XFER Blog

Today—March 31st—is World Backup Day, an annual reminder to think about how well you’re protecting your data. Is your business prepared to prevent—or recover from—a data loss disaster? And while you’re at it, have you taken steps to back up your personal information as well?

Whether it’s a hard drive failure, a cyberattack, or just plain bad luck, losing data is a constant risk. Businesses and individuals alike suffer from data loss every day, and unfortunately, technology doesn’t always come with a safety net. Without a backup, you’re cooked if something bad happens. Today is World Backup Day! Let’s tell you why it is important to set up a reliable backup for your business.

Phishing and other email-based scams have become the most common gateway for cybercriminals to breach company defenses. Every day, attackers are developing more creative and convincing ways to dupe unsuspecting employees into clicking malicious links, downloading dangerous attachments, or sharing sensitive information. 

As a result, organizations need to be aware that even the most advanced security infrastructure can be undermined by a single, uninformed click. 

How much data do your devices contain about your life? What would you do if law enforcement suddenly wanted access to it? Even if you’re a typical law-abiding citizen, you want to prioritize data privacy, but businesses also have an obligation to handle consumer information in a responsible way. Here’s what you need to know about law enforcement and access to your data.

Running a business is like juggling flaming torches while riding a unicycle, blindfolded. You’ve got employees, customers, operations, and, of course, vendors. Vendors keep the gears turning, but if you’re not careful, those relationships can turn into a never-ending headache that eats up your time, money, and possibly your sanity. So how do you make sure your vendors work for you, rather than the other way around? Here’s how to get the most out of them without losing your mind.

Technology drives today’s businesses; if you haven’t embraced modern technology, you’re missing out. So much of what used to make business frustrating can now be done conveniently through technology, including many old analog tasks. Today, we want to highlight some ways you can use technology to seriously upgrade your company’s operations.

Businesses rely on a ton of technology for their operations and, as such, rely on support to help keep these tools working effectively. We would know! We proudly provide our neighbors with the technical assistance they need to succeed. As we’ve done so, we’ve noticed that there are some support needs we frequently attend to. 

Let’s review some of them and why they are so vital for you to have assistance in managing, preferably, from us!

Smart speakers have been around for a while now, but let’s be real… have they actually changed the world? Not really. They’re great for blasting music, setting reminders, and answering random trivia questions, but beyond that? Meh.

We all have old friends; not the ones that you went to high school with, but oldish technology that we simply can’t bring ourselves to upgrade away from. At some point, however, old technology stops being a trusty sidekick and starts feeling like an anchor. If your devices are making life harder instead of easier, it might be time to say goodbye. Here’s how to know when it's time to let go and upgrade.

Skype is dead; long live Microsoft Teams.

At least, that’s the position that Microsoft has taken. The software company is discontinuing the two-decade-old communication application Skype, shifting focus to the more recent Teams platform, with the app’s last day being scheduled for May 5.

Let’s review what this means and reflect on Skype's impact on modern technology.