MSPNetworks Blog

It might be an understatement to suggest that things don’t always go smoothly in business. The truth is that when one problem is solved, another is often created. This is why we lean on our technology. These “solutions” are intended to fix many of the speedbumps, but that doesn’t mean that choosing, deploying, and supporting these systems don’t come with some problems as well. Today, we look at three reasons an IT project could fail. 

Failure to Align to Business Needs

Incorporating technology to make things more efficient is typically the goal, but in many instances, management and technology deployment aren’t working in concert. This can lead to IT projects that fail because of friction that is caused when there isn’t any unity in the direction things are going. In order for IT projects to work as designed, there needs to be some cohesion between planning and practice. 

A good strategy to avoid situations like this is to set ground rules about when a major IT project can start. Not only should any project have full clearance from decision-makers, but it should also include regular status updates to keep everyone abreast of any changes or delays that may happen. Typically, new IT deployment will result in some downtime, so having the blessing of everyone that could be affected is a good plan. 

Runaway Costs

Not every project is going to run smoothly. One could say that most projects deal with some inefficiencies and even redundancies that increase costs. Most major IT projects require substantial investment and if there is a lack of commitment it can cause projects to fall flat. Of course, many IT investments are earmarked when a budget is set and therefore can be subject to alteration due to other financial factors affecting the business. 

To avoid having the IT project tablecloth ripped out from under your china, you should be pragmatic about your IT investments. This means once you’ve decided to invest in something, complete it since most IT investments will end up providing quicker returns. Go full steam ahead or don’t go at all. 

Communication Issues

When we cite “communication problems,” we aren’t talking about problems with your data plans or email server, we are talking about keeping lines of communication open between all the people that have a stake in the project being a success. That means everyone: production workers, administrators, and everyone in between. Obviously, most projects are handled by the project manager and it is his/her responsibility to disseminate information as required. 

Today, there are some pretty impressive and easy-to-implement tools that will allow project managers the ability to quickly send correspondence to various people, create chats with teams of people involved in the project, quickly start video meetings, and more. The better equipped your project manager is to be an effective communicator, the more smooth a project will likely go.

Poor Project Management

That brings us to the last point, but it may be the most crucial. A solid project manager will do things that will make for successful IT projects. A good PM will manage the expectations of stakeholders, demands of the staff, and make it look easy. It’s not, but for some people being in the middle of a major project is exactly what they were built for. The good PM will not only understand the needs of the project team, the underlying problems that the project is trying to address, but also do it in a way where people who need information won’t have to go and search for it. A good project manager is a great delegator, a great prioritizer, and a great communicator. 

At MSPNetworks, we have plenty of experience running point on New York businesses’ IT projects and would love the opportunity to talk to you about your next IT project. For more information about anything IT support-related, give us a call today at (516) 403-9001.

Discarded electronics, including the hardware that so many businesses cycle through, are a big problem—and not one that we can ignore for a variety of reasons. Let’s explore the issues surrounding e-waste, as well as what can be done to reduce it.

First, let’s explore why e-waste is as big a problem as it is.

What is E-Waste?

“E-waste” is a blanket term that covers all electronics that have reached the end of their utilization and have thereby been discarded. Due to the materials that electronics are made of, these devices can lead to some serious issues down the line.

We really do mean all electronics, as well. With so much modern technology now relying on computing components in some way, shape, or form, you’d be hard-pressed to find something that didn’t qualify as e-waste. Naturally, computers and their peripherals qualify, but so do the majority of appliances, office equipment, and other gadgets nowadays. This is especially the case now that practically every gadget has some “smart” functionality built into it.

However, it is important to remember that a device does not have to be “smart” to be classified as e-waste. All electronics quality—which, in context, helps put the scope of the problem in clearer view.

According to the United Nations Institute for Training and Research, 2019 saw 53.6 metric tons of e-waste generated. This marked an increase of 21 percent in a period of five years, with only 17.4 percent of this e-waste being recycled. The report that UNITAR released also shared other disturbing tidbits, like the fact that (conservatively) $57 billion worth of valuable materials like gold and silver were just dumped and/or burned.

E-waste is a serious issue. Not only is it wasteful, it is also highly damaging to the environment, as many of the materials involved either take centuries to properly break down, or are actively toxic. In some cases, both statements apply.

In no uncertain terms, this is not good.

People are Trying to Draw Attention to the Problem of E-Waste…

…and some of their ideas are pretty darn creative.

For instance, when the G7 Summit was going on at the Carbis Bay Hotel in Cornwall, it was done so under the watchful gaze of “Mount Recyclemore”---a sculpture created by sculptor Joe Rush as a message to the assembled leaders to keep the damage of unrecycled electronics in mind.

Mount Recyclemore depicted an alternative vision of Mount Rushmore, with the faces replaced with those of US President Joe Biden, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson, Japan's former Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, French President Emmanuel Macron, Italy's Prime Minister Mario Draghi, and Germany's former Chancellor Angela Merkel.

All of whom were, at the time, attending the G7 Summit.

Constructed out of 20,000 pieces of e-waste in total, the seven figureheads each measure about 10 feet tall. Rush explained to the BBC that the idea behind the sculpture was to communicate to these leaders that e-waste was a problem they all needed to address, and that the message was for them to talk to one another about solving it.

The striking sculpture has since been moved to the Eden Project, a charity meant to educate people about environmental impacts and the different ways that they can be reduced.

Why Recycling Matters

There are a lot of benefits to your business choosing to recycle its old electronics, including:

• Reducing landfill space and protecting the environment, as the more that is recycled, the less that winds up in a landfill to have the dangerous materials inside seep into the ecosystem.
• Theoretically, it helps control pricing, because recycling old materials means that less needs to be produced from raw materials.
• Protects your data (although you should always remove your data before recycling your electronics) as proper channels are required to ensure that data is properly removed.

If you’re looking to dispose of your old technology—and if you’re looking for new equipment to replace it—turn to MSPNetworks. We’ll help you through the processes involved. Give us a call at (516) 403-9001 to get started.

The software you choose to use for your business largely defines the capabilities of it. When it comes to communications there are some very standard options that you probably already have and then there are some more innovative options that can have significant benefits for your staff. Let’s take a look at some of the standard communications options a business might use and how they can use technology to crank it up a bit.

Standard Communications Tools

Most businesses today give their employees multiple options on how to communicate with other members of the staff, prospects, and customers. Some are typical of every business, while others are a little more advanced and come with larger price tags. Some of the most utilized communications tools for business include:

• Email
• Telephone
• Instant messaging
• Documents

For most businesses, communications is split into two categories: Written and Verbal. Most businesses should have systems in place to cover both types of communication. As for written tools the most utilized, by far, is email. It presents you with an accepted and respected way to communicate with almost anyone that you would need to contact. 

Email

Today’s hosted email solutions tend to have a litany of great and useful features that can not only provide a construct to clearly get your message across, but also manage incoming and outgoing messages. Most modern business email platforms include the following features:

• Daily backup of emails
• Virus protection
• Encryption
• Spam filtering
• Synchronization
• Push mail
• Archival

These options typically provide users with everything they need to do business using email. Not only do modern email platforms have features to make the process of sending and managing email easier, many of them have started to integrate a fair amount of security features. A business’ email system is extremely important and a well-maintained and managed email system can go a long way toward giving an organization a great business tool.

Instant Messaging

Instant messaging is one of the more utilized written communications tools. Not every instant messaging application is created equal, that’s to be sure, but for the most part the convenience and speed of instant messaging can be a major benefit for any business looking to outfit themselves with one. Some hosted email platforms will come equipped with one, while other stand-alone IM platforms are also available. Recently, there has been a big shift in the development of collaboration tools that feature instant messaging as part of a larger platform designed to keep your people on the same page. 

Documentation

One often overlooked communication tool your business may have is the ability to provide employees and customers with written resources like pamphlets, white papers, and other documents. Most businesses today want their staff and customers to be as educated as possible and creating a repository of useful information, whether they are in the form of pamphlets, FAQs, or some other useful documents can save time and be very valuable. 

Telephone System

Probably the most important communications platform your company has is its telephone system. The traditional telephone system that you would get through a dedicated telephone provider has some functionality, but if you really want to make strides with your business’ communications platform, consider switching to a VoIP system. VoIP can be hosted onsite or in the cloud and can provide a lot of powerful features that the traditional telephone system simply cannot. 

One of the features you can buy through any VoIP provider is seamless video conferencing. For remote teams, or even extremely busy teams, a powerful video conferencing solution will give you access to a tool that will allow you to spin up meetings in seconds and provide you with integrated options in line with standalone video conferencing tools. This will help you save money and standardize the entire calling experience. Some other VoIP features you can take advantage of include:

• Automated attendant with advanced call management
• Caller ID
• Call queuing 
• Call following
• SMS and MMS integration
• Mobile device integration
• Analytics 

…And many more.

If your business needs help going over your communications options or if you simply need help getting the platforms you already have to function as you need them to, give the technicians at MSPNetworks a call today at (516) 403-9001. 

Last week we took a look at three of the most impressive phones on the market. Those phones all cost a pretty penny. Not that you will get a new smartphone for a song, but it’s just not feasible for most people to drop over a thousand bucks on a new smartphone. Most cellular carriers make it palatable by allowing people to finance the phones as a part of their monthly cellular service, but if you are looking for a strong device that comes in under $500, here are three good options.

Google Pixel 5a 5G

Google has re-established themselves as a player in the flagship smartphone space with their new Google Pixel 6-model phones with a new silicon offering, Tensor. Before they released that phone, however, they decided to release what is seemingly a copy of their last smartphone, the Pixel 4a, to act as their mid-range offering. The Pixel 5a, then, is that device. 

Built on an aluminum frame with a brushed aluminum back and Gorilla Glass 6 front, the Pixel 5a features a 6.34-inch 1,080 x 2,400 pixel OLED display. Instead of Google’s new Tensor chip, the 5a runs on a Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G with 6GB of RAM and 128 GB of onboard storage. These specs are almost identical to the Pixel 4a’s, but for a mid-range smartphone it has enough speed and capability to do about anything you need it to.

The camera setup is still extremely impressive—as it has been on every Pixel smartphone to date. The marriage of Google’s stock Android OS (now to Android 12) and the Pixel 5a’s 12.2 MP wide-angle lens and 16MP ultrawide angle lens takes some of the best pictures you can get on a mid-tier smartphone. The front-facing lens is a 8 MP wide-angle offering.

The biggest improvement Google has made over the Pixel 4a is in the battery. This time around the Pixel 5a, has a 4,680 mAh battery that features a 122 hour endurance rating and 18W fast charging. It also features a rear-mounted fingerprint sensor and IP67 dust and water resistance. Available in only one color (mostly black) the Pixel 5a is available for $449 from the Google store. 

Google Pixel 5a
Body:  Aluminum frame, aluminum back, Gorilla Glass 3 front. 
Display: 6.34-inch OLED, 1,080 x 2,400 (~415 ppi)
OS: Android 11, Upgradable to Android 12
Chipset: Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G
Memory: 6 GB RAM, 128 GB Storage
Expandable Memory: No
Cameras: Rear - 12.2 MP 27mm; 16 MP 119º; Front - 8 MP 24mm
Sounds: Stereo sound
Battery (battery endurance rating): 4,680 mAh (122 hours)
Security: Rear-mounted fingerprint sensor
Miscellaneous: IP67 dust and water resistant
Other versions: n/a

Samsung Galaxy A71 5G

When breaking down Samsung’s A-series devices, it can get pretty confusing. For example, Samsung offers the Galaxy A72, which would rationally be an upgrade over last year’s A71, right? The thing is, that there is no 5G capability in the new A72. The only new mid-range model Samsung gave 5G capability this year was the A52s 5G, which in its own right is a great mid-range phone, but if all is equal the A71 5G brings the most value to the table at the current time. This is because they are very similar phones and the Galaxy A71 5G can be had for about a hundred bucks less.

The A71 5G is built on an aluminum frame with a plastic back and Gorilla Glass 3 on the front. Its 6.7-inch Super AMOLED Plus display features a 1,080 x 2,400 resolution. The device runs on an Exynos 980 chipset and features 6 or 8 GB of RAM, depending on the model you choose. Both options come with 126 GB of onboard storage and a microSDXC slot for expandable storage. Out of the box it runs on Samsung’s One UI 3.0 operating system which is on top of Android 10, but upgrades to both have it running Android 11 and One UI 3.2.

One place where the A71 5G shows its value is in the camera. There are four rear-facing lenses: a 64 MP wide-angle lens, a 12 MP ultrawide lens, a 5 MP macro and a 5MP depth sensor. The front-facing camera is a 32 MP wide-angle lens. 

The Galaxy A71 5G is obviously 5G capable and comes with a better-than-average 4500 mAh battery and 25W fast charging. For security, the device has an optical in-display fingerprint sensor. Available in Prism Cube Black, Prism Cube Silver, and Prism Cube Blue, the Samsung Galaxy A71 5G can be found online for about $250-to-$350. 

Samsung Galaxy A71 5G
Body: Aluminum frame, plastic back, Gorilla Glass 3 front
Display: 6.7-inch Super AMOLED Plus, 1,050 x 2,400 (~393 ppi)
OS: Android 10, upgradeable to Android 11; One UI 3.0
Chipset: Exynos 980
Memory: 6-to-8 GB RAM; 128 GB onboard storage
Expandable Memory: microSDXC
Cameras: Rear - 64 MP 26mm; 12 MP 123º; 5 MP macro; 5 MP depth; Front - 32 MP 26mm 
Sounds: Stereo sound
Battery (battery endurance rating): 4,500 mAh (98  hours)
Security: In-display fingerprint sensor
Miscellaneous: 25W fast charging
Other versions: Samsung Galaxy A71; Samsung Galaxy A72 (2021)

Motorola Moto G Power

Motorola has long made solid Android devices and the 2022 version of the Motorola Moto G Power is no exception. Built on a hard plastic frame with a plastic back and glass front, the Moto G Power doesn’t have the build quality of the other two devices on this list, but what it lacks in that arena it makes up for in value. 

The Moto G Power features a 6.6-inch IPS LCD, 90 hertz display with 720 x 1,600 resolution. It runs Android 11 on a Qualcomm Snapdragon 662 chipset. It features 4 GB of RAM and either 64 GB or 128 GB of onboard storage. If these specs seem low, consider that for the price (around $200), you won’t get a better internal configuration for the money. 

The camera setup of the Moto G Power is simple but powerful with a 48 MP wide-angle camera and two 2 MP sensors for depth and macro resolution. The front-facing camera is an 8 MP wide-angle lens. 

The big value here is the battery. With a 5,000 mAh battery and 10W fast charging, the Moto G Power stands up to its name, giving users over 130 hours of endurance for under $200. It has a side-mounted fingerprint sensor for security and a water-repellent coating. Available in Flash Gray and Polar Silver, the Motorola G Power is an inexpensive phone that checks most of the boxes users are looking for. 

Motorola G Power
Body: Plastic frame, plastic back, glass front
Display: 6.6-inch IPS LCD; 720 x 1,600 (~270 ppi)
OS: Android 11
Chipset: Qualcomm Snapdragon 662
Memory: 4 GB RAM; 64-to-126 GB onboard storage
Expandable Memory: microSDXC
Cameras: Rear - 48 MP wide; 2 MP depth; 2MP macro; Front - 8 MP wide
Sounds: Stereo sound
Battery (battery endurance rating): 5,000 mAh (~130 hours)
Security: Side-mounted fingerprint sensor
Miscellaneous: Water-repellent coating
Other versions: n/a

Other Considerations

When looking to get value from your next phone purchase, we’d be remiss not to mention that if you purchase an old flagship, you may get more value than purchasing a new phone outright. Sure, you may pay upwards of $500 for a flagship phone that is a year old, but it is literally half the price of purchasing a new one. 

You can also get a lot of value by buying this year’s flagship model that isn’t the top notch option. For example Apple’s iPhone 13 is much cheaper than the iPhone 13 Pro Max and the Google Pixel 6 with their new Tensor chip is a venerable steal at only $599. Either way, finding value in your phone is not all that difficult if you don’t feel like paying over $1,000 (or an extra $50 a month in your monthly phone bill) for the latest and the greatest smartphone.

We’ll wrap up our annual smartphone series with a look at the foldable phones and new form factors that have the potential to change the way we work and play. Check back next week and don’t hesitate to leave your thoughts in the comments section below.

It's always important to maintain and manage the tools you use for work. Nowadays, this includes the software your business uses each day. Let's go over some tips for doing so properly.

Avoid Shadow IT

Without being provided the tools they need to complete their assigned tasks, your employees are likely going to seek out an alternative that allows them to do so. While their initiative might be admirable, the results can be quite regrettable. If software is added to your business' network without your awareness (and certainly without your approval), you have what is known as shadow IT. 

There are a litany of problems that shadow IT can contribute to, so it is best to keep it off your network entirely. The simplest way to do so is to simply ensure your team has all the tools they need to do their jobs, whether that entails a single software title or a full suite of business applications.

Carefully Manage Your Subscriptions 

Today, it's becoming rare to find business software that isn't offered as a subscription service. While this is a good option for long-term use cases, it can create a challenge if a certain software is only needed for a single project but the subscription is never canceled once the need for it has passed. This can quickly become expensive for a business, so we recommend that any organization using any subscription-based software titles regularly carries out an internal audit to weed out ones that are no longer needed.

Patch and Update Your Software

As threats are developed and mistakes are discovered in software, software developers will release updates and patches to resolve these deficits. This, however, is often where their responsibility ends—it is up to the user to actually apply these fixes, at the risk of opening up the business to a security threat.

This is another reason that many businesses now utilize Software-as-a-Service subscriptions. SaaS gives businesses the option to embrace a more cost-effective means of doing business. With the scalability that SaaS brings, a business can more precisely shape their subscriptions to fit their actual needs with the capability to change their preferences on the fly.

A good add-on to consider along with SaaS is a software management platform. With one, you can get a bird's eye view of your infrastructure and see what applications are actively being used.

Whatever your software needs may be, we can help you find the SaaS option that fits them. Find out more by calling (516) 403-9001 today.

Healthcare is one industry that consistently operates under an immense amount of pressure, and as such, professionals in the industry are always trying to find new and innovative ways to make things more manageable. The latest technology to aid in this trend is artificial intelligence, or AI, and it has proven to be a considerable asset for the industry. Here are some ways that AI has changed the way healthcare manages particularly stressful situations for the better.

AI Can Efficiently Analyze Vast Troves of Data

No matter how often (or not) you go to the doctor, chances are that your provider only has a fragmented version of your health records, the reason being that it relies on you manually updating them every time you go in for a checkup. Unfortunately, this lack of information can mean that your doctors don’t get the birds-eye view they need to provide the best care possible. AI makes sifting through data like this much easier and more practical, and machine-based predictions can catch things that the human eye might miss. AI could be used to predict health issues before they even appear, meaning that preventative care can be administered promptly (much like addressing issues on your IT network before they become major problems). 

AI Can Make New Medicines, Cheaper

When you consider the amount of time and research that goes into crafting effective medicines, you start to realize that there is a reason why it’s not cheap. However, through the same technology that allows automated self-driving cars, databases of molecular structures can be considered and tested through simulations. With this technology, time spent on research and development can be significantly reduced, as evidenced by the 2015 ebola virus outbreak, where analysis and treatment were developed far more quickly thanks to it. AI can also be used to study existing medicines or find new ways for them to be used. If new use cases for existing drugs can be identified, companies can save money and make their offerings more diverse.

AI Can Make Healthcare More Secure

Healthcare providers are responsible for storing and securing a lot of sensitive or personally identifiable information, as well as financial data. Considering that many patients’ lives depend on this data, it becomes incredibly important to keep it all secure, especially with the rise of cybercrime. It might be possible for humans to prevent some of these threats from coming to fruition, but it’s not possible for them to prevent all of them. AI might be able to aid them, though, by powering automated security solutions designed to keep records safe from malicious activity. After all, many threats are using AI themselves, so why not turn the tables on the attackers?

AI Can (Potentially) Help Eliminate Bias

There is an inherent bias in the healthcare industry with factors like race, gender, and ethnicity playing a part in how accessible healthcare is to some. This bias has seeped into research. AI programs can help to eliminate some of this bias, as it is separate from human deliberation and can remain impartial throughout the entire process. AI can effectively identify the objective truth and prevent factors like these from influencing research or access in healthcare.

What are your thoughts on using AI in this way, or in other practical parts of everyday life? Let us know in the comments.

Collaboration is important for many businesses and it is something that takes some time to master. In fact, a lot of businesses that do pretty well struggle when it comes to getting their project teams and operational staff to work together. Today, we thought we would take a look at technologies and strategies that will not only help collaboration, but can promise rises in productivity as well. 

Voice over Internet Protocol

It’s no secret that the telephone system is one of any business’ most crucial tools. What may be a secret, however, is that you don’t have to pay an arm and a leg to get the comprehensive business telephone system you need. Most businesses that still use telephone services through a telephone company are missing out on an opportunity to significantly cut their communications costs while also gaining access to some of the very best collaborative tools a business can have. 

VoIP is a platform that uses your business’ Internet connection to fuel its telephone system. Not only does it provide the crystal-clear communication that customers and employees demand, it also provides options that no RJ11 cable can deliver. Services like video conferencing, text messaging, and mobile phone access make VoIP a much more valuable product than your typical business telephone service through the telephone company. With hundreds of additional features available, you can pick and choose the communications platform that is right for your needs and budget. 

Cloud-Hosted Collaboration Tools

One of the positive elements that has come out of the COVID-19 pandemic is that since so many people worked (or are continuing to work) remotely that many businesses had to find a way to get their newly-remote employees the tools and resources they need(ed) to have a chance of success. A lot of businesses had moved some of their information systems to the cloud previously, of course, but the growth of cloud-hosted management software nearly tripled from March 2020 to today. 

There are several platforms that work for businesses. Some choose to go with services that allow for one-button video conferencing, while others lean heavily on the message board and instant messaging capabilities. Some just provide collaborative access inside working documents. Regardless of what platform a business uses, however, it should be noted that it is all in a concerted effort to build a collaborative workforce in a time when a lot of their human resources need remote access.

Today, a business can get about any type of computing they need in a cloud-hosted platform from some of the top business software developers on the market. Google, Amazon Web Services, Microsoft Azure, and others can be used to the benefit of just about any business that is looking to expand their computing capabilities to the cloud to adapt to an increasingly-remote workforce.

Move Support Off Production Workers

For many businesses, the same people that create products and services are forced into support roles due to budget constraints. If you want your team to be on point and working collaboratively, having to juggle support issues could be negatively affecting their productivity. There are several ways that you can move support off of your employees. They include:

• A rotating support schedule - Instead of having support be a major distraction for your whole staff, consider assigning one or two workers to handle support calls and requests on a rotating schedule. Not only does this provide fairness, it also ensures that your product and service support is covered as it is a crucial part of your offering. 
• Hire new workers for support - If you have extra capital, hiring a support staff is one of the most effective ways to get returns out of a department that doesn’t bring in much in the way of revenue. 
• Use technology - Nowadays there are artificially-intelligent platforms that can be used to handle organizational support queries effectively and keeps the amount of human resources involved with support to a minimum. 

Collaboration is going to continue to be a key for a lot of businesses as purse strings tighten in the near future. Getting your team to work together improves your products, services, and your customers’ experience. If you would like to talk to one of our knowledgeable IT consultants about how to integrate the right technology to get your team working together more effectively, give us a call today at (516) 403-9001.   

In modern businesses, automation can be implemented in a lot of ways, but for small businesses, it may be more difficult to find ways to incorporate time-saving automation. In this week’s blog we’ve decided to point out a few ways even the smallest business can use automation to their advantage and give their employees the freedom to focus on revenue creating processes. 

Use a CRM

The efficiency of creating and sustaining leads can be troublesome for any business, but by utilizing the automated tools presented by a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system your business can improve your sales and marketing efforts quickly by automating some of the minutiae that comes with those efforts. By using a CRM you can improve customer satisfaction and completely manage your sales process. Most CRMs have the capability to handle the process of getting your business the right customers for the right products/services and then building that relationship without having to spend a lot of time and effort to do so. 

Social Media Management

Social media is likely a big part of your business’ ability to attract new customers and interact with your current clientele. By using automated tools to schedule out your social media efforts, you can not only engage more people over more platforms, you can stay organized. Getting your message out over social media can be a fairly easy and repeatable process, a perfect environment for automation to help your business’ efforts in that arena.

Customer Support

The biggest problem for small businesses is typically that the amount of resources they can spend on support is lacking due to budgetary constraints. If the people that are responsible for the production of a business’ products/services are also given the responsibility of being the support system of those products/services, it can significantly reduce the advancement of those products/services. Today, there are many automated tools outfitted with artificial intelligence that can effectively handle a lion’s share of the customer support. Specifically, chatbots are a tool that can allow you to handle a series of customer problems without the need for workers constantly being available to provide support.

Meeting Scheduling

Having to constantly schedule meetings can be a time-intensive task as people have variable schedules that don’t always line up. This typically means meetings are held without people or serially rescheduled, reducing productivity and grinding workflows to a halt. Automating the scheduling of meetings and appointments normalizes scheduling and avoids conflicts while bringing enhanced efficiency to your business. 

Procurement

With supply chains a mess, it can often be hard to get the components or products you need quickly. Today, businesses can use inventory management applications to automate the ordering of certain goods to ensure that goods are there when your business needs them. This can be something as simple as paper goods, but can also work on mission critical components as well. 

Automation is giving small businesses the ability to compete with larger businesses in their markets through end-to-end advanced efficiency. If you would like to talk to one of our IT specialists about the integration of tools that allow you to save time and money, give us a call at (516) 403-9001 today. 

The holidays are some of the best times for technology lovers. Not only do manufacturers deliver the coolest tech for the busiest retail time of the year, there is a good chance that you may be gifted some of it. This week, we thought we would take a look at three popular gadgets that are flying off the shelves this holiday season. 

Wireless Earphones

Headphones have been a popular gift for decades. Today’s technology allows users to get unparalleled sound quality without the messy cords that have been tethering users to devices for years. The wireless headphone market is now split into two main categories: earphones and earbuds. When looking for the right set of wireless headphones for the person on your shopping list you should consider the following features:

• Bluetooth 5.0 compatibility - Newer versions of Bluetooth—which is how the wireless headphones connect to a device—remove the latency found in earlier versions allowing for optimal sound sync with streaming video.
• aptX or SBC (or AAC) - When shopping for wireless headphones you need to understand bitrates. SBC (and Apple’s proprietary AAC) typically function at around 192 Kbps which offers significantly worse sound quality than aptX (352 Kbps) or aptX HD (576 Kbps). Higher bitrates tend to sound better to people who are picky about their music.
• Noise cancelling -  ANC (active noise cancellation) is exactly what it sounds like, you hear less or none of the noise around you with these devices on.
• Battery life - For wireless headphones, battery life and chargeability are major considerations. Over the ear wireless headphones typically need to be plugged into a wall charger for some length of time while most wireless earbuds offer a charging case that makes these devices much more practical. 

Some of the most popular wireless headphones you can find this holiday season include:

Earbuds

• Apple Airpods Pro
• Bose QuietComfort 
• Sony WF-1000XM4
• Jabra Elite 85t

Over the Ear Headphones

• Apple Airpods Max
• Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700
• Sony WH-1000XM4
• Microsoft Surface Headphones 2

Autonomous Vacuum Cleaner

For years, robotic vacuums were a bit too pricey for the average person to give them as a gift, and if you purchase the top tier robot-vacuum now you are still looking at over $1,000. However, prices have fallen enough now for it to be a very popular gadget for people to give to one another. 

There are a few things you need to consider before purchasing a robot vacuum. First, you need to ensure that the situation of the floor that is going to be cleaned is right for the vacuum cleaner. How much floor do you have to clean? Are there changes in flooring (hardwood-to-carpet)? If so, how high is the carpet? Are there pets in the house? Answering these simple questions will help you find the right device. 

Here are some of the features today’s robotic vacuum cleaners have:

• Charging dock - All robot vacuum cleaners will have some sort of charging dock. Some docks are smaller and therefore easier to conceal.
• Mapping technology - More expensive models will use lasers, while cheaper models will routinely bump off things.
• Vacuuming prowess - This is a huge consideration as cheaper models will have a tendency to get caught up or need to be dumped very often. Higher-end machines will have an auto-bin feature that will empty itself in the dock before going back out.
• Smart or not - Some models offer Wi-Fi connectivity and application support. This allows users a lot of features they won’t find in less-expensive versions of the device.

Some of the most popular autonomous vacuums this year are:

• iRobot Roomba s9+
• Shark IQ Robot Self-Empty XL RV1001AE
• Eufy RoboVac 15c

Video Calling Devices

In what seems to many of us like science fiction, we can all now communicate with video chat on many of our computing devices. As a result, some of the largest tech companies in existence have developed devices used distinctly for this purpose. This is great for the elderly members of your family (or the people who aren’t tech-savvy) that may not have a smartphone or would just like a larger screen to video chat with.

As mentioned earlier, most of the devices that are built for this are made available by the largest and most respected technology companies in the world: Amazon, Google, and Facebook. Some of the features you should consider when shopping for a video chat device include:

• Large screen for clarity
• Integrated camera and speakers
• Smart device control center

The main options available this holiday season are:

• Facebook Portal - The portal devices are gaining ground since they offer Amazon’s Alexa built into the device profile. There are currently two offerings available: the 10” Portal Go and the 14” Portal+. 
• Amazon Echo Show - Obviously, the versions of the Echo Show have Alexa built-in. There are currently three versions of the Echo Show: a five-inch, an eight-inch, and a 10-inch.
• Google Nest Hub Max - Google’s largest version is a 10-inch screen with an integrated camera and speakers. It is fueled by Google Home, Google’s smart hub platform. 

What do you think? Are there any other technologies you think should be on this list? What tech are you asking Santa for this Christmas? Leave your comments below and enjoy your holiday shopping!

There is so much technology to choose from for your business that it can be overwhelming to pick the right tools for your specific circumstances. There are communication tools, productivity solutions, and even mobile options that can enhance and enrich your clients’ and employees’ experiences with your company. As a business owner, you must do all that you can to keep the future in mind when implementing innovative new technology solutions to fit the needs of your organization.

Today’s blog is all about how these neat technologies can be utilized to build a better future for your business.

Hushme

Hushme looks like it might be a little intimidating, but it’s actually a very useful tool for businesses that depend on phone calls, yet don’t have much space. The device wraps around the user’s head and covers their mouth, kind of like a muzzle, and it has noise-canceling headphones attached to it. The user can talk into it and no one can hear a sound—very useful for preserving privacy in a busy environment.

Epson Paperlab

If your company uses a lot of paper or handles sensitive information, you might find that your shredder is a common destination for destroying documents. Epson has put together a machine that is an all-in-one paper recycler. A business can both destroy sensitive information and recycle it in-house, making for a convenient way to dispose of documents. It works by defiberizing the paper, removing all information and color, then reforms the fibers under pressure back into sheets of paper. The machine then cuts the paper to specification, and voila, you have recycled paper!

XGIMI Projectors

Some offices have a projector that they use to broadcast information, but thanks to a company called XGIMI, these projectors are more innovative and incredible than ever before. These devices can broadcast 4K video, all while fitting in the palm of your hand, and some even have theater-grade sound built into them.

XEBEC Tri-Screen 2

Many people prefer their laptop over the heavy-duty desktop, but there isn’t always room on the screen to get all of your work done. With XEBEC’s Tri-Screen 2, you can add a couple of additional screens to your laptop, which is super helpful for increasing the amount of work you can do. It’s a great way to make your laptop workspace just as productive as your desktop.

These technologies might vary in cost, but they may be worth the investment. What do you think? Would you use any of these solutions? Let us know in the comments, and be sure to subscribe to our blog.

When it comes to procuring technology and working on technology projects, budgeting is a key issue that must be ironed out long before project implementation begins. This process can be troublesome and fraught with all sorts of challenges, but you don’t have to do it alone! We’ve got your back. Here’s a crash course on how you can manage your IT budget for maximum value.

First, we must identify what IT budgeting really is. It’s the process of allocating funds and resources towards your business’ technology, including a roadmap for how to approach the procurement and implementation of new solutions. Depending on the way your current infrastructure is set up, you may have funds allocated toward recurring services, staffing, and other expenses. Businesses tend to work out their IT budgets annually, but some may choose to budget for individual projects as necessary.

You can essentially split your organization’s expenses into two distinct categories: ongoing expenses and project expenses.

Ongoing Expenses

Your ongoing expenses may include those that recur every month or so, such as your staffing and payroll, the operational expenses for any hardware or software your organization uses, and support contracts you have with these companies or service providers. We recommend that you take a comprehensive audit of all your ongoing expenses on a routine basis so that you are not shocked by how much you spend on them, and especially so that you are not throwing away capital on goods or services that are no longer used.

You can think of your ongoing expenses as operational costs.

Project Expenses

Project expenses are the up-front costs you utilize when you are trying to implement a new solution, be it hardware or software. In some cases, you might pay for consulting services as well, especially if technology deployment is not your strongest suit.

It is not a perfect comparison, but you can think of project expenses as capital expenditures.

In general, the more operating expenses you have for your business’ IT resources, the more predictable and manageable your technology expenses will be in the long haul. Remember, capital expenses are those that are large, up-front expenses that are often unexpected. Operational expenses, on the other hand, fit easily into any budget as recurring, monthly expenses. A perfect example of this is working with a managed service provider like MSPNetworks for any and all of your business’ technology needs.

Don’t wait to get started! MSPNetworks can help your business implement an IT budget that allows it to flourish both now and in the future. To learn more, reach out to us at (516) 403-9001.

Most everyone uses the cloud in some capacity, even if it’s not a professional one. Simply put, the value it provides even on a consumer level is astounding, and this is even more so with business applications. The cloud makes it much easier for organizations to manage their resources compared to hosting them in-house, but a problem has surfaced with some companies suffering due to what’s called “cloud sprawl.”

What is Cloud Sprawl?

Cloud sprawl happens when businesses lose awareness of how much they are truly spending on cloud computing costs, leading them to add up and spiral out of control. Maybe you have a project that requires a specific software application, so you sign up for a cloud solution to make it happen. As the project expands and more people are added to the project, more accounts are created. When the project has been completed, these accounts are not canceled immediately, and you don’t find out until a couple months down the road and you’ve paid for multiple accounts for an extended period of time.

It might seem of little consequence, but these kinds of issues can quickly add up and become major problems, especially as the size and scope of projects grow. It’s simply unnecessary and wasteful; all it takes to avoid these kinds of problems is a little foresight and documentation.

To control your business’ cloud expenses, we recommend that you design and map your computing infrastructure, taking into account all of your current and future infrastructure plans, projects, and investments. Once your infrastructure is mapped, you’ll have an easier time adjusting cloud resources according to need.

What is Cloud Complexity?

While the cloud can be cost-effective, the solutions implemented through the cloud are not always Software-as-a-Service friendly. Some applications that are used to store and process sensitive information must be secured in specific ways according to regulations, something which can quickly complicate your efforts to utilize the cloud in this way. It also isn’t helping your cost-cutting goals.

Other times organizations might migrate away from an on-site infrastructure without first taking into account what types of configurations might be required to make the cloud work in the same way. Some companies find that when they migrate data to a cloud-hosted environment, their legacy infrastructures still exist well beyond what they should, something which complicates security, too.

Cloud options are generally unhindered by compatibility and compliance, however. With enough investment, you can select whichever brands and functionalities you would like based on your organization’s needs. That said, these many moving parts must be monitored and observed for the cloud to become a cost-saving machine rather than a greater investment.

What is Cloud Security?

The biggest problem with cloud implementation has always been the limited control that organizations have over the setup and management of the underlying computing infrastructure. While convenient, the single sign-on used by most cloud platforms is cause for concern for many IT professionals who are responsible for securing their organization’s infrastructures.

The fact of the matter is that cloud security is relatively strong and shouldn’t be a bother for businesses using cloud computing. There are certain things you can do to improve the security of these solutions, however. Try the following:

• Backup and recovery - Hackers do attack cloud systems, this much is true, and if something were to happen in your cloud platforms, having a reliable backup and strong data recovery plan in place would take a lot of the heat off.
• Multi-factor authentication - One of the biggest problems with cloud platforms from a security perspective is the single sign-on. Today, all cloud platforms support multi-factor authentication procedures that work to enhance an organization's ability to keep unwanted entities out of cloud platforms. 
• Use encryption - Data is data regardless of where you store it. To protect any data, you will want to use encryption. Encryption restricts access to data and when looking to build secure practices around data, it is one of the best solutions out there.

It’s not an understatement to say that the cloud is a game-changer for businesses. To find out how you can implement the cloud in the most effective way possible, reach out to us at (516) 403-9001.

The COVID-19 pandemic is still in full swing, and while many companies buckled under the pressure put on them to maintain operations, others have managed to adapt through the use of remote technology solutions. Businesses have put into place policies surrounding this remote technology, many of which are both helpful and harmful.

Let’s take a look at some of these policies, as well as what you can do to make the most out of your remote technology.

Team Management Tools > Heavy Management Practices

Look, we understand that you want to make sure that your staff is as productive as possible throughout the workday, and there is something to be said for operational efficiency, but nobody likes working with someone else breathing down their neck. If your employees feel like they are constantly being monitored, they may start to feel stressed or, even worse, violated. If employees are not happy with the way that your organization utilizes remote monitoring tools, they might decide to try their luck elsewhere—and when there are more remote jobs now than ever before, trust us when we say that they won’t have a problem finding work that is more accommodating to their preferred management style.

Instead of monitoring everything that your employees are doing, you can use a project management platform to help keep each other accountable for the tasks that must be completed. You can see at a glance who is doing what, and when they are not meeting expectations, you can have a conversation about what the problem is and what can be done to resolve it.

Remote Work Communication Tools Are Still Great for In-House Work

Those remote communication tools you implemented for when your employees are out of the office, like your unified communications platform, are still incredible for when your employees return to the office. Just because it is designed for teams to collaborate in real time without being physically present does not mean that they are not just as effective, or even perfectly fine alternatives, for when they are.

Imagine being able to hold a meeting without the need to corral your entire workforce into the conference room, or the ability to swiftly get in touch with someone through the use of an instant message. There is considerable value in a communications platform like Slack, Zoom, or Microsoft Teams, even for in-house workforces. These are particularly valuable if you plan to continue remote operations post-pandemic in at least some capacity, a la a hybrid model.

Zero-Trust Policies Create More Comprehensive Security

The remote office made it abundantly clear that security should become an absolute priority, and with so many devices accessing company data at any given time, it becomes critical that employers know who is accessing data and why. This is where the zero-trust policy comes into play.

A zero-trust security policy means that each individual device accessing data must be verified and confirmed with the organization before being allowed to access that data. You can see how this is helpful not just for remote operations, but for in-house as well. It never hurts to have an abundance of caution, especially in today’s age of ransomware and other dangerous threats.

MSPNetworks can help your business with any aspect of its remote or hybrid workplace setup, from technology procurement to monitoring and maintenance of that technology. To learn more about how we can help your organization not just survive during these difficult times, but thrive, reach out to us at (516) 403-9001.

There’s no denying that the smartphone has completely changed the way in which we live. Today’s world is much more connected—for better or worse—and the majority of content is viewed using a smartphone. Let’s take a look at three of the very best smartphones available in the early stages of 2022.

Google Pixel 6 Pro

Google re-enters the conversation in 2021 with the Pixel 6 Pro. Google has always produced solid phones, but the Pixel 6 Pro is it’s first real “flagship” phone for a couple of years. This time around the latest Pixel flagship features a 6.7-inch LTPO AMOLED display situated on a polished aluminum body, and these features are just the beginning for the Pixel 6 Pro. 

This iteration of Google’s flagship also runs on an all-new processor. The Tensor chip, a collaboration between Google and Samsung made specifically for the Pixel series phones represents a shift; trying to build a device-specific melding of software and hardware much in the way that Apple operates. With this Tensor chip, software and hardware optimization makes the stock Android 12 experience a marvel. 

Pixel phones have been known for being some of the best for content creators, with great cameras and software optimization that can take your pictures and videos to the next level. The Pixel 6 pro doesn’t disappoint here. It features three main cameras on an innovative shelf: a 50 MP wide angle lens with optical image stabilization (OIS), a 48 MP telephoto lens with OIS, and a fixed 12 MP ultrawide angle lens. 

The 5,003 mAh battery is rated at 84 hours and comes with an under-display fingerprint sensor, and features 23W fast-charging. Available in Cloudy White, Sorta Sunny, and Stormy Black, the Google Pixel 6 Pro is available for $899 at the Google store and most wireless carriers.

Google Pixel 6 Pro
Body: Aluminum frame, Gorilla Glass Victus front and back
Display: 6.71-inch LTPO AMOLED; 1440 x 3120 (~512 ppi); 120 Hz
OS: Android 12
Chipset: Google Tensor
Memory: 12 GB RAM; 128, 256, 512 GB of onboard storage
Expandable Memory: None
Cameras: Rear - 50 MP 25mm; 48MP 104mm telephoto with 4x optical zoom; 12 MP 17mm. Front - 11.1 MP 20mm 
Sounds: Stereo speakers, no headphone jack
Battery (battery endurance rating): 5,003 mAh (84 hours)
Security: In-display fingerprint sensor
Miscellaneous: IP68 water and dust resistant
Other versions: Google Pixel 6

Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max

Apple is back with another version of their popular iPhone, and to many users, it is the best one yet. Apple’s iPhone 13 Pro Max is the tippy top of the line Apple phone. Built on a stainless steel frame with Gorilla Glass front and back, the build quality of the newest flagship iPhone doesn’t disappoint. The 1284 x 2778 resolution, 6.7-inch Super Retina XDR OLED display is the best found on any Apple product.

The iPhone 13 Pro Max runs iOS 15.2 on Apple's proprietary a15 Bionic chipset. With only six gigs of RAM, it has much less than many of the other top-rated phones, but Apple is always known for accelerated software optimization to get more out of less. 

The 13 Pro Max features three rear-facing cameras, including a 12MP wide angle lens with sensor-shift (a technology used in many high-end cameras that stabilizes the sensor rather than the lens), a 12 MP 77 telephoto lens with traditional OIS, and a 12 MP ultra wide angle lens. With the addition of sensor-shift technology and the software optimization through iOS 15.2, the 13 Pro Max is probably the best commercial phone for content creation available today.

Another place you see optimization is with the battery. Despite the 13 Pro Max having an average 4,352 mAh battery, it excels in keeping the device running for a long time. The 121 hour endurance rating of the device testifies to that. The 13 Pro Max also amps up their charging capabilities now supporting 27W fast-charging. The device eschews a fingerprint reader for Apple’s Face ID software for security, but does feature IP68 protection against dust and water. 

Available in Graphite, Gold, SIlver, and Sierra Blue, the iPhone 13 Pro Max is available for $1,099 from the Apple store and most wireless carriers.

iPhone 13 Pro Max
Body: Stainless Steel frame, Gorilla Glass front and back
Display: 6.7-inch Super Retina XDR OLED; 1284 x 2778 (~458 ppi); 120 Hz
OS: iOS 15.2
Chipset: A15 Bionic
Memory: 6 GB RAM; 128, 256, 512 GB, 1 TB of onboard storage
Expandable Memory: None
Cameras: Rear - 12 MP 26 mm; 12 MP 77mm telephoto with 3x optical zoom; 12 MP 13mm; Front - 12 MP 23 mm
Sounds: Stereo speakers, no headphone jack
Battery (battery endurance rating): 4,352 mAh (121 hours)
Security: Face ID
Miscellaneous: IP68 water dust resistant
Other versions: iPhone 13, iPhone 13 Pro, iPhone 13 mini

Samsung Galaxy s21 Ultra

If you were to look back over the past decade in smartphones, you’d have to admit that Samsung has produced some of the very best devices available during that time (if you look past the exploding Galaxy Note 7 from a few years ago). Samsung has always been known for having industry-best specs and the Galaxy s21 Ultra is no different. Let’s start with the display:

The Galaxy s21 Ultra has a 6.8-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X display with a 1,440 x 3,200 resolution. Built on an aluminum frame, the s21 Ultra features Gorilla Glass Victus front and back. As if these weren’t impressive enough, the device runs on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 chip and comes with 12 GB or 16 GB of RAM depending on the model. The device is fueled by Android 11 with Samsung’s One UI 3.1. Rumor has it that Samsung’s newest UI, One UI 4.0, that will run on Android 12 will be available soon.

The camera setup on the Galaxy s21 Ultra is as impressive as the rest of its hardware. It features four different camera experiences: a 108 MP wide angle lens with OIS, a 10 MP telephoto lens with 10x optical zoom with OIS, another 10 MP telephoto lens with 3x optical zoom and OIS, and a 12 MP ultrawide lens. The front-facing camera is a whopping 40 MP. 

For security it comes with an in-display fingerprint sensor. A large 5,000 mAH battery clocks an endurance rating of 114 hours and features 25W fast-charging to boot. The s21 Ultra is IP68 water and dust resistant and comes with s-pen capabilities for the first time. Available in a number of matte finishes: Phantom Black, Phantom Silver, Phantom Titanium, Phantom Navy, and Phantom Brown, the Galaxy s21 Ultra starts at $1199.99 and can be purchased from Samsung or at one of the major carriers. 

Samsung Galaxy s21 Ultra 5G
Body:  Aluminum frame, Gorilla Glass Victus front and back
Display: 6.9-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X; 1440 x 3200 (~515 ppi); 120 Hz
OS: Android 11; One UI 3.1
Chipset: Qualcomm Snapdragon 888
Memory: 12 or 16 GB of RAM; 256 or 512 GB of storage
Expandable Memory: No
Cameras: Rear - 108 MP 24mm; 10 MP 240mm periscope telephoto; 10 MP 72mm telephoto; 12 MP 13mm; Front - 40 MP 26mm
Sounds: Stereo speakers
Battery (battery endurance rating): 5,000 mAh (114 hours)
Security: In-display fingerprint sensor
Miscellaneous: IP68 water and dust resistant; s-pen compatible
Other versions: Samsung Galaxy s21, Samsung Galaxy s21+, Samsung Galaxy FE

These three smartphones will be dominating the U.S. smartphone market until 2022’s devices are launched later this year. There are some other options that are on the market today that compare to these three devices. The OnePlus 9 Pro, Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra, and Sony’s Xperia PRO-I are all strong contenders for best phone of the year. 

 Check back next week when we look at some of the best value smartphones on the market right now.  

Business has changed, so the tools your organization uses must evolve as well. One element of your business that has not only got more affordable, but also offers robust integrated features is your telephone system. Today, you can get some pretty impressive features as a part of a hosted VoIP implementation. With collaboration being more important than ever to keep costs down, having the tools you need at the ready is more crucial than ever.

What Exactly is Hosted VoIP?

Voice over Internet Protocol is a powerful business telephone system that uses the Internet to do everything (and more) that a traditional telephone system can do. Not only do you get the crystal clear calling that you demand, you can also gain a load of features designed to provide value and help spur collaboration. Additionally, since a hosted VoIP system is hosted in the cloud, you basically eliminate the need to purchase expensive hardware and time-consuming setup. Let’s take a look at some of the most useful features you can get with the modern cloud-hosted VoIP system.

Automated Attendant

One of the most useful features for any business is to have an automated answering system attached to your phone system. This not only eliminates the cost of having a live receptionist (or worse yet, interrupting your production team with phone calls), it also provides reliable call routing so that people get connected to the department or individual. Some VoIP providers feature interactive voice response which provides a certain customization to the auto attendant feature that can come in handy if your business has high call volumes. 

Call Recording

With so much of today’s business being done remotely, collaboration can be a little bit harder. With call recording accessibility, individuals can choose to record calls for use in project management, team collaboration, and quality assurance. The system works great as a tool to enrich the employee review process as well. Many hosted VoIP platforms will provide cloud storage space (often for an additional cost) so no additional setup will be required.

Caller ID and Screening

One of the best attributes of a hosted VoIP system is the ability to see who is calling and have options on what to do with incoming calls. Not only can you see the number (and if the number is saved in the account’s contacts, the name), you also have control over what to do with the call. You can choose to answer it, send it to voicemail, or decline it altogether. These features really cut down the time spent in unwanted or unnecessary calls. 

Call Forwarding and Flipping

Another set of great tools that you get with most VoIP platforms is the ability to simply forward a call to another user or transfer calls to a separate device on the same number. The former can help immensely as often calls are made that need to touch multiple points of your business. With call forwarding, this is as simple as transferring to a defined employee line. Call flipping is a feature that enhances your employees’ ability to take important calls on the go when they need to. In this process, the user will just flip from their workstation-based VoIP phone to their mobile device without dropping the call. 

SMS Text Messaging

Hosted VoIP provides the means to communicate through SMS. It’s proven that for small issues that text messaging is an important part of the business communications process and with hosted VoIP, your team will gain the ability to send text messages from their work accounts.

Video Conferencing and Bridging

Since your hosted VoIP platform is hosted in the cloud, you can get some seriously dynamic features. One of the most important is the addition of conferencing. Today, more people use Internet-capable solutions to meet than ever before, and the hosted VoIP platform can play an integral role. VoIP providers now offer video conferencing systems integrated with conference bridging that can help keep the people that need to meet on the line without having to waste time and effort. 

Analytics

Like most cloud-based platforms, hosted VoIP provides administrators the ability to see all the metrics (and assign their own) to analyze the phone system, user profiles, and more. Being able to have metrics at your disposal can help you modify your VoIP platform to the needs of your business and help you control communications costs. 

Go Mobile 

In what could be the most money-saving feature that a hosted VoIP platform provides, each account can be accessed from a dedicated mobile app. This means the days of paying for service plans for employee devices are over. Since each user can access their work phone from their individual mobile device, less calls will be missed and more can be done than ever before, for a fraction of the cost. 

Hosted VoIP is one of the technologies that we’d label “a no-brainer”. It cuts your organizational communications costs and provides you with loads of features that can help promote better business. If you would like to talk to one of our IT professionals about getting a VoIP system for your business, give us a call at (516) 403-9001. 

Over the past couple of years, more and more people are using smart speakers to help them manage their day-to-day lives. Some people use them as their personal assistants, some just use them to help them remember things they would tend to forget otherwise, others just use them as extremely complex thermometers. Regardless what the use is, one question will always be near the surface about these devices: Are they secure? Let’s take a look at the many issues surrounding smart speaker security.

Are They Listening?

Whatever you use your smart speaker for, you have had to have the notion that at some point they are spying on you. Whether it be the curious placement of ads of things you’ve just been discussing around your smart speaker, or the random answers they will give you to questions you didn’t ask out of the blue, you might be curious whether these devices listen when they aren’t supposed to. Well, the answer is yes, but it isn’t as bad as you may think.

Sure, the smart speaker is always listening, but it isn’t always recording. Humans record information when people talk to them, but the smart speaker is really only listening for the wake words and this is a very important distinction to make. In fact, these devices wouldn’t get very far if they recorded everything that is said when they aren’t supposed to. It has class-action lawsuits all over it. Think of a smart speaker as someone who’s there, but isn’t paying attention to you. You have to get their attention by saying their name, just like the smart speaker. 

Since these devices are always listening, you can accidentally trigger the smart speaker, at which time it will start recording. This is why your smart speaker will seemingly randomly answer a phantom question. You will want to review the privacy settings which can typically be found on the corresponding app you use to control the device. Since many smart speakers don’t have a physical interface to them, many users neglect to change the default settings leaving the manufacturer to decide what information is captured. They will always choose more information, so if you are concerned about what they are getting from you, you’ll want to alter the settings.

How to Limit Your Risks

There are some things you can do to protect your privacy while using IoT devices like smart speakers. Let’s look at a few:

• Watch what you say - The first tip is to just be conscious of what you say in a room with a smart speaker in it. Any similar phrase to their keywords can awaken the device and record your words. Everything that is said to Google is processed locally and sent to the cloud, so if your device is triggered to record, you may end up giving over data if you aren’t cognizant. 
• Regularly delete command history - These devices use past commands to understand your voice more effectively, but it can also be a security risk to just keep all the data in the app. Usually, commands can be deleted individually or in full.
• Opt-out of data sharing - you can opt-out of helping an organization “improve” voice services with very little trade-off. 
• Consider keeping all IoT devices on their own partitioned network - Most routers can be set up to create multiple networks. By keeping IoT devices away from other technology, you mitigate the risk presented by devices that, by and large, don’t have strong security in place. 
• Update software - The best way to keep any piece of technology secure is by keeping the device updated with the latest patches and updates.

Smart speakers can be really useful, but they can also be the weak link in the network security chain. If your business needs help securing its network from IoT devices, give us a call today at (516) 403-9001.

Network security can be tough; there’s a lot to know, and you often need to have trained professionals on your side to ensure your systems are as secure as possible. With the right solutions on your side, however, it can be made much more manageable. Let’s discuss some of the most important security features your organization should implement and why.

Unified Threat Management

A UTM is an umbrella term that describes a comprehensive security appliance. A UTM typically includes a content filter, spam blocker, and antivirus software, among other solutions. It’s designed to protect you from the plethora of threats out there through the implementation of a singular hardware-based tool. It’s one security measure that your organization definitely does not want to be without.

Mobile Device Management

With so many people still working remotely or from a hybrid setting, managing your team’s mobile devices and their access to important data is an incredibly important thing to work toward. Mobile device management tools can be used to control user permissions and access to data, as well as whitelisting and blacklisting applications.

Permissions, Access Control, and Monitoring

It’s important that your company understand how permissions, access control, and monitoring work in tandem to protect your company’s assets. In essence, your team should have permissions for only the data they need to fulfill their day-to-day duties, and you should actively monitor who is accessing which parts of your infrastructure.

Virtual Private Networks

VPNs create encrypted tunnels between your network and devices that want to access its data. This protects data from being intercepted or observed while it’s traveling to and from your device. They are particularly valuable for any worker who spends time working outside the protections of your in-house network, and in today’s world of remote and hybrid workflows, they are extremely important.

MSPNetworks wants to be your business’ go-to security resource. We can help you implement any of the above solutions and monitor your systems for any security threats you can imagine. To learn more about what we can do to keep your business safe, reach out to us at (516) 403-9001.

Regular computer maintenance is part of maintaining healthy IT infrastructure, but one aspect that can often go by the wayside is keeping your computer physically clean. By this, we mean keeping it dust-free, clean and tidy. We’ve put together a shortlist of everyday actions that employees of any caliber can use to keep their workstations clean. This will help your organization take preventative measures over time and (hopefully) prolong the lifespan of your business’ technology.

Before you begin cleaning up your device, we recommend that you power it down and unplug it from its power source. The last thing you want to do is give yourself a jolt on accident!

Keep the Fans Free of Dust

You may have noticed that dust tends to gather around vents and fans on your computer’s casing. If left unchecked, this dust could affect airflow and become a major problem in the long term. This is why it’s so beneficial to keep things clear; the last thing you want is your computer to overheat due to an easily preventable thing like the accumulation of dust. Use a can of compressed air to blow the dust away from the vent (Note: NOT into the computer--this does the exact opposite of what you want).

Wipe Down Screens and Surfaces

No matter how frequently a device is used, chances are it will accumulate some sort of dust on its surface. This is especially the case with your monitors. If you plan to wipe the dust off of them, we recommend that you use a microfiber cloth specifically for this purpose, and whatever you do, don’t spray anything directly onto your monitor’s screen. The same can be said for your keyboard. If you use a can of compressed air to blow away dust, combined with a microfiber cloth, you should be able to get your device reasonably clean.

That doesn’t mean you can’t use a cleaning agent to clean your screens, we find that good eyeglass cleaner works great, but harsh chemicals could cause damage. This works great for smartphones and tablets as well, but spray a clean microfiber cloth, don’t spray the device.

Keep Food and Drink Away

This is more of a preventative measure rather than an actual cleaning tip, but if you can keep your workstation tidy in the first place, the less cleaning you will have to do in the long run. Crumbs and other gunk can easily find their way into your keyboard, especially if you are the type of employee who often finds themselves working through their lunch break. The same can be said for liquids; even water can create problems if it gets under your keys or into your computer’s components, and you better hope that you never spill something sugary on your keyboard. While it isn’t necessarily a death sentence for your keyboard, the effort it takes to clean up after such a spill will make you want to just buy a new one instead. Better to just eliminate the possibility and keep your workplace clear of anything of the sort.

Perform More Thorough Cleaning

Every so often it helps to perform a cleaning that is more than just at the surface level. By this, we mean going into your case and making sure that there is minimal dust clogging up your PC’s components. Obviously this is something that you should only attempt if you are familiar with the innards of a computer, so if you are not adequately trained or experienced in this prospect, we recommend working with MSPNetworks to make sure your workstation gets the deep cleaning it needs to promote longevity. To learn more, reach out to us at (516) 403-9001.

In today’s competitive business environment, you need every edge you can get to one-up your competition and make waves in your chosen industry. One of the best ways you can do so is by strategically implementing technology solutions that can enhance or transform the way your business operates both internally and externally.

Let’s take a look at how technology can enhance your business’ operations and inform your business model. With the right approach, you might be surprised to see such significant changes!

Enhanced Business Productivity

It stands to reason that any technology you implement for your business should have an impact on your productivity, and if it doesn’t, then perhaps there is no need to implement that particular solution. Technology solutions to implement will vary by industry, but the right ones can dramatically increase productivity. Start by considering where your company falls short and then look into services or products that might help.

Greater Customer Satisfaction

Technology can help on the customer satisfaction side of things, too, ranging from the customer services experience all the way to providing adequate methods for them to receive continued support. Sometimes businesses will implement chatbots on their service portals to help direct customers where they need to go, or they may implement automated phone systems that can connect customers to their desired department with ease.

Better Communication

Better communication tools for your business can have profound impacts on the way that you go about your day-to-day operations. Whether technology is changing the way that your teams communicate with each other or the way that they communicate with customers, vendors, or other external parties, you can bet that technology can help provide more ways for people to get ahold of your employees and company as a whole—all of which translates to a better experience for everyone.

Lower Operational and Capital Costs

All in all, technology can eventually get your business to a point where it is spending less on capital costs and instead investing in operational costs. Essentially, what this means is that you are not dropping massive amounts of cash on solutions all at the same time; instead, you are paying smaller monthly fees for services that allow you to be more flexible and efficient with your budget, effectively transforming these traditionally expensive capital investments into lower operational costs.

Don’t let something as simple as falling behind the times in technology hold your business back from achieving its full potential. With the right support and implementation, you too can leverage the latest and greatest technology solutions to your organization’s benefit. That’s where we come in.

MSPNetworks can help your organization implement and maintain any technology. As managed service providers, it is our goal to make technology management as accessible as possible. Our services are a great alternative to hiring a full-blown IT department for your business, so why not give us a call and find out more? All you have to do is call (516) 403-9001.

Historically there have been several methods to transfer data from one system to the next, and while the cloud has rendered many of them irrelevant and unnecessary, that doesn’t mean they aren’t used by people looking to move data quickly. Many professionals still opt to use USB flash drives to keep certain data close at hand, but how at risk does this put the data on these drives?

Quite a bit, actually. Let’s discuss some of the many challenges that businesses face when dealing with USB flash storage and how it pertains to network and information security.

Device Size

Consider how small many of these flash drives are. This makes them compact and easy to carry around, and they can store a surprisingly large amount of data for their size. Unfortunately, when a business owner heavily uses a USB flash drive for any reason, they are constantly putting that data at risk of being lost or stolen. What would happen if the user accidentally dropped it while out and about? While some USB flash drives allow for encryption and passcodes to lock access as needed, this is not always the case. For this reason, many users prefer alternative methods of data transfer.

Information Security

When USB devices are used to transfer data and take it away from the workplace or off of the company network, tracking where, why, and how it is used can become quite problematic, especially when it comes to sensitive data that is governed by the various data privacy guidelines in specific industries. In particular, you should be wary of employees taking information such as customer data, financial information, intellectual property, source code, and other important assets out of the office; just imagine the fallout that could happen if employees were to lose their drive, or worse, sell the information themselves to make a quick buck. It’s just one other reason to not use USB flash drives, or at least partitioning off data based on user roles within your organization.

Threat Vulnerability

Just because USB drives are pretty low-tech compared to more modern solutions does not mean that they are any less immune to security threats. In fact, infected USB flash drives can become vehicles for security threats to access networks. Consider the fact that these devices are used to transfer or copy files from one location to another. The more endpoints a flash drive connects to, the more likely it is to become infected. The possibility of these types of threats becoming problematic has been detailed in the past through tactics such as the BadUSB firmware hack, so they must be taken seriously.

 Ultimately, it is much easier to secure a cloud-based data storage system and the devices used to access it, but you know what they say: old habits die hard. Do you still use a USB storage device, and if so, did you learn a thing or two about how to keep them secure? If you don’t want to worry about USB technology being used in such a controversial way, we recommend that you implement a cloud-based data storage system that eliminates the need to use physical hardware that could be corrupted or damaged in transit.

Do you routinely use USBs to transfer data from one place to another? If so, the knowledgeable professionals at MSPNetworks can help you move past antiquated hardware and provide the means to keep your data safe. Give our consultants a call today at (516) 403-9001.