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“Nobody ever showed me that!” 5 Reasons People Fear their Gadgets

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“Nobody ever showed me that!” 5 Reasons People Fear their Gadgets

Sure, you own a Computer, a Smartphone, perhaps a Tablet – all of these and maybe even more than one.  It’s difficult to imagine getting through our modern world without access to these.  Yet, most users have had little formal training on how to get the most out of their “stuff”.  Sure, through trial and error, (or the help of a tech savvy friend or relative), you picked up the necessary basics to “get by”.  You can access your e-mail, visit a web site, handle your daily routine, yet when it comes to doing or understanding more, you may be reluctant to “experiment” for fear that you may do something “wrong”.  We often fear what we don’t understand, and when it comes to “breaking” things, we just don’t like to take risks.  After all, if it ain’t broke, why break it? So what are 5 main reasons we fear doing more? Let’s break down those areas, defining what it is that we “should” do and “don’t” first.

1)     Denial.  In the back of our minds, we know we should be using better security, running a routine backup, doing regular cleanups and maintenance – yet we struggle with the idea because we have a NEW device – how can it get infected or compromised, how can it break down and cause data loss, why clean it– it’s new!

2)     Ignorance.  More often than not, no one ever explained HOW, or WHY to do it.  You may either not be aware of the importance or you know that you SHOULD you just don’t know how to go about it.

3)     Procrastination: You know you NEED to do it, you just keep putting it off until you have the TIME.  Of course, there is ALWAYS something more important to do, so it never gets done.

4)     Dis-Interest:  Face it!  We just want to “get in the car and drive”.  It’s just not any FUN to do these mundane tasks, and while they may be important, in the scheme of our daily life, we just HATE doing these tasks.

5)     Fear:  We often avoid those things we don’t fully understand.  And when we believe that doing something the “wrong way” can be worse for us than not doing it at all, we choose the latter.

Awareness of the “unknown” is the key to dealing with it.  Once we identify the “reason(s)” for our lack of participation, we can learn to agree that while they are important, we just might not be the best one to DO what it takes.  Acknowledging that they MUST be done, we can get help from someone that actually ENJOYS these tasks and is willing to make sure they get done.  They may even be supportive enough to assure you that you CAN do some of these things on your own. You’ll discover that many routine maintenance tasks can be AUTOMATED, making them happen without your conscious participation.  By setting these tasks up on “auto-pilot”, all that is necessary is that a system be “powered on” and they happen.  An occasional “monitoring” of the results is all that is required.

Learning NEW things that are geared to your lifestyle – things that make your life simpler, easier, and more fun, can be exciting.  Technology doesn’t have to be “scary”.  Just find someone who can take the “fear” out of it, and you’ll be on your way to  richer, more rewarding experiences.

This is 12th in a series of aSKaVIE articles devoted to your productivity, digital privacy and protection. In future articles, you can look forward to tips and tricks that you can use to make sense out of your digital investments as well as reviews of new and exciting things that will likely provide value to your home and business. I invite you to write me with your questions and feedback. We’ll also be helping and inspiring others by answering your questions and that’s what makes my job so much fun! So stay tuned. Please send your questions to TheRosyReport@askavie.com.

askavietechquestionsforbusinessownersAbout Avie Uniglicht: For over 30-years, Avie Uniglicht – “Your Tech Concierge™” has provided technology support and solutions to entrepreneurs who don’t have time to worry about the details. Specializing in “White-Glove Remote Room-Service,” Avie’s concept of giving you, his client, virtual “house calls” is cited regularly as invaluable and many of Avie’s clients say they couldn’t live without him on speed dial. Avie graduated Summa Cum Laude from Temple University with a BS in Business Administration. A former auditor for Price Waterhouse and past President of Ace Computer Center Inc., he is also the author of the e-Book, “Your Personal Computer Driver’s License.” Avie’s extensive business background and strong experience in accounting enhances his natural talent for helping his clients see the bigger picture regarding their business. “Your Tech Concierge” helps clients evaluate strategy so that together, they create an action plan with the end in mind. For more information or to “Ask Avie,” please call him at (888)-374-3712, and visit www.askavie.com.

Your Personal Internet “Traffic Cop” Routers: The What, Why and How

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Your Personal Internet “Traffic Cop” Routers: The What, Why and How

For most of us, long gone are the days of slow, “dial-up” telephone modem based Internet connections. Many younger Internet users today, in fact, have never even experienced anything other than high-speed, broadband Internet. This long sought after “luxury” is now considered a “necessity” and without high-speed Internet access, many of us would have a difficult time communicating. The fact that households and offices share high-speed Internet today is the direct result of a little electronic device known as a “Router”. Acting as a “Traffic Cop” for all inbound and outbound digital data network traffic, your router serves to seamlessly manage all of the data sent and received through your broadband modem. Through a subscription with your Internet provider, (or one you may “borrow” from one who has a subscription), you obtain a unique “public” IP address, which identifies your connection so that it can converse with other “devices” throughout the vast network we call the Internet. Similar to a telephone number, (but not that), that IP address is transmitted to and from your broadband modem so that it can send your data from your computer or Internet connected device out to and through your Internet provider, and in turn out to other Internet connected servers and devices. This is routinely all handled transparently through a network of switches and routing equipment using a structured Internet Protocol (ie. IP ). You can well imagine that a vast number of unique Public IP addresses are required so that all Internet connected devices can communicate with each other. Routers help to make this process possible and manageable.

What is a Router and Why do we use them?

As referred to above, a router is like a “traffic cop”. It is a device that connects to or is often combined with a modem. It receives “packets” of data from connected devices, and sends them off to specific destinations. Often, routers are used in homes and offices to “translate” public IP addresses received from modems to “private” IP address that are assigned to devices connected to and considered “behind” the routers. Specific “ranges” of IP addresses are deemed Private and are not “publically” routable – so that when these “private” IP addresses are used, they can remain within the confines of your home or office and the “same” IP addresses can be utilized in other homes and offices behind their respective routers. This effectively multiplies the number of devices that can effectively be used on the Internet, by permitting them to share the “same” “Public” IP address subscribed to through the Internet provider. While each home and office gets assigned a unique “public” IP address, these “public” IP’s can be split into many “private” IP’s through a process called “Network Address Translation (ie. NAT) and the router is used for this purpose – to split and manage communication from each connected device. It is quite remarkable that this complex process continues over and over again, routinely without missing a beat. An additional benefit of using a router is the firewall protection provided. Attempts to directly access our “public” IP to get to our individually “router-connected devices” are effectively blocked as a result of the work the router does, and only when instructions are given to the router to allow such “public” contact to individual devices, will that happen. Routers are often used as a result as a “first-line” of defense for Internet Security.

How are Routers utilized and what are the best types to use?

We’ve briefly discussed what a router is and why we use them. How they are used varies depending upon the need. Today, Wireless Routers have become very popular as we don’t always enjoy being “tethered” to connections with wires. While wires often establish the initial connections to the Internet Service Provider (ISP) via a wired modem, wireless modem connections via cellular carriers are now very popular. Via wireless transmission, packets are sent and managed with the same concept as the wired transmissions previously described. One distinction is that while wired connections are limited to the physical “wire” locations strung between devices, wireless devices can be anywhere within range of the wireless broadcast. To protect communication, encryption techniques are often used and recommended to protect wireless connections to prevent those packets from being intercepted by unauthorized users. Wireless Fidelity (ie WiFi) connected users are often greeted with requests for “Wireless Passwords” and this is to help restrict access to only those who are permitted to “view” or access the devices and services on the respective network. Depending upon the range, number of users, and types of data being transmitted over a router – the best type, brand, and model to use will often be a result of an analysis of the unique circumstances. Often, to achieve coverage in a larger home or office facility, a combination of wireless access points are used in conjunction with a “base router” to achieve adequate radio strength and reach. For help setting up, securing and troubleshooting routers or for related questions, please be certain to “AskAvie™”.

This is 11th in a series of aSKaVIE articles devoted to your productivity, digital privacy and protection. In future articles, you can look forward to tips and tricks that you can use to make sense out of your digital investments as well as reviews of new and exciting things that will likely provide value to your home and business. I invite you to write me with your questions and feedback. We’ll also be helping and inspiring others by answering your questions and that’s what makes my job so much fun! So stay tuned. Please send your questions to TheRosyReport@askavie.com.

e-Mail e-Tiquette e-Ssentials

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The Triple-“e” “e”-Mail + “e”tiquette + “e”ssentials

One of the first things most of us learned to do when we began using our computer was electronic mail or “e-Mail”.  Before Texting and Social Media became popular mediums for communication, and after hand writing letters and post cards became “old-fashioned”, corresponding via e-Mail has been a blessing for many who desire the ability for fairly instantaneous transfer of digital content. As high-speed Internet service is enjoyed by most connected users, the use of e-Mail for sending larger and larger “payloads” has become common.

With the efficiency and high-speed delivery capability of the Internet, the essential rules of  e-Mail etiquette have too frequently been ignored or  even more commonly misunderstood or unknown.  The purpose of my Triple-“e” strategy is to offer some helpful direction for those who may have overlooked some basic elements of e-Mail and how these elements affect us and those with whom we communicate.

#1) Traditional e-Mail (the type most of us use daily) is not in any way “secure”. When we send an e-mail from our “address” (the sender) to another “address” (the recipient), that e-mail leaves our mailbox and travels through the Internet often jumping from Server to Server before arriving at its final destination (the e-mail server of your recipient). Anywhere along the “road” so to speak, your e-mail can be intercepted, viewed, corrupted, etc.  So, unlike a traditional “Fax”, transmission, your e-mail doesn’t go from Point A (you) to Point B (your recipient).  This process then results in a number of challenges.  First, if you are sending private, personal, or even secret information via e-Mail, you are potentially exposing that information to unknown parties. To avoid this, your e-mail must be sent via an “Encrypted” format so unintended parties are prevented from accessing it.  There are many methods and services available to handle encrypted transmissions, but your traditional e-mail service is likely not secure.

#2) Traditional e-Mail was not designed to handle “large attachments”.  As a communication medium, e-mail was designed initially as a “text-only” handler.  As Internet speeds and devices became faster and more sophisticated, e-Mail was “stretched” to handle document, photo, video, and other digital payloads.  Mail Servers that transport this information don’t process these larger payloads efficiently and some recipients on slower connections just can’t receive what you attempt to send them. Limiting attachments to under 2MB in size is wise and using another medium of exchange for larger attachments is recommended.  Services like Hightail.com, Cloud storage services that offer the ability to share your info via links like Dropbox, Bitcasa  and Cubby do a much better job for storing large file transfers that are communicated first via e-mail to alert the recipient of your download.

#3) After the Security concerns and Attachment considerations, the next category of etiquette is “Who” we send mail to, “How” we address it, and “What” we say in the content.  It is so simple to send e-mail today, that many take advantage of the medium to “blast” an entire list of addresses without first obtaining permission to do so from the individuals or companies on the list.  In addition, people tend to use the Carbon Copy or “CC” line to include all of the e-mail addresses of their intended without regard to the fact that everyone who receives that e-mail gets a “copy” of all of those e-mail addresses. Many on your list I am certain would not be happy that you “shared” their address with others on your list by using the “CC” line.  It is best to use the Blind Carbon Copy “BCC” to handle such a list so that those names are “hidden” from all that receive it.

Remember, common courtesy should always trump your eagerness to get your message out.

Back in December, 2003, Congress passed the “Controlling the Assault of Non-Solicited Pornography and Marketing Act of 2003″ also known as the “CAN-SPAM ACT of 2003”.  The Act created National guidelines for delivering commercial e-mail and for individuals who engaged in marketing via e-mail solicitations.  I address more details on this subject in my e-Book entitled “Your Personal Computer Driver’s License”.  You’ll find a link to that e-book here: https://www.askavie.com/boutique/other/ .

This is 10th in a series of aSKaVIE articles devoted to your productivity, digital privacy and protection. In future articles, you can look forward to tips and tricks that you can use to make sense out of your digital investments as well as reviews of new and exciting things that will likely provide value to your home and business. I invite you to write me with your questions and feedback. We’ll also be helping and inspiring others by answering your questions and that’s what makes my job so much fun! So stay tuned. Please send your questions to TheRosyReport@askavie.com.

askavietechquestionsforbusinessownersAbout Avie Uniglicht: For over 30-years, Avie Uniglicht – “Your Tech Concierge™” has provided technology support and solutions to entrepreneurs who don’t have time to worry about the details. Specializing in “White-Glove Remote Room-Service,” Avie’s concept of giving you, his client, virtual “house calls” is cited regularly as invaluable and many of Avie’s clients say they couldn’t live without him on speed dial. Avie graduated Summa Cum Laude from Temple University with a BS in Business Administration. A former auditor for Price Waterhouse and past President of Ace Computer Center Inc., he is also the author of the e-Book, “Your Personal Computer Driver’s License.” Avie’s extensive business background and strong experience in accounting enhances his natural talent for helping his clients see the bigger picture regarding their business. “Your Tech Concierge” helps clients evaluate strategy so that together, they create an action plan with the end in mind. For more information or to “Ask Avie,” please call him at (888)-374-3712, and visit www.askavie.com.

7 Common Mistakes to Avoid

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The 7 MOST COMMON MISTAKES SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS MAKE… EVERY TIME THEY TURN ON & TURN OFF THEIR COMPUTERS

Do you have these “7” handled?

For over 30-years, I have been an advocate for Safe, Secure, Effective computing. In the process of witnessing how entrepreneurs cope with the day to day challenges they face and knowing how costly and frustrating computing and technical issues can be for them, I’ve put together this list of the 7 most common mistakes and how to prevent them. With the proper knowledge and preparation, many of these time wasters and money eating events can easily be avoided. Why deal with these issues AFTER they become a drag on your resources?  We can make it easy and eliminate the causes and as a bonus, STREAMLINE your daily activities to make your entire computing experience a more favorable one.

The #1 most common challenge that I see is “Lack of Accurate Documentation”.  There is no greater time waster than searching for information that you need to complete a computing process.  Whether it be usernames/passwords to the computers, servers, websites, e-mail accounts, etc.  that you need to do your business, or vendor phone numbers, purchase registrations, warranty expirations,  license numbers – you think of the need – an organized system to keep the information easily accessible should be your first priority to help streamline the process.

Number 2 on our list of 7 is “Data backup and preservation”.  It is ALL ABOUT YOUR DATA!  Hardware, Software, Peripherals – they will all fail and can routinely be replaced.

Your DATA however, this is the meat and potatoes of your business. Being personal and strategic to your business, your data can’t be “purchased” from a 3rd party and provisions for protecting it, preserving it, and controlling it must be made.  This means using techniques of Backup and Encryption necessary to keep the data available no matter what the circumstance.

Number 3 – “Data Access”.  Controlling who has access to your computers is a key element to protecting them and the data on them.  Physical access to computers allows anyone with limited knowledge the ability to do almost anything to them and their contents.  It is important that controls be in place to restrict who, when, and what users are permitted to do with your information.  When employees are terminated, immediate action steps should be in place to change passwords and access to company property. With Bring Your Own Devices (BYOD) now very common in the workplace, Employees often not only have access to e-mail on their Smart Phones, Tablets, and Laptops, they may also have access via remote access to your other data sources.  Closing these gaps while first being aware of them is key to a strong “Data Access” policy.

Number 4 – Current “Anti-Malware / Anti-Virus / Firewall protection” is necessary for all endpoints, Servers, and Network Connected Smart Devices. I’ve recommended a “cocktail approach” to layering security using the latest technologies available. So many risks exist today that single vendor solutions often miss intrusions not because they are ineffective, but because different approaches and methods are necessary to identify and neutralize these “attacks”.

Number 5 – “Educating and “Licensing” Users” is a required element in the process.  Back in the early 2000’s I created a concept I call “The Personal Computer Driver’s License”.  While it has always been a State requirement to gain a familiarity and level of competence with a moving vehicle, I too believe that computer users should also be licensed to “traverse the data super-highway”. Too often, intrusions occur via phishing schemes, e-mail downloads, poor search habits, and other “preventable” actions a bit of knowledge could easily address.  Regular training can reinforce the importance of steps that I refer to as “The 2-Minute Pause™” and “The Pushaway™”.

Number 6 – “Routine Maintenance” – Using utilities to help cleanup temp files, surfing histories, old outdated registry entries, etc., running routine scans, and verifying that all necessary backups and programs are updated and running properly are all necessary to keep systems running like new.  System inspections, following up on any user reported errors, etc. are measures that keep systems and users content.

Number 7 – “Power Management” – Controlling how systems are powered, cooled, started and shut down are all part of good system management.  For Desktop systems and Servers, reliable Battery Backup devices are recommended to control the clean and consistent power necessary to keep systems from “locking up” or shutting down unexpectedly.  For those who use Laptops, maintaining proper cooling and air flow is necessary.  Users often close the lid of a laptop and “take off” in a rush without waiting for the system to properly “sleep”.  For longer term “excursions”, laptops should be placed in hibernation of completely shut off to protect the hard drive.

There is much more information than this article has time to cover on each of these 7 Steps.  I am planning a webinar that will elaborate on these as well as provide answers to your related questions. If you’d like more information about the Webinar or to request a personal consult anytime, please complete the Contact form at: https://www.askavie.com/contact/ and mention “7 Steps Webinar” in the Comment section. I’ll be certain to keep you informed.

This is 9th in a series of aSKaVIE articles devoted to your productivity, digital privacy and protection. In future articles, you can look forward to tips and tricks that you can use to make sense out of your digital investments as well as reviews of new and exciting things that will likely provide value to your home and business. I invite you to write me with your questions and feedback. We’ll also be helping and inspiring others by answering your questions and that’s what makes my job so much fun! So stay tuned. Please send your questions to TheRosyReport@askavie.com.

askavietechquestionsforbusinessownersAbout Avie Uniglicht: For over 30-years, Avie Uniglicht – “Your Tech Concierge™” has provided technology support and solutions to entrepreneurs who don’t have time to worry about the details. Specializing in “White-Glove Remote Room-Service,” Avie’s concept of giving you, his client, virtual “house calls” is cited regularly as invaluable and many of Avie’s clients say they couldn’t live without him on speed dial. Avie graduated Summa Cum Laude from Temple University with a BS in Business Administration. A former auditor for Price Waterhouse and past President of Ace Computer Center Inc., he is also the author of the e-Book, “Your Personal Computer Driver’s License.” Avie’s extensive business background and strong experience in accounting enhances his natural talent for helping his clients see the bigger picture regarding their business. “Your Tech Concierge” helps clients evaluate strategy so that together, they create an action plan with the end in mind. For more information or to “Ask Avie,” please call him at (888)-374-3712, and visit www.askavie.com.

Paper-less!

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The promise of a “paperless” office has teased those of us responsible for managing the seemingly endless stacks of information delivered to us daily.  Technology increasingly offers many excellent solutions. Those who have adopted these techniques have not only been able to tame the “paper tiger”, they have reduced storage costs, streamlined workflows, and eased accessibility to what previously had been centered around  metal filing cabinets and missing folders and files. In this article, I discuss some of the concepts that may help you to deal with less paper.

One way to help with paper overwhelm is to REDUCE the amount of paper entering your work space.  First, we must think about the different ways that paper actually arrives at our desk. If we can attack and deal with the source of paper BEFORE it comes into our work space, we will eliminate the need to do more with it.  This means checking with Vendors and requesting “Paperless Billing” and communications when possible.  A free service that helps manage, consolidate and communicate all of your incoming Paperless Billing activities is Manilla™.  (Visit https://www.manilla.com/ for details.)  While we have become accustomed to “touching” paper and being “reminded” of bills by “seeing” the actual paper statements arriving in our Snail Mail boxes, it is surprising how easy it is to digitize this process with Paperless Billing Statements and a service such as Manilla along with e-mail there to do the reminding for us.

Once we eliminate all the paper sources from entering our space that we can, we next deal with the paper we MUST handle on a daily basis. This is where a quality scanner and/or the camera on our smart phone help us work wonders. I routinely recommend a good quality scanner that can efficiently process receipts, business cards, and documents of all types.  Combined with an intelligent software program that can store, organize, help us retrieve, report and share the information as we need it.  I use several and recommend different products and services to accomplish this, depending on the volume and the demands of a specific business type. Entrepreneurs working in a small business may find solutions from NEAT™ appropriate.

Visit my Digital Imaging https://www.askavie.com/boutique/digital-imaging/ and Software https://www.askavie.com/boutique/software/ pages in my Boutique at www.askavie.com for details.  You will learn about Neat Desk and Neat Cloud as well as Nuance Paperport™.  Many APPS are available that help turn your Smart Phone Camera into a scanner.  If you are a Neat user, their free App integrates with Neat Cloud providing a mobile solution.  Also consider Scanner Pro by Readdle,  CamScanner Free, and Genius Scan-PDF Scanner.  iPhone and Android versions are available. I am also a fan for those seeking a high-quality desktop scanner, those offered in the ScanSnap™ brand by Fujitsu.  Search keyword “ScanSnap” via the Amazon banner in my hardware boutique page: https://www.askavie.com/boutique/hardware/ for a number of models both mobile and stationary.

Beginning to store and organize digitized PDF versions of documents can be a daunting task, though easiest when we mimic the analog versions of the same.  Just as we utilize old fashioned filing cabinets to store hanging file folders labeled alphabetically or numerically depending upon application, we can create digital folders on our magnetic storage locally or in the Cloud for easy retrieval.  Naming files, tagging their content and using search features to retrieve them later makes the digital versions even easier to access and use.  In traditional offices, when paper files were removed from their storage, it was often a challenge tracking them down.  Today, sharing digital files with others is simple and no longer requires the need for multiple copies to be had.

As a bonus to those reading this article today, I am offering a FREE DIGITAL FILING CABINET that has gotten rave reviews from my clients that put it to work, and it is compatible with both Windows, Mac and Cloud Storage systems.  If you’d like to have it, request a copy via the Contact form at: https://www.askavie.com/contact/ and mention FREE DIGITAL FILING CABINET in the Comment section. I’ll be certain to e-mail it right out to you.

This is 8th in a series of aSKaVIE articles devoted to your productivity, digital privacy and protection. In future articles, you can look forward to tips and tricks that you can use to make sense out of your digital investments as well as reviews of new and exciting things that will likely provide value to your home and business. I invite you to write me with your questions and feedback. We’ll also be helping and inspiring others by answering your questions and that’s what makes my job so much fun! So stay tuned. Please send your questions to TheRosyReport@askavie.com.

askavietechquestionsforbusinessownersAbout Avie Uniglicht: For over 30-years, Avie Uniglicht – “Your Tech Concierge™” has provided technology support and solutions to entrepreneurs who don’t have time to worry about the details. Specializing in “White-Glove Remote Room-Service,” Avie’s concept of giving you, his client, virtual “house calls” is cited regularly as invaluable and many of Avie’s clients say they couldn’t live without him on speed dial. Avie graduated Summa Cum Laude from Temple University with a BS in Business Administration. A former auditor for Price Waterhouse and past President of Ace Computer Center Inc., he is also the author of the e-Book, “Your Personal Computer Driver’s License.” Avie’s extensive business background and strong experience in accounting enhances his natural talent for helping his clients see the bigger picture regarding their business. “Your Tech Concierge” helps clients evaluate strategy so that together, they create an action plan with the end in mind. For more information or to “Ask Avie,” please call him at (888)-374-3712, and visit www.askavie.com.

Anytime, Anywhere, Anyhow…

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Personal computers have come quite a long way since the days of WordPerfect and Lotus 1-2-3 on the original IBM PC™.  Back in the early 1980’s, 5.25” Floppy Disks were the primary means for storing and sharing our data.

Today, over 30 years later, we take “Networks” for granted, especially the largest “Network” of all – the Internet.  Our ability to connect, store, and share information has evolved and many options now exist to accomplish what was nearly impossible back then.  The “Cloud”, has become synonymous with “an unknown virtual place where we go to get the information we seek”.  Over the years, I have learned that:

“It’s all about the data. It doesn’t matter what platform, device, program, version, none of that really matters. It’s the Availability, Security, Speed, Ease and Utility. The ubiquitous access to information is what we are seeking. And the ones who provide it – to the ones that need it – well they will be the winners of the prize!”   –Avie Uniglicht

The Cloud storage landscape has many “players” and more arrive on the scene regularly- as demand for reliable, functional, secure and reasonably priced solutions is growing.  Free offerings for personal/home consumers exist in services provided by  Google with “Drive”, Microsoft with “OneDrive”, and Apple with “iCloud”.  Others include “DropBox™”, “BitCasa™”, “Cubby™”, “PogoPlug™”, and “Box™”. Each of these provide FREE limited storage accounts for consumers and PAID versions with more capacity and features. Google and Microsoft also empower their users with applications that allow users to not only store and retrieve their data, but create and edit it as well – all while in the “Cloud”.

For those of us who may have a business and are considering moving  existing in-house file sharing to the Cloud, virtual products are growing to address this need too. Many small and midsize businesses are looking for a business class cloud storage solution that enables fast, secure access from anywhere, any device; the ability to share documents and collaborate with clients, and even replace their aging File Server with a supported cloud environment designed with redundancy and regulatory compliance in mind. Commercial versions of Google Docs and Microsoft Office 365 are examples. One company that I recommend to my clients is Egnyte.  Egnyte not only offers secure cloud storage, they have a unique “hybrid” approach wherein a company can store their data locally for fast access while in the confines of their private local network, yet their data is also securely “mirrored” to the Egnyte Cloud offering employees and collaborators remote “cloud” access to their data from any Internet connected device.  Affordable pricing plans depending upon the number of users and storage requirements are available.  Please contact me for access to a free trial and more information about Egnyte or any of the Cloud solutions mentioned today.

This is sixth in a series of aSKaVIE articles devoted to your productivity, digital privacy and protection. In future articles, you can look forward to tips and tricks that you can use to make sense out of your digital investments as well as reviews of new and exciting things that will likely provide value to your home and business. I invite you to write me with your questions and feedback. We’ll also be helping and inspiring others by answering your questions and that’s what makes my job so much fun! So stay tuned. Please send your questions to TheRosyReport@askavie.com.

askavietechquestionsforbusinessownersAbout Avie Uniglicht: For over 30-years, Avie Uniglicht – “Your Tech Concierge™” has provided technology support and solutions to entrepreneurs who don’t have time to worry about the details. Specializing in “White-Glove Remote Room-Service,” Avie’s concept of giving you, his client, virtual “house calls” is cited regularly as invaluable and many of Avie’s clients say they couldn’t live without him on speed dial. Avie graduated Summa Cum Laude from Temple University with a BS in Business Administration. A former auditor for Price Waterhouse and past President of Ace Computer Center Inc., he is also the author of the e-Book, “Your Personal Computer Driver’s License.” Avie’s extensive business background and strong experience in accounting enhances his natural talent for helping his clients see the bigger picture regarding their business. “Your Tech Concierge” helps clients evaluate strategy so that together, they create an action plan with the end in mind. For more information or to “Ask Avie,” please call him at (888)-374-3712, and visit www.askavie.com.