Unlike most solutions, virtualization technology is not plug and play. It requires you to understand your IT environment and know which aspects could and should be virtualized. This is not something we expect first-time virtualization users to grasp right away, so if you’re planning to implement it, follow these tips.

Conduct an assessment
Evaluating your IT environment is an important step in the implementation process. After all, you can’t just go around virtualizing everything without a plan. An IT assessment performed by an impartial managed services provider (MSP) like us helps you understand what type of virtualization solution you need.

For example, if the report found that computers don’t have enough processing power to run certain apps, desktop virtualization -- which consolidates operating systems and apps into a single powerful server -- is an ideal solution.

From there, you should be able to estimate costs and set realistic timelines for the implementation.

Don’t forget about hardware
Just because virtualization frees up space in your server room, does not mean hardware is no longer an issue. No matter what type of solution you opt for, the servers you use must be strong enough to support the entire company’s computing demands.

This means you must take stock of your apps and their hardware requirements and make sure your server has all the processing power, RAM, network capacity, and storage necessary to run them.

Underutilized servers are excellent candidates for virtualization, but purchasing new equipment may pay dividends in the long run. If you choose the latter option, ask your provider for recommendations. Chances are they’re partnered with virtualization-optimized hardware vendors that offer top-of-the-line servers.

Prevent VM sprawl
Virtualization allows you to deliver computing resources to workstations in your network via virtual machines (VMs), which can be created on a server in just a few minutes. While this lets you scale and provision resources quickly, there are risks if you don't have someone regularly reviewing which VMs are worthwhile and which are outdated. You could be losing out on cost savings and efficiency benefits.

When too many VMs are created, they can quickly consume all server resources and complicate licensing and asset management.

To prevent sprawl, you must establish policies and restrictions for VM creation. For instance, users must have a good justification for creating a VM (e.g., testing software or provisioning apps for new users).

Prioritize business continuity
You must also protect the hardware running your virtual servers. Make sure to lock up server rooms and have secondary servers available in case the first one breaks down. While you’re at it, take advantage of automated backup solutions that make copies of your VMs and their files regularly.

Work with experts
Building and maintaining a virtual infrastructure is no simple task. That’s why you’ll want to work with a virtualization specialist who can guarantee a seamless implementation and provide ongoing management services.

For more tips on virtualization, call our experts today!

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Although the internet is a seemingly endless source of information, you may find that unless you ask the right questions, you won’t get the right answers. As a way to accommodate a greater variety of user queries, Bing has recently been updated with four new features.

Validating answers using many websites

Before the recent update, Bing would answer questions based on what it found on a single website. Now, it scours several sites and aggregates results before replying to your query. For questions that have two different perspectives, answers from both sides will be compiled and displayed at the top of the search page. A compilation of answers will also be given for questions with numerous answers.

Analogies

Have you ever gotten an answer you couldn’t comprehend? Search engines have a relatively easy time finding answers, but they don’t always display the simplest ones. For example, knowing that Syria is 71,498 square miles isn't the same as learning that Syria is approximately as big as Florida, but depending on where you live one is much better than the other.

With Bing now providing relevant analogies and comparisons, information has become easier to understand. Answers are based on things search engine users are familiar with, making the search experience far more user-friendly and empathetic.

Clarifying questions

Bing is now able to provide a more specific answer when being asked broad or conversational questions. To accomplish this, the search engine will ask the user follow-up questions to refine search results.

Microsoft has also an advanced image search, which allows users to search based on specific objects within images. For example, if you wish to purchase a shirt you saw in a picture, Bing’s advanced image search allows you to select it and locate a store that sells it.

Partnering with Reddit

Bing has also partnered with Reddit to display information from its threads to Bing’s search page. What this means for users is that certain topics in Reddit or subreddits can be searched through Bing search. Answers found in the site will also be displayed on the search page.

With these four new features in Bing, searching for your answers has never been easier. To find out more about other web and cloud services, give us a call today.

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Because Amazon Echo sold like hotcakes during the holidays, Alexa became the darling of Christmas 2017, taking over our homes and hearts. With the Android version of the app now enabled with voice control, Alexa can continue to smoothly make its way into our lives via our smartphones.

Until recently, the Amazon Alexa app could only be used to control settings for the Echo, Dot, and other supported devices. Considering what the AI-powered assistant is actually capable of, this is nothing to get excited about. But now all that has changed as Amazon brings voice control to the Android version of the app, making Alexa a full-fledge digital assistant on Android handsets.

The update was initially available to the US, UK, Germany, and Austria, and is expected to roll out to more countries via the Amazon Appstore and Google Play over the course of the coming days.

Activating Alexa on your newly downloaded or updated app

The first thing you need to do is grant it permission to use your device’s microphone and then your location. With the new voice feature, you can use Alexa to play music, get weather forecasts, and easily enable Alexa Skills. You can also make calls and send messages to your home Echo device. The update is on the way to the iOS App Store, although it is not known when the update is set to reach Apple devices.

Unfortunately, Alexa app for Android currently does not support the wake word function, so you will need to press the Blue button whenever you want to activate Alexa. The hands-free experience is still exclusive to Alexa-integrated smartphones such as HTC U11, Huawei Mate 9, and Motorola Moto X4.

Alexa for everyday use

With more than 25,000 skills available on the Alexa Skills store, you might be wondering where to get started. We’ve highlighted some ways Alexa can help with your daily activities:

Ride services - enabling ride-hailing apps like Uber and Lyft is a breeze. Simply say "Alexa, enable Lyft (or Uber)", plug in your account and payment details and your smartphone now has the ability to order you a ride.

News - Alexa can keep you updated on current events. For example, the NPR Hourly News Summary skill can be prompted by saying “Alexa, what's my Flash Briefing?" or "Alexa, what's in the news?" This will give you a 5-minute briefing of the day's headlines. Other news channels such as Bloomberg, CNN, the Associated Press, WSJ, The Economist, and BBC are also available.

Organization - whether you are super organized or can’t seem to keep anything together, Alexa is there to help. It is capable of managing your Google calendar, making restaurant reservations, reminding you about important events, updating grocery lists, ordering items from Amazon Prime, and tracking Amazon packages, just to name a few.

Media - besides streaming music directly from Spotify, Pandora, and iHeartRadio, you can also listen to audiobooks and podcasts or stay updated with your favorite sports teams with skills such as NFL, NBA, MLS, MLB, and many more.

Health - the AI assistant might be the closest thing you can get to having a personal trainer with a collection of skills available to help you stay on track of your health and fitness goals. Some popular skills include the activity tracker Fitbit, 7-Minute Workout, and relaxation-inducing skills such as Ambient Noise, Stop, Breathe & Think, and Meditation Timer.

With Amazon clearly flexing its muscles in the voice assistant category, along with Apple’s HomePod set to release in the near future, 2018 is shaping up to be an exciting year for tech. As AI assistants like Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, Apple’s Siri, Microsoft Cortana, and Samsung’s Bixby continue to make appearances in our homes, cars, and personal devices, we are excited to see them pave their way to the workplace. That said, may the best AI assistant win.

If you’d like to stay updated on the latest AI trends or need help with anything AI-related -- like Alexa for Business or Microsoft Cortana integration for your business -- give us a call today.

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Microsoft isn’t always the first company that pops into mind when talking about virtualization, but it does offer one of the best solutions in the industry. In an ongoing effort to compete with companies like VMWare and Amazon Web Services, Microsoft has released a massive upgrade for its virtualization platform -- and it’s totally free!

Azure: Microsoft’s virtualization platform

As a full-service cloud solution, Azure is a secure and flexible data center that businesses of all sizes can benefit from. Azure services include cloud storage, web hosting, and even some customizable AI features. With the help of a trained professional, Microsoft’s platform can provide access to virtual machines, which are fully-furnished desktops users can log into and work from via the internet.

One of the reasons Azure is such a flexible cloud solution is because it can easily integrate with solutions businesses maintain on premises to become a hybrid platform.

Faster virtualization options

Microsoft has been testing a new feature -- referred to as Accelerated Networking -- for a year and a half, and it's finally available for all users. Without getting too technical, this upgrade allows Azure to remove enormous computing workloads from its service delivery process.

Any business that uses Microsoft’s cloud service for virtualization solutions can now access up to 30 gigabits per second of network throughput, which means Azure-based virtual machines and applications will be even faster than before.

Do SMBs really need this much speed?

Although the Accelerated Networking feature is free, enabling it requires quite a bit of IT expertise, so don’t expect it to be set up overnight. In fact, for small businesses that pay for tech support per project or by the hour, this upgrade may not be worth it. However, if you’re on an unlimited support plan from a managed IT services provider, you might as well -- it won’t cost you anything extra!

With our team as your 24/7 technology resource, you don’t need to understand the intricacies of virtualization. Whether it’s speed enhancements or security optimizations, our team will make sure your solution always gives you the best return on your investment. Call us today to learn more about our virtualization services.

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