B.Y.O.D. What does it mean? Can it help me?

Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) is a growing trend in business today.   The idea behind BYOD is you bring your own computer, phone, or other electronic device and use it at your job or business.  For more detail, here is a further explanation from Wikipedia, 

"Bring your own device (BYOD) (also called bring your own technology (BYOT), bring your own phone (BYOP), and bring your own PC (BYOPC)) means the policy of permitting employees to bring personally owned mobile devices (laptops, tablets, and smart phones) to their workplace, and use those devices to access privileged company information and applications. The term is also used to describe the same practice applied to students using personally owned devices in education settings.

BYOD is making significant inroads in the business world, with about 75% of employees in high growth markets such as Brazil and Russia and 44% in developed markets already using their own technology at work. In most cases, businesses simply can't block the trend. Some believe that BYOD may help employees be more productive. Others say it increases employee morale and convenience by using their own devices and makes the company look like a flexible and attractive employer"

Wikipedia

BYOD growing as a trend in small to medium size businesses.  It is an attractive option that allows business to spend less on hardware, improve employee morale, and focus on other capital intensive functions.

At the same time BYOD presents a security risk, specifically accessing confidential and proprietary information on a personal device, the additional cost of supporting several different types of devices, and the challenge of software use.

If you want to find out if BYOD might be a good fit for you and your business, feel free to contact me. 

Microsoft admits to a Windows user interface design mistake?

The first thing I hear when a client discusses Windows 8 is, "Where is the Start button?"  Complaints  about Windows 8 and it user interface redesign have been common place since its release, but now it seems like something is going to be done about it.  Windows 8.1 is going to be released later this year with some major changes to Windows 8, including adding a Start Button, common user tools, and a reversion to the Windows 7 look feel.  So is Windows 8 a big mistake?   I think that the issue is larger than that.  Here is a excerpt from a Forbes article that is  a good summary of the issues,  

"So, is Windows 8.1 a “mea culpa” from Microsoft? Perhaps. Microsoft has taken issue with the concept that Windows 8.1 is any sort of apology for Windows 8, or that the latest operating system  is the “New Coke” of this generation.

Whether or not it’s any sort of acknowledgement of failure for Windows 8, Windows 8.1 is essentially Windows 8 Service Pack 1. It’s the big update that fixes the bugs, addresses the issues, and adds new features users want. The fact that Microsoft is not calling it Service Pack 1, and the way Microsoft is positioning and deploying Windows 8.1 is significant, though.

Microsoft typically takes years to develop and release a new operating system. There were more than five years between the launch of Windows XP and Windows Vista, and nearly three years between Windows Vista and Windows 7. People in general have an aversion to change, but Microsoft has fostered a culture where Windows users become so entrenched in the status quo that even minor tweaks to the operating system are a major shock. More than 10 years after its launch, and more than six years after the launch of its successor, Windows XP is still the number two operating system with more than a third of the desktop operating system market."

Original Article

Some of the feature improvements in Windows 8.1 sound promising, but the one that I am holding out for is the Start button.   Weather Windows 8 is a failure or not time will tell. 

Do you really need a Full Internet Security Suite?

There is a lot of discussion on internet security and the requirement for additional security software.  I am a believer that there are some very good free tools that can address all of your security needs.  Attached is an excellent article on if you need a Full Internet Security Suite.   Please let me know you comments.

HTG Explains: Why You Don’t Need a Full Internet Security Suite

World Back Up Day!

You can never have enough reminders to back up your data, so yet another reminder, it's World Back Up Day!  Why World Back Up Day? Here it is straight from their site, 

"You might think your computer, phone or tablet is pretty reliable, but in reality, it's not. Everything (yes, everything) fails, and once it does, all the important information you've stored on that device can be destroyed. In fact, it's not a question of if a piece of technology will fail - it's when.

More than 60 million computers will fail worldwide in 2013. Only 1 in 4 people back up their information regularly - that's roughly 45 million times this year where files will be lost forever. Even worse - 113 cell phones are lost or stolen every minute in the United States alone. That's hundreds of photos, conversations, calendars and more, gone in an instant.

It's important to be ready. That's why we created World Backup Day - to show you how to prepare for the inevitable. We'll help you to devise a plan to store your precious memories and information in a safe location. Because there's nothing worse than losing something important to you."

http://www.worldbackupday.com/

As discussed in my previous blog posts, I suggest iDrive for a remote back up system.   I use it myself and have been very happy with the results.   

What do I do if I think my computer has a virus?

There are many schools of thought on what to do if you computer gets a virus, here are the steps that I suggest you follow.

1) Stop all network access.  This means, disconnect form any network connection, including the internet.   This means disconnect any network cables, wireless, or other network connections.   This ensures that if there are any viruses that are dependent on network connections, their capabilities are restricted.   Furthermore you then prevent propagation to other networked computers. 

2) Document what you saw that made you suspect that you have a virus.   This includes the way the computer operated, any screen warnings, pop ups, or any antivirius warnings.   The better the detail, the more effective the response to the virus based on researching the root cause 

3) Shut your computer down.   Depending on the type of virus, the longer you leave your computer on, the more severe the damage. Shut down as soon as possible.

4) Verify your back up, have your system restore disks, and software installation disks.   Again depending on the type and severity of the virus, the system might not be able to be recovered without formatting and reinstalling the operating system.   If you do not have back ups, system restore disks, or software installation disks, a different strategy, more costly,  might have to be used in order to recover your system and its files. 

5) Attempt a virus removal on your own, or contact Collaboration Lab for virus removal.   We offer a free 15 min. estimate, so if you are hesitant about cost we can give you not to exceed estimate before starting. 

One other point, it is a good idea to change your passwords that were used on that computer.   Again, dependent on the type of virus on the computer there is a possibility that you passwords have been compromised.  Better safe than sorry. 

If you have any questions, feel free to comment or contact me.