IT Archives - Quo Vadis, Inc.

05 Jun 2018

IT, Passwords, Uncategorized David McDonald 0 comment

Easy Cleanup for You

Clutter tends to have a degenerative effect. First your desk gets a little overcrowded with trinkets, business cards, yesterday’s mail, and that ever-growing stack of paperwork you’ve been meaning to get to. But then it’s the dirty dishes in your sink at home. Or the garage that seems to catch all the junk you’ve accumulated over the years. Next thing you know, your mind is hazy, and you can’t quite remember where you left your keys much less that long list of to-do’s you had!

Networks, computers, and even your mobile devices can suffer similar symptoms. If neglected, simple issues like storage space can malign and grow into a crippling problem. That’s why it’s important to complete your tech chores early and often. They can be a pain but when completed regularly, tech chores can serve as the preemptive measure between a happier and more productive you and total disaster.

As we dive into Summer, consider this list of simple tech chores:

Go through old files and pictures. Organize what you want to keep and delete duplicates and anything that’s unimportant. Leverage OneDrive’s cloud storage – included with O365 Business Essentials and Premium licenses. Or, better yet, call the Help Desk and ask about MozyPro backup solutions.
Declutter your workspace. Make the effort to shake the crumbs out of your keyboard. While being very careful not to unplug anything, detangle wires and ensure they run a clear path from point A to B. Remove any obstacles that could prevent air flow to your computer. If you have questions or need assistance, schedule an onsite visit with one of our engineers – we are more than happy to do a Network checkup!
Passwords. This is important. Go through your various passwords and make sure they are up-to-date and secure. Microsoft sees over ten million username/password pair attacks per day. Make sure you aren’t one of them! If you struggle with keeping up with your credentials, invest in a password manager. There a lot of terrific options out there that integrate seamlessly with the tools and browsers you use every day. The Quo Vadis team uses 1Password.
Check for updates. We do our very best to minimize the downtime you experience related to network maintenance. However, small things have a tendency to slow you down despite our efforts. Restarting your computer at least once a week can make a world of difference. When you get up for a cup of coffee or step out for the weekend, reboot your machine. This will allow Windows updates to take effect and continue running smoothly. Make a mental list of all the tools you use regularly. Flash, Adobe Reader, Java and various other add-ons and extensions update regularly and so should you. Work with an Engineer to ensure you and your computer never lose full functionality.

We are here to help, call the Help Desk.

15 Jul 2016

IT, Security Joseph Squicciarini 0 comment

Do you hate changing your password?

HERE’S A TIP:At Quo Vadis we don’t have to worry about the constant password change. We use 1Password, a helpful, easy-to-use, secure app that stores all your logins, passwords, and more!

Tired of remembering all those passwords? Tired of the constant change? Do you want just one password for everything?

1Password.

Who doesn’t? As hackers become more real and more prevalent, passwords need to be much more complex. If you’ve taken the Security Awareness Class you know the danger, and you know how critical your password security is.

Every one of your businesses are connected to the internet, which makes you a target for cyber-attacks. Unfortunately, small businesses have a misconception that they are an unlikely target, but a quick Google search will produce a number of results showing small and medium businesses are attacked at nearly the same rate as enterprise level. Hackers know many companies don’t take cyber security seriously – and they’re right. It has come to our attention that many of you have simple passwords equivalent to having a key code entry of 1234! This is completely unacceptable.

It may be that, when you signed up for Network Care, you dismissed our counsel to implement strong passwords for your users. It’s time to reconsider. Ensure that you’re using strong passwords! Use these helpful guidelines to help create complex and secure passwords:

8 characters long
At least 1 uppercase letter
At least 1 lowercase letter
At least 1 number
Simple enough to remember without writing it down

Of course, additional security measures are always encouraged, like adding special characters and making the password longer. Make sure your password doesn’t include your name, and avoid generic ones like “Password1”. If you’d like us to enforce complex networks in your network or if you have any other questions or concerns, please call the Help Desk to discuss.

20 May 2016

IT Joseph Squicciarini 0 comment

Windows 10 Rebooting at the Wrong Time?

If you’ve been using Windows 10 for a while now, you’ll know that updates are automatically downloaded and installed without notifying you, the user. And you may have had the unfortunate situation of Windows 10 rebooting at the most inopportune time- like during that important presentation! If you’d like a little more control, modify the Windows Update settings, to schedule when automatic updates will restart your computer.

In the Settings app, go to Update & Security > Windows Update and then click the Advanced options button. In the drop-down box, switch the setting to “Notify to schedule restart.”
This won’t disable or block Windows Update, but just defer when you need to reboot.

20 May 2016

IT Joseph Squicciarini 0 comment

Something’s Different In the World Today

New Guy

Say “hello” to Alec Mangum! The newest member of the Quo Vadis team joined us at the beginning of May. Since he’s learning the ropes, we appreciate your patience and understanding (and light hazing) when you call for support. 😉

Tristan Mosher has been with us for about 3 months now and has made great progress! You should start seeing him visiting your offices soon in order to get some onsite training.

Clear Details

When emailing in your support requests to Quo Vadis please let us know what the issue is so that we can effectively direct you to the correct department.
This may seem silly, but in the interest of keeping everything productive and efficient, please don’t email us to ask us to call you – pick up the phone and give it a shot! Worst case scenario, it’s NOT a good time, and you’ll get voicemail. But in that case, you’ll definitely get a call back when we are ready to resolve your issue.

Healthy Security

A virus infected the computer network of MedStar Health in April, forcing the Washington health-care behemoth to shut down its email and vast records database, and raising additional concerns about the security of hospitals nationwide. Does this concern you? Read the full article here. Quo Vadis has saved half a dozen clients from sure disaster with the Crypto Ransomware viruses by utilizing the incredible services of the Datto backup appliance. Do you have one yet?

Move It To The Cloud

Intuit Inc. can’t get everyone to switch to QuickBooks Online. The provider of small business software made a big mistake in 2015. But it’s learned its lesson, and now appears poised for growth. Read the full story here.

Hi-Tech / Lo-Tech

Have you ever heard of home-automation? Do you love gadgets, apps, and hands-free technology interaction? Do you want to monitor, control, and protect your house, office, and devices all from your computer or mobile device? Maybe you want to hear music throughout the house, or you want to adjust the lighting for a romantic dinner by voice. Whether you’re paranoid about the CIA listening in, or you’re just trying to protect your family in a cutting-edge hi-tech way, Joseph is the expert.

From wireless music, lights and locks, to handgun familiarization, old-school radio contact, Joseph has been researching and buying up technology to learn the latest and greatest in automation and security.

If you’re interested in sitting down to chat about it, call the Help Desk and choose Option 2 for Wise Counsel. Utilize the resources at your fingertips. It’s free!

08 Feb 2013

IT Joseph Squicciarini 0 comment

An “IT” Company

Quo Vadis provides consulting services to small business markets along the eastern seaboard and Ontario, Canada.

Our mission is to help small businesses leverage technology by stabilizing existing network infrastructures, providing virtual IT staff to field questions and respond to technology requests. In so doing, we become a very cost-effective partner in day-to-day operations without the burdensome overhead.

We offer:

Help Desk support with a tiered pricing structure
Complete network management
24×7 monitoring of critical hardware and services
Competitive rates for onsite services
Managed web hosting and design
Application training and software support