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Category Archives: Small Business

Spam and Web-Based Threats – Start with a Network Security Assessment

Business Network Security Assessments help
Develop a Clear Path to Productivity and Security

The Internet offers some truly wonderful benefits, in our daily communication, research, education, banking, online shopping and entertainment. However, there are risks we need to recognize and deal with. There are those few that seek to use this global network link for malicious and criminal activities. We need to apply security measures. This is similar to how we have learnt to deal with strangers and thieves in our physical world. Criminals will take advantage of computers that do not have security software installed such as firewall’s, anti-virus, spyware and privacy protection. Computer systems and programs regularly require new critical updates (security issues).

As one of Fairfield County’s (Connecticut) leading Tech Support firms we often experience situations where small businesses loose important data from unauthorized activities. Our security network assessment gives you an in-depth review of your network and how to better secure it from damaging malicious activities.

A recent Dark Reading article by Ericka Chickowski titled “Top 10 Security Mistakes SMBs Make.” highlights this quite well. The article starts out with my favorite line “A lot of the cascading technical and process deficiencies at SMBs stem from the fundamental belief that security doesn’t matter because their firm is too small to worry about it.” and goes on to remind us that “First of all, on the compliance front SMBs are not likely to get a pass from regulators because their organization only has 10 employees.”

So, at least when it comes to security threats and potential compliance audit failures, size doesn’t matter and you should ask us to help you evaluate your IT vulnerabilities as quickly as possible arrive at a customized Unified Threat Management (UTM) plan.

Please check out our recent blog posts at Tech Support Pro

How to Backup your Computer and Server Hard Disk

The data stored on your hard drive is the most critical part of your computer, which cannot be easily replaced. It may be an unwanted expense to repair and replace defective memory, monitor, or a processor, but there is no easy way to replace years of your critical data!

In addition to the possibility of a simple (mechanical) hard drive failure, the threat of Internet borne worms and viruses has become an increasing risk to data loss or corruption requiring disaster recovery. Although you may not be able to provide absolute protection to your hard drive, there are various ways that you can ensure that the data on your hard drive is backed up archived.

Computer Systems Support & Design assists small business in Fairfield County, CT with Data Backup and Disaster recovery solutions. Read more about Reliable Always “On” Backup and Disaster Recovery that keeps your business running.

But read on about three simple methods of backing up your data:

Using CD and DVD Writers:

CD and DVD burners are an ‘essential’ part of just about every computer. These devices can typically be found installed in a computer case, but external devices supporting USB 2.0 or Firewire interface are available for greater flexibility, mobility and ease of installation.

The main limitation of using a CD writer for data backups is that the discs are generally limited to a capacity of 700MB per disc. Not nearly enough for a full backup, but adequate for archiving key files.

DVD media offers the user far more storage capacity than a CD, and most modern DVD burners can burn CDs as wells as DVD’s. The recent availability of dual layer DVD burners represents a large boost in the capacity of writable DVD’s, taking the previous limit of 4.7GB per disc and nearly doubling it to 8.5GB.

External USB Hard Drives:

External hard drives are typically the same type of drive you might find inside your system, but housed in a smaller, external enclosure of its own. The enclosure will feature at least one data interface (such as Firewire or USB), and the capacity is only limited by the size of hard drives presently available and the user’s budget.

Up to 4TB are available today providing room for many, many pictures, videos and files.

The capacity of external hard drives makes them ideal for backing up large volumes of data, and many of these devices simplify the process by including software (or hardware) features to automate the backup.

Additional Hard Drives inside the computer (and RAID):

By adding an additional hard drive to your system, you can protect yourself from data loss by copying your data from your primary drive to your secondary drive. The installation of a second hard drive is not difficult, but does require a basic understanding of the inner working of a computer.

To take the installation of a second hard drive to another level of security and reliability, the hard drives may be installed in a RAID array. RAID stands for a Redundant Array of Independent Disks, and can be configured in several manners. A RAID 1 array requires two hard drives of equal size to be installed on a RAID controller, which will then mirror one drive to the other in real time. Many motherboard’s now come with RAID controllers onboard. With a RAID 1 array in place, if one hard drive should ever fail, the system won’t miss a best by continuing to run on the remaining good drive, and alert the user that one drive may need to be replaced.

Tech Support Company Focuses on Green Computing Technology in Connecticut

The huge amount of computing resources manufactured worldwide has a direct impact on environment issues, and scientists are conducting numerous studies in order to reduce the negative impact of computing technology on our natural resources. Companies are addressing for example e-waste by offering take-back recycling programs and other solutions, with lower energy consumption, less wasted hardware and recycled consumables.

Today, Conservation and Environmentalism initiatives demand that every business, in the Information Technology area deploys technology that is environmentally sound with a low carbon foot print. The times have passed where servers, workstations and networks could be considered and installed without consideration for maintaining and protecting the health of the natural earth and it’s environment!

The field of “green technology ” encompasses a broad range of subjects — from new energy-generation techniques to the study of advanced materials to be used in our daily life and green computing initiatives not only in large companies but also small businesses. Green technology focuses on reducing the environmental impact of industrial processes and innovative technologies caused by the Earth’s growing population. It has taken upon itself the goal to provide society’s needs in ways that do not damage or deplete natural resources. Mainly this means creating fully recyclable products, reducing pollution, reducing the carbon foot print with more energy efficient computer appliances and servers, and proposing alternative technologies in the Information Technology field.

Computer Systems Support provides complete tech support that fully manages and enhances your green computer network. We take care of everything with proactive network monitoring and managed infrastructure maintenance, a 24 7 professional technology help desk, and strategic Green Computing Information Technology advice and guidance.

Our Green Business Complete – 24 7 Productivity Tech Support Package™ solution is the best of support options in Fairfield County, Connecticut – local, reasonable cost, certified experts that care about the environment.

Computer Systems Support is a preferred IT Support and Tech Support company specializing in small business in Fairfield County, Connecticut that are concerned about the environment. Efficiency, security and green computing initiatives are the overriding themes of our IT Tech Support service.

In recent years, companies in the computer industry and business consumers have come to realize that going green is in their best interest, both in terms of public relations and reduced costs. Computer Systems Support & Design delivers menu-based Green IT Technical Support & Tech Support services fast and efficiently concentrating on Microsoft Small Business Products, Cisco, Symantec, Quickbooks and others. Please call for our complimentary Network Documentation. Contact us today to learn more about Green Computing Technology Initiatives.

Green IT Consulting for Fairfield County, CT Small Business

Many businesses suffer from the same IT issues with hardware. Years of accumulation of servers, printers, workstations and software all haphazardly put together can cause an IT system to be unstable and unreliable and certainly not environmentally friendly. Standard servers still burn over 300Watts. With Green Computing that same energy usage can be brought down to under 100 Watts by simply choosing energy saving components.

Downtime in your business costs money! Computer Systems Support & Design offers a preventative Green Tech Support service to reduce computer system break down and failure. By conducting a full audit of your current IT structure we can create an IT plan to upgrade and renew redundant and unreliable information technology (IT) equipment over a time period in line with your budget and requirements. Whether your Connecticut business is small or large your time is valuable and by providing expert green technology infrastructure solutions we can ensure your computer systems run at an optimum capacity yet with a reduced carbon foot print.

IT Support by Computer Systems Support & Design
Reliance on your IT system is a given in business today. Failure of your system results in a major loss of productivity. What is worse is a long and costly wait for technicians to arrive, and the lack of confidence that the issue potentially may be beyond them. At Computer Systems Support & Design you can be assured that our staff will be there in time and we will know how to solve your technical issues.

Server Installation & Networking
To run Computer Systems and Networks at maximum potential without major downtime requires adequate hardware & software. The consequences of neglecting your server and network infrastructure can be catastrophic in time and cost to your small business and places your data at risk – not to mention reduced employee productivity. To prevent network downtime, we offer a server replacement program as well as an overall technology maintenance schedule where your computer systems are monitored and updated.

Top Restaurant Business Plan Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

It takes a lot of time and effort to craft a good restaurant business plan. But they are also crucial to the success of your business enterprise. Analysis shows that folks who have a business plan close down less often than those that do not.

Here are some of the top blunders to steer clear of:

For starters, they don’t do any kind of market analysis.

A good plan really should be put together on effective examination of the market. You’ll want to have a crystal-clear appreciation of the domestic community, the competition as well as the economy. You’ve got to be in a position to confirm that there is a market for your commodity or services, and also that the market place has the capacity to purchase from you.

The 2nd most frequent oversight is that they are idealistic about cash flow.

They under estimate the costs of establishing and operating a business, and overestimate the amount of new customers they might appeal to in the first calendar year of being open. In countless examples they also presume that marketing promotions isn’t necessary and do not set aside for a marketing and advertising expense plan.

The third most commonplace error in judgment is the fact that they don’t make an effort to work out the way they are going to differentiate themselves from rivals. Differentiation is critical and without an strong positioning strategy, many companies do not understand their true potential.

One last common mistake is to pitch to investors without understanding every aspect in regards to the investment opportunity back to front. This is really shooting yourself in the foot. How you choose to demonstrate your idea is absolutely critical. Every bit as noteworthy, venture capitalists are not dumb, so don’t provide them with an share offer that you really couldn’t agree to personally because of the money they will be risking. Good sense applies.

There are experts who can help you produce your business plan, as well as give you tips about how to undertake your market research along with your budgetary predictions. Your odds of achieving success are definitely boosted significantly with competent business assistance.Remember a business plan should be a practical report, without emotion, so keep the emotive expressions for your marketing and advertising strategy.

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