Virtualization allows you to eliminate dependency on physical hardware limitations and software requirements. Before you choose any one virtualization solution, it's a good idea to go over the different companies providing virtualization services. Below is a list of five popular vendors offering reliable virtualization platforms.

VMware

Any conversation about virtualization for small- and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) usually starts around VMware. VMware is the company that really put office virtualization on everyone’s action item list. The company offers a number of different solutions for different-sized businesses with a wide variety of needs. Its ease of use and robust security features have secured its reputation as one of the best options for virtualization for SMBs.

Citrix

The average user may not recognize the company name but probably knows their popular remote access tools, GoToMyPC and GoToMeeting. Citrix has specifically geared their virtualization software XenApp, XenDesktop, and VDI-in-a-box toward SMBs and even claims that non-IT staff can easily manage and administer the services. They even provide a free trial to prove it.

Microsoft

Although it may be a little more difficult to manage without an in-house or outsourced IT staff, Microsoft’s Hyper-V option is hard to ignore, considering its integration with the popular cloud platform Azure. Whether you’re a Microsoft loyalist or you just want to minimize the number of vendors in your network, Hyper-V offers everything you need from a virtualization service.

Oracle

Specializing in marketing software, Oracle also offers database management, cloud storage, and customer relationship management software. If you’re using any of their services already, there could be benefits to enlisting their virtualization services as well. Oracle does everything — server, desktop, and app virtualization — and they believe that consolidating all of these into one solution is what sets them apart.

Amazon

Since we’re on the topic of household names, let’s talk about Amazon’s EC2 platform, which hosts scalable virtual private servers. The ability to scale and configure capacity is definitely EC2’s biggest draw for SMBs preparing for the possibility of rapid growth. Although almost any virtualization service is rooted in scalability, Amazon is leading the pack in how quickly and finely you can adjust your solution to your individual needs.

Virtualization is a really hard topic for most SMBs to tackle. This list only covers the most popular vendors, and there are plenty more out there. Choosing one based on its application possibilities and management requirements is not a subject for the lighthearted. Get in touch with us today so we can break down all of the technobabble into easy-to-understand advice.

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Technological advancements have a tremendous effect on the healthcare industry. Something called machine learning is the first step toward artificial intelligence (AI) and it’s already streamlining service delivery for those in the medical profession. Here are a few examples your practice could be missing out on.

Virtual personal health assistants

At the helm of the AI revolution are virtual personal health assistants. Many people already use these apps so often that they’ve forgotten how revolutionary they are. We call them by their names -- Siri, Cortana, Alexa, etc. -- and address them via our phones, TVs, and computers.
When applied to the healthcare industry, virtual assistants help users in various ways. You can ask medical questions or document your symptoms for upcoming appointments. You can also set reminders for health-related tasks, like a doctor’s appointment or an alarm for taking medicine.

Health coaching

Virtual health coaches are a great help to people with chronic illnesses. For example, patients struggling with obesity, diabetes, and other long-term health conditions can find encouragement and comfort in an AI coach that regularly monitors and analyzes their vital statistics. Virtual health coaches can also provide accurate dietary and medical advice based on the patients’ collected health data.

Healthcare bots

Healthcare bots are also making waves in the healthcare industry because they provide quick answers when healthcare providers are not immediately available. Bots are accessible via the internet or over the phone 24/7, and can provide immediate, affordable, and legitimate medical advice to those who need it.

Moreover, bots help healthcare providers minimize administrative and billing tasks, so they can focus more time on medical care. Bots can ask patients about their medical history, allergies, and what medical concerns they have.
With all the technological advances discussed in this article, it is apparent that AI brings innumerable benefits to patients and healthcare providers. Our team specializes in IT support for the healthcare industry. Whether you need help achieving regulatory compliance or taking advantage of the latest technology, we can help. Give us a call today to get started.

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Most business owners don’t think of Virtualization when talking about Disaster Recovery (DR). However, virtualization actually serves as an effective disaster recovery plan. Here’s a breakdown for those unfamiliar with how the one can serve as a reliable way of implementing the other.

Unlike tape backups, Virtualization restores your entire system in four hours or less by recovering your backed up servers, operating systems, and applications via the internet. This means you’ll lose fewer critical files due to minimal downtime and can resume normal operations promptly.

While the speed of virtualized backups might sound alluring, there are a few key points you should be aware of before moving forward.

• Backup location for critical data – Where do you want your critical resources to be stored? Do you want it stored on tapes, disk technologies, or virtualized servers? Even if you choose virtual machines as your main backup plan, it’s highly recommended to back up your critical data on multiple sources to lower data loss risks and ensure fast recovery.
• Data to be backed up – If you decide to back up your critical data on virtual machines, you should figure out which data you want to store and designate specific virtualized servers to store them. In case a disaster does happen, you’ll know immediately where your backups are and can retrieve your data quickly to get your business up and running again fast.
• Systems to be virtualized – You should also identify and back up critical applications that’s necessary for your business’s operations, such as email, Microsoft Office programs, and other in-house applications. Once identified, you should remember to virtualize and store them off-site for seamless disaster recovery when your local servers fail.

If you choose Virtualization as part of your Disaster Recovery solution, make sure your backups are monitored regularly so they’re up-to-date in the event of a disaster.

Besides Disaster Recovery, there are many other benefits to Virtualization. Your business can reduce the amount of servers and other hardware in your office, lower electricity expenses, spend less time maintaining on-site servers, and save money in the process. Consider Disaster Recovery as a nice bonus that’s included with these benefits.

Curious to learn how else Virtualization can benefit your business? Interested in a dedicated Disaster Recovery solution? Call us today and discover how our experts can protect your organization and save you money.

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iOS updates for iPhone happen on a regular basis. While you may be in the habit of updating to the latest software without giving it a second thought, consider holding off the installation to save yourself from unnecessary headaches that come with a premature iOS update. Avoid unnecessary inconvenience during your iOS installation by following these six guidelines.

Consider waiting

Just because a new iOS update is released doesn’t mean you must install it right away. In fact, users who install the software early have to deal with the imperfections and the bugs of the newly released update. For example, when iOS 11.3 was released, many users suffered from autocorrect bugs, unstable bluetooth connections, and shorter battery life.

Do your research before updating to a new version of iOS to be on the safe side. Get feedback from users who have already upgraded to the latest software, read Apple forums, watch YouTube tutorials, and do a Google search about the pros and cons of upgrading to the newly released iOS.

Ready login credentials

When downloading and installing an iOS update, you will be asked for your Apple ID. To save time, prepare your password and passcode beforehand. Keep them handy, since an iOS update sometimes automatically logs you out of your favorite apps and services.

Backup your phone

Updating your iOS can be tricky. Important files can get lost during an iOS update, and if you store important business or personal information on your device, you don’t want to lose it during an update. Avoid losing precious files by creating a backup of your phone data either through iTunes or iCloud before you start the update.

Power your battery & connect to WiFi

If you choose to install the new iOS Over-the-Air (OTA) rather than plugging your device into a desktop, you should be aware of two things. First, your battery must be charged to at least 50% or plugged into an outlet before you can start the update. Second, you cannot update using a cellular connection — you must be connected to WiFi.

In other words, make sure to charge your phone and find a reliable WiFi connection before starting the update. You don’t want your phone to run out of battery during the update. Neither do you want your connection to be unstable, since any slight interruptions will make you lose all your update’s progress.

Don’t panic

Most users face no issues after the update, but some may encounter inconveniences such as shorter battery life, unresponsive touchscreens, and difficulties connecting to WiFi. If these issues happen to you, don’t panic. It is more than likely that answers to your problems are already posted on the web. Whatever your issue might be, a quick Google search should turn up multiple solutions for it. You can also look for answers in forums specifically dedicated to Apple products.

You can downgrade if you want

If you’ve installed the update but have come to regret the decision for one reason or another, there’s good news. You can downgrade for a short period of time after an update is released. There is one catch, though. You can only downgrade to a limited number of previous versions.

For example, if you recently updated to iOS 11.4.1, you’ll only be able to downgrade to iOS 11.4 or iOS 11.3.1. You cannot downgrade to any versions older than these, so think carefully before choosing whether or not to upgrade.

These tips are useful not only for the latest iOS update. Apple follows the same installation procedures for new software releases, so you can still use these tips when you upgrade to future iOS releases.

Need help installing the newest iOS on your device? Or maybe something more complex, like setting up an Apple server? Drop us a line today.ething more complex, like setting up an Apple server? Drop us a line today.

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