Think for a moment about why you take your car in for routine maintenance. You know that if you don’t get the oil and filters changed and a few fluids topped up that your car is going to have problems.

They may not happen right away but the longer you neglect your car, the more risk there is that something will go terribly wrong. It’s either do the proper maintenance or deal with your car’s gas mileage getting worse and maybe it even breaking down at the side of the highway.

Computers and servers are much the same way. If you neglect them and don’t perform regular maintenance, they will have problems. Sometimes it will just be minor, such as running slowly, but it could be worse and lead to a catastrophic crash.

You need to make sure your IT plan includes a strong maintenance schedule for your computers and servers. It doesn’t need to be done manually and it should be done outside of regular business hours.

Maintenance should be happening at least weekly. Here are the 5 main things your maintenance should include:

Microsoft Windows updates – Microsoft is regularly fixing bugs with their software and closing security holes. This applies to servers and computers, both their operating systems and other Microsoft programs like Office. If you’re not doing these updates, your systems will have more problems and you’ll get frustrated regularly.

Third party software updates – many programs and websurfing rely on Java, Flash or other Adobe products like Reader. In recent years hackers have targeted exploits within these programs to get viruses onto computers. These need to be updated regularly to protect your environment.

Server optimization – an efficiently running server can make your office run more efficiently and prevent downtime. There are numerous tasks you can do on servers to speed them up and increase reliability.

Computer optimization – same with computers. If you ever feel your computer is running slow, you’re right and it’s probably because it needs to be better optimized.

Device firmware updates – last but not least, your network devices have something called firmware running on them. Just like Windows updates this gets updated regularly by the manufacturer for both functionality and security. These should be done at least quarterly.

If you’re not having maintenance done on your network, give us a call and we’ll help you change that!

Organizations that have a firefighting approach to IT instead of a proactive one usually don’t have any sort of IT plan in place. Fires pop up and they are doused but there is no long range planning to prevent these fires from coming up in the first place.

The way to aggressively tackle this challenge is to develop a forward looking IT plan for the next 3-4 years. When it comes to technology, planning more than a year in advance can sometimes be a challenge but you should still be able to map out the big things such as:

• Server(s) life and replacement
• Email – hosting onsite or migrating to the cloud
• Security plan – how your business is being protected from external threats
• User support – what users should do on a day-to-day basis when they face issues
• Proactive monitoring, management and maintenance – what is being done on a week-to-week basis to prevent issues
• Computer inventory and replacement cycle for next four years
• Line of Business applications upgrade path
• Mobile device management (BYOD or company-owned)
• Firewall and other network device software renewals and replacement plan
• Backup, Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery

The first step is to decide on these elements and get them written down. Now you have a game plan for your IT that will help you avoid big surprises and allow you to deal proactively with your technology to prevent issues.

When you do this, you should know you will be ahead of many small and medium-sized businesses, including some of your competitors!

However, just having a plan in it of itself isn’t going to do much for you. You need to work with your IT partner to implement that plan. Here’s the methodology we recommend for that.

Your plan should be developed by your IT partner with your involvement, discussion and approval. Then you should insist on meeting on a quarterly basis (either in person or by phone) to ensure progress is being made and important milestones are getting hit.

There should be full transparency about the state of your IT that you can see from an executive level and evaluate the effectiveness of your approach. You should also be receiving monthly reports to further improve that accountability and transparency.

The other parts of your business have a plan and a budget. IT should be treated the same way and you`ll see the results!

Written by Brendan Howe

There’s good news this week for long-suffering Blackberry users who haven’t yet upgraded to the new Blackberry – a new model with a keyboard will be out by the end of the month.

I have spoken to many Blackberry users who are loyal to the once-popular Canadian device but haven’t yet upgraded because they’re either locked into a contract or they want to have the device with a keyboard. The Z10 came out recently but without the keyboard many Blackberry users have gotten used to and cite as the reason they don’t want to switch to other devices.

Blackberry’s new Q10 will be available from the major carriers on April 30, and they’re already taking pre-orders for the device.

You’ll see from the picture with this blog that it looks similar to existing Blackberrys but with the new Blackberry 10 operating system. This should help all those out there who don’t like typing on a touch screen device.

We’ve had a Blackberry Z10 in our office since it came out and we’re quite impressed with the device. It’s definitely put Blackberry back into the game allowing them to compete again. Previous issues like slow websurfing are fixed, social media integration is strong and clunky BES servers aren’t needed any more. There is still, however, a big lack of apps for Blackberry when compared to Android or Apple devices but many Blackberry loyalists seem to be able to deal with this.

Overall, it looks like this could be the next step in Blackberry’s resurrection. If you’re thinking about getting a Q10 but aren’t quite sure, give us a call and we can help you with your decision or help you get it set up!

Written by Brendan Howe

2013 could be the year many people forget about their home computer and spend most of their time on a tablet device, according to a new survey by Gartner Inc.

On the corporate side, we’re seeing more tablets being used in offices across the GTA in addition to work PCs, however this study predicts that at home, consumers will be getting rid of their PCs altogether.

It’s an interesting but not unsurprising trend that we’re seeing. Gartner expects 2.4 billion worldwide devices to be shipped this year, a 9 percent increase from last year. That’s PCs, tablets and mobile phones.

What is changing is the mix between these devices. Desktop and notebook sales are expected to decline by 7.6 percent while tablet sales will increase by 70 percent over last year.

What’s this Mean for Your Business?

There are some implications of this that I’d urge you to consider when you are making technology decisions for your company.

First, consider that your staff may start looking for ways to do work on a tablet at home instead of on a PC or they may expect you to supply them with a notebook to take home.

Your team is going to be increasingly tablet-aware and this will ease the integration of tablets into your office for business reasons. It can even be seen as a benefit to your team to give them a tablet they can also have for personal use.

Also important are the security considerations this brings. Just like when computers are connecting to your network, you need to make sure the tablets connecting are secure and you have some control over your corporate data. There are various ways to ensure passwords are implemented on these devices and there is an ability to remotely wipe data if there’s ever an issue.

Lastly, you should keep in mind that the leading operating system for tablets and smartphones is Android and will continue to be this year. Apple’s iOS and Windows are battling for second place and Blackberry isn’t even on the map in the tablet world.

That likely means the most functional tablets will be Android-based with iPads and Windows-based machines also being an option. Regardless of which one you prefer, you’ll likely have to support all of them for your team. Make sure your infrastructure and Help Desk is ready to support them.

As always, if you need more help, give us a call! Our Tablet Help Desk Line is (416) 913-8998.

Written by Brendan Howe

We sometimes forget that the simplest things with computers can really save time and improve productivity.

I had a great example of this today. I use the calculator on my computer all the time. I was finding I was wasting time searching for under accessories after going into the start menu.

While this isn’t that big of a deal, a bunch of little things like this can lead to it taking longer to get things done and as a result, not achieving as much in a day. I’m always looking for ways to get more done faster.

My fix to this problem? Before opening up the calculator I right-clicked and dragged the calculator onto my task bar at the bottom of the screen (Windows 7 users only) and told it to pin there. Now I will never need to hunt for the calculator again.

Every program I use regularly is pinned to my task bar saving me a few seconds every time I open them.

If you’re not doing this too, give it a try. I know it’s a small improvement but I’d like to hear if it makes your day a little easier.

If you have any trouble with this, please let us know and we’ll help you out! If you are interested in learning more about our services, click here or call us at (416)913-8998.

-Written by Brendan Howe

I have a bit of a different post today. I was offered the chance to participate in the 2nd Annual International Leadership Blogathon and chose to write about time management.

You’ll find my post by clicking here. If you like it, please take the time to Tweet it or share it on Facebook and LinkedIn.

I hope you’ll “have time” to let me know what you think!

- Written by Brendan Howe

Ever had an Internet outage at your business? Read on because it should never happen.

All our businesses are so completely dependent on our Internet connections these days that if that goes down, things come to a standstill. That can cost you thousands of dollars in lost productivity, reputation and missed opportunities.

I was at a business this week that has had repeated Internet issues. It was driving them nuts and it is so completely unnecessary.

All you need to have is two Internet lines and a firewall that will automatically failover to the other one if an Internet line goes down. The outcome you should see is that your Internet never goes down, even if you have problems.

Here’s how you do it:

1. Find out what your existing Internet connection is (likely fibre, cable or DSL)
2. Order a backup line from a different carrier on a different network. For example, if you have a cable connection now, order a DSL one. (See our blog (http://www.tdcnet.ca/2012/12/12/internet-connectivity-options/) for more info on your options)
3. Configure your firewall to “load balance” between the two Internet connections when they’re working and send traffic through only the working connection if one fails. You will need to have a good firewall to do this properly, the cheap ones won’t do it well.
4. Make sure there’s monitoring on your Internet lines so you know if one of them fails.

Multiple Internet lines can also help with sending backups offsite and other types of uploads and downloads. In most cases it doesn’t need to be more than a $70 or $80 per month investment and it can save you tons in downtime and aggravation.

If you only have one Internet line, give us a call and we’ll help you get a backup one and proactively prevent downtime.

- Written by Brendan Howe

If you currently have a Blackberry, you’re probably in one of two camps:

1. You’ve always used Blackberry, gotten used to it and couldn’t imagine switching to a different device.
2. You’re a great Canadian and loyal Blackberry user who wants to support the company to see it succeed.

If this is the case and you haven’t already ordered a new Blackberry, you’re probably considering it. You’ve held on to your Blackberry though some dark times, you should be rewarded now shouldn’t you?

Here are some reasons why you should pull the trigger on that Blackberry upgrade and stick with the smartphone maker that you’ve been so loyal to.

• Websurfing – through some divine intervention, Blackberry has FINALLY made web surfing work properly on one of its devices. It’s now fast and works as well as its competitors.
• Bye Bye BES – you no longer need to have a BES server at your company to get full functionality of the new Blackberry. It can use Exchange Active Sync to wirelessly sync your calendar and contacts. While this isn’t as secure as BES, it’s what every other phone uses so to most people this won’t be an issue. And it’s waaaaaaaaaay easier to setup.
• Better interface – it’s a pretty cool device with a much improved interface. The Hub is an interesting concept for bringing everything together and it’s a lot easier to do social media activity through the phone than previous ones.
• Separate work and play – with the new trend of BYOD (bring your own device) into many companies, the Blackberry’s ability to truly separate your work stuff from your personal activities is innovative and should go over very well with lots of companies and individuals.
• They’re back in the game – Blackberry has set sales records for the launch of the Z10 so it appears they’re not sailing off into the sunset. In fact, CEO Thorsten Heins looks to have a strong and clear vision of where he’s taking the company and how Blackberry fits into the future of mobile computing.

If you’ve switched to another device like I have, it may take a little more to win you back. Keep in mind I’m writing this blog specifically for people who still have Blackberrys.

Have I convinced you?

Now your only choice is whether to go with the fully touchscreen Blackberry Z10 or wait until later this spring for the one with the keyboard.

If you want to try out the new Z10, we have one in our office. Give us a call or drop by!

- Written by Brendan Howe

Our customers often wonder why we choose to only sell Lenovo laptops and desktops.

When I want to choose a workstation for my customer, I want to ensure they get four things from it, powerful technology, long-term reliability, a 3 year-warranty, and ultra-portability. Lenovo workstations have proved time and time again that they are the competitive source for workstations.

1. Powerful Technology – Any business owner knows that if they want their employees to remain competitive and productive. Poor technology can waste a lot of your employees time due to downtime and waiting for computers to play catch up.
2. Long-term reliability – We have noticed from all the different brands of computers we order for our customers, Lenovo have had the best long-term reliability overall.
3. 3 year warranty - The 3-year warranty works really well for our customers as that is the time-frame that we recommend our customers keep their workstations. Click here to read a blog post on it. When the 3-year warranty expires, the customer knows it is time to replace their workstations if they want to keep up with the technology improvements out there.
4. Ultra-portability – With their laptops being so light and their desktops being powerful enough for remote work, Lenovo ensures your employees can work efficiently anywhere at any time.

We also tend to recommend Lenovo workstations because they are built for business usage. Their laptops have the best keyboards around, accurate touchpads, and time-saving pointing sticks. Their desktops come in a wide range of sizes and capabilities making it easier to choose one according to your need.

As always, we are here to help you make any hardware or software purchase decisions. Email us at blogs@tdcnet.ca for more information.

- Written by Brendan Howe

It’s permanent now. I’ve switched to iPhone. I’m no longer just trying it out – I’ve ordered the iPhone 5.

I’ve been surprised by the response and level of emotion from people in previous blogs I’ve written about moving away from Blackberry. It’s clear there are few things tech related that elicit stronger reactions than how people feel about their smartphones.

So after using iPhone for a few months, here’s how I feel about mine compared to the Blackberry I used for years.

• It’s faster
• The app universe is great
• Getting music onto my phone and sharing it with my wife was easy
• I’m getting used to the keyboard (in fact I’ve typed this blog on it)
• The web browsing is monumentally better
• I don’t get frustrated with stupid little things the phone does like I used to with Blackberry, in fact I can’t remember the last time I had to reboot the iPhone I’m using
• My calendar and contacts always sync properly
• My friends in the U.S. don’t make fun of me anymore (at least for the type of phone I have)

As I’ve written here before, I used to be a Blackberry fan. But I got tired of RIM falling behind and not keeping it’s promises.

I’ve read about the new Blackberry and how it’s supposed to be great. I’ve read reviews saying the operating system the same as the Playbook, so it’s “just as good.”

Well I own a Playbook and it was the worst technology purchase I’ve ever made. It has web browsing issues, the apps are limited and RIM has yet to keep all the promises it made when the device came out. I only really use it as an e-reader now.

Like many, I think Blackberry is toast unless they make a major change like getting out of the hardware business.

I’m excited about my iPhone 5 (whenever it arrives). I know lots of people who are excited about their Android devices (including Stefan in our office who is going to blog about his soon).

I don’t know too many people left who are excited about their Blackberrys.

I look forward to more conversations with our clients in the coming weeks about their smartphones. Call me anytime at (416) 913-8998 if you want some advice on yours!

-Written by Brendan Howe