Month: November 2017

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Casserly Consulting Blog

Tip of the Week: Using Your Computer to Its Full Potential

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Your computer, and the many resources you use it to access, are made for utility. As a result, there is an assortment of useful features built into many commonly used systems and solutions. For this week’s tip, we’ll go over some of the shortcuts that you may not have known about.

For Windows
The Windows operating system itself comes with a few shortcuts that can make using your computer much more convenient.

A cluttered screen can be extremely distracting, but minimizing and maximizing each window each time you need a different one can add up to be a major time sink. Arguably even more so, it gets annoying pretty quickly. Windows provides a fix that sounds a little silly — to quickly minimize every window other than the one you want to keep, click and hold the bar at the top (where the minimize, full screen, and close buttons are located) and shake your mouse. All other active windows will minimize. Repeating this action calls your windows back to your display.

  • You can also use your taskbar to accomplish a similar result. Pressing the Windows key and the number of the application on your taskbar will open it, and then can minimize and maximize it.
  • If you have a file selected and you need to rename it, pressing F2 will allow you to do so without right-clicking and selecting Rename from the options.
  • If you want to speed up deleting a sentence you just typed, pressing Ctrl as you hit backspace will delete your text word-by-word, instead of character-by-character.
  • Windows also makes it easier to take specific screenshots of your active window: all you have to do is press Alt and Print Screen.

For Chrome
Google Chrome is a highly utilizable browser, with plenty of shortcuts and features baked in.

  • We’ve all had those searches we regret, and Google never seems to let us forget about them–until now, that is. Using your arrow keys, select the unwelcome suggestion, and press Shift + Delete to eliminate it.
  • If you’ve ever wanted to move multiple tabs to a new browser window, you know how quickly the back-and-forth gets old. By holding Ctrl, you can select multiple tabs and drag them to an existing window or create an entirely new window.

For Any Browser
If you aren’t a Chrome user, there are still plenty of shortcuts that will work for any of the popular browsers.

  • Selecting text in a web page can be frustrating, as you can easily grab an unwanted chunk by drifting your mouse too far one way or another. This can be avoided by clicking in the text where you want to begin highlighting, then pressing Shift as you click on the end of your desired segment.
  • You can quickly access the address bar at any time by pressing F6, or Ctrl + L.
  • Once you’re done with one of your tabs, middle-clicking it will close it.

How many of these tips did you know about? Are there any you know of that we missed? Share them in the comments!

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Casserly Consulting Blog

Is a Data Backup Really That Necessary? In a Word: Yes

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Does your business have a dedicated data backup and disaster recovery system? It’s one of the most critical parts of managing a business, yet some don’t have a plan in the event of the worst. If your organization were to suddenly lose a significant portion of its data, would it be able to continue functioning as needed? With a data backup and disaster recovery solution, you won’t be dealing in the realm of “what if,” and instead focus on “when” you experience a data loss incident.

Traditionally, tape backup has been the go-to solution for small businesses. Tape backup is the process of storing data on magnetic tape, and at one time was considered the most prominent type of backup in the business world. However, tape has its own set of inconveniences that can hinder operations in times of disaster.

The number one reason to not use tape is that it’s not automatic. One of your employees has to set the backup at the end of each work day so that it can run. Furthermore, when it comes time to activate the backup, it must be performed manually as well. This means that even the slightest amount of user error could completely demolish any chances of your recovering from a data disaster.

The second biggest reason to not use tape is that it doesn’t take a full backup of your data. At the most, it only captures data that has been changed over the past 24 hours. The reason for this is because the data backup can only be performed once a day. Due to the immense strain placed on your network, a tape backup is generally reserved for after-hour implementation, so up to 24 hours of data could potentially be lost in the event of a disaster.

The third and final reason why you shouldn’t implement tape is that it takes considerably longer to restore from in the event of a data loss incident. Tape backup can take several hours to restore, and that’s assuming that you still have an infrastructure and hardware capable of running your organization (let’s face it–natural disasters like floods can damage more than just your building). This type of downtime can be an issue even for businesses that do have the required hardware to get back in business, as it’s just more wasted time and resources that must be accounted for.

A better solution for small businesses is an enterprise-level Backup and Disaster Recovery (BDR) solution from COMPANYNAME. BDR uses the cloud to perform data backups, which provides a significantly better system for getting back in the game following a critical loss incident. The cloud allows for faster restoration times, less downtime, and more complete data backups. The cloud utilizes snapshot-based data backup, which only updates the current backup if the files have been changed. These snapshots are taken every 15 minutes or so, significantly reducing the amount of data lost in the event of a data loss incident. It’s truly the best way to go about protecting your organization from unforeseen threats.

To get started with BDR, reach out to COMPANYNAME at PHONENUMBER.

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Casserly Consulting Blog

Tip of the Week: How to Write a Better Email

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Writing an email is one of the most prevalent methods of communication in the business world, but it’s not as easy as you might think. There are considerable details and intricacies to mastering this art, and we’re here to help. By the end of this blog article, you’ll be armed with five tips to write the most effective email that you can.

Keep It Short
Nobody wants to read a long message in their email. After all, they likely have more pressing matters to attend to, and many more messages that they have to read. Therefore, it makes sense that you get right to the point when you have to send an email. Try to include only information that’s absolutely critical. Remember, concision is the friend of any businessperson, as they only have so much time in a day to read and respond to messages that aren’t mission-critical.

Present a Clear Subject Line
Similarly, you want to use only the most clear and concise subject lines, as anything less could mislead the recipient into thinking that the message either isn’t important or doesn’t warrant immediate attention. Basically, you want to provide enough information in the subject line to give the recipient a reason to open it.

Personalize the Email
You shouldn’t be copying and pasting a catch-all message into an email. You should take the time to personalize each message that you send so that it looks as authentic and genuine as possible. You should always use your full name, as well as the organization you belong to–especially if you are sending messages to vendors or clients.

Perform a Spelling and Grammar Check
Nothing is more embarrassing than making a major spelling or grammar error in an important email. Thankfully, this can be avoided by giving your message a quick proofreading before hitting the Send button. Try to avoid statements in all caps, as they can create a subtext that you don’t necessarily want to convey.

Keep it Business-Friendly
If you’re going to send a bunch of memes or other fun things to your employees, it’s best not to do it through email. It’s one thing if you have a dedicated email thread designed for sharing information unrelated to work, but when you have your employees sending things that have no place in a professional environment, you get clutter (and a general lack of focus), both of which can create an unproductive workplace environment.

For more information on how to make the most of your email, reach out to us at PHONENUMBER.

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Casserly Consulting Blog

2018: What to Expect from Technology

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2017 saw the rise of many great technology solutions for small business, including an explosion of popularity in business intelligence, artificial intelligence applications, and machine learning. Meanwhile, other established technologies have continued their domination of the industry. What can your organization look forward to seeing on the forefront of the small business technology race in 2018?

We’ll take a look at some of the upcoming and emerging technologies that your business may want to consider for future investment.

Artificial Intelligence
Artificial intelligence in terms of business use consists of analyzing data to create better outcomes, remake the customer experience, and completely change the way that organizations conduct themselves through the use of automation. Artificially intelligent technology can help to streamline operations and the customer experience through the implementation of chat bots and other machine-learning capabilities. However, researchers have recommended that AI be limited to specific roles rather than broad concepts, as too much of a lack of focus could lead to poor performance as a whole, deterring organizations from implementation in the future.

Even if businesses aren’t implementing artificial intelligence as soon as possible, 59% of businesses are still collecting information so that they can benefit as much as possible from such an integration. By taking this proactive stance on artificial intelligence, they are ensuring that they can hit the ground running when it comes time to do so.

Intelligent Analytics
Analytics have become an increasingly important part of doing business. This is because the availability of data, and software that allows for the analysis of said data, creates an environment where better decisions can be made using this analysis. By taking a carefully crafted deep dive into the numbers behind goods or services, organizations can make greater profits and eliminate inefficiencies in never before seen ways. Think of it like “trimming the fat,” so to speak.

Of course, these intelligent analytics can also be used to find new and more lucrative business ventures. Without proper analysis, though, these statistics and analytics are just empty numbers. Business intelligence apps aim to provide perspective and create insight for operational efficiency and effectiveness. Businesses that want to reap the most benefit from their data will invest in business intelligence strategies to glean important insights.

Cloud Technology
The cloud retains its importance as one of the best ways to take full advantage of modern technology. This is because no matter what type of business applications are released in the future, the cloud will remain one of the best ways to access them. The cloud offers dynamic access to business-critical computing constructs and applications that business owners will want to utilize because they offer cost-reduction and other benefits.

How does your business plan on using the cloud and these other technologies in 2018? To learn more about your options, reach out to COMPANYNAME at PHONENUMBER.

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Casserly Consulting Blog

These Smartphones Make an Excellent Gift (Even To Yourself!)

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The holiday season is the ideal time to pick up your next best smartphone–especially since you might get something great as a gift from your loved ones! We’ll help you decide which type of smartphone is best for your specific needs by taking a close look at some of the great new devices on today’s market.

Since there are so many devices out there, we’ll be taking a deep dive into some of the most popular ones, while providing the specs and features of others so that you can make an educated decision for your big purchase.

The New iPhones: 8, 8 Plus, and X
With three iPhones on the market, it can be challenging to know what the big differences are between them. Compared to previous iterations of the iPhone, the 8 and 8 Plus models now have been constructed with a glass and aluminum casing. You might think that the iPhone 8 and 8 Plus are similar to the iPhone 6 in terms of how it feels in the hand.

The main differences between the iPhone 8/8 Plus and the iPhone X is the display. The iPhone X also features improvements to the camera and overall build quality. Due to the iPhone X being significantly more expensive, iPhone lovers may want to choose the iPhone 8 or 8 Plus to achieve a comparable experience.

iphone 8

Model: iPhone 8
Construction: Front/back glass & aluminum frame
Screen Size: 4.7-inch
Display: LED-backlit IPS LCD, 16M Colors, 1,334 x 759 (~326 ppi)
SIM: Nano-SIM
Chipset: Apple A11 Bionic
CPU-GPU: Hexa-core (2x Monsoon + 4x Mistral) – Apple GPU
Operating System: iOS 11

Memory

Internal: 64GB or 246 GB models; 2GB of RAM
Expandable: None

Cameras

Primary: 12 MP, f/1.8, 28mm, phase detection autofocus, OIS, quad-LED flash
Front-Facing: 7 MP, f/2.2, face detection

Audio: Built-in stereo speakers, No 3.5mm headphone jack
Sensors: Fingerprint, accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer
Features: Fast charging, Qi Wireless charging, Siri commands and dictation, iCloud integration
Battery size-life: 1,821 mAh battery – 66 hours
Available Colors: Silver, Space Grey, Gold
Price: $699.99-to-$899.99

iphone 8 plus

Model: iPhone 8 Plus
Construction: Front/back glass & aluminum frame
Screen Size: 5.5-inch
Display: LED-backlit IPS LCD, 16M Colors, 1920×1080 (~401 ppi)
SIM: Nano-SIM
Chipset: A11 Bionic
CPU-GPU: Hexa-core (2x Monsoon + 4x Mistral) – Apple GPU
Operating System: iOS 11

Memory

Internal: 64GB or 246 GB models; 3GB of RAM
Expandable: None

Cameras

Primary: Dual 12 MP, f/1.8, 28mm and f/2.8, 56mm) phase detection autofocus, 2x optical zoom, quad-LED flash
Front-Facing: 7 MP, f/2.2, face detection

Audio: Built-in stereo speakers, No 3.5mm headphone jack
Sensors: Fingerprint, accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer
Features: Fast charging, Qi Wireless charging, Siri commands and dictation, iCloud integration
Battery size-life: 2,691 mAh battery – 81 hours
Available Colors: Silver, Space Grey, Gold
Price: $799.99-to-$999.99

iphone x

Model: Apple iPhone X
Construction: Front/back glass & stainless steel frame
Screen Size: 5.8-inch
Display: Super AMOLED, 16M Colors, 2,436×1,125 ( ~458 ppi)
SIM: Nano-SIM
Chipset: Apple A11 Bionic
CPU-GPU: Hexa-core 2.39 Ghz (2x Monsoon + 4x Mistral) – Apple GPU
Operating System: iOS 11.1

Memory

Internal: 64 and 256 GB models; 3GB RAM
Expandable: None

Cameras

Primary: Dual 12 MP, f/1.8, 28mm and f/2.4, 52mm) phase detection autofocus, 2x optical zoom, quad-LED flash
Front-Facing: 7 MP, f/2.2, face detection

Audio: Built-in stereo speakers, No 3.5mm headphone jack
Sensors: FaceID, accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer
Features: Fast charging, Qi Wireless charging, Siri commands and dictation, iCloud integration
Battery size-life: 2,716 mAh battery – 74 hours
Available Colors: Silver, Space Grey
Price: $999.99-to-$1,149.99

Samsung Galaxy s8 and Note 8
There are more differences between the Samsung Galaxy and Note lines than you might think. The Note line has noticeably larger screens with higher quality, but you’ll find that the larger screen makes it a bit bulkier and more unwieldy compared to the smaller and more compact Galaxy line. Still, the extra screen space will make any entertainment lover jump for joy. Users can also appreciate that, just like the iPhones mentioned above, the phone is made out of a mix of aluminum and glass casing, allowing for water resistance.

Just like with the iPhones, however, you’ll see some notable differences that might make all of the difference to power users. In particular, the camera on the Note 8 offers optical image stabilization–a great way to take better videos or images. Furthermore, the Note 8 is considerably more powerful than the Galaxy s8, sporting 50% more RAM.

galaxy s8

Model: Samsung Galaxy s8
Construction: Front/back glass (Gorilla Glass 5) & aluminum frame.
Screen Size: 5.8-inch
Display: Super AMOLED, 16M Colors, 2,960 x 1,440 (~570 ppi)
SIM: Nano-SIM
Chipset: Qualcomm MSM8998 Snapdragon 835
CPU-GPU: Octa-core (4 x 2.35 GHz & 4 x 1.9 GHz Kyro) – Adreno 540
Operating System: Android 7.0, Touchwiz

Memory

Internal: 64 GB, 4 GB RAM
Expandable: microSD (up to 256)

Cameras

Primary: 12 MP, f/1.7, 26mm, OIS, LED flash
Front-Facing: 8 MP, f/1.7

Audio: Dual stereo speakers, 3.5 mm headphone jack
Sensors: Iris scanner, fingerprint reader, accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer, heart rate, SpO2
Features: Samsung DeX, Fast battery charging, Qi/PMA wireless charging
Battery size-life: 3,000 mAh – 84 hours
Available Colors: Midnight Black, Orchid Gray, Arctic Silver, Coral Blue, Maple Gold
Price: $725.99-to-$825.99

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Model: Samsung Galaxy s8 Plus
Construction: Front/back glass (Gorilla Glass 5) & aluminum frame.
Screen Size: 6.2-inch
Display: Super AMOLED, 16M Colors, 2,960 x 1,440 (~529 ppi)
SIM: Nano-SIM
Chipset: Qualcomm MSM8998 Snapdragon 835
CPU-GPU: Octa-core (4 x 2.35 GHz & 4 x 1.9 GHz Kryo) – Adreno 540
Operating System: Android 7.0

Memory

Internal: 64 GB, 4 GB RAM or 128 GB, 6 GB RAM
Expandable: microSD (up to 256)

Cameras

Primary: 12 MP, f/1.7, 26mm, OIS, LED flash
Front-Facing: 8 MP, f/1.7

Audio: Dual stereo speakers, 3.5 mm headphone jack
Sensors: Iris scanner, fingerprint reader, accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer, heart rate, SpO2
Features: Samsung DeX, Fast battery charging, Qi/PMA wireless charging
Battery size-life: 3,000 mAh – 84 hours
Available Colors: Midnight Black, Orchid Gray, Arctic Silver, Coral Blue, Maple Gold
Price: $799.99-to-$899.99

galaxy note 8

Model: Samsung Galaxy Note 8
Construction: Front/back glass (Gorilla Glass 5) & aluminum frame
Screen Size: 6.3-inch
Display: Super AMOLED, 16m colors, 2,960 x 1,440 (~521 ppi)
SIM: Nano-SIM
Chipset: Qualcomm MSM8998 Snapdragon 835
CPU-GPU: Octa-core (4 x 2.34 GHz Kryo & 4 x 1.9 GHz Kryo)
Operating System: Android 7.1.1

Memory

Internal: 64, 128, 256 GB options, 6GB RAM
Expandable: microSD (up to 256GB)

Cameras

Primary: Dual 12 MP (26mm, f/1.7, PDAF & 52mm, f/2.4, AF) OIS, autofocus, 2x options zoom, LED flash.
Front-Facing: 8 MP, f/1.7, face detection

Audio: Dual stereo speakers, 3.5 mm
Sensors: Iris scanner, fingerprint scanner, accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer, heart rate, SpO2
Features: Samsung Desktop Experience, Fast battery charging, Qi/PMA wireless charging, s-Pen integration
Battery size-life: 3,500 mAh battery – 88 hours
Available Colors: Midnight Black, Maple Gold, Orchid Grey, Deep Sea Blue
Price: $ 949.99-to-$1149.99

Google Pixel and Pixel XL 2
Google’s new flagship smartphone device, the Pixel, debuted in 2016, but the latest addition to the smartphone brand can make for a great gift this holiday season. Thanks to its impressive specs and the internal Snapdragon processors, the Pixel line of smartphones are quite powerful–moreso the Pixel 2 than the original Pixel.

Though there are only minor differences between the Pixel and Pixel 2, they are the ones that might matter for some users. The Pixel 2 doesn’t have a headphone jack, which means that you’ll need to purchase the external adapter if you plan on using the device for music (the front-loaded speakers are better for that anyway). Better yet is Google’s promise to support the Pixel 2’s operating system for a full three years, which makes it enticing for normal Pixel users to jump at the opportunity.

pixel 2

Model: Google Pixel 2
Construction: Aluminum unibody with hybrid coating, Gorilla Glass 5
Screen Size: 5.0-inches
Display: AMOLED, 16m, 1,920 x 1.080 (~441 ppi)
SIM: Nano-SIM
Chipset: Qualcomm MSM8998 Snapdragon 835
CPU-GPU: Octa-core (4 x 2.35 GHz Kryo, 4 x 1.9 GHZ Kryo) – Adreno 540
Operating System: Android 8.0

Memory

Internal: 64 and 128 GB options, 4GB RAM
Expandable: None

Cameras

Primary: 12.2 MP, f/1.8, laser autofocus, dual-LED flash
Front-Facing: 8 MP, f/2.4

Audio: Dual stereo speakers, no 3.5mm headphone jack
Sensors: Fingerprint, accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer
Features: Fast charging
Battery size-life: 2,700 mAh – 75 hours
Available Colors: Kinda Blue, Just Back, Clearly White
Price: $649.99-to-$749.99

pixel 2 xl

Model: Google Pixel 2 Plus
Construction: Aluminum unibody with hybrid coating, Gorilla Glass 5
Screen Size: 6.0-inch
Display: P-OLED, 16m colors, 2,880 x 1,440 (~538 ppi)
SIM: Nano-SIM
Chipset: Qualcomm MSM8998 Snapdragon 835
CPU-GPU: Octa-core *4 x 2.35 GHz Kryo & 4 x 1.9 GHz Kryo) – Adreno 540
Operating System: Android 8.0

Memory

Internal: 64GB and 128 GB options, 4GB RAM
Expandable: None

Cameras

Primary: 12.2 MP, f/1.8, OIS, phase detection & laser autofocus, dual-LED flash
Front-Facing: 8 MP, f/2.4

Audio: Dual stereo speakers, no 3.5 mm headphone jack
Sensors: Fingerprint, accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer
Features: Fast charging
Battery size-life: 3,520 mAh battery – 88 hours
Available Colors: Just Black, Black & White
Price: $849.99-to- $949.99

If these smartphones don’t quite pique your fancy, try taking a look at some of the specific details about these other notable smartphone brands:

motorola z 2

Model: Motorola Z2 Force
Construction: front plastic w/ Moto Shattershield, back plastic
Screen Size: 5.5-inch
Display: P-OLED, 16M colors, 2,560 x 1,440 (~534 ppi)
SIM: Nano-SIM
Chipset: Qualcomm MSM 8998 Snapdragon 835
CPU-GPU: Octa-core (4 x 2.35 MHz Kyro & 4 x 1.9 GHz Kryo) – Adreno 540
Operating System: Android 7.1.1

Memory

Internal: 128 GB, 6 GB RAM
Expandable: microSD (up to 256 GB)

Cameras

Primary: Dual 12 MP, f/2.0, laser autofocus, dual-LED flash
Front-Facing: 5 MP, f/2.2, dual LED flash

Audio: One front-facing speaker, no 3.5mm headphone jack
Sensors: Fingerprint, accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer
Features: Fast charging, Motorola Mods (insta-share projector, 360 camera, gamepad, JBL SoundBoost 2, turbopower pack, style shell w/ wireless charging, power pack, Hasselblad True Zoom, vehicle dock)
Battery size-life: 2,730 mAh battery – 69 hours
Available Colors: Super Black, Fine Gold, Lunar Grey
Price: $720.00

lg v30

Model: LG V30
Construction: front/back glass, aluminum frame
Screen Size: 6.0-inch
Display: P-OLED, 16M colors, 2,880 x 1,440 (~537 ppi)
SIM: Nano-SIM
Chipset: Qualcomm MSM8998 Snapdragon 835
CPU-GPU: Octa-core (4 x 2.45 GHz Kyro & 4 1.9 GHz Kyro) – Adreno 540
Operating System: Android 7.1.2

Memory

Internal: 64 or 128 GB options, 4 GB RAM
Expandable: microsSD (Up to 256 GB)

Cameras

Primary: Dual 16 MP (f/1.6, OIS, 3-axis, laser & phase detection autofocus) _ 13 MP (g/1.9) LED flash
Front-Facing: 5 MP, f/2.2

Audio: Dual speaker stereo, 3.5mm headphone jack
Sensors: Fingerprint, accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer, color spectrum
Features: Fast charging, wireless charging
Battery size-life: 3,300 mAh – 87 hours
Available Colors: Aurora Black, Cloud Silver, Moroccan Blue, Lavender Violet
Price: $819.99-to-$929.99

blackberry keyone

Model: BlackBerry KEYone
Construction: Aluminum, Gorilla Glass 4, with soft-touch plastic, physical keyboard
Screen Size: 4.5-inch
Display: IPS LCD, 16m colors, 1,620 x 1,080 (~433 ppi)
SIM: Nano-SIM
Chipset: Qualcomm MSM8953 Snapdragon 625
CPU-GPU: Octa-core 2.0 GHz Cortex-A53
Operating System: Android 7.1

Memory

Internal: 32 GB with 3 GB RAM or 64 GB with 4 GB RAM
Expandable: microSD (up to 256 GB)

Cameras

Primary: 12 MP, f/2.0, phase detection autofocus, dual-LED flash
Front-Facing:8 MP, f/2.2

Audio: Dual speaker stereo
Sensors: Fingerprint, Accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass
Features: Full programmable keyboard, fast charging
Battery size-life: 3,505 mAh – 107 hours
Available Colors: Black & Silver, Black
Price: $499.99-to-$559.99

nokia 8

Model: Nokia 8
Construction: Glass Aluminum
Screen Size: 5.3-inch
Display: IPS LCD, 16m colors, 2,560 x 1,440 (~554 ppi)
SIM: Nano-SIM
Chipset: Qualcomm MSM8998 Snapdragon 835
CPU-GPU: Octa-core (4 x 2.5 GHz Kyro & 4 x 1.8 GHz Kyro) – Adreno 540
Operating System: Android 7.1.1

Memory

Internal: 64 GB, 4 GB RAM or 128 GB, 6 GB RAM
Expandable: microSD (up to 256 GB)

Cameras

Primary: Dual 13 MP, f/2/0, laser and phase detection autofocus, Carl Zeiss optics, OIS, LED flash
Front-Facing: 13 MP, f/2.0, phase detection autofocus

Audio: Two-speaker stereo, 3.5mm headphone jack
Sensors: Fingerprint, accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer
Features: Fast charging
Battery size-life: 3,090 mAh – 78 hours
Available Colors:Tempered Blue, Polished Blue, Steel, Polished Copper
Price: $479.99-to-$559.99

What do you think? Do you have a pretty solid understanding of what type of smartphone you want for your organization? Let us know what you chose in the comments, and be sure to subscribe for more great technology articles.

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Casserly Consulting Blog

Would Your Users be Tricked by Social Engineering?

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The term social engineering may not seem nearly as intimidating as other cybersecurity terms like ransomware or denial of service. Don’t be deceived! Some of the biggest threats to your company’s data and network security use social engineering to manipulate targets into taking a specific action – like disclosing personal information that can be stolen and exploited.

Often overlooked by the media in favor of major data breach events, there are few types of social engineering hacks that have the capability to devastate a business.

  1. Vishing: Given the fact that the number of people who fall for phishing attacks and other email scams has declined significantly, it was only a matter of time before hackers found an alternative avenue to exploit their targets. After abandoning it a few years ago in favor to digital scams, vishing – a fraudulent voice call that seeks personal information – have once again returned as a favorite among hackers and thieves.
  2. HTTPS: SSL certificates used to ensure that a website was legitimate and secure enough to protect your personal information. Websites that have ‘https’ no longer signifies security, as hackers have begun using websites that give away SSL certificates for free and using them to lull victims into a false sense of security. To make sure a website is secure, you’ll want to look for indication of an extended validation SSL (EV-SSL) which are not offered for free! EV-SSLs are signified with a green bar.
  3. Website Copy-Cats: Scammers have become very skilled at making spoof websites that look and feel just like the authentic website but are actually littered with all typesof malware. For example, after the Equifax data loss event in June 2017, Equifax set up a website to help their clients who had their information compromised with the URL: equifaxsecurity2017.com. A spoof of that website, with the domain securityequifax2017.com, was so convincing – it even tricked Equifax themselves! A few things to keep an eye out for when trying to determine if a website is legitimate, include:
    1. Make sure the URL is correct.
    2. Avoid giving out information unless a site has an EV-SSL.
    3. Look for seals of trust from other IT security websites.
    4. Beware of misspellings, typos and broken English.
  4. Every Word Password Theft: There are a lot of hacking tools that will scan through databases – including every word in the dictionary. These tools significantly increase the likelihood that a password that includes an actual word will be cracked and exploited. The best practices are ones that mix numbers, letters and symbols that make no sense.

When it comes to digital threats, for every exploit or hack that is prevented, a few, more advanced ones are developed. The best way to keep your business, and it’s data, safe is to take proactive measures and execute safe internet practices all times – and that goes for your employees, as well! Would you like to learn more about how you can stay ahead of hackers? Call us at COMPANYNAME.

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Casserly Consulting Blog

Tip of the Week: Using Your Smartphone More Effectively in Five Ways

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It’s getting to the point where most people have a smartphone, even if they shouldn’t necessarily have one. If you go all-in on a device like this to boost your productivity and efficiency, then you know how difficult it can be at times. We’re here to provide you with some tips to help you better take advantage of your smart device.

Use Your Mobile Wireless Hotspot
Often times you’ll find yourself limited by not having a wireless connection for devices like your laptop or tablet. In instances like this, you can turn your smartphone into a mobile wireless hotspot to “piggyback” off of your cellular data plan, providing Internet access to other devices that may need it.

A Bring Your Own Device strategy can help your organization supply employees with a stipend to cover any costs of using the device as a mobile hotspot. On the other hand, you can simply provide them with company devices that have enough data to fulfill their needs.

Sort Your Home Screen
You don’t have to suffer from a cluttered home screen on your device. In fact, depending on your personal preferences, you can either sort your apps into folders, or distribute them across various screens so that you know where to locate each of them. You don’t want to lose track of your applications when you need them most.

Customize Your Email and Browser Options
If you’re using an iPhone or Android device, chances are that your device will default to a specific web browser or email management application. You don’t necessarily have to use these, though. As long as you can find an app for your preferred email application, or whichever application your organization uses to communicate, you can install it and achieve a comparable level of functionality regardless of your choice.

Of course, you’ll want to work with your IT department to ensure that you’re not downloading any malware-laden versions of applications–particularly email and web browsers, which you will be using often.

Use Your Shortcuts
Your device has a plethora of shortcuts available, so do your best to work with them whenever you can. The more you get used to these shortcuts, you’ll find yourself being more productive. Consider how much time you waste trying to figure out just what you’re doing with your device, and you’ll see the importance of understanding how these shortcuts work.

Of course, depending on the model of your phone, you’ll have different shortcuts at your disposal. This is because the software installed on them is likely to be different, so just play around a little bit to find the best shortcuts available for your device.

Research Insurance Options
What would you do if your mobile device fell out of your pocket or bag and smashed into a thousand pieces on the pavement? What about if you lost it while you were out and about? Whatever ill fortune may present itself, you’ll want to look into insurance to make sure that you’re covered in the event of a disastrous scenario.

What are your best smartphone tips? Do you have any that you think should have been on our list? Let us know in the comments.

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Casserly Consulting Blog

Are You Prepared for Employees to Bring Their Own Devices?

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Bring Your Own Device policies have helped many companies save money on technology by allowing employees to use their own devices, rather than taking on the cost of providing devices. However, as much as a BYOD approach can help a business financially, there are some potential drawbacks to adopting one that you should be prepared to deal with.

Managing These Mobile Devices
Whenever there is a Bring Your Own Device strategy enacted, there needs to be Mobile Device Management in action as well. Your MDM software also needs to be monitored, as this will inform you if someone without the proper authorization is accessing data that they shouldn’t be.

However, sufficient monitoring is a time-intensive task. It is even possible that it would require you to add an additional employee to properly make use of your MDM software. Before you commit to these measures, which are a must for successfully implementing BYOD, make sure you have (or can obtain) the resources to run them.

One great solution to mitigate your organization’s overall BYOD costs is the built-in automation that many of today’s Mobile Device Management platforms offer. This automation can be customized and run to allow your technicians to focus on the core aspects of your business’ technology rather than spend all of their time, and your money, monitoring employee smartphones.

Streamlining For Support
A major advantage to providing employees with work devices is the control you have over the devices you provide. By selecting a specific model for your employees to use, you can standardize your systems that much more, and make your IT administrator’s job that much easier. By reducing the variety of devices they need to be familiar with, IT can service them more quickly and effectively.

This can be a drawback to BYOD, as it makes support a more arduous task and–as a result–more costly. With a variety of devices and their specific issues, it becomes a more time-intensive task to identify and resolve any problems. Taking this into account, it may be a more cost-effective option to invest in standardized mobile devices for your company to use, rather than try to manage the variety of devices your workforce likely uses based on personal preference. This is a variable that you will need to consider based on your specific circumstances and abilities. Do you finance devices for your staff? Or, manage the varying devices your staff will bring?

Leaving Yourself Vulnerable
Not all devices are equally suited for use in a BYOD strategy–sometimes, a new feature can lead to a pretty severe vulnerability. Take, for example, any device with iOS 11 installed. Despite having switches in its control center to activate and deactivate Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, these switches don’t actually deactivate their connection. This leaves these devices vulnerable, and if they were a part of a BYOD implementation, your business becomes vulnerable, as well.

Wasted Resources
Often, the question isn’t if BYOD makes sense, it’s if BYOD makes sense for a particular employee to have access to. Some companies will reimburse their staff for the personal data that they use. However, if an employee’s responsibilities don’t really require the use of a mobile device, having them involved in a BYOD strategy is akin to paying for their personal use of the device; and, can hinder their overall productivity.

Don’t get us wrong–BYOD can be a great benefit to your business and its bottom line. You just shouldn’t dive in without considering the potential downsides and planning how you will go about solving these problems. The IT professionals at COMPANYNAME can help. To learn more, call us today at PHONENUMBER.

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Casserly Consulting Blog

What to Expect from IT in 2018

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As one of the most famous head coaches in NFL history, Vince Lombardi has several quotes that can be applied to success. One particular statement to note is “If you are five minutes early, you are already ten minutes late.” As it turns out, this quote inadvertently refers to technology. The technology industry moves a mile-a-minute and businesses are always looking for ways to innovate and make significant improvements to technology.

In fact, it’s just one small way you can make a big change for your small business’ operations. Here are some of the best developments to look forward to for your business’ IT in 2018, as per some of the most notable IT professionals in the United States.

  • Emerging technology is important. Of all technology observed, security (81%), mobile device management (51%), and big data (49%) are likely to play a major role in future technology development.
    • What this means for the small business: The threat of a hacking attack or data loss should never be underestimated. In order to commit to keeping your business secure, it is best to proactively take steps to keep threats out of your network. Considering how popular mobile solutions have become, you need to include mobile device management in your maintenance strategy.
  • Network security is a focus. Businesses understand how crucial it is that their network data is properly protected. 70% say that securing this data will be their top priority in 2018.
    • What this means for the small business: While peer pressure isn’t usually a good thing, this statistic is the exception. When almost three-quarters of your industry contemporaries are taking steps to improve their security against cybercrime, it’s a good indication that you should as well.
  • Balancing in-house and outsourced solutions. 54% of survey respondents plan to combine internal and external IT support and administration to fulfill their needs.
    • What this means for the small business: Some positions are simply more difficult to fill as a part of an in-house staff. For example, there just aren’t enough security experts for all the vacancies in small businesses, especially when large businesses lure candidates away with more pay, better benefits, and other perks. Furthermore, not many small businesses would likely need a full-time security resource if best practices are followed.

      As a result, many businesses are looking externally for their cybersecurity needs. A managed service provider can provide an outsourced team of experienced IT professionals who will communicate and work with you to meet your organizational technology needs. This allows you to preserve your budget by eliminating the need to hire and train your own internal resources.

  • Increased use of a virtual environment. It is expected that using the cloud and virtualization technologies will lead to a 69% decline in utilizing installed applications on local systems.
    • What this means for the small business: Complicated infrastructures have no place in the digital climate of today, and relatedly, there is a need of scalability to meet the needs of your business and workforce. A virtual environment lends itself to that ability to change, and easily allows you to securely make necessary changes to your data–whether those changes are alterations to user access permissions, the addition of new user accounts, or scaling services.
  • Increase in SaaS. 61% of those surveyed predict that the operating system will gradually become irrelevant as applications move more and more to the browser.
    • What this means for the small business: The move from self-managed applications and software to fully-managed Software as a Service will allow business users to be productive from anywhere, with their solutions maintained for them by the hosting service. This includes installing updates and applying patches as they are released.

How do you plan to leverage these technologies in your business? Whatever your plans are, COMPANYNAME is here with the solutions and experience to help. For more information, give us a call at PHONENUMBER.

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Casserly Consulting Blog

Tip of the Week: Improving Your Wi-Fi May Have Something To Do With Your Router

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While many may want their Internet to be faster, not many realize that their router may be contributing to the problem. For this week’s tip, we’ll discuss how to configure your router for a faster Internet connection.

Gaining Access to the Administration Console
Of course, before you can make any changes to your router, you need to access the place where those changes can be made. With your router connected to your device (either a wired or wireless connection is fine) access your web browser. In the address bar, enter your router’s IP address, which can be found in the router’s user manual. Alternatively, you can check for your router’s IP address by clicking into the Control Panel and then, under the Network and Internet category, View network status and tasks.

To make this easier, you should use the dropdown menu in the top-right corner of the window to view your options by category.

In the Network and Sharing Center, click into your current network connection. An Ethernet Status window will appear. Once you click on the Details… button, your router’s IP address will display under IPv4 Default Gateway.

Once you have the IP address of your router, enter it into your browser’s address bar. Before you can access your router, you will need to enter your username and password. This could actually be one of the factors causing your problems: if your router’s access credentials have been left to the factory defaults, anyone can access your Internet connection without your knowledge and eat up your bandwidth. This is why it is important to change your access credentials to something more secure.
Once you have secured your access to your router, you should also look for Wireless Settings or Advanced Wireless Settings. This is where the rest of the changes to help speed up your connection will be made.

Checking the Bands
Based on what gigahertz your routers use for their signal, they come in different types–also known as ‘bands.’ Today’s routers will often support multiple bands, identified by the letter at the end of the router’s protocol. Older routers will often have a ‘G’ denoted at the end, while new ones are denoted with an ‘N’ or ‘AC.’ Even newer ones might end their protocol with ‘AD.’

These bands will tell you what devices will play nice with your router, but the multi-band capabilities of many routers will allow a single router to support numerous devices with different protocols.

Selecting a Channel
A connection can also be made slower if the router is set to a channel with higher traffic. If set to the 2.4GHz frequency, for example, your router has to compete with common devices like cordless phones, Bluetooth speakers, and others. Switching to a less busy channel may improve your connection speed and overall quality.

You can check which channels are available to you with some utilities for Windows devices and applications for Android devices. After running your scan and identifying a promising channel, use your Administration Console to switch over and test for any improvements.

Optimizing the Security Settings
As referenced above, it is important that your router is secured for the sake of your network security, but even the way it is secured can influence the speed of your connection. Setting your router to WPA2 with AES should give you fast, yet secure, connection.

If this all seems like a bit much, don’t worry–the IT professionals at COMPANYNAME are ready and willing to help you with your networking. Reach out to us at PHONENUMBER.