The Best Practices for Buying Small Business Computers

Best Practices, Best Processor, Maximum RAM, Operating System, Small Business Computers, , ,
24
Jul 2018

 

Small businesses need computers just as much as multi-global corporations do, but the way they go about choosing them is a little different.

In a small business, for example, consistency is more likely to be required across the board. In a larger business, however, there is bound to be more diversity required, especially in terms of the technology required for different departments. Therefore, choosing a computer for a small business needs to be approached in the correct manner to ensure you get the technology for your needs.

To help you get started, we’ve put together a quick list of the best practices for buying small business computers:

The Best Processor is Key

If you want your business to remain competitive then you need to make sure that your PCs have the best processors you can afford. After all, the driving force of your PC and what it can do comes straight from the processor. It may be tempting to drop 0.5Ghz from your processor to save costs, but this can cost you more in terms of productivity due to the drop in power.

Settle on One Operating System

For a small business, there’s no need to start working with multiple different operating systems such as Microsoft Windows, Apple Mac OS and Linux. Windows and Mac OS are fairly similar in terms of function, so investing in multiple licenses for these different systems can soon rack up your expenses. Instead, stick to either one or the other as this also minimizes internal training costs.

Get the Right System for Your Needs

A good business PC can remain in use for at least five years, so you are going to get a lot of use out of it. And that’s why you need to make sure it’s the right one for your needs. In-depth research needs to be carried out on your existing PCs to see what they can and can’t do. Once you understand their limitations and your needs, you can begin to search for models which solve these issues. This keeps your workforce happy and guarantees that you won’t have to buy a new range six months later when they don’t gel.

Don’t Cut Costs

Cheap computers are the last pieces of equipment that your organization wants. What you need are computers that pride themselves on their quality and lack of technical issues. Time is money and a cheap computer will end up costing you a lot of downtime. It may make your bank balance wince, but the productivity boost that a more expensive PC brings is more than worth it.

Fill All Available RAM Slots

When you’re buying a new PC, it’s important that you make sure all its RAM slots are filled to give you the fastest performance possible. Often, some of these slots are left empty to allow for future expansion. However, the best time to expand is at the point of purchase rather than a couple of years down the line. Speak to your dealer and ask them to ensure that you have the maximum amount of RAM affordable.

For more ways to secure and optimize your business technology, contact your local IT professionals.

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Old Operating Systems Cause Security Risk for Hospitals

Network
09
Aug 2016

NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 5: A nurse prints out an EKG monitor reading in the emergency room at Coney Island Hospital September 5, 2002 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. The public hospital serves a large multi-ethnic patient population including many Russians, Pakistanis and Central Americans residing in the South Brooklyn area. The emergency room receives approximately 60,000 patients each year. (Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images)

The smooth running of a hospital is paramount to its patients’ health, but what happens when malware is used to breach the hospital’s systems?

Well, a new report by TrapX reveals that we now know the answer and that it’s turning into a serious threat. The main cause appears to manifest itself in the lax security provided by outdated operating systems such as Windows Vista and Windows XP.

Now, not only is this a threat to hospitals, but, as we’ve covered before, also to any business which switches on a PC during their working day. Seeing as that includes pretty much every business on the planet, it’s crucial that you understand this security threat.

Security Attacks on Hospitals

windows-xp-hacked-avast-100250879-orig

By using malware which has the external appearance of being an outdated piece of malware, hackers have been able to smuggle in extremely new pieces of code which older systems aren’t capable of defending themselves against.

An old piece of malware is employed as the carrier for this malicious code because newer PCs would be patched and not consider it a threat. However, once the hackers deliver their payload, they’re able to exploit older PCs on the network.

For example, hackers were able to run malware which, whilst not affecting PCs running Windows 10, was able to take control of a radiation oncology machine powered by Windows XP. Obviously, this could cause huge healthcare issues, but, this time at least, the attackers were not interested in damaging the equipment.

Instead, the hackers used this vulnerability to create entry points into the hospital system which would provide access to highly sensitive data. And this wasn’t just an isolated case; the study by TrapX monitored three attacks on different medical institutes and has advised that these types of attacks are escalating.

Protecting Your Business from Legacy Attacks

Choose-Between-Windows-XP-and-Windows-Vista-Step-8

Legacy attacks, which are attacks exploiting older operating systems, are well known for attacking the healthcare industry, but virtually any business which runs an outdated piece of software needs to remain vigilant.

And, unfortunately, it’s commonplace for businesses to fall behind on software upgrades due to costs, downtime or just old fashioned mistakes. The most pressing ramification from this scenario is that developers of operating systems eventually stop creating security patches for these older systems.

For a hacker, of course, this presents them with one of the easiest attacks they’re ever going to carry out. Remember, hackers will not cut you any slack. If they can get in, they will get in through the easiest route possible.

This is why it’s vital that you ensure your computer systems are as up to date as they can possibly be. Install ALL updates as soon as you’re prompted as this will give you the best possible chance to block opportunistic hackers.

What’s most important, though, is to keep an eye on the operating systems behind all your hardware. Make it a point to carry out an audit every couple of months to evaluate the operating systems behind the hardware you’re running.

And, if a piece of hardware is no longer supported by newer operating systems, then it’s time to consider replacing it. Sure, for a while, the older operating system it runs on will continue to receive updated patches, but at some point they will stop and your protection will become rapidly out of date.

For more ways to secure and optimize your business technology, contact your local IT professionals.

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Microsoft Announces End of Windows 7 Mainstream Support
Microsoft Announces End of Windows 7 Mainstream Support

Microsoft Announces End Of Windows 7 Mainstream Support

Software, , ,
29
Jul 2014

Microsoft Announces End of Windows 7 Mainstream Support

Microsoft has announced that by January 2015 several products would be reaching the end of mainstream support including all versions of Windows 7.

What does mainstream support mean exactly?

This means the company would stop providing free updated features and performance improvements to Windows 7. After the ending of mainstream support the company would start to provide extended support in which security fixes would be free.

Fix Failed Windows 7 Update

How will this affect you?

This decision affects a lot of businesses that are either already using Windows 7 or are migrating all their systems to Windows 7 from Windows XP. The businesses are now going to rely on Microsoft’s extended support for updates and other enhancements for their operating systems. It should be noted that Microsoft has confirmed that all Windows 7 users will continue to receive security fixes and patches up to 2020.

Although the percentage of Windows 7 users around the globe is quite high, it is likely to remain high due to the unpopularity of Windows 8 with it’s different interface.  Windows 7 users need not worry over this announcement. Although you have the option of upgrading to the new Windows 8, at this point there is no need to since there will be extended support . By the end of the extended support a large number of Windows 7 users would likely already have upgraded to a newer operating systems.

Windows-8-Charms-Bar

Extending support

Microsoft might possibly decide to continue the mainstream support for all versions of Windows 7 for a little longer. This was the case when they announced the end of mainstream support for Windows XP.  In total Microsoft supported Windows XP for almost 13 years.

For more advice on managing your office computers and planning for IT changes, contact your local IT professionals.

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How to Run A Virus Scan on Windows

Software, , ,
30
Sep 2013

MSE_Icon

The easiest and most efficient anti-virus available for Windows XP, Vista, 7 and 8 is Microsoft Security Essentials. The software is free, simple and doesn’t bog down your computer like other anti-virus programs. If you don’t already have it installed on your home or office computers, grab a copy from Microsoft here. You can check if it’s installed by looking for the green icon that looks like a house in your system tray next to the clock at the bottom right of your screen as shown here:

MSE_Download_Page

Once you’ve installed Microsoft Security Essentials (MSE) follow these steps to run a virus scan:

1. In your system tray, next to your clock, double click on the green MSE icon

mse-system-tray

2. Once the MSE screen loads, click on Scan now

MSE_scan_complete

3. When MSE finishes scanning, it will display the results of the scan

MSE_Screen

That’s it! MSE is a great free program that helps keep your computer free of viruses and malware. Check out other ways you can speed up your computer here.

What are some ways you keep your computer free from viruses?

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3 Steps to Removing Malware
3 Steps to Removing Malware

Tips on Speeding Up a Slow Computer

Software, , , ,
28
Sep 2013

Sad_Laptop

A slow computer is not just a pain to work with but it can drastically slow down your productivity at home or in the office. There are almost an unlimited number of reasons your computer is running slowly. If the slowness started after a new software or hardware update, or you recently recovered from a virus infection, here are some steps to take to speed up your home or office computers as well as your productivity.

Remember to always backup your data before trying any of the tips below.

    1. Run a virus scan. Modern viruses run in the background and hog up your computer’s resources

 

    1. Delete temporary files stored on your computer. Go to My Computer-> Right click on the C drive->click Properties then select Disk CleanupDisk_Cleanup

 

    1. Download the latest Windows updates, hotfixes and Service Packs

 

    1. Uninstall unused programs: Start button->Control Panel->Programs and Features Remove programs you no longer use. If something doesn’t look familiar, leave it alone as it may be required for your computer to run properly

 

    1. Don’t run unnecessary programs at start-up

 

    1. Update your operating systemwin7_rtm_08

 

    1. Purchase a new computer. Computers have become so affordable these days that the best performance boost you can get for the price is purchasing a new computer for your home or office

 

If the above tips don’t help, contact your local computer repair shop to have a computer tech examine it.

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