You Don’t Need a Full-Time Employee to Reduce IT Costs

You might think hiring a full-time employee is the best way to reduce IT costs because needing to call a separate company whenever there is an issue could get expensive. However, it is also important to consider the salary and benefits that go along with hiring a full-time employee. That alone can go a long way toward reducing IT costs. The best way to reduce IT costs is to hire an IT support company with flat fee services. This means you won’t have to pay more for great service, and in most cases, flat fee IT support service costs less than hiring a full-time employee. With lower IT costs, you can put the extra money toward growing your business!

Reduce IT Costs and Get Better Assistance

Do you have a plan in place for when your network goes down at night or on the weekends? What about when your IT employee is on vacation or taking a sick day? Despite having an IT employee on staff, you might get stuck with IT problems at very inconvenient times. When you hire an IT support company like Solvere One, you’ll always have someone just a phone call away who can come help you as quickly as possible – 24/7/365. You’ll be getting the most for your money and be able to reduce IT costs.

Knowledgeable Service Will Reduce IT Costs

A single IT employee can probably help you with most of your IT problems, but there is no guarantee you’re hiring an expert on everything the IT world has to offer. What if you have a problem your IT employee can’t solve and you have to find outside help? Then you’ll have to work with an unfamiliar third party – not to mention the added stress of finding quality assistance in an emergency. To reduce IT costs, consider an IT support company. An IT support company has an entire team of experts ready to help you, so you can feel confident you are getting an expert to work on your problem. You can stick with one reliable company you trust for any problem, no matter how complicated. You won’t pay more for emergency service, so you will be able to reduce IT costs.

Reduce IT Costs in Maryland, Virginia & Washington, DC

If you’re a business owner in Maryland, Virginia and Washington, DC who is looking to reduce IT costs, Solvere One is the company to call. Reducing IT costs is simple, as our white-glove, 24/7/365 managed IT support typically costs less than hiring a full-time employee, and you don’t have to worry about us taking a sick day or needing a week-long vacation. We’ll always be a phone call away whenever you need us. Plus, our IT knowledge is vast, so we can help you with problems ranging from wireless security to virtual workspaces. Contact us to learn more about how we can help you reduce IT costs today!

For most businesses today, computers are absolutely essential, so having a network issue can be extremely detrimental to your bottom line. It is best to have an IT support company in your corner ready to help when you need it. But how do you choose the right IT support company for you? Here are some questions you should ask your potential computer support company to help you decide if they will be able to meet your needs.

Do you offer support for multiple makes and models of computers?

A good computer support company will have expertise in multiple areas. You wouldn’t want to hire an IT support company that works only with PCs or only with Macs – this simply isn’t cost effective for your business. An IT support company that understands different operating systems can most effectively help you keep your business running smoothly.

Solvere One works with both PCs and Macs to make sure they operate together seamlessly!

Do you offer a variety of IT support services?

The best IT support company will be able to provide you with a variety of different services. If all your potential computer support company can do is fix computers, this doesn’t help you when you have a security issue or you need to provide secure remote network access to your employees. It is more practical to hire a network support company that can help you in all areas of your information technology so you don’t have to go to multiple companies to get the services you need.

Solvere One has services ranging from access controls to hardware support to wireless security and more – anything you need to keep your IT up and running!

Do you have 24-hour support?

Having a network support company in your corner is great, but what happens if you have an issue when you’re working late or on the weekends? Having to scramble to find an IT support company you can trust in an emergency can be stressful, so stick with a company that offers 24-hour support. You’ll know when you have an emergency someone you trust will come fix the problem as quickly as possible, whenever you need service!

Solvere One offers 24/7/365 IT management services!

Do you use flat fee pricing?

A network support company that charges per service can cost you extra money, and you certainly don’t need more stress when your computers aren’t working properly! A reputable IT support company will offer flat free pricing so you can receive great service at a great price.

Solvere One only uses flat fee pricing – so you’ll never pay more for our services!

Solvere One: Your IT Support Company

If you’re looking for a computer support company that can answer yes to all these questions, look no further than Solvere One! We are a full service IT support company offering services in multiple areas, all with 24/7/365 white-glove assistance. With us, you’ll always feel confident your IT systems are working properly, and when they’re not, we’ll be there to fix the problem. Don’t trust the health of your business to just any network support company – use Maryland, Northern Virginia and Washington, DC’s premier IT management service. Contact our IT support company to learn more about our services today!

Aspects of Green Business IT

What exactly is green business IT? It doesn’t have to do with just eliminating unnecessary excess paper – although that is one important aspect. Green business IT is also about taking away businesses expenses for things that can now be completed through technology. For example, by using a green IT service, your travel costs will likely decrease. Using a technology that will save you from having to buy plane tickets is good for your bank account and the environment! There are a variety of green IT services that will make big difference for your business:

Remote Offices

Want a green business IT idea that will save you money? Giving your employees the ability to work remotely will allow you to hire all the employees you need without having to pay for an office or heating and electricity costs. Since employees won’t be coming into the office, there will be fewer cars putting harmful emissions into the air and less energy will be consumed. Even offering this as an option for your employees one day a week can make big difference in your energy bills!

Virtual Communications

Instead of traveling to your clients for meetings, why not meet virtually? A great part of green business IT is it allows you to still have a face-to-face meeting with your clients without having to pay for associated travel costs. You can also use virtual communications to meet with employees who work remotely. This will save you money in travel costs and eliminate the emissions that come with that travel.

Paperless Systems

Employing a paperless system as part of your green business IT is a great way to organize yourself and have easy access to all your documents. When all of your business documents are virtual, you can access them from anywhere at any time without having to look through binders or piles of paper to find what you are looking for. You’ll find going paperless will save you time and money – and of course, paper!

Benefits of Green Business IT

There are a great number of benefits when you switch to a green IT service. If you have green IT consulting for your business, you can expect:

• Decreased costs in several areas including travel and energy
• Fewer productive days lost due to travel
• Green solutions that will save your business money
• Increased employee satisfaction due to flexible work options
• Less time spent searching for paper documents
• And more!

You’ll be surprised at the difference green IT service will make for your business!

Green IT Consulting from Solvere One

If you are located in the Maryland, Virginia or Washington, DC area and are ready to make your business green, consider our green IT consulting. We can help you decide what green IT services will make the biggest difference for your business. We are the area’s leading experts in IT support, so we are ready to help you grow your business without the added worry of running your IT systems. We offer white-glove 24/7/365 support, so we are always there when you need us. Best of all, we use flat free pricing, so you won’t pay more for our green business IT! Contact us to learn more about our green IT consulting today!

Benefits of Remote Access Control

Finding and applying great access control software to your network will allow you to do a lot more with your business. Remote access control will let you:

• Work securely no matter where you are
• Feel safe sending/receiving sensitive emails
• Feel confident your documents are protected no matter where you open them
• Allow your employees to work from home (and still be secure)
• Never be tethered to your desk due to security concerns again
• And more!

Access control software will open up your business to a whole world of opportunities. Having your business available to you, securely, no matter where you are will help it grow and thrive. You’ll always be in control of your business network, even when you’re not at your desk!

Access Control Software

There is some excellent access control software out there that will give you all the benefits listed above. You can choose a two- or multi-factor access control system that forces users to prove their identities before accessing your network. You’ve probably seen many businesses use a key fob system to control access to their networks. But there is other access control software that utilizes a person’s personal device to give them access to the network, saving you a lot of money!

Another form of access control software is a wireless intrusion prevention (WIP) system to protect your wireless network security. If you’ve been nervous about adding wireless capability to your business network, this is a great option for you. These keep an eye on your wireless network and alert you if anyone unauthorized is trying to gain access. This way, your employees will be able to log on to your wireless network without fear of opening it up to people or programs that mean your business harm. You can allow your employees to use wireless devices such as iPads and other related devices at your location and not risk your security.

Get Out from Behind Your Desk with Solvere One’s Remote Access Control Systems

Wondering where you can get all the great benefits of remote access control with the software listed above? From Solvere One, of course! We offer white-glove, 24/7/365 IT management for businesses in the Maryland, Virginia and Washington, DC area. Since we only use flat fee pricing, you’ll pay less for our remote access control services! Give yourself the chance to work anywhere – at any time – with our remote desktop management solutions. Grow your business and have complete peace of mind your network is secure whether you’re waiting in line at the store, sitting on the beach, or riding in the car – anywhere at all! Contact us for help with your remote access control and get out from behind your desk!

So how do you increase your network security so your business stays protected? Learn some great tips on how to increase your network security from Solvere One! There are a number of ways to ensure your network stays safe and secure:

Install Virus & Firewall Programs

Virus and firewall programs are your first line of defense when it comes to people who mean your business harm. These are also probably the easiest way to increase your network security. A virus and firewall program will keep out unauthorized programs that could shut down your network or steal sensitive information like credit card numbers. Having your entire business network shut down due to a virus would be seriously damaging to your productivity and leave you unable to provide any services to your customers. Virus and firewall programs are kind of like walls around your network so unauthorized programs are stopped dead in their tracks. Secure your network and keep out what isn’t meant to be on it with a virus and firewall program.

Ensure Your Wireless Network Security

With the increased use of laptops and other mobile computing devices, wireless network security is becoming a bigger issue. Use a wireless intrusion prevention (WIP) system to keep an eye on your network and inform you if anyone who isn’t supposed to be there tries to access your network. You’ll be able to prevent dealing with the aftermath of a hacker and increase your wireless network security. A security key isn’t enough for your wireless network security, so be sure to use additional systems to secure your network!

Block Unauthorized Users

The biggest part of network security is keeping unauthorized users off of your network in the first place! Doing only this will drastically increase your network security! Using a multi-factor authentication system to get onto your network decreases the chance of an unauthorized user gaining access. Ensure everyone who goes on your network is required to prove they are who they claim to be. Of course, you’ll need to balance ease of access with security, and there are some great programs out there that do exactly that. Using more than just a single password system will greatly increase your network security and give you peace of mind that only authorized users can access your business network.

Increase Your Network Security with Solvere One

If you are looking for a company to do all this for you, call Solvere One. We can provide you with all the services listed above to greatly increase your network security. We offer 24/7/365 white-glove IT support to business in the Maryland, Virginia and Washington, DC area. Best of all, we use flat fee pricing so you won’t have to pay more to increase your network security! If you’re ready to make sure your business is protected from harm, contact us to increase your network security today!

Apple and Your Business

Apple products can offer your business many benefits, including:

• Ability to check emails, send invoices and complete other business tasks remotely
• Use of helpful apps to run your business
• Internet access from almost anywhere
• Remote video and voice capabilities

With Apple products, you can run your business from the office or from the gym, the train, the road or anywhere you need to go! Our Mac IT support will let you check on your business any and everywhere!

Apple IT Support: Choosing the Right Products

Do you want to have access to your network from your phone? The iPhone might be right for you. If you want a larger device to show plans to clients and make presentations, the iPad might be best for your situation. Our Apple IT support professionals will listen to your needs and give you advice about which Apple products could make the biggest difference for your company. With our Mac IT support, you will know the best devices to help grow your business.

Apple IT Support: Setup & Integration

Now that you’ve bought your Apple products, how do you make them work for your business? Our Apple IT support is designed to help you 24/7! Our business IT support professionals will get all your devices ready for you to use. You won’t have to spend valuable company time installing software or applications – we will do all the work for you! Your Apple devices will be ready for you when you need them! If you don’t want to transition over to Apple products completely, our Apple IT support can still help you! We will make sure your Macs and PCs work together so you can use the benefits of both for your business.

Even if you have all your Apple products set up, they will be useless if your employees don’t know to use them. Your employees could take some time to adjust to the new devices on their own, or you could get Apple IT support professionals to train them on how to use Apple devices. This way, they can learn how to use them to be more productive – and grow your business – without hindering company productivity! Solvere One will provide your employees with training as part of our business IT support – everyone will be able to make the best use of the new Apple products in no time at all!

Apple IT Support Right When You Need It

Solvere One provides you with white-glove business IT support 24/7/365. We aim to reduce your IT costs while at the same time helping you grow your business. We have Apple Certified systems consultants and administrators ready to help you, whenever you need it! Contact Solvere One for Apple IT support in the Maryland, Northern Virginia and Washington, DC area today!

Luckily with the increased use of digital media has come the advent of cloud file storage. With the cloud, we can access our files from nearly anywhere on nearly any internet capable device like Cell phones and Tablets. Take a look at the cloud options below to find what’s right for you. If you’re an Android user it might be a mix of Dropbox and Amazon Cloud, while an iOS user might find that iCloud meets their needs by itself.

Dropbox

Developed by MIT graduates in 2007, Dropbox is one of the longest running cloud services as well as one of the better developed ones. It has well developed applications for all of the major mobile platforms (i.e., Apple iOS, Android, and Blackberry) and computer operating systems (i.e., Windows, Mac, and Linux). If you would like to access your files on a public computer, it also has a web interface that allows you to download and upload your files from any computer or mobile device without installing any software.

One useful feature of Dropbox is that it saves a local copy of your Dropbox files on any computer that you install the program on. It then automatically updates any changes to those files whenever it has an internet connection. What this means is that you’ll have access to your files even when you’re not connected to the internet, though any changes made on another computer since the last update will not be seen until it resynchronizes with the Dropbox server.

Accounts are free for up to two gigabytes of space with paid options for those that need more space beyond that. Because of the near universal device compatibility, Dropbox is probably the best cloud service at this point for general file storage. One of the few features that it doesn’t have is the ability to stream music.

iCloud – iOS devices and Computer (Mac and Windows)

Apple’s brand new iCloud service’s main benefit is synchronizing multiple iOS devices with each other and your Mac without needing to plug them into a computer with iTunes. It also brings native music and file cloud support to Apple devices, allowing you to stream music and make document changes across all of your devices. For Apple users, it has probably already become a full, viable replacement for Dropbox.

There are some minimum operating system requirements for setting up iCloud on your Mac, iOS devices, and Windows PC. For the Mac you will need OS X Lion (10.7.2) or later; iPhones and iPads will require iOS 5 which is a free upgrade available through iTunes; and Windows PCs will need to be running on Windows Vista SP2 or Windows 7. To set up iCloud on your devices, simply follow these instructions found on Apple’s website.

Amazon Cloud – Android and Computer (Windows, Mac, and Linux)

For Android and computer users, Amazon Cloud fills in the streaming music hole left by Dropbox quite nicely. For the computer, go to Amazon.com and choose the Amazon Cloud Player. For your Android device, download the Amazon MP3 app from the Android Market. Accounts are free up to five gigabytes with all paid options including unlimited music storage. Music purchased through Amazon’s attached MP3 store does not count against your storage limit, even with the free option.

The Amazon Cloud also includes the ability to store files other than music. While this would seem to bring it close to Dropbox, the Amazon Cloud Drive can only be accessed through their web interface. Files cannot be automatically synced with your computer.

Google Music (Beta) – Android and Computer (Windows, Mac, and Linux)

Not willing to be left behind when it comes to trending technology or supporting their Android operating system, Google has recently come out with their own music cloud. Google Music allows you to use the native Music app on Android devices to stream your music from their server. While at first glance this seems extremely similar to Amazon Cloud, there are some differences. For one, Google Music offers space for “20,000 songs” for free. While it’s odd to offer storage space in units that vary in size, this is roughly equivalent to fifty gigabytes, ten times the free offering of Amazon Cloud. What Amazon Cloud has over Google Music is an integrated music store that automatically adds your purchases to the cloud and the ability to store files other than music.

Google Music is currently in Beta, which for Google means that it’s by invite only. That said, Google invites aren’t nearly as hard to come by as they were when Gmail was introduced. If you have a Motorola Xoom, you’ve been invited already. If you don’t have a Xoom, the Google Music has a link that allows you to add yourself to the waiting list.

Cloud Player – Blackberry

Most of us are attached to our Blackberries very close to all day, every day. If at the end of the day you have some battery life left to spare, you might consider adding music streaming to your Blackberry as well. If you’re looking for a cloud music app for your Blackberry, check out Cloud Player, which offers free, unlimited music storage and streaming.

Some Warnings

There are a couple of warnings that should be considered before setting up your accounts and uploading your files. First, as with any amount of increased access to data, there is some loss of security of your data. You should always use strong passwords for these services and you should not store sensitive data on a public cloud server. Second, because the federal laws protecting digital files are outdated, files that have been on a third party server, including email servers such as the ones used by gmail.com, for more than six months may be considered abandoned by law enforcement and subject to search without a warrant (read more about that here). While that certainly isn’t a major concern for most people, it’s worth knowing.

Also, if you’re an employee of the House, please leave your work files secure on the House servers. Ask your HouseCall representative about how you can access your work files that are located on the server from home or your mobile devices. Files on the House servers enjoy increased security as well as legal protections that they may not maintain when they are placed on third party servers.

1. Email Safety

Don’t open unknown links or attachments. Even links from friends or colleagues can be malicious. A compromised email account will be used to send a message with a malicious link to all the account’s contacts. Most people will click on a link from a friend or relative without thinking (or will let curiosity get the best of them). The email sample below is an example of a spear phishing email. These types of emails contain information relevant to the recipient and the sender is trying to get some information out of the user through deception. Any unusual or unexpected request for information or request to follow a link should be verified via another communication method with the sender. Many phishers use incentives (like the promised 6.3 million dollars below) or scare tactics (your email account will be deleted) to get users to act without thinking it might be a trap.

2. Social Networking

Information is power. Social Networking sites are great for keeping in touch with friends and meeting new people but they can also reveal information about you to criminals. Be sure to know what your security policy is set to on site where personal information can be seen publicly. It is always best to be cautious about what you discuss on social media sites. Some accounts are fake and fronts for information gathering. Thoughts like, “John Smith may have been someone I went to school with 25 years ago, I will befriend him” may reveal personal information to a complete stranger. The common phrase cannot be reiterated enough: “anything you post on the internet can become public”.  So choose your words and friends wisely.

3. Virus / Malware

Everyone gets sick during the course of their life. You can however do things to boost your immune system to resist most illness. Viruses are similar, Infections are bound to happen due to the sheer amount of malware on the Internet and its pervasiveness in across every day websites. Therefore it is important to know what software can protect your computer and the steps you should take if your computer does get infected.

Common symptoms of an infected computer:

-Your trusted antivirus (meaning you installed it) alerts you to an infection.

-Normally trusted web sites (such as google.com) redirect you to malicious sites.

-Software appears on your computer you did not install (Such as the fake antivirus software shown below).

-Sluggish internet may even be an indicator.

Tips to remove malware:

-Run an antivirus scan on your computer (Again, make sure you are using trusted antivirus software such as Norton, Trend, or Kaspersky that you installed)

-Run antispyware tools such as MalwareBytes (free to download) or Trend Micro’s HouseCall software. Run it multiple times and after multiple reboots to ensure your computer is clean.

-Log onto a separate profile on your computer. Many viruses can be contained to a single profile on the computer. Running a scan from a separate profile will be much more thorough.

-Sometimes the only thing you can do is save only those files you need (pictures, documents, etc.) and reformat your computer.

-Some viruses are transferable through USB thumb drives so ensure those devices are not connected to an infected PC or you may end up spreading the malware.

Oh No, My Account got Hacked!!

Many people who have had accounts hacked wonder how their passwords were obtained. While it could be the fault of the account issuer such as Yahoo, Hotmail, AOL or Facebook, that is highly unlikely. Reputable sites such as those use heavy security and encryption on the databases that house that information. Because cyber criminals are looking for the quickest and easiest way to make money they focus their efforts on mass scale attacks.

Years ago brute force attacks were the easiest way a hacker could gain account access because people would use simple passwords such as their dog’s name or “love”. Now users are creating complex passwords and so login thieves have developed new methods. A current trend is for login information to be stolen from an old, unattended database or webpages with limited security.  The attacker then tries those email addresses and passwords on Facebook and other popular sites. Due to the fact that people tend to use the same password and rarely change them, this method can often lead to multiple accounts being compromised.  The only way to guard against this is to use multiple passwords across multiple sites.  This scenario of course creates the conundrum of having multiple, complex passwords and needing to remember which works on each site. One solution is to create a master list using shorthand of accounts and passwords. Initials and shorthand will help you remember which password goes to which login without allowing someone else access to all your passwords. Nevertheless if you do pursue this route,  be sure to keep this list in a safe, secure place.

By being cautious and following some simple guidelines for cyber security you can protect yourself and your organization from cyber attacks.  If you ever have questions or concerns take the time to talk to your systems administrator and they will be more than happy to help you understand cyber security better.

Turn off GPS when not in use.

The GPS uses the battery like there’s no tomorrow. Location-aware software is one of Android’s many fortes, but can be a real battery killer. The power control widget is useful for switching the GPS on and off, and you should keep an eye on your notification bar: an icon will appear whenever the GPS is activated.

Turn off Bluetooth and WiFi When you’re not using them.

As with GPS, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi will drain more of your battery’s juice when they are on. It’s best to disable these whenever you’re not actually using it. You can use the power control widget on your home screen to enable/disable these features as well.

Wi-Fi Options

If you’re close to a reliable Wi-Fi network during the better part of the day, having Wi-Fi always turned on may be favorable from a battery point of view, since the Wi-Fi radio uses less battery than the 3G radio. Also, when Wi-Fi is on, 3G is off. You can make sure Wi-Fi always stays on by going to Settings > Wireless networks > Wi-Fi Settings. Press the Menu button, tap on Advanced, Wi-Fi sleep policy and select the Never option.

On the other hand, if you’re not close to a strong Wi-Fi signal for extended periods of time, disable Wi-Fi from the home screen widget or from Settings > Wireless networks > Wi-Fi.

Disable Always-On Mobile Data

The Always-On Mobile Data option is on by default, and can be disabled from Settings > Wireless & networks > Mobile networks > Enable always-on mobile data. It allows your phone to be connected non-stop, but does it need to be? I have disabled the setting, and I still get push Gmail and even Google Talk seems to perform as usual, as well as the few apps I have that use automatic updates. However, if you have a lot of apps that regularly connect to the Internet, disabling this option may actually be a bad idea, since turning the data connection on and off will require more energy than simply having it on all the time.

Disable Wireless Location Services

When your device learns your location via wireless network triangulation, it requires less battery than if it had used the GPS but is usually less precise than GPS so most people will use GPS for their location base needs. Turning this feature off will improve battery life and also prevent the collection of anonymous Google location data in the background. You can turn it off from Settings > Location > Google Location Services.

Use a Quick Screen Timeout After a certain time of inactivity, your screen is automatically turned off.  The lower the value, the sooner the screen turns off and the less battery you will use.  We recommend between 15 and 30 seconds.  You can alter this option from Settings > Screen & display > Screen timeout.

Turn Down the Screen Brightness

Android’s Automatic brightness (Settings > Screen & display > Brightness) setting is recommended. If your phone doesn’t have this option, start at 50% and see if that suits you, the lower you take it the better it will be for your battery life.

Live Wallpapers

Live wallpapers are a pretty cool feature, but that extra animation constantly running on the home screen will use up more battery than a standard wallpaper will. Also, if you have one of the Android devices that uses an AMOLED screen; a dark wallpaper will use less juice than a bright one. If you are unsure about your screen type a quick Google search with your phone’s model and the word screen should help determine what your phone has.

Learn what’s eating up your Battery.

On the most recent versions of Android, you can check out a built-in feature that tells you how much your apps use the battery. You can then start using battery drainers less often, or simply uninstall them. Go to Settings > about phone > Battery > Battery use and press the items in the list for further info.

Use of 3rd party apps to manage battery life

There are numerous apps available on the market to manage and improve your battery life, my favorite of which is called JuiceDefender. It comes in several flavors, a free version, and a couple paid versions. The main attraction of this program for me is that it will turn off your mobile data connection (3G/4G) when your phone is in standby. This alone has a big impact on your battery longevity. The paid versions have a lot of extra features that allow you to tailor a schedule of when to turn certain connections on and off, control your brightness, screen time and more. This allows you to automate a lot of the tips and tricks we’ve highlighted here.

Depending on how you use your Android device, some of these options may not be for you.  However, utilizing even a few of these will likely have a big impact on how long your phone will last before needing to be charged and allow you to enjoy your smartphone that much more.