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Quick review: why you need virtualization

With virtualization, you can make software see several separate computers where there is only one, or make several computers look like one supercomputer. That may sound simple, but it’s far from it. Of course the benefits are well worth it; here are just a few.

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Quick review: why you need virtualization

With virtualization, you can make software see several separate computers where there is only one, or make several computers look like one supercomputer. That may sound simple, but it’s far from it. Of course the benefits are well worth it; here are just a few.

More technology uptime

Virtualization vendors use lots of fancy names for the features of their technology, but behind all the technobabble are a number of revolutionary concepts. Take “fault tolerance” for example. When you use virtualization to pool multiple servers in such a way that they can be used as a single supercomputer, you can drastically increase uptime. If one of those servers goes down, the others continue working uninterrupted.

Another example of this is “live migrations,” which is just a fancy way of saying that employee computers can be worked on by technicians while users are still using them. Say you’ve built a bare-bones workstation (as a virtual machine on the server), but you need to upgrade its storage capacity. Virtualization solutions of today can do that without the need to disconnect the user and restart their computer.

Better disaster recovery

Data backups are much simpler in a virtualized environment. In a traditional system, you could create an “image” backup of your server -- complete with operating system, applications and system settings. But it could be restored to a computer only with the exact same hardware specifications.

With virtualization, images of your servers and workstations are much more uniform and can be restored to a wider array of computer hardware setups. This is far more convenient and much faster to restore compared to more traditional backups.

More secure applications

In an effort to increase security, IT technicians usually advocate isolating software and applications from each other. If malware is able to find a way into your system through a software security gap, you want to do everything in your power to keep it from spreading.

Virtualization can put your applications into quarantined spaces that are allowed to use only minimum system resources and storage, reducing the opportunities they have to wreak havoc on other components of the system.

Longer technology lifespans

The same features that quarantine applications can also create customized virtual spaces for old software. If your business needs a piece of software that won’t work on modern operating systems, virtualization allows you to build a small-scale machine with everything the program needs to run. In that virtual space, the application will be more secure, use fewer resources, and remain quarantined from new programs.

In addition to software, virtualization also encourages longer life spans of old hardware components. With virtualization, the hardware an employee uses is little more than a window to the powerful virtual machine on the server. Employee computers need only the hardware required to run the virtualization window, and the majority of the processing takes place on the server. Hardware requirements are much lower for employees and equipment can be used for several years.

Easier cloud migrations

There are several ways virtualization and cloud technology overlap. Both help users separate processing power from local hardware and software, delivering computing power over a local network or the internet. Because of these similarities, migrating to the cloud from a virtualized environment is a much simpler task.

There is no debate about the benefits of this technology. The only thing standing between your business and more affordable, efficient computing is an IT provider that can manage it for you. For unlimited technology support, virtualization or otherwise, on a flat monthly fee -- get in touch with us today!

Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.

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DR tips for hurricane season

This year, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) predicts up to four unusually active hurricanes. With that in mind, there’s no better time to test your disaster recovery (DR) plan. But to avoid data loss and expensive downtime from such catastrophes, there are several things that need to be accounted for.

The post DR tips for hurricane season appeared first on Complete Technology Resources, Inc..

DR tips for hurricane season

This year, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) predicts up to four unusually active hurricanes. With that in mind, there’s no better time to test your disaster recovery (DR) plan. But to avoid data loss and expensive downtime from such catastrophes, there are several things that need to be accounted for.

The NOAA forecasts 11 to 17 tropical storms in the Atlantic, the Caribbean Sea, and the Gulf of Mexico. Hurricane season has officially begun and is expected to last until the end of November. The four allegedly active hurricanes are presumed to be Category 3, 4, or 5 on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale (Category 1 is the weakest and 5 the strongest).

But don’t panic just yet; here are five steps you can take to protect your business during hurricane season.

1. Schedule a DR drill

Despite having a DR plan, many companies don’t test their plan, at least not as often as they should. So if you’re one of those companies, it’s crucial to conduct a DR drill now. A lot can change in the months or years since you have last tested your plan -- systems updates, infrastructure upgrades, employee turnover and more. By scheduling a drill, you’ll be able to make sure everyone knows their roles and that all critical systems are covered.

Note that you should try to perform desktop walkthrough exercises, operational tests, and simulated recovery exercises on a regular basis.

2. Make sure your staff are prepared

All your staff should know what the evacuation procedures are as well as their responsibilities in the DR process. If not, coordinate with HR to make sure everyone in your company understands what the plan of action is for hurricane season. Staff with specific responsibilities need to get the documentation needed to effectively manage their roles in the event of a hurricane.

Set meetings with your DR team and schedule training for new team members. Your DR team should be able to quickly mobilize other employees to the DR site before bad weather hits. Don’t forget to touch base with any providers you are supposed to work with in case of an emergency, too.

3. Secure your backup site

In addition to a secondary location for data storage, your DR plan should also include another backup site so that you can continue your operations. In the event of a hurricane, dedicated space is imperative since your backup sites will likely be occupied with employees.

You should also consider the redundancy of utilities at your DR site, making sure you have enough power feed, fiber carriers, and anything else you’ll need to remain operational.

4. Check for amenities at your DR site

Whether your DR site is in the hurricane zone or in the nearest city, chances are hotels will be overbooked as people fight for a place to stay. This means your staff will likely be stuck onsite around the clock, so you need to make sure there is enough amenities to get them through this hectic period. Is there a place for employees to shower and sleep? Is there enough food and water to last them for at least a couple of days? These amenities will help your staff pull through as they restore your operations.

5. Update your DR plan’s appendix

Your DR plan should have an appendix with contact information, SLAs, and systems inventories information. More importantly, this information needs to be up-to-date; the last thing you need is calling your IT vendor when a server goes down only to reach the wrong number.

Go through all critical information in your DR plan and add any other information as needed. Vendors and shipper's contact information are a must as they will guarantee that you get hardware and power supplies backup without any hassles.

Unlike a fire drill which can be conducted on a yearly basis, your business continuity and disaster recovery plan needs to be tested regularly to meet your company’s changing needs. If you don’t already have a DR plan, or have any further questions, don’t hesitate to give us a call.

Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.

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3 Reasons why security is better in the cloud

If small- and medium-sized businesses think cyber security is impossible to manage now, just think about what it was like before the internet provided a way to receive IT support remotely. In today’s business landscape, enterprise-level solutions and security can be delivered from almost anywhere in the world.

The post 3 Reasons why security is better in the cloud appeared first on Complete Technology Resources, Inc..

3 Reasons why security is better in the cloud

If small- and medium-sized businesses think cyber security is impossible to manage now, just think about what it was like before the internet provided a way to receive IT support remotely. In today’s business landscape, enterprise-level solutions and security can be delivered from almost anywhere in the world. Read on to find out why that’s even safer than you realize.

Hands-on management

Unless you have an overinflated budget, relying on local copies of data and software means IT staff are forced to spread themselves across a bevy of different technologies. For example, one or two in-house tech support employees can’t become experts in one service or solution without sacrificing others. If they focus on just cybersecurity, the quality of hardware maintenance and helpdesk service are going to take a nosedive.

However, Cloud Service Providers (CSPs) benefit from economies of scale. CSPs maintain tens, sometimes thousands, of servers and can hire technicians who specialize in every subset of cloud technology.

Fewer vulnerabilities

Cloud security isn’t superior just because more technicians are watching over servers. When all the facets of your business’s IT are in one place, the vulnerabilities associated with each technology get mixed together to drastically increase your risk exposure.

For example, a server sitting on the same network as workstations could be compromised by an employee downloading malware. And this exposure extends to physical security as well. The more employees you have who aren’t trained in cyber security, the more likely it is that one of them will leave a server room unlocked or unsecured.

CSPs exist solely to provide their clients with cloud services. There are no untrained employees and there are significantly fewer access points to the network.

Business continuity

The same technology that allows you to access data from anywhere in the world also allows you to erect a wall between your local network and your data backups. Most modern iterations of malware are programmed to aggressively replicate themselves, and the best way to combat this is by quarantining your backups in the cloud. This is commonly referred to as data redundancy in the cybersecurity world, and nowhere is it as easy to achieve as in the cloud.

The cloud doesn’t only keep your data safe from the spread of malware, it also keeps data safe from natural and manmade disasters. When data is stored in the cloud, employees will still have access to it in the event that your local workstations or servers go down.

The cloud has come a long way over the years. It’s not just the security that has gotten better; customized software, platforms and half a dozen other services can be delivered via the cloud. Whatever it is you need, we can secure and manage it for you. Call us today.

Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.

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Hands-on virtualization with a 1990s Mac

Even if virtualization has been explained to you before, it's entirely possible that the definition didn’t stick. There are so many variations of this technology that we take it upon ourselves to periodically review its most basic functions. And because these variations aren't concrete enough to easily understand them, this time we’re including a virtualized desktop for you to play with!

What is virtualization?

The simplest definition is this: It’s the act of creating a virtual (rather than physical) version of something, including hardware platforms, storage devices, and computer network resources.

The post Hands-on virtualization with a 1990s Mac appeared first on Complete Technology Resources, Inc..

Hands-on virtualization with a 1990s Mac

Even if virtualization has been explained to you before, it's entirely possible that the definition didn’t stick. There are so many variations of this technology that we take it upon ourselves to periodically review its most basic functions. And because these variations aren't concrete enough to easily understand them, this time we’re including a virtualized desktop for you to play with!

What is virtualization?

The simplest definition is this: It’s the act of creating a virtual (rather than physical) version of something, including hardware platforms, storage devices, and computer network resources. But that doesn’t do much for those outside of the IT industry.

We could paint a colorful analogy to try to better explain it, or we could let you paint with your very own virtualized demo. Follow these steps so you can see how virtualization works:

  1. Visit this website.
  2. Wait while your virtualized 1991 Macintosh boots up.
  3. Double-click the ‘Kid Pix’ desktop icon.
  4. Write “This is virtualization” on the blank canvas.
  5. Click (and hold) File, and select Save As.
  6. Click the Save button in the new window.
  7. Quit ‘Kid Pix’.

Voilà! Your picture was saved to that old-school Mac's virtual hard drive. That’s because everything -- from the operating system to the processor -- is running on a server located somewhere else on the internet. And it’s not just some remote desktop viewing trick, this ’90s-era Mac and its hardware have been created by software installed on a server that is concurrently processing a million other tasks.

It’s a fun demonstration, but modern-day virtualization can accomplish much more.

Divide up hardware resources

The dated nature of that machine actually helps us better illustrate the biggest benefit of virtualization. The software that lets us create virtual machines also allows us to define exactly how much hardware each workstation gets.

For example, this Mac has only 3.8 MB of hard drive space, but if your virtualization server has 10,000 GB of space, you can create 100 virtual desktops with 100 GB of storage space. It’s a bit of an oversimplification, but that’s essentially how it works with storage hardware, CPUs, RAM, and other hardware.

Reduce on-site costs

The bulk of your workstation and server hardware is usually hosted off-site, which means lower utility bills, computer equipment requirements, and maintenance overhead. Instead of patching and upgrading each workstation’s software and hardware individually, virtualization allows you to apply changes to all your machines at once.

Disaster recovery

If your virtualization server is hosted off-site, what happens when natural disasters, power outages, theft, or vandalism strikes your office? Or, as a simpler example, where did you store your Kid Pix masterpiece? Certainly not on the machine you’re reading this blog from.

Virtualization allows you to keep mission-critical data stored safely away from the office so your team can get back to work as soon as your IT provider gets them access to the server again. And with a single point of management (i.e., your off-site server), that can take place in virtually no time at all.

Ending your dependence on individual machines and their hardware is just one of the many ways to utilize the power of virtualization. You can define network hardware and configurations with software, run applications on any operating system, and so much more. To find out which solution is best for your business, call us today!

Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.

The post Hands-on virtualization with a 1990s Mac appeared first on Complete Technology Resources, Inc..

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