Blog migration

29 05 2013

Networks Unlimited’s blog  will no longer be hosted on WordPress. Please follow us on http://www.itsaboutaction.com/blog/ for tech updates, computer how-to’s and relevant business  IT news.





3 Proven Methods to Prevent Costly Data Loss

17 05 2013

Odds are, your business has or will experience data loss at some point.  Whether it’s an accidentally deleted file or a complete storage failure on your server, the ramifications can be devastating. Assume your company lost all of its data today, and ask yourself, what data do I have backed up?  Where is it?  And how long will it take to restore that data and resume regular business operations?​ If you are unsure or uneasy about any of your own answers even in the slightest, you need to employee a better backup system. Here are 3 key proven and effective elements of a data backup plan:

repetitive

Backing up your data using multiple technologies is best practice. A strategy which uses both online and offline backups provides you with flexibility from both a restore-time and budget standpoint.  A well-developed backup strategy feeds directly into a disaster recovery and business continuity plan for your company. With diverse system, your data recovery  is very near 100% effective.

geo location

Natural and man-made disasters can wipe out entire data-storing facilities. Geographical diversity in your strategy ensures that your data is available for restore regardless of natural disasters, network outages, terrorist attacks or communication disruptions.  A combination of local on-site backups with multiple offsite locations generally guarantees that you will have a path to recovery regardless of the interruptions you can’t control. As remote facilities are generally out of your control, be sure to understand the data security levels and where your data is stored.

automate

All too often businesses find that backup procedures were not followed properly, test restores were not performed or perhaps, the external drive you backup to, actually filled up three months ago and you have not performed a successful backup since that time.  An automated and managed solution makes perfect sense for organizations whose business focus is not technology and whom do not have a dedicated IT staff. The amount of data you create and the importance of the data will determine how often you conduct your backups.

Some data loss statistics:

60% of companies that lose their data will shut down within 6 months of a disaster

30% of all businesses that have a major fire go out of business within a year. 70% fail within five years. 

More than one billion people have been affected by data loss incidents in the last five years.

​The causes of data loss:

causes of data loss

The good news is that data is loss is completely preventable when a backup plan is in place and utilized correctly. If you have questions about creating a back up plan, give us a call!





Partner Spotlight: GJ Company produces innovative components for biking enthusiasts worldwide

9 05 2013

    

Mountain Racing Products is a partner of Networks Unlimited. As a Managed Services customer of ours, we oversee this growing company’s IT needs. We will begin to feature a new partner each month that have made great accomplishments as individuals and as a  business. Mountain Racing Products produces popular parts for bicycles such as Trek, Giant, Salsa, and more. This is the story of Mountain Racing Products:

Tim Fry was sitting in a bar in a high-rise building enjoying his vacation with his wife Christy when he received a call from his law firm. A client wanted to speak with him and was not happy that he was not in his office. As a complex litigation lawyer, a lot was asked of Fry, but getting to his office while on vacation was something he simply could not do. In this moment, he realized that he needed a change. After 6 years of working on extremely challenging and complex litigation cases, Fry started to seek a new path. “As a lawyer, I was tearing things down; I wanted to build something up.”

      He and his wife, also a lawyer, began searching for businesses that fit a certain criteria. They wanted to find a business that involved manufacturing, had products that were proprietary, and that had export potential. In 2000, he purchased a biking parts business in Grand Junction, CO.

      Coming from Ohio, he had only ever skied in Colorado and was not familiar with Grand Junction. Certainly, Colorado had appeal, but it wasn’t until after two years in Grand Junction that he and his wife knew that they were here to stay. Over dinner one evening, Christy told him, “You realize we’re not leaving, right?” Fry said he knew then that he had to make it work.

      Fast forward to 2013 and Mountain Racing Products is found in over 35 countries around the globe. Professional bike-riders and enthusiasts around the world have parts from pedals to chain guards to suspension on their bicycles made right here in Grand Junction. Fry says that it is exciting to visit other parts of the world and see his product on shelves and in use. They have found a lot of success in niche products and Fry told us about a time he saw a police officer riding a bike with his pedals in an airport. The pedals, Power Grips, are a product that has become increasingly popular with law enforcement because the grips secure a shoe but are comfortable enough to attach to normal footwear. In an airport in Columbus, Fry spotted his pedals on a police officer’s bike and caught up with the office for a photo-op.

Mountain Racing Product’s “Power Grips” pedals are very popular with law enforcement cycles because they comfortably fit normal footwear.

      Mountain Racing Products are well-known and very popular in the biking industry with their brands White Brothers, Kreitler Rollers, Tamer, and Power Grips. Though Western Colorado is a Mountain Biking Mecca, Fry says, “We have to remember that only about 3% of our total sales are done in Colorado.” With supplying to a global market, the Mountain Racing Products team must always consider, implement and develop new products that appeal to riders of all types of terrain and conditions.

     As much as 40% of the company’s products are made right here in the Grand Junction. The remaining products are created where their business partners’, such as   Trek,  Giant and Salsa Cycles, manufacturing facilities are located. These huge biking brands have parts made from Mountain Racing Products directly on their bikes such as Salsa Cycles’s Horsetheif 2 bicycle (pictured below) . Mountain Racing Products also makes specialty parts for Trek, Giant, and others, when needed.

      Fry and his wife jokingly refer to themselves as “recovering lawyers.” They are very happy with the business they have built but admit that owning and operating their own business consumes far more time than being lawyers. Fry laughs and adds that people in the biking industry are generally happy and are definitely happier than the people he dealt with in his previous profession.

     Recently, Mountain Racing Products was awarded as one of  “Colorado’s Companies To Watch.” To receive this award, companies must be privately held in Colorado, experiencing growth, have 6 to 99 full-time employees and have $750,000 to $50 million in sales. We congratulate

Sheets of metal are turned into the bicycle parts such as this at the facility in Grand Junction

Salsa Cycles, has Mountain Racing Products’ White Brothers Suspension stock on their HorseThief 2 model





Tens of Thousands of New Malware Programs Created Each Day

3 05 2013

Some reports from say that there are 35,000 new malware programs created each day, while other studies report 70,000 new malware programs each day. Now, McAfee is reporting 100,000 new  malware programs are created on a daily basis. Though these figures are estimations and vary with results, we can gather that there are  A LOT of malware being created each day.

In most cases, malware is created to gather sensitive information. With the information gathered, identities can be stolen, banking info collected, credit card numbers taken, internet history recorded and more. Other malware can be more a nuisance and not cause true harm to your system other than slowing it. Regardless of the intent of the malware, avoiding getting a virus or other malware is crucial.

Antivirus, knowing what to look for,  and  knowing how to strengthen your computer security is key to prevent an infection on your computer. There are still risks of infection even after taking precautions, but antivirus software providers work diligently around the clock to update their databases and systems to best protect your computer. Though infection is still likely with antivirus, using such programs are a proactive measure to preventing catastrophic data loss.

This infographic from Kaspersky outlines the consequences of cyber attacks for both businesses and personal computers:

You can learn about how to protect yourself more from some of our previous posts:

Current Common Computer viruses

How to Create Strong Passwords

Updating Windows Security

There are many effective and affordable options for antivirus software and programs. We will gladly answer any questions regarding programs for you.





Welcoming New Team Member, Gibran

29 04 2013

Gibran is the newest engineer to join our team. With his addition, we have grown to nineteen employees at Networks Unlimited; preserving our title as the largest IT provider in Western Colorado.

Gibran has grown up in various parts of the valley and lived in Palisade, Grand Junction, and Fruita. He first became interested in IT after visiting his family in California who work in the technology industry.

For the past five years, Gibran has worked and gained professional experience in information technology in Grand Junction. We are excited to have him continue  his career in IT with Networks Unlimited. When asked what his favorite part of working in IT is he says,  “I like that every day is different.”

For the past two weeks, Gibran has accompanied our other engineers on jobs as he learns the ropes at Networks Unlimited but is excited to now be working independently. His first job on his own will be at the Colorado National Monument. We know that he will demonstrate the quality work and professionalism that we are known for.

Please help us welcome our newest team member!





Renting a Computer Server: An Alternative to Purchasing.

26 04 2013

Servers can be a costly, but necessary, expense for businesses. As businesses find themselves in the position of shopping for a new server, there is another option: Server as a Service.

We have outlined the major differences between Server as a Service (renting a server) and purchasing a server.

If you would like to know about Server as Service as offered by Networks Unlimited, call us or comment!





Your small business can write off more tech spending in 2013

19 04 2013

Mohawk Computers Blog

Can your small business thrive if you are depending on outdated technology? Probably not. You need current technology today to communicate with your clients and customers, examine sales trends and more successfully handle everything from bookkeeping to payroll. Fortunately, the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012 includes a hefty tax break for small businesses that put money into new technology. Here’s a brief look from BizTech Magazine at how this tax break works and how it can help your small business stay on top of the technology curve.

An important tax break

According to the American Taxpayer Relief Act, businesses can now write off as much as a rather notable $500,000 of new technology and equipment expenditures in 2013. This may provide small businesses with the boost they need to more vigorously update their technology. Businesses, for instance, might elect to upgrade their computer operating systems to Windows 8. Or…

View original post 174 more words





Easily Correct ‘Error Message’ on Internet

12 04 2013

If you have ever repeatedly had an error message appear when you are simply trying to visit a website, you know just how frustrating this can be. Clearing you cache is a potential quick fix that oh-so-annoying error message.

But first, here is a little background:

What is cache? Cache is simply stored internet files from websites.

What is caches’ purpose? To make your internet browsing faster.

How does it work? Instead of downloading files from the internet each time you visit a website, your browser stores internet files on your actual computer. Because the websites’ contents are already on your computer, and they do not have to be downloaded each time; cache speeds up your internet browsing experience.

Here is how to clear your cache from a Windows 7 computer:

You can clear cache from your browser and from your computer. Because not all browsers are the same, this is how you clear cache from your computer:

(This will clear saved user names and passwords you have stored)

Go to your control panel

Choose “delete…” and choose all options.

This should fix an error message while on the internet, among other things, by clearing old data. This will also free up some space on your hard drive.

If an error message continues after clearing your cache, you can contact our help desk at 970-248-0711. (regular charges do apply)





Colorado Woman Shares Experience With Mobile Phone Virus

10 04 2013

KKCO 11 news spoke with Networks Unlimited about how to prevent mobile viruses and how they are becoming a growing target for hackers and malware. Our own Chris Riggs and Lauren Bell spoke about the growing problem. See the news story here.

Colorado woman, Rebecca McClelland tells her account with a mobile virus:

“A number with a 876 area code continued to call me and one time I answered.  When I answered the phone the male on the other end had a foreign accent.  I told him to please stop calling my phone and he continued to say I called him.  I hung the phone up and they continued to call and I did not answer.  Throughout the day my phone was acting funny and I was not receiving phone calls or text
messages.  Around 3pm my phone was shut off and I could not make any outgoing calls.When I called my provider they said there was a fraud on my account and my service had been shut off.  Needless to say I was not happy, the criminal had cloned my phone
and phone number and used all of my minutes and made international calls. My provider is able to reimburse me but they continue to call.”

Rebecca McClelland, of Grand Junction Colorado, shares her experince with smartphone hacking.





Save your Identity with a Strong Password

1 04 2013

Do you have “password” or “123456” as your password? According to CBS news these are two of the most common passwords. Here are some tips on creating strong passwords to prevent security breaches. Thieves have complex software that can find password combinations of words but the more nonsense and longer a password, the more difficult to break.

1. Use nonsense

Thinking of a strong password can be challenging but a helpful way is to create a sentence and use the first letter of each word. For instance,  the sentence, “This is how you can create a strong password to save your identity” would translate to “tihyccasptsyi”

 

 

2. Your password should be more than 8 characters long

The longer the password, especially if it is nonsense, the harder to break.

 

 

 

3. Use $pecial ¢haracters and numbers

Using these within your password may be difficult but it is worth the extra security.

 

 

 

 

It is highly recommended to use different passwords for each site. managing passwords can be difficult and challenging to remember. However there are tools to help you remember. PC suggests 6 password managers to help you track all your different passwords.

If you are hesitant to use a password manager. You can incorporate the site that you are logging in to as a part of the password. For example, lets use “tihyccasptsyi” from earlier. Following the rules above, let’s add some special characters and numbers.”tihyccasptsyi” will now become  T!hyCcasptsy! after the password-strengthening additions.. The trick is now adding either a prefix, suffix, or the domain name from the site that you are logging into as a part of the password. For instance, if you are logging into ebay, a good password might be T!hyCcasptsy!@ebay. The root of your password remains the same, making remembering much easier. However, your password is never the same for multiple platforms because it incorporates the name of the site you are logging into in some way. Here is an example of how you would use the same root password for multiple accounts. The full name of the domain is used if it is one full word and the prefix is used if the domain is 2 words. If you use a system similar to this, you will learn create and adopt your own unique method.

Wells Fargo T!hyCcasptsy!@wells
Gmail T!hyCcasptsy!@gmail
Facebook T!hyCcasptsy!@face
Twitter T!hyCcasptsy!@twitter
Godaddy T!hyCcasptsy!@go

Unfortunately, cyber attacks are a prominent and growing part of the modern conveniences that the internet brings . However, after following these simple rules, you can drastically improve the security of your accounts.