TechNine MSP News

Ever met someone who responds to computer downtime with applause or relief? Neither have we. When a computer goes down, the individual inevitably needs it fixed fast. Yet, depending on your repair model, it could take longer than you hope. This article compares break-fix to managed services. The break-fix model is a short-term one. Maybe you have someone you turn to on a consistent basis, but you may still have to wait. If you’re calling for help when it’s needed (and let’s hope it’s not that often), that IT repair guy might not be available. If they’re backed up, you’re

How exciting! You got a new computer for Christmas. It’s sleek, shiny, and so much faster than what you had before. That’s great, but it doesn’t mean you should leave it untouched. This article shares several steps you might take to secure your data and keep that new device in tip-top shape. First things first. Before even logging into personal email or other top sites, you’ll want to update the operating system (OS). Yes, most computers come out of the box with Windows, but you can’t know when that item was boxed. There could be important updates that you don’t

It’s inevitable that we’ll retire old devices to upgrade to the latest and greatest. A new laptop, desktop, or phone is exciting. Yet, before you get too distracted by your shiny, new device, take the time to safely retire the old one. When buying the new device, you may take trade-in value. Otherwise, you may let that old iPad sit in your drawer for another couple of years. Either way, it’s important to take some key steps to protect the data on that old device before moving on. Backup the old device Most devices today have a backup feature installed.

An email inbox can get overwhelming. It’s estimated we send 306 billion emails daily; not you personally, of course, although it may feel that way. So, you have to come up with strategies to corral the communications, one of which is deciding whether to delete or archive an email. This primer will help. First, let’s consider the drawbacks to having all those emails sitting in your inbox. You may think it doesn’t matter, as you work only at the top of the screen with the newest communications. Yet those old emails are more than clutter. If it’s locally hosted, they

Nine out of ten times today when you visit a website, you’re asked to sign in. To add convenience, many sites offer the ability to sign in using a Facebook or Google account. Sure, it’s simpler, but this article will share three key reasons why you might want to avoid this easy route. It’s estimated that we each have an average of 100 passwords. That’s a lot to remember, especially as we need unique logins for every site to lower our risk of cyberattack. At the same time, every website wants us to set up an account. It helps them

A new year is a chance for a fresh beginning. To that end, try these tech tips for small business owners to kick 2022 off right. First, launch a successful new year for your business by going mobile. Agility is one of the key differentiators of a small business. Be more flexible than larger competitors by taking full advantage of cloud computing. Use Microsoft 365 (MS365) as an all-in-one solution for communication, collaboration, and more. When you’re cloud-based, you and your employees can operate from any location with ease. You’ll also want to focus on security. Don’t think that you’re

We expect the holiday season to be a time of good cheer, and peace and goodwill to all, right? Except cyberattackers didn’t get the memo. They are more likely to attack businesses with phishing attempts during the holidays. Prevent issues by knowing what to expect. Cybercrime research shows the season “dramatically impacts” the volume of phishing attacks. Phishing attacks “spiked to more than 150% above average” the week before Christmas. After the holidays, the number of attacks dwindled significantly in Barracuda research. Why would hackers target a business during the holidays? Because they know things can slow down and people

More and more businesses and organizations are getting stung by ransomware demands. Hospitals, schools, social networks…some days it seems like an epidemic that leaps around arbitrarily, and hackers are raking in millions. Tallied across the world…billions. Ransomware attacks are devious in their simplicity. A user in the target business is tricked into opening a file, usually through a phishing email or download. The file contains malware which instantly encrypts your data and demands money in exchange for the password. No payment = no password = no data. Any business should have valid and protected backups, which would mean they could

Microsoft is rolling out the next iteration of its operating system, Windows 11. Of course, new = better, right? But, when it comes to Windows 11, you may want to consider waiting. Here’s why. Typically, software updates are something to install as a matter of course. The manufacturer, after all, is delivering the latest and greatest in its upgrade. This can be new efficiencies, improved processes, and increased security. CNN calls the Windows 11 release “the biggest update we’ve seen to Microsoft PC software in more than half a decade.” But when it comes to Windows 11, do some research

Managed Service Providers (MSPs) help businesses take a proactive approach to managing their technology without the expensive step of hiring an in-house team. Find out how Managed Services can grow your business!