Recent Blog Posts

What is Virtualization? With a traditional server infrastructure, you?ll have one operating system installed on each server. The software compatible with the server will depend on what operating system is installed on it, which in turn is also affected by the hardware. In comparison, virtualization allows the operating system to be abstracted, meaning that it?s capable of running outside the hardware using an emulated copy hosted in a layer of software called the hypervisor. In other words, one physical server can do the work of many. What?s So Great About That? Prior to the implementation of virtualization, the direct relationship between hardware and software could be complicated and problematic. For example, configuring software was a particularly challenging task, and so was trying to move software to a different piece of hardware. This could complicate tasks, but with virtualization it is much easier to scale a solution to your specific needs with little-to-no impact on performance. Types of Virtualization There are many different kinds of virtualization that your business can utilize to its benefit. Here are just a few of them: Network virtualization: A virtual network can be broken up into smaller and more easily managed pieces. These can be assigned to channels and their resources for whenever they are needed. Server virtualization: A server can be more flexible when it?s virtualized. Think about it like this: it?s more simple for a user to utilize, as it can provide improved resources for the user. The server also has the ability to improve capacity to grow alongside your business? future needs. Desktop virtualization: Desktop virtualization allows your business to simulate a desktop on a hosted server, rather than gathering the right device for the job. This means that a ?workstation? can effectively be accessed on any connected device. Storage virtualization: You can store data in a virtual environment for easy access on any approved device. This type of virtualization pulls multiple types of physical storage solutions together to create a single unified location for the data. Data virtualization: By abstracting things like location, format, and performance from a data set, this data set is able to be assigned broader access. Application virtualization: If you remove the application from the operating system through abstraction, you no longer need to depend on whether it?s compatible or not with the operating system to use it on your device. White Mountain IT Services can help your business ensure virtualization goes off without a hitch. To learn more, reach out to us at (603) 889-0800.

Office 365 We?re sure you?ve already heard quite a bit about Microsoft?s productivity suite, Microsoft Office. In its most basic form, it consists of a word processor (Microsoft Word), slideshow creator (PowerPoint), and spreadsheet builder (Excel), among many others, depending on the subscription plan. Office 365 is essentially the Microsoft productivity suite, but in cloud application format. These services can be accessed either through the cloud or an on-premise solution, depending on where they are hosted and stored. Organizations that already have Windows 10 and other solutions for security can easily take advantage of Office 365. Microsoft 365 Let?s say you wanted to upgrade to Office 365, but you don?t have the adequate operating system on your device. Maybe you simply want to upgrade to the latest version of Windows, as well. Microsoft 365 is for businesses that don?t want to purchase an operating system and all of the solutions in pieces, instead offering organizations the complete package in an easy-to-consume format. Here is a list of what Microsoft 365 offers organizations at its most basic level: The Office 365 suite 1TB of storage Device management capabilities via Microsoft Intune Basic data and app security There are also enterprise offerings for organizations that have more than 300 users. Which One is Right for Me? In the end, it all depends on where your business currently stands. If you have solutions you?re happy with, as well as storage and data security, then perhaps Office 365 will be your preferred choice. If you have nothing and want to get going as soon as possible, however, Microsoft 365 might be worth investing in. If you?re not sure, White Mountain IT Services can help you determine what your best options are. To learn more, reach out to us at (603) 889-0800.

Of course, there is always the other key question that goes along with asking how? asking when. Judging When You (Really) Need a Break There are a few reliable warning signs that someone needs to step away for a moment. For instance, while someone may be prone to typos, there?s a difference between always making spelling and grammar errors versus specifically starting to make them seven hours into a Wednesday. Alternatively, some workers will grow disinterested in their work and just start going through the motions. In severe cases, they may detach entirely, causing accuracy, morale, and productivity to plummet. If you see yourself start to display these symptoms, do yourself a favor and step away for a few moments. What follows are a few things that often help employees recover more quickly, allowing them to promptly refresh themselves and return to their duties. Read Something (Else) Much of the time, it isn?t so much that we?re doing something, but more of what it is that we are doing. We?ve all been stuck doing something we don?t want to do, so we all know how draining it can feel to do it. If you or your employees find yourself losing focus, take a few minutes and change gears. Reading can help you to get your mind off of what you were just working on, especially if it?s about something totally unrelated to your task. This shift can help your gears recalibrate, enabling you to resume your initial task with aplomb. Escape the Office (Briefly) On the other side of the coin, productivity can often be interrupted by a sense of restlessness–a desire to move around a little, not so much a slip into passivity. Either way, actually separating yourself from your work tools and getting a breath of fresh air can have a significant impact on maintaining productivity. Trying to force yourself to focus can often have a detrimental effect on productivity, which is why skipping breaks and meals is often counterproductive. Instead, try actually leaving the office on your breaks, actually getting something to eat on lunch and going for a brief walk or drive when the opportunity arises. Sometimes, you might just need a literal change of scenery to focus up. Get the Blood Pumping On a related note, taking a walk can contribute to our final way of more productively taking a break: exercise! Taking a few moments to up your heart rate, if only by a little bit, can have a lot of long-term benefits to the work experience. Not only is it a way to improve overall health, it has been shown to boost focus among those who exercise habitually. Plus, being tired isn?t great for focus as a rule, so the improved sleep that exercise can promote can help that way as well. In order to produce their best work, your employees need to be in the position, both mentally and physically, to do so. How do you stay refreshed in the office? Share your strategies in the comments!

#1: Random Failure & Noise Your server is surprisingly resilient. It can go for years without a sign of any problems. Although, a server can give out under extraneous loads, so when it goes down, typically there isn?t much to be worried about. That said, if you are concerned over your servers? viability for the long term, you need to understand some important facts. The average lifespan for any server is about five years. Some last three, some last seven, but if your server is making clicking noises or is randomly shutting down when its loads get high, you may want to think about beginning the process of migrating your programs and data to another server. To ascertain if there is a problem with your server, you?ll want to Look over event logs to see if you can spot an explanation. Physically check the motherboard to ensure components aren?t damaged. Check the server?s disk for errors. Make sure there isn?t any type of malware infection. Check server loads to ensure they aren?t too stressed. #2 Running Hot Servers are heavily utilized, so they put off their fair share of heat. If they get too hot, however, they?ll begin to lose effectiveness fairly quickly. If a human gets a severe fever, it is typically caused by another issue. The server functions the same way. If you see a spike in your server?s temperature, you should immediately check the components to ensure they are all running as intended. Faulty fans, clogged front intake, airflow blockage, or as simple of a thing as slightly repositioning a server could lead to increased temperatures, so if your server is functioning well beyond the normal temperature your vendor recommends, you?ll probably be replacing that server before long. #3 Running Slow As computer technicians, we constantly get tickets with users complaining about the speed of their machines. The problem is that if one computer is moving slow, one person?s productivity is stymied. On the other hand, if an entire server is running slow, many people are affected. Most servers don?t slow enough for the end user to know it, unless that server is being pressed too hard by that set of users. Slow servers mean slow data transfer, which can cause a massive bottleneck, hindering your company?s productivity. At White Mountain IT Services, our technicians can monitor your servers and perform proactive maintenance to ensure they are working optimally. With our monitoring and maintenance platform in place you would know well in advance if any of your hardware is going to fail, saving your business the headache of refreshing hardware on the fly, and from what could be a catastrophic situation. To start battling downtime by keeping your servers in tip-top shape, call us today at (603) 889-0800.

How People Use Payment Cards Some people don?t even keep cash on their person anymore, instead opting to use payment cards for their ease of use. About what percentage of your transactions do you use a card for? In particular, countries in the European Union have a lower percentage of cash usage compared to card usage, while less developed parts of the world rely on cash. In countries that have the technology to take advantage of payment cards, data privacy laws are much more specific and comprehensive. Digital wallets may have seemed like the future, but they are far from a sustainable system, as retailers and other organizations aren?t guaranteed to take these types of payment. Therefore, the de facto payment method, unless you carry around a full wallet, is to use your card. Some businesses will try to incentivize card payments, while using cash in certain situations (think use of an automated teller machine) could cost consumers more in the long run for goods or services. What Data Loss Means for Your Business The more often consumers purchase goods or services with payment cards, the more likely it becomes that those credentials could be put at risk. With the number of hackers out in the wild, there is a considerable price on your business? sensitive data–including card information. While it might be more common in e-commerce sites, you can never be too careful with how your business stores and protects sensitive payment card information. If businesses fail to secure this data, the repercussions could be extreme. While it could mean a loss of consumer confidence, it could also lead to a series of smaller events that gradually erode your organization?s profitability. Either way, whether it?s a series of minor inconveniences or a major disruption, you?re still facing down a disaster. Payment Card Index Digital Security Standard Not all countries are as progressive with individual data security as the nations of the EU, but there are still measures that have been taken to standardize card information security. The Payment Card Index Digital Security Standard, or what is typically called PCI compliance, is the strategy payment card companies have come to. The requirements they expect every business that accepts payment cards to meet include: Monitor and test network. Maintain security network and systems to ensure customer privacy. Protect cardholder data. Maintain system that manages and reduces vulnerabilities. Maintain strong access control. Maintain information security policy. These requirements might seem stringent and difficult to produce, but an easy way to make it happen is to work with White Mountain IT Services. We can help you maintain a secure network for all of your organization?s sensitive information, including card information. To learn more, reach out to us at (603) 889-0800.