Hybrid cloud predictions for 2018
When thinking about cloud technology, public cloud tends to be the first type of platform that comes to mind. This is hardly a shock as it’s the most common type of cloud, but that might not hold true in the near future as hybrid cloud continues to grow. That said, here are five hybrid cloud predictions for 2018. Clearer strategies Many infrastructure as a service (IaaS) public cloud vendors have spent 2017 refining their hybrid cloud strategy. Giants like Microsoft, released Azure Stack in conjunction with Amazon Web Services, who released VMware on AWS’ hybrid cloud offering. Oracle and IBM have also entered the market. So what do these new offerings mean for 2018? This year will determine how much traction they’ll gain and will present business owners like yourself with plenty of options. This means you need a managed services provider now more than ever if you intend to migrate to a hybrid cloud environment this year. Private cloud war Private cloud, which was once viewed as an expensive investment, is now the key to ensuring security and control. As such, more companies will find ways to leverage private and hybrid cloud with competition expected to be more intense than ever. The rise of Containers and platform as a service We’ve realized how crucial it is to let app / software developers create new business opportunities in the cloud. However, to ensure those applications can run in any environment requires engagement with both private and public clouds. PaaS and Containers provide the resources and flexibility necessary to optimize the app-dev pipeline. As such, they’re expected to be integrated across various hybrid cloud solutions this year. Optimized connections More companies are now offering managed and colocation services with direct connections to the public cloud. This is no accident as more companies are now using private and public cloud to handle in-house workloads, which is why an optimized network connection is critical to provide better usability and efficiency from two separate platforms. With hybrid cloud set to become the norm in the future, optimizing these connections can make or break your business. More on-premises services In 2015, Amazon introduced Lambda, a serverless platform that uses function as a service (FaaS) to deliver public cloud resources into on-premises data centers. What’s more, Microsoft, Red Hat, and other companies are trying to do something similar by creating serverless functionalities on hybrid cloud environments. The connection here is that tech giants will utilize public cloud to create serverless platforms which will provide organizations with much needed resources on-premises without sacrificing convenience, usability, and costs. Keeping up with the cloud can be quite a headache, which is why we round up every useful IT news and tips in our blog. And if you have any questions about the cloud, just give us a call and we’ll be happy to advise. Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.
Gmail gets more add-ons!
Add-ons and swim rings share one thing in common — they both can save your life! While it might not be literal in the case of the former, add-ons do heaps to streamline your everyday tasks and literally save you hours of work. If you use Gmail, you can experience it today! Google’s focus is on productivity services that are already connected to email systems one way or another. This is why they have partnered with Asana, Dialpad, DocuSign (coming soon), Hire (by Google), Intuit QuickBooks, ProsperWorks, RingCentral, Smartsheet, Streak, Trello, and Wrike for their first set of native extensions. What are some features can you expect? While each add-on’s capabilities are slightly different, what they have in common is functionality that allows you to track various tasks right from the Gmail interface. For instance, Gmail users will be able to view tasks and track their progress right from their inboxes when they receive emails from other Asana users. The Trello add-on allows you to turn emails into actionable tasks where you’ll be able to comment and move cards without having to switch to Trello itself. And the RingCentral add-on will let you make outbound calls and view and send SMS messages right from your inbox. What’s more, these integrations work in the mobile Gmail app on Android, too. Google is currently working with Apple to bring these add-ons to iOS and they should be available soon. How to install these add-ons Just head over to G Suite Marketplace and download any extension you want. Then, those add-ons will be visible on the right sidepane of your Gmail interface. Unfortunately, they aren’t available in Inbox by Gmail (Google’s other email client) just yet. However, Google has made it easy for developers to create customized add-ons for their company with guidelines you can find here. With the introduction of Gmail add-ons, it’s exciting to see what other integrations are in store for businesses in 2018. But until then, if you have any questions about how you can use the web and cloud technology to your business’s advantage, just give us a call. Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.
Google improves Chrome’s security settings
Most web browsers have built-in security measures to protect users, but some of those aren’t enough to ward off unwanted software. To improve Chrome’s security, Google rolled out some changes in its Chrome Cleanup tool for Windows. Here’s how the enhanced tool protects you. Detect hijacked settings Many users prefer to enhance their browsing experience by installing extensions or plug-ins, some of which could be malicious. When these extensions are installed, they could inject harmful ads into web pages or allow access to third-party servers without the user’s consent. Google’s new hijacked settings detection function prevents this from happening. Once it detects an attempt by a third party to change your browser’s settings, it will automatically revert to Chrome’s default settings. And in case you suspect any unauthorized change in your browser, you can manually reset settings in Chrome. Simplify cleanup You probably don’t remember downloading many of the files in your Downloads folder, but these are actually software and other attachments that were bundled with the software that you do use. Chrome Cleanup’s newly simplified feature makes it easier for you to determine harmful files, easing the pain of sorting through and deleting tons of downloaded files. Whenever it detects a malicious software, users will get a pop-up message that offers them an easy way to remove the potential threat, get more details about it, or disregard it in case of false detection. Maximize removal of nonessential software Aside from the simplified interface, Google also made some much-needed improvements in Chrome Cleanup’s performance, so it’s now capable of eliminating more junkware. Tricking users into installing a program without their consent is one of the many characteristics of unwanted software that Google lists under its Unwanted Software Policy. To help fight against this and other browser security risks, the company has partnered with an IT security team to strengthen Chrome’s ability to detect and remove unwelcome add-ons. It’s important to note that these upgrades don’t affect Chrome’s performance and speed because they work in the background. In addition, these changes are now available in Windows devices but will soon roll out to other platforms. In the meantime, if you want to find out more about browser and application security, contact our security specialists today! Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.
OneDrive’s new feature helps you save space
Don’t you just hate it when your PC gives a warning message that it’s running out of space? You’re then forced to go through all your files to figure out which are important and which ones can be deleted. Sometimes you manage to get a few megabytes back, but oftentimes you end up grabbing your external disks. But with OneDrive Files On-Demand, the issue will become a thing of the past. Microsoft has launched OneDrive’s new feature called “OneDrive Files On-Demand,” which comes with Windows 10 Fall Creators Update. This new feature allows users to transfer files to Microsoft’s cloud storage, thus saving some space on their local hard drive. What’s great about this feature is that you can open and view the online-only files quickly and conveniently as if you’re opening them from your local hard drive. How to get the new feature When you upgrade to Windows 10 Fall Creators Update, the OneDrive Files On-Demand feature should be enabled by default. But if it’s not, all you need to do is turn it on by: Opening OneDrive Clicking the cloud icon on the right side of your taskbar Selecting Settings and clicking the Setting tab In the Files On-Demand section, make sure the Save space and download files as you use them box is checked What do these icons mean? In the OneDrive folder in File Explorer, you’ll see three types of icons (look at the Status column). Here’s what they mean: Blue cloud: files that are stored online only Green checkmark in white circle: files that are stored locally and will be made online-only when you’re running out of space White checkmark in green circle: files that are stored locally even when you’re running out of space How to download online-only files You can download files stored online to your local disk by simply opening them, whereupon a green checkmark will appear on the file. You can also make those files always-available offline (white checkmark) by right-clicking the files and selecting Always keep on this device. How to upload local files to the cloud Just right click the files — whether they’re files with green or white check marks — and select Free up space. Microsoft’s OneDrive Files On-Demand feature is another proof of how cloud technology can help optimize your IT resources. For more ways to make the most of your technology investment, talk to our cloud experts today. Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.
Here comes Dropbox Professional
Lack of storage space is something we all have to deal with at some point. You’ll be forced to delete some seemingly unnecessary files, only to find out that you actually needed them later. What would you do? Dropbox offers a quick fix with its new Professional plan. Read on to learn more. Stop worrying about storage space Gone are the days when you have to regularly remove, relocate, or reorganize files stored on your hard disk because there’s not enough space. Dropbox has recently introduced a new plan, Dropbox Professional, aimed at self-employed professionals and entrepreneurs. And it comes with a new feature called Smart Sync. Smart Sync allows you to choose any file or folder stored in your computer’s Dropbox folder and send it to the cloud, thus freeing your hard disk space. What’s great about this feature is that all the “online-only” files and folders will still be visible on your desktop, allowing for convenient access. You can view, rename, remove, or preview those files and folders easily from your computer, just like you can for regular files. It also comes with an array of extra features, such as advanced sharing controls that include remote device wipe, password-protected and expiring shared links, detailed viewer history, and priority support with the Dropbox support team. Let’s welcome Showcase Another exciting feature of Dropbox Professional is Showcase. Instead of organizing your files in a traditional folder, now you can arrange them on a “branded page” with customized layouts, captions, visual preview and show them to the world. This PowerPoint-like page is a great tool for designers, marketeers, or any entrepreneurs who have to present their work to potential clients. You can also see who viewed your file, as well as how they might have interacted with it (e.g., by downloading and/or commenting whatever work your share). Any type of file can be shown on Showcase except video files which, for now, can be presented only as a static image. Dropbox will roll out a support for this soon. And the good news is: Showcase doesn’t take up your Dropbox space. Pricing $19.99 a month or $199 a year is the price you have to pay for Dropbox Professional and its extras. The plan comes with 1TB storage and allows you to recover old versions or restore deleted files from the last 120 days. Let’s see whether the new Dropbox plan can compete with other cloud-storing products in the market, including Box.com, which costs only $15 a month (but has fewer features). Using productivity apps is one way to help you become more efficient. But there are also many other ways in which technology can help improve your efficiency. Why not contact our IT team today? Our staff knows how to turn technology to your advantage, and they’ll be more than happy to talk to you! Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.
Here comes Firefox Quantum
Google Chrome wasn’t always the browser of choice for internet users. Before 2008, people turned to Safari, Opera, and even Internet Explorer. But all of that changed with the arrival of Firefox, the reigning champ of its time. And now, we think it deserves your attention once again. What is it? Firefox Quantum, AKA Firefox 57, is Mozilla’s newest and fastest web browser, a culmination of years of Mozilla engineer’s hard work if you will. What has changed? Most of the updates in Firefox Quantum comes from Mozilla’s experimental web browser layout engine called Servo. It has been the testing platform for all of Firefox’s new features, including a new programming language called Rust that Mozilla had developed. Rust is important because it allows Firefox Quantum to take full advantage of multiple CPU cores, a functionality that no previous versions of Firefox have. This gives the web browser a substantial speed boost. It also means that Firefox now uses 30% less RAM, possibly even less than Chrome. Apart from speed, Firefox Quantum comes with a simple, streamlined interface that can be customized based on your preferences. Mozilla has also made sure that the web browser’s display has clearer definitions on high-DPI screens and work better on laptops with touchscreens. Firefox Quantum still comes with Pocket, a feature which lets you save articles, videos, pages, and other files to an easily accessible folder. It also has screenshot functionality and a reading mode that hides anything other than the page’s contents to remove any distractions. All in all, Firefox Quantum seems to have tackled all the gripes that led many users to Chrome: speed and resource usage. The final version is scheduled to launch on November 14th, 2017. Until then, you can test its features in the current beta or developer release. And as always, if you have any questions or would love to know more about how the web might benefit your business, just give us a call. Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.
How SaaS can benefit your business
As technology progresses, more solutions are created to help businesses reduce costs and increase efficiency. One such solution is “Software as a Service,” aka SaaS. To know if this new solution can be of benefit to your business, you need to know first what SaaS actually is. Read on to learn more. What is SaaS and what makes it appealing? Software as a Service (SaaS) is a software delivery model that allows you, as a user, to access software from any device via the internet. This gives you more flexibility since you won’t have to come to the office to use the software, but will be able to work from anywhere that has an internet connection. As opposed to a traditional on-premises setup where software is stored locally, SaaS software is hosted in the cloud, eliminating the need to buy new hardware or spend money on its maintenance. Besides, by transferring software hosting to a third party, you’re also outsourcing all the responsibilities that come with maintenance such as upgrades and troubleshooting. Another aspect that sets SaaS apart from using on-premises software is licensing. With on-premises, you purchase a license and pay yearly support fees; while with SaaS, you pay a monthly or annual subscription fee that covers licenses, support, and other fees. This is advantageous since it allows you to spread out costs over time, instead of purchasing licenses outright. Will my data be safe? One of the issues that makes companies reluctant to switch to SaaS is data security. Who will own my data? Will my data be safe? What if the vendor goes out of business? First of all, when you’re outsourcing your software to a SaaS vendor, you have to sign a service level agreement (SLA). Make sure that the SLA specifies that you own the data and that the vendor is obliged to provide access to your data even if they go bankrupt. Secondly, it’s likely that data hosted by your SaaS vendor will be more secure than when it’s stored on your average SMB’s network. That’s because SaaS vendors have to undergo strict security audits, forcing them to invest more in security, backup technology, and maintenance than a typical SMB has to. Should I switch to SaaS or stick to on-premises? SaaS is an ideal solution for small- and medium-sized businesses with straightforward business models that are looking for a way to reduce upfront costs. But if your business is large or has complex business processes, a traditional on-premises solution might be a better choice since it offers more functionality and allows for full customization. Still unsure about whether SaaS is the right answer for your organization? Want to know more about SaaS before making the transition? Call us today. Our experts are ready to answer any questions you may have about SaaS! Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.
Take a look at Outlook.com’s new features
Are you looking for a business email service provider? A convenient option would be Gmail, which lets you sync your emails easily with Google applications. But if discreet ads, a cleaner design, increased storage, and other productivity enhancements sound appealing to you, we recommend taking a look at the following new Outlook.com features. Easy elimination of unwanted emails Employees spend an excessive amount of time poring through both important and junk emails. In the redesigned Outlook.com, it takes only three clicks to block unwanted emails, helping you to organize your mailbox better and faster. Simply click on the Sweep function to configure inbox preferences like blocking incoming emails from specific senders or automatically deleting 10-day-old messages. In case you accidentally delete important messages, you can use the “undelete” function to retrieve them without the assistance of IT staff. New security features When you log in to your Outlook account on a public device or on your laptop using public WiFi, Microsoft will send you a one-time password via SMS. Once you’ve logged out of your account, further attempts by intruders to log in to your account in the same public place will be foiled by this additional safety procedure. Another security feature is the stealth email address features, which allows you to create a temporary email address. This is particularly useful in situations where you have to provide your email to sign up for a service, e.g., eCommerce or file sharing websites, and you’re not sure whether or not these sites are secure. Using your temporary email address, you can filter incoming emails from suspicious senders or delete them if you suspect that they’re spam. Social media contacts integration For users whose business connections extend to their social media contacts, this feature lets you easily sync and consolidate Outlook contacts with contacts from Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Google Plus. Note that you can choose to sync just one platform, e.g., LinkedIn, to ensure that only professional contacts get synced to your Outlook account. Minimal advertising If you spend an inordinate amount of time in your email, a busy interface can be distracting. The new Outlook.com reduces the number of intrusive ads on your screen, unlike in Gmail where ads appear right on top of your most recent email. Although there are ads, they are not prominently placed within your mailbox, and you have some control over the ads that do get shown. Other enhancements Other minor but useful enhancements include a bigger reply window, HTML and CSS formatting functionality, folders and category labeling features, increased storage capacity via SkyDrive integration, an improved photo gallery viewer, and more. These are just some of the more useful enhancements on Outlook.com, and Microsoft is expected to add even more in the future. If you need more productivity-enhancing email features, or if you want to make the most of your existing email functions, call us today for tips and recommendations. Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.
Surf the net with Microsoft Edge
People prefer one web browser over another for all kinds of reasons, including ease of use, applications, security and of course, performance. If you’ve recently downloaded Windows 10, there’s a new browser on the block: Microsoft Edge. Here are some nifty features you may find useful. Import favorites You can easily import the list of websites you’ve marked as favorites from any web browser to Microsoft Edge. You can do this by going to the More actions tab (located right next to the address bar), then Settings, and clicking on the Favorites settings tab. From there, choose the pages you want to add to your favorites list and click Import. Change font size in reading view Even with your reading glasses on, a website’s font can be too small to read. Microsoft Edge allows you to adjust the reading view by going to Other actions and selecting the Settings tab. From there, scroll down and click on the Reading section that will allow you to adjust the font size and even brightness to your liking. Make notes on the website Ever wished you could write on, circle, or highlight specific parts of a website and share them with your friends? Microsoft Edge lets you do just that with its new note feature. Select Make a web note and use tools such as the ballpoint pen or highlighter, or add a typed note on the page you’re browsing. When you’re done, click Save or Share to complete the process. Reading list This feature allows you to save articles, e-books, or any other content you wish to peruse later. By signing in with a Microsoft account, your reading list will appear on all your Windows 10 devices. Select Add to favorites or reading list, and then Reading list > Add. You can also add a link to your reading list by right-clicking on any link without having to visit the page. Ask Cortana Microsoft Edge users can easily access Cortana, Windows’ voice-activated personal assistant since it is built into the web browser. Cortana can make dinner reservations, offer additional discounts on certain shopping websites, and download applications that you may find useful. Simply highlight a word, phrase, or image, press and right-click it, and then select Ask Cortana to get more information or find related images. View and delete browser history As you browse the web, Microsoft Edge remembers and stores the information you’ve entered into forms, passwords, and sites you’ve visited. Most of it will be stored on your PC; but if you use Cortana, some of the data will be stored in the cloud which will be used to better assist you. If you need to delete cache history, you can do so by following either of these two methods: View your browsing history at Hub > History, then select Clear all history. If you want to retain certain data, you can choose what to remove, then select Clear. Since Cortana’s browsing history is stored in the cloud, select Change what Microsoft Edge knows about me in the cloud, then select Clear browsing history. Switching from one web browser to another isn’t always as smooth as it is made out to be. In order for users to make the most out of their time online, they require a period of adjustment. If you still have questions about making Microsoft Edge your default browser, get in touch with our experts today. Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.
Google cloud just got much faster
The Google Cloud Platform can do virtually any business computing task you need it to. From pre-written machine learning modules to high-end data analysis, it’s limited only by the internet connection you use to access it. But now, even that is being improved upon. What is Google Cloud Platform? Similar to Amazon Web Services or Microsoft’s Azure, the Google Cloud Platform is a suite of services that run in Google data centers around the world and are accessible to clients over the internet. There are currently 60 services available, grouped into nine categories: Compute Storage and Databases Networking Big Data (for analysis) Internet of Things Machine Learning Management Tools Developer Tools Identity and Security Each one offers a unique set of tools for getting work done in the cloud. For example, the Compute category has several services for setting up virtual desktops powered by high-end hardware that can be logged into from almost anywhere. What is Google upgrading? To put it simply, a new approach to bandwidth management will allow Google to send more information in less time. Way back in the ’80s, an algorithm was standardized that recognized when data didn’t reach the final destination and reacted accordingly. The assumption was that the majority of this data loss was due to an overloaded connection, so when the entity sending the data noticed losses, it slowed down transfer speeds. A lot has changed since then, and recently Google introduced a new algorithm for its search and streaming video services. It was a huge success, granting YouTube a 2,700x improvement to its YouTube network throughput in some cases. By applying this new technology to the Google Cloud Platform, customers will see noticeably faster service, regardless of whether they’re storing and retrieving business data or hosting an application. Web and cloud services are indispensable for keeping up with the breakneck pace of IT advancements in a cost-effective manner. Choosing the right platform and configuring it properly isn’t something to be taken lightly. For expert advice and support, message us today. Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.