Ferrum Technology Services Blog

For people that have super-busy schedules, reading books seems like a luxury, but somehow, the most successful people always seem to have time to read the latest publications pertaining to their field. How do they do it? Many avid book readers have a little help.

What's the licensing status of your company's software look like? If you've not been intentional about this, then your business may be using several unlicensed applications. You may be thinking, "Everything works fine. No big deal." Sure, it's no big deal--until you're caught!

It's back to school time and the battle of getting your kids to play less video games so they can get their homework done begins anew. What if a fun video game can teach your kid a marketable skill like programming? This is the case with the popular video game by Mojang, Minecraft.

One of the hot topics in recent news is a concept in European courts about the "right to be forgotten." The ruling, passed in May 2014, suggests that search engines must consider requests for removal of content that is, according to ZDNet, "inadequate, irrelevant, or no longer relevant." In some circles, this ruling is seen as controversial.

Ever since mobile devices gained the ability to connect to the Internet, the integration of smart technology has followed us out of the office and into our homes, and even on your family vacation. If you are afraid that unplugging yourself from the workplace will spell trouble for your business, think again - you might just be worrying too much.

If there's one thing that you can learn from today's marketing trends, it's that visual content sells. Images and videos are a powerful marketing tool that should be taken advantage of at all costs, but an infographic can also help you keep a balance between content and visuals. If you can master the art of the infographic, your business will soar high above your competitors.

A lot of today's companies are taking advantage of the money they can save by switching to an outsourced IT provider, but they all have their reasons. The reasons why they outsource their IT may vary by company, but there are always constants that can help you figure out what you should expect from your IT.

We love our toys here at Ferrum - and one of them we'd like to share with you.  It's a screenshot tool called LightShot which is a free app you can download on the internet - http://app.prntscr.com.

We're living smack dab in the middle of the data age. In fact, 90% of the world's data was generated last year. New devices and systems create crazy amounts of data, and every byte must be processed, stored, and catalogued in such a way that it can be easily retrieved from any device, anywhere. The IT industry refers to this as "Big Data," and how your business manages its data will determine your success in this new age.

We've got yet another major data breach to report that affects millions of users, this one of a very personal nature. This week, it was revealed that Chinese hackers compromised 4.5 million medical records from Community Health Systems, a hospital network with 206 facilities in the United States. Ask your doctor today if identity theft prevention is right for you.

IVR stands for Interactive Voice Response... let's take a look at the snooze-fest of a definition - then, we'll break it down to what it really does.

The point of all these cool smartphones is to make life easier, improve productivity, and communication, but how sure are you that these devices are making things better? One restaurant did a study where they looked at their business both before and after the smartphone revolution. Their findings may make you lose your appetite for mobile technology.

The phrase "SIP Trunking" or "SIP Trunks", is increasingly common in the world of telecom. However if you are reading this, you are probably not in the telecom business but would like to know more.

Some businesses prefer having their own IT infrastructure over using a public cloud computing service. Given the amount of control that a private cloud model provides, it's easy to see why hosting data in-house would be attractive, but, as cloud computing technology improves, more businesses are turning to public cloud offerings.

Yes, you read that title right. If your WiFi isn't protected, you can be hacked by the furry little creature that wanders around your backyard when you're not home. Coco, a Siamese cat from Washington, D.C., was able to discover dozens of weak or unprotected WiFi networks in his neighborhood with his high-tech collar.

IRecently hackers have been exploiting a hole in the default Linux NTP (Network Time Server) to perform denial of service attacks. Your PBX or other internal servers use this service to display the correct time on your phones or other devices. You are susceptible to this attack if you have port 123 UDP open to the internet forwarded to an internal server.

Of all the computer company rivalries going on, one of the largest and most well known is Apple vs. Microsoft. The storied competition between these two software giants has driven innovation forward for more than thirty years. Today, the frontlines of this battle take place between the two company's mobile divisions, and now there's a third major competitor in the mix.

Digium Switchvox is an awesome telephone system with tons of features. But what if you don’t want to own and maintain your own hardware? Or what if you have a lot of remote employees? Enter Digium Switchvox Cloud.

Your office is likely full-to-bursting with devices utilizing USB technology. It's been a popular way to connect external devices to PCs since the 1.1 version was released in 1998. However, it may be the technology's popularity that will cause its downfall as hackers develop ways to use the device to their advantage.

While desktop virtualization isn't a new thing, it is one that has been increasing in popularity for businesses over the past few years. It offers a lot more freedom with particular aspects of managing your technology, including increased reliability and security. While the physical problems of a desktop are taken care of, you'll also have the benefits of being protected from a sudden crash or wearing from old age.