1. Disable Startup Application

You’d be surprised how many installed apps configure themselves to run automatically when you turn on your computer. If your computer takes a while to boot, it may mean that you have too many applications launching in the background, slowing down the startup process. If you don’t use these applications on a daily basis, it’s a good idea to disable them. Here’s how:

1. Right-click the Start button and choose Task Manager.
2. Once in, click Startup to see a list of programs that auto runs during the startup process.
3. Right click on the program you’d like to prevent running during startup and click Disable.

2. Reduce background apps 

Certain apps can continue to run in the background even if you're not using them. One way to improve Windows 10’s performance is by disabling the apps that you don't want to operate in the background (or disable the feature entirely), Go to:

1. Settings then click on Privacy.
2. Click on Background apps.
3. Turn off the toggle switch for the apps you don’t want to run in the background.
4. (Optional) Turn off the “Let apps run in the background” toggle switch to disable the function for all background apps.

3. Uninstall non-essential apps

The more apps you install on your computer, the more space it takes up. When your computer is overloaded with too many apps, it decreases performance and slows down. Consider uninstalling apps you don’t use often to increase speed. Here’s how:

1. Open Settings.
2. Click on Apps.
3. Click on Apps & features.
4. Choose the app you want to remove and click Uninstall.

4. Update your system

Do you usually postpone update when a reminder pops up? If you do, and your computer is slow, then it’s time for an update! Updates are designed to optimise system performance, improve security and fix bugs. If you're dealing with performance problems, your device may be missing some updates. See how  to download the latest version of Windows Update here.

5. Check for malware

Viruses, spyware, adware, and other malicious programs can occupy a fair chunk of system resources and reduce computer performance tremendously. If you think your computer’s been infected, try running a full virus scan with Windows Defender Antivirus.

If you're using other anti-malware solutions, such as Malwarebytes, Bitdefender, Trend Micro, or Norton, be sure to check their support documentation to remove viruses and other malicious programs.

6. Change your power plan

Windows 10 comes with three default power plans (Balanced, Power Saver and High Performance) to manage how your device consumes and conserves power. Consider using the High Performance option if you want your computer to use more power to run faster. You can create a custom power plan to improve performance if the power plan you want to use isn't available.

For laptop users, click on the battery icon in the bottom right corner and set the Power Mode slider to the Best performance option to improve performance.

7. Disable system visual effects

Windows 10 comes with many striking visual effects such as animations for better user experience. However they also demand additional system resources. If you have an older device, you may want to disable system visual effects as they can slow down your computer’s performance. Follow these steps to disable this function.

8. Increase page file size

Another way to boost system performance is by increasing the page file. Not a familiar term to many users, but page file plays an important role for storing data when your computer’s system memory fills up. Follow these steps to increase page file size. After completion, your device will restart and you should notice a boost in performance.

9. Undo system changes

Sometimes newly installed apps, updates or drivers are culprits for slowing down your computer. If this is the case, don’t panic, you can undo the changes by enabling System Restore Point. Once enabled, Windows 10 will automatically create a restore point every time it detects a new update or system changes. If any issue occurs after the changes, you can always go back to the previous state by selecting the restore point you want to go back to.

10. Reset your computer

Tried every way but nothing seems to increase performance? Resetting your device to a clean copy of Windows 10 can help. Before going ahead with this option, it’s important to create a full backup of your computer so you don’t lose any files and documents. Resetting your device will reinstall Windows 10, removing any previous settings and apps. Doing so will help boost system performance - just remember to restore your files from the backup after resetting your computer!

Need an upgrade?

Mention that you are from Seniornet by the end of this month to receive an instant $20 discount for your Windows 10 upgrade or improvement.

Windows 7 end of life

Please note Microsoft has announced that it will officially begin the Windows 7 end of life phase on 14 January, 2020. Please feel free to contact our team on 09 526 1800 for more details. An instant $20 discount applies when you mention that you subscribe from our newsletter.

Contact us here.

New Light Desktop Theme

The new release will bring in the option of a light desktop theme in contrast to the current dark theme. This provides a lighter coloured design for the start menu, taskbar and the background. You can choose to use light, dark, or a combination of both as your theme.

Improved Start Menu

The new default Start menu is less cluttered with tiles and shortcuts for pre-installed apps. The design is simpler and easier on the eye. It will also have its own dedicated process "StartMenuExperienceHost.exe." rather than being hosted by "ShellExperienceHost.exe." This will make the Start menu more reliable, responsive and smoother running according to Microsoft.

Cortana Separated From the Search Box

Image Credit: Microsoft

Microsoft's virtual assistant Cortana, which was previously integrated with the search box, will become a separate Cortana icon on the Windows taskbar. With the new update, you have the option of hiding the Cortana icon, search box or both. Having Cortana separated also means you get a straightforward operating system search. And if you want to use Cortana, you can summon it through the separate icon.

Ability to Pause Updates

Image Credit: Microsoft

Another notable feature is, along with Enterprise and Professional Windows 10 users, Home edition users will have the ability to pause Windows updates for a set number of days. This gives you time to see if the update is working correctly. If there are issues, you can pause the update until they've been fixed.

Reserved Storage for Updates

Image Credit: Microsoft

The new update also reserves around a 7GB storage space for future Windows Updates. This ensures updates are installed properly and prevents any update failures.

Experiment with Windows Sandbox

Windows Sandbox provides an integrated and isolated desktop environment, allowing you to run software and test setting and codes without affecting your host operating system. When you close the Sandbox, all the software and files in there are deleted. Note this feature is only available on Professional, Enterprise, and Education editions at this stage.

Improved Error Messages

Image Credit: Microsoft Community

Instead of leaving you helpless and wondering what to do when you encounter errors, Microsoft has made their error messages more helpful in the new update. Future error messages offer options for a solution and include a link to a knowledge base (rather than forcing users to rely on Google for answers). We're glad to see an end to cryptic error messages like “Something happened” or “For more info go to KB0000000.”!

Need IT help?

Let us take care of your IT needs. Contact us by 31 May 2019, and mention that you're a subscriber of our newsletter to get an instant $20 off the quote!

You can contact us here, or call us at (09) 526 1800.

See more tips and updates on our blog.

If you’re a small to medium size business owner who is currently using software and other IT hardware to boost profits and productivity, this article will help you minimize unexpected or hidden costs associated with it.

How?

By showing you how to put together an IT plan that gives you a clear picture of expenses to expect and other costs associated with business growth.

This is especially important with software, as monthly fees and extra feature / user costs can rack up over time.

Why Do I Need An IT Plan?

First of all, it is important to understand exactly how much you are spending now, as well as how much you will be spending as your business grows.

After all, you keep track of these things in your accounting books -- it only makes sense to do this for the IT side of things too.

Especially since IT is becoming more and more important to reducing costs and improving productivity for businesses.

There’s almost no business that doesn’t use some form of software or IT hardware to help run their day-to-day operations. And of course with this, comes additional fees that need to be managed.

Secondly, if you have the goal to crush 2019 in both profits and business growth, it’s critical you have plans in place to execute on this.

IT plans should not be left out of this picture, as it can incur unexpected costs. For example, if your business is growing and you’ve hired new staff -- how much does it cost to provide the right IT hardware (laptops / phones etc.) and related software that they need to do their work?

By having an IT plan in place, you’ll be able to calculate exactly how much extra you’ll need to invest, and track this against the revenues produced.

Lastly, if you’re in a competitive market -- your competitors are likely savvy enough to be making their own plans in 2019. That’s why going into 2019 blindly could result in severe disappointment if you don’t have a business IT plan in place.

So How Does An IT Plan Work?

Below, we’ve laid out some specific questions that you need to answer as you set about your plan:

Step 1: What Are You Using Right Now?

The first thing to figure out is what software and hardware are you using right now, and how much does it cost you to maintain this?

In short, you’re taking stock of what you have right now.

You should also consider the following for your software:

• When do your software licenses expire?
• When do you need to renew them?
• Do these software have extra hidden costs? For example, does it cost extra to use certain features or incur additional fees with more users?

And in terms of hardware, keep in mind how often do they need to undergo maintenance -- and when will they need to be replaced?

The latter question is especially important, as you should expect to incur a large, upfront fee (or look to finance it long-term) when they need to be replaced. For example, laptops and computers often need to be upgraded or replaced over time.

Step 2: Plan For Growth

Once you’ve completed step 1, now we need to plan for growth.

Because there are incremental costs to growing your business, we need to make sure that your software and hardware is driving your business goals, not hindering them.

So in light of this, you’ll need to ask several questions about your current software:

• How does this particular software support business growth (i.e. what value does it bring. Is it essential?)
• What are the associated costs with scaling? Software products often incur an additional monthly fee per user or extra usage.
• Will you need to purchase new hardware to support this software?
• How do the software interact or integrate with each other? (Also called the technology stack).
  • Often, the most popular software will integrate with each other. For example, the popular cloud storage solution Dropbox, allows you to open files with Office 365 (letting you or your staff edit documents through a browser)

Understanding the additional costs that will be incurred as your business grows in critical to manage expenses from getting out of hand.

And the way to do this is to inspect each individual software and understand how their pricing works.

Step 3: Consider Using Cloud Based (SaaS) Products Like Office 365

Once you’ve got a solid grasp on the additional costs that will be incurred with business growth…

Next step is to consider using Cloud Based, Software as a Service (SaaS) products like Office 365.

It’s superior to software licenses with traditional Office because it:

• Incurs less upfront costs -- because it’s a paid as a lower monthly cost (or a yearly commitment which gives you a discount). This is helpful to manage your cash flow as you’ll only need to pay as you use it
• Allows you to use the service remotely (as long as you have internet access). Meaning, it can be accessed so your staff can work while on the move, or even from home.
  • This is especially good for boosting employee satisfaction if they want to balance their work-life (or have kids they want to pick up, or avoid rush hour traffic)

Overall, taking into account the choices available to you in terms of software and its strengths and weaknesses can eliminate unexpected costs and increase profitability in the long run.

Do you need help setting up an Office IT Plan for your business?

At Result IT, we are Microsoft’s Silver Midmarket Solution Provider and Microsoft Authorized Education Partner -- meaning we’re experts in helping you set up Office IT Plan for your business.

We can assist with any technical aspects and can also help set up Office to run smoothly for your business.

If you are not our Service Level Agreement (SLA) customer, please book a maintenance service for your business. Because you are a reader of our blog / newsletter, we will slash $20 off any quote!

You can contact us here, or call us at (09) 526 1800.

We’re located at:

67 Station Road East,

Penrose, Auckland.

On top of getting the usual cloud-based features, you also get advanced security options (which are essential for any business with sensitive data like customer files etc.).

Here’s a quick overview of everything you get with Office 365 Business Premium:

• The Office Suite -- Which includes: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, SharePoint, OneDrive, OneNote, Publisher, Skype and Access
• Each user will be able to -- Install Office on 5 PCs, 5 Tablets and 5 Phones (meaning they can work remotely from multiple devices)
• Get up to 50 GB of mailbox space and send attachments up to 150 MB with Outlook
• Get a OneDrive account with 1 TB (1,000 GB) online storage that can be accessed from anywhere, as long as you have internet.
• Unlimited Instant messaging, video calls and more with Skype
• Yammer collaboration software allows your team to connect and share information across teams (it’s basically a social networking platform within your own business)
• Microsoft StaffHub helps employees manage their work day, schedule management and share information with others
• Almost everything is in the cloud -- Meaning, as long as you or your team have access to the internet -- you can access your projects, documents and more (and works even through multiple office branches, on the road or from home).

On top of these features -- with Office 365 Business Premium, you’ll also get:

• 100% Reliability -- the Office 365 cloud servers maintain a 99.9% uptime (meaning the network almost never goes down) -- so you can have peace of mind, knowing your documents and files are always available to you
• Security -- Microsoft uses cutting-edge security measures to ensure that your data is always safe
• Privacy -- Your data and information is never shared, and you choose the permissions on who can and cannot see certain files.
• Frequent Updates -- Being connected to the cloud means that your Office 365 will constantly get new updates -- for better features, security fixes and quality-of-life updates.
• Phone support - Microsoft Support offers phone support and online answers if you need help

Differences between Office 365 Business Vs. Essentials Vs. Business Premium

You may be wondering…

What’s the difference between Business vs. Business Essentials vs. Business Premium?

For starters, the prices are different (NZD):

• Office 365 Business Essentials - $8.30 per month - per user
• Office 365 Business - $16.20 per month - per user
• Office 365 Business Premium - $20.70 per month - per user

And because prices vary, it also comes with a range of different features for each level.

Business Premium provides the highest level, and gives full features and support.

You can view all of the differences on the official Microsoft Office site here.

You can also get a free trial of Office 365 Business Premium here.

Frequently Asked Questions About Office 365:

How many users does Office 365 Business Premium support?

Office 365 Business Premium supports a maximum of 300 users. However, more can be provided on other plans if you contact Microsoft.

What kind of payment plans are available?

You can pay on a monthly or annual basis. The annual payments will receive a discounted price.

Can I cancel my subscription at any time?

Yes, there are no lock-in contracts if you are on the monthly plans. However, if you are on an annual plan, you may incur some fees if cancelled early. Also, annual plans that are paid upfront will not receive a refund.

What happens to my data and files if I cancel?

You will be able to download your data and save it to another location. It is recommended to download all of your files and securely save them in an external hard drive or your computer.

I need help setting up Office 365. Where can I find help?

Result IT is a Microsoft Silver Midmarket Solution Provider, so you can contact us if you need assistance in installing or setting up Office 365.

Do you need help setting up Office 365 for your business?

At Result IT, we are Microsoft’s Silver Midmarket Solution Provider and Microsoft Authorized Education Partner -- meaning we’re experts in helping you set up Office 365.

We can assist with any technical aspects and can also help set up Office 365 to run smoothly for your business.

If you are not our Service Level Agreement (SLA) customer, please book a maintenance service for your business. Because you are a reader of our blog / newsletter, we will slash $20 off any quote!

You can contact us here, or call us at (09) 526 1800.

We’re located at:

67 Station Road East,

Penrose, Auckland.

If you aren’t, you may be falling behind your competitors in productivity and flexibility.

The cloud has already found its way into the vast majority of the software we use today.

For example, Facebook, Google, Youtube, Gmail etc. -- these are all examples of how we are using the cloud in our everyday lives.

But it’s not just for personal use -- cloud technology can help businesses of all sizes improve in productivity, flexibility, and security.

Here’s how:

1. Instant Remote Collaboration

Using the cloud means that your team members can instantly collaborate on projects without needing to physically be near each other.

There's a wide range of options for cloud documents (like Office 365 and the Google Suite) -- and each comes with a relatively inexpensive monthly option.

Your team members can also share videos and other files, as well as instantly send links to these files to be collaborated on.

Being remote allows any team member to access and make edits to projects, even when they are at home or on the road. It’s a great productivity boost for any business.

2. Secure Backups

Cloud Storage solutions allow you to create backups of your files. Hardware can fail at a moment’s notice, and the last thing you want is to lose all your important files, customer data, and other key documents.

That’s why is good practice to back up your files on a cloud-hosted solution like Dropbox, iCloud, Google Drive, OneDrive or similar.

These cloud solutions are secure and offer multiple redundancy measures, so you can have peace of mind, knowing that your key documents are backed up on an external server.

Plus, these backup solutions offer file encryption which makes it more secure than storing on a regular hard drive.

3. Unlimited Data Storage

Cloud storage solutions offer unlimited data storage. In most cases, cloud storage is more cost-effective than investing in your own hardware (especially for small businesses).

Most cloud storage providers offer a monthly “pay only for what you need” solution. Plans can start from as low as $1.49 NZD per month, up to $14.99 or more for larger storage requirements (e.g. 1TB+).

4. Version Control

Cloud Suites like Office 365 and the Google Suite offer great version control options.

Version control allows multiple versions of the files to be saved so that if you need to revert back to an older version, you’ll be able to do this.

You can also see what edits have been made to your files with version control.

Additionally, having good version control removes conflicts (i.e. when two users try to work on the same document at the same time), and makes it easy to manage each edition of your documents -- therefore increasing team productivity.

5. Reduced Costs

As mentioned before, cloud storage can offer significant cost reductions when compared to the alternative of purchasing your own hardware.

Setting up your own storage infrastructure can be expensive, because hardware usually requires a significant upfront investment. It also requires regular maintenance to be done to make sure everything is working well (and this maintenance can add more costs).

However, with a Cloud Storage solution, you can leave it in the hands of your provider, as they will be the ones investing in the hardware and doing the maintenance for you. This is why, for most small to medium sized businesses, using a cloud storage solution can reduce costs significantly.

6. Scalability

No matter how fast your business is growing, cloud solutions can keep up with you.

In contrast, if you use your own physical infrastructure -- this can require a significant upfront cost and time investment if you need to upgrade these as your business grows.

In essence, cloud solutions allow your business to be agile and flexible in terms of technology.

7. Improved employee productivity

Lastly, all of the above reasons lead to increased employee productivity. Speed is an important factor in out-maneuvering your competitors -- and cloud systems can help provide this agility for your business.

Your teams will be able to collaborate with each other remotely (and even from home) on various projects. Plus, the version control feature will allow each user to work on a document or project, without creating conflicting copies -- which can be time-consuming to fix. But with cloud solutions, you won’t need to deal with conflicting versions.

Plus, your cloud systems can also easily scale with your business as it grows. Because it can provide any number of storage or additional users, it can essentially scale to infinity.

And furthermore, cloud solutions offer reduced costs that can be then siphoned into other areas of your business that can help improve employee productivity.

Do you need help setting up a Cloud Solution for your business?

At Result IT, we are experts in all things IT related. If you need help setting up a Cloud Solution for your business, we can help!

Plus, we’re also offering a special $20 discount to all readers of our blog and newsletter. Just get in touch with us and tell us you’re a reader, and we’ll immediately discount $20 off any quoted costs.

You can contact us here, or call us at (09) 526 1800.

We’re located at:

67 Station Road East,

Penrose, Auckland.

It can be a little confusing to understand how permissions and security work.

Simply put, users without the adequate level of access will be denied permission to open or look at any files that require higher privileges. For example, a regular user wouldn’t be able to even find files that require admin rights.

So here are a few ways you can secure your files on SharePoint and Office 365:

1. On the SharePoint Site, set unique permissions

One easy way to secure SharePoint files is to set unique security settings for the SharePoint Site. Any files, folders and other content that is stored on this site will inherit permissions from this Site.

This means if you have folders or files within the Site, these will all automatically require the same level of permission in order to access these.

This is the easiest way to set permissions as it happens automatically for all files inside that Site.

2. Set unique permissions on the document library

Sometimes you may want to set unique permissions for a select few files. In this case, rather than using site-wide permissions, you can set unique permissions on a document library.

When this is done, the site as a whole will be able to be accessed by the appropriate users. The files inside the specific document library, will only be able to be accessed by those who have specific permission granted to them.

So in this case, it is like allowing users into your house (your house being the Site), and being able to access all the rooms except one. The door to this room will only be able to be opened by those with the right key to it (i.e. this is the document library).

Here’s how to set unique permissions:

1. Find the document library you want unique permissions on (Click the Gear Icon > Library Settings)
2. Find and click “Permissions for this document library”
3. Click “Stop Inheriting Permissions” on the top left to stop this document library from having the same permissions as the rest of the Site
4. Click OK when the warning message pops up
5. Next, select the permission levels in the checkboxes for the users you want to give access to

3. Set unique permissions on a folder

If you want to get even more granular and deeper than the document library level, you can provide unique permissions on the folder level.

Going back to our house metaphor, if the Site was the house and the document library was the room… Then we can make it so that the closet inside this room can only be accessed by a specific group of people.

The process of doing this is very similar to the method mentioned in #2.

How to set unique permissions on a folder:

1. Select the folder you wish to set permissions on by clicking the checkbox next to it
2. Click the “i” icon > then click “Manage Access”
3. There will be a popup that allows you to set individual access rights by clicking on the “down arrow” next to each person’s name
4. Or you can click “Advanced” for more options
5. If you’ve chosen to set more Advanced permissions, you’ll see the same screen from Step 3 from method #2 above
6. Click “Stop Inheriting Permissions” on the top left
7. Click OK when the warning message appears
8. Finally, select the permission levels you’d like to grant for each user

4. Use OneDrive

The other option is to use your Microsoft OneDrive account to store sensitive content.

By default, everything on your OneDrive folder is private until you share it with someone directly.

You can also control exactly who you're going to share any folders or files with.

There are two ways of sharing access in OneDrive

Sharing

This will allow you to specifically choose individuals who will be able to view or edit any of your files.

To share:

1. Right click the document and click Share
2. On the next window, type in the names of the people you want to share this file with
3. Select either "can edit" or "can view" depending on if you want to allow them to edit the file, or to just view it only
4. Fill out a message that will go to these users and will let them know why / what you've shared with them

Linking

Linking is an easy way to grant access to a specific file on OneDrive. It provides you with a link that you can send via email or instant messenger, and anyone with that link will be able to view or edit it (depending on which you choose).

To provide links:

1. Right-click the file and click "Get a link"
2. On the next screen, select either edit or view permissions, depending on which you prefer. There are several options that you can choose from depending on how strict you want permissions to be.

Do you need help setting up SharePoint for your business?

At Result IT, we are Microsoft’s Silver Midmarket Solution Provider, meaning we’re experts in helping you set up SharePoint.

We can assist with any technical aspects and can also help set up SharePoint to run smoothly for your business.

Plus, we’re also offering a special $20 discount to all readers of our blog and newsletter!

If you’d like to get SharePoint installed, just get in touch with us and tell us you read our blog or newsletter, and we’ll immediately discount $20 off any quoted costs.

You can contact us here, or call us at (09) 526 1800.

We’re located at:

67 Station Road East,

Penrose, Auckland.

Business Central brings the full power of Dynamics NAV to the cloud. Dynamics NAV is a enterprise resource planning platform that assists with finance, manufacturing, customer relationship and more.

What does it do?

MD365 is a cloud-based, business management software solution that’s set out to replace most entry-level accounting software or ERP systems.

It offers a single platform that will allow business owners to manage their finances, operations, sales and customer service.

A common problem many business owners face is the vast amounts of different software solutions and platforms they need to juggle.

For example, your sales CRM might manage just one aspect of your business, while your finance platform might not integrate smoothly, resulting in information silos.

This often causes additional costs for business owners and reduces productivity.

MD365 aims to remove business silos by providing a platform that combines all of these requirements into a single solution with the focus of cutting costs and raising productivity.

It also allows for automated tasks and workflows, all within popular Microsoft applications like Word, Outlook and Excel.

It also provides key insights into your business with connected data, business analytics and guidance with Microsoft’s intelligent technologies.

Lastly, MD365 will continually evolve and improve in real time as it is cloud based and flexible to fit a wide range of business needs.

How much will it cost?

Currently, MD365 can range in price from $40 to $210 per user every month (depending on business requirements).

All users on a single account must have the same license type so you won’t be able to mix and match different levels of service.

Why businesses are switching over

One of the key reasons why business owners are switching over to MD365 is because of it’s flawless integration with other Microsoft cloud services like Office 365.

It also simplifies many day-to-day business functions and can be customised with PowerApps, Microsoft Flow and Power BI.

One of the biggest reasons that business owners may want to switch to MD365 is because of the power it gives over sales and customer data.

For example, a survey of 300 small to medium businesses in Australia revealed that 74% believe that increasing the customer base is the way to grow their business and 60% say that maintaining and growing their current base is high on their priority list.

MD365 Functionalities

The Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central Essentials contains:

• Customer Relationship Management - data related to contacts, marketing campaigns and opportunity management - all of which have built-in integration
• Financial Management - can replace most entry-level accounting platforms as it allows for a general ledger, workflows, audit trails, bank management, budgets, deferrals, dimensions, bank reconciliation, fixed assets and currencies
• Supply chain management - includes functions such as sales order management, purchase order management, receivables, item transfers and basic warehousing
• Human resources - allows for employee and expenses management

Project Management - functions include resources, estimates, jobs and time sheets

Would you like help installing Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central Essentials?

If you need assistance installing MD365, look no further!

At Result IT, we’ve been serving thousands of happy customers and we specialise in all things tech-related.

We’re the geeks you can rely on to handle the technological aspects of your business, so you can focus on operating and generating sales in your business.

So if you’d like to know more about MD365, please get in touch with us for a free consultation.

We’re also offering a special $20 discount to all readers of our blog and newsletter!

You can contact us by clicking here, or call us at (09) 526 1800.

We’re located at:

67 Station Road East,

Penrose, Auckland.

Just mention that you’re a reader of our blog and newsletter, and we’ll slash $20 off the quoted price for the service you need!

Just like how your car needs regular maintenance, your servers need them too.

And just like your car, if it goes on too long without maintenance, you can expect a catastrophic failure.

Servers are no different.

Without regular maintenance, you may experience partial or complete server failures - resulting in loss of important data and other costly damages.

What Is A Server?

Servers are basically computers that are specially designed to handle more exhausting jobs.

They’re usually outfitted with superior processing hardware, more memory and other high quality parts.

Because of this, servers are usually very expensive compared to the average computer.

They need this extra power because servers process data “requests” and respond with information.

Servers are attached to a network, and act as the “access point” where users (yourself or your employees) can obtain information from.

A common example of a server is one that hosts your website. When a user types into the web address (e.g. www.resultit.co.nz), the server processes and answers that request by pulling up the site and loading it in your browser.

Similarly, servers can be used on the local level for your business. For example, if you use a username and password to login - your office servers are storing that information. It also allows you to save documents on one computer, yet access them on another because the information is stored on the server.

What does Server Maintenance involve?

Just like how you get your car oil changed, your servers also need maintenance to continue running smoothly.

Preemptively making sure that your servers are maintained and updated means you’re taking care of the important data that is stored on your servers.

The point of difference between maintaining a car and a server, is that a server requires both digital and physical maintenance.

Because it is built out of hardware, chips etc. the physical aspect needs to be maintenanced.

Dust build up and overheat and slow down your server. Because of all the work it does, it often gets quite hot - which is why it’s good practice to keep your servers in rooms with cool temperatures and good air circulation.

Examples of server maintenance can involve:

• Data backup - this gives you a backup copy of your data in case something goes wrong
• Software updates - the software running on your server need to be regularly updated
• Security review - making sure that your server is secure
• Temperature - physical maintenance of the hardware temperature
• Antivirus review - makes sure that server files are not infected

Why Server Maintenance Is A Prudent Business Investment

In your business, if you use a local network or software through a server, there’s a good chance that you use your server to run your business on a daily basis.

Think about some of the more common software or files you share through your network.

Could you operate your business without this software or your network?

For sure, advancements in technology has allowed efficiency and productivity in businesses.

That’s why regular server maintenance is a prudent business investment as it ensures your servers continue to run smoothly.

Going back to the comparison with cars - without maintenance, your car will eventually break down and you’ll have to buy a new one at a hefty cost to you. On the other hand, with regular maintenance, you will be able to drive that car for much longer.

Your servers are the same - if they are maintained and cared for, they will last much longer. This will save time and money, and ensure you can operate your business without any technical hiccups.

This is also why server monitoring (keeping tabs on your server’s health) is also an important part of maintenance.

Server maintenance is all about being proactive.

How A Server Maintenance Plan Can Help You

For the most part, if you set up a server maintenance plan (with the help of IT savvy tech professionals), you can set and forget about the technical aspects of your server.

A server maintenance plan essentially sets out a schedule of what needs to be done, when it will be done and who it will be done by.

Once this schedule is in place, it is up to the tech professionals to keep to this schedule to keep your servers running properly.

If You Need A Server Maintenance Plan And Team To Carry It Out…

We can offer these server maintenance services for you. At Result IT, we’ve been serving thousands of happy customers and we specialise in all things tech-related.

We’re the geeks you can rely on to handle the technological aspects of your business, so you can focus on operating and generating sales in your business.

So if you’d like a “set and forget” server maintenance plan, please get in touch with us for a free consultation.

We’re also offering a special $20 discount to all readers of our blog and newsletter!

You can contact us by clicking here, or call us at (09) 526 1800.

We’re located at:

67 Station Road East,

Penrose, Auckland.

Just mention that you’re a reader of our blog and newsletter, and we’ll slash $20 off the quoted price for the service you need!

Those are words we can all live by when it comes to cyber security.

For example, WannaCry (the ransomware) attacked people in over 150 countries all across the world. They held people’s personal data hostage in exchange for a Bitcoin ransom. Many business owners fell victim to this as they were prime targets for WannaCry.

The internet proves to connect people globally, but it is also a double-edged sword.

In order to protect your PCs and other devices, it is critical to keep them up-to-date.

Windows security updates are more than just annoying popups.

They patch up vital security holes in your system so that those with less-than-good intentions can’t access your private data - and possibly even hold it hostage against you.

Why A Teenager Could Hack Your PC If You Don’t Update It

Blackhat hackers (also called “crackers”) are different from your average computer geek. They look for vulnerabilities and create exploits for their personal gain.

In essence, they are the cyber criminals of the internet - and they’re usually extremely intelligent.

The main problem is that crackers have their own private communities where they share their personal conquests and exploits with each other.

So when a “genius” cracker finds a security hole that can be exploited, they share it with all their buddies online.

Their buddies are usually not as smart as the cracker, but they’re smart enough to follow instructions.

And often, these instructions are easy enough for a tech-savvy teenager to follow. This represents a huge problem as it basically creates an “army” of people with malicious intent.

Luckily, when such exploits are found, the security research community is on it immediately and send out patches to fix the vulnerability.

But if you don’t install these patches... Well, then you could fall victim to a tech-savvy teenager with too much time on their hands.

How To Update Your Windows Operating System To Secure It

Hopefully the sections above have shown you the importance of the security updates Windows offers.

Microsoft provides mainstream and extended support for their Operating Systems (OS) on release:

• Mainstream Support - Lasts 5 years and provides regular security updates and feature improvements
• Extended Support - After the 5 year Mainstream support period, the OS will get extended support. This provides security updates but no new features.
• Discontinued - Do not use Operating Systems that have been discontinued (like Windows XP) as they usually will not get security updates (unless a major vulnerability is discovered) nor any new features.

Currently, Windows 10 and 8.1 are on mainstream Support.

Windows 7 is in the extended support period.

Windows Vista and XP are discontinued (don’t use these).

How To Update Windows 10

For Windows 10 users, automatic updates are turned on by default so it will keep itself updated without needing any action from you.

Here’s how to check if it is updated to the latest version:

1. Go to Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update
2. Click “Check for Updates”

On Windows 10 Home Edition, you can’t turn off automatic updates.

However, you can choose when your computer will restart after an update. To edit this setting:

1. Go to Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update
2. Click “Advanced Options”
3. Select “Notify to Schedule Restart” from the menu

How to Update Windows 8.1

1. Go to Settings > Change PC Settings
2. Click Update and recovery
3. Find the “Windows Update” text and click “Check Now”
4. Install the recommended updates

You can turn on automatic updates in Windows 8.1 by:

1. Go to Windows Update (in step #3 above)
2. Click “Choose how updates get installed”
3. Under “Important Updates,” click “Install Updates Automatically (recommended)”
4. There is an option for flexibility by selecting “Download updates but let me choose when to install them”

How to Update Windows 7

1. Press the Windows Key (or click “Start” on the bottom left corner)
2. In the “Search for programs and files” box, type in “Windows Update” and press enter
3. Click “Turn on automatic updates”

Want help keeping your PCs secure and safe from future threats like the WannaCry ransomware?

If so, get in touch with us now.

We’re offering a $20 discount to all readers of our Result IT Blog and Newsletter who contact us before 30 June 2018.

Just let us know that you saw the discount on our Blog / Newsletter and we’ll immediately slash $20 off the quoted price.