Scheduling Mandatory Reboots: Computer Tip of the Day

scheduling mandatory reboots computer tip of the day

Computer updates are important for security and functionality, but nobody likes waiting for their computer to reboot. Oftentimes, users get caught in a cycle of delaying them every chance they get without ever making time for the updates to download. If this has been frustrating you since your first Windows desktop, then read below for our computer tip of the day about scheduling mandatory reboots.

Scheduling Mandatory Reboots

With Windows 10, Microsoft won’t let users delay updates for long. But to help with this transition, it’s also offering an option for scheduling mandatory reboots.

This PC World article talks about the feature and explains how you can use it:

“Windows 10 won’t allow you to skip updates this time around, but it tosses enthusiasts a bone by finally—FINALLY—including an option to schedule exactly when those mandatory restarts happen. Once an update’s been downloaded, head into the Windows Update section of the Settings app’s “Updates & Security” section to tell your PC when it’s got a greenlight to reboot. If you head into the advanced options you can tell Windows to notify you to schedule a restart whenever an update’s ready to rock.”

Changing the settings only takes a couple of minutes, but it’ll save you a lot of frustration later on. The good thing is that you won’t have to keep clicking “Postpone” every four hours when scheduling mandatory reboots.

This tip has several benefits. For one, it makes sure that employees update their computers regularly. This is critical for protecting your company’s hardware and data. Moreover, by scheduling their mandatory updates, employees will see an increase in productivity. The updates will start at convenient times as opposed to interrupting employees when they’re busy.

If your computers don’t have Windows 10 yet, then you should encourage employees to update their computers regularly. Not scheduling mandatory reboots can create problems later on and frustrate employees in case the updates start at inopportune times.

The best computer tips are the ones that save time and remove frustration. If you’re interested in other computer tips that increase productivity, or anything else, contact us today.

Why You Should See Technology as More Than a Business Expense

why you should see technology as more than a business expense

technology as more than a business expense

While most small to mid-size businesses don’t place a lot of weight on technology, it really is important to see technology as more than a business expense.

What they fail to realize is technology positions them so they’re better equipped to compete with other businesses, even those bigger than themselves. Of course, there are a few areas you’ll want to focus on for the most impact, including:

  • Get rid of any systems that are holding your business back. These bulky systems are costing you money and your business is more productive and innovative without them.
  • Create an online presence because without one your business may as well not even exist. Start by determining what you want your website to do, then put together the right marketing message, and make sure everything is properly optimized.
  • Cloud computing provides your business with technology you couldn’t otherwise afford due to your size and budget constraints (e.g. email systems, VoIP systems, storage systems, accounting applications.). Your business saves about 50% by utilizing cloud computing technologies so these things are now affordable.
  • Don’t do your own IT work! You seek professional advice in legal, medical, and accounting matters so why shouldn’t you also seek it when dealing with IT work? Make sure you choose an IT professional who helps you understand new technologies and how to apply them to your business.

Technology clearly isn’t a waste of money today. So, when you need help reconciling these things for your business, contact us. We’re here for you.

Get Document Management Consulting with AE Technology Group

get document management consulting with ae technology group

document management consulting

As we as individuals and as businesses become more and more dependent on technology, people are more used to being able to access everything they need from the cloud via their phone, tablet, or computer. But when your business has a long history of paper in the office, it can be intimidating to think about going paperless. It seems like too much work to convert your old files and difficult to get used to a new system.

That is why at AE Technology Group, we offer document management consulting to help you switch to a paperless office.

How can document management consultants help you achieve a paperless office? To begin, our consultants can help you determine an existing software for you to convert your files. Some possibilities are SharePoint, Summation, Oracle, Microsoft, SQL and more. Then our consultants help you streamline your processes such as accounts receivable, accounts payable, inventory processing, personnel records, patient records, or any other paper files you have into something you can maintain online.

Document management consultants assist you with scanning and uploading existing files and answer your questions about storage. As IT consultants, we help many businesses through this process, so we are the experts. Any challenges you face going paperless, we have most likely seen them before and know how to help you resolve the problem.

For more information on how document management consulting can help your office go paperless and improve your workflow, contact us today at AE Technology Group. We help businesses all over Long Island with their IT needs, including going paperless.

Is an IT Support Career Right for You?

is an it support career right for you

As information technology has grown to affect nearly every segment of life, careers in IT support have become a coveted and sure career, because almost every company needs them. If you are one of those people who always has friends and family calling you with questions about their computer or smart phone, a career in IT support could be right for you.

If you enjoy problem solving, and love finding out about all of the latest gadgets and software, you just may be able to make a career out of something you enjoy doing. There are a number of different degrees you can get that lead to a career in IT. Here is a look at a few of them and average salaries for these careers.

  • Someone with a computer science degree often becomes a programmer, or a software engineer. These careers pay an average of $75,000 to $100,000. According to Monster.com, in a computer science degree, “Students learn about data structures, operating systems and programming, as well as other applications and concepts.”
  • An information systems degree can lead to a job in as a systems administrator, a technical support specialist, or a systems analyst. These jobs have average salaries ranging from $75,000- $85,000 a year. According to the same article by Monster.com, an information systems degree is less theoretical than a computer science degree and is more focused on practical application.

There are a number of other careers in IT support you can read about more in the above mentioned article. And if you are looking for IT support for your business, contact us at AE Technology Group. We provide unparalleled support for your business.

When Is A Business Continuity Plan Needed?

when is a business continuity plan needed
when is a business continuity plan needed

Human nature tends to want to avoid unpleasant thoughts concerning potentially catastrophic events, which unfortunately leads to poor planning in certain times of need. A good example of this for a residential home owner is when the power goes out due to a sever storm.

Whenever this happens, most people are left literally in the dark wondering if the power will be out so long that they will be forced to throw out an entire refrigerator worth of food. Meanwhile, the kids are driving everybody more than just a little crazy because there’s no television and of course, none of their many devices are charged.

While all this is going on, your mind is left wondering why you never put that money into the whole house generator you have wanted to put in for years now because of times like this.

A Relatively Small Investment of Your Time and Resources Could Have Saved All This Grief

The business owner’s analogy to the whole house generator is a business continuity plan (BCP). Most business owners are hesitant to dedicate their time and energy for a plan they may never need or just don’t even want to think about. The problem is that even though you think you may never need it, the odds are seriously against this. The following are three not so absurd scenarios that illustrate why you need a carefully constructed, easily executed BCP in place immediately.

IT Security – Perhaps nothing can bring an organization to its knees quite like a simple little email with ill intent. Viruses, data breaches, and various other forms of malware can interrupt business operations like nothing else. You can have the most skilled IT people in the world on staff and it won’t make a bit of difference if just one unwitting employee opens an email that contains a damaging attachment.

Fire! – What happens if fire ravages throughout your business? If the fire is particularly uncontrollable, you may not only have servers and key pieces of equipment that are rendered inoperable and need replacement, but your entire staff may also not be able to return to work until the area is deemed habitable. Include emergency operation plans in your BCP to know just what to do if a fire threatens your viability as a thriving business.

Non-Peaceful Demonstrations – Occasionally throughout history certain events take place that lead to revolution. Although these events may seem rare or unlikely during peaceful times, one needs to look no further than the recent events in Baltimore and Missouri that shut down various businesses for several days due to public safety reasons. Maintain awareness of the possibilities for these issues and ensure your employees know exactly what to do in the event of civil unrest. Be prepared to invoke your BCP in this situation before it is too late.

AE Technology Group is your IT company in New York and Long Island for managed services.

Please contact us today for more information about any of our services including disaster recovery, support, cloud computing, and much more.