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Your Essential Cloud Migration Strategy Checklist

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Before you begin strategizing, you’ll need to decide if it’s the right time for your business to migrate to the cloud.

Everyone’s heard of the cloud. But, do you know what it is?

It’s likely you already use it in your personal life, perhaps to store digital photos and documents or even for backing up your phone.

But, moving to the cloud can be complex. The biggest issue is the process of migration – of physically moving all your data from your in-house servers to a remote storage facility without breaking something or losing data along the way.

With good planning and the right strategy in place, migrating to the cloud could be one of the best business decisions you can make.

The first and most important question to ask: Is this the right thing to do at the right time?

Before you begin strategizing, you’ll need to decide if it’s the right time for your business to migrate to the cloud.

A trusted IT support partner will be able to help you to make that decision based on several factors unique to your business. Here’s a quick look at some of the main benefits and challenges.

Decreased Hosting Costs

You’ll no longer need to keep your in-house servers running and maintained. And, there’s also no capital expenditure to consider, as cloud services are usually subscription-based – no hardware to buy.

Better Scalability

Cloud-based services allow you to scale your capacity as and when you need to, automatically. If your business proliferates, you won’t need to change your entire infrastructure to meet your new needs.

It also means that maintenance and updating can be carried out remotely, making it much faster to fix problems, which means less downtime.

Increased Security

This is a massive priority for cloud service providers. Keeping your data safe is as crucial to their reputation as yours. They offer greater security than you get from in-house servers, and they have additional measures to provide maximum protection.

Improved Disaster Recovery

This is vital for any business. While you should already have a solid disaster recovery plan when you move to the cloud, the backup and recovery solutions you will benefit from will be more cost-effective and less time-consuming.

These are the challenges.

Downtime

Migration may take your servers down for a time. As well as the obvious implications, this can affect your applications’ performance if they’re not correctly backed up.

Data Loss

Your data is most vulnerable during the migration process. Extreme care and adequate measures must avoid lost information or a breach.

Communication

Some of your older applications may struggle to communicate with newer cloud services. This means you may have to adapt some of your processes to fit your new cloud provider.

Initial Planning

You’ve decided that migrating to the cloud is the best option for your business; you’ll need to start some preliminary planning. Before you can do this, it’s essential that you understand your reasons for moving to the cloud and the benefits you’re expecting to get from it.

Making Big Decisions

Next, you’ll need to decide what level of cloud integration your business will need.

This might sound complicated, but remember, you’ll already understand your cloud server requirements if you’ve created a good plan. Now is the time to make the right choices to suit your business.

You will need to decide if a single or multi-cloud solution is best.

Choosing a single cloud provider makes for a more straightforward migration. However, the downside is that you’re locked in with just one provider. That means you’re essentially starting the entire process for any future migration. It could also make it harder for you to negotiate terms, like pricing or service level agreements (SLAs).

A multi-cloud solution means you use two or more cloud providers. This effectively means you can take advantage of several different benefits simultaneously.

Implementing the Migration

While you probably won’t be handling the physical migration yourself, you need to plan how it will happen. Will you switch your entire system to your new cloud version all at once, or will you do it a little at a time?

There are pros and cons to each method, but realistically, moving it piece by piece allows you the opportunity to test if those things are working as they should be without risking downtime in the process.

Final Review

Nothing can be declared a success without proof that it works as anticipated.

Create a set of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to help you see precisely how well your new cloud-based system performs. Your KPIs should measure success and be a good indicator or a pre-warning there’s a problem on the horizon. QCBN

By Theo Soumilas

For additional information or to schedule an appointment to assist your business, call Theo Soumilas at 928-719-7724 or visit www.northernazit.com.

Theo Soumilas is the owner of Northern Arizona IT servicing Arizona.

Securing Your Remote Workers

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Cybercrime is on the rise across the world.

Over the last few years, we have seen several tech companies, such as Buffer, Todoist and Help Scout, to name a few, switch to a fully remote or partial work setup. Most of these companies spent months preparing for the switch by training their employees, setting up remote work policies and ensuring the necessary infrastructure was in place to deal with cybersecurity threats.

However, many companies were forced to make the switch overnight when COVID-19 hit. Very few got the chance to fully prepare themselves, which left them more vulnerable to cyberattacks and data breaches. And this is exactly what cybercriminals are capitalizing on.

Risks, Consequences of Not Updating Your Security Protocols, Training Programs

For starters, your existing protocols and training programs were created in a pre-pandemic world. However, things have since changed drastically. Now, employees access critical company data through connections and devices that are beyond your control, making your company more vulnerable to cybersecurity threats than ever.

Failure to update company security protocols and training programs could lead to the following consequences:

Business paralysis: There has been a massive rise in DDoS attacks over the last few months. And such attacks typically lead to website downtime, increased vulnerability and disruption of business operations.

Compromise of crucial business information: If you fail to defend yourself, cybercriminals may end up getting away with everything from confidential client data, patents, sales information, business plans and much more.

Financial implications: The world saw an alarming 105% surge in ransomware cyberattacks last year. But paying ransom is not the sole financial implication. A breach could see you lose money, your clients’ financial details, your reputation and much more.

Legal sanctions: If you fail to adequately protect yourself against cyberattacks, you could face everything from consumer lawsuits, hefty fines and sanctions, to even a business shutdown.

How Can You Secure Your Remote Workforce?

To protect your company against cyberattacks and data breaches, you need to constantly evolve and grow to stay one step ahead of cybercriminals. The moment you lower your guard, there’s every chance a nefarious cybercriminal will look to exploit any vulnerabilities. In fact, all it could take is a password shared publicly on a team chat app, an accidental click on a phishing link, or confidential company information accessed through a public Wi-Fi connection.

This is why you need to have a new IT Policy in place that directly addresses remote workforce requirements. Apart from that, you must ensure all employees receive additional security training.

  • Personal device security: If your company allows employees to work using their personal devices, it is your responsibility to ensure they are of a minimum standard. You must clearly define what is permissible and what is not – the type of devices, operating systems, applications and websites that can be accessed.
  • Besides that, give your employees a list of all security, remote access, VPN and other tools they need to install before they start. Your employees should also be aware of the level of access/control you have over their devices, the type of technical support you can provide and the company’s right to wipe/alter the devices.
  • Network security: Public Wi-Fi and home Wi-Fi networks are nowhere near as secure as the LAN connection in your office. That’s why you must enforce minimum-security standards to ensure employees don’t put company data at risk. Define everything from Wi-Fi encryption standards, Wi-Fi password difficulty, network security software, router safety guidelines and the types of devices that can be connected to the same network. Also, the use of public Wi-Fi must be actively discouraged. In case an employee has no other alternative, give them a list of essential safety guidelines that they need to follow — secure connection, WPA3 compliance, websites to avoid and so on.
  • Cybersecurity training programs: Because of this sudden migration to a remote work setup, IT teams in most organizations are stretched beyond their limits. They have to take care of support requests and make sure data and digital assets are safe and secure. This is why you need to make sure your employees get adequate cybersecurity training and are equipped to deal with common and emerging cyberthreats.

The training program must include everything from password management, using multifactor authentication, identifying phishing and ransomware attacks, guarding personal devices against cyberattacks, operating/updating security software, configuring Wi-Fi, setting up VPNs, email usage, reporting/responding to cyberattacks and much more.

Strengthening Your First Line of Defense

Cybercrime is on the rise across the world. The ongoing economic downturn is only going to make things worse. That’s why you need to ensure everyone in your organization has their guard up at all times. QCBN

By Theo Soumilas

For additional information or to schedule an appointment to assist your business, call 928-719-7724 or visit www.northernazit.com.

Theo Soumilas is the owner of Northern Arizona IT, servicing Arizona.

Data Privacy Versus Data Security: A Closer Look

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In simple terms, data privacy and data security are two sides of the same coin.

The importance of data privacy and data security has grown exponentially as organizations today collect and store more information than ever before. Having a robust data protection strategy is critical to safeguard confidential information and to ensure smooth functioning of your business. But before we move on, let’s take a step back to understand the key concepts of data privacy and data security.

The terms data privacy and data security are often misunderstood and are often used interchangeably. However, they are two separate concepts. Data privacy focuses on how information is handled, stored and used, while data security is concerned with protecting your organization’s assets.

Understanding Data Privacy

Data privacy deals with the regulations and practices to ensure data is responsibly handled. It includes how information is collected, processed, stored and disseminated. Any organization that collects and stores data or does business across the globe should comply with several privacy regulations, such as California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS), Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) and other privacy laws.

The aim of these regulations is to protect and enhance consumer and personal privacy. These rules give individuals the right to know what information is collected, why it’s collected and how it’s processed. As data privacy regulations are growing globally and becoming more complex, privacy requirements are also changing. Non-compliance to these laws could cost your business dearly.

Importance of Data Privacy

Data privacy is an individual’s right to control who has access to personal information and how it should be used. This also protects personal information from being sold or redistributed to third parties. When organizations collect customers’ data, it is the organization’s responsibility to protect and preserve their clients’ sensitive information. Not having a privacy policy in place or failure to comply with privacy laws can lead to serious consequences, apart from legal actions and financial loss.

Understanding Data Security

Data security is the process of protecting information from unauthorized access, data corruption and data loss. A data security process includes various techniques, data management practices and technologies that act as defense mechanisms to protect data from internal and external threats.

Data security is concerned with what an organization does with the data collected, where and how the data is stored, and regulates who can access the information. A comprehensive data security strategy will help prevent data breaches, ensure business continuity and keep your company’s data safe from cyberthreats.

Importance of Data Security

The phrase, “data is the new oil,” coined by Clive Robert Humby in 2006, stands true in today’s competitive business environment. Data security is critical for the smooth functioning of day-to-day operations and running a business successfully. Failure to protect your organization’s confidential data can damage your brand’s value, result in regulatory penalties or shut down your business.

Depending upon the purpose, type of industry or geographical location, your business can implement security compliance frameworks and international standards, such as the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS). These frameworks provide guidance and best practices for information security to help you assess IT security measures, manage risks, respond to security incidents and improve your information security management system.

Difference Between Data Privacy and Data Security

In simple terms, data privacy and data security are two sides of the same coin. They have distinct concepts but are closely related. Achieving data security doesn’t ensure data privacy – and vice versa – but both are required to establish a comprehensive data protection strategy. Knowing the difference between these terms will help you strategize better, prevent data breaches and stay legally compliant.

Let’s distinguish the two concepts with a hypothetical example.

Assume you own a laptop, where you store personal information. To avoid people from accessing those files, you pasted a sticker on the cover that reads “Do Not Touch.” But in order to add an extra layer of privacy, in case people don’t read or ignore the sticker, you locked the computer with a secure password.

There are two things to note here. First, the “Do Not Touch” sticker tells people to keep away from your laptop, thereby authorizing your privacy. Second, the password ensures no one can access your data, thereby protecting your data from unauthorized access.

How to Achieve Data Privacy and Security While Being Legally Compliant

Achieving data privacy and data security and complying with several laws have their own set of challenges. Even large organizations struggle to understand and implement the right security management and compliance measures. QCBN

By Theo Soumilas

For additional information or to schedule an appointment to assist your business, call 928-719-7724 or visit www.northernazit.com.

Theo Soumilas is the owner of Northern Arizona IT servicing Arizona.

Six Signs You Need a Tech Refresh

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Is it time to refresh your company’s technology?

When used strategically, technology can help small- and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) develop a more productive, efficient and innovative workforce. That’s why businesses that prioritize technology are three times more likely to exceed corporate goals.  In a business world that’s evolving at a breakneck pace, your company may not be able to perform at its full potential if it lacks the necessary technology.

Technology can improve:

  •  Business communication
  •  Decision making
  •  Marketing
  •  Security
  •  Customer support
  •  Resource management
  •  Time and cost efficiency

However, even the most cutting-edge technology can experience the occasional hiccup and slow you down if you don’t keep up with regular updates and support. Performing an annual technology refresh can help you avoid this altogether.

A technology refresh is the process of replacing technology components regularly by evaluating their ability to integrate with other infrastructure components and obsolescence, rather than waiting until the outdated element becomes the most significant impediment to achieving your company’s vision.

A technology refresh is crucial because maintaining legacy infrastructure components comes at a cost. It exposes your systems to hackers, reduces overall productivity and may even drive your most valuable employees out the door because they are tired of dealing with outdated technology that makes it difficult to do their jobs. Additionally, as the costs of maintaining outdated IT components and the risks of failure continue to rise, day-to-day operations can be negatively impacted.

Warning Signs to Look Out For

Is it time to refresh your company’s technology? Keep an eye out for the following six signs:

  1. Slow-Running Systems

Slow systems consume a significant amount of a company’s valuable time. The slowness could be caused by several factors, including a failed integration, virus or lack of updates. It’s critical to find and fix the problem as soon as possible to get back to optimal performance levels.

  1. Suspicious Pop-Ups

Suspicious pop-ups typically warn users that their system is vulnerable to a security threat or has a technical problem. Cybercriminals then prey on worried users who want to make sure their system is secure by extorting money to fix issues and eliminate threats that do not exist. One of the best ways to keep such malicious players at bay is by immediately refreshing/updating legacy systems.

  1. Random Shutdowns

It’s normal for systems to shut down to install critical updates. However, if the shutdowns are frequent and unpredictable, then there is a problem that needs to be addressed. While random shutdowns can be caused by a range of factors, such as an unstable power supply, virus/malware or corrupted files, it could also be a warning sign that the system is due for an update/refresh.

  1. Connection Issues

Occasionally getting cut off from the internet in the middle of a crucial task or meeting can be inconvenient, but what if it happens regularly? It could be a sign that your system has a flaw that needs to be fixed. However, if software patching fails to resolve the issue, it may be time to refresh the system.

  1. Lack of Integration Between Your Systems, Software and Technology

Integration is critical for today’s firms because the current technology landscape is evolving rapidly and businesses may have to depend on multiple vendors for different solutions. So, if any technology component in your company does not integrate with the rest of the infrastructure, it should be replaced immediately.

  1. Your System Acts Possessed

You’ve probably seen situations where tabs open and close on their own, the mouse moves in the opposite direction, things open on your desktop at random and files get downloaded without your knowledge. In such cases, you should consider a system refresh before consulting an exorcist. Systems without proper patching and update history may exhibit strange behavior.

Collaboration Is the Best Way Forward

Technological roadblocks can be frustrating, and attempting to overcome them on your own can be overwhelming. Get started on your path to a technology refresh with an experienced partner. Knowing that the process is in expert hands gives you peace of mind and allows you to focus on growing your business. QCBN

By Theo Soumilas

For additional information or to schedule an appointment to assist your business, call 928-719-7724 or visit www.northernazit.com.

Theo Soumilas is the owner of Northern Arizona IT servicing Arizona.

How a ‘Compliance First’ Mindset Limits Liabilities

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A “Compliance First” approach covers a broad range of critical considerations to keep a business compliant.

By adopting a “Compliance First” strategy when choosing solutions and vendors, you will identify those that do not comply with your requirements, eliminate them from your selection process and then select from the rest. It also means evaluating your current solutions and vendors and replacing those that cannot support your compliance requirements.

In simple terms, compliance is anything someone else makes you do. This means laws, regulations, contracts and even the terms of a cyber insurance policy. Failure to act responsibly can have devastating results — hefty penalties, lawsuits, investigations and the failure to have insurance cover big claims that can exceed $1 million.

If you think compliance is unimportant for you or only applies to enterprises, think again. No business is immune to compliance regulations, which is in fact, a good thing. By knowing your business must be compliant, you can avoid fines and penalties, improve operational safety, improve public relations, prevent attrition and above all, ensure that liability insurance claims pay out in the event of an incident. Compliance has a measurable Return on Investment (ROI).

By making the “Compliance First” approach your first step, you can meet minimum regulatory requirements to protect against fines while also staying in compliance with liability insurance requirements. After this, you can improve your business’ compliance posture further by adopting additional measures.

A Single Compliance Mistake Can Invalidate Liability Insurance Claims

Many small- and medium-sized businesses prefer to use free or the most affordable solutions possible. If you’re one of them, keep in mind that this is not a safe practice. Without solutions that meet security, encryption and reporting standards outlined by regulations that you must abide by (HIPAA, CMMC, PCI-DSS and GDPR), you could face three key problems:

1)         Suffering a preventable catastrophic breach

2)         Risk of non-compliance and subsequent fines

3)         Risk of violating and nullifying liability insurance policies, leaving you financially exposed

Using cheap or low-cost non-compliant solutions may be tempting but it can cause your business to assume all the reputational and financial risk and cost in the event a compliance violation comes to light. Remember that you do not have to use a bunch of non-compliant solutions to invalidate your insurance; even using just a single non-compliant solution can cause your claim to be denied.

All your insurance claims that cover compliance regulation infractions specific to HIPAA, CMMC, GDPR or PCI-DSS can be invalidated by a single act of negligence. If the vague regulatory guidelines overwhelm you, you are not alone. But it is worth taking the time to learn more about your requirements, so your organization can become adequately protected.

The Cost of Non-Compliance

Many businesses think of compliance spending as an unrewarded cost of business rather than considering it as an investment in protecting assets. This leads to less spending on compliant software or even under-staffing of compliance teams. If your business eventually ends up being non-compliant, it can have devastating reputational and financial consequences.

HIPAA penalties often exceed $ 1 million. Defense contractors can lose their main source of revenue by not complying with cybersecurity requirements.

If you accept credit cards, PCI-DSS violations can draw penalties ranging from $5,000 to $100,000 per month by payment providers (VISA, Discover and others). Penalties depend on the volume of clients and transactions.

GDPR violations lead to hefty violation fines worth 2% to 4% or more of company revenue based on the severity of the violation.

Even the information you have about your workforce is protected by state and federal laws.

Begin With a Compliance First Approach for Product Selection

A “Compliance First” approach covers a broad range of critical considerations to keep a business compliant. However, if you do not know where to begin, start with a business tool audit. The internal tools to audit for compliance are:

  • Voice services like VoIP
  • Cloud storage and file hosting
  • Document sharing and transfer services
  • Productivity tools
  • Communication tools
  • Any digital tool, product or service used for business

Many regulations require data, including voice messages and emails, to be encrypted in transit and when stored. Find out if your version is compliant by reviewing each solution’s product sheet or release notes. If it’s still unclear whether or not the solution provides the type of compliance you’re looking for, contact the technology vendor directly to get an independent audit report of their compliance with the requirements you must meet.

The “Compliance First” approach can help develop a compliance-oriented culture within your business, thus preventing your business from falling into the quicksand of non-compliance. QCBN

By Theo Soumilas

For additional information or to schedule an appointment to assist your business, call 928.719.7724 or visit www.northernazit.com.

Theo Soumilas is the owner of Northern Arizona IT servicing Arizona.

Should You Upgrade to Windows 11?

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The real question is whether it is worth upgrading? The answer is…wait.

Microsoft introduced Windows 11 on Oct. 5, 2021, as a free upgrade from Windows 10. This is a rolling introduction, so over time when you check for updates on your Windows 10 computer, it will ask if you want to download and upgrade to Windows 11. You don’t see the upgrade? There is a chance that you haven’t been selected to download it yet or your computer is not within the proper specifications to successfully run Windows 11. Here are the base requirements:

  • 64-bit processor
  • 4GB of memory
  • 64GB of storage
  • UEFI secure boot
  • TPM Trusted Platform Module 2.0

It’s that last one that gets tricky for some people, especially on cheaper laptops. If you’ve got a CPU older than a seventh-gen Intel Core series (we’re up to 11th-gen now), you might be in trouble. There is an application you can run to see if your computer is capable of running Windows 11. Search Google for “Microsoft PC Health Check App.” For you techies out there, there are workarounds for installing Windows 11 anyway, but proceed with those at your own risk.

Once you install Windows 11, you are going to see the first visual difference. The start menu and taskbar are now centered on the bottom of the screen, rather than aligned to the left by default.

Easily organizing a bunch of open windows so you can see and access them when you want (and hide them when you don’t) is handy once you get the hang of it. The ability to snap windows into preset slots on the desktop has been around for a while now, but the new Snap Groups and Snap Layouts have made it easier for us.

Multiple desktops are a common MacOS feature, and a good way to keep your digital life organized. For example, you can keep all your work apps, email programs, browsers, video conference apps on one desktop, and all your gaming apps on another. Like on a Mac, you hot swap between them, it’s just a change in how your open apps are visualized.

Remember “Gadgets” in Windows 7? They are back but with a different name: Widget. On the plus side, the new widgets are easy to find. Hit the button and a semi-transparent panel pops out from the left edge of the screen. It has, by default, widgets for weather, your Outlook calendar, photos you may have in OneDrive, a To Do list and a few others. You can customize the list a bit, but there are not too many options for now.

Microsoft Teams is now fully integrated into Windows 11.

There are other additions like pressing Windows + Shift + S to take a screenshot and the Edge Browser now has a kid’s safe mode. A big one that they are working on is the ability to run Android Apps in windows. There are more and a simple search in Google will list the various changes to Windows 11.

The real question is whether it is worth upgrading? The answer is…wait. If you want the latest and greatest, go for it, install it, play with it. For the rest of us, and especially for businesses, let’s wait until the next update to 11 comes out. This revision to the current version of 11 will fix any bugs, issues and security flaws that may pop up during the initial introduction.

I know, I know, why can’t you give me a real answer? Here it is, if you MUST have the latest and greatest, install it. If you don’t have to have the latest and greatest, don’t install it, yet. QCBN

By Theo Soumilas

For additional information or to schedule an appointment to assist your business, call 928-719-7724 or visit northernazit.com.

Theo Soumilas is the owner of Northern Arizona IT servicing Arizona.

Why Cybersecurity Needs a Multi-Layered Approach

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Cybercrime is a serious risk, which is why you need to make cybersecurity a priority.

Did you know that by the end of 2021, cybercrime will cost the world $6 trillion a year?

Cybercrime is a serious risk, which is why you need to make cybersecurity a priority. A password is often the first line of defense. But a password alone isn’t enough to protect your business’s sensitive data.

Why? Because passwords are created by people and are easy to crack. We all know somebody who uses the same password over and over again or scribbles passwords on post-it notes to jog their memory. This is a data breach waiting to happen. For real peace of mind, you should consider two-factor authentication.

This adds an extra layer of security, making your data much harder to access. Of course, two-factor authentication is not the only solution. Security is a multi-layered approach. Here are a few more things to consider:

A necessary component in every network is a Business Class firewall with security software that is continuously monitoring traffic. As a bonus, you can also block your employees from accessing social media, gaming sites, etc.

You will need Antivirus and Antimalware software on each computer and server in your business.

Implement separate WiFi networks for devices that can’t be protected, like Google Home, Alexa and other IoT (Internet of Things) equipment. Something as simple as your NEST thermostat is a potential risk to your business. Yes, someone has figured out how to hack a NEST thermostat.

Security software is critical and often overlooked. Security software monitors your computers, servers and the network for malicious traffic. Once found, a SOC (Security Operations Center) responds, in order to slow and stop the spread.

SPAM filters that scan your email before it comes to your computer not only suppress those annoying spam emails, but can also stop that virus from intruding.

Last, but certainly not least, is a security training solution for you and your staff. It teaches them what to look for in suspicious emails and when to delete them. These training systems will also send fake phishing emails to see how your staff reacts without damage.

As you can see, the days of installing Antivirus software are long gone. You must have a layered security approach. With the increasing use of remote workers, we are now bringing in other private, unsecured networks into the environment, further increasing the risk. QCBN

By Theo Soumilas

For additional information or to schedule an appointment to assist your business with a Cyber Crime defense program, call 928-719-7724 or visit northernazit.com.

Theo Soumilas is the owner of Northern Arizona IT servicing the Quad Cities, Phoenix and Northern Arizona.

Windows 11 is Almost Here

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Windows 11 is the biggest release of a new Windows operating system in six years. It looks amazing. And it should be here next month.

Microsoft announced the launch of Windows 11 back in June, at an online event. Since then, it’s been difficult to avoid new info and updates on the brand new OS.

If you’re even remotely interested, you’ve probably already seen sneak previews of the sleek new design. If you haven’t, Google it.

And the great news is, if you’re already using Windows 10, you’ll be able to upgrade for free.

Yes, there’s a bit of a wait to upgrade from Windows 10, but since there are new hardware requirements, the extra time may be helpful.

To work with Windows 11, your machines will need to have:

 

  • A 1GHz, 64-bit processor with two or more cores.
  • 4GB of RAM.
  • 64GB of hard drive storage.
  • Oh, and Microsoft has said you’ll also need a Trusted Platform Model (TPM) chip, which is a security chip to run the software. TPM 2.0 is recommended, but not a necessity.

And with the stylish new look comes a load of new tools that we can’t wait to see. Here are four my team and I are excited about.

Teams

Since the way we work has changed so much in the last 18 months, Teams has been worth its weight in gold. And Microsoft knows it. So, Teams will be integrated into the OS. You’ll be able to access it directly from the taskbar.

Your desktop on any Windows 11 device

There will be better virtual desktop support. That means you can access your profile on any device that has Windows 11, making it even easier for you to work anywhere at any time. This is excellent news for people hot desking; hybrid workers; or for switching between your personal and work profiles.

Widgets

Although widgets aren’t new, they’ve been given a makeover, making them more accessible directly from your taskbar. You’ll even be able to personalize them, making it simpler to access the ones you need at a click.

Android apps

Windows 11 will support Android apps. Hooray!

Gone are the days you had to make do with the limited selection of apps on offer. You’ll be able to use the Amazon Appstore to access a huge range of apps, making your life easier.

It’s packed with exciting new stuff, and that means saying goodbye to some old things as well.

First, we’ll be saying farewell to Cortana, the voice assistant. Though if you’re really attached, you’ll be able to use her… she just won’t be pinned to the taskbar.

This next one may come as a bit of a surprise, but Skype will no longer be integrated. That’s because Teams has taken over as the primary way to video call in Windows. Again, if you can’t live without it, you’ll be able to add it to your device as an app.

Some of the taskbar functionality will change, too. For example, you’ll only be able to have it positioned along the bottom of the screen.

Lastly – and this may come as no surprise – after being in every version of Windows since 1995, Internet Explorer is out. It will, of course, be replaced by Microsoft Edge as the preferred browser.

It may seem as though there are going to be massive differences between Windows 10 and 11, but I believe it should still be intuitive and easy to navigate. It looks like Microsoft has created a better user experience.

Do you use any of these things right now? Will you miss them?

For additional information or to schedule an appointment to assist your business, call 928-719-7724 or visit www.northernazit.com. QCBN

By Theo Soumilas

Theo Soumilas is the owner of Northern Arizona IT, servicing Arizona.

Guarding Against Cybercrime

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And cybercriminals are becoming smarter by the day. They target all businesses, all the time.

What’s the fastest-growing crime in the U.S.? I’ll give you a clue. It’s completely invisible and it can overwhelm you in seconds: cybercrime. Here are some statistics:

There were 5.5 million cybercrimes committed last year: 52% of the breaches featured hacking; 28% involved malware; 32%-33% included phishing or social engineering. And cybercriminals are becoming smarter by the day. They target all businesses, all the time. They are using intelligent automated tools to find weaknesses in anyone’s network.

Here are the eight most common causes of a data breach to your business:

  • Weak and Stolen Credentials, a.k.a. Passwords
  • Back Doors, Application Vulnerabilities
  • Malware
  • Social Engineering
  • Too Many Permissions
  • Insider Threats
  • Improper Configuration and User Error

So, how can you protect yourself? You need a blended approach. That means an appropriate level of security software – enough to protect you, but not too much to annoy your team all day. For example, a business-class firewall with security utilities, computer and server antivirus and antimalware software, monitored patching and maintenance of systems.

One item that is often overlooked is the proper design of your environment, both physically and virtually. Always have a backup solution that is monitored, tested and secure. There are times when the only solution is to recover the data from a backup.

Finally, add in regular cybersecurity awareness training for your team, followed by a security policy. This simple task is one of the most effective deterrences to a cybercrime happening to your organization.

Finally, there’s no guarantee you won’t suffer a breach. But, the odds of becoming a victim will dramatically go down.

For additional information or to schedule an appointment to assist your business with a cybercrime defense program, call 928-719-7724 or visit northernazit.com. QCBN

By Theo Soumilas

Theo Soumilas is the owner of Northern Arizona IT servicing the Quad Cities, Phoenix and Northern Arizona.

Boost Productivity, Save Time, Improve the Customer Experience

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Here are the 10 Microsoft 365 apps we think every business should look closely at.

Microsoft 365 is like a treasure chest, full of delights waiting to be discovered. Most businesses get it just to access Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Teams. Then, they find out there are so many other apps included. Find the right ones and you can save time, increase productivity and motivation, and create a smoother workflow for everyone in your business. But finding the right apps to suit your business isn’t always easy. There are hundreds from which to choose.

Here are the 10 Microsoft 365 apps we think every business should look closely at.

Planner: There are lots of project planning apps available. Think Asana, Trello, Monday, Basecamp etc. But for us, Planner stands out. It’s easy to use and comprehensive. You can use it to make plans and manage whole projects.

For each task, you create a team, create to-do lists and assign tasks to members. And it integrates with other apps to allow direct file sharing and add tasks to your calendars, too.

Bookings: Do you make appointments or schedule meetings with your team, clients or other contacts? If so, look at Bookings. It allows you to schedule appointments with anyone. Send invites where the recipient can select a time and date that suits them best and customize the booking. Then it’s automatically added to your Outlook calendar. You can also use Bookings to add Teams meeting links, and even embed it into your website so that prospects can access the live calendars of you and your sales team.

Power Automate: Ever find yourself repeating the same actions over and over again? Power Automate can automate these tasks for you, saving you loads of time. Power Automate connects to lots of the other Microsoft 365 apps you might be using. It creates workflows using the actions you use most often. It can also inform other apps of changes you’ve made, sync files, and even post messages to Teams when a new task is created in Planner.

Power Apps: This has been hailed as the leader in the no-code revolution. It gives your people the tools they need to create apps that improve their working lives.

Power Apps can take away the manual entry of data and push out updates to your team’s smartphones, so they stay updated wherever they are.

You can implement the logic and workflows created in Power Automate, create your templates, or build it yourself. And you can use it on the web, on mobiles and even embed it in Teams or SharePoint. Almost anyone in your business could use this easily.

SharePoint: SharePoint is essentially an intranet for your business. It’s a trendy way to share resources, web pages and news on a large scale. It’s completely customizable, so you can use your company logo and color scheme and make it look exactly as you want it.

Yammer: Essentially, this is Facebook for business. It’s an internal communication platform.  It’s like Slack and Discord, yet it has more of a Facebook-style feed, so it feels more familiar to use. It can be integrated with Teams, meaning your people can dip in and out of conversations quickly. But it’s more of a company-wide sharing platform. You can use it to create polls, give news updates and start discussions. It’s excellent for building a community feel in your workplace.

Sway: This one is a PowerPoint-lite, with a bit of Canva thrown in for good measure. With Sway, you can create presentations, newsletters and other documents quickly and efficiently, then share them within the business. It’s best used for presentations that viewers guide themselves through, rather than those that you would present. So, it could be used for company newsletters, brochures and reports.

Stream: As the name may suggest, Stream is your business’s answer to YouTube. It’s an internal video-sharing platform where you can upload, share and create videos.

To Do: Who doesn’t love an excellent organized to-do list? To-Do (formerly Wunderlist) allows you to create lists, track and prioritize tasks and organize different areas of your business. You can see immediately what’s been completed and what still needs to be done (and by whom). You can add notes to give someone a nudge or to add information about specific actions and attachments. And, of course, share your lists with anyone you need to.

Clarity: It’s helpful if you know how people are using your website. If you know what they’re clicking on, and more importantly, what they’re not engaging with, you can change your website so it performs even better. QCBN

By Theo Soumilas

For additional information or to schedule an appointment to assist your business, call 928-719-7724 or visit northernazit.com

Theo Soumilas is the owner of Northern Arizona IT servicing Arizona.