How secure is your business information?

There are several threats you need to be aware of:

• Information loss due to a server crash or natural disaster
• Data theft by hackers
• Data corruption from malware and viruses
• Data leakage from employees' unsecured mobile devices

You can combat these threats by:

• Having an secure offsite backup solution
• Ensuring you have a multi-level AV in place
• Having a deep packet inspection firewall in place
• Implementing a Data Use Policy
• Putting a Personal Device Policy in place and enforcing it

Securing your data is not easy, but without a secure network you are setting your business up for potential failure. If you have questions as to the security of your network, please give me a call- 903-581-0922, ext 7301 and I can set up a time for you to speak with one of our threat specialists.

 

Wood Networks has been actively securing and maintaining the networks of businesses with 20-250 employees for over 14 years.

 

GoDaddy was hacked. Are you in danger?

GoDaddy was hacked. If a large company doubtlessly with strong security measures in place can be hacked, how can the small to medium business secure its data? No matter what some fast talking salesperson tells you, nothing is “bullet proof.” For every super hero there is a silver bullet, a weakness that just might not have been discovered yet. However, there are some steps you can take to ensure you have the best possible shield in place. It all starts with a good IT Partner managing your network, give us a call to find out more. 903-581-0922

Back to School

Well, school is back in session so here are a few basic PC tips to “school” you:

1.       Always lock your computer when you walk away

2.       Make sure you choose complex passwords- 8 characters or more, lower and upper case and at least 1 number or symbol.

3.       If in doubt- call your IT person. J

Going for the Gold

The Olympics are grabbing our attention and making us dwell on excellence.  The competition is fierce and the victories incredible. These athletes didn’t arrive in London a week ago suddenly transformed by the wonder of England into champions. Years of hard work and dedication produced a unique possibility- to be the best in the world.

At Wood Networks we also believe in hard work and dedication- years of it. We have been serving small and medium sized businesses for over 14 years, striving always to be the best.  We make sure of technicians are highly trained and certified so they are at the top of their game. Excellence does not come by accident.

Hackers Not Attracted to Small Businesses? False | Manta Technology Center

Hackers Not Attracted to Small Businesses? False | Manta Technology Center

Crowdfunding- Is it right for you?

Check out this article by HP. It will give you some basic thoughts about Crowdfunding and might just get your creative juices flowing!

Business Planning

Don’t plan for the business you have, plan for the business you want to have. Sounds really good, but what does it mean for the small to medium sized business owner? Make sure you are a subscriber to our newsletter to read the article in our next issue. Our e-newsletter comes out around the 20th of each month. Visit our website at www.woodnetworks.com and hit the link toward the bottom of the page to register!

50 Mobile Marketing Facts

Here is a cool little slide show about the mobile state of our planet. It probably won't change your world by itself, but if you are marketing B2C you might want to dig into your marketing plan to see if you are ready for the mobile customer.

http://www.slideshare.net/HubSpot/50-mobilefactsdeck62812

BYOD- Are you safe?

In a recent interview with CRN, Therea Payton, Former White House CIO, talked about the new rage in the workplace called BYOD (bring your own device). When employers allow employees to use their own mobile technology devices (laptops, smartphones, etc) for work applications, they run the risk of company data being comprimised. She states that even though these devices are owned by the individual, the company should have a Coroporate Policy the employee signs off on before being allowed to use it in the workplace. Included in the policy should be when and how the device may be used, as well as the requirement that the device have a remote data wipe program installed so all data may be removed should the device be lost or stolen. Ms Payton is also the co-author of the book "Protecting Your Internet Identity. Are You Naked Online?"

Server Room Specs

by Diana Johnson

Three things you need to consider during the summer months in regards to your server room:

1.       Air Temperature- Air Temperature should be between 50 and 70 degrees. Lower than 50 degrees is not healthy for moving parts; above 70 increases the chance of server failure due to overheating.

2.       Humidity- Low humidity so condensation does not form. 30% to 50% is considered ideal. Above 50% and condensation can form. Below 30% and there is a greater chance for static buildup and discharge by personnel.

3.       Air Flow- Good air flow, especially around the back of the server.

While these things need to be considered year round, the summer usually presents more of a challenge to ensure you are protecting your server investment.

Give us a call at 903-581-0922 if you aren’t sure if your server room is meeting the above requirements. We can help you assess the best way to  bring these 3 areas in line for greater server protection.

http://www.woodnetworks.com/services/technology-management 

Do iPads Assist in Learning?

Read this article and see what a recent study found.
http://www.tuaw.com/2012/02/20/study-ipads-improve-kindergarten-literacy-scores/?a_dgi=aolshare_facebook

Creating a Password

Diana Johnson, Wood Networks www.woodnetworks.com

We need passwords in so many sites and levels of security within our companies.  In a perfect world each place you need a login should have an unique password. The world isn’t perfect though is it? In some cases you it is imperative that you have an unique password- bank accounts, credit card logins, PayPal and other payment authorization companies, confidential company logins, and your computer login. Other places perhaps you can use a common password you use at several sites- like sites you visit, but you do not purchase from.

As posted before a password should be at least 8 characters with lower and upper case letters and at least 1 symbol. 

Here is a simple method:

1.       Start is by coming up with a phrase you can remember.  Example- “all dogs like dog food”

2.       Now take out all the spaces. Example- “alldogslikedogfood”

3.       Next make at least 1 letter an uppercase letter.  Example- “allDogslikeDogfood”

4.       Lastly switch out at least 1 letter for a look-a-like symbol. Example- “@llD0gslikeD0gf00d”

Tada! You now have a password that will take a hackers computer over 463 years to crack!

Final note: Never use your personal information in your password. If you do all bets are off on hackers cracking it.  There is a lot data about you out on the Internet and if a hacker is serious about getting into your computer or financial records, they are going to research you, and it isn’t that hard to do. Also do not ever write your passwords down and leave it at your desk or in your wallet. When you do that you are literally handing your password to anyone with physical contact with you. While that probably won’t be a professional hacker, it could be a disgruntled employee.

Password Security

You should change your passwords at least every 90 days. Secure passwords should be 8 characters long and have at least 1 capitol letter and 1 symbol. Hackers have programs running on their computers specifically to crack passwords. Experts have found that a 6 character password, all lower case, would take a hacker's computer 10 minutes to crack. 8 letters, lowercase- 4 days. 8 letters, lower and uppercase- 3 years. 8 letters, upper and lower case and at least one character a symbol- 463 years! Hmm, might be time to change your password. :) Next post I will give you some tips on creating a password, so check back.

The Internet is running out of room

IPv4 is the current version of the identification system the Internet uses to send information between devices.  This version only allows for about 4 billion addresses and the Internet needs more than that- a lot more. IPv6 is the new version and it expands the number of available address to 340 trillion trillion- almost a limitless amount, especially when compared to IPv4.

The world launch of IPv6 happened on June 6, 2012, but don’t worry your applications and devices will work just as they did before.  This change is to make sure you can keep using the Internet in the future just as you do today.

You may be using IPv6 already, visit ipv6test.google.com to find out.  Many devices you use already support IPv6, but you may have to wait for the websites you visit and your Internet Service provider to enable IPv6.

If you'd like to obtain more information about IPv6, please feel free to give us a call.  903-581-0922.

Want more battery life on a laptop?

Are you tired of your laptop battery dying in the middle of a project? Your days of searching for the nearest outlet are gone!

The HP EliteBook 8460p offers up to 32.5 hours of battery life!

The military standard durability adds even more functionality to this performance beast- bumps, drops and scuffs will no longer carry the same terror. The purposeful design of the HP EliteBooks translates into true business-rugged notebooks. The sleek platinum casing and military-grade testing for drop, vibration, dust, altitude and high temperature helps ensure your notebook can survive rough travels and tough work locations.

Add to all that the graphics options to create presentations, display detailed images and basic visuals productions and this notebook is a real winner.

To get a quote on this amazing machine, visit our website- www.woodnetworks.com

iPhone Users- A Must Have App

An iPhone can be a shrewd business investment, but it also can be a business liability. Not only will you need to shell out some cash to replace it, but you also have the risk to the data that device can access. Emails, text messages, Social Media accounts, as well as any business machines you can connect with your iPhone are all vulnerable. 

If you don’t have Find My iPhone yet, it is time to download it; there will be a time you will need it.  Find My iPhone is a free app from Apple that within a few seconds can locate any iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch or Mac. You will also be able to disable it or erase its data.  To enable the app when you think your device has been stolen, you will need to have the app also downloaded onto another Apple device.  You will then open the app on the device you have in your possession, login with your Apple ID and you will be able to view your options- from a Google Map showing you the location of the device, to an 2 minute alarm that will sound even if the thief has silenced it. You will also be able to choose to lock the device and even remotely wipe it.

Coffee Drinkers Live Longer

Good news! Check out this study that purports that coffee drinkers actually live longer... http://www.startribune.com/lifestyle/health/151779075.html

Beware of Likejacking!

Be careful of what you like! Spammers and Hackers are now attacking Facebook. It's called "Likejacking" and it can mean you will be hit with video spam, some of which may be pornographic. Twitter and Pinterest have seen similar attacks. Make sure you know what you are "liking" before you click that button.

How Wood Networks is like The Avengers

The Avengers came out last week and it was an amazing movie- no doubt about it. As I talked about it with my kids, I realized that Wood Networks it like the Avengers!

Aside from determining who in Wood Networks is each of the Avenger- Jeff Wood is Nick Fury, Mark Blalack is Iron Man, Seth New is Captain America, Jeff Clausen is the Hulk- oops, I digress. Where I really see Wood Networks resembling the Avengers is in three key areas.

1.       The Avengers cared about others.

2.       The Avengers worked well as a team (even though it did take them a while to realize that).

3.       The Avengers looked at the bigger picture, while battling the immediate.

At Wood Networks these are definitely three strong points we bring to the table. 

1.       We genuinely care about each other and our clients and we work to find the best solutions to help our clients work effectively and efficiently.

2.       We are a team, each with unique skills and talents. We were carefully selected to complement each other and bring new skill sets, training and certifications to Wood Networks.

3.       We not only tackle our clients’ issues as they occur, but are monitoring their networks to uncover problems before they happen.  Our technical staff is also constantly evaluating new technologies to determine which ones will work best for our partners.  Our CTO Services allow clients to meet with us on a quarterly or annual basis to project technology needs and ensure the best IT environment for their businesses as they grow and flourish.

Now if only I can get Jeff to start wearing an eye patch…

Do you have an IT guy, an IT company, or an IT Partner?

Do you have an IT guy, an IT company, or an IT Partner?

What's the difference you say?

IT guy- You have a problem; you call and he comes out when he can squeeze you in between his other clients. How important does he think you are? That is how quick it will be. Is he trained and certified in current technologies? Does he really know what he is doing or is he figuring it out as he is going?

IT company- They may give you a better level of service than the IT guy. Generally they have more than 1 or two techs (generally) and they may offer you some amount of management. You still may wait a couple of days for critical service or you may find that your problem is outside their expertise. What are their certification levels from industry leading manufacturers?

IT Partner- Offers a large staff of trained and certified technicians across multiple technologies. A true partner will be able to deal proactively with many of your issues- ensuring less downtime. Along with offering management and monitoring, a partner will strive to know your business and how technology can help you improve your profitability.

Now evaluate the type of relationship you have with your current IT firm. Which category do they fall into? Bear in mind that sometimes the thing holding your IT firm back from making the jump to IT Partner is your commitment to the relationship. So talk to your IT person- and then call Wood Networks- 903-581-0922. Or visit our website to find out what makes us different- www.woodnetworks.com

The Wonderful World of Technology

There are all kinds of new amazing, and sometimes crazy, ideas floating around out there for 2012 in the tech world. everything from new memory storage devices to Senseye (which is really incredible) to a new charger for your phone that uses your pedal power! That's right you pedal to charge up your phone.

Before we get too excited about what is new on the horizon, we need to evaluate how effectively we are using the current technology we have at our finger tips already.  Are we using it to propel our business or are we just in love with the gadget? Others may just be fighting the changes in the business world and will soon find themselves left in the dust as someone else has stolen their market share. 

Call us to find out how you can best use your technology and make it work for you to help make you more profitable and efficient in 2012. You can also visit our website for more information- http://www.woodnetworks.com/

Resolve to be IT Healthy This Year!

Most of our New Year's Resolutions are about health. What about the health of your business? Technology is changing all the time. In order to maintain a healthy IT Infrastructure you to at least be informed about the current technologies and the ways you can best use them. Knowledge=Power. How much more effective and profitable could your business be if it was healthy. Give us at Wood Networks a call for a IT Health Checkup. 903-581-0922

Visit our website http://www.woodnetworks.com/ for additional information about our services.