FormaTech IT Services Blog

One of the biggest problems a business has with its IT infrastructure is the lack of funds a business has to commit to obtaining and maintaining the necessary computing infrastructure. Whether they’re trying to run resource-intensive application, or simply need more storage space than they can manage independently, the cloud can provide them with the means to do so.

What if you could leverage the power of tens, dozens, or hundreds of computers dedicated to completing the processes your business undertakes? What if issues could be resolved seemingly instantaneously? What if you didn’t have to manage an in-house server, and that it was maintained on your behalf--often with an uptime guarantee?

With a cloud solution, this can all be a reality.

A cloud provider can enable you to leverage their computing resources for far less capital investment than it would require you to create the same caliber of infrastructure for yourself. As a result, you are able to utilize a far more powerful solution to complete your necessary tasks. Your resource usage can even shift, depending on your needs at the moment. So, if you suddenly need more resources to complete a task, you no longer need to make alterations to your internal infrastructure. Instead, your cloud provider can simply allocate more of their resources to you (possibly increasing the rate that you will have to pay them), but ultimately allowing you to accomplish what your business needs.

Finally, you can expect most cloud providers to pass along the savings to you, as the technology they rely upon to function decreases in price. Therefore, as they are able to support more for less, they are apt to decrease their pricing in order to attract more, larger service agreements.

In essence, the cloud is made up of separate computing assets (that are meticulously cared for) that you are able to leverage for a fee. Should the server your computing infrastructure is allocated to fail, your resources are quickly migrated to another, minimizing the effect that you experience on your end.

Integrating a cloud solution into your IT strategy can have many more benefits to you and your business. To learn more about how the cloud can help your business, reach out to us at FormaTech IT Services by calling 707-258-1492.

There are countless applications and programs available for your business’ workstations, but do you know which ones you absolutely shouldn’t be without? You’ll want to make sure that you have the following programs installed on your business’s workstations. Doing so can drastically improve productivity and efficiency.

A Word Processor
The Microsoft Office Suite has shown how important software such as spreadsheet builders and slideshow builders are in a business environment, but perhaps the most important of the bunch is the word processor. Organizations need the ability to create and edit documents on their workstations, which is a trend that isn’t disappearing anytime soon. Depending on your needs, FormaTech IT Services can equip your business with the perfect word processing solution.

An Antivirus Program
Security has always been important in the business world, but never has it been more so than today. If you aren’t running an antivirus solution on your computer, you’re playing with fire. All it takes is a small threat slipping through to bring down your entire infrastructure and expose data to risky situations. It helps to have an enterprise-level firewall and antivirus solution implemented on your network, as well as other preventative measures such as spam blocking and content filtering.

A Voice Communication System
Voice over Internet Protocol, or VoIP, is growing more popular in the business environment, and for good reason. It allows your business to communicate both internally or externally by way of using the Internet connection to transmit your voice. In essence, it’s a type of telephony solution that uses your Internet connection rather than a traditional phone infrastructure. You also get to lose all of the complex cabling and packaged services that you might not be getting a full return out of. Your VoIP solution should be easily accessible for your employees, including when they are on the road or working remotely.

Cloud-Based Email
Does your organization rely on email? Perhaps you have an email client locally on your device, but that doesn’t necessarily help you when you want to access it from somewhere other than the office. If you implement a cloud-based email program on your infrastructure, you’ll be able to access it from any connected device, including a laptop or smartphone.

Remote Access VPN Client
Remote access software is important for your organization for two reasons. For one, you will be providing your employees a way to access their work desktops while out of the office, which allows them to get more done, even when they aren’t in-house. This can mean a world of difference when it comes to meeting deadlines. This means setting up a secure Virtual Private Network (VPN) within your infrastructure that employees can easily and securely log into.

Furthermore, with remote access software on your computer, you open the doors for IT support to be more effective than ever before. Instead of driving on-site to offer support, techs can take a look at the system through the remote access software, as well as implement software updates and patches.

Does your business need any of these software solutions? If so, reach out to us at 707-258-1492. Our trusted technicians will work with your business to find the best software for your organization.

Your data is a critical part of your business, and as such, needs to be protected. One of the most effective means of doing so is to maintain reliable backups. However, not just any backup will do. In today’s blog, we’ll review what you need to keep in mind in order to successfully maintain a data backup.

Despite what some songs say, the best things in life aren’t always free. Take, for instance, your software. If you or one of your employees find and download a “free” version of some business-critical application instead of properly purchasing a license, you risk catching the eye of the BSA.

With so many breaches showing up in the headlines and their impact being felt across the world, one would think that businesses of all sizes would do more to protect their data against cybersecurity threats. A recent study has shown that this is unfortunately not the case.

Allowing a workforce to operate remotely can provide a business with considerable benefits. However, there is also the risk of falling victim to a few shortcomings that can snag a business and ultimately hurt it. In order to make optimal use of a remote work strategy, there needs to be a conscious effort to minimize these shortcomings. For this week’s tip, we’ll discuss how to do so.

Your business relies on technology to function as intended, and beyond that technology are the minds that maintain it and keep it operating efficiently. In a way, you put a great burden on them to ensure that your operations can continue unhindered; and yet, there are a variety of ways that you can make it easier for both IT and non-IT staff to do what you hired them to do.

Your Windows computer has all kinds of different settings that let it connect to different networks. While this might not seem like major difference, it could have a drastic effect on your organization’s cybersecurity. This week’s tip is dedicated to helping you make sure that your network profile is as secure as possible.

Any business owner will tell you, the more you know about your business and its relationship with its customers, the better decisions you can make. For years, small and medium-sized businesses have been rolling out solution after solution to try and make their business run as efficiently as possible. Today, we’ll go into the concept of business intelligence, how it works, and why your business needs it.

It doesn’t matter how large your company is, or how much information technology that you have to maintain and collect, keeping it organized can be challenging. With any company with a lot of different and important operations, it’s crucial that you have processes put into place that documents where and how each of your moving parts is being used. To this end, having a way to inventory your technology can be helpful for keeping track of where your devices, and more importantly, your data is.