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Wouldn’t it be great to know you could access the internet from every room in the house – including the outdoor entertaining areas? How about wireless printing from wherever you happen to be? Many homes are embracing the flexibility of having multiple devices and users, but with each new addition come increased headaches when trying to make it all work together. They know what experience they want, but actually assembling a complex network can be like trying to juggle a live, angry octopus! Most people don’t realize just how complex their tech setup has become. Ask around and you’ll discover homes commonly have 4 mobile devices, 2 tablets, a desktop or laptop, a printer, plus a smart TV, media streamer, and a games console. All of which need access to the same secure internet connection, backup systems, and protection from digital threats. Yikes! While businesses immediately default to calling in the tech experts to make sure their system works exactly the way they need it to, residential users haven’t had that option - until now. Our Simple Solution Tech, Managed IT Services can assess your unique needs and create the perfect solution for you –everything working the way you want and within budget. Using managed residential services has the added benefit of providing one, predictable bill for every part of your technology services, including: Advice and setup: Our experts love to talk tech and can help you make product decisions, plan and create your ideal network environment – building in all the parental controls and security your unique situation needs. They’ll even help educate your family on best practices, cyber safety, and common threats. Remote support: Save time and energy if something goes wrong, our experts can securely log in to remotely diagnose and repair many issues – just let us know and we’ll take care of it. Backup: You’ll never have to worry about losing all your personal files, photos, video and music if your device is broken or stolen. Our experts will make sure everything that’s important to you is backed up regularly. Maintenance: While your devices are pretty durable, they still need regular maintenance and cleaning. This extends the life of your device greatly and has the added benefit of making it run like new again. Security: Every device under your managed IT plan will be automatically monitored for security issues and updated regularly. Our tech experts will ensure your network is secure, protecting you and your family on autopilot. Cloud: We’ll make sure you have access to all your files, no matter which device you’re on, giving you true digital flexibility and (a safeguard against forgetting homework!). With new connected devices finding their way into homes each year, it’s more important than ever to ensure your network can grow easily, with security at all levels. Remember, it only takes one unprotected device to let the malware in, even something as innocent as a remote-activated lightbulb! Our managed IT services will free you from worrying about security and maintenance, while at the same time giving you the performance and flexibility your family needs. Find out how Managed IT Services can help you by calling us at 786-233-2002!

HIPAA compliance continues to be a real challenge for small and midsized businesses. HIPAA is an acronym for the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, which has very specific rules and regulations around a patient’s health information. Larger healthcare organizations – hospitals and insurance companies – have in-house information technology teams, but smaller businesses don’t have the same depth of IT help on hand. Yet they must abide by the same rules. Risking a HIPAA violation can be costly. Fines reach up to $50,000 US dollars per occurrence. Common violations include: Keeping records unsecured. WellPoint didn’t secure an online health database and paid $1.7 million Not encrypting data. The Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary failed to encrypt physicians’ laptops, which led to a $1.5 million fine. Loss or theft of devices containing personal health information (PHI). A pediatric practice in Massachusetts lost a flash drive and settled for a $150,000 fine. Failing to train employees in HIPAA compliance. A Walgreens in Indiana breached a single patient’s privacy and paid her $1.44 million. Disposing of records improperly. Affinity Health Plan paid $1.2 million after failing to erase the photocopier drives before returning them to the leasing company. Releasing information without authorization. Phoenix Cardiac Surgery posted a patient’s appointment on an online calendar and paid $100,000. Disclosing PHI to third parties who do not have access rights. A medical practice in Phoenix sent patient data over insecure email and was fined $100,000. Tips for HIPAA Compliance Be aware of HIPAA requirements. Smaller businesses can have a tougher time remaining up to date on technology and guidelines. But that doesn’t make them any less accountable for understanding HIPAA compliance. It’s important to do the research and get educated, or partner with an IT provider with the expertise to prevent possible violations. Embrace encryption. If your business deals with any confidential information, encryption and firewalls are necessary. Prevent outside traffic from accessing your systems. Ensure data can’t be read if there is unauthorized access. If there is a breach, or a lost or stolen device, the HIPAA penalties are reduced if encryption is used. Protect all your endpoints. Any mobile devices that have access to patient data need to be secured. With mobile device management, for instance, you can lock down and wipe lost or stolen devices. Err on the side of caution. Employees gossiping over coffee in a dentist’s office could share patient information, or someone might be sending an email with unencrypted data or a health announcement with recipient names visible. All these are HIPAA violations. Humans will make mistakes, yes, but it’s less likely if you educate about regulations and the importance of being careful. Get a HIPAA Check-Up HIPAA has been around since 1996. In 2005, regulators got more serious about electronic versions of PHI. Yet there are still some businesses out there with only a vague idea of what it means to be compliant. Heavy hitters in healthcare already take HIPAA seriously. You should, too. So, you haven’t been audited yet, but that doesn’t mean you won’t be. A $50,000 HIPAA fine could make the difference in your business staying afloat another year. HIPAA compliance is critical for many organizations. Set policies and procedures. Put in place security awareness training. Start using encryption, and assess for risks. Be proactive with your IT management. By working with IT experts, you can stay on top of HIPAA and remain complaint. A managed services provider can assess risk, identify improvement areas, and propose new tech. Call us at (786) 233-2002 to get your IT and access management policies in healthy shape.

​How long have you had your home printer? Maybe you have a printer that came as a package deal with your desktop or free with your laptop purchase. Look in many home offices and you’ll probably see a less-expensive inkjet printer sitting beside even the swankiest monitor. Here’s why it’s time for an upgrade. You should know that printers are often sold at cost or even as a loss leader (below cost to get your business). After all, once you get that cheap/free inkjet printer, you’ll pay for ink cartridges for the life of the printer. To make sure they get your money, manufacturers often sell new printers with half-empty ink cartridges from the start! You’ve heard “you get what you paid for,” right? Well, that’s definitely true for low-cost printers. Manufacturers are cutting production costs to keep the price down. These printers are not built with longevity in mind. Printer owners encounter all kinds of problems: multiple sheets pulled from the paper tray at once; paper jams; slow printer response; drop off in print quality; ink smearing. Frustrated customers soon discover they’ll pay more to fix their printer than they would buy a new one. Upgrading to an office-grade printer Our solution? High-performance commercial printers. Office-grade printers are designed as workhorses. These robust printers are built to withstand heavy use with speed and reliability. Yes, they cost more, but they are also less prone to problems and more likely to be a long-term value addition to your home office. You’ll have many printer profiles to choose from. You might select a printer based on its pages-per-minute printing speed. Or maybe you want a larger paper tray capacity and bigger ink cartridges. Depending on your needs, you might want a printer that allows for simultaneous operation. That would let one person print while another is able to scan or copy. Built-in Wi-Fi could also be useful in small home offices if you’re tired of tripping over so many unsightly cords. While you’re in the market for a new printer, know that we recommend laser printers over inkjet. Laser printers use a dry toner rather than wet ink. The toner cartridges are more expensive, but they print more sheets per cartridge than inkjets, plus, toner doesn’t dry up like ink. And you don’t have to worry about the printer heads getting blocked. Lasers print faster, and you’ll have fewer problems, which means these printers are typically less expensive to operate long-term. Inkjet printers typically have a minimum life span of three years, whereas you can expect a laser printer to last five years, although this will depend on the frequency of use, of course. When looking at laser printers, give serious thought to whether you need a color printer. How many times do you actually use color? Does it merit the added expense of that option? People who are printing photos at home only occasionally could probably get their images printed professionally for less overall cost. Prioritize your printer Even in our increasingly digital world, there are still times when we want to print. Whether it’s a family photo, school report, resume, or slide deck, you want to count on your printer for high quality and reliable performance. There are many, many office-grade printers to choose from, and it can become overwhelming. What and how much you print should factor into your decision. Find the printer for your budget that will last long term with help from our experts. Call (786) 233-2002.

The majority of homes today have at least one computer, and that’s unlikely to be the full extent of the technology. Everyone has a smartphone, and there may be streaming devices, modems, routers, or printers, and – we’re guessing here – lots and lots of power cords! When something goes awry with any of this tech, homeowners can feel stuck. In an office setting, there’s the IT support desk, but at home, you could be relying on Google search, YouTube videos, and the efforts of a digital-native teen. Talking with IT experts well versed in residential technology issues can help. As with doctors, it can be worthwhile to get a second opinion. Having an IT expert for your home can save you money and prevent disasters. With an IT guru on speed dial, you can make smart decisions for buying, repairing, and upgrading tech. Unfortunately, there are a lot of unscrupulous computer businesses out there. They will take advantage of a buyer’s lack of knowledge about all things tech. Doing your own research is great, but it can get overwhelming. A search for a Wi-Fi-enabled, Mac-compatible printer nets hundreds of options, rankings, and reviews. You try to evaluate a laptop or printer on function, quality, and price, but all these other elements get mentioned. You don’t even know what they mean! How can you ask the right questions? An IT expert can narrow the field and make recommendations based on your needs. You don’t have to wonder what that salesperson is not telling you. Maybe you usually go to a big-box store to buy your technology. Yes, they can have good deals, but often there’s a reason that the laptop is so cheap or that printer is such a great deal. These temptingly priced technologies can be just too slow to do the job, or they’ll break down sooner. Or that astounding deal on a color printer is going to backfire on you down the road because the cost of the ink is crazy! With an IT partner providing a second opinion, you can avoid being bamboozled. Your IT support team will take the time to get to know the issues you’re facing and how you plan to use the product. They can steer you towards tech that is good value and makes sense for the problem you're trying to fix. They’re not trying to sell you the actual technology, only acting as a consultant. They don’t benefit from your buying a particular brand. You don't go home with something that duplicates or doesn't work well with your other tech. The best technology is going to be a combination of the right product at the right quality at the right price. Beyond Buying – IT Support for You When it comes to replacing or repairing technology, it helps also to get a second opinion. You wouldn’t want to get surgery when a week with a splint would do the trick, right? Well, you don’t want to buy a new computer to solve a problem that could be fixed by taking off under-performing but processing-power sucking applications. Or pay to repair a device when you could pay the same amount for a new one that works even better in the way you need it. IT support isn’t only for enterprise-sized businesses. Tech experts can help a homeowner: evaluate tech options; identify good deals; make smart upgrades; diagnose computer problems; install security measures; backup data; connect devices. Get the help you need to keep your computers and technology in top shape at home. Contact us today at (786) 233-2002.

(Photo Source: Unsplash.com) Let’s be realistic. You don’t care about information technology (IT). Or, you do, but only so far as it supports you getting the things you care about doing. You’d rather not think about IT at all. Many businesses are that way. That’s fine with us. We care enough about IT for all our clients. You love developing products, designing campaigns, or determining a financial strategy for clients. A managed services provider loves supporting you in doing those things. You don’t have to get bogged down in the nitty-gritty of networks, systems, software, and applications. We will. Happily. The thing is, we typically aren’t aware of what we don’t know. You may have more of a general feeling of unease. You wonder if: your business could be performing better; your team could be collaborating more; your processes could be more efficient; you have the right answers to cybersecurity risks and issues; your business has the best technological tools to meet its needs. But the learning curve seems too steep, and you have other things to be doing for your business. Researching new technologies, weighing upgrades, keeping up with cybersecurity, and maintaining and monitoring IT are responsibilities you’d rather avoid. Yet being uninformed is not going to work as an excuse in a breach, and your employees expect high-quality technology in their work. To recruit and retain people who drive business success, you need IT to support mobility, efficiency, and productivity. Your people want the tools to work smarter, not harder. That’s why many businesses turn to Managed Service Providers (MSPs) for help. MSPs Make Your IT Their Business So, IT isn’t what interests you. That’s fine. Partner instead with a service provider focused on IT. You can keep doing what you do best and care most about. But you can be confident your IT strategy is smart and secure. Plus, you can save money working with an MSP. For one, the MSP gets to know business processes and objectives to help your IT infrastructure run better. Your IT partner will identify opportunities for greater efficiency. Perhaps you’re paying for software licenses you don’t need, or you could gain greater mobility and improve business continuity with cloud migration. Your MSP partner will do the research to make sure your business is benefitting from its IT savvy. The MSP doesn’t gain from selling you more than you need. This expert team shops around for the right plans (whether office broadband, mobile phones, or cloud subscriptions). Even small businesses can access the best technological tools. The MSP can also provide server monitoring and IT maintenance services. You may know you need antivirus protection and firewalls, but that may not be enough. Your IT partner can do a cybersecurity assessment. This lets your business be proactive instead of trying to fix problems later. Gartner estimates business downtime can cost as much as $5,600 per minute or around $300,000 per hour. That’s a financial hit you want to avoid. Plus, the right MSP tailors its services to your workload size, regardless of company size. The goal is to match your business with the right technology to do things better and cheaper. It may not interest you, but it’s a fun challenge for our IT experts. Don’t leave your technology and cybersecurity needs unattended. Be proactive with an MSP as your IT partner. Our experts guide IT strategy, secure systems, and suggest solutions to achieve your business goals. No matter how you feel about IT, we care a lot. Contact us today! (786) 233-2002

No one is safe from cybersecurity threats or able to ignore digital transformation. But the healthcare industry faces extra pressures to keep its information technology healthy. Here’s why that’s the case and why a Managed Service Provider (MSP) partnership is just what the doctor ordered. Healthcare shares many of the same concerns as other industries. Leaders want to reduce costs, increase productivity, and improve the bottom line. Many doctor’s offices are moving away from relying on paper files, insurance providers receive faxed claims, electronic medical records (EMR) have replaced rooms of filing cabinets, and medicine has gone mobile with data available on a centralized server in the cloud. Everything from surgery scheduling to patient payments can be processed online. So, healthcare business technology needs to stay current. Remote access to patient records, imaging, and prescription history is expected. Virtual collaboration with colleagues is a new norm. Dashboards providing data analytics are in demand, too. Plus, all these new technologies need to be secure. Every industry faces cybersecurity threats, yet healthcare handles personally-identifying patient information and financial data, which makes it a prime target. Consider the ransomware attack that crippled Britain’s National Health Service (NHS). That 2017 WannaCry attack cost the NHS 92 million pounds, according to reports, that’s not including the damage to the NHS’s brand reputation. High Standards for Healthcare IT Healthcare must also address industry standards and compliance concerns. Data breaches are expensive for any organization. But healthcare regulations make even the loss of an unencrypted laptop costly. Healthcare clinics face fines for sharing patient data or falling victim to a cyberscam. Partnering with an MSP is a prescription for IT success and security. An MSP provides an outside opinion on technological health. The MSP’s IT experts begin by diagnosing the current software, systems, and networks. They then track and manage technology. An MSP can also provide an IT strategy to support compliance. This could include introducing remote and mobile access policies or taking steps to better protect and backup sensitive information. Patching and upgrading systems is a proactive move against cybersecurity vulnerabilities. You might think of partnering with an MSP as a wellness check. Keeping an eye on the business’s IT health makes it easier to avoid something debilitating. Plus, if something does go wrong, MSPs have guaranteed response times. Your partner will develop a business continuity plan to get you back to IT fitness quicker. IT Managed Services Do More Than You Think On the heels of the headache of moving to electronic health records (EHR), businesses may be reluctant to add MSPs to the mix. Still, a savvy MSP can integrate EHR/EMR solutions with any new IT strategies. Interested in telemedicine applications or social media management? The MSP can help. An MSP does much more than risk assessments. Stopping smoking has many benefits beyond cleaner lungs. Similarly, working with MSPs can help healthcare treat several symptoms at once. The MSP supports medical clinics or healthcare organizations in: using IT to provide a better patient experience; securing networks for the medical professional and patient access; streamlining operational efficiencies with cloud-based computing solutions; improving medical professional communication with patients and other partners; managing IT security; spearheading digital business transformation. Healthcare providers and related businesses want to modernize and master cybersecurity vulnerabilities. Partnering with an MSP for IT strategy and support lets you focus on building a healthy business. Want a consult with our IT? Call us today at (786) 233-2002.

People happily share their private information online, building robust libraries that can easily become a one-stop goldmine for fraudsters. It’s not exactly the intention everyone has when they sign up, as the whole point of Facebook is to share your life with your friends. It hooks us into a global community and the experience does depend on us making certain privacy sacrifices. So how do you balance being social with staying safe? On Facebook alone, the average person shares 13 pieces of personal information ranging from a fairly innocent name/email combo, all the way to the mother's maiden name and home address. It doesn’t sound like a lot, but those 13 pieces have the power to unravel your life within minutes. Even checking in at home or a favorite location has become the norm, helping to create a multi-dimensional online identity. The details are available to anyone who cares to look, whether they’re a friend keeping in the loop, or someone with a much darker agenda. The problem is, you just don’t know who’s looking at your profile or why. For example, someone could try accessing your email account by clicking the ‘Forgot password’ link. The email service follows its security rules and asks identifying questions like ‘which high school did you go to? What is your pet’s name?’ Unfortunately, the most common identifying checks and answers are probably available on Facebook. Once your email address is compromised, hackers can use that to break into other services and go through, clicking ‘Reset Password’ on site after site, account after account – they have full access to your email, so there’s nothing stopping them from emptying your bank accounts – or worse. 7 Ways To Secure Your Facebook Without Missing Out on the Fun Begin by previewing your profile as others see it Review what should and should not be visible to strangers Consider only sharing partial details, like birthday and month, but not the year Only ever ‘Friend’ people you know and trust Be wary of duplicate or ‘odd’ friend behavior – hackers will often clone or hack a friend’s profile and initiate an urgent and uncharacteristic request for money Update your past privacy settings too Set default future sharing to ‘friends only’ Give us a call at (786) 233-2002

Every time employees send or receive data online they need bandwidth. Like time and money, bandwidth is a scarce resource in many offices. After all, computers and digital devices rely on bandwidth to complete tasks online. Bandwidth is the amount of information that can be sent or received per second. This might be measured in Kbps (thousands of bits per second) or Mbps (millions of bits per second). Many people think having a higher bandwidth will mean a faster user experience. In fact, it’s only one factor that affects response time. Bandwidth is actually about capacity more than speed. Eight bits of information are one byte. A byte is the amount of memory it takes to store one character, such as the letter "Q." You can’t drive fast on a one-lane road when there’s a lot of traffic. You also can’t navigate the information highway as quickly in online congestion. If you’re the only one in the office late at night, you’ll have no trouble trying to stream an online webinar, but you might struggle to stream the same webinar when sales are on a video conference call and advertising are sending a graphics-heavy email. What Is Using Bandwidth? There is a greater demand for bandwidth every day. Your business migrated to cloud services for greater mobility and online consistency, but sharing information in real-time requires bandwidth usage to synchronize data. Backing up to the cloud provides businesses with greater peace of mind, yet it can be a headache if that backup is happening right when you want to get on a video chat with a client – your connection can suffer. You’ll be that person who keeps dropping in and out of that important meeting! When you’re using an online meeting tool (audio or video), you can also slow things down for others. Even email needs bandwidth to send and receive data. The bigger the files (e.g. images or spreadsheets?), the more bandwidth activity. Uploading a few PDFs can take up 20–40Mb of the total, which can choke a network with limited upload capacity. All those personal devices your people are bringing to work can make a difference, too. Smartphones will often start backing up to the cloud when they are on a Wi-Fi network. Bandwidth Usage Solutions Often, there is no option for greater bandwidth because the infrastructure where you’re located won’t support a greater bandwidth. You’re already getting the most capacity your provider can offer. Still, there are ways to better manage bandwidth: Switch to a business-grade router or a Unified Threat Management (UTM) appliance. These allow you to identify and manage bandwidth usage better. They also add security (firewalls, filtering) to your network connection. Set up Quality of Service (QoS) to rank the activities your business values more (e.g. configuring video conferencing to take data preference ahead of file downloads). Block some devices entirely, such as employee phones backing up to the cloud. Schedule some activities for a more convenient time (e.g. set your system backups to happen in the middle of the night, fewer people are likely to be trying to do things online). Want to regain control of your internet capacity? A managed services provider can monitor traffic and usage, and help you set up a solution for smarter bandwidth usage. Improve productivity and give employees something to smile about (other than a cat riding a vacuum cleaner on Facebook) with better bandwidth management. Give us a call today at (786) 233-2002.

“Your computer has a virus.” Such a dreaded five words! We don’t want to come down with a human virus; we’ll feel awful and miss work. But when a virus hits our computer, we could lose valuable information or be vulnerable to attack. The chicken soup won’t cut it. Perhaps you have an antivirus product installed on your computer. This computer software is intended to prevent, detect, and remove viruses. Antivirus tools are designed to keep infections out. They can also delete any viruses that may already be on the computer when the software is installed. The software provides protection by tracking malicious code and other computer threats via: classifying the actions the file or code drives (as malicious or OK); inspecting file signatures for matches to an existing signature in its virus dictionary; scanning for rootkits that can change how your operating system functions. However, antivirus software isn’t that good at cleaning up. When it detects a malicious file, it will delete it. But what if the virus spread before discovery? If the infection spreads before virus deletion, it can do all sorts of damage. Think of it this way: you have a cyst on your knee. Doctors decide it is pre-cancerous and operates to remove the cyst before it spreads. But, that’s all they do. They have seen the cyst. They go for the cyst. However, they don’t notice cancer that’s in your shin or femur, because they were only working on the cyst. The rest of your leg remains unhealthy, and you don’t even know it! Getting a Second Opinion on Viruses If the antivirus software is your primary physician, a computer professional is a specialist you go to for an expert second opinion. For one thing, antivirus products don’t always remove all the malicious files. Many viruses start as one thing but can mutate into several different strains. The antivirus software may not be programmed to identify all of the virus variants. A professional actively look for undetected strains on your computer. Viruses are always evolving. A recent strain of malware, SquirtDanger, let hackers take computer screenshots, capture passwords, download files, and empty out cryptocurrency wallets. Some viruses can change the settings of your computer. For instance, a common virus changes your computer’s DNS, which is like a bit like the Yellow Pages for the internet. On a virus-free computer, when you type in “Google.com”, your browser goes to Google’s servers located at the IP address “216.58.203.100.” However, an infection can make Google.com on your computer to go to a different address. Perhaps a server address cybercriminals use to capture your personal data. It still looks to you like Google, but it’s no longer safe. These settings can still remain after the infection is long gone. Viruses can also leave behind browser toolbars, extensions, and other nasties designed to spy on your Web browsing habits. If you’re consistently redirected to unwanted sites, or seeing unwanted pop-up advertisements, it’s likely your computer's infected with a browser hijacker. Ultimately, if you detect a virus on your computer, check with a professional. Don’t trust that your antivirus software is going to do the same, thorough job an expert can offer. Sometimes your computer isn’t fully safe until the operating system is reinstalled, but you can’t know that until someone can go in and see what the virus did and what remnants are still there, lurking. Cybercriminals are growing more sophisticated and better able to design viruses that disguise their tracks. Avoid being an unwitting victim. A computer security expert can diagnosis when your computer gets a virus, or determine if there are strains on your device you don’t know about. Let a security expert protect your computer from harm today! Call us at (786) 233-2002.

The thing about a Tipping Point is that we don’t know we’re there until we’re tumbling head over heels over the edge. Too many businesses reach out to a managed services provider after something has gone wrong. It’s not that we don’t want your business, but we’d prefer to be proactive and help you avoid tipping into an IT disaster in the first place. Flirting with IT Disaster In his debut bestseller, Malcolm Gladwell wrote about The Tipping Point. It might be a magic moment before a trend takes hold or an idea reaches critical mass, but it’s not always a good thing. A business can also reach the tipping point with its information technology (IT). Everything is going fine, and a business can be feeling secure, but then disaster strikes. There’s a data breach. The computers crash. The backup fails. Everyone scrambles to recover. Don’t let your IT reach the tipping point. Pay attention to the signs telling you that you are flirting with the edge of disaster. Then, be proactive. Tipping Tell #1 People like to use their personal devices at work. In a recent study, nearly 80% of employers felt employees performed better using their own devices at work. (Though it may mean something that the Samsung commissioned the study.) Many businesses allow Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) to improve morale and productivity while cutting costs. Even so, allowing employees to use their own smartphones or laptops is also a big security risk. Employees using their own devices are going to be downloading their own apps, and they could download a mobile game with hidden malware or viruses. Then, the next time they log in to the company network, the malware spreads. The opportunities for data loss or theft also rise. What if they send a file over an unsecured network? What if they trade in a device for an upgrade without clearing automatic logins or sensitive business data? The personal device might be lost or stolen, or someone leaving the company could continue to have access to company applications after they go. You want to think the best of your employees, but a zero-trust policy can help reduce the security risk for the entire company from that one rogue device. Tipping Tell #2 Microsoft’s Windows 7 dominated the global market in its heyday. In December 2019, NetMarketShare indicated that approximately 26.6% of all Windows OS users were still on Windows 7, but Windows 7 reached its End of Life on January 14, 2020. That means millions of PCs are using an operating system (OS) that is not getting any support. The OS is not getting updated or fixed. Most importantly, there are no more security patches. Hackers, meanwhile, know a large number of businesses are still working on the old OS, and every month there are more vulnerabilities to exploit as the OS grows more exposed to cyberattacks. Your operating system won’t just stop working on January 15, 2020. However, there will no longer be any updates or patches for viruses or security problems. If you remain loyal to outdated software, you are putting your business at a much greater risk of cyberattack. Tipping Tell #3 Maybe your business still relies on email and file transfer when working together. Teams often need to get many people’s input on a document, design, or proposal. The old-school approach sees different versions sent around for comments and revisions. Then, some poor person collects all that input and correlates it into a new, updated version. This approach slows down collaboration, plus, data can get lost. Also, with many mismatched versions circulating, it’s difficult to stay current. Tipping Tell #4 Your business backup is non-existent or insufficient. You may back up your data to an external USB hard drive, thinking that’s good enough. But what happens if that drive is lost or stolen? If you keep the thumb drive on-site, what happens if your office is destroyed by fire or a natural disaster that takes your computers, too? You'd be left with nothing. Even without that kind of dramatic damage, you may not be backing up enough for your needs. Many businesses backup at the end of the day as a habit. Depending on the amount and kind of work done daily, however, that may not be often enough. For some, losing even a few work hours to file corruption or accidental overwriting is costly. Tipping Tell #5 Cybercriminals constantly find new ways to exploit operating systems, software, and applications. It’s their primary business. But your focus is on other things. Protecting your data and systems is something you know you need to do but can’t always find time to get around to doing. You may not have a good way to keep all your IT up to date with the latest upgrades and security patches. You leave it up to employees to install the software security patches, for instance. But they're always getting notified about an update, and those notifications come at the worst times, so they put it off until later. Then, they forget. This leaves a vulnerability for exploitation that can put your network at risk. Tipping Tell #6 Growing your business may not seem like a bad thing, but landing big contracts and bringing in more employees can also cause IT problems. Adding new people can slow your email server, and putting new people on your software licenses adds up. Plus, you’ve got to invest in more hardware to give every worker access to the technology they need to get the job done. But when are you supposed to find the time to set all this up? You’ve got people to train and projects to deliver on! You can try to make-do until the money starts rolling in from all this new business, but that can hurt employee morale and your brand reputation. What Can You Do? Plus, it’s widely known that Windows 7 is being retired. So, hackers know perfectly well that it’s more vulnerable to attack. Remediating any attacks on your Windows 7 system will also be more costly. Microsoft will charge much higher fees when asked to help businesses that didn’t migrate in time. It is offering extended Windows 7 security updates through January 2023 for Windows 7 Pro and Windows 7 Enterprise users, but the plans aren’t cheap.  Don’t wait until the damage is done to reach out to IT experts. A managed services provider can help with each of these areas of concern: implementing mobile device management for BYOD overseeing an upgrade to Windows 10 for those still using the old OS introducing software to support online, real-time business collaboration and streamline processes upgrading backup so data is on physical devices (on-site and off-premises), as well as in the cloud determining incremental backups or versioning needs throughout a business day putting a disaster recovery plan in place to help a business get back on its feet quickly monitoring and managing upgrades and security patches to keep IT current and safer providing cloud options that make scaling up easier and less costly Your business has momentum, and you don’t want to lose that. Still, you can’t ignore IT growing pains. These tipping points may not feel like a priority but leaving them unattended can bring huge problems. Partner with a managed services provider to pull your business away from a dangerous precipice. You’ll enjoy increased productivity and improved cost efficiencies while gaining the support of IT experts. Contact us today. (786) 233-2002

(Photo source: Unsplash.com) Microsoft is ended support for Windows 7. If your business has ignored all the previous warnings, your time is up. Windows 7 will reached its end of life on January 14, 2020. This blog explains what that means, why it matters, and what’s next. Business users get notifications all the time saying that such-and-such software or hardware needs an update. It can feel as if every time we turn on our computers, there's a warning of a necessary upgrade or security patch. Sometimes, we ignore the warnings. We figure we’ll wait it out. How bad could it be? Well, pretty bad in the case of Windows 7, which is reached its end of life on January 14, 2020.  All good things must come to an end. In the case of software, it doesn’t matter if it is a good one or not. It’s still going to reach what’s called “end of life.” It’s typically a ten-year cycle. The new software gets the manufacturer’s full attention and support for five years. Then, the company starts recommending you move on to its newer software. After all, resources are limited, and they can’t develop new offerings and also support old ones forever. As Microsoft puts it, the company is discontinued Windows 7 to focus its “investment on supporting newer technologies and great new experiences.” In Windows 7’s case, Microsoft stopped fully supporting the 2009 operating system (OS) five years ago. In January 2020, it cut off all extended support options, too. That means no more system updates or security patches. The company has stopped releasing any new features or design changes, and there’s no longer any included manufacturer’s support. Plus, you can’t call in your warranty if something does go wrong. You may love your Windows 7, but as the next section explains, it’s not going to love you back any longer. Your operating system won't stop working on January 15, 2020. However, there will no longer be any updates or patches for viruses or security problems. If you remain loyal to outdated software, you are putting your business at a much greater risk of cyberattack. Microsoft admits it. The head of Windows at Microsoft Germany told ZDNet that Windows 7 "does not meet the requirements of modern technology, nor the high-security requirements of IT departments.” In fact, the system’s security was the most widely affected in the widespread WannaCry ransomware attack. That 2017 attack infected more than 230,000 computers in 150 countries, with the perpetrators demanding $300 ransom per computer. According to Kapersky Lab data, “roughly 98 percent of the computers affected by the ransomware were running some version of Windows 7, with less than one in a thousand running Windows XP.” Plus, it’s widely known that Windows 7 has retired. So, hackers know perfectly well that it’s more vulnerable to attack. Remediating any attacks on your Windows 7 system will also be more costly. Microsoft will charge much higher fees when asked to help businesses that didn’t migrate in time. It is offering extended Windows 7 security updates through January 2023 for Windows 7 Pro and Windows 7 Enterprise users, but the plans aren’t cheap. Finally, there’s no incentive for third-party developers to support Windows 7 applications. So, you could find that other business applications aren’t secure either.  If it makes you feel any better, you’re probably not alone in not having done anything yet. Windows 7 remained the most popular version of Windows worldwide until the end of the fourth quarter of 2018, according to Net Applications. That means more than a billion users were relying on nine-year-old Windows 7 globally. Beyond user preference, there are many other reasons a business may not yet have updated its OS (operating system). Migrating to a new system isn’t always easy, and it is time-consuming. Depending on your IT infrastructure, it could take a lot of work. Existing software or hardware may not be equipped to run the Windows 10 solution.  With WannaCry, one reason Britain’s National Health Service was hit so hard was that it couldn’t upgrade some of its physical machines to the latest OS. For example, it couldn’t run Windows XP on an embedded system such as an MRI machine. If this is the case for you, be safer by isolating those devices or computers from your infrastructure. Despite sounding like doomsayers – “the end is nigh!” – there is no overstating the importance of acting to upgrade from Windows 7. This operating system is “extremely vulnerable,” and that’s in Microsoft’s own words. Don’t risk your business data. Do what you must now to shore up your cybersecurity with a supported system. Dragging your feet any longer could cost you revenue, IT effort, compliance and regulatory fines, customer loyalty, and brand reputation. It’s time to move on. The good news? Upgrading to the latest operating system can improve productivity. You’ll likely notice the increased operating speed and enjoy new features and functionality. This enhanced usability can drive productivity. Plus, you’ll benefit again from regular security updates and manufacturer technical support. Your users probably know and love their Windows 7. Managing the change to a new platform is easier with the help of Simple Solution Tech, Managed Service Provider. We can tackle your data migration and provide reliable service and support. Contact our IT experts today. Contact our us today. Don’t wait! (786) 233-2002

You arrive at home and the door unlocks because it knows who you are, sensing the key in your pocket. The lights switch themselves on and your favorite music begins to stream gently through the living area. It’s already the perfect temperature, and as you head for the fridge, you notice an alert on the screen congratulating you on meeting your exercise goal today and suggesting a tasty snack. Okay, it sounds like a scene from a movie, but it’s actually reality today thanks to the Internet of Things (IoT). Almost anything that can be turned on or off is now able to be connected to the internet. An entire industry has popped up to help users create a custom experience designed around their unique needs. Electronic locks, lights, healthcare wearables, and household appliances are just the beginning. IoT goes beyond devices you can use to surf the web – it’s a global revolution. Adapters can transform even the most random appliance into a connected gadget, as well as add new layers of functionality. Cloud software is creating piggy-back connections, resulting in not just a new experience, but a new way of interacting with the data produced. It may all seem impossibly futuristic, but IoT is less about technology and more about enhancing relationships between people-people, people-things, and things-things. Millions of people are wearing a Fitbit or Jawbone to track steps and calories, while others are letting their fridge order groceries! The practical applications are almost endless, commonly including GPS trackers on pets, home security via webcam, patient monitoring of blood pressure/heart rate, weather monitoring, and remote power points. No more worrying all day if you left the iron on, just push a button on your phone and know for sure it’s turned off. Of course, with all this connectivity comes risks. While the idea of having your toaster hacked is a bit mind-boggling, technology connected to the internet is open to exploitation. The webcam that allows you to monitor your pets may also allow other people to glimpse inside your home, but only if it’s not secured properly. Unfortunately, it only takes one small gap for a cyber-attack to get through, and once in, all connected devices are at risk. Having your lights taken over by a far-away prankster may seem like a small risk, but gaps allow them into your computers, phones, and tablets too. That’s the part the movies skip over – the networking protections that exist in the background, shielding against attacks. Taking the time to properly secure your IoT device is essential to making sure you get the whole, happy future-tech experience. We’re big fans of IoT and can’t wait to see what comes next! Got an IoT device? Give us a call at (786) 233-2002 to help you set it up securely.