IT Voice

Author: seth

  • How AI Chatbots Use Your Data: What You Need to Know to Stay Secure

    AI chatbots like ChatGPT, Microsoft Copilot, and Google Gemini are revolutionizing how we interact with technology. However, as these tools collect personal data to improve performance, concerns about privacy, security, and compliance are rising. This article explores how chatbots use your data and offers tips on mitigating potential risks.

    Chatbots like ChatGPT, Gemini, Microsoft Copilot and the recently released DeepSeek have revolutionized how we interact with technology, offering assistance with almost every task imaginable – from drafting e-mails and generating content to writing your grocery list while keeping it within your budget.

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  • THE DOLLARS AND CENTS OF UPGRADING YOUR BUSINESS PHONE SYSTEM


    Phone technology for business is an increasingly complex network of devices and connections. As a result, the cost of implementing a new phone system can be difficult to nail down until you know exactly what you want. To get a solid idea of how much a new phone system will cost, you need to be sure that you are getting down to the fine details to really see which system is better.

    END POINT DEVICES

    The most obvious cost associated with phone technology for business purposes is for the actual handheld devices that you will be using every day. Depending on what type of functionality you want on your devices, you will need to consider things like desktop sets, mobile devices, headsets, and more. The number of devices you need for your team will also depend on if each individual is getting a personal device or if the device will be shared across multiple shifts. However, this is only the beginning.

    SOFTWARE

    Along with your new devices, you will be depending on advanced software programs to help you route calls and locate customer information. This software comes with licensing fees for each user. Plus, many software designers also offer tiered plans with varying levels of special features for a little more money. You need to plan on paying for software licenses either up front or in monthly installments.

    INFRASTRUCTURE

    The next part of your cost analysis will be the infrastructure of your phone technology for business. If you choose to move to a cloud-based system, you may save money on the cost of servers or call routing hardware. However, you will likely be signing up for an ongoing cloud subscription. If you are not going to the cloud, you need to consider the maintenance costs associated with keeping all of the hardware on your own site, including new parts, paying your IT team, and other associated costs.

    THE CONNECTION

    Naturally, you need a service provider to bring all of the hardware together. If you are still using landlines for your phone, then your phone bill may not change. However, if you are going to VoIP, you will likely need an Internet upgrade to handle the additional Internet traffic.

    All four of these components are part of making phone technology for business operate smoothly. As you shop around for the best possible deal, make sure that you are comparing your options in each of these categories to determine whether you will be spending more or saving some by making the switch. Just remember that new phones are only a small part of a much bigger picture.


  • WFH is here to stay Are you ready?


     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     

    WFH is here to stay. Are you ready?

    The year 2020 was nothing like what we had seen before. At a certain point in time, it felt like the world would come to a standstill. With lockdowns and travel restrictions imposed across the world, businesses were pushed into a ‘new normal’. One of the things that was a part of the ‘new normal’, was working from home. This WFH set up brought along with it multiple challenges, especially to those organizations which weren’t into this model already. Accessing critical work information, carrying out meetings on Zoom, attending conferences remotely and even setting up trade show booths online, were all new concepts. While the pandemic may be temporary, one thing is certain–the remote work culture is not.

    WFH existed even before the Coronavirus pandemic. There were a sizable number of companies–primarily in the IT industry that routinely hired remote workforce. Freelancers operated remotely too for the most part. However, the pandemic forced every company that can operate remotely to adopt the WFH model. While the initial switch was cumbersome, challenging and even frustrating, the benefits offered by the WFH model can’t be discounted.

    Here’s how it benefited employees:
    • Helped save time and money that would otherwise be spent on commuting from home to work
    • Offered greater flexibility, as working from home let employees choose their working hours, at least in some cases
    • They needed fewer days off as things like staying home and caring for a sick child/spouse or an elderly parent didn’t mean having to take a day off work anymore
    • With lesser workplace oriented distractions, they were able to accomplish more in lesser time, which means they had more personal time and a better work-life balance
    From the organizational perspective, work from home:
    • Meant more productive, focused, energetic employees with workplace distractions and long commutes eliminated
    • Resulted in lesser absenteeism as employees had flexible work schedules and could be home when their presence was needed, without having to take a day off
    • Helped them save on costs related to maintenance, utilities and employee recreation that they would be otherwise incurring
    • Can help companies save on huge rental expenses by trading larger office spaces for smaller/shared workspaces and conference rooms
    So, there’s no doubt that the trend of WFH will continue well beyond this pandemic and become a norm in daily lives. It seems to be creating a win-win situation for both, the employees and the organizations they work for. However, for WFH to function smoothly, you need to have a solid IT infrastructure ensures the transition from the traditional office setup to the WFH model is smooth and the integration between the various elements involved in the new WFH environment is seamless.

    Are you ready to switch to the WFH mode? It’s time to get in touch with a managed IT service provider who can help you make this move.

  • 4 FACTORS IMPACTING THE COST OF PHONE SYSTEM UPGRADES

    Phone technology for business purposes has come a long way in recent years. By integrating office phones with mobile data and other accessibility features, it is now easier than ever before to take care of business on the go without missing a beat. When choosing which phone system upgrades to make, there are a few important factors that will ultimately influence the price you pay going forward.

    • Your Current Network: If there is one thing that cannot be avoided in the world of phone technology for business, it is the need for a very reliable network. No matter which modern phone system you choose to go with, you will almost certainly need to have a solid network already in place to handle the increased data and call traffic. Assessing your current network conditions for use with VoIP and other cloud-based phone technologies can have a huge impact on how much it costs to upgrade your phones.
    • Advanced Features: Most basic phone technology already comes with a number of built-in features like voice mail and call forwarding – technologies that were a premium in years past. However, as those have become standard fare, a whole new suite of advanced features has been added to the list. Fax-to-email support, video conferencing, and other recent advancements will add a few extra dollars to your phone bill each month.
    • Scalability: Your newly upgraded phone system needs to be ready to change as your business evolves. Clearly, you are already going through an upgrade because your old system is outdated. Choosing phone technology that can grow with your company will keep you from having to make another large phone system investment in the near future.
    • Mobility: Now that the majority of your employees have access to mobile technology, providing app integration and business phone support in the field is an important factor. You can decide how much data and access you want employees to have when they are away from their desks. Your decision to add support for extended reach will mean paying close attention to the quality of calls and the bandwidth needed to support employees abroad. If you need to increase your available bandwidth to accommodate telecommuters or reduce their mobile functionalities to retain call quality, you can expect to spend a little extra money.

    Upgrading your phone technology will help you maintain better control over your operation and handle customer calls more effectively. The four main factors that impact the cost of a phone system upgrade will be the network you currently have in place, the number of specialty features you decide to implement, your projections for future growth, and your ability to support more and more mobile functionalities without losing quality and clarity during phone calls. Fortunately, many of these upgrades show a high return on investment in the long term, and your actual phone bill will decrease over time with VoIP-based technology as well.


  • Is Your Printer The Biggest Security Threat In Your Office?

    If I asked you to name the biggest cybersecurity threats in your office, you’d probably say phishing e-mails, malware or weak passwords. But what if I told you that your office printer – yes, the one quietly humming in the corner – could be one of the biggest vulnerabilities in your entire network?

    It sounds ridiculous, but hackers love printers. And most businesses don’t realize just how much of a security risk they pose – until it’s too late. In 2020, Cybernews ran what they called the “Printer Hack Experiment.” Out of a sample of 50,000 devices, they successfully compromised 56% of the printers, directing them to print out a sheet on printer security. That’s nearly 28,000 compromised devices – all because businesses overlooked this “harmless” piece of office equipment.

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  • Six Steps to Better Data Backup and Quicker Recovery

     
     

    Think Quicker Recovery Time, Not Quicker Backup – While incremental backups are much faster than executing a full-backup, they also prolong recovery time. In the event of data loss, a full restore will require loading the most recent full backup and then each incremental backup tape. Having too many incremental backup tapes not only adds time to this restoration process, but it also increases the probability of not recovering all of your data. A tape could be lost, unintentionally skipped over, or contain corrupted data. Be sure to focus on optimizing the restore time to ensure faster data recovery. A quicker recovery time should be the main objective, not the need for a quicker backup process.

    Maintain Sufficient Backup History – Within the blink of an eye, current data files can become corrupted and inaccessible. This will necessitate the loading of an earlier data backup that is clean of corruption. Many smaller companies make the mistake of failing to keep a sufficient backup history.

    Be Sure to Backup Essential Data AND Applications – Some businesses don’t feel the need to backup all data, but be sure essential databases, documents and records are backed up frequently. Don’t overlook applications that are critical to day-to-day business operations either. Many companies fail to backup applications, only to realize when it’s too late that they don’t have access to the original installation disks when they’re trying to recover from data loss or an outage.

    Have Off-Site or Online Backup – Some businesses backup data simply by moving essential files to tapes or external hard drives that are then stored somewhere onsite. But if they’re kept onsite, what happens if a fire, flood or other natural disaster takes out not just your server but your backup tapes and drives? Onsite backups can also be susceptible to theft. Having secure off-site, or even online backup, is simply the smart thing to do to ensure quick recovery when trouble comes to town.

    Fix Broken Access Controls on Your File Server – Many businesses have folders with confidential data residing on a file server with overly permissive access controls. Why take the risk of having a disgruntled – even former – employee access and misuse this data when access can be limited to only those in the company who need it?

    Be Sure to Test Restores – It happens time and time again. Business owners think they have a data backup plan in place. Tapes are changed diligently each day and everything appears to be backed up and good to go. However, it turns out the backups haven’t been working for months, sometimes even years, right at the very moment they’re needed. Either the backups had become corrupt and useless or large segments of data were not being backed up. This happens often. Don’t let it happen to you.

     

  • Sign Me Up For A Free Customized IT Optimization Plan

    Yes, Sign Me Up For A Free Customized IT Optimization Plan And IT Systems Security And Performance Assessment

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  • Current Gaps Lead To Need For Monitoring and Transactional Testing Service

    In working with our financial institutions our experts are finding that examiners are focusing more heavily on risk assessments and policies and have been doing less and less transactional testing. We believe that transactional testing is important to catch any procedural errors that may require additional training or even potential policy changes that may need to be made. This gap creates a risk for your bank.

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  • It’s time to think about more than those jeans when you buy online.

    There are many things that are taken for granted with information technology and security. One of the main things is online business, whether browsing or buying. Billions of online transactions take place daily where consumers enter their personal information without a thought about security. An estimated $870 billion was spent in online transactions in 2021. Future predictions dictate that number will continue to grow.


    Online business has provided a convenience that many never thought imaginable, however, that same convenience could be a potential cyber threat if you’re not using an effective browser with security measures. Use of a secure browser, otherwise known as a safe browser, adds an extra layer of security that protects your personal information and helps you avoid third-party threats while you’re online. These third-party technologies utilize cookies which save your information.

    Safe browsers block those third-party cookies.

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