaller in size, and creates less of a resource footprint. If you’re only looking to view PDF files, it has everything you’re looking for, and is arguably easier to use.

Internet Explorer 9 claims to take up less resources than other browsers. It’s certainly more secure than it’s predecessors, so it’s worth mentioning. Google Chrome is great as well.

We’ve heard praise from tech enthusiasts and average users alike who love how lightweight and quick Chrome is. Mozilla’s Firefox browser has been known to use up a lot of resources, so it may not be ideal if you do a lot of web surfing on your laptop.

It’s important to protect your computer from outside threats, and having an effective antivirus is a definite must. Most laptops come with either Norton or McAfee, which are known resource hogs. Using them on a laptop makes little sense. Although we are vendor agnostic, we are very fond of ESET’s NOD32 antivirus, which has been proven to take up limited resources, while being very effective.

Which programs do you use on your laptop to extend the battery life? Is battery life something you consider when choosing a program for your needs? Please share your thoughts in the comments, or on our Facebook fan page, or send us a tweet (@nerdsonsite).