Micro Tech's online newsletter for December 2017
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December 2017
The Spirit of Giving
Though I’m not sure I’d characterize myself as a 10/10 on the “Christmas spirit” scale, the holiday season is still one of my favorite times of the year. These days, Christmas Eve is one of the only days my extended family manages to get together and catch up. We gather at either my dad’s or one of his two sisters’ houses that evening for a meal and some quality time. Christmas morning, my immediate family hangs out in the living room, opening presents and enjoying each other’s company. Once everything’s been opened and the heaps of wrapping paper are in the trash, we make our way to my in-laws’ place to relax with them for a bit before heading to my parents’ house later in the afternoon. All in all, it ends up being a day packed with family and fun.
they pause for a minute to think. After much deliberation, they usually land on whatever new technological marvel is popular that year, usually with a price tag exponentially more than an action figure or a Barbie. That said, I still love giving gifts to my wife and kids. When you’re little, Christmas is all about what you’re going to get. You strategically open up every present under the tree, trying not to open the best gift first. But as you age, it becomes more about the joy of giving something special to your loved ones. It’s about using your creativity to find that one thing they might not have considered that will really make them excited. I love watching my family open presents and seeing their reactions. After Christmas Day, I get a little jealous of my wife and kids, who are off for winter break. Meanwhile, the lag week between Christmas and New Year’s is one of the busiest times at MicroTech, as business owners decide to switch out their servers, fix problems, and upgrade for the coming year while they’re out of the office. That’s not to say I’m complaining. We deeply appreciate the business, and we’re eager to do whatever we can to accommodate our clients. In general, I don’t think too much about what the Christmas season can give to me. Rather, I try to consider how I can make it great for the people around me. The couple days I get to spend with my family, thinking of little else, are the best presents I could possibly receive.
“... I don’t think too much about what the Christmas season can give to me. Rather, I try to consider how I can make it great for the people aroundme.”
I do have to admit that the gift-giving part of the holiday was a lot easier when the kids were little. If you’re a parent, you know at that age, all they want is toys, and they’re over the moon. Now, when I ask them,
–Randy Amorebieta
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Running a business is hard enough without having to deal with technological problems. If your computer network is compromised, the results can be catastrophic. You might think that hackers and cybercriminals would never target a business as small as yours, but it happens all the time. You probably already know to be wary of dubious email attachments, but here are a few more tips to ensure you don’t end up the victim of an attack that sends your computers into a spiral. Update All the Time Updates to your operating system and security software might seem like a constant chore, but it’s the easiest defense against an attack. Antivirus software should be set to scan for malware after each update, and you should update your operating system whenever you’re prompted to do so. Even better, set your operating system to update automatically. Security patches are designed to counter the latest threats, so you shouldn’t wait to install them. Use Backups Correctly If you do end up with compromised data, a backup is your best friend. Too many businesses don’t check that their backups actually work until they need to rely on them. Ensure your backed-up files are in good order and keep one set of backups off-site. That way, if your entire network is under siege, you know you will at least make it out without losing data.
Protect Your Wi-Fi If you want to provide Wi-Fi to clients visiting your office, you should create a separate network for them. Both that network and your internal network should be protected by different passwords. When you let outside devices onto your network, you are at risk of malicious activity from those devices. Educate Your Staff A staff member’s device can leave your system vulnerable, as well. If you are going to allow your staff to use company Wi-Fi for personal use, you need to educate them on safe browsing behavior. You may be skeptical of unsolicited text messages promising vacation deals, but if one person clicks, the whole network is at risk. A better idea is to have employees attach personal devices to the guest network. Get a Firewall A robust firewall is the first line of defense against prying eyes and hackers. A firewall, or router that includes firewall features, will deter those seeking to break in. Think of it as a digital version of an alarm system.
That Could Save Your Business The Internet Safety Tips
December Testimonials
See What Our Customers Are Saying
“Wow! What a five-star experience! My interaction with Joe and the MicroTech team was definitely beyond expectations! Whenever I have an IT problem, Joe is ready to help. If he can’t fix my problem right away he keeps me updated until a solution is reached. I would highly recommend MicroTech Systems for any
“We have had a relationship with MicroTech for many years. They are very helpful to our needs when we call on them. They are also friendly and professional. I would recommend them to you for your IT needs.” –Mindy C.
IT solution.” –Kat S.
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it’ll likely be a much more significant expense to catch back up than it would have been before, not to mention that it can cause your employee productivity and other revenue-generating activities to slow down. It’s important to stay focused on vision and outcome when formulating your budget. Don’t get bogged down with a fixed number or a specific percentage. Take a broad view of upcoming and past projects and goals, and consider multiple methodologies to determine the best way to move forward. What does the company actually need? This question should also be posed to your staff and IT experts. Those who are working with the technology every day know better than anyone the shortcomings of your current setup. No matter what, don’t wait around for something to break before you decide to replace it. This will inevitably result in a much greater loss of time and resources while you wait around for a fix or a replacement. Planning for the future is a better business approach. IT Budget Basics Easy Holiday Party CHEESE FONDUE Scrambling to find something for the holiday potluck? This fondue is sure to impress!
Hammering out your business’s yearly budget for technology can be incredibly stressful, and understandably so. It’s a process fraught with anxiety, frustration, and uncertainty. You would think that since your business is small, budgeting should be easier, right? After all, you’re dealing with fewer assets, a smaller labor force, and presumably, fewer unknowns. But that couldn’t be further from the truth. When a large firm suffers an unforeseen fiscal event, weathering the storm is usually a simple matter. That’s not so for small- or medium- sized businesses, which have much less financial wiggle room. When business owners are calculating their tech budget, many return to that age-old adage: “If it isn’t broken, don’t fix it.” And sure, that approach will definitely save you money in the short term. But it may also open you up to a potential crisis down the road. For instance, if your trusty old server fails next year, you potentially risk losing data, not to mention the productivity cost for you downtime. In addition, adhering to outdated technologies gives more tech-savvy competitors an advantage, as you fail to change with the times. When you realize how far you’ve fallen behind,
Have a Laugh!
Ingredients
• • •
¾ cup dry white wine
• • •
1 clove garlic Salt to taste
1 tablespoon cornstarch 1 (8-ounce) package sliced Swiss cheese
Foods to dip (apple slices, bread cubes, roasted vegetables, etc.)
Directions
1. In a large bowl, whisk together wine and cornstarch. 2. Chop cheese slices into small, uniform pieces. 3. Rub clove of garlic all over the
some cheese and slowly whisk. When nearly smooth, add more cheese and whisk gently. Repeat until all cheese is melted. If mixture seems too tight, add 1 tablespoon wine.
sides and bottom of a heavy- bottomed pot, then discard.
5. Season with salt and serve immediately. Keep pot on low heat to keep the fondue dippable.
4. Heat wine mixture over
medium-low heat in the pot until thick and bubbling. Add
(Recipe inspired by PinchofYum.com.)
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Inside
The Greatest Gift of All
The Internet Safety Tips That Could Save Your Business
December Testimonials
IT Budget Basics
Easy Holiday Party Cheese Fondue
Beyond Trust Falls
3 Killer TEAM-BUILDING ACTIVITIES A tight-knit team benefits every business, regardless of size or industry. Every one of your employees is working toward a common goal, so a sense of camaraderie is crucial. As a leader,
office. Give each team (you can decide the numbers) an egg and a time limit to create a contraption that will allow the egg to survive an eight-foot drop. You can provide materials if you’d like or force them to make due with whatever’s lying around. Not only will teams have to work together to create a novel solution, they’ll have the satisfaction of seeing their work put to the test. Top 5 Anything Introducing a new employee to your group can be a challenge. “What’s your name?”, “Where are you from?”, and the like are boring and don’t really let someone express themselves. A great way to let a new employee share a passion or interest is to simply ask them to share their top five favorites from a category of their choosing. An avid reader might choose top five novels, and a home cook their top five favorite dishes. The great thing about this activity is that it gives employees the freedom to talk about something they love, while also letting the group get to know them. Sure, everyone loves a free lunch and a chance to escape the office for a few hours. But these team-building activities, which require no travel at all, can be even more rewarding.
bringing your team together is one of the best investments you can make. What’s even better is that you don’t need to take everyone to Cancun to build real connections. Here are a few activities that will delight your staff without crushing your budget. Back-to-Back Drawing Team communication is vital to an effective workplace, so why not have a little fun testing that skill? Break your staff into groups of two, or do it by department if you have a larger workforce. Each pair sits back to back, and one is given an image to describe to their partner, but they cannot just say what the image is. The other partner has to try to replicate the image, and whoever
comes closest wins. Egg Drop Contest
You may have done this in high-school physics class, but you’d be shocked at how well it tests creative problem-solving in your
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