Christmas Closing Times

Please note that DataSmart Business Solutions will be closing for Christmas from the 22nd of December and returning on the 3rd of January. We would like to take this opportunity to wish you all a happy and safe holiday season, from all of us here at DataSmart. We look forward to seeing you again in 2012.

Password Security - Are you using a secure password?

When it comes to securing your personal and professional information, the most simple and often overlooked security begins with your password. Passwords are a vital component of system security and a basic password can be cracked relatively easily.

Password cracking is the process of finding out a password to gain unauthorised access to a system, often using programs that test different passwords and combinations until a match is found.

Once a hacker has obtained your password they will have access to anything the password was protecting. This can include your private information, contacts, emails, company information, client lists, server data, financial information, etc.

If a hacker gains access to your network, they could use your server to send out spam emails, steal your valuable information, plant viruses or various other malicious activities.

All users on your network should have secure passwords in place to protect your information and prevent unauthorised access. We recommend that a security audit is carried out and user passwords are changed to meet the following password security requirements.

A secure password should contain:

• • A length of at least 8 characters;
• • Both numbers and letters;
• • Both UPPER and lowercase letters;
• • Special characters (Such as @, #, $)

To change your password, login to a computer, press Ctrl+Alt+Del and select the “Change password” option.

For more information:
Create strong passwords by Microsoft.

Global Hard Drive Shortage - Thailand's 2011 monsoon season flooding

Thailand is the world’s second largest producer of hard disk drives, accounting for around 25% of the global production. Several of the largest hard disk manufacturers have had factories flooded, impacting the supply of hard drives dramatically.

In some cases, we have seen up to 100% price increases for individual hard disk units due to supply shortages. Some experts have estimated that the hard drive shortages will extend through until the middle of next year, before production levels will reach pre-flood levels.

Due to the flooding and support shortages we can expect to see an increase in pricing of desktop computers, internal hard drives and external hard drive units, reflecting the increased costs of hard disk drives and components.

Christmas Closing Times

Please note that DataSmart will be closed for Christmas from Friday the 24th of December until Tuesday the 4th of January. We thank all our customers for their loyal support over the past year. We would also like to take this opportunity to wish you all a happy and safe holiday season and we look forward to seeing you again in 2011.

Service Rate Increase

Due to unavoidable price increases, we have had to revise our service rates. From the 1st of February 2011 all our rates will increase by 4.5%. If you would like a copy of your service price schedule please give our office a call on 9495 2128.

Smart Phones & Media Tablet Growth

Market analysts Gartner Research predict media tablets and smart phones to reduce desktop PC shipments by up to 10% next year. As demand for mobility and access to data from any location increases, the right tools are required to make this possible.

Touch screen tablets and smart phones are becoming increasingly more versatile and cost effective, enabling better on-the-go access to information at a lower cost. “These devices will be increasingly embraced as complements if not substitutes for PCs where voice and light data consumption are desired” says the Gartner report.

Office 2010 - Available Now!

Packed full of new features to enable you to work faster and more easily with your documents, Microsoft Office 2010 is designed to meet the expanding demands of the business environment.

Office 2010 takes the solid foundations from previous versions of Office and streamlines your work flow, providing new capabilities and flexibility, so you can work faster and easier to take the ideas in your head and turn them into a business reality.

There are a number of improvements made to Outlook in Microsoft’s latest offering, providing several new features to make emails both easier and more intuitive. Features such as the new conversation view, which combines relevant emails into a single thread, clean up your mailbox and make finding information much easier.

If you purchased, installed, and activated a qualifying Microsoft Office 2007 product between March 5, 2010, and September 30, 2010, you are eligible to download Office 2010 at no additional cost. Contact us if you would like more information on the steps to take to access your free upgrade. This offer expires on October 31, 2010.

Windows 7 - Saves You Time and Money!

We know from personal experience that Windows 7 is a faster, smoother, smarter and more capable operating system than its predecessors. But now businesses are finding that there may be a worthwhile investment in stepping up to a more modern operating system.

A recently published white paper by IDC shows that when considering 14 categories of common end-user activities related to keeping Windows PCs operational are considered, the savings result in 43 additional hours of productivity per year per user when using Windows 7. That totals to more than one full work week per year of productivity time.

The return on investment to deploy Windows 7 can be recognized quickly – in fact, in as little as 7.2 months.

The full white paper can be viewed here.

Computer Maintenance - Unsure whether to replace or repair?

The current state of the economy puts a focus on controlling costs and saving money. The most apparent of which are the short term costs. While focus on the short term costs is often a valid approach, at times it can lead to situations that cost your business more.

A recent study by market research company TechAisle found that computers which are more than 3 years old are 40% more likely to have hardware failures, experience 35% more downtime and on average cost 50% more to maintain per year then a computer that is less than 3 years old.

TechAisle put together a case study (using the data they collected) comparing the yearly maintenance costs of 5 PC’s of various ages. This chart contains both the direct costs of parts & maintenance and the indirect cost of lost productivity which are calculated by the worker’s hourly rate.

Fig.1 – 3 of the 5 PCs are less than 3 years old and the remaining 2 are older than 3 years.
Fig.2 – All 5 PCs are less than 3 years old.

From the TechAisle findings, the savings from one average year are around $1500 or the same price for a complete new powerful system. Besides savings alone, a new PC improves the user’s ability to work efficiently due to hardware & software innovations providing increased performance.

When deciding when to refresh PCs in your business it is best not to only consider the initial purchase price, but give thought to how a new PC can improve user productivity and efficiency with the new technologies.

Security Tip - Phishing

What is phishing? Phishing is the process of attempting to trick someone into providing their confidential details, commonly via email.

The concept is not unlike that of actual fishing; a bait email or website is disguised to look like that of an actual bank or trusted service provider and asks the recipient for personal details such as username & password, credit card number, banking information or any other sensitive data.

The bait plays off the recipient’s trust of the well known company and mimics the real company’s layout, formats and designs, often containing their real logo. One of the give-aways is that commonly larger companies will greet you personally by your name or username. Where-as phishing emails may address you as “Dear valued customer” or something similar.

The best prevention for phishing is common sense. Take care when reading emails and when accessing websites.

Software Piracy - Are you legal?

Software piracy is the unauthorized use, copying or distribution of copyrighted software. What a lot of people don't realize when purchasing software, you don’t own a copy of the software; only own a license to use it.

The product license details the terms of use and how many installations of the software you are allowed. If you install more copies of the software than the license permits, then you are pirating.

Software piracy is considered a breach of copyright and in can result in hefty fines, penalties and in some cases a criminal offence.

Some examples of end user software piracy include:

• • Using one licensed copy to install a program on multiple computers;
• • Copying disks for installation and distribution;
• • Acquiring restricted software without a license for commercial use;
• • Client-Server Overuse - when a centralized program or resource is used by more employees than the license(s) permit. Some examples include server Client Access Licenses or anti-virus software.

If you are unsure of how many licenses you own, how many you require or what programs require correct licensing to use, contact DataSmart, for a full systems audit.

Internet Explorer Patched

Following recent attacks on Google and other corporate networks, Microsoft has patched the vulnerability that existed in Internet Explorer 6 and has also patched some other issues that were found. Please ensure that your staff install updates on all of their systems.

If you haven’t already, it is recommended that you update your computers to be using Internet Explorer 8. This is the latest version of Microsoft’s Internet browser and offers several features for increased security.

Download Internet Explorer 8 now.

Secure Data Deletion

Did you know that deleting a file, emptying your recycle bin or even formatting your hard drive does not physically remove the data from the disk? They only remove the references to the file locations within your file system, leaving the actual data on the drive until it is overwritten. When disposing of sensitive data it is important that it is disposed of correctly, just like shredding old documents.

Windows 7 - Worth the Upgrade?

Windows 7 arrived on shelves on the 22nd of October and already has sold more copies than Windows Vista in its first six months. With the growing demand on effective, efficient computer based productivity, Windows 7 offers various improvements over Windows Vista & XP.

Windows 7’s improvements make the things you do every day easier with improved desktop navigation, programs start faster and more easily. The new search tool makes finding files as simple as doing a web search and connecting to company networks is easier and more secure both on and off-site.

Windows 7 is designed to access your data faster and more simply then before. Through shortcuts and the new jump-lists, opening commonly used programs and files is easier than ever.

Microsoft have gone all out to make their latest operating system user friendly, simple to use and efficient as well as including various troubleshooting tools to reduce downtime

Windows 7 is proving to be Microsoft’s best operating system yet, with the vast functional and graphical improvements over Windows Vista and XP persuading even the most devoted XP users to upgrade their systems.

To find out more information or for advice about whether Windows 7 is right for you, contact us at DataSmart for all your advice, quoting, ordering, installation and support needs.

New! DataSmart Website

We have just launched our new completely Flash based website. The new interactive and animated website is powered using Flash animations. Flash allows for endless customization of animations, motion, interactivity, image transitions and more, giving webpage’s a sleek professional interface.

The upgrade from the previous static webpage to the new Flash based webpage is to showcase some of the features on offer to you in our new website development solutions.

Click this link to view our new webpage: www.DataSmart.com.au

The Importance of Having a Website

Is your company lacking a presence on the Internet? If the answer is yes then you are missing out on an ever expanding opportunity to get your company’s name out there. Seven out of ten potential customers will search the Internet when looking for a specialty business before even setting one foot out their front door.

Investing in a professionally crafted webpage designed from the ground up to effectively promote your business is another building block of a well rounded business. DataSmart provides the foundations by offering customized professional website development to get your company noticed.

Network and Server Security - Are you safe?

One of the most important features of a small business in today's age of technology is a powerful network of computers and servers running to provide businesses with the infrastructure required to operate as effectively and efficiently as possible in the work place. With the ever growing emphasis on computing technology, and those who abuse it, a secure network is more important than ever.

There are numerous ways that a hacker can attempt to gain access to your network. Some of the common vulnerabilities include open ports on the router or firewall, unused programs and services, operating systems that don’t have the latest patches installed and insecure passwords or lack of password protection. Always make sure that you keep your system up to date by remembering to install updates as they become available.

Once a hacker has gained access to an administrator account on your server there is no limit to what they can do. They have full access to all files and settings which they can browse through and modify at their leisure. This is especially dangerous as your server may contain vital information about your business.

If you are unsure about how secure your network is, call us and organise a time when we can come out and inspect your network configuration and make recommendations on how your security can be improved.

Windows 7 is Coming!

Microsoft has recently finalised Windows 7 and has set a public release date of October 22nd. This new version of Windows offers various improvements over Windows Vista and XP including improved stability, ease of use, improved productivity features, more efficient power saving features, remote management and various other optimisations.

Easy Steps To Make Your System More Secure

There are a number of ways that employees can help to improve the security of your business' network. Some simple tasks include regular changes of passwords and use of more secure passwords. The most secure passwords contain both upper and lowercase letters, numbers and other characters (if supported).