Everything you need to know about the latest security flaw in Windows 10

Windows 10 has been praised by many people working in the computing industries since its release in July. As well as representing a major upgrade from the badly reviewed Windows 8 operating systems, it also looks better and is easy to use. However, it has not been without its problems. Since its release, Microsoft have discovered many issues and flaws with it newest operating system, for which it has had to release updates and patches. And now, another series of issues has been discovered, this time about Internet Explorer, for which Microsoft have released another update package.

Although this new update is designed to remedy a number of flaws that have recently been discovered in Internet Explorer for Windows 10, there is one particular flaw that has been the focus of much of the attention. So, let’s take a look at what it is, if you’ll be affected by it, and how you can fix it.

What is this new security flaw?

This flaw essentially allows hackers to get access to your computer by using what is called remote code. The attacker would build a false website, and then attract Internet Explorer users to it. From there, they would be able to get access to the person’s computer, and all of their files, by executing remote code on their end.

Am I affected by it?

Anyone using Internet Explorer on a Windows 10 computer that hasn’t already applied this update is in danger of being attacked. Therefore it is imperative that everyone using Internet Explorer downloads and applies the update as soon as possible. However, Microsoft has stressed that this security flaw in no way affects the new browser designed specifically for Windows 10, Microsoft Edge.

How can you fix it?

In order to fix the issue as soon as possible, Microsoft have issued a patch that users can download and install. After installing this patch you will no longer need to worry about being the victim of attacks coming from this particular security flaw. However, if you are using Windows 10 for your business or brand, you may want to let a professional, like us at Oswin, handle this update for you. Contact us today if you’d like to know more about our Windows 10 support services.

Everything you need to know about the latest security flaw in Windows 10

How SMBs can prevent #malware and #phishingattacks? Here’s @dav_hig take in @ITWire: http://bit.ly/1Vz8RYE

How SMBs can prevent #malware and #phishingattacks? Here’s @dav_hig take in @ITWire: http://bit.ly/1Vz8RYE

New Microsoft Surface devices and Windows 10 are made for each other

Your company may have held off from upgrading to Windows 10 until the new generation of systems had arrived on the market. That time is now, as Microsoft, and the likes of Dell, HP, and Acer, all launch ranges of PCs powered by Intel’s new generation of Skylake processors. These faster and more power-efficient machines make mobile computing more appealing and practical.

With Windows 10 installed, they are also all set up for the latest in cloud services, online communications and collaboration tools. If your company now relies on expensive packaged software, moving to the cloud is a practical way to cut your software bill, while these new PCs help your staff work more efficiently, keep them in touch and should help projects run more smoothly. We can help give your business with a full cloud environment to help your workers focus on their missions, while ensuring your data is backed up, accessible and protected.

The latest in Microsoft’s hardware range is the new Surface Book, marketed as the most powerful portable computer on the market. The range is a pricey but ideal option for those that were before tied to desktop systems. They further highlight the move to mobile working, and by offering mighty processing and graphical power, mean that staff can work with more freedom. Even Microsoft’s new generation of Lumia smartphones are pocket computers that can be hooked up to a big screen to run Windows 10, giving your sales team, engineers and other workers more information at their fingertips.

They also encourage bring your own device (BYOD) working, as staff can choose their own personal machines, which can safely access your office’s cloud services with no more risk or cost to the company. With Windows 10, they can seamlessly work with the likes of OneDrive or Office 365 to use office files, and use Skype to chat and collaborate. The new PCs all have exceptional Wi-Fi components, improved microphones for high quality chat and HD cameras for detailed, professional, video conferences.

So, when you next upgrade the office systems, look for the new Windows 10 systems, and let us help set them up for business cloud working to cut your costs and improve productivity.

New Microsoft Surface devices and Windows 10 are made for each other

How mobile workers can boost businesses

In the digital age, mobile workers can be a major asset for businesses and organisations. With technology solutions – such as smartphones, tablets and laptops – at their disposal, and ready access to 3G and 4G mobile broadband and Wi-Fi connections, employees can work from almost anywhere, at any time. This means employers have more options and employees can find a way of working that suits them best.

Working productively

Many of the barriers to productive work have been broken down in recent years. There is no longer a direct link between a physical presence in the office and productivity, as employees can be an asset wherever they are based. Employees are able to deliver output on the move, from home and even on their commute into work or back home at the end of the shift. Many professionals are customising their working week to find a pattern that suits them best and allows them to maximise their performance. Both workers and the companies that employ them stand to gain.

Boosting morale

Mobile workers are often happy workers, which can also be beneficial from a productivity perspective. If employees can choose their own hours and the place they work from – as is possible with mobile solutions – they are able to achieve a better work/life balance. This can offer a significant boost to employee morale, encouraging workers to give their all day by day, stay loyal to their employer and offer a greater return on investment. Ultimately, this is what organisations are looking for.

Increasing agility

The use of mobile solutions – and the cultural changes they have encouraged – means many businesses are more flexible, agile and adaptable than in the past. They can respond quickly to changing circumstances and give a better service for their clients. With employees able to work from home or on the move, business is now genuinely 24/7, and not constrained by the traditional 9-5 shift pattern. If work needs to be completed at short notice, it is often possible to complete it online, via mobile devices, and not forcing somebody to stay at the office out of hours.

How mobile workers can boost businesses

Staff are the biggest threat to network security

Your own employees could be the biggest risk to your network security. Corey Steele, a network security specialist in Illinois, has outlined how he tests company security and has found that it is much easier to break through using an employee of the company, and not attack the system directly.

Most employees are wise to the fact that they should not open an attachment from an unknown source, but Steele has exploited their trusting nature by simply phoning up an employee pretending to be an outside IT contractor working with the company. Having convinced the duped staff member to open a remote login help session with him, he then spends a good deal of time going through technical information before offering them the chance to take a break. While they are gone, he has the chance to install malware on the system and gain access to sensitive information that hackers could use to their advantage.

Another method that still works remarkably well is pretending to be a phone company employee, visiting the premises in person and asking to check the lines in the basement. Most let him in without any form of challenge and once inside the building he can create a wireless access point, join the network and then carry out a hacking attack from the comfort of his car outside.

Of course there are a vast array of tools at hackers’ disposal in the modern age and many prefer to carry out direct attacks on the system. For some there is a badge of honour involved in cracking the defences of a big bank, major corporation or even a government agency.

Steele offers a stark reminder, though, that staff education and vigilance are critical factors when it comes to network security, and that every staff member who can get access to important information, or even just the network, need to be educated about the methods hackers can use to beat the system. It does not matter how good your IT defences are, you are only as strong as your weakest link. For a lot of companies, that link might be the people that you employ.

Staff are the biggest threat to network security

When cloud computing can work for your business

Cloud computing has been one of the main technological innovations of recent years that have driven a more efficient and streamlined economy and allowed new business opportunities to flourish. Yet the immense pressure to find such new technologies often leads them to be accompanied with a tidal wave of hype that almost no tech can live up to. So how do you see past the hype and find whether cloud computing is right for your business? Here are some points you need to consider.

1. Is any disruption justified by the cost benefit?

Before deciding to move to the cloud, it’s worth looking at how much disruption the migration will cause, and how much you will lose financially and in terms of productivity during this disruption. Then, look at how much money and time you are likely to save by using the cloud and weigh up if the benefits outweigh the disruption and cost. With a reliable and trusted cloud provider, you’re likely to find that future savings will easily and quickly make up for any immediate losses.

2. How much capacity do you need?

One of the best things about cloud computing is that services are usually infinitely scalable. However, if you find that your usage is increasing erratically or exponentially, fees can be unexpectedly high. It’s best to plan carefully to identify your needs as accurately as possible and make sure your cloud services will consistently meet your needs.

3. Does your company need any specific, specialised hardware components?

If your business uses applications that require specialised underlying hardware components, they may not be able to be virtualised. It’s best to consult your potential cloud provider to find out if this is the case; but with more and more programs and features moving to the cloud, most applications can now be migrated with no problem.

As with all of your business decisions, deciding when to invest heavily in cloud computing is primarily a matter of cost-effectiveness. The potential rewards can be huge; if you choose the right provider and most suitable package, you can take full advantage of cloud computing to push your business to new heights. Get in touch with us to find out more.

When cloud computing can work for your business

How to optimise your cloud computing experience

As you may be able to tell from our earlier blog entries, we at Premier Computer are passionate about cloud computing. But we don’t just want to tell you why you should invest in it; we want to help you get the most out of the cloud. Switching to cloud computing can be a daunting proposition, especially for smaller businesses with a tight budget and limited time to devote to IT. But it is worth doing! That’s why we’ve compiled three top tips that will help you get the most benefit and value from cloud computing.

1. Choose the cloud computing package that’s right for you

Different cloud computing options cater to different needs. For example, if you intend to use the cloud to safely back up data that you primarily store and access on your own terminals, you’ll need a cloud solution that is highly secure, minimises data loss (perhaps by distributing and replicating your data across multiple servers) and offers protection from data corruption. In other words, you’ll need a Fort Knox for information! In comparison, if you intend to use the cloud to store, organise and access information, you’ll need a highly flexible cloud solution that allows you to easily access, view and reorganise your data at will. Don’t be afraid to talk to different cloud computing vendors to find the solution that’s right for you.

2. Only pay for the storage you use

Cloud computing is infinitely scalable: you can pay for as much server space as you need to meet your data storage or processing needs. The downside of this is that it’s easy to pay for more than you really need, which can waste money. Carefully assess your needs before you choose a scalable cloud computing solution, and only pay for the amount of data-storage or processing you will actually use. You can always buy more later if you need to!

3. Regularly reassess your cloud solution

Once you’ve made the switch to cloud computing, it’s worth remembering that you can change to a new cloud solution at any time. After all, you don’t have to make any changes to your own IT infrastructure to switch from one cloud solution to another! You can use this to your advantage; reassess how well your cloud computing arrangements are working on a regular basis. If you can find a better option, don’t be afraid to switch to it!

Cloud computing is an immensely useful tool for modern businesses. However, it’s important to know how to get the most out of it. We hope that these tips will help you find the ideal cloud computing solution for you and make sure that you get the best price.

How to optimise your cloud computing experience

Data recovery – rescuing musical memories

There was a time when an old music collection would be consigned to an unobtrusive resting place – the loft, the back of a cupboard, or even the garage. Cassettes, CDs and vinyl would gather dust, until suddenly pulled out with no warning at a friends’ reunion or party.

That tradition is changing, as our musical habits move with the digital era. We are more likely to store music in libraries of MP3s on our computers or portable listening devices. This is great for convenience, and allows us to enjoy years of emotion-evoking music at our fingertips, rather than it being stored away in a dark corner of our home. It does, however, sometimes come at a cost.

With the transition towards digital listening, we leave ourselves at the mercy of our computers. The digital age adage is ‘always back up your files’. But how many of us go to the lengths of backing up all the music files in our possession?

That’s why when a hard drive becomes corrupted, or a PC damaged in an accident, it puts our treasured music collections in danger. A distraught friend experienced the considerable trauma of losing most of his music, when a laptop ceased to work. Believe it or not it was the music, not the work or video files, which meant the most.

The owners whose files are rescued are left with a feeling of gratitude towards the data recovery expert that salvaged the mess, and these specialists are likely to grow in demand as our love affair with digital music continues. Whether it be the failure of an operating system or accidental damage, all is not lost.

Techniques such as table partitioning, master boot record and file system repair are now used to save your 1990s Britpop tracks from extinction. Even when it seems files have been deleted in error, they can in fact be found by the experts through references left in the directory structure.

So here’s to data recovery experts and the sterling job they do in making sure our musical memories can live on through the digital era.

Data recovery - rescuing musical memories

Introducing Microsoft Office 2016 for Mac

Last month, Mac users heard the great news that Microsoft announced about Office 2016 for Mac being available now for Microsoft Office 365 customers. Users of Office 365 already know that it is designed for today’s cloud and mobile technology to make it easier for customers to work productively on multiple devices and between the three main platforms of Mac, Windows and Android. For Mac users today, the new Office 2016 will make switching between them even easier.

Office 2016 takes the Mac version up to the same level as the Windows one. Subscribers to Office 365 will discover that Office 2016 for Mac has a new addition, OneNote for Mac. Mac users recording their ideas into this digital notebook technology can reach them from any device and find things quickly using OneNote’s built-in search engine. OneNote projects can be shared with friends, family or colleagues, for real-time editing.

Microsoft Word for Mac 2016 also now facilitates real-time co-authoring of Word documents that are stored in the cloud on OneDrive, as part of the newest Office 2016 preview releases. To access this new feature, two or more people need to be running the latest preview and must give all co-authors permissions. When these users open the same Word document, they can co-edit it at the same time and will be able to view the cursor locations and edits made by each other as and when they happen, automatically.

In Office 2016 for Mac, Word also features new authoring and review tools, including a new Design tab that enables Mac users to manage layout. When several people are working on the same document, they can use threaded comments to have conversations alongside the relevant text. Microsoft Word 2016 also makes use of the Retina display on the Mac and documents can be explored using familiar touch-pad gestures such as pinch to zoom.

If you are a Mac user who already subscribes to Office 365 and you’d like to know more about getting Microsoft Office 2016 for Mac now, contact Premier Computer Services – it won’t be available mainstream until September.

Introducing Microsoft Office 2016 for Mac

The massive online threat against all business continues to grow

Computer security is a critical IT issue that remains in the news. Every week it seems a different country’s government servers are hacked, or a big business has its credit card or customer data stolen by criminals (http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2015/aug/10/carphone-warehouse-uk-data-watchdog-investigating-customer-hack).

Many businesses think they’re simply not targets, or that this threat will never happen to them. They’re unaware that all businesses are targets, and it is happening to them. Through a huge range of internet service, web server and browser weaknesses, millions of attacks are automatically launched every day.

At the same time, millions more automated phishing attacks attempt to use social engineering techniques to get passwords from employees or contractors. While only a small percentage of these work, that’s enough to open up thousands of businesses to attack every day. Data may be stolen outright, held for digital ransom or publicly exposed to embarrass and potentially ruin the company.

To combat this, you need network and internet security at every level, from the desktop to the server. We can provide Watchguard Managed Firewalls, and wireless network security and management for your business, to help protect against these threats. We can also offer advice for your workers on how to be aware of suspicious emails, approaches on social media and websites that could allow criminals access to your business data.

Whatever your business, if it relies on PCs and data in the form of databases or spreadsheets, ensuring that information is secure, regularly backed up, and available in case of disaster is key to ensuring the viability of your company in case of an attack. We can help provide services to ensure business continuity and can also help move your business to the cloud to cut your IT costs and improve the likelihood of your business avoiding and surviving any threat.

The ‘it will never happen to us’ attitude is as redundant as the floppy disk, and if there are senior managers in your business who still believe that, we can provide hard evidence to the contrary and help your business fortify itself against the never-ending threats that face all companies today.

The massive online threat against all business continues to grow

The pros and cons of Microsoft’s Windows 10 90-day trial for business

Windows 10 is already being installed across millions of consumer and small business PCs around the world, but the company is encouraging larger businesses to upgrade with the offer of a free 90-day trial of the new operating system.

Unlike previous trials, one of the main advantages is that Windows 10 provides an easy way to downgrade to your old operating system if your company finds that it interferes with business applications or provides no useful new benefits. However, that assumes that the in-place installation works fine, with many users still having trouble getting the OS to update.

Among the advantages of upgrading your business to Windows 10 are the device management features of the OS, making it easier to manage data and apps across employee machines and mobile devices. All sizes of business can benefit from protection against modern security threats, with updating and support.

Counting against Microsoft in this respect is that most businesses prefer to put their enterprise security in the care of third parties. Also, with increasing use of the cloud, the OS on a PC is becoming less important. With so many apps managed from the browser, businesses will be questioning the need to upgrade.

Microsoft is involved in this too, with Office 365, OneDrive and other services all cloud-focused, reducing the importance of the OS. So, if your business is looking to upgrade to Windows 10, or is considering the possibility, check how we can offer network security, cloud computing, BYOD and other services that may save your company the need to upgrade, or to help make it a more beneficial move for your business.

We can also help make sure your business has enough protection, with disaster and business continuity planning to make sure that if you have trouble with Windows 10, or suffer major service interruptions, then your business can continue to work or can get back up to speed with the minimum of delay.

Windows 10 is a great new opportunity to refresh and improve your business’ IT capabilities, but it needs to be done in a managed and controlled way, and we can help find the right mix of services that actually benefits your organisation.

The pros and cons of Microsoft"s Windows 10 90-day trial for business

Tips on how to improve WiFi connections

A common question IT support technicians are asked is why the WiFi connection keeps disconnecting – its signal quality fluctuates or seems to be slow. This is a problem most readers have faced in the past and here are a few pointers on how you can fix it.

1. Placement of router

The most common cause of wireless network problems is poor placement – whether the router is placed too far away from the computer or near electrical devices. Try moving your router into an area without TVs, microwaves and cordless phones to preventing them interfering with your router’s signal. If successful, you should see an instant improvement with your device’s wireless connection.

2. Improve your router

For most, the router or hub your broadband provider sent you is enough for your home’s internet network and while they do work well, sometimes it is worth paying for a more efficient and powerful router. A good suggestion would be to buy a dual band 802.11n router, which has a stronger signal, prevents interference from your neighbours’ WiFi networks and has improved wireless network security and management.

3. Purchase a WiFi extender

If you cannot afford to buy an expensive new router, a WiFi extender would be a great alternative. A WiFi extender connects to your router, relays the connection and broadcasts the signal in your house’s weak spots, allowing you to have a stronger and more reliable connection. These devices are relatively cheap, simple to set up and definitely worth considering.

4. Upgrade your firmware

Another simple error users make when improving their wireless network is forgetting to update their device’s firmware. Outdated firmware can cause your router to be slow and potentially leave your network at risk to hackers, which is why it is essential that your router’s firmware is up-to-date. The latest firmware ensures your router is running at its best.

5. Call a technician

If these suggestions fail to work, calling an IT support technician to resolve the problem is a wise move. Ring us at 01494 857572, describe your problem and we will do our best to help you.

Tips on how to improve WiFi connections

As Apple Pay is released, how will it drive new iOS device sales?

On 14th July 2015, Apple Pay officially arrived in the United Kingdom, marking another big step in bringing UK users in line with their counterparts from across the Atlantic Ocean. Wi-Fi Calling was relatively slow to make it over here after an extended period in the USA, and it has also taken a while for Apple Pay to be activated on compatible Apple products. As of now, owners of iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, iPad Air 2, iPad Mini 3 and the Apple Watch can simply add their credit or debit card to their device, and through Near Field Communication (NFC) technology, the mobile device works in the same way as contactless payment cards. After a few seconds, the payment is authorised and the transaction is complete.

As this feature was originally announced in an Apple press conference in autumn 2014, users have been steadily upgrading their devices in time for the launch. In terms of convenience, it removes the need to rifle through a crowded wallet to find the right card, and in an era when many people seem to have their phone constantly to hand, it’s clear to see how this will speed up times at the supermarket checkout. In terms of security, it also offers another added benefit over chip and PIN transactions – the authentication is carried out by taking a fingerprint scan from the shopper. To the consumer who enjoys looking a bit ‘flash’ when they reach the cashier, this new feature may well be the incentive they need to upgrade to an Apple Pay compatible device.

At the same time, there are drawbacks to the new system that may be ironed out over time. While it is possible for these transactions to be carried out without a maximum sale value, retailers will be limited to £20 (£30 from September) until they carry out an upgrade to their back office payment processing systems. In addition to this, there may be a limited audience of consumers who are willing to use the feature on the iPad Air 2 or the iPad Mini 3. A ‘phablet’ or tablet, is probably a little too large and cumbersome to pull out at the checkout, and tapping it on the card reader may look odd enough to draw a lot of unwanted attention!

As Apple Pay is released, how will it drive new iOS device sales?

Cloud storage could save your business

If you’re contemplating switching your storage to the cloud, then don’t hesitate. As well as saving money replacing your own servers, it could literally save your business.

Take a look at the server at your company. Is it invincible? Of course it isn’t, and although you might have back-up, a server failure can leave even the most prepared companies scrambling to get back up and running. With cloud storage, you’ll have much greater peace of mind.

Cloud storage simply cannot be allowed to go down; there’s too much at stake. So instead of a frazzled IT technician trying to keep the company afloat, you get an army of specialists protecting your data and making sure it’s ‘always on’. All you have to do is log on and not worry about the complexity of keeping your data intact, readily accessible and organised.

Of course you can support your company server with cloud back-up, which means even in the event of a disaster in the office you can run seamlessly from the cloud.

Cloud storage systems also have much stronger security than your typical company desktop, which means that sensitive data can be safely protected from malware attacks and viruses. If your company stores payment information, or even personal data for your customers, then you owe it to them and yourselves to make sure it is properly protected.

In-house security systems are an option, but again there are specialist systems designed to keep thousands of companies safe with cloud storage systems; it can be simpler and more cost-effective to place your sensitive data in their hands.

Finally, cloud storage also makes it easier for your staff to use crucial data at any time, from anywhere. If a critical file is sat on a company server then it can simply be out of bounds until office hours, whereas cloud storage means that anybody with the correct authorisation can simply log in, get the file and get back to work.

Of course there are many other benefits to cloud storage, including cost, but these are ways it could literally save your business. At these times, it will be priceless.

Cloud storage could save your business

The benefits of cloud computing for small businesses

At Premier Computer Services we recognise that it can be difficult for small businesses to stand out from their competitors without the financial and technological resources that larger corporations have at their disposal. Fortunately, there are many online resources upon which small businesses can capitalise to expand and evolve within their chosen field or industry. Of all these resources, cloud computing is one of the most efficient and affordable. So, if you have searched for creative ways to improve your small business operations then listed below are some of the reasons why cloud computing may be the ideal solution for you:

1 – Streamlined administrative operations

Cloud computing is an ingenious resource through which businesses can store and access their company data at any given time from any place they wish, using just an internet connection. Subsequently, this revolutionary process enables small businesses to rapidly and efficiently carry out all their daily administrative duties for a fraction of the cost that they would have previously expended on conventional offline methods.

2 – Disaster recovery and business continuity planning

Cyber-crime can be harmful for small businesses because they lack the necessary funds to pay for comprehensive security protocols and business continuity planning consultants. However, with cloud computing, all of your company data will be saved remotely and backed up on a regular basis. As a result, by investing in a cloud computing service for your company you can rest assured that your essential business data will be securely protected from cyber-crime, technical difficulties and any other unfortunate eventualities that may occur.

3 – Affordable IT support

Large corporations will often employ a team of IT support consultants to safeguard their business data at all times. Before the advent of cloud computing, small businesses would not have been able to afford this type of 24/7 IT support. However, by equipping your company with a comprehensive cloud computing package you will be able to acquire reliable and consistent IT support which will safeguard your business processes, administrative data and essential programs at any given time, from any given place.

The benefits of cloud computing for small businesses

IT support needs to watch out for Windows 10 upgrade scams

Whenever anything is available for free, there are plenty of people who will try to make money by ‘selling’ it. Perhaps along with an extra service or two, but also as a direct scam for the unwary. So, when the free Windows 10 upgrade offer starts on 29 July, expect your users’ email accounts to be hosed with spam offering ‘unique opportunities,’ ‘expert delivery’ and ‘bargain prices’ for this ‘once in a lifetime’ Microsoft offer.

Naturally, it will all be rubbish. Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 users with a Pro version can upgrade for free, while businesses with volume agreements will be making their own arrangements. However, many workers and PC users won’t know this, and might be tempted to click on the link. This could lead to a direct payment page where people can give £10 for the luxury of being redirected to the official Microsoft upgrade site. Or, it could encourage people to enter their business credit card details or their Microsoft account log-in, so the scammer can use those for their own ends. Not only could that cause untold damage to the business, but should urge you to upgrade your email and spam filtering, if such messages are getting through.

Either way, make sure that your workers are informed of your company’s Windows 10 upgrade strategy, and explain what they should do if they see any tempting offers. Compatibility shouldn’t be an issue for upgraders, and the operating system requirements are broadly in line with Windows 8.1, so you shouldn’t need new hardware. If you don’t have an upgrade plan, then talk to us about managed computer services that can remove these issues and free your time to focus on running your business.

See our earlier post on preventing workers upgrading by accident (https://oswin.com/how-to-stop-upgrading-to-windows-10/) to stop users running consumer versions of Windows getting ahead of your policy. Even if you weren’t planning on upgrading, it should be on your calendar, as support for previous editions will soon fade away, and Microsoft’s security focus will be on the latest product.

When you do get round to upgrading your company’s IT systems, a full audit of your business IT requirements can help reduce the upgrade bill by transitioning to hosted servers and cloud services. We can discuss your needs and requirements to help you save money and improve productivity.

IT support needs to watch out for Windows 10 upgrade scams

How to stop upgrading to Windows 10

How to stop your business upgrading to Windows 10

Many smaller businesses don’t have enterprise versions of Windows 7 or Windows 8 installed, or lack Windows volume license agreements. This means your staff are probably using Pro versions of those operating systems, which, in turn, means they are seeing the new “get your free upgrade to Windows 10″ button. Do you really want your business getting this free-for-one-year upgrade without approval?

Depending on your office policy, you might be quite happy with knowledge workers upgrading and trying out the latest features, including Cortana voice assistant, the new Edge browser and an improved user interface. However, if your business runs some bespoke or very old applications, they might not be compatible with Windows 10, so you will want to make sure that everything works on a test system first.

Either way, depending on your company policies, you probably don’t want all staff upgrading on their own initiative. Fortunately, part of Microsoft’s June roll out of patches and bug fixes includes a way to stop them seeing this feature. You can read about the required patch and solution in Microsoft’s Knowledge Base (https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/3050267).

Once installed, there is a simple registry setting you need to make for each machine, or if you have network controls, you can make a group policy setting change; both are highlighted below.

To make the registry change, Set HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\WindowsUpdate\OSUpgrade\ReservationsAllowed to 0

For the policy change, navigate to: Computer Configuration, Policies, Administrative Templates, Windows Components, Windows Update. Double-click on “Turn off the upgrade to the latest version of Windows through Windows Update” and adjust the option to “Enabled”. That should prevent your users seeing the Windows Update feature and prevent them accidentally or enthusiastically updating ahead of time.

While the new version of Windows 10 is pretty much compatible with everything your business now uses on Windows 7 or Windows 8, you can’t be too careful when it comes to users getting ahead of themselves. There is also the risk of the upgrade going wrong, or high demand putting their machines out of action for a long time, so be very careful what your staff are doing when it comes to July 29th.

How to stop upgrading to Windows 10

Multitasking in iOS 9 makes iPads better for business

At the recent World Wide Developer Conference, Apple showed a preview of the upcoming iOS 9 operating system for iPad and iPhone. One of the key features is split screen multi-tasking, with the Apple OS finally catching up with Android in that respect, but refining the user interface and making it more friendly for knowledge workers, high-volume communicators and users who need access to multiple sources of information.

While there was no sign of the much-rumoured larger-screen iPad Pro, this update will give users easier access to their information when it launches in autumn. Apps can be split 50%-50%, or narrow apps can take up a quarter of the screen while you work with a main app – ideal for notes or chat windows. The new iOS 9 keyboard also comes with cut, paste and other interactions on the top bar. This will make it easier for business users to work with the iPad as a utility and creation tool, rather than for content consumption and sharing.

Other features of the OS that are being improved include the pass code, which has increased to six digits for a little added security. Users can now attach documents to emails, helping to further boost business utility, while your regular contacts are now on a Proactive menu. You access this by swiping left from the home screen, and it’s context sensitive so knows who you usually talk to at that time of day, what apps you usually access and so on. This level of personalisation will make it easier to use an iPhone or an iPad without going through the apps, as most of us use apps or contacts in predictable patterns that iOS 9 will learn.

For sales types, mobile workers, or other travel heavy business people, the Proactive menu can also provide quick links to nearby essentials like petrol stations, hotels, restaurants and so on, making it a little easier to find your way around when out on a business trip. All these improvements will help nudge Apple devices a little more into the hearts of business users. Expect plenty more updates on these features as they enter beta before the launch.

Multitasking in iOS 9 makes iPads better for business

As the Windows 10 launch date is announced, what upgrade options are available?

Microsoft has confirmed that Windows 10 will launch on 29 July, as a free update to existing users. Already, an update for Windows 7 and Windows 8 allows early adopters to reserve a free copy. It will show users when the download becomes available via the free ‘Get Windows 10 App’. (http://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/windows/windows-10-upgrade?OCID=win10_null_vanity_win10upgrade). The free upgrade option is valid for one year from the launch date. Theoretically, the update will be a smooth move from the currently installed OS to Windows 10, without affecting any applications or data.

For business users, your existing copy of Microsoft Windows 8.1 Pro, Windows 7 Professional or Windows 7 Ultimate will be upgraded to Windows 10 Pro. If your office has an IT support team or person, they will be able to offer advice on upgrading. If not, we can offer advice on migrating to the new OS, backing up existing data, ensuring your business IT security is sufficient and providing support beyond the update. Even though the process should run smoothly, with millions of different PCs and applications, there are bound to be a few issues.

To check if your PC is compatible, or powerful enough for Windows 10, you can use the ‘Check your PC’ option within the Upgrade Advisor section of the Get Windows 10 App. If your PC is already running Windows 7 or 8 smoothly, then it should run Windows 10 just fine, as there are no major, performance intensive updates.

Windows 10 provides business users with an easier transition from your PC to mobile device or tablet, allowing users to pick up where they left off. There is improved access to cloud apps, like Office 365 and cloud-stored data, better use of virtual desktop for busy multi-taskers and improved updates for better system and online security.

In terms of features, Windows 10 adds Cortana voice assistant and search to the desktop, which may or may not be welcome in an office environment. The new Edge browser is faster and more efficient than the retired Internet Explorer, but users can still work with Chrome or Firefox if they prefer. If you want a total system upgrade, then a whole new range of PCs and tablets will be launching, led by Microsoft’s updated Surface devices (https://oswin.com/microsoft-surface-3-and-surface-4-devices-add-to-business-choice/).

As the Windows 10 launch date is announced, what upgrade options are available?

Is BYOD right for your business?

Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) is popular among businesses that need their workers to have constant access to data, but don’t want the hassle of both an office and a personal smartphone. BYOD can help your business attract new employees, who will see your company as forward thinking. It can also save your company money, as you don’t have to pay for expensive phone contracts, and it can make your workers more efficient as they have total access to office apps and data. However, how can you be sure that BYOD is the best option for your business?

You can judge if BYOD will be of value for your company by calculating the cost over the savings. Costs may include developing a dedicated company app, data security costs, subscriptions to cloud services, or downtime through lost devices. Savings will include the cost of the phones, contracts, insurances and accessories.

Once you can set up a business case for BYOD, then you will need to create guidelines and policies to make sure that workers secure their data and business apps, if a phone is lost or stolen; this will include simple things like ensuring phones are locked and pass code protected. When the BYOD scheme is up and running, you will also need to take measurements to make sure that the savings, efficiencies or other goals you intend to reach are being met.

An end-to-end IT policy will help manage BYOD schemes. Issues such as what happens when a worker leaves the company need to be ready in advance. While that may take time, implementing a BYOD scheme will save your IT team or staff from having to check if workers are making inappropriate use of your systems.

With most cloud services making data accessible across PCs, mobiles and tablets, starting a BYOD scheme has never been easier. That means your workers will have the data they need to hand, where ever they are. Improved mobile apps also mean they can work with data, be it documents, spreadsheets, designs or databases, not just refer to them.

With BYOD never more attractive for businesses big and small, see how we can help your company set up a scheme.

Is BYOD right for your business?

For ultimate performance, and peace of mind, go multi-cloud

Companies everywhere are increasingly not only migrating their in-house networks to one cloud computing service, but to several of them. The reason? To drastically slash the risk of something going wrong and losing invaluable data, and to improve performance and reliability.

We all know that the major cloud providers, such as Amazon, Microsoft, and Salesforce, bend over backwards to tell us how secure their services are and that nothing will ever happen to bring them crashing down. But that’s exactly what happens every now and then. Microsoft’s Azure cloud service was the most recent victim of a widespread outage that affected large numbers of its clients – and in business, as in life, there are just no guarantees.

All it takes is a loose cable or a hard disk that stops working and a company’s critical online operations come to a sudden and distressing halt. That’s not even taking other major risk factors into account, including fierce storms that knock out power supplies and cause infrastructure damage, and the ever-present threat of cyber-attacks that have become a devastating reality for some companies around the world.

When systems go down and a firm can’t email or use messaging services, as well as critical programs and apps, it all spells disaster – especially if they’re running an ecommerce operation. Customers will lose trust in the company and quickly go elsewhere.

The answer: the multi-cloud

Using different cloud computing services can greatly benefit companies in other ways too, such as the speed that web pages load on PCs and mobile devices. It’s hugely important for online operations that pages load in a second or two, because that’s what users expect, according to recent research, and slow sites won’t do much for companies in terms of their search engine rankings.

Developing a multi-cloud strategy also allows companies to take advantage of the different features of a number of cloud services – as not all of them are the same – and improve their own operations, including managing how traffic is routed and handling large volumes of server requests.

Preventing disruption and enhancing services is what the multi-cloud, and every firm, is all about.

For ultimate performance, and peace of mind, go multi-cloud

Will an iPad Pro have a place in your business?

Apple has long been rumoured to be hard at work on a larger-format iPad to encourage further adoption among business users. While the smaller Mini model might be fine for the family, and the original 9 inch version is okay for some light executive work, if you’re really going to collaborate, you need a little more screen space.

So, the company has been secretly planning what most people think will be a 12.9 inch model called iPad Pro. Some photos and details of components and prototype parts have now been leaked by the usual Asian supply chain sources, leaving Apple with little to show, should they unveil it at their Worldwide Developer Conference in June. But, will it be worth investing in them for your business? Apple’s recent tie-in with IBM for business apps and cloud services should encourage uptake among larger organisations, and even the basic Apple or Microsoft office suite apps are now very easy to use and not far off their desktop equivalents in terms of features.

A larger screen will certainly make the device easier to work on, or spin around and pass between people at brainstorming sessions, or put on the meeting room table to help the flow of creativity. You can be sure that Apple probably has a new app or two to encourage collaboration on the device. A next-generation collaboration app could record all the audio from a meeting, and note which contributor made what changes to a document or image – there are certainly lots of possibilities.

While Apple probably wants to keep its iOS and OS-X devices distinct and separate, we’re sure that third parties will be providing keyboards to turn it into a two-in-one device to make it more practical for writers and editors, and perhaps even get other virtual operating systems running to make it more computer-like. There are plenty of larger tablets out there on the market for business use, but few seem to have taken off in terms of sales; will Apple’s next entry in the iPad range fare any better? We’ll probably find out in the autumn when it is likely to go on sale. One thing is certain though – it will not be cheap.

Will an iPad Pro have a place in your business?

How to protect yourself against cybercrime in 2015

There has always been the need to protect your computer from vicious malware and spyware attacks. In this age, cybercriminals are becoming increasingly sophisticated in the methods they use to steal data. Never before has computer security been so important.

Here are a few of the major cybercrime attacks to look out for in 2015:

1. Ransomware

Experts expect to see a rise in something called ‘ransomware’. This involves scammers locking your device and asking for a payment to unlock it.

2. Targeted attacks

An increase in more sophisticated, targeted attacks is also expected. In other words, criminals will hand-pick individuals corresponding to how much data they share online, rather than casting out a net and hoping that somebody will bite.

3. Social media malware

With the ever increasing use of social media, more and more criminals will abuse social media to scam people. This might be in the form of malicious videos, as well as malicious links within videos.

4. Open source code

Remember the Heartbleed and Shellshock attacks? Experts expect to see a similar incident happen again in 2015. Cybercriminals will seek vulnerabilities in source code to carry out their malicious activities.

5. Apple malware

Apple market themselves as being one of the safest providers around. But don’t get complacent because iOS users will also be vulnerable to attack this year.

However, there are several security measures that users can put into place to protect themselves against cybercrime:

• Install antivirus software and a firewall on your device

• Back up all of your files regularly using the cloud and remote storage

• Do not click on links that appear suspicious

• Make sure your passwords are strong

• Use encryption software to protect devices

• Enable remote wiping

• Keep devices somewhere thieves can’t get to them

As long as you follow these simple steps, you shouldn’t have a problem. Implement the measures above and be on the look out for the cybercrimes that are predicted for 2015 to make sure that you don’t become a victim.

How to protect yourself against cybercrime in 2015

Microsoft has plans for the Internet of Things on Windows 10 and Azure

The name Internet of Things (IoT) might sound rather nebulous, but that’s kind of the point. It will become a connected gathering of millions, if not billions, of devices, all having a small impact on our daily lives in the near future. From smart home devices for heat and lighting or smart traffic and parking technology, to gizmos monitoring our office and outside air quality, they will be everywhere, all talking to each other and to cloud servers around the world.

Naturally, Microsoft wants a piece of that infrastructure pie, and is aiming to get Windows 10 embedded in as many of those “things” as possible, and its Azure cloud service running in the background. These type of advances mean that companies big and small can starting making their own IoT tools, without the need for huge hardware investment and infrastructure, which is why so many IoT ideas are coming from small start-up or crowd-funded companies. Tiny devices like the Qualcomm Dragonboard (https://developer.qualcomm.com/mobile-development/development-devices/dragonboard/410c) are powering the “things”. Basically a smartphone on a chipset, they can be connected to a range of sensors and send back data over Wi-Fi or mobile networks.

So, if your business sells a product that currently requires time consuming interactions or regular check-ups, look to the Internet of Things to provide a remote sensing solution that can send live data or periodical maintenance information straight to a server, or a smartphone app, making your product cheaper for buyers to manage. Then imagine every company on Earth doing that, from your healthcare provider to the people who ship your components, hardware or goods around the world or country. That neatly sums up the IoT, and how Microsoft’s Azure IoT suite of tools announced in March (http://blogs.microsoft.com/iot/2015/03/16/microsoft-announces-azure-iot-suite/) will come in use for developing the services needed to run them.

Along with a small, compact Windows 10 installation for IoT devices, the combined service will offer a secure and efficient way of sending data between Internet of Things devices and servers, and then providing that data to workers in report or live form. From smartbands monitoring worker attendance, building access and health to office security cameras or GPS-enabled transmitters on your company fleet, businesses will soon be able to monitor every aspect of performance and maintenance, all in an easily expandable, small-business friendly manner.

Microsoft has plans for the Internet of Things on Windows 10 and Azure

How the Internet of Things could affect your business

There’s been a lot written about the Internet of Things (IoT), but as far as your business, its needs and prospects are concerned, it boils down to five areas that may change or benefit your organisation. They are represented by the five key connection points along the IoT chain, between the things and your business. Some companies will be able to address only one, while a few will span the whole chain to potentially dominate the IoT market. Allied to this are key enabling technologies like cloud computing, network security and mobility, all of which will play a key part in the IoT’s success.

Each company needs to ask itself where they fit in, and what technology they need to focus on, or partner with others to offer a solution or business advantage. Here are the five areas you should consider:

Thing-centric usage, where the thing has most of the processing and data. Providers of these will either be massive vendors selling billions or niche makers (perhaps start-ups) selling to enthusiasts, a small market or a particular industry.

Gateway-centric, where the thing remains a relatively dumb device with a gateway device in the field acting as the primary control point. Internet and mobile service providers will play a key role here, helping to link devices.

Smartphone-centric usage is where the user’s smartphone acts as a hub for a range of IoT devices and objects. The Apple Watch and other wearables are likely starting points for most consumers, but businesses will find increasing numbers of them providing data that a company can use to add value or sell products alongside. Developing apps that can access that data is one area that some companies could exploit.

Cloud-centric usage, where most businesses will find value through a cloud service working as the major point of interest. This can be either providing live dashboard information based on data from the things (smart traffic systems, for example) or providing reports, analysis and predictions. Most cloud players are preparing to adopt IoT, but service sellers could create all kinds of products in this market.

Finally, an enterprise-centric focus is where most large and vertical businesses will see value from the IoT, as they control or use the IoT that is anchored to their existing IT systems.

Any one of these areas is currently rife with potential for technology companies to break into this growing market. It could be an idea from a tiny player that is just as relevant as something put out there by the likes of BlackBerry, for IoT security or Nest, provider of IoT home gadgets.

 

How the Internet of Things could affect your business

Windows Redstone will follow Windows 10

Microsoft is being exceptionally busy when it comes to Windows at the moment, on PCs and mobiles. It is pushing the Windows 10 release as hard as it can through the technical preview, with a summer launch now almost upon us. It is taking this hectic-paced approach to try to move straggling (and struggling) users on from Windows XP, as well as Windows 7 and Windows 8. With most business users and enterprises firmly sticking with Windows 7, it will take something major to move them on.

Which is why Windows Redstone is making the news now. Once Windows 10 is out the door, with its many consumer-centric features, the company needs to concentrate on keeping enterprise users happy. Windows Redstone (named after an ore found in the game Minecraft, which the company recently acquired) will be a major update to Windows 10 and will be released in 2016. Incorporating many features that haven’t made the launch, it will also be the perfect time for Microsoft to push Windows 10 and Redstone to enterprises, who traditionally only upgrade to the latest version of Windows when the first major update arrives.

Expect greater integration with Microsoft’s business features, like SharePoint and Azure cloud services, and more enterprise-friendly features for the likes of Skype and OneDrive, as Microsoft positions itself as the business platform of the big data era. It could also be part of the move to Windows being provided as a service, just as most cloud offerings are. That would allow Microsoft to sell subscription-based Windows licenses rather than the traditional up-front fee, which would generate more stable revenue over the longer term.

Small and medium sized businesses need to be aware of these trends now, as Microsoft tries to move on from selling one license every three or four years. Instead, they can sell subscriptions to a range of services and apps at cheaper monthly rates that will make it easier for small businesses with little cash (allowing those using BYOD schemes to use hardware at minimal cost) to get started while larger companies can spread the up-front costs over a longer period.

Windows Redstone will follow Windows 10

Piracy not an option for Windows 10

There are still many businesses that run pirate software, often inadvertently, while there are whole countries where piracy of all kinds of software remains rampant. But Microsoft plans to eradicate the issue, as far as its operating system goes, by making the upgrade to Windows 10 initially free for all when it launches this summer.

Currently, while enterprises are locked into their volume licence agreements and are regularly audited, smaller businesses can pick up copies and install that multiple times or they can “borrow” licences from other PCs. All of these go against Microsoft’s rules, but the company is unlikely to come breaking down the doors.

When Windows 10 launches, it will be a free upgrade, regardless of the status of the current system installed on a PC. That means pirate versions of Windows XP or Windows 7 can be legitimised, whereas in the past, the upgrade would refuse to install. With a legitimate Windows 10, users can run all of Microsoft’s cloud services and install the latest apps.

Part of Microsoft’s reasoning behind this idea is that its users will become so used to running the apps and services, such as Skype, OneDrive and Office 365, that it will be too much hassle to go back to their pirated ways. These cloud-based services are also more likely to generate revenue for the company in the future, as users buy more storage, call minutes and other features.

The free upgrade offer is only going to be valid for a year from the launch, so Windows 10 users may need to plan to pay for the new installation.  We expect that Microsoft could easily install a time limit on any PCs that previously had a pirate OS installed, with an expiry date. This would nudge users into paying a licence activation fee, to keep Windows 10 running.

Before your business considers its upgrade options this year, check with your IT support that all your software is valid so that you are not breaking any rules, and to make sure you don’t run into any issues post-upgrade. You should also consider the merits of using Microsoft’s cloud services http://www.oswin.com/microsoft-takes-fight-competitors-free-office-365/

Piracy not an option for Windows 10

Cortana for iOS and Android could boost Microsoft

Given the tiny share of the mobile market that Windows Phones have (about 3% to 4% according to analyst reports), Microsoft is taking a hardware-neutral stance when it comes to promoting its own cloud services. The latest news is that Microsoft’s Cortana virtual assistant will land on iOS and Android devices, competing with Apple’s Siri and the range of Android assistants on their own platforms. This could give a boost in uptake of Microsoft’s other cloud services and encourage further bring your own device (BYOD) adoption among businesses.

With Microsoft aiming to aggressively grow its cloud services (OneDrive, Office 365, SharePoint, Skype and so on), Cortana could become a useful link in getting iOS and Android users to try these apps on their devices. While they come provided on all Windows Phones, Microsoft is still struggling to get them on other mobiles, even if workers mostly use Microsoft productivity tools in their office environment. The current heavy advertising around Cortana and all the hype it will receive during the launch of Windows 10 could make it one of the most wanted apps as users see the benefits, with Microsoft hoping to enjoy the halo effect of Cortana’s cool features.

Cortana has quite a few advantages over Siri. Firstly, she is always on, whereas Apple users have to press the Home button to activate Siri, or have their iPhone plugged in. Cortana can also scan your emails and understand things like package deliveries, to remind you of events or incoming mail. That might be harder to integrate into the iOS version, but will be a neat trick, if she can pull it off. Cortana is also better at learning, she’ll remember who your favourite sports team is, or who your close friends are, and give you updated news in those areas. Another advantage is you can type to Cortana, which is handy if you’re in the quiet coach on a train or in a meeting. Siri will presumably get these features at some point, but for now, Cortana looks the better bet.

When the new mobile versions of Cortana launch, you can bet links to Microsoft’s other cloud and mobile apps won’t be far behind as Microsoft tries to make sure it stays relevant for mobile workers in the cloud computing era.

Cortana for iOS and Android could boost Microsoft

Mobile World Congress increases BYOD options

This year’s Mobile World Congress is on in Barcelona this week. It sees the likes of Microsoft and its Windows Phone, plus the many Android device makers, announcing new or improved mid-range devices that pack in many features of what were formerly high-end, expensive models. More memory, better processors and bigger screens make these more usable and attractive as a working device. Also, the recent range of business software launches for mobiles means that more people are tempted to try them out for bring your own device (BYOD) schemes.

As a business, having your workers able to use documents that are stored in the cloud, business contacts, and address emails wherever they are can be a big benefit. It saves investing in laptops or tablets, gets issues resolved faster and with data stored in the cloud and protected by password or fingerprint ID, there is less risk of them losing their phone and having valuable data go missing.

While Windows Phones are all prepped for business, users can use all Microsoft’s apps and storage features with the current Windows Phone 8.1. Sony, LG, Motorola and ZTE, among others, have a huge range of Android devices and they all support Google’s Lollipop Android 5.0. Lollipop in turn runs Samsung’s Knox, a business security feature to protect data stored on user’s own phones. Apple has its own security features for business, and Microsoft’s popular apps are now available for both iOS and Android.

This means that it is now safer for workers to use business data on their own phones, and the apps make checking documents and performing light revisions almost as painless as on a desktop (especially with a larger-screen device). For larger businesses, solutions like Hypori’s ACE platform, which was built with support from the American Department of Defense, help protect business data by separating the physical mobile device (no matter the brand and OS) from any sensitive applications and data.

These latest moves means there is less reason for businesses to be averse to the idea of BYOD, and should see the increasingly mobile workforce come of age for knowledge workers, sales forces and marketers who have been eager to try it out.

Mobile World Congress increases BYOD options

Three cloud computing trends for 2015 and beyond

With cloud computing becoming increasingly popular, here are our top three predictions for what you can expect to happen with it this year and in the years to come:

1. Cloud spending will continue to rise

It will surely come as no surprise to you that cloud spending will continue to rise in 2015 and beyond. This report by RackSpace (http://core0.staticworld.net/images/article/2014/09/rac_cloud.adoption_infographic_rnd03-100441764-large.png) predicts that in 2015, small and medium businesses will spend around $10 billion dollars more on cloud computing solutions than they did in 2014. Other experts are also predicting that more of information technology budgets will be dedicated to implementing and managing cloud solutions, which will stimulate a spike in overall cloud spending in the coming years.

2. New developments in cloud security

It’s no secret that in today’s economy, data is king. Big data was definitely one of the business buzzwords for 2014, and now more and more businesses are realising the importance of collecting and analysing it, and the effect that it can have on marketing, sales and overall growth. The one thing many businesses are worried about when they look to migrate to cloud based solutions is security, and rightly so – many are worried that their data could fall into the hands of a business rival or cybercriminals. Whilst cloud storage solutions are an extremely safe and secure way to store your data, you can expect to see even more developments in cloud security over the coming years. Many experts are predicting that a wave of new cloud security solutions will hit the market in 2015, including new developments in security for emerging hybrid cloud solutions. In fact, Forbes predicts that this year spending on security development will increase by around 46% (http://forbes.com/sites/louiscolumbus/2014/11/26/computerworlds-2015-forecast-predicts-security-cloud-computing-and-analytics-will-lead-it-spending/), with a large amount of that devoted to the cloud.

3. Hybrid cloud solutions

2015 will also see the emergence and popularisation of what have been called ‘hybrid cloud solutions’. This is where an organisation uses a mixture of both private and public cloud solutions for their data and applications. These hybrid cloud solutions offer organisations more flexibility, as they allow businesses to choose which specific cloud services they want to use for different applications. This will become more popular in the coming years, and IT experts predict that by 2017 this hybrid model will be in use in around 50% of all businesses.

Three cloud computing trends for 2015 and beyond

Windows 10 for phones will boost worker productivity

The recently announced Windows 10 smartphone technical preview (http://blogs.windows.com/bloggingwindows/2015/02/12/announcing-the-first-build-of-windows-10-technical-preview-for-phones-2/) is causing great excitement among gadget enthusiasts, but the real benefit will be to mobile, knowledge and other workers. They will soon be able to run almost fully featured Microsoft Office, productivity and unified communications apps on their phones, with seamless transition of documents, web content, messaging and other data to their desktop or laptop, swapping devices seamlessly.

With documents and contacts stored in the cloud, working on the commute, in a hotel or on a plane is becoming easier, increasing the availability of your workers and key staff and improving their productivity. Boosting communications between staff will help projects run smoother and help get decisions made faster as key reports are easier to find and talk about, by video chat, messaging or VoIP call. Naturally, Microsoft has apps for all these features, from Skype to Outlook and Lync, but it is also playing nice with iOS and Android, to encourage bring your own device (BYOD) schemes at work. Microsoft is also supposed to be bundling its apps with major future Android device launches, like the Samsung Galaxy S6, to further encourage take-up.

Currently, the Windows phone beta only runs on select Lumia devices, but the full launch will come with a range of new hardware from Microsoft (since it acquired Nokia) and hardware partners like Samsung and HTC. With a full range of tablets, portables, ultraportables and two-in-one devices, 2015 will see a major effort to get business users upgrading to new hardware and Windows 10 across all devices.

That’s all part of Microsoft’s plan to get users both upgrading and back into using its services, with many having moved on to Google, Amazon, Oracle or other business software providers. Whatever hardware and applications you use, switching to Microsoft’s will be an easy and seamless choice come the full launch of Windows 10, with handy tools like OneNote now fully free to use.

Also, Microsoft continues to buy companies that can help improve its offerings. It recently acquired N-trig, makers of the best tablet pen technology around, to make sure that Microsoft’s Surface Pro 3 and future Surface tablets all benefit from a truly professional experience. Roll that all together and the Microsoft ecosystem will soon be a compelling place to be and work.

Windows 10 for phones will boost worker productivity

Microsoft Office goes touchscreen friendly

New preview versions of the latest Microsoft Office apps are available for anyone testing Windows 10 Technical Preview. The “universal” apps can be used on any Windows device, from a desktop to a tablet or phone. They come with a host of touch features to make working on a touchscreen (and a smaller screen) more natural, and make the many MS Office desktop-era features more accessible.

When the final version of Windows 10 is released later this year, new systems, Windows Phones and tablets will ship with the apps for free. However, since Windows 10 won’t be free for businesses, we don’t expect enterprises to start getting Office licenses for free either. While usability is one of the key features, pick up and go is another, so users can start a document on their PC, leave the office and continue working on it on their phone or tablet, thanks to OneDrive storage.

Note that these aren’t the productivity apps that will ship as Microsoft Office 2016, which is being developed with standard PCs and enterprise users in mind. The Office 2016 apps will feature easier integration with cloud services and data sources. They will allow for a wider and deeper range of analytics tasks, as the Office suite tries to exist in a world of big data and smart dashboards that are rendering the standard Excel spreadsheet and PowerPoint display redundant in many businesses.

The Windows 10 Office touch apps, along with Outlook and Office for iOS and Android are part of Microsoft’s plan to keep Office relevant in an increasingly fragmented device market, where Windows Phones and tablets have a very small market share. The Office anywhere, anytime approach, including Office 365, is part of the plan to keep adoption of Google Docs, and productivity services from Amazon and others at bay.

Key to the success of Windows 10 will be new hardware. Microsoft is likely to unveil the Surface Pro 4, and possibly a Surface Pro mini tablet around the time of the OS launch to tempt enterprise users, while third parties are already producing a raft of cheaper hardware for those not in the executive suite to make Windows tablets more affordable.

Microsoft Office goes touchscreen friendly

Amazon gets into hosted email with WorkMail

Joining the hotly contested hosted email solution market, Amazon is taking on the likes of Gmail for businesses and Office 365 with a new service called WorkMail. There are a few differences to its rival products; for a start, WorkMail allows businesses to choose on which set of Amazon AWS servers their data lies, which will help keep them within their jurisdiction and stay compliant with local data privacy laws. Something that may or may not be an advantage, depending on the level of enterprise security, is that WorkMail lets businesses manage their own sets of encryption keys.

The product is available now across the US and Europe, and is likely to roll out globally soon. This expansion will also help to cut transfer times. WorkMail costs $4 per user per month (pupm), or can be bundled with WorkDocs for document sharing and a collaboration suite for $6 pupm. It can sync with anything that uses ActiveSync, including Outlook on PCs. While Amazon may be dominating in cloud computing services, it is falling behind in adoption by enterprises for the routine tasks of business – especially when it comes to smaller businesses. So WorkMail and WorkDocs are part of a concerted effort to get those users interested in AWS, S3 and EC2, where Amazon has so much power and can offer opportunities for companies to exploit.

The trouble is that users are now happy with vibrant and full-spectrum products, like Google Docs, Outlook, OneDrive and Office 365, which all leave Amazon’s barebones and piecemeal approach looking rather hollow. We’ll find out in coming quarters just how much AWS makes for Amazon, as the company changes its reporting methods, but it is hard to see WorkMail adding more than pocket change to the numbers.

Does WorkMail sound like an option for your business, or are you already happy with your current product and unlikely to move unless there is an obvious and significant advantage? We wonder what Amazon will offer next to attract customers, but we think there’s an uphill battle ahead.

Amazon gets into hosted email with WorkMail

British PM throws his weight behind UK cyber security industry

With instances of cyber crime on the rise, demonstrated in spectacular fashion over the course of 2014; a year defined by DDOS attacks and hacking scandals; an increasing number of organisations and government agencies have vowed to remove the kid gloves and get serious about tackling the rising tide of cyber criminality.

One of the highest profile agencies to step into the ring and start hitting back at the hackers is the UK government. David Cameron, the current British Prime Minister, has vowed to improve computer security in the UK, strengthening the country’s cyber security industry in a bid to prevent future incursions.

While US president Barack Obama is still fine-tuning his plan of action, Cameron has already laid out measures he hopes will aid UK businesses in improving their computer security. His plans do not just include protection, Cameron is also hoping to foster a new crop of UK-based cyber security specialists, turning the country into a world-leading computer security provider that can tap into the bountiful US market.

During a recent stopover in the US for talks with President Barack Obama, Cameron was trailed by an entourage of UK cyber security firms. These firms, in an effort to plant roots in the US and establish connections in the sector, were invited to spend time getting to know their US counterparts.

As part of an ongoing effort to strengthen ties between security companies in the UK and the US, freshly appointed UK cyber envoy Andy Williams will set up shop in the British Embassy’s Washington branch. According to techUK, this appointment will help build on the work done by the Cyber Growth Partnership (a government, industry and academia led coalition that work together to improve the UK’s cyber security sector) in the region.

“The UK has a rich and diverse cyber security sector with many innovative companies being started every year,” remarked Ruth Davis, techUK’s head of cyber, emergency, and justice services at techUK.

“We are very pleased to see the government throwing its weight behind British businesses and helping them to break into the US market. We look forward to working with Andy Williams as he champions UK companies in the US.”

British PM throws his weight behind UK cyber security industry

Public cloud reliability rankings revealed

Cloud computing is on the rise. With more and more of us relying on cloud services for business and personal use, cloud computing solutions are having to adapt to increased levels of use. 2014 saw cloud become more popular, and make lots of changes to its functions, but just how well are the public cloud solutions coping? A survey conducted throughout the year by cloud computing website tracker Cloud Harmony tested the performance of a number of public cloud solutions, arriving at total downtimes, outage incidents and uptime percentages for all those tested.

The survey tested the reliability, performance and consistency of over 30 different public cloud computing options, and came to some interesting conclusions. Out of the 30 different solutions tested, which ranged from major corporations like Google and Amazon to smaller cloud operations like Akamia and Zettagrid, the top two might not surprise you. You’ve probably guessed it already, but Amazon Web Services and Google Cloud Platform topped the list, boasting consistently impressive performance levels and very few major outages. In fact, in the period tested by Cloud Harmony, Amazon Elastic Computer Cloud, which powers its Web Services, recorded only 20 different outages, totalling a little over two and a half hours of overall downtime throughout the year. This means that for the whole of 2014, Amazon Web Services boasted an uptime percentage of 99.074% – rather impressive. Google Cloud Platform’s statistics are even more impressive though. During 2014, users of Google’s public cloud only experienced 14 minutes of outages, giving it an uptime percentage of 99.9996%.

CEO of Cloud Harmony, Jason Reed, said of the survey: “The more established players are fine-tuning their systems and becoming quite stable”. He commented on the performance of AWS, which he said, “has been providing cloud services longer than anyone in the market” and is used by Google to run its cloud services. He praised their “long track record of managing a reliable distributed system”.

If you need advice or information about cloud computing or cloud and remote backup and storage solutions for your business, contact us at Oswin today.

Public cloud reliability rankings revealed

What’s coming to Office 365 in 2015

Now that Microsoft has moved its office suite to the cloud, Office 365 users are a little more demanding about the updates and features, after years of impressive updates to other cloud services. So, here’s what Microsoft has on its raft of rolling out, and in development features, for the suite in 2015.

In the process of currently being rolled out to the general user base, we have:

Declutter your inbox

This is a new Clutter folder that will appear in Outlook online and plays host to low priority emails that you decide aren’t worth dealing with immediately. It learns what you don’t need to look at, and will start automatically moving those messages to the Clutter folder.

Document related chat

Document conversations let users link their Yammer conversations about a particular file to that document, so SharePoint or OneDrive documents, images and videos can be seen with a record of that chat, allowing everyone to remember what was discussed. Editing the document is an in development feature (see below).

Groups in Office 365

With a growing focus on collaboration, Groups will provide a unifying experience for users across Outlook and OneDrive for business, linking people, conversations, calendars, and content for easier and more relevant collaboration efforts across applications.

Still in development, hopefully arriving in 2015:

Compliance for Office 365

Larger businesses love policies, and Compliance Center for Office 365 will allow the implementation of rules and regulations across the apps and services. This will ensure workers follow the rules and don’t access any content or send any messages that they shouldn’t be sending. A different feature, but related to this, is File Deletion Policies, which is also in development.

Improved Excel functions

One of the most asked for functions are pivot tables in Excel Online, and these are coming. Microsoft is hard at work on adding support for the editing and updating of workbooks containing pivot tables and power views, which are currently limited to the desktop version.

Office support in Yammer

You’ll soon be able to open and work on documents from directly within Yammer, again helping to improve collaboration and workflow. The feature, when launched, will enable co-authoring by different users at the same time, while users chat and discuss the document’s content.

Which feature are you most looking forward to from Microsoft Office 365 in 2015?

What"s coming to Office 365 in 2015

Microsoft takes the fight to competitors with free Office 365

In a surprise move, tech-giant Microsoft has announced it is making parts of its Office 365 software available to mobile workers on iPad, iPhone, and Android tablets for free. The new policy will allow users to make edits to documents from the comfort of their mobile offices, without needing to pay for a Microsoft Office 365 subscription. The move is the latest volley in Microsoft’s campaign against Google, Amazon and Apple, as CEO Satya Nadella attempts to win mobile users’ hearts and minds as part of the company’s ‘mobile first, cloud first’ strategy.

There is a slight catch; free users won’t have access to the full suite of services open to paying subscribers, but it’s still an encouraging move and one that shows Microsoft may finally be taking the threat posed by Google and Apple a little more seriously. Nadella has long been a proponent of making Microsoft 365’s applications available to mobile users; one of the first things he did upon taking office as Microsoft’s chief executive was to scrap the company’s previous, unwieldy mobile apps and replace them with bespoke new apps that took the needs of mobile users into careful consideration.

Former Ovum man and current employee at Jackdaw Research, Jan Dawson, welcomed the move, saying Microsoft are right not to charge mobile users, arguing that paying for the basic Microsoft Office services the app provides is unreasonable in many cases.

“Think about the kind of Office-related work you might want to do on an iPad,” he wrote on his blog, before going on to highlight that your average user will use the service to fix the odd typo and finesse a spreadsheet during their daily commute, not embark on the next great American novel, or write a TED talk.

“Is that functionality worth $70-$100 a year for most users?” he argues.

It is also worth considering that revenue for Microsoft’s consumer Office software has tracked much lower than business revenue. Not much of a surprise in itself, but interesting in that it shows Microsoft is willing to take a financial hit if it means staying on top of the technological heap.

 

Microsoft takes the fight to competitors with free Office 365

Lizard Squad’s DDOS tool is a threat to all websites

Having managed to take down and disrupt the gaming network services of both Sony’s PlayStation Network and Microsoft’s Xbox Consoles over Christmas, the perpetrators known as Lizard Squad are now selling the tool it used to carry out these attacks to online criminals. This massively increases the likelihood of random attacks that could affect any and all businesses, creating a major computer security issue.

While they might not target you directly, any future assault on a major web concern such as Microsoft’s, Amazon’s or Google’s services could result in wider disruption across the web and affect the cloud computing tools that we all use. The members of Lizard Squad have created, or refined, common DDOS (distributed denial of service) tools that flood a web server with requests, so legitimate users can’t get through. This now means that any malcontent or web hooligan can deploy it, so expect a spike of these attacks in early 2015.

Larger businesses can employ anti-DDOS tools to limit and work around the damage, but for the humble user, until the attack subsides, we just have to sit and wait to access the service or data. To prepare for any potential DDOS attack, you must look at all the services you use, ensure you have local copies of any data that is stored on them. This could be downloading contacts from a cloud service, your emails from Google Gmail and any documents held in Microsoft’s Cloud or other service.

While the FBI and other agencies are hunting down the members of Lizard Squad, since their tool is now out there in the wild, available for a modest fee, even if they are arrested, the threat will not end until the bot net behind all the attacks is dismantled. We can only hope that there will be an easy way for Internet security teams to take down the net and remove the threat. However, even after Lizard Squad and its tool is consigned to history, more will spring up, so always make sure you have an alternative service to use should a DDOS attack hit your business.

Lizard Squad"s DDOS tool is a threat to all websites