Charlotte Networks

08/16/2021

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09/27/2017

Linkyn Christopher Funderburk is a 15 month old baby boy that is fighting against Hepatoblastoma. He is a loving, funny little boy who loves to eat and play itsy bitsy spider! He has loving parents, Chris and Grace Funderburk along with 5 other siblings, Jackie, Cameron, Bradyn, Bella, and Landyn!.....

03/11/2016

Charlotte Networks - Are Paper Documents Killing Small Business Collaboration?

Today's smartphones, tablets, 2-in-1s and ever-slimmer notebook PCs make it easier than ever for businesses to adopt digital workflows. Yet, businesses still cling to paper.

Read more at smallbusinesscomputing.com

08/12/2015

Charlotte Networks - Windows 10 vs. Windows 8.1 vs. Windows 7 Performance

By Steven Walton
8.10.2015

Three years ago we were benchmarking Microsoft’s then latest operating system, Windows 8. At the time we were keen to make sure Windows 8 performed as well as Windows 7, which was a huge upgrade from 2006’s Windows Vista.
In the end, we determined that Windows 8 was on par with 7 and at times a fraction faster, leading us to this conclusion in our performance review:
“Looking beyond benchmarks, Windows 8 appears more polished than Windows 7, even if you plan to live on the desktop and aren’t too fond of the Start screen, general usage is smoother and appears to be faster on Windows 8, which I found most noticeable on our somewhat underpowered Athlon II X4 system. If anything, it’s a great start. Now the Metro/Modern style will have to prove itself as a cross-platform OS that marries desktop, laptop and tablet PCs.”
It’s obvious now that the ‘Metro’ Start screen was an epic failure and in my opinion it was the only real issue with Windows 8, as I thoroughly enjoyed using the operating system with Classic Shellinstalled.
Fortunately, Microsoft learned from its mistakes and addressed some of Windows 8’s shortcomings in Windows 10, which we believe is the best version yet, if only for its improved looks and functionality across devices and form factors.
Read more at: http://www.techspot.com/review/1042-windows-10-vs-windows-8-vs-windows-7

04/16/2015

Charlotte Networks -

A Small Business Guide to Mobile Device Management
By Pam Baker | Posted February 23, 2015





Bring-your-own-device, or BYOD, is popular in small businesses these days, because companies don't have to purchase mobile devices when employees willingly use their own. But protecting company data on employee-owned devices can be a tricky affair, in both the legal and the technical sense.

Guarding data and access to the company network on company-owned devices is equally taxing. While mobile device management (MDM) tools abound, it's sometimes difficult to tell which is best for your needs. To help you with that, here's a guide to help you decide.
Mobile Device Management: Pros and Cons
Mobile device management (MDM) software manages the actual device. Generally speaking, these tools let you manage mobile devices remotely and from a centralized dashboard, no matter whether they're company or employee owned devices. Once you connect a device to the software, you can enforce security and compliance policies, grant or deny the device's access to your company data, and automate many functions such as app and security distribution and updates. They also let you wipe data off a device that's been lost or stolen, or that belongs to an employee who has left the company.

While you're likely nodding your head at this point thinking this is perhaps precisely what you need, MDM software also has few cons that you need to consider.




For one thing, wiping an employee-owned device clean means the employee loses all his or her personal data too. Data such as personal photos, personal documents and files, creative works, apps, call records, calendar appointments, and contact lists. In effect, it renders a device completely unusable. Many a business has been sued for losing personal data in a device wipe and for losing use of the device, too.




MDM gives you complete and comprehensive control over mobile devices. You just need to be extra sure that your BYOD and MDM policies are rock solid and that employees sign a document stating that

they understand what a wipe and other MDM actions can mean to them
that they agree to all actions outlined in your policy

"All the vendors say pretty much the same thing about their product, which makes it hard to differentiate them and make a decision for your business," said Jeff Driscoll, IT manager at Marketing Mojo, adding that he's "used several products for small business MDM, including N-able, Centrastage, ManageEngine, GFI Max [now Max Remote Management or MaxFocus], and trialed a bunch of others."

"Cost is an acute point for small businesses, and it can vary wildly, but almost all [MDM software] will be a monthly subscription billed per device," he explained. Mobile carriers offer basic MDM, too. Driscoll says that it won't be elegant, or particularly easy to use, but you can expect basic functions such as remote data wiping of phones. Third-party MDM pricing usually ranges between $1 and $10/month per device.

"You can get bundle deals if you also monitor your workstations and servers," says Driscoll. "MDM is commonly bundled with or tacked on to asset management or remote monitoring and management (RMM) solutions for servers and workstations. Some are just lightweight half-measures, and the industry is just now getting to a level of true MDM," he added.
The Alternative to MDM: Mobile Application Management
Mobile application management (MAM), as the name implies, manages applications on a mobile device instead of managing the device itself.

MAM lets you control and manage specific applications—namely business applications—without affecting any consumer applications or personal data on a mobile device. That means you can still wipe data off a device if an employee leaves your employ, or if a device is lost or stolen, without damaging anything personal that the device owner has stored on the device.

Some MAM products containerize applications as well, meaning that even if malware exists on the mobile device, it can't pe*****te the apps in the container.

You can still automate app and security distributions and enforce policies. You can also remotely wipe data from the device to retain company data—such as phone logs and contact lists—as opposed to such records remaining on the device when the employee leaves.
The MDM Plus MAM Option
Many products today combine the best of both worlds and offer a blend of MDM and MAM features and functionalities. Before you get too excited about this, be aware that both terms are loosely thrown about by vendors. Due diligence is important; insist that vendors spell out precisely what they mean when they use these terms.

Most anti-virus and anti-malware companies also offer MDM and MAM products, so you might want to check with whichever company you use for anti-virus protection to see what's available. You may also want to check with your cell phone carrier to see what they have to offer.

Some of these companies offer MDM and/or MAM at no extra cost or for a modest monthly premium. Other reputable vendors offer blended products too, so you have many options. But again, be sure you understand what you're getting before you sign the dotted line. Not all of these products are created equal.



Read full article here.

03/18/2015

Charlotte Networks - What’s In A Name

What's In A Name
- By Greg Crumpton

Not many people who operate at a high level think the word "vendor" is very appealing. In fact many find it to be borderline offensive.
What Is The Alternative?
Partner, yes, but it too has become jaded. Resource, ally, co-customer, you name it, the moniker has been adopted by many sales folks who are trying to differentiate themselves.
Can You Really Blame Them?
I am not sure what to call the position that true professionals strive for. I do know that it's important. It's important to me when I'm getting ready to buy. Another thing I know is that the kind folks who have allowed me to serve them like it when I help them solve the non-routine problems. You know that feeling when you get it.

The word I really want to use here is friend. My fingers actually cramped up just then trying to type it because I know in my 50-year-old brain that corporate america is not keen on a purchasing agent buying things, items, ideas, etc. from a friend.

Even if you are friends, the arms-length requirement to keep everyone from suspecting any wrong-doing has to be very, very clear. That's a shame, but the path is littered with poor decisions involving friends in business.
There Is A Balance Between Vendor And Friend.
Many call it a "trusted advisor" or some similar name. The point is, it has to be done intentionally, with the key word being intent. That means serving with good-will, a "definite chief aim" or purpose and an over-arching desire to deliver the unexpected. It also means communicating like Churchill, having the tenacity of Patton and the exhibiting the character of Honest Abe Lincoln.

In the end it really doesn't matter what's on your business card. Market leader, VP or custodian. What does matter is that you deliver, or as Seth Godin would say- ship, your work, regardless of what people label you as.

Original Article can be found here.



Greg Crumpton founded AirTight in 1999. Greg has over 33 years of experience in full service mechanical and mission critical environments with a heavy emphasis on service, maintenance and repair. Greg specializes in mission critical cooling and electrical infrastructures, as well as the comfort cooling surrounding them. Greg owned and operated AirTight until 2014 when he decided to merge it into Service Logic's existing Charlotte business, FaciliTech, to provide great service capabilities for their customers. Greg continues to be highly involved with the combined organization, ensuring clients have a great experience.

02/18/2015

Charlotte Networks - Microsoft HoloLens: The era of holographic computing is here.

Microsoft has a vision for the future, and it involves terms and technology straight out of science fiction.
But are we actually glimpsing that future? Yes and no.

Microsoft's HoloLens, which the company unveiled at its Redmond, Wash., headquarters on Wednesday, is a sleek, flashy headset with transparent lenses. You can see the world around you, but suddenly that world is transformed -- with 3D objects floating in midair, virtual screens on the wall and your living room covered in virtual characters running amok.

Technology companies have long promised to bring us the future now, reaching ahead 5 or 10 years to try to amaze consumers with the next big breakthrough. Hollywood, on the other hand, has shown that tech in action (or at least simulations of it).
Read More- http://www.cnet.com/news/microsoft-hololens-explained-how-it-works-and-why-its-different/
Microsoft HoloLens- http://www.microsoft.com/microsoft-hololens/en-us

01/30/2015

Charlotte Networks - Add A Face to those Names in Your Contact List

by Miguel Leiva-Gomez



Since the advent of email, the contact list has become an icon of social connections across the internet. Nothing seems to better symbolize who we know than looking through that long list of names. The problem most of us experience is that our contact lists can get pretty long over time. Some email services automatically add someone as a contact every time you interact with that person. Having so many people on that list can eventually transform what was once a useful aid into a nightmarish labyrinth of tangled-up names and email addresses. There has to be some way to put it all in order, right?

What if you could attach a face to each contact’s name? Unless you are one of the unlucky few with prosopagnosia, faces are more easily recognizable to you than names. Because of this, putting a picture of a person’s face next to their name is monumentally helpful in sorting out who is who, especially in a messy and winding contact list!

Let’s look at some products that do this eloquently:

Rapportive - If you use Gmail, you may notice that it only pulls up contact pictures from Google Plus. Not all of your contacts use that social network, but you’ll find many of them on LinkedIn and Facebook. Rapportive is a Google Chrome extension that links up your Gmail interface with Facebook. The only obvious problem with this is the fact that this doesn’t work if you access email from mobile devices. Most people prefer to use an app for this activity and forego the entire process of using a browser. For this reason, Rapportive is more useful for desktop environments.
Rainmaker - A solution for those who wish to see contacts’ faces on mobile devices, Rainmaker offers a variety of contact sync features. Aside from Facebook, you can also pull contacts from LinkedIn and Twitter. Like Rapportive, it’s a service offered exclusively for Google users, particularly those using Gmail or Google Apps. To get real-time sync capabilities (rather than daily), you must pay $9 a month. Supported mobile platforms include Android, iOS, and BlackBerry.
Plaxo - Although it’s an old service (offered since 2005), Plaxo still has a lot going for it. Its “Personal Assistant” plan at $6.67 a month pulls up information and photos from Facebook, LinkedIn, the White Pages, and other places. This platform works with virtually any email client and continuously finds new information – including work addresses and phone numbers – as it comes along. Plaxo also supports an unrivaled amount of mobile devices, including Android, iOS, BlackBerry, and Windows Phone.

Before your contact list spirals out of control, you need to adopt the right kind of technology. Keeping your list organized will give you one less thing to worry about – another step in reducing the struggles of running your business.


by Miguel Leiva-Gomez



Read More: http://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2013/09/3-services-that-help-add-a-face-to-the-name-on-your-contact-list.html/

01/30/2015

Charlotte Networks - D-Link routers vulnerable to hack

At least one and likely more D-Link routers as well as those of other manufacturers using the same firmware are vulnerable to remote changing of DNS settings and, effectively, traffic hijacking, a Bulgarian security researcher has discovered.
Todor Donev, a member of the Ethical Hacker research team, says that the vulnerability is found in the ZynOS firmware of the device, D-Link's DSL-2740R ADSL modem/wireless router.

The firmware in question is implemented in many networking equipment manufactured by D-Link, TP-Link Technologies and ZTE, he noted for Computerworld.

The flaw allows attackers to access the device's Web administration interface without authentication, and through it to modify the DNS settings, which could allow them to redirect users to malware-laden and phishing sites and prevent them to visit legitimate sites for OS and software updates (including security software).

Donev hasn't notified D-Link of this flaw, but has released exploit code for the flaw in a security advisory.

The flaw can be exploited remotely if the device's interface is exposed to the Internet - and many are, to allow legitimate remote administration.

Read More: http://www.net-security.org/secworld.php?id=17888

01/23/2015

Charlotte Networks - Introducing Microsoft’s Windows 10

Microsoft gave the world an in-depth look at its upcoming Windows 10 operating system today, and it appears that the highly anticipated OS will be just the thing to wash the awful taste of Windows 8 out of our collective consciousness.
At its presentation, Microsoft showed off a variety of new features for Windows 10, including a brand-new Web browser, simplified navigation, and a desktop version of the company’s Cortana virtual assistant.





A free upgrade to Windows 10
The biggest news out of the event is that Microsoft will offer Windows 10 as a free full-fledged upgrade to those running Windows 7 and Windows 8. That puts Microsoft on the same level as Apple, which has been offering free operating-system upgrades for some time now.



During its transition from Windows 7 to Windows 8, Microsoft charged existing customers $120 to step up to the new operating system. That’s a lot of money, especially for an operating system as divisive as Windows 8.
Of course, there’s one caveat to the Windows 10 deal, and that is that you’ll have to upgrade within one year of the operating system’s release. Anyone who hasn’t upgraded by that point will likely have to fork over a hefty chunk of change.




Say ‘Hello’ to Cortana
Like Apple’s Siri and Google’s Google Voice, Microsoft’s Windows Phone comes with a virtual voice assistant of its own called Cortana. Named after a character from Microsoft’s Halo video game franchise, Cortana lets you schedule appointments, open apps, search the Web, and more, all by using your voice.

And now Cortana’s coming to Windows 10.


Cortana sits in the bottom-left corner of the desktop, right next to the Start button, and lets you search both the Web and your own device using your voice. The included Notepad feature also lets you create a custom profile complete with your personal interests, such as sports and news.
So if your favorite team scores a touchdown, Cortana will provide you with a score update. Or, if you don’t care about sports, you can tell her not to.
So long, Internet Explorer
For years now, the standard operating procedure for purchasing a new Windows PC has been to immediately replace Microsoft’s Internet Explorer with either Google’s Chrome or Mozilla’s Firefox.
It seems like Microsoft finally took the hint, because with Windows 10, it will be introducing a new Web browser code-named Spartan.

Like Chrome and Firefox, Spartan has a simpler design than Internet Explorer. The new browser is also expected to run more smoothly than IE, and give you the ability to instantly annotate Web pages using either a stylus or your finger, via a touchscreen or a regular old keyboard and mouse.
Spartan will also include Cortana integration, which means that when you search for things via the browser’s search bar, Cortana will give you responses that match your interests, in addition to standard search results. Cortana will also be able to cull information from specific websites and give you what she believes is the most pertinent data.


So if you’re browsing a restaurant’s website, Cortana will be able to give you directions, as well as help you reserve a table.
Microsoft didn’t mention what would happen with Internet Explorer, but ZDNet’s Mary Jo Foley reported that Microsoft will include IE with Windows 10 in order to support legacy websites. Still, it’s clear that Spartan is Microsoft’s browser of the future.

Improved gaming
If you’re a gamer, you’ll be happy to know that Windows 10 is being made to improve your overall game-playing experience. In addition to running the latest version of DirectX, DirectX 12, which should increase gaming performance, Windows 10 will include cross-platform support with Xbox One games.


That means if your friends have an Xbox One game, and you have the PC version, you’ll be able to play online with (or against) each other. That’s a huge advance, because until now, console gamers have only been able to play with other console gamers, while PC gamers have been limited to their PC brethren. This bridges that gap.
So far, Microsoft has only announced that its upcoming Fable Legends will support cross-platform gaming, but we’re hoping that the feature eventually becomes a widely accepted part of Windows 10.


Beyond cross-platform support, Windows 10 will also let you stream games from your PC to any other Windows 10 device, as long as you are on the same local network. So you’ll be able to play games installed on your Xbox One on your Surface Pro 3.


When you can get it
Microsoft was rather tightlipped about when the final version of Windows 10 will be available for download, saying only that the operating system will come to market later this fall.
If you can’t wait to try out the latest features of Windows 10, though, you can sign up for Microsoft’s Windows Insider Program, which gives you access to unfinished preview versions of Windows 10. Just make sure you don’t install any of the Windows 10 previews on your main PC, as it will be unstable and could result in all of your data being destroyed.






Read More: https://www.yahoo.com/tech/everything-you-really-need-to-know-about-108771050839.html

01/23/2015

Charlotte Networks - Renewable energy soars for first time in three years.

Solar power is expected to reach price parity with coal-generated electricity by 2016



By Lucas Mearian Computerworld | Jan 9, 2015 11:10 AM PT




Corporations and venture capitalists loved renewable energy last year, and will continue to embrace it this year.


That's the picture that unfolded from several new reports. According to Bloomberg Energy Finance, new funding for wind, solar, biofuels and other low-carbon energy technologies grew 16% to $310 billion last year. It was the first growth since 2011, erasing the impact of lower solar-panel prices and falling subsides in the U.S. and Europe that hurt the industry in previous years.

A new report from consultancy Mercom Capital Group showed that $26.5 billion was invested globally in renewable energy last year, a 175% year-over-year increase.




Read More: http://www.computerworld.com/article/2866946/investment-in-renewable-energy-soars-for-first-time-in-three-years.html

11/20/2014

http://www.gofundme.com/hi4qrw

I'm Emily Poston and my nephew Zachary Poston who will be 14 on November 22nd is in Children’s Medical Center in Dallas due a rare tumor found within his abdomen that had to be surgically removed. During the surgery the doctors realized the tumor was larger than they had originally thought. The...