The Cloud and Reverse Back-Up

More and more of our programs and data are moving to the cloud. In some cases, we’re accessing the cloud for the applications and files we use for business and personal computing. In other cases, we’re using the cloud for backing up our hard drives. We don’t give it a second thought – but we should.

Backing up your programs and files is like having insurance. Backing up in more than one place is like having better insurance coverage. In this case, you want to insure that you protect the economic value of programs and data – so that you have immediate access when something goes wrong with your system.

Just as insurance policies have fine print to detail what they cover – and don’t – you need to look closely at the user agreements for every cloud-based server that houses your valuable data.

The first thing you should know is what happens if the company storing your data goes out of business? This could be the worst case scenario. Is there a provision for somebody to notify you of a pending problem or actual problem? Will you have time to download your data and move everything to another site? If you rely on this server – cloud – to store the programs and files you access every day for your business or to store valuable personal data such as photographs and home videos, you must know how to protect them and your access. If you can’t get a satisfactory answer, don’t put your data there.

The next thing you should know is who owns your data? If you access programs through a subscription, the ownership is likely to be straightforward; the publishers own them. However, you must be able to have access to your specific data files – all of your business records, correspondence (business and personal) and files.

How reputable is the company that stores your programs and data? If feel like you can’t get a straight answer from them about any of the points we just raised, you’d certainly have to wonder about them.

Again, to continue the insurance analogy, any of these issues only become problems when something goes wrong and you lose valuable data and time. While there are very few iron-clad guarantees in life, you can buy insurance with “reverse backup” and with multiple backups.

Let’s start with the premise that storage – as a raw cost – is cheap. You can buy one or two (or more) external storage devices for less than $200 apiece and back up data files. Online backups to the cloud can cost less than $25 per month, depending on the service and your volume. Your options are limited only by what you want to spend to ensure you have access to all of your data. You can:

  • Back up all of your files multiple times using different devices, which can cover you if your cloud vaporizes and one external device crashes.
  • Back up selected files to specified devices.
  • Physically move backup devices offsite periodically to cover yourself if a disaster strikes your home or office.
  • Use automated programs to back up your data files onsite and offsite.

Along these lines, clients often ask about when they should delete files. Our answer is never. Again, because storage is so inexpensive, it can actually cost you more to delete files than to simply file them away in archives. Our archived files take up much more space than our active files, for example, but we have an electronic filing system that enables us to find any information going back more years than we care to remember. If longtime clients have questions about something we performed or proposed, the answers are at our fingertips.

In addition to backing up data files, you should have copies of your program and applications disks safely stored. As we noted earlier this year, it’s nearly impossible to restore program files without the originals. We’re often called to restore program files as part of a disaster recovery or when we begin working for a new client, and we always ask for the original disks if they were used to load the programs requiring restoration. (See our article on Unlicensed Software.)

We can help you design and implement a backup system using the cloud and external storage devices to meet your specific needs. Just send us an email or give us a call (973-433-6676). It’s something you’ll want when you can’t get what you need.

This article was published in Technology Update, the monthly newsletter from Sterling Rose LLC.

Microsoft Matters

We use the word “matters” as a noun and a verb. In the matter of Windows XP and Windows 7 and Microsoft’s OS odyssey, migrating to 7 still makes the most sense. Despite all the chatter about Windows 8 upgrades and moving to Linux, Microsoft remains the dominant OS in the PC world for many reasons.

OS performance aside, Microsoft has done a great job of penetrating the market. Despite all the Apple devotees, the vast majority of businesses and government agencies (from national to municipal) run on Windows, and they have hundreds of millions of computers. Hundreds of millions of iOS and Android mobile devices tie themselves to the networks that tie together all those computers.

With the end of the XP operating system plainly in sight – April 8, 2014 is the day Microsoft pulls the plug – we see migrating to Windows 7 as the only viable option for our PC-based clients. Here’s why:

  • Linux is simply too cumbersome for home, SOHO, small business and mid-size business use. Yes, it has great flexibility, and because it’s open software, anybody can add great new features and upgrades at any time. But there’s a downside to all of this.Home and SOHO users may not have the technical knowledge to install, configure and use Linux software and upgrades. A few users may like the hobby aspect of playing with Linux, but if you are running a business from your home, you probably don’t want to mix business and play time.For businesses, you’ll just spend way too much time and money training and retraining employees. You need to assess how many of your employees have the ability to absorb all of the training and if you have the ability to absorb the loss of efficiency as they navigate the learning curve. For the most part, you didn’t hire them to become geeks.
  • Everybody knows Windows, especially the straightforward XP and 7 systems. In addition, many business applications from accounting to manufacturing operations are written for commonly used interfaces. That means Microsoft Windows – along with Apple and the common iOS and Android devices.
  • Better business software and upgrades will continue to be written for Windows. Why? It’s basic business: Everyone uses it, creating a lot of profit opportunities. Highly popular consumer programs and apps will continue to be written for Windows for the same reason.

If you are a small to mid-size business, we believe it’s imperative to migrate to Windows 7. Besides tax advantages for acting now (See 1040 Over and Out), you need to stay on the good side of the law – the law of supply and demand. Right now, Windows 7 computers are available, and prices are stable. But as we get closer to April 8, 2014, any increase in demand can rapidly deplete supplies; that’s a prime condition for rising prices. Even if supplies are stable, a sense of urgency can trigger a price increase. On top of that, the available IT resources to install, configure and test systems will be strained. You could wait longer for service, or it could become more expensive, especially if you lose production at an inopportune time.

Our solution? Call us (973-433-6676) or email us to assess your technology needs and develop a schedule to get your new systems up and running in a timely and efficient manner. Microsoft matters, and it really matters that you resolve any issues as quickly and effectively as possible.

This article was published in Technology Update, the monthly newsletter from Sterling Rose LLC.

The Windows XP Fallout and Buying Technology

More than Windows XP support will disappear after April 8, 2014. Support for Windows Server 2003 and Windows Office 2003 will cease. If you happen to depend on all three, we strongly recommend you begin your exit strategy if you haven’t done so already. And if these aren’t reason enough to upgrade, you may also be eligible for tax breaks on your new technology. Here are a few pointers to get you started or farther along on your 2014 planning.

First and foremost, don’t count on Microsoft not sticking to its guns on stopping support for XP and the 2003 products. As one industry commentator pointed out, the company gave its customers and their support organizations warnings for the last four years. If you haven’t planned your transition, you have only yourself to blame.

Section 179

If you have been dutifully budgeting for your transition from XP and the 2003’s, you should be planning now to buy desktop and laptop computers capable of running 64-bit versions of Windows 7. If Microsoft XP going away is not a strong enough stick to motivate you to buy, the Federal Government has a carrot: Section 179 of the Tax Code.

Section 179 lets you claim a full deduction of the price you pay for new and used computer hardware and off-the-shelf software purchased or leased and put in service between Jan. 1, and Dec. 31, 2013. Off-the-shelf software is software available for purchase by the general public – not custom-written. The value of all qualified purchases and leases is limited to $500,000, and you must use them for business at least 50% of the time.

If you will not make a profit in 2013 and will not pay taxes (this is separate from not filing a tax return), you can carry forward a 50% deduction to a year when you will have a profit and pay taxes.

You should check with your tax advisor to make sure you apply the provisions of Section 179 correctly. In fact, your tax advisor could find more benefits for you.

What to Buy

Computers with Windows 7 operating systems are still available, and we can help you with selecting them and buying them. Windows 7 computers are not readily available in retail stores or from many online vendors. As the time draws near for Microsoft to pull the plug on old technology, supplies will get tighter.

As we’ve talked to people about the upgrade, we’ve been asked about other operating systems, such as Mac and Linux. We don’t expect Linux to be a big player in the consumer or small-business markets. Part of the reason is that most users will find it different from what they’re used to and that there won’t be as many people able to service Linux computers.

Macs, on the other hand, can be a viable alternative. You can run PC programs on Mac systems, and you can use Macs or PCs if you access programs and data files through cloud computing. Another advantage is that Macs are sold through retailers, including both Apple stores and dealers. If you have a computer crash, you can buy a new one, bring it back to the office or your home and start setting it up in a matter of hours. We sometimes wonder if Dell and other major suppliers to business missed the boat by not having a strong retail presence.

In addition to new computers, you should replace your Windows 2003 servers and your Windows Office 2003 software. As with XP, the lack of Microsoft support will make them more vulnerable to attacks from hackers, and your operating efficiency will drop drastically. Attacks and inefficiencies could well cost you much more money than replacing those systems now.

Don’t Forget Your Router

And while we’re on the subject of upgrades, you should also take a look at your router. Verizon, for example, is offering a router – called a gateway – for FIOS® services and technology. While the fiber optic technology is blazing fast, the gateway is more like a gate. If you want or need faster Wi-Fi and/or a stronger network to run multiple computers and devices, including large-screen, high-definition TVs, you’ll want a better consumer-grade product.

A consumer-grade product is better even if you have standard cable for TV, Internet and phone. You will get better network performance with a better router than the gateway your provider supplies.

In both cases, you will still need the provider’s equipment. However, we can set up a bridge to send the Wi-Fi signal to your router.

We can help you select the best routers and Wi-Fi equipment for your office and home-office needs and make sure they are set up to give you all the benefits of your service. Getting a new router makes sense every few years because the components can wear out during the temperature swings that come from normal use.

Put Section 179 of the Tax Code to work for you. Call us – 973-433-6676 – or send us an email to talk about technology purchases that Uncle Sam can help you make.

This article was published in Technology Update, the monthly newsletter from Sterling Rose LLC.

Protect Your Security

Along with avoiding shopping scams, you should take special precautions to protect the security of your financial information and access to your computer – as an individual and a business. This is no time to let your guard down. You know the drill for protection, but here’s a short refresher course.

Email

Be really careful about email. That’s good advice at any time, but it’s especially important at this time of the year. Because of all the ways unscrupulous people have to hijack email addresses, a message from a name you know and trust might be from a scammer.

A new type of malware known as Cryptolocker is being spread by email. It appears to be coming from shippers, such as UPS or FedEx, and it targets personal and professional computers. The virus quickly scrambles or encrypts your data and can lock up your computer. The sender does offer to unlock your computer and restore your data if you pay a ransom. But there are no guarantees that the virus will be removed and that you will get all files back.

If you have your data backed up, we can clean out the virus and restore your files.

Trust your instincts on emails. If the name and email address look right, you still may be getting a bogus email. Look at the subject line. Do you normally get messages like this from the sender? Are there grammatical errors or syntax issues you don’t normally see in messages from the sender? Is there an attachment along with other things that don’t seem right?

If you have a problem with your answers to any of the questions in the paragraph, your instinct likely will be delete the email. Instead of responding it or acting on it, you can send a new email to the sender and ask if they sent you the email in question.

You also may be part of an email “phishing” campaign. Just in case you haven’t come across the term, phishing is a way for scammers to troll using fake or malicious websites and email addresses to get you to sign up for something that isn’t real or that is very expensive. Phishers can also use your response to get access to your computer and either mess it up or steal valuable information – or both.

Phishers generally use an identity related to a financial institution or services organization, such as a bank or PayPal. Two tipoffs that it’s a phishing campaign are: 1.) a domain name that looks similar to a well-known domain but is not the same as an official name and 2.) bad syntax in the subject line, generally a string of words that most native English speakers would not use.

Phishing campaigns rely on busy people not reading the message and its identification info carefully and just clicking through or responding. If you’re not sure about the legitimacy of a link in an email address, you can hover your mouse over it, and it should give you the origin of the link.

If you think you may have a problem with a bank, merchant or other organization, find their customer service information independently of the email and make a telephone call.

Online Purchases

When you buy online, make sure the webpages on which you are giving your credit card information and shipping address are secure. The best indication of security is that the pages will have addresses that start with https://www.merchantcompany.com or https://merchantcompany.com. The “s” in “https” stands for secure. The address is usually accompanied by a small gold padlock icon.

If you don’t see a sign of security but absolutely must buy from that site, you might be best to make a phone call. There can be a number of legitimate reasons for security not displaying, but make sure the company knows this is a problem for you. They may need to fix something or make some other changes.

Above all, remember that it’s your money. Don’t let anybody make you feel uncomfortable about spending it.

Additional Protection

You should have up-to-date anti-virus and malware-protection software installed on your computer, and it should all be running in the background. Your network should be behind a firewall, and that software should be up to date and running.

You can set up most protection software to run scans and updates automatically, and you can set them for various levels of protection.  We can help you select the best systems for your needs and we can help you install them and manage them. Just send us an email request or call – 973-433-6676. No matter what you select and run, always remember that common sense and an occasional deep breath will always enhance your security.

This article was published in Technology Update, the monthly newsletter from Sterling Rose LLC.

Make Cyber Monday a Winner

As sure as the sun will come up, Monday, Dec. 2 – Cyber Monday this year – will be the busiest day of the year for online shopping. There are traps and pitfalls all over the place. Here are some ways to avoid them.

  • If it’s too good to be true… You know that line: “If it’s too good to be true, it probably isn’t.” Have a healthy skepticism about prices, shipping costs, return policies and the rest of the “fine print.”
  • Look for free shipping. There is a lot of competition for your business, and there are many ways for online retailers to put together a deal for you.  Once you start to compare the prices, you’ll find some really low prices and prices that are lower than the average of all the places you’ve shopped. Free shipping can be a real deal maker with all things being equal. With all of the competition and all of the deals, you shouldn’t pay for shipping. Besides, shipping costs are one of those blind items when you buy. A retailer can offer you an unbelievably low price and make a ton of money on the shipping charge.  So, look for a good price with free shipping, and you’ll likely get a better value.
  • Check merchant reviews. I buy a lot of merchandise online and do a lot of research for clients, and reviews hold a lot of weight. I look for places in the middle of a price range, and I look for patterns in recent reviews. Is there a rant or a litany of problems? With the rise of social media, we find ourselves taking the advice of people we’ve never met, so you really need to read them carefully and see if there’s anything going on “between the lines,” so don’t be afraid to drill down to satisfy your good or bad impressions. There are severe penalties for fraudulent reviews. If a merchant has a lot of reviews, most of them should be positive – if not glowing. Major chains with a strong Internet presence and good reviews should be your most reliable source.
  • Make sure the item is in stock or available in a reasonable time. If you need to have a product delivered by a specific date, make sure the merchant can make it happen.
  • Read all of the website’s policies carefully. Every merchant should have clear policies about returns and any charges associated with returns. Make sure you understand them and they are acceptable to you. You don’t want to buy something – or give something as a gift – and then find that it’s impossible or next to impossible to return the item or exchange it. If you can’t understand a policy or set of conditions or can’t get straight answers to your questions, buy the product somewhere else.
  • Use a credit card. Credit cards are the only way to have some recourse when you have a dispute with a merchant. When you use a credit card, the credit card company stays in the middle of the transaction. It gives the merchant faster access to the money from your purchase (for a fee) and collects the money from you, collecting interest on unpaid balances. If you have a legitimate complaint, the credit card company has the clout to reverse the transaction – and it also has a vested interest in making sure the merchant conducts business properly. When you use a debit card, the merchant draws the money directly out of your bank account – just like if you paid cash. If you have a dispute with the merchant, you’ll have to fight that battle by yourself.
  • Think about what you’re buying. We discussed a number of points to consider to get the best deal online. You should also pay attention to what you’re buying. We’ll use cameras as an example. Some of you might be thinking about giving somebody a new DSLR. People who really get into the fine art of photography may really appreciate one, but they are likely to be very particular about the camera’s features and capabilities. You might be better off giving that person a point-and-shoot camera if they just want to take pictures and not make pictures bigger than 8 x 10. And, if they just want to take pictures to share immediately online, a better smartphone with built-in camera for stills and videos might do the trick. We’ll be seeing lots of tempting new gadgets, so run your own reality check to make sure whatever you buy is appropriate.
  • Don’t feel pressured. Not sure about something? Wait a day. You might pay a few extra dollars over the Cyber Monday price if you wait a day or two, but you might find it’s worth the peace of mind to make sure that you bought the right product from the right merchant at the right price.

We can help you have a better shopping experience. We buy a lot of products online, and we love looking at all kinds of technology and gadgets. Email or call us – 973-433-6676 – with any questions you have for the holiday season. We want to keep the “happy” in the holiday season.

This article was published in Technology Update, the monthly newsletter from Sterling Rose LLC.

iOS 7 and Gadget Goodies

The new iOS 7 for iPhones already has wider acceptance than the upgrade from 5 to 6. While any new software has some issues – did you download the patch, too? – there’s a lot to like.

I’ve preferred the iPhone to the Android phones in part because of their tighter controls over app development. iOS 7 is the third operating-system upgrade for the iPhone and Apple devices while there have been some 10 Droid upgrades. Although open software opens up the Droid devices for more innovation, Apple developers can put more time into their efforts knowing that they will be around longer and their work more profitable.

Before I tell you what I like about iOS 7, I do have one disappointment. I bought a new car, which has the capability for Droid phones to read my email and allow me to use voice-to-text to reply. My iPhone can read the message, but Siri can only respond that I’m driving and will reply later.

With that out of the way, I like the new control center. By swiping up, you can immediately access well-used or needed functions such as a flashlight, clock and timer, calculator and camera and tweak several settings. You can also call back a trashed email message by shaking your iPhone after you delete it – something that can come in handy if you’re trying to handle email while walking.

If you combine the new phone with the new OS, you get much faster navigation. Nav is still better on the older phones, and you get a better keyboard, the ability to brighten your screen and a more functional Siri. One other really good feature is automatic updates.

And, of course, with the gift-giving holidays coming up, now’s the time to start thinking about new gadgets. We should soon be seeing a new iPad and IPad Mini along with ultra-high-def 4K TVs and smart watches.

But one of my new favorites is the Sonos Wireless Hi-Fi speaker system that works with your computer and wireless network to provide Internet radio or music stored on a device throughout your house. My system is set up with five zones, and the speakers in each zone can each play a separate channel or play any combination of channels in any number of zones. The system is controlled by any computer or device that has the software and is connected wirelessly to the router. The only cord it needs is the power cord.

What’s your favorite new gadget? How do you like the new iOS 7 or latest Droid OS? Leave a comment to share your thoughts. If you need any advice about using a device or choosing a gadget, we’re always available to answer your questions by phone – 973-433-6676 – or email.

This article was published in Technology Update, the monthly newsletter from Sterling Rose LLC.

Getting the Right Technology Match

In talking about preparing for the end of the Microsoft Windows XP operating system, we’re counseling clients and prospects more and more about the need for a systematic approach. Remember, Windows XP support ends next April, and we strongly recommend upgrading to Windows 7. As we’ve pointed out many times, Windows 8 is difficult for most business users to get used to. And because it’s such a departure from the look and feel most users like, anyone who needs to shuttle between the two platforms will want to tear his or her hair out.

However, upgrading one part of your technology system may have unintended consequences for an entire operation. We can perform a lot of magic on systems, but even the best IT support company can’t give you more rabbits if you don’t have a hat. You can supply the hat by following this tech system checklist.

  1. Don’t buy retail. Price aside, every retailer we’ve looked at does not sell computers with Windows 7. You’ll need to go directly through a manufacturer that offers you the Windows 7 option, but even then, you need to consider a number of factors. Every manufacturer’s website will have enough options and feature packages to make your head spin.
  2. Have the right computer. In all likelihood, if you have a computer running XP, it likely won’t handle Windows 7. Many old machines have 32-bit processing, and the newer operating system works best with 64-bit processing. The performance difference between the two is like night and day.
  3. Get the right processor in your computer. Many Windows-based computers come with either Intel or AMD processors. Each of those has a variety of processing speeds. The fastest isn’t necessarily the best for you. Higher-speed chips are required for doing a lot complex calculations, gaming and working with graphics (which, to a computer are complex calculations).
  4. Right-size your RAM. RAM (random access memory) is where your computer does its thinking. Generally speaking, the more RAM you have, the more information your computer can process faster. As with selecting the right chip, the amount of RAM you need depends on the application you’re running. In some cases, you can add RAM by adding and/or upgrading the RAM chips, but every computer has a finite RAM limit.
  5. Consider your peripherals. If you are a small business or have a home office and are hanging in with an older computer, you likely will need to upgrade peripherals, such as your printer and monitor. An older printer may not be able to handle a newer, faster computer. As with everything else, printer manufacturers reach a point where it doesn’t pay them to develop drivers (the software that connects the computer and your network to the printer) to support obsolete printers. And, if your old printers slow down computer and network performance, you won’t get full value. While older CRT monitors may still work, they’ll be so slow and fuzzy that you’ll strain your patience and your eyes. Flat-screen monitors will give you a bigger viewing area with higher resolution, and they’ll use much less power, too.  If you do wind up with a Windows 8 computer and want to use it like a tablet with a touchscreen, you’ll need a touchscreen monitor.
  6. Upgrade your software. When you go from a 32-bit to a 64-bit computer, you’ll need to upgrade your software. Older applications won’t run efficiently on the new computer, and you’ll lose time or capability or both. Again, software publishers reach a financial tipping point when supporting old software, so just roll this into your budget to get the best ROI on technology.
  7. Maintain enough network capacity. Businesses and homes depend on wireless networks with sufficient capacity to meet business, entertainment and education needs. For all the money you spend computers, devices and big TVs (including cable and satellite fees), it makes sense to have a network to handle everything. We’re seeing a lot of homeowners with under-powered networks, either because the routers are not robust enough or because they don’t have a good system of boosters to relay signals. Boosters can improve network performance substantially, but you need to locate them in the right places. In some newer, bigger buildings with a lot more concrete and rebar steel, you need to be especially careful about your installation.

Let’s talk about the technology you have and what you want technology to do. Then we can help you source and set up the right systems to give you a faster ROI and longer, less expensive service life. Drop us an email or call us – 973-433-6676

This article was published in Technology Update, the monthly newsletter from Sterling Rose LLC.

 

Searching for Business

Like everyone else, we’re always looking for ways to use the Internet to grow our business. Search engine optimization (SEO) has been around for a long time, but gaining a top ranking requires you to hit a moving target. Here’s what we did.

We started by hiring Pam Aungst and Pam Ann Marketing, a specialist in local search engine marketing. Being local was very important to us because even though we have clients far away – whom we serve over the Internet – so much of what we do depends on at least one site visit to understand how everything fits together.

Pam gave us a roadmap based on the geographic area we wanted to cover and keywords that connect widely used search terms to our services. We tied all of this into Google Local to focus on searchers in the area we wanted to serve.  Essentially, this was like preparing the foundation for building a house.

The “house” we built was a link with a shortened URL for our Google Local listing (http://bit.ly/SterlingRose), which many of you have already seen. We use this for soliciting customer reviews.  The link allows us to more easily direct you to our listing, instead of having to type in long and complex web address that actually takes you to the link. We know we are asking you to do us a favor when we ask you to write a review, so we want to make it as convenient as possible.

By the way, if you are so moved, you can click that link now and write a review. If you have any questions, a link can walk you through the process and help you decide if you want to sign up for Google +. It’s not necessary to sign up to write a review. We needed to be part of Google + and part of the Google SEO system, however, because it is part of the way to show up higher in Google searches – which was our goal.

With all of that set up, we couldn’t be passive. We started actively soliciting reviews through our link – http://bit.ly/SterlingRose – and we’re still doing it because it helps our marketing effort. The reviews must be genuine and placed by the reviewer. Any company that posts fake reviews can be fined and sued for deceptive advertising practices.

Pam told us that getting reviews would be the most critical part of our SEO marketing campaign, and that we would need to be diligent about asking for them. We followed her advice, and quickly got 12 positive reviews on our Google Local listing. We jumped from position #14 to #1 for “it support” on Google Local, from zero to #2 for “it support mac”, and from zero to #4 for “it support” in regular (organic) Google search results.

You can read Pam’s case history on our success from her perspective and get an understanding of what it takes to raise your SEO profile. We also invite you to contact us (973-433-6676) if you have any questions about SEO marketing from a “customer” point of view. Growing together is a good thing for all of us.

This article was published in Technology Update, the monthly newsletter from Sterling Rose LLC.

Avoiding WordPress and ‘Cloud’ Pitfalls

From its beginnings as a “blog engine,” WordPress has grown to be one of the most popular systems for building large websites. Their beauty is their content management capability. Once a website is set up and published, anyone who can type and work with images can update the content. The ugly part is that many WordPress users don’t understand the basics behind the system. I know. I learned some hard lessons when revamping our site. Here are some things that deserve your attention.

WordPress has a built-in back-up system. However, that back-up covers your website’s infrastructure. It won’t cover your posts. So, if you make major changes to your site, such as the overhaul we did early this year, you’ll lose your archives – and you probably won’t notice that until somebody tells you they can’t find a post they wanted to read.

The same can be true with any files you access from “the cloud.” We are seeing more and more collaboration among businesses of all sizes, committees for volunteer groups and students working on a special project. We rely on everyone having access to the latest file for making comments and revisions, but more important, we rely on the host to deliver the correct file – as long as we’ve faithfully followed the procedure for getting it, saving it and returning it to the correct place.

Yes, attention to detail is the key to using technology efficiently. Data systems cannot understand intent.

Thus, the first detail you need to button down is to know who is hosting your website or all the programs and data files you and your employees or collaborators need to access and maintain. In some cases, it’s readily apparent. In others, it’s not. Track down a point of contact for each provider and make sure you have that information on paper.

Next, find out what they back up and how long they hold it. I learned the hard way that WordPress only backed up my infrastructure. None of my posts, such as articles written for this newsletter and other comments or articles I posted to the website, made it onto the new site. If your host doesn’t back up data files, find a place – or two – to stash yours, you might be best served by having an online storage provider, which keeps your files stored one or more servers. You back up that with some sort of in-house storage device, such as a portable hard drive.

After that, find out explicitly how you can back up your files and where they will be backed up. Just as immediately, get explicit instructions on how you restore everything. Commit all those steps to paper. All the value you have invested in your work – whether for business, volunteer work or academic projects – can vanish in a nanosecond if you can’t retrieve and restore your files.

The overriding question you need to answer is: Do you want to have this conversation before a disaster or in the middle of one? Getting all of this information is like having an insurance policy. We’re happy to be your “insurance agent” for these matters.  We can help you determine the right questions to ask and the people likely to provide the answers. Just call us – 973-433-6676 – or drop us a note to start the conversation.

This article was published in Technology Update, the monthly newsletter from Sterling Rose LLC.

Update for Security, Performance and ROI

Simply having the latest operating system or software for your apps and browsers doesn’t guarantee top performance and tight security. You have to keep all of your programs updated from the day you install them.

Everything starts with the Internet. Whether you’re setting up a new computer or installing a new application, you’re almost always prompted to connect and download all the updates required to bring your programs up to date. Begin your installation by calling up your browser of choice and updating it. (Firefox usually sends out updates automatically as its default configuration.) As we discuss in the article When They Pull the Plug on XP, your browser is the first door hackers try to get into your computer, so make sure you have all the security updates and bug fixes.

When you begin to install the program or application from a website or a disk, you likely will be prompted to check for software updates. If the installation process doesn’t take you there automatically, answer “yes” when prompted. It’s especially true when installing from a disk. Even a disk that comes with a new computer is likely to be several months old.

In general, your rule of thumb should be to check for updates as second nature – and it doesn’t take much effort. You can set Windows Update to check for and install updates on a regular basis, even specifying days and times. For example, you can designate every Monday at 3 a.m. as your update time. Just go to your Control Panel, click on Windows Update and select Change Settings from the menu on the left. Just remember to have all of your files saved and backed up because updates can require you to restart your computer.

Here are some things to keep in mind when putting programs on a computer.

Many businesses have a mix of old and new technologies; it’s an economic reality. That means they’ll be installing some older (but still mostly serviceable) applications on new machines, recognizing that they won’t get full performance out of the new technology.

Therefore, it’s important to note that installing an old program, such as Office 2007, on a new computer will require you to get a series of updates in a specific order. That’s because each update, such as Service Pack 2 or Service Pack 3, builds on previous updates.  So, make sure you give yourself enough time to download and install them. The time will vary, depending on your Internet connection and network speed and capacity.

If you’re migrating from an XP machine to a new Windows 7 machine (which we implore you to do if you still have XP), you’ll need to go back to Service Pack 1 and download all the critical updates that Office will require. You should also note that you may have been using a 32-bit computer and now have a 64-bit computer. In that case, make sure you install all the updates for your new technology.

It’s the same with your Internet browser – whichever one you use. With the Internet such a presence for handling commercial transactions as well as for conducting business operations, programming becomes like its own ecosystem. It constantly responds to new hardware, new software and the ideas that lead to new applications. The continuing growth of cloud-based applications and the integration of mobile device into business demands more adaptability.

Because of that, we highly recommend that you and your employees and family members update browsers on a regular basis. You’ll get more efficiency, which can translate into better business profitability at the office and more learning opportunities for students at home.

Updated browsers also will be more secure, preventing more hackers from getting into your systems and stealing information they can use to take business and personal assets.

Keep in mind, too, that at some point, hanging on to old software or an old computer will put you past the point of diminishing economic returns. The investment in new technology – and new infrastructure for your networks, too – can pay for itself faster when you take advantage of all that technology can offer.

Contact us – 973-433-6676 or [email protected] – to set up an appointment to evaluate your current technology, your needs and available options to make your systems more cost-effective. The solutions may be less expensive than you think.

This article was published in Technology Update, the monthly newsletter from Sterling Rose LLC.