TechB - Technology for Business

02/05/2023

Does your business grind to a halt when experiencing tech issues? Our IT support team is here to help!

We support a number of small and medium sized businesses in and around the Salisbury area.

Our expert technicians are able to provide IT support to keep your business running smoothly. Get in touch if you would like a quotation for your business.

https://loom.ly/Tuka9k4

20/04/2023

As a business owner, you will likely use the internet regularly. However, with the increasing threat of cyber-attacks, ensuring your online activity is secure is critical.

Here are some practical tips to help you protect your company's sensitive information:

🔒 Use a secure browser and keep it updated: The browser you use to access the internet can significantly impact your online security. Browsers like Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, and Apple Safari are designed with security features to help protect against common cyber attacks, like phishing and malware.

🔒 Use a virtual private network (VPN) when online: A VPN is a tool which can help protect your connection by encrypting your data and routing it through a secure server. VPNs are especially beneficial when using public Wi-Fi, which can leave you vulnerable to cyber-attacks.

🔒 Install and update anti-virus & anti-malware software: Anti-virus and malware software can help detect and remove any malicious software from your system. These programs should be kept updated with the latest security patches to ensure they can protect against the latest threats.

🔒 Avoid using public Wi-Fi for sensitive activities: It's best to avoid using a public Wi-Fi network for sensitive activities, like banking or accessing sensitive business data. If you must use public Wi-Fi, consider using a VPN to encrypt your connection and help protect against cyber-attacks.

🔒 Educate your employees on safe internet use practices: Your employees can be a robust line of defence against cyber-attacks. Educate them on safe internet use practices, like avoiding clicking on suspicious links or downloading unknown files. Encourage them to report any suspicious activity.

If you need assistance securing your business's online activity, contact us today. We can help you implement best practices and security measures to protect your business from cyber threats. Don't wait until it's too late!

18/04/2023

As a business owner, you will likely use email conduct a significant portion of your operations. However, with the increasing threat of cyber-attacks, ensuring your emails secure is crucial.

Here are some practical tips to help you protect your company's sensitive information:

🔒 Use strong passwords and enable two-factor authentication: Passwords should be at least 8 characters long including a mix of letters, numbers, and symbols.

🔒 Train your employees to recognise and avoid phishing emails: Employees should be taught to look for red flags, such as spelling errors or requests for sensitive information.

🔒 Use anti-virus and anti-malware software: These programs can help detect and even remove malicious software from your system. They should be kept up to date with the latest security patches.

🔒 Encrypt sensitive emails and attachments: Encryption scrambles the contents of an email or attachment, making it unreadable to anyone who doesn't have the decryption key.

🔒 Consider using a secure email service provider: Some providers offer enhanced security features, such as advanced encryption and phishing protection.

If you need assistance securing your business's emails, contact us today. We can help you implement best practices and security measures to protect your business from cyber threats. Don't wait until it's too late!

03/04/2023

Cloud computing has rapidly become one of the most popular technologies for businesses of all sizes. While larger enterprises have been leveraging cloud technology for years, it's now accessible and affordable for small and medium businesses (SMBs) as well. Moving to the cloud can offer significant advantages over on-site servers, especially for SMBs. In our new article, we explore the benefits of cloud computing for small and medium businesses! https://loom.ly/oHP1st8

28/02/2023

Have you heard of Chat GPT yet? If not, where have you been?!

GPT is a machine-learning language model developed by OpenAI that can generate human-like text. Chat GPT, also known as conversational AI, is a chatbot that uses this technology to understand natural language and respond to queries in a conversational manner.

There are many applications for which Chat GPT can be utilised to help your business connect with customers and drive growth. From improved customer service, to copy for your website, Chat GPT is the new tool on the block that can help you and your business save time.

If you haven't yet experienced the capabilities of this new technology, visit www.openai.com/blog/chatgpt and prepare to be astounded!

27/02/2023

This is a brilliant example of how AI technology can be used to clean up our planet.

An organisation is scaling up its attempts to solve the world's marine plastic waste problem.

15/02/2023

If you’ve ever had the misfortune of having your technology become water damaged, you know how devastating it can be. Not only can the damage be costly to repair, but it can also result in data loss.

Fortunately, there are steps that you can take to minimize the damage and possibly save your device from destruction.

STEP 1: TURN YOUR DEVICE OFF IMMEDIATELY!
STEP 2: Remove the battery where possible. If the device is plugged in, unplug it from the power source.
STEP 3: Try to absorb any moisture by placing paper towels or a cloth on top of the device, then gently pressing down on them to draw out any moisture that may be trapped inside.
STEP 4: Contact a professional for advice before turning the device back on. Devices should be turned off for at least 24hrs.

We have extensive experience in resolving issues with water-damaged technology. Even if we cannot save the device, we can often retrieve essential data from within.

Contact TechB: https://loom.ly/Tuka9k4

01/02/2023

Here are some back-up options for you and your business. If you would like guidance for which solution would be best suited, speak to a member of our team today. https://buff.ly/3JyqIgK

🔄️ Removable Media - (e.g. CDs, DVDs or USB Flash Drives). This manual way to back up data is used primarily for small amounts of data. For more extensive data, multiple devices would be required. It is also worth pointing out that removable media, despite being easily portable, it can be easily misplaced!

🔄️ Redundancy - (e.g. Additional Hard drive). This storage form replicates a system's drive at a specific time. This storage option is powerful but complex and would require either an in-house IT technician or an external IT company to manage.

🔄️ External Hard Drive - With storage space increasing on newer devices, this method has become more popular as the technology has improved. However, if your data grows larger than the storage space available, you would need to find a new backup solution.

🔄️ On-Site Server - Many larger businesses with considerable amounts of data choose to have an on-site server which can come with pre-integrated backup software. It is advisable to store the backup server on a different network in case of a hacking attempt. One downside to an on-site server in the exact location of the original data is that if the data loss were a result of a natural disaster or fire, you would lose your backup data along with the original copy.

🔄️ Backup Software - Software-based backup solutions offer greater flexibility to the user but are far more complex to configure. They can be configured to back up specific systems or all data automatically or manually. This solution requires an IT technician or IT company to manage effectively.

🔄️ Cloud Backup Services - Many businesses are now choosing cloud solutions for their data backups over on-site servers to ensure that the data is stored in a remote location, giving data protection in case of a disaster. Data can be quickly pushed to public or private cloud storage and has the advantage of being scaled up or down depending on the quantity of data you need to back up.

23/01/2023

⚠️ Backup Tools - While manual data backup is possible, it is not always advisable. To ensure that systems are backed up regularly and consistently, most businesses opt for a technology solution to reduce the amount of admin required.

⚠️ Backup Administrator - Every business should have a designated employee who looks after the backups to check the systems are configured correctly, and the backups are taking place. If you have an in-house Tech team, they will usually do this as part of their role. However, having an in-house IT team is not always financially viable for many smaller companies. Many outsource their backups to an IT company with the required knowledge and experience.

⚠️ Backup Policy - This will vary from business to business. It is best to decide on a backup policy. This should detail which files or systems are to be backed up and how regularly the backups should occur.

⚠️ Recovery Point Objective (RPO) - RPO, in short, is how much data a business is willing to lose should a disaster occur. This will be determined by how frequently the data is backed up. For example, if the backup is run every evening at a particular time, the RPO is 24 hours. If the RPO is set to real-time, greater data storage and resources will be required to cope with processing.

⚠️ Recovery Time Objective (RTO) - RTO is the time it takes for a business to restore lost data or systems from backup. Restoration can take a long time for companies with a large amount of data or off-site storage. It is always advised to test run the restore process to ensure data can be returned in a suitable amount of time for the business.

09/01/2023

Human Error
Humans are not perfect and sometimes mistakes can be huge! An example of this in a business could be the accidental deletion of files or text. It is too easy to overwrite files, damage hard drives or corrupt software.

Viruses and Malware
Staff can download viruses unknowingly by clicking on a link in a phishing email. This opens the network up to malicious attempts to steal, corrupt, or delete important data.

Drive Damage
Hard drives are easily damaged as they are one of the most fragile computer parts. 60% of drive failures are due to mechanical issues, and around 40% can be attributed to humans e.g. mishandling or dropping. Damage can also occur from overheating or dust build-up on the fans.

Power Outages
When systems are shutdown incorrectly, data loss can occur. If the power turns off when writing to a hard drive, it could corrupt it rendering it useless.

Theft
Theft of laptops and phones can happen to any business if the devices are left unattended. This risk increases when the device is taken out of the office, as it could be forgotten on public transport or at external business meetings.

Liquid Damage
Having a cup of coffee on your desk whilst working is common practice, but this can leave your technology at risk. Liquid can cause a short circuit, sometimes making it impossible to repair or restore its data.

Natural Disasters
A natural disaster, can create a risk to the business, however unlikely it might be. A fire in the office could be disastrous for the business destroying your computer, data and even premises.

Software Corruption
Software can become corrupted, and data lost when improperly shut down, such as a hard reset. This could also be an issue that occurs when a power outage happens.

Drive Formatting
Accidental formatting of a hard drive can cause instant loss of data. This can be done accidentally by employees misunderstanding system prompts or error messages that arise.

Hackers
Hacking and data breaches have become more prevalent in recent years. A robust security plan is crucial for any business.

The best way to recover quickly from these eventualities is to ensure that the business data is backed up regularly.

21/12/2022

The TechB team will be having some well-earned time off over the Christmas period, please make a note of our opening times.

However, because we know that lots of you will be open between Christmas and New Year. We will be open during this time for emergency remote support.

If you have an issue on a day that we are closed, please call and leave a message, a member of the team will get back to you as soon as possible.

19/12/2022

The TechB team wish you a Merry Christmas & a Happy New Year!

As 2022 draws to a close, we want to express our deepest gratitude for our wonderful customers and friends. We are looking forward to some time off over the festive period and seeing you all again in the new year.

Until then, we hope your homes are warm and your family and tech are well behaved!