Small- or medium-sized business (SMB) owners may be overwhelmed by their company’s IT demands. Fortunately, virtualization services are giving them a fighting chance to stay on top. Some technology vendors even recommend app virtualization services because many SMBs use it. Learn if it’s right for you by understanding the basics.

What are non-virtualized apps?

To understand app virtualization, first you need to understand how non-virtualized apps are installed.

When you install an application like Skype or Slack onto a computer, the installer program puts most of the files required for the app to run on your hard drive’s Program Files folder. This process is usually fine for personal use but may become problematic if you install similar apps on your device.

For instance, if two similar apps are installed on the same file destination, there’s a chance that they might conflict with each other and inevitably crash. Likewise, if you uninstall a program without knowing that it shares important files with another application, you run the risk of breaking the other one.

The solution to this is app virtualization.

What is app virtualization?

App virtualization involves running a program in an environment separate from the physical server, allowing you to run programs that are normally incompatible with a certain operating system (OS). In other words, virtualized apps trick your computer into working as if the application is running on a local machine, but in fact, you’re actually accessing the app from somewhere else.

Advantages of app virtualization

App virtualization offers numerous advantages for SMBs, including:

• Quick installation times and less money spent on local installation
• Allowing incompatible applications to run on any local machine. For instance, if your laptop is dated and can’t run the latest apps on its own, you can lighten the load on your CPU by accessing virtualized apps instead.
• Mac users can run any Windows apps if your company’s local server runs Windows OS.
• Applications on your computers won’t be in conflict with each other since virtual apps are installed in a separate location.
• Upgrading is easy because your IT team won’t have to upgrade applications in individual desktops, they just have to upgrade the virtual application within the company’s local server.
• Applications can be accessed from any machine, allowing your employees to work from home or on the go if they choose to.

Things to consider

Before you start deploying app virtualization solutions, you need to have a stable network connection so users can smoothly stream apps. Note that some apps like antivirus programs are difficult to virtualize since they need to be closely integrated with your local OS.

Virtualizing a workplace is no easy task, and that’s where we come in. If you’re convinced that your company can benefit from app virtualization, get in touch with our IT experts today.

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Finding and installing the right apps for your tablet is a challenge to many Android users. How do you know which ones will boost your device’s functionality? Instead of downloading apps at random, try out these seven essential apps for your Android phone or tablet.

Google Drive

Google Drive gives you 15GB of free cloud storage (you can purchase additional storage as needed), plus access to Google Docs, Sheets, Slides, and Keep to do both work and personal tasks even while on the go. It also includes Google Photos, which you can use to store, view, and share photos and videos.

Microsoft Office apps

The Microsoft Office apps bring you all the essential tools you need to get work done. They encompass all the familiar Office apps, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and more. Create and edit documents anytime, anywhere, on any internet-connected device. And with these apps’ integration with OneDrive, Microsoft’s cloud service, your documents are automatically saved and easily shared with others.

Evernote

Trouble keeping track of your tasks and ideas? Then Evernote is the app for you. Create handwritten notes, or notes that take the form of a voice memo, photo, screenshot, or an excerpt from an online article. And with their smart search tools, finding the notes or notebooks you need is a breeze. The Premium and Business options offer even more features. For example, the Business plan includes Spaces, which you can use to organize notes in separate notebooks that different teams in your company can access.

AirDroid

Exclusive to Android, AirDroid is a file-sharing app that lets you wirelessly transfer files from a smartphone or tablet to a PC, and vice versa, all at lightning speed. It also allows you to access your device from your computer — manage your messages, contacts, camera, media files, and apps from your laptop’s or desktop’s web browser.

Pocket

Save content from a wide range of sources for offline viewing with Pocket. If you come across an interesting article on a news site or a video on Twitter, simply tap on the Share button in your device’s menu or the share menu in an app to save it onto Pocket. You can add tags to your saved content, so that they’re easy to find and pull up when you need them. And if you’re happy with your picks, share them with others through their Pocket accounts or social media.

CamScanner

This nifty application allows you to use your Android tablet’s camera to scan documents such as invoices, forms, and receipts, and have them exported as PDF files. You can store, sync, and collaborate on these documents across a variety of web-enabled devices. The app also comes with support for sending faxes, OCR (optimal character recognition), printing, and more.

LastPass

Memorizing all your passwords for all your social media accounts, apps, and websites is a pain, and that’s why a good password manager like LastPass is essential. This app quickly generates strong and secure passwords, and automatically logs you into various apps and websites across all your devices. With LastPass, you don’t have to remember a password ever again.

This list is far from being a comprehensive one, but these apps can help you get the most out of your device. If you want to learn how to use Android devices to boost your business’s efficiency, give us a call today.

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The convenience provided by the iPhone/Mac combo is well-known, but syncing your Android phone with Chrome can give Apple a run for its money. Here are five nifty things you can do with Google’s combo.

Send directions from Google Maps to your Android phone

While Google Maps works great on smartphones, it’s often easier to use on larger screens. To send driving, walking, or commute directions from your PC to your Android phone, do the following:

1. Click on a specific location on Google Maps (or enter a location in the search field and click on the desired result).
2. Click on the Send to your phone button in the pane on the left side of your screen.
3. Choose to have the directions sent to your phone via text or email.

Sync your computer’s Chrome tabs with your phone

This is especially useful when you need to bring your work outside of the office. Here's all you need to do:

1. Open the Chrome App on your Android phone.
2. Tap the three-dotted menu icon beside the search field.
3. If you’re not using multiple Google accounts, go straight to Step 4. Otherwise, tap Settings > your user icon > Sync > Sync to > your desired Google account, then press the back button until you see the three-dotted menu icon. Press it once more.
4. Tap Recent tabs. You’ll see all the tabs you’ve opened recently while logged in to a particular Google account regardless of device.

Finding your phone

Simply entering “find my phone” in the Google search bar will display the current or last known location of your phone. On top of that, you can also ring your device for five minutes — even if it’s set to silent — in the hopes that you or some kind soul answers it and tells you where you can pick it up.

Use your phone to control your computer

For this trick, start by installing the Chrome Remote Desktop app from the Google Play Store on your Android phone (or even on your iPhone) and the Chrome Remote Desktop extension app for Chrome on your computer, regardless if it’s running on ChromeOS, Windows, macOS, or Linux.

Each device you want to connect must have Chrome installed, and each Chrome browser must be signed into the same account. With everything in place, you can remotely control a system that’s switched on, such as your desktop, via your phone or Chromebook, or allow one-time access to give or receive remote support.

Set reminders for yourself via Google Assistant or Google Keep

You can use voice commands on your Android phone to set reminders. Say “OK Google” or press the mic icon to activate Google Assistant, then say “Remind me to buy milk at the grocery store” or whatever it is you want to be reminded of.

Once the Add a reminder screen appears, you can edit reminder details, such as when you want to be given a heads up or where you want to be alerted (such as when you enter a grocery store).

Alternatively, you can install the Google Keep extension app in Chrome or the Google Keep app on your Android. Simply open the app, click the Take a note field, type in your reminder, click the Remind me icon, then click on either Pick date & time to set when you want to be reminded or Pick place to set where you want to be notified.

As long as you have syncing turned on for your Google account, you can use Google Calendar, Google Assistant, or Google Keep on one device to unleash reminders across all your devices.

Syncing lets you make the most of your devices and makes you feel that you’re using one machine. For any questions regarding the Android/Chrome combo, feel free to give us a call anytime!

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Progressive SMBs are defined by how they use technology to achieve business growth. From acquiring new customers to managing suppliers to exceeding sales quotas, IT helps a lot. But traditional hardware and software solutions are expensive to purchase and support. Then again, you're not a traditional SMB — you're progressive. What you need is hyperconverged infrastructure.

What is a hyperconverged infrastructure?

In a traditional IT environment, hardware for networks, servers, and storage had to be purchased separately and set up to work together as one cohesive system.

Later, manufacturers started offering converged systems — pre-built “stacks” of hardware that work together right out of the box and come with advanced management tools and tech support. Now, hyperconverged infrastructure packs the entire stack into one box and lets everything be managed via a single interface. Not only is this box more affordable and easier to use, it can also be used as building blocks — just add more boxes as your business grows.

In a word, hyperconverged infrastructure allows enterprise-level IT solutions to be scaled down for SMBs. Let's take a closer look at how it can benefit your business.

Software-centric computing streamlines upgrades

Putting everything you need into a single box and then wrapping that box with a flexible and adaptable management software makes receiving regular patches and updates more convenient. Restructuring or adding more hardware later is also easier than ever before.

Unified administration

Hyperconvergence consolidates a number of separate functions and services into one piece of technology. Whoever is managing your network can tweak storage, cloud, backup, and database settings from one place.

Simple scalability

Different hyperconvergence boxes come in different sizes and capabilities; and all it takes to scale up is to install additional units based on your forecasted needs. If all you need is a little extra, then purchase a smaller upgrade. But when you’re expecting rapid growth, a bigger box will ensure that your IT infrastructure expands with your business. More than this, hyperconverged boxes make for faster deployment of IT services to remote offices as well.

Stronger data protections

Complexity is the Achilles’ heel of IT networks. Staying on top of a mounting pile of account management settings, malware definitions, and data storage settings is almost impossible. But, with a hyperconverged infrastructure, your servers and virtual machines aren’t built like a hodge-podge of third-party services with separate security vulnerabilities — they form an all-in-one service.

Keep in mind that while hyperconvergence is simpler than most virtualization solutions, rarely is it simple enough to be handled by in-house IT departments of SMBs. A managed services provider is better equipped to handle the growth and evolution brought about by the benefits of hyperconvergence.

The better your technology, the faster you can make changes. And the faster you can accommodate your shifting needs, the less downtime you experience. Call us today to find the hyperconverged system that best fits your business.

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