Virtualization is a process that allows multiple operating system environments (typically servers) to run on a single hardware platform. It’s comparable to your personal computer running multiple applications at the same time. In traditional setups, the capacity of your server hardware (CPU, memory, etc.) is often underutilized. You can assign your servers many roles, such […]

This is the last part of a three part series about IT mistakes that business owners commonly make. This post will cover problems with staffing and decision makers. 1. Empowering Staff Who Dabble In IT One of the most detrimental mistakes a business can make is handing over its IT needs to a staff member […]

Following the worldwide internet protest against SOPA and PIPA on January 18, and the immediate shelving of those bills, many internet freedom advocates turned their attentions towards the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA). ACTA is not a law, or a bill like SOPA, rather it’s a trade agreement that attempts to establish international standards for intellectual […]

Most people understand the value of purchasing an extended warranty for your business server. We’ve talked here before about the downsides (and they’re severe) of letting your manufacturer’s warranty expire, and business-minded individuals usually grasp the intrinsic value of going ahead and getting an extended warranty. The guys over at Metro Carpets are no exception. […]

This is Part Two of a three part series about IT mistakes that business owners commonly make. This post will cover security, backup/recovery and internet policies. 1.    You’re Secure, Just Insufficiently You’ve got encryption, antivirus and antispyware, a firewall and passwords set up, and you feel like your business network is secure. And it might […]

At the beginning of a new year, it’s good to reflect and muse over the stories that made the previous year. The highlights and lowlights that inundated our RSS feeds, impacted our work and caused a hubbub in our daily lives. Here’s our list of the top seven technology and IT stories that shaped 2011. […]

In late 2011 the tablet market exploded. According to a Jefferies report, 35% of people who have tablets spend two or more hours a day using them, and an additional 30% spend one to two hours a day. Tablet sales are expected to grow 126% in 2012 to 158 million, and Forrester research predicts that […]

There are at least a dozen IT mistakes that business owners commonly make. In an effort to highlight and explain some of these follies, we are starting a series of three blog posts on the subject. This post should provide some insight into the first three types of mistakes that should be avoided (warranties, consumer […]

We plan to occasionally use this platform to spotlight our clients—hopefully in a way that goes beyond story telling to providing practical advice and actionable steps for business owners with similar IT challenges and needs. Providing your aha! IT moment of the week, if you will. We’ll start with Tennessee Electric Cooperative Association (TECA), a […]

The Cloud. It’s trendy. It’s cutting edge. It’s buzzword worthy. But, what exactly is it? In layman’s terms, cloud computing roughly translates into: Storing data and applications on the internet. The process is no different than when you got your first Yahoo! Mail account back in 1997. Then why all the confusion? Because the term […]