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Ferrum Technology Services Blog

Ferrum Technology Services has been serving the Elgin area since 2007, providing IT Support such as technical helpdesk support, computer support, and consulting to small and medium-sized businesses.

PC Users Share Some of the Blame For Falling Victim to Hack Attacks

b2ap3_thumbnail_security_from_being_hacked_400.jpgMany computer users make use of security tools that limit their exposure to hackers, and they generally understand that hacks are something that can realistically happen to them. On the other hand, there are plenty of other folks out there who don’t worry enough. They might think their PC holds no value to the average hacker, but they’re wrong.

Tip of the Week: How to Type Special Characters Like Accents

b2ap3_thumbnail_special_characters_alt_codes_400.jpgWhat’s the difference between a cafe and a café? By definition, there’s no difference, but to a coffee aficionado, that symbol above the ‘e’ makes all the difference. But how do you type special characters like this? Here are two easy ways.

Soonr Workplace Schedule Downtime

This message is to alert you of the following scheduled downtime for Soonr Workplace

Date and time
Friday, 15 January 2016 between 23:00 - 00:00 PST

5 Cloud Security Issues that Every Business Has In Common

b2ap3_thumbnail_cloud_security_400.jpgSecurity is a primary concern for businesses that take advantage of the cloud, but the industry often dictates to what extent a business is concerned about cloud security. Yet, despite the varying cloud needs of industries, there are several variables that should be addressed when thinking about cloud security, including data permissions, account compromisation, and, of course, malware and other common online threats.

4 Growth Scenarios Your Network Needs to Be Prepared For

b2ap3_thumbnail_growth_strategy_400.jpgNaturally, businesses put a lot of time, energy, and resources into growing their sales figures and bottom line. All of that is great, but if business owners don’t also plan for how success is going to add new pressures and challenges to their IT infrastructure, then a lot of time will be wasted reacting to growth-related network issues. Scenarios like this can be easily avoided by planning your network to grow alongside your company.

Tip of the Week: We Bust the Myth of How Mobile Apps Drain Battery Power

b2ap3_thumbnail_stop_closing_apps_400.jpgEvery mobile device user wishes for more battery power. There are many tips floating around the Internet on how to extend your battery’s life; one of them just isn’t true--closing out your apps. When it comes down to it, your battery is better off if you just leave your apps opened.

How Unified Communications Can Unite Your Business Like Never Before

b2ap3_thumbnail_unified_comm_400.jpgA modern business needs to keep up with the latest technology solutions, and communications are no different. Believe it or not, though, many organizations have yet to commit to a comprehensive unified communications strategy that encompasses their entire network. It’s more important today than ever before to maintain a professional grip on your communications technology, including how your organization approaches both internal and external communications.

Could You Go 99 Days Without Social Media?

b2ap3_thumbnail_lifi_400.jpgEmployees who are addicted to social media is a problem for modern businesses. Despite the professional networking benefits of social media, it can be a major distraction and time-waster. Before you lock down all social media websites on your network, you should first try to understand why humans have such a hard time leaving social media alone.

Deep Learning Analytics Promises to Streamline Operations for SMBs

b2ap3_thumbnail_deep_learning_400.jpgIt has been said in many different ways, but for many businesses, inefficiency is stealing capital and keeping your organization from producing at the levels you’d almost certainly like to see. One problem is how do you measure your company’s usefulness, as in, it’s propensity to meet or exceed expectations. Does your business have inefficient operations, or are there just several small inefficiencies that produce the same effect? Either way, understanding the concept of deep learning can go a long way toward giving your business the look it needs to sustain growth.

Tip of the Week: Block Telemarketers and Other Annoying Callers From Your Android Device

b2ap3_thumbnail_block_callers_400.jpgCalls from telemarketers are the worst. These unwelcomed calls are especially annoying if you’re trying to be productive, and you’re interrupted in the middle of the workday by the same number repeatedly. Thankfully, more recent models of Android smartphones have the capabilities to blacklist numbers built right into the device. Here’s how it’s done.

Malvertising: When Advertisements on Legitimate Sites Contain Malware

b2ap3_thumbnail_malvertised_content_400.jpgAny business worth their gigabytes will practice extreme caution when surfing the Internet. Hackers tend to make users’ lives more difficult, even for those who are part of a small or medium-sized business. Teaching your employees security best practices in hopes that they’ll avoid suspicious websites isn’t a foolproof strategy, and thanks to malvertising, ensuring that your organization stays secure is more difficult.

Digium Cloud Services (DCS) - Maintenance Notification

Digium Cloud Services will be performing maintenance on our network. This maintenance may affect services clients have with Digium.

Maintenance Window: Sunday December 27th 9:00 PM - Monday December 28th 07:00 AM Eastern

Game Changer: New Li-Fi Technology Transmits Data via Light!

b2ap3_thumbnail_lifi_is_amazing_400.jpgWiFi and Wireless Internet connections are an integral part of any workplace infrastructure. They essentially allow workers to pick up their wireless technology, like smartphones, tablets, or laptops, and connect to a network from any location with a connection. This convenience was previously unprecedented, but now a new technology threatens to usurp WiFi’s coveted throne; Li-Fi, wireless Internet connections delivered via light.

Tip of the Week: You Won’t Believe These 4 Common Items that Mess With WiFi!

b2ap3_thumbnail_wifi_interruptions_400.jpgWireless Internet access is something that a lot of people take for granted, yet we all complain about shoddy Internet connections from time to time. Little do they know that some of the most common issues with their wireless connection could be ordinary appliances and other conflicting technologies. You might be surprised by what they are!

Box Incident Report

12/21/2015 9:00 AM PST - Some customers may be experiencing slow document previews in the Web App. Box Engineers are currently investigating.

Digium Cloud Services (DCS) - Maintenance Notification

Digium Cloud Services will be performing maintenance on our network. This maintenance may affect services clients have with Digium.

Maintenance Window: Saturday December 19th 10:00 PM - Sunday December 20th 06:00 AM Eastern

The Internet is Finally Making Its Way to Every Classroom

b2ap3_thumbnail_internet_for_eduction_400.jpgThe Internet is etched into the very being of society, from the workplace to the home environment. It’s critical to ensure access to tools, resources, and contacts, among countless other functions. However, one place where the Internet has struggled to take foothold is in the classroom. Believe it or not, there are tons of classrooms all over the country that don’t have reliable access to the wonders of the Internet.

Digium Cloud Services (DCS)

12/18/2015 15:28 PM CST - Some customers on the Digium Cloud Services (DCS) Cloud PBX are reporting inability to make outbound calls or poor audio quality

Tip of the Week: 5 Steps You Can Take to Bolster Network Security

b2ap3_thumbnail_checklist_for_it_400.jpgNetwork security is more important today than it’s ever been before, especially in light of several concerning developments in targeted hacking attacks. Unfortunately, many employees (and even some employers) don’t know or understand how to follow various security best practices. By ensuring that every single one of your employees understands the importance of cybersecurity, you can exponentially increase your organization's network security.

Digium Cloud Services (DCS)

12/15/2015  12:58 PM CST - Some customers on the Digium Cloud Services (DCS) Cloud PBX are reporting phone registration issues.  Support engineers are currently working with Digium Support on resolving the issues. We will update this alert once the issues have been fully resolved. Thank you for your patience and understanding.

UPDATE

12/15/2016 1:29 PM CST - Users are reporting services have been restored.  Primary cause is under investigation.

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