Now hold on a minute, back up. We couldn’t let such an important event as World Backup Day go by without mentioning it. World Backup Day commences on 31st March this year which gives us an opportunity to remind both individuals and business owners about the importance of backing up their files. It is estimated that as much as 30 percent of computer users have never backed up their files. Ever. If a disaster struck that left their hard drives permanently disabled, how could they ever recover their files? They couldn’t, and as a result they would lose family photos, important documents and other files they will be hard pressed to replace. This is bad enough for an individual, but if you’re a business, you can’t afford to lose your customers’ data, or your own for that matter. It is absolutely necessary to perform regular system backups to protect yourself and others.

You never know when a disaster may strike. It could be a case of severe weather that floods equipment, or an electrical storm that causes damage to a network — even a flood could sink your data files. It’s hard to put a monetary value on all that lost data, but it would be quite expensive. To combat this, all of your system software and information should be backed up on a regular basis. Performing a cloud backup is well advised, and using a professional service such as AGT Computer Services can help safeguard your systems. USB hard drives and rotating hard drives may not offer enough protection by themselves. Even using a fireproof safe to protect a portable drive may not be enough to protect against damage entirely. Storing files in the cloud is added protection from any harmful event that may occur. A cloud backup can either involve a subscription backup service or an off-site FTP server with the backup performed over the Internet.

World Backup Day is a good time to start thinking about the future of data storage as well. Over the course of the next few years, data storage will be seeing a transition in format. 512-byte sector hard disk drives will be changing over to 4,096-byte sector drives. This may present an issue with users of Microsoft’s Small Business Server 2011. This sector, also known at 4K or 4KB, is more reliable and has an increased capacity, but this may cause issues with compatibility in current software applications and operating systems. If you use Windows operating systems it will be important to stay on top of this issue to ensure a smooth transition.

While World Backup Day may serve as a reminder of the importance of performing backups, but this should not be considered an annual event. Small businesses should be backing up their files continuously. If you operate a business in Blackpool, Preston or Lytham, contact AGT Computer Services to find out how we can help you protect your systems and data. Everyone who uses a computer should consider every day to be World Backup Day. We do.

At AGT, we recently had the opportunity to virtualise the entire hardware structure of one of our clients. The system was no longer covered under warranty, but rebuilding the server and domain was not practical. By virtualising the existing hardware, we were able to make a complete clone of the current setup, which we then moved onto new hardware. This eliminated the risk and danger of a failure in the older hardware. Virtualisation has other benefits as well, from reduced energy costs to improved uptime. The combined pros of virtualising your hardware far outweigh the cons. Below are 5 benefits for virtualising old hardware to help you decide if virualisation is right for you and your business.

Rapid Provisioning and Simple Deployment  – Deploying a virtual machine is much easier and faster than deploying a physical counterpart. Rapid provisioning is possible by using a storage area network, or SAN, to perform a clone of virtual machines. Rapid deployment and provisioning will help streamline your operation and make it more productive.

Lower Costs and Strengthen Your Bottom Line  – Creating virtual servers saves money, that’s the bottom line. When your company is able to host multiple virtual servers on a single physical machine, this eliminates the need for multiple physical machines. It’s just simple math. Reducing the amount of hardware your business operates will reduce costs and strengthen your bottom line.

Lower Your Energy Usage –  As energy prices rise, it is very possible that energy costs may exceed your hardware costs over the lifetime of your system. Using virutalisation to consolidate servers will yield a significant reduction in energy costs over time. This can add up to big savings for small businesses. It’s a simple equation of less physical mass equallingless energy consumption.

Improve Uptime  – Virtualization can improve the uptime and ensure your servers are running at maximum capacity. Increased uptime means increased customer satisfaction. A satisfied client base is the foundation of any successful and well-run company.

Upgradability – Upgrading hardware, while necessary, can be a time consuming endeavor. Virtual servers, however, can be upgraded quite easily by simply adding more RAM and hard drive space. When upgrades are performed seamlessly, your business can easily take advantage of the latest developments in hardware and provide added value to your customers and clients.

At AGT Computer Services, we can help you with all of your virtualisation needs so you can streamline your operation and save money. Fast and simple upgrades, rapid deployment and improved uptime are reasons enough to make the switch. Reducing the physical space that your business needs to dedicate to hardware and servers is just one more advantage of virtualisation. Virtual operating systems are the future of computing so there’s no reason not to virtualise. Enjoy the peace of mind of knowing that any damage caused by a failure of physical data storage and network servers will be mitigated. Contact AGT Computer Services and find out how we can help you make the transition to virtual hardware.

Protecting you computer systems from virus, malware and spyware infections is a never-ending game of cat and mouse. Both sides are constantly devising new ways to out manoeuvre each other. Employing the latest, most advanced and up-to-date antivirus software is an important step, but as we advise our customers in Lytham St Annes, there are other ways to help protect yourself.

1: Always Install Quality Antivirus Software

It is not enough to rely on the antivirus applications provided by your Internet service provider. While free and usually included in your bundled service, these types of antivirus software applications do not offer the best protection against virus and malware threats. Windows users should be proactive and use a pro-grade antivirus system that offers better protection through continual updates while the computer is in use.

2. Don’t Forget Your Daily Scans

By conducting daily scans of your PC’s hard drive, you will better protect your overall system from spyware and virus threats. Even the best antivirus software is vulnerable to infection, so the added protection of daily scans goes a long way in deterring malware from getting past your first line of defence.

3. Do Not Click on Email Links or Attachments

As much as we rely on antivirus software to protect our PCs from harm, discipline and diligence is required of the user as well. This means resisting the urge to click on the links and attachments we receive in emails. Even emails from trusted sources can be Trojan horse files just waiting for the opportunity to attack our computers. It can take only a minute or two to unleash a torrent of destructive malware that can take down Windows on your machine and others in the network. Attachments should be scanned and links should be keyed into the Browser manually.

4: Be a Smart Web Surfer

Browser plug-ins that come with anti-malware apps should be enabled to offer protection against a variety of threats online. Phishing attackers, for example, attempt to mimic real web pages so they can retrieve your personal data. By enabling features like link protection, you can limit your risk to this type of attack, and other drive-by infections, while you safely surf the Internet. Automatic pop-up blockers are another effective way to protect yourself while online and are included in most browsers.

5: Always Deploy DNS Protection

Whenever you are connected to the Internet there is an increase in the risk of infections. A Web page that has been compromised, once visited, can infect not only an individual PC, but all the machines in a network. This poses a risk to customers as well, and that is a gaffe that can be difficult for a business to recover from. Some sites may also distribute infections in the form of applications and files. A service like OpenDNS offers protection against phishing attacks and other viruses by allowing users to change the way their PCs interact with the DNS system.

AGT Computer Services has Answers and Solutions

No matter what your business is, or how many employees or customers you are linked to, whether you are in the Lytham St Annes area or anywhere else the world, you need protection against virus, malware, and spyware. AGT Computer Services can help with all your security concerns, even if it’s just explaining to our customer how to prevent virus, malware and spyware infections.

Top Broadband Alternatives to Fibre Optic

Unfortunately, many people enjoying a life of happy pastoral living in rural Britain suffer from a lack of quality broadband. While some live in total “not spots,” many more experience inadequate service. This can be frustrating, especially for business owners who rely on Internet access to stay connected to customers. There are broadband alternatives in rural UK, however. Here are a few ways to get you out of Internet Purgatory.

ADSL Broadband Alternatives

The easiest option would be ADSL broadband. ADSL stands for Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line which is simply accessing the Internet through an existing telephone line. ADSL lines generally delivers enough broadband for home use or even for small businesses. You can check to see if your line can receive broadband by visiting the BT Broadband Availability Checker and entering your telephone number. If you don’t have a land line you can enter your postcode or address to determine whether broadband is an option in your area.

Bonded ADSL Broadband

For businesses that have outgrown the single ADSL connection, Bonded ADSL Broadband is a good next step for staying connected. It provides a less expensive alternative to leased lines and MPLS connections found in high-performance networks. Broadband is delivered using multiple ADSL lines that combine to form a single connection to deliver faster download and upload speeds.

Mobile Phone Broadband / 3G / 4G

For some people getting a BT phone line may not even be an option. They may also find that an ADSL line is too slow and erratic. Mobile broadband then becomes an attractive alternative, providing you get a good mobile phone signal. Using what is basically a router that plugs into a USB port, 3G speeds may deliver comparable speeds to ADSL and 4G will likely outperform it all together. While this will be a more expensive option it may be possible to find a deal for unlimited or high usage. Ofcom’s mobile broadband coverage checker allows you to see if this is an option in your area.

 Satellite Broadband

Another alternative for those living in rural areas is satellite broadband. A satellite dish is required to allow two-way access to the home. While traditionally this type of broadband delivery was painfully slow (and expensive), there have been great improvements in speed in recent years. A clear line of sight is required for optimal reception, however, and what is considered optimal for satellite broadband still falls short of the speeds many people have come to expect. Inclement weather can also negatively impact service and cause delays or latencies.

Wireless Delivery via Radio Masts

Access to broadband can also be achieved wirelessly through a radio mast. A smart antenna is required which needs to be set up outside the home or business and in sight of the mast. A wireless router is used inside the property, similar to the way you would route broadband through a land line.

Leased Lines

Leased lines are a good option for businesses operating in remote areas with unreliable broadband access. Companies in Blackpool, Lytham and Lancashire have the option of using these private circuit lines to make sure they have uninterrupted access. Businesses operating in Cumbria’s Lake District can use these data lines to stay in touch with offices further south.