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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.

Top 4 Reasons We Love Digium’s Switchvox

switchvoxbest2-lowres

There are lots of reasons to love Digium Switchvox. 

Is Antivirus on Its Last Leg?

b2ap3_thumbnail_does_antivirus_still_protect_you_400.jpgAll of the recent vulnerabilities and bugs over the past few months, such as Heartbleed, GameOver Zeus, and the zero-day Internet Explorer vulnerability have many people thinking - just how strong is antivirus in the face of such threats? Symantec told The Wall Street Journal their opinion on the subject: Antivirus is "dead."

Crowdfunding Done Right: Make Money (and Potato Salad) with Crowdfunding

b2ap3_thumbnail_kickstarter_potato_salad_400.jpgWhen trying to raise money for a big startup or product release, it can often be outside of your budget. One solution is crowdfunding, or taking your endeavors public in order to inspire others to donate money to your cause. Unfortunately (or fortunately - take your pick), not many of these campaigns succeed.

How SwitchVox Keeps Me Mobile

switchvox-mobility

Like a lot of people doing business these days, I’m not chained to a desk all day long. I’m a pretty mobile guy. Sure, some days I find myself staring at a monitor all day long. But most days I’m out and about giving demos, performing installations, kissing babies.

You Won’t Believe How Hot This Girl’s Smartphone Story Gets! [VIDEO]

b2ap3_thumbnail_broken_smartphone_400.jpgHave you ever noticed that your mobile device may run a little hot after a heavy day of use? In normal circumstances, a warm smartphone is no big deal. Although, on rare occasions, a perfectly good smartphone has gotten too hot and caught on fire!

SwitchVox Roundup: Ring Rules

Digium SwitchVox

Recently I was asked by a new Switchvox customer if they could set up their phone to have it ring in different ways depending on the type of call.  “It’s something our old system did” they said.

Avast Recovers Hundreds of Naked Pictures from Secondhand Android Smartphones

b2ap3_thumbnail_cell_phone_data_400.jpgSmartphone users routinely cycle out their old device for a new one every two years or so. When it's time to upgrade, many users see an opportunity to sell their old phone for extra cash. However, a device that's improperly wiped of its data could lead to identity theft if the data is recovered by the new owner.

SwitchVox Voicemail Options

Digium SwitchVox

Digium’s Switchvox platform offers many options to access voicemail: one-touch access from a desk phone, remote access from any phone, Web access to your Switchvox Mailbox, or email access from your favorite email client or smartphone. Listen from anywhere, and mark messages read or unread as appropriate. And of course when you buy a Switchvox solution you get all of the above for one low price.

These 5 Android Smartphones Present Users Options

b2ap3_thumbnail_android_smartphones_400.jpgMobility is the new face of business. Application-driven mobile devices are dominating the computing world, and it's making productive work easier to accomplish on the go. These smartphones are more capable of complex computing, but also consume users' attention.

Would Anti-Surveillance Technology Prevent NSA Spying, or Weaken National Security?

b2ap3_thumbnail_you_are_being_watched_400.jpgOn Saturday, July 21st 2014, the Hackers on Planet Earth (HOPE) conference took place in New York City. It's a place where hackers discuss ways to improve the society in which we live. One of the more controversial panelists, Edward Snowden, has suggested hackers pool their efforts into creating anti-surveillance technology to decrease government espionage.

Port Forwarding for Digium Switchvox

Digium SwitchVox

As the developers at Digium continue to build new features into Switchvox, every so often the need to open additional ports on your firewall arises. This is an updated list of those ports and applies to 5.x.x versions of Switchvox. For more information on managing Switchvox on your network, please click here.

Replace a Cisco IP Phone System - Get an additional 15% Off!

Digium SwitchVox

Summer is here and it's getting hot outside!  Why not get an awesome incentive if you're looking for a new PBX?  Digium has a promotion for you that's just as hot!  Get an additional 15% off when you replace a Cisco IP Phone System!

Apple Enthusiasts, Look Out: iOS May Sport Hidden Backdoors for Apple and Law Enforcement

b2ap3_thumbnail_ios_has_vulnerabilities_400.jpgApple's iOS operating system is notorious for being fairly secure from external attacks, but what about internal threats? There have been reports of backdoors being found in the operating system, which allow Apple and subsidiaries of the law (i.e. the NSA) to access devices that run it.

Switchvox Roundup: Enable or Disable Voicemail

Digium SwitchVox

We are frequently asked “How do I set up a phone using Switchvox that does not have a voicemail box?” This is a really easy process if you know where to go. So, I figured I'd help everyone out and show you a trick or two.

3 Tablet Traveling Tips

b2ap3_thumbnail_tablets_on_vacation_400.jpgMost people associate the summer with a vacation of sorts, and many business owners might think that it's time to pack up and disappear for a while. But what some people might not realize is that a tablet is the perfect size for a summer getaway, and can enhance your leisure time while still being connected to your business.

Switchvox Click To Dial Options

Digium SwitchVox

Need click to dial from a web browser? You may remember that you can use Digium’s Firedialer for Firefox which dials any phone number displayed in a web page, dial recently called numbers, as well as highlight phone numbers on a web page you’re navigating. A tool I’ve used since its inception. Which is mostly why I’ve been a faithful Firefox user for so long. A lot of us use this every single day - we like our toys :)

Beam Me Up Skype Translator!

b2ap3_thumbnail_skype_translator_400.jpgWhat would the world look like if everybody spoke one language? We think a lot of conflicts would be resolved and our civilization would advance to the place where we're more like Star Trek and less like a train wreck. Thanks to new technologies like Skype Translator, the language barrier may soon be a thing of the past!

Maintaining a SwitchVox Cold Spare

Digium-Stack-FrontA Digium Switchvox “cold spare” is an appliance that is identical (or nearly identical) to your primary Switchvox appliance. In the event your primary appliance is unavailable for any reason, the cold spare is right there on-site to replace the primary appliance and minimize any downtime.

IMPORTANT: EdgeMarc Device Passwords Potentially Compromised

edgemarc-password-vulnerabilityOur partner, Bandwidth, has discovered an issue wherein EdgeMarc device default passwords may have been compromised on the internet.

Any customer who currently owns the EdgeMarc box should immediately change their password.

Windows XP is on Track to See Positive Growth this Quarter. Wait... What?

b2ap3_thumbnail_windows_xp_confusion_400.jpgThis wasn't supposed to happen. After Microsoft pulled the plug on its popular Windows XP operating system this past April, use of the decade-old OS was supposed to sharply decline and quickly become extinct. Only a few months out from the XP-end-of-life event and the opposite has proven to be true.

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