Archive for the ‘Equipment’ Category
Simple things that will ruin your day, analog issues meet a digital world.
January 5th, 2011So just before the December holidays our office building sprunk a leak. Some roof shingles came off from a windstorm and the next time it rained, we started to get water in the office. But wait for the kicker – the leak was right over the top of my desk. Our landlord (we rent our office) ran around and found a roofer to get up there and put a tarp over the top of the affected area. This worked great, until another windstorm came and blew the tarp off the roof, just before New Year’s Day. So after me calling the landlord 3 days in a row and the landlord calling the roofer 3 days in a row to get the tarp put on, it proceeded to rain – A BUNCH!
I had left the office assuming the tarp was being put back on and left some documents on my desk and a laptop as well. Suprise on Monday – documents ruined and water all in the laptop – and NO TARP ON THE ROOF. Those of you who know me, understand that I remained calm (not!), called my landlord calmly (not) and explained the situation calmly (not!).
So this week, they are working on resolving the roof issue, but as you can tell – I now have a bunch of documents I have to recreate and a laptop which MIGHT be able to be salvaged (we’re still trying to dry it out and see if it will start). So what are the lessons learned from here?
- Never assume someone else is going to do something they have shown they are not going to do
- Plan for the worst, a simple thing like a roof leak can cause major damage
- Know what to do and who to call in the event of an emergency or issue.
- Be persistent when an issue is not being resolved to your satisfaction
So an analog world issue causedhavoc in my digital world – a simple water leak causes digital damage and sets me back a day of work. What would you have done in this situation? Should I have done something different? What’s your plan if something like this happened?
Yes, Small Business, There Is a Helpdesk Solution
December 2nd, 2010Let’s face it — if your business is supported by computer technology, you need a Helpdesk. You deserve a Helpdesk. One of the main reasons a business fails (outside of negative revenue generation) is the inability to recover quickly from an IT disaster. Disaster — it’s a big scary word. And if your only desktop computer or your only server goes down and no one is able to recover the data from it, or recover it in a timely fashion, you’re toast. No longer do you have a customer database, no longer do you have an accounting history, no longer do you have a viable business.
This year, give yourself the gift of security. Enlist a capable and responsible IT company to be at the ready when you need them.
Better yet, give yourself the gift of preparedness and proactiveness. Take the time to have your systems upgraded and cleaned up. Create a plan of action for the New Year to extend the life of those precious machines. Allow an IT professional to research the best equipment for your needs now and into the near future at the best price (because many are approved vendors and can get a better deal than you might).
A viable IT company offers professional service and advice on:
- Preventative Maintenance
- Remote Patch Management
- Equipment Purchases
- Helpdesk and Support Services
- On Call for Break/Fix Issues
As you, business owner, prepare for the annual holiday party, grant vacations and leave of absences, think about who’s taking care of your business while you are out running your business. Have you checked with your IT guy to see if he’ll be around on Christmas morning for you if need be? A back up plan of action is always a good idea.
A&J Computers Inc. has provided Helpdesk and IT support services for 21 years.
Julie Settle
A&J Computers Inc.
8 Tips to Stay Cyber Safe
October 15th, 2010The month of October is National Cyber Security Awareness Month (NCSAM). NCSAM is a national public awareness campaign to encourage everyone to protect their computers and our nation’s critical cyber infrastructure. Cyber security requires vigilance 365 days per year. However, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the National Cyber Security Alliance (NCSA), and the Multi-State Information Sharing and Analysis Center (MS-ISAC), the primary drivers of NCSAM, coordinate to shed a brighter light in October on what home users, schools, businesses and governments need to do in order to protect their computers, children, and data.
Online:
- Keep your personal information private on social networks.
- Install a URL scanning tool to alert you of potentially harmful web links.
- Review your bank account and credit card statements regularly for questionable charges.
- Review your credit report and credit score regularly.
- Choose difficult encrypted passwords, consider using KeePass to safely store all your passwords.
On Your Computer:
- Keep your operating system and software programs up to date.
- Install these type software programs: anti-virus, anti-spyware and firewall .
- Back up your computer data regularly.
Below are our recommend downloads to keep your computer safe:
- Anti-Virus: AVG Antivirus, Symantec Anti-Virus, Trend Micro AntiVirus
- Firewall: MS Windows firewall
- Anti-Spyware: Webroot’s Spy Sweeper
- URL Link Scanner: AVG LinkScanner
- Credit Report: Federal Trade Commission
- Credit Score: Credit Karma
- Password: KeePass
Below are additional sites listed by the NCSAM:
- Anti-Virus: ESET NOD32 Antivirus, F-Secure Internet Security, Kaspersky Anti-Virus, Norton AntiVirus, Webroot Internet Security
- Firewall: ZoneAlarm, Norton Internet Security
- Anti-Spyware: PC Tools Spyware Doctor with AntiVirus 2011, STOPzilla (removal)
- Credit Report: Equifax, TrustedID
- Credit Score: myFICO
A&J Computers offers solutions for all your IT security needs. Visit us at ajcomputers.com for more details or contact with questions.
^ Julie Settle
A&J Computers Inc.
Still Need to Buy Windows XP? Better Act Now.
September 17th, 2010Microsoft has announced that the last day to purchase Windows XP is October 22nd. This means it will no longer be stocked and available from Dell, HP or on the shelves at Best Buy. And if you still need to order computers with XP preinstalled, that date is October 1st (less than 2 weeks away).
Here are the 2 main questions we are hearing regarding XP’s discontinuation:
- My whole business relies on Windows XP. What if I need technical support?
A&J Computers Inc. is here to support your technical needs, and Microsoft will continue to directly offer Extended Support until April 2014. - Can my Windows XP programs run on Windows 7?
In most cases the answer is Yes. Microsoft has a Windows 7 Compatibility page to help you find out if your programs or hardware will work with Windows 7.
View the Microsoft announcement for full details about Windows XP End of Life at: http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windows-xp/end-of-sale.aspx.
Please contact us as soon as possible to place any computer orders that require Windows XP preinstalled to ensure they ship by the 10/22 deadline.
Julie Settle
A&J Computers Inc.
The iPad and The Enterprise, a not quite fairytale
September 16th, 2010Once upon a time, in the far away land of Apple, lived a beautiful iPad. It longed to enter mainstream America, so it ventured out to play. Along the way, the evil corporation fooled the lovely iPad into entering its workforce, hoping to diminish the initial joy of this toy. Alas, the iPad was so happy in its new home, embracing the work happily, and evil was once again foiled.
Initially released as a mainstream consumer product, the iPad is here to stay…love it or leave it. In its first 3 months on the market, over 3 million iPads were purchased, and projections for media tablets as a whole are liable to reach almost 8 million consumers this year alone.
Like the iPhone, the iPad shares the same operating system, making it a legitimate tool for employees on the go. However, without videoconferencing capabilities, a staple tool for employees in the field, the iPad has room to grow. Also, like the iPhone, it does not support Flash and is still a bit too small to handle a serious at your desk workload. On the plus side, those handy apps are the main draw to the mobile workforce and they do a great job.
How well it works in the Enterprise is still up for debate. Third party application developers are helping to bridge the gap by developing apps to read and write common office file formats (such as Microsoft© Word and Excel), plus a plethora of utilities for day-to-day office tasks including many for IT administrators. Updates to the Operating System will ensue, enabling more multi-tasking abilities as time goes on.
While the iPad is still primarily a consumer-related product, the workforce is rapidly clamoring to justify its support within the corporate enterprise network. But don’t toss the laptops out just yet. The iPad was never intended to replace the standard computer; it is — and will remain to be — an additional tool in the workforce arsenal.
At the end of the day, we own iPads, iPods and iPhones and we use them every day. Just like every tool in a carpenter’s toolbox has its place, we believe in using the right tool for the right job at the right time. And that’s truly how to live happily ever after.
Julie Settle
A&J Computers Inc
Rain, Rain Go Away – How to keep your electronics safe in the storm
September 21st, 2009For those of you not in the southeast, the past few days have been nothing but rain. With well over a foot of rain in the past 3 days, a lot of people are getting worried about the flooding/lightning and the effect it might have on computer equipment. Here’s my advice to you:
If you don’t have a UPS (battery power) between the wall outlet and your computer – you should unplug your computer completely from the wall (don’t just turn it off) – this will stop the electrical surges and possible lightning strike from traveling across your power lines right into your computer.
If the room you are in is susceptible to flood or leaks, lift your computers and power strips off the floor to avoid eletrical shorts and shocks. Don’t just think about your computer – but anything electrical – TVs, DVD players, etc - as yourelf “What can get wet or struck by lightning?”
One thing to know – your power company is not liable for any damage caused to your electrical equipment. You MAY be able to file a claim with your home owner’s insurance but it depends on the size of your claim and what specific riders you have on your insurance. If you run your business from your home - don’t forget to check with your business insurance provider (general liability, etc) to see if they will cover any damages.
Most power strips you buy at the local stores don’t have any type of insurance or protection from surges or power spikes. There are a few and rather than recommending a specific brand, we’d rather discuss options with you in person to ensure you are receiving the correct protection for your equipment.
If you need help in gathering information for an insurance claim, call us and we can help get you current pricing, replacement pricing and any labor estimates for the claim. Our estimates are accepted by most insurance companies and we can work with your insurance company to determine the actual value of your equipment.
Hard Drive Crash
August 19th, 2009For those of you who have heard me preach about the possibility of a hard drive crash and the steps necessary to protect yourself, you can rest assured that hard drive crashes happen even to the technology guys. Earlier this year, I decided to upgrade my laptop with a removable memory card (like a jump drive/flash drive) to store all of my documents, web site code and other items. This helps me jump from computer to computer by allowing me to pull out the memory card, stick it in my netbook (has anyone not fallen in love with my Dell Mini ?) and away I go.
Well last night, while working on a problem for a customer of course the inevitable happened – my computer froze. When I rebooted windows, the memory card gave me an error mesage about it being corrupt (can you hear my screams – ARRRRRRRRGGGHHHHH!). Now for the positive:
Just like I tell you to do, my backups were up to date – the downside was backups run once a day at 1AM – so of course everything I did Tuesday wasn’t in the backup. So first things first, I got myself a new memory card and started restoring my files to it. This morning I have the crashed memory card in our lab attempting to recover yesterday’s work.
So what are the lessons learned from my experience? Here’s the quick list
- Backup, backup, backup (decide if you need twice a day backups even)
- Know your hardware
- Pay attention to little problems before they become big ones (I should have noticed the little things that were happening to the memory card)
- Have a plan (what would you do if your drive crashed – panic, or know that you are prepared).
If you want to talk about the possibility of your drive crashing (no one really wants to talk about it) or you want us to help you build a recovery plan – just drop us an e-mail or call us and I’d be more than happy to help. Here’s to a long hard drive life and no crashes!
Are NetBooks right for me?
July 12th, 2009Netbooks are all the rage this year. With smaller sizes, better battery life and wireless what’s not to love. But coupled with the smaller size comes a less powerful processor and less upgrade options. This presents an interesting decision to make: Can I make a NetBook my primary laptop?
The most common answer is: It depends. When someone asks this question of me, I usually ask a few questions:
- How do you normally use a computer?
- Do you have another computer?
- Is size the only reason you are considering a NetBook?
If the person is planning on using the computer for anything more than web surfing, web based email and some note taking – I typically recommend one of the smaller full-power laptops. These days, there are a number of manufacturers with 12 inch screen, powerful processors and room for expansion.
In our business, we use NetBooks to supplement our primary computer (desktop and laptop) – the NetBook lets us move from client to client with the information we need, plus gives us quick startup and long battery life. So it’s easy to see where even in the non-typical use NetBooks can be useful.
Recently some school districts are using NetBooks for classroom computing – with everything on the school’s intranet, the power savings and light weight make these ideal for educational use. Additionally, their use in military and police applications.
There are lots of options for small format laptops and NetBooks. Wether or not a NetBook is right for you depends on how you are going to use it. If you want more information or to compare a NetBook to a small-format laptop, call me to find out. Contact Us for more information.
