26 Jan Winter 2014 Tech Tips
Greetings and News from the team at Huntington Technology
Hello HT business colleagues and friends,
Best wishes to all of you for a very happy, healthy and safe holiday season! We want to keep you informed of important tech news and happenings at Huntington Technology. We hope the following information is helpful to you and your business, and as always feel free to contact us if you have any questions – 248-357-7200.
Protect yourself from dangerous Ransomware
Many of you have heard about viruses and malware, but there is a new type of malicious software called ransomware. Ransomware blocks access to your computer and files until a sum of money is paid to the author of the ransomware! The most common ransomware program was called CryptoLocker but there are new, more virulent versions out there.
With the holiday season upon us, you should take extra care to protect your data from Ransomware. Ransomware infections can come through the internet and email attachments. Some can even spread from ads on legitimate websites, which means that simply deleting suspicious emails is no longer enough.
Ransomware is here to stay and the need to protect your data is crucial. Be sure to have multiple layers of protection in place that include making sure desktop security software is up-to-date, having a firewall on your network, and making sure you have appropriate backups of your office systems. If you would like to ensure that you’re protected, give us a call and we can let you know what is needed to protect you and your company from this dangerous virus.
To learn more about ransomware and what to keep an eye out for this holiday season,click here.
Windows Server 2003 ‘End of Life’ is coming July 14, 2015
It’s hard to believe it has been over a decade since Windows Server 2003 hit the market!
Technology has come a long way in 10 years. Today’s servers run increased workloads for big data, mobile application hosting, social collaboration platforms, streaming video and web hosting. One thing that hasn’t changed on the server front, though, is the requirement for 24/7 performance.
But what happens to this performance when Microsoft stops supporting your operating system?
With the end of life support for Windows Server 2003 on July 14, 2015 rapidly approaching, now is the time to start planning your migration process.
What does end of support for Windows Server 2003 mean?
End of support for Windows Server 2003 means:
- No updates – 37 critical updates were released in 2013 for Windows Server 2003/R2 under Extended Support. No updates will be developed or released after end of support.
- No compliance – lack of compliance with various standards and regulations can be devastating. This may include various regulatory and industry standards for which compliance can no longer be achieved.
- No applications support – Many applications will also cease to be supported, once the operating system they are running on is unsupported. This includes all Microsoft applications.
What changes can I expect when I migrate to Windows Server 2012?
With the Architectural changes in 32 bit to 64 bit technology – everything changes in Windows Server 2012.
As you migrate your IT infrastructure to Windows Server 2012, you benefit with better security, high scalability, improved performance, increased functionality, in-box virtualization and cloud support, improved manageability and on-going product support.
The average Windows Server takes over 200 days to migrate, so now is the time to act and start planning for your migration.
What’s next?
To ensure a smooth migration, our Huntington Technology team will be happy to meet with you and help you develop a plan.
Budgeting your IT needs for 2015?
If you’re planning out your IT expenditures for next year, it helps to have someone talk you through it. We assist many of our clients as they grow, strategizing and budgeting for their technology needs. Give us a call and let us know how we can help.
Huntington Technology News
In September, we welcomed David Neda, our new Help Desk Associate, to our team. David brings 10 years of IT experience to our team. He earned his degree in CIS – Microcomputer Technician, holds several IT certifications and has worked in various roles supporting end-users and data migration. We are fortunate to have him as part of the Huntington Technology family!