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How Can I Create A Secure Password? Tips from Your Baltimore IT Company

Creating a secure password isn’t that difficult, but why do so many people have a hard time doing that? Simple, because they don’t want to have to remember the difficult password. This is why so many people use ‘password’ as their password. It is easy to remember.

However, if a website is asking you to create a password, it is important that you create a strong password; especially, if you want to keep your sensitive information private (Bank Account, Facebook, Twitter, etc.). Below, your Baltimore IT company has compiled a list of tips for having a secure password.

  • It should be at least eight characters long
  • Does not contain your name or the username
  • Is not a complete word, use a phrase instead
  • Is not the same as all of your other passwords
  • Contains:
    • One uppercase letter
    • One lowercase letter
    • A number
    • A unique symbol (!@#$%)

If you feel you must write down your password in order to remember it, make sure you don’t label it as your password, and keep it in a safe place. The last thing you want is to become the victim of your accounts being hacked. The more confusing your password is, the safer it is.

Welcome to Working Nets – your virtual IT Department in Baltimore!

At Working Nets in Baltimore, we support your business by providing top-notch Information Technology (I.T.) services to companies like yours: Companies that don’t need full-time I.T. services, but do need someone to turn to, when they are having a problem. We provide services like Network Design, Monitoring and Maintenance. We troubleshoot technical issues when they arise, and give you options for solving them. We help you use your technology investment to achieve your business goals.

At Working Nets, our focus is on your needs!

You can also follow us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Google+.

Disaster Recovery Services, from Working Nets in Baltimore

As a smart business owner, you know you need to protect your business. You backup your data in multiple locations and invest in security technology both for your network as well as for your physical location. However, there are some things that will catch your business by surprise. Local weather emergencies can shut down access to your building. Power outages can disrupt your systems and networks. Hard drives crash and networks are hacked. Natural disasters like floods or fires can damage your building. Not only does your business suffer in the short term as it rebuilds, it suffers in the long term you lose competitiveness in the marketplace due to the time and resources it takes to rebuild. Your reputation can be damaged, and customer confidence can erode.

In order to ensure that your business can continue to function in the event of an emergency, Working Nets offers business continuity and disaster recovery services. Our engineers will perform a comprehensive audit and look for additional ways to protect both your network and your physical business. Off-grid power sourcing allows you to continue operations even when the main grid goes down. We will implement risk reduction strategies for your network and advanced data protection and storage methods. We will assess the feasibility of implementing a telework program so your employees can work from home in the event that the office can’t be opened. Our action plans will help you get through a crisis, and we will address the legal exposure, regulatory compliance problems, and public relations issues that can come about when your business hits and unanticipated speed bump.

It does not matter if you are a new startup or an established business, Working Nets, your virtual IT department is here to help you succeed.

Schedule a consultation with us today to identify how to reach your target audience the right way.

Welcome to Working Nets – your virtual IT Department!

At Working Nets, we support your business by providing top-notch Information Technology (I.T.) services to companies like yours: Companies that don’t need full-time I.T. services, but do need someone to turn to, when they are having a problem. We provide services like Network Design, Monitoring and Maintenance. We troubleshoot technical issues when they arise, and give you options for solving them. We help you use your technology investment to achieve your business goals.

At Working Nets, our focus is on your needs!

You can also follow us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Google+.

Source

http://www.infoworld.com/d/the-industry-standard/global-it-spending-outlook-better-subpar-2014-forrester-says-233308

Disaster Recovery Horror Story #3: Backups aren’t for the Birds

Here at Working Nets, we have heard it all before. We know the excuses: “Disaster recovery is not important,” or “the plan we have in place is just fine.” Our personal favorite is: “I can’t afford disaster recovery.”

Can’t afford disaster recovery? We understand that running a small business is tough and profit margins are thin, especially in this economy, but the fact is that you cannot afford NOT to have a disaster recovery plan in place. You have heard us throw around the same statistic time and time again. Of companies that experience major data loss, 51% close within 2 years, while 43% never recover. These numbers are staggering! So why would a company even take the risk?

Disaster Recovery Horror Story #3: Backups aren’t for the Birds

A small chain pet store in the tri-state area was quickly outgrowing its current wed provider and was looking for web space, a database and a few e-mail boxes. The store opted for a monthly package that included a 10MB database, 100MB of disk space and 100GB of bandwidth. And it quickly became apparent that this would not be nearly enough. The company’s web provider suggested that they move to a dedicated server. Instead, the pet store chain opted to pay monthly overages and operate using insufficient bandwidth.

Upon investigating the reason for the company’s slow website, the web provider found that the shared database for this Web site – a 10MB file – was the database for the entire company. The website itself accounted for less than 5% of the total data in the database. The other 95% included POP sales registers, payroll, HR, inventory, tax records, and so much more! However, that is just the beginning.

The company had no backup system in place. And guess what happened? When working on the website, someone accidently erased EVERYTHING. The poor pet store chain was unable to recover and was forced to close every one of its stores.

If that pet store chain had simply implemented and followed a disaster recovery plan, this horror story could have been avoided. A disaster recovery plan can be the difference between the life and death of your business.

Baltimore Disaster Recovery Services

At Working Nets, we were founded to provide small businesses, like yours, with expert information technology support they needed. That is why we offer disaster recovery services to help assure that your vital business data is kept secure if disaster strikes.

If you have any questions, please contact Working Nets by calling (443) 992-7394 or visit WorkingNets.com today!

Welcome to Working Nets – your virtual IT Department!

You can also follow us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Google+

Baltimore Disaster Recovery Services: It should be at the Top of the List

You have probably heard disaster recovery horror stories before. If not, just check out our blog from last week,Disaster Recovery Horror Story #1: Manhattan Investment Firm springs a Leak.” Instead of implementing a full disaster recovery plan, the investment firm decided that they were okay with their current backup system. Three months later, a water main burst in the street outside their building. Everything was ruined, including the backup tapes, which were stored on-site.

Don’t let this happen to your business. It pays to be prepared.

According to a NFIB National Small Business Poll, 10% of businesses are affected by man-made disasters, while 30% are affected by natural disasters. Of these businesses that experience catastrophic data loss as the result of a disaster, only 6% survive, according to research by the University of Texas. 43% of businesses never reopen and 51% close within 2 years.

So don’t take any chances. Be prepared. Implement a disaster recovery plan.

Baltimore Disaster Recovery Services: It should be at the Top of the List

  1. Your Devices aren’t perfect: Computers, machines, and hardware fail. Because of this, it is important to have a plan in place. Is your data backed up off-site? If not, what would happen if your business was struck by a natural or man-made disaster?
  2. Human Error: Humans are far from perfect. Even the most cautious person can accidently cause data loss. Having incremental online data backups in place will allow you to restore your files.
  3. Weak Links: Your company is only as strong as its weakest link. Don’t let that weak link be your lack of a disaster recovery plan. No business is immune to disasters and data loss.
  4. Cost-Effective: Implementing a disaster recovery plan is a much more cost-effective solution than trying to salvage what is left of your business and customer base following a disaster and major data loss.
  5. Avoid Downtime: Downtime is costly. A disaster recovery plan can help you minimize downtime and get your business back up and running as quickly as possible.

At Working Nets, we know computer and network performance is crucial to success. We were founded to provide small businesses, like yours, with expert information technology support. That is why we offer disaster preparedness and disaster recovery services to help assure that your vital business data is kept secure if disaster strikes.

If you have any questions, please contact Working Nets by calling (443) 992-7394 or visit WorkingNets.com today! You can also follow us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Google+.

Welcome to Working Nets – your virtual IT Department!