This post originated at IT Services Info & News | Ascensha. Ascensha is a Portland, OR IT company that manages and develops network infrastructure for Oregon small businesses.

Having a hard time remembering the password to your favorite sites? You’re not alone. When email first became widely available, people only had one password to remember. Now that we bank, shop, and socialize online, password management has become a real challenge. Some people solve this problem by using the same password for everything—a bad idea, since hackers only have to discover one password to leave your computer network security in ruins. This article will briefly review current methods for remembering the dozens of passwords your daily online life requires.

Pen and Paper. The oldest method of password management, this is also a chancy option, especially in work environments where malicious insiders could find that sticky note stashed under the keyboard. Still, many computer experts rely on this. If you must manage your passwords in writing, keep them in a very secure place, such as a wallet.

Browser tools. Maybe you’re sitting back thinking, “I have nothing to worry about! Firefox does all the remembering for me!” Many people on the handy Firefox tool that offers to remember each password the first time you type it in.  But you should know that this method leaves your machine open to hackers, and indeed anyone who accesses it remotely or in-person. Yikes! Thankfully, there is an option in Firefox and many other browsers to turn on a master password—view this video to learn more.

Desktop Programs. If your computer is always handy, you’ll find desktop-based password reminder programs easy to use. This type software is commonly called a password vault, since you type in one master password to access a highly encrypted (and therefore safe) file showing all of your passwords. Several free open-source options are available, such as Password Safe and KeePass. Those who want to shell out money for vault software can purchase 1Password ($39.95), the most highly recommended option in its field. SplashID is an option for those who are addicted to their mobile devices; it’s available for a variety of platforms, but isn’t as easy to use.

Online Services. Like everything else these days, password reminders are going virtual. Several online data backup services store your passwords in the cloud, enabling you to reach them no matter where you are. Keep in mind that library and other public computers are not secure, so it’s unwise to access cloud-based information on them. As with all other cloud technology, your information is ultimately at the mercy of the hosting company, so find a well-respected firm if you choose to follow this route. CNN recently reviewed one cloud-based password program called RoboForm Online.

Improve your memory. In the end, each of the methods listed above is vulnerable. The only 100% safe method for password retrieval is to remember them in your own noggin. How? Nykema Wright, an occupational therapist who works with brain injury patients, provides several techniques. One method is called spaced repetition. For especially sensitive information, such as bank logins, repeat the pin to yourself a couple of times immediately. A few hours later, try to remember it. Keep challenging yourself to remember that one pin several times throughout the rest of the day. Read our post on setting memorable passwords for more suggestions.

Regardless of which memory device you choose, be sure to set strong passwords in the first place. Too many people use easy-to-crack passwords, such as 123456. And if your office workers are having a hard time remembering company passwords, consult with a local IT consulting company to decide which program is the best option for your firm.

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This post originated at IT Services Info & News | Ascensha. Ascensha is a Portland, OR IT company that manages and develops network infrastructure for Oregon small businesses.

Does your company have a computer and internet use policy? Policy creation is often a long, tedious process, yet every organization must have rules in place to protect company computers from viruses, spamware, and other online nasties. Large companies have ample resources to develop and update computer use policies, but for the Small to Medium Size Business (SMB) owner, this task often detracts from far more pressing business issues. Fortunately, Joe Kennedy, author of The Small Business Owner’s Manual, has compiled the following basic set of rules for company computer use:

1) Every employee must check the status of antivirus, anti-scumware, and antiphishing  programs twice a day. These programs must be running smoothly in order to protect your company’s machines from online threats.

2) At the end of the business day, employees should set aside ten minutes to run computer security programs and reboot their machines. This ensures a quick, clean start to the next business day.

3) Use online monitoring tools associated with antivirus programs (usually in the address bar of your browser) to avoid phishing scams, and be alert for new schemes. Be very cautious of any website that includes a pop-up directing you to install a new program or update. When concerned or confused, ask for help.

4) Email messages may have infected attachments, so employees should never open attached files from unknown sources. Even emails from known sources can be infected; if the email doesn’t make sense or contains blatant spelling errors, it is likely infected with spamware or a virus.

5) Employees should not add new programs without management’s permission. Some hackers include malicious software with system updates; for this reason you may want to leave all machine updates and software patches to your IT staff, whether it is internal or outsourced.

Additionally, many companies limit computer use to corporate needs. In other words, employees are not allowed to surf the web or use company email for their own purposes. Of course, this restriction can be very difficult to enforce; one approach is to archive all email to be analyzed later. Ultimately, you will need to consult with an employment law attorney to draft a solid computer use policy; until that time, you may choose to use the above rules as a stopgap to protect your machines. Even after a computer policy has been put in place, it’s a good idea to hire an IT consultant to assess, maintain, and fine tune your business’ IT infrastructure. Ascensha is a Beaverton computer consultant that can help any SMB improve and protect its IT infrastructure.

Top photo: Martin Terber

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This post originated at IT Services Info & News | Ascensha. Ascensha is a Portland, OR IT company that manages and develops network infrastructure for Oregon small businesses.

Small and Medium Businesses (SMBs) stand to benefit greatly from cloud computing. This green computing technology allows companies to pay for server space on a pay-as-you-go basis. In this way, cloud computing frees SMB owners from purchasing and renewing expensive software and on-site storage for each employee. Instead of maintaining stacks on stacks of servers on-site, cloud computing users purchase space on remote servers maintained by companies such as Amazon and Google. Everything from basic word processing programs to complex data analysis applications can then be accessed through the internet, rather than stored on individual hard drives or local servers. In addition to instant scalability and lowered operating costs, a major benefit of cloud computing is that it allows remote access of business applications and documents.

So, in addition to saving money on overhead storage and electricity costs associated with on-site server maintenance, cloud computing allows users to access company records and projects from anywhere with internet access. Here are a few benefits of remote access:

1) Employees can easily work nearly anywhere, anytime. Many workers dream of working part- or full-time from home. Cloud computing allows employees to access company records from home, or anywhere with internet access. Cloud computing allows you to be a more flexible manager.

2) Improved Document Sharing. Human Resources Document sharing on the cloud is easy– and some applications even allow multiple users to collaborate in real-time. Cloud computing removes the hassles associated with merging several versions of the same document.

3) Automatic Disaster Planning. Storing data on-site requires companies to periodically create back-up copies of all data, which are then stored off-site, in case a flood, fire or other natural disaster destroys the office space. Because company data is stored remotely in cloud computing, there is less need to worry about accessing data during and after a disaster. If your company documents are stored online, you’ll be able to access them regardless of local conditions.

Overall, remote access makes any business more flexible and able to respond to clients in real time.

Sound too good to be true? Well, there is a dark side to the cloud. Because there are no universal security standards for cloud technology, it can be difficult to figure out which service providers are the best for your business. For this reason, it’s a good idea to depend on expert advice from IT consultants when transferring your business to the cloud.

Additional Resources:
Five Questions to Ask Before Storing Data in the Cloud
How to Make SaaS Work for Your Business
Is Your Business Prepared for a Disaster?

Top photo: Bruce Clay

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This post originated at IT Services Info & News | Ascensha. Ascensha is a Portland, OR IT company that manages and develops network infrastructure for Oregon small businesses.

It’s incredible how many details small business owners must remember. From an IT perspective, one of the first details that small business owners must address is installing an Uninterruptable Power Supply, or UPS. A UPS ensures that your computers will always have enough power to save important data. If a power spike or surge occurs in your area, a UPS will allow you anywhere from five to thirty minutes of power to save your work and shut down the machine. Without a UPS, a power surge or spike could cripple your business.

To keep things simple, a UPS is basically a large battery that plugs into the wall. Much like a power strip, your machines then plug into the UPS. Small businesses may only need one UPS; larger businesses usually maintain several. When a power surge, spike, sag, or other interruption occurs, the UPS provides immediate power.

When choosing a UPS for your business, the first thing to check is whether it has an Underwriter Laboratories rating. Next, check the warranty. Many UPS manufacturers are now offering two-year warranties. There are many different types of UPS machines; you could try to figure out which one to get for your small business by reading informational websites, or you could bring in an outside IT consultant to analyze your needs and procure the best option.

Top photo by Rennet Stowe.

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This post originated at IT Services Info & News | Ascensha. Ascensha is a Portland, OR IT company that manages and develops network infrastructure for Oregon small businesses.

The previous post explained just what an intranet is—basically, a private internet for your employees. This post will outline three major benefits of setting up a private intranet for your office.

First, an intranet can help cut your organization’s printing costs. Every time a staff member needs to check the phone list, fill out a requisitions form, or verify company policies, he or she will be able to hop onto your private network, rather than turning to the printer. Paper and ink are expensive, slow, and outdated. A company intranet allows important documents to be quickly referenced by all employees.

Another benefit of a company-wide intranet is significant time savings. Instead of bothering the accountant for an expenses report, or the HR director for a medical benefits enrollment plan, employees can access these important company documents through the intranet. Furthermore, specialized company programs may be developed to allow data to be entered into the intranet, and later quickly retrieved. Some companies even develop intranet programs to track employees hours, spending, and profits, and other important business metrics. By providing a centralized location, a company intranet can save employees time.

Finally, company intranets can increase collaboration and teamwork. Through an intranet, internal company documents may be immediately shared. Chat and email functions may be intranet-based. And a consistent, shared, private platform can instill a sense of teamwork.

Ted Herman, Vice President of Public Relations & Communications for Hudson Health Plan, summarized some of the benefits of building an intranet, saying, “Our intranet has improved efficiencies in our internal communications, improved the quality of the employee experience, and gone a long way to support an improved morale among employees.” If you’re looking to establish or improve an intranet for your business, Ascensha can help. Our IT professionals will work closely with your firm’s leadership to create a centralized, private platform that will save your firm money and time while improving internal communications and morale. Using virtual private networking technologies, Ascensha can even provide remote intranet access for employees who are traveling or working from home. Contact us today to set up a free initial consultation.

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This post originated at IT Services Info & News | Ascensha. Ascensha is a Portland, OR IT company that manages and develops network infrastructure for Oregon small businesses.

If you’re a small business owner, you’re familiar with the world wide web–in fact, it’s nearly impossible to do business these days without internet access. But does your company also maintain a private intranet? In this first post in a series on intranets, we’ll explain just what a company-wide intranet is. Future posts will list benefits and challenges of establishing intranets.

Basically, a company intranet is a private mini-internet that only your employees can access. Intranets use the same technology as the internet, but they use password protection and other security features to limit access to employees. Often, a company intranet is made up of one website where employees can access reports, share documents, and chat with fellow employees, among other functions. However, just as the internet has almost unlimited potential for expansion, intranets may also be more complex, containing multiple websites and features.

To break down potential uses by department, salespeople can maintain customer profiles and share marketing strategies on an intranet. Human Resources leaders might use an intranet to post employee handbooks, important forms, and company news. Accounting departments may track payroll, recievables and payables, and budget reports on an intranet. Executives may use the intranet to post meeting minutes, stock market analysis, and merger or partnership possibilities. Across all departments, interactive training materials may be stored on a company intranet.

Finally, a major reason for building company intranets is that they may be customized to fit any business model. Custom applications may be built especially for your business needs. IT specialists can help you set up and customize a company-wide intranet. To summarize, intranets bring the information-sharing power of the intranet to private firms.

Top photo by Mike Seyfang.

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This post originated at IT Services Info & News | Ascensha. Ascensha is a Portland, OR IT company that manages and develops network infrastructure for Oregon small businesses.

Humans are fond of creating fancy terms for simple phenomena. Nowhere is this truer than in IT. The term we’ll be dissecting today is “PC power management,” or simply “power management” in some circles. Stumbling around the web, you may have spotted this buzz term and wondered what the heck it meant. Here’s a basic definition: power management is turning off computers when they’re not in use.

Saving money is the number one reason why organizations should pay attention to power management. Of course, no one is going to argue against helping the earth by “going green” at the office, but most executives are far more persuaded by a different kind of green: money. By applying power management techniques, companies can save $20 to $60 per machine annually in energy bills.That may not sound like much, but multiply that figure across all of your computers, and you’ll see why even profit-centric CEOs are motivated to pay attention to power settings.

There are three pathways to power management:

1) Buy Energy-Efficient Machines. Some computers, like EnergyStar machines, automatically enter sleep mode after a certain amount of idle time. If you’re making an investment in new technology, you can save money down the road by choosing energy efficient models. Of course, if you already have a fleet of operational computers, you may not be ready for the capital investment this route requires. Read on for other options.

2) Educate Employees and Change Machine Settings. This is the least expensive route to power management. Begin with a survey of 5-10% of your employees. Figure out a baseline of energy consumption, so that you can see improvements over time. Do your employees turn off their computers at the end of their shifts? Or are screen-savers blasting needlessly during off-hours? Once you figure out how your employees are currently handling power issues, you can set company-wide policies. A good rule of thumb is that machines should be set to enter “Standby” or “Hibernate” modes after 30 to 60 minutes of inactivity. If you want to save even more energy and money, set machines to enter low-energy status after 5-20 minutes of inactivity. The weakness of this power management technique is that it’s only as consistent as the human beings that carry it out. Some workers will be frustrated at having to wait for their machines to power up. As a result, many organizations find that they don’t save as much money as they anticipated. If your power-down campaign is less effective than you’d like, it’s time to pull out the big guns: software.

3) Employ Power Management Software. A final method of power management is installing open-source or licensed software. Many companies start with free power management software, such as EZ Wizard and EZ GPO. Others find that they need more sophisticated solutions. For instance, Verizon initially installed EZ GPO, but later paid for power management software that included Wake-on-LAN capabilities. (Wake-on-LAN turns on computers for midnight backup and patches, which saves employees’ precious time during the work day.) If you find you need something stronger than the open-source options, you may be able to obtain a rebate through your power company. Pacific Gas & Electric, for instance, rebates $15 per computer, which basically offsets the cost of power management software. The Department of Energy’s DSIRE (Database of State Incentives for Renewables & Efficiency) program lists rebates by state. Even if you find you must pay for power management software, your organization will save money on energy bills.

Whichever path you choose, your CIO and CEO will be ecstatic to see savings on your energy bill. Set up power management today and watch your energy bills shrink.

Additional Resources:
5 Ways to Improve Performance on a Laptop or PC
Is Cloud Computing Really Green?
What about when “green” isn’t good enough?

Top photo by Michael Napoleon.

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This post originated at IT Services Info & News | Ascensha. Ascensha is a Portland, OR IT company that manages and develops network infrastructure for Oregon small businesses.

Do your employees know how to avoid malvertising? This new form of malware has online publishers worried. Malvertising, a portmanteau of malware and advertising, has been popping up even on respected news sites, such as the New York Times Online.  Like all malware, malvertising installs programs designed to harm the host computer or its software. Hackers buy advertising from online publishers, and then post advertisements warning visitors that their anti-virus protection is out of date. Nieve web surfers will click on the warning, and voila, spyware or other forms of malware are installed on their machines.

To protect your company from malvertising, follow these five tips:

1) Keep your anti-virus protection up to date. Make sure all of your company’s machines are protected with anti-virus software. Download security patches regularly to make every machine is protected against new threats. And remember that virtual machines must also be protected.

2) Carefully Maintain your Operating System. Many malvertisements rely on weaknesses in outdated operating systems. As with your anti-virus programs, installing all new OS patches will help keep your company’s computers safe.

3) Tell employees to download with extreme caution. Remember, malware can hide in email attachments, program downloads, and instant-message links. Educate employees on how malvertising works, and tell them to avoid any questionable advertisements.

4) Report Questionable Advertisements. If you do come across an advertisement that looks questionable, you can report it to Google here.

Finally, if you suspect that one of your machines is already infected, you can buy any number of products to detect and clear malware. Be aware that there are spammy solutions out there, too, so be sure to choose a product from a reputable company.

Additional Resources
6 Tips for Halting Social Engineer Hackers
Evading Social Network Hackers: The Employee Side
How to Protect Your SMB from Online Fraud

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This post originated at IT Services Info & News | Ascensha. Ascensha is a Portland, OR IT company that manages and develops network infrastructure for Oregon small businesses.

A recent Gartner Research survey of CIOs showed that, on average, companies are spending 5% of their budgets on IT security, down 1% from last year. Despite this slight dip in security spending, the number of security threats has not decreased. Therefore, it’s crucial for each firm to maximize its security assets. Here are a few methods for optimizing your firm’s security resources no matter how generous (or strapped) your budget might be.

1) Use Built-In Security Features. “Leverage the free stuff,” encourages Gartner VP Vic Wheatman, speaking at Gartner’s Security and Risk Management Summit. Operating systems, hardware, and network appliances such as routers often include built-in security features. Turn on these free tools to save IT costs. For instance, many email programs include complimentary encryption tools. Utilizing your email program’s free encryption service could save money on encryption software.

2) Play Defense, Not Catch-Up. Defensive IT spending can reduce problems down the road. When assessing technology options, prioritize security. Look for software and hardware that include built-in security features. A slightly higher up-front cost will likely be offset by fewer hours spent patching and updating later.

3) Consider Outsourcing IT Security. Outsourcing IT security services makes sense when your IT staff is already overburdened. It’s also wise to outsource highly specialized IT security tasks. For instance, a CIO-for-hire may be able to assess and shore up your network more effectively than full-time staff members. Having fixed multiple security systems, IT specialists have a broad understanding of the security landscape surrounding the issues they follow. Their specialized knowledge also allows them to anticipate the latest security threats.

Many companies categorize IT security spending as operational maintenance. IT spending may not directly contribute to ROI, but it is absolutely necessary to compete in the Information Age. By using and prioritizing built-in security features, and selectively outsourcing IT security, you can maximize your IT budget even in this dismal economy.

Additional Resources:
5 Benefits of Outsourcing IT Security Management
Res10 Computer Security Habits to Adopt
IT Services: The Benefits to Small Business

Top photo by Paul Sapiano.

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This post originated at IT Services Info & News | Ascensha. Ascensha is a Portland, OR IT company that manages and develops network infrastructure for Oregon small businesses.

Virtualization is a tricky proposition. It’s difficult to picture, and even more difficult to fully implement. To provide background information, virtualization uses the same physical machine to run multiple virtual machines. Software engineers were the first ones to figure out that multiple operating systems and applications could be stored on a single physical machine. Initially, they used virtualization to test products across different platforms, such as internet browsers. Then, business leaders discovered that they could use virtualization to cut IT costs. By reducing the amount of hardware required, virtualization could free companies from the prospect of library stacks of servers to manage. Grandiose visions of slimmed-down IT operations danced in the heads of CIOs everywhere. However, years after virtualization made the leap from software testing technique to money-saving IT strategy, it seems most companies still aren’t fully “virtualized.” As Andi Mann reports for CIO magazine, industry estimates suggest most companies have only virtualized between 20 and 30% of their assets.

This percentage represents the first challenge of virtualization: Stall. Early on, companies choose “easy” parts of their operations to virtualize. Initially, they might convert development and testing servers, web servers, and other “low-hanging fruit,” as Andi Mann writes. However, when it comes to more complex systems, such as customer-interfacing servers, composite applications, and core/tier one business services, businesses often stall. As the CIO magazine article shows, many organizations fail to realize the full cost-savings potential of virtualization simply because they fail to convert all of their systems.

Stall is definitely impacted by Sprawl, the second major difficulty in virtualization. Sprawl occurs when a company’s IT team is unable to properly manage virtual machines. The crux of the problem is this: virtual machines have same security needs as physical machines. VMs must be monitored for security threats, just like their physical counterparts. Security patches must be updated for both virtual and physical machines. However, many companies fail to recognize the danger inherent in the speed and ease of creating new VMs. Virtual Machines are so easy to set up that a company’s virtual servers may balloon out of control. When IT staffers strain under the heavy load of monitoring dozens of new virtual servers, Stall is inevitable.

If you’re just thinking about entering the world of virtualization, take heart. You can avoid Sprawl by setting strict protocols to manage the number of VMs your IT techs must manage. Set clear lines of responsibility within your organization to determine who handles which aspects of virtual server maintenance. IT departments should consider virtual machines as they do physical machines; each one must have antivirus and antispyware programs. Regular scanning of security threats is also a good habit to get into to monitor both virtual and physical machines. To avoid Stall, set quarterly goals for BI (Business Intelligence) and IT tools, and revisit these goals regularly.

Many business leaders are already neck-deep in VM problems. In those cases, it’s a good idea to bring in a CIO-For-Hire, or another IT services professional. These experts can deftly clean up your server situation, so that your IT team can get back on track quickly.

Additional Resources:
Virtualization: Avoid Information Security Pitfalls
Clean Sweep: How well does your antivirus software remove malware?
Virtualization and Small Businesses

Top photo by ChrisDag.

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