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Computer Tip of the Day: Power Management

Computers run more reliably when they don’t encounter power outages and brownouts.

A machine that suddenly loses power not only leaves documents unsaved but can suffer damage to both the hardware and the file structure. To keep this from happening, computers should run from an uninterruptible power supply (UPS). It’s an economical way to make them last longer and avoid data loss.

The Benefits of a UPS

A UPS contains a battery which is normally fully charged from the line current. The computer gets its power from the battery, even when current is available. This makes the voltage smoother, without dips and surges. Unstable line current shortens the life of any electronic equipment which is plugged directly into it.

Computers hold data in memory rather than writing every change immediately to the disk drive. This lets them run faster and use less power, but it means they will lose data if the power fails. The disk drive can be left in an inconsistent state, so file directories can be damaged. A UPS lets the machine keep running during a brief loss of power, and it allows time to shut down machines properly during a longer one.

Having UPS protection is useful with all machines that plug into the wall, but it’s a necessity with servers. Having them fail in an uncontrolled way is too big a risk.

Understanding UPS Ratings

The capacity of a UPS is measured in volt-amperes (VA) and watts. According to the textbooks, a volt-ampere is the same as a watt, but there’s a difference because of the way alternating-current devices work. The VA rating measures the “apparent power” drawn, which is larger than the actual power. The VA rating is the apparent power, and the watt rating is the actual power. The ratio of actual to apparent power is the power factor, which is always less than 1.

To figure out how much capacity you need in a UPS, take the power drawn by each device that you will connect to it; the label should give either watts or volts and amperes. Multiple amperes by volts to get watts. The total of their power requirements should be smaller than both the watt and VA ratings of the UPS.

A power supply should list both its VA and watt ratings, or else the VA and power factor (which lets you calculate the watt rating). Don’t go by just the VA number, even if it’s the more prominent one.

UPS Maintenance

The battery of a UPS has a limited life, and over time its capacity will shrink. Schedule replacement of all UPS batteries, if not the whole power supply, every two years.

An uninterruptible power supply is an inexpensive investment in the life of computer equipment. Every IT shop and home office should have at least one.

power management tips

Password Protection – Computer Tip of the Day

One of the most important things to make sure you do when browsing the web or even just using your computer in general, is to make sure your passwords are as secure as possible in order to keep your data safe from hackers and keep your accounts secure from various kinds of attacks on your accounts and personal information.

What many people don’t seem to realize is that there are a number of different ways to get hacked that can be easily avoided by users, in theory. The most common methods currently used to try and break into your accounts are dictionary attacks, cracking security questions and social engineering. In addition, many people making hacking their accounts easier on hackers by setting extremely simple passwords which can be easily guessed or using the exact same password for multiple accounts.

Dictionary Attacks

Dictionary attacks are when a hacker figures out your password by trying a massive number of different options one after another until they manage to break into your account through repeated attempts. The primary method of avoiding having your account broken into like this is to is to avoid things like spelling words backward, common dictionary words and consecutive combinations of letters like qwerty, asdf and so on.

Breaking Security Questions

Quite a few people use common words or names like their first name, their pet’s name or their place of work as answers to their security questions and all of these things are extremely straightforward to figure out with a bit of research. You can easily make these questions much harder to figure out just by making the answers to your security questions something a lot harder to figure out as well as making them things that a potential hacker couldn’t find just by browsing your Facebook page.

Social Engineering

This is a fancy term for elaborate lies and it is an alternative to standard hacking. Social Engineering is where a hacker attempts to manipulate you into revealing certain pieces of confidential information like their email password or social security number.

Reusing Passwords

Using the same password on multiple occasions is generally not the best idea as it does make hacking you much easier. It also exposes multiple accounts to being hacked simultaneously as breaking the password on one account will allow a hacker access to every single account that uses that password.

For more tips and hints on how to protect your accounts from hackers, contact us today!

Computer Health – Computer Tip of the Day

Computer Health

It’s possible to keep a computer in optimal condition without much technical knowledge. To achieve this, keep the following points in mind:

Install sufficient hardware
Manage programs that run at boot-time
Keep the internal storage defragmented
Antivirus does not speed up your computer!

Whatever task a computer is used for, there would ideally be hardware installed that is fast enough to perform those tasks. For example, it’s not advised to run gaming software on a computer with a relatively low amount of RAM memory; the software manufacturer’s recommendations should be read to understand the hardware requirements for optimal performance of the software.

Once there is sufficient hardware installed, something a computer user should keep in mind is which programs will be allowed to run when a computer is powered on. When a computer program is installed, there is typically an option to make the program run automatically when the power is powered on. The problem is that if too many programs are set to run when the computer is powered on, it will cause the computer to boot-up relatively slow, and also cause the computer to run slow after it is fully powered on. It’s a common habit, often unrealized, to have too many programs running automatically when the computer is powered on.

Keeping a computer’s permanent internal storage device (hard drive) in optimal condition helps with speed. Running an operating system (such as Microsoft Windows) defragmenter on a normal schedule will keep the files stored on the hard drive in good order. Sometimes any given computer file can be fragmented which the defragmenter serves to mitigate.

Computer viruses are commonly misunderstood. A virus is a software program written to take advantage of a computer user by exploiting security “holes” in an operating system (such as Microsoft Windows), or computer program, commonly called an “app.” A virus is not just anything that can go wrong with a computer; it’s often believed this is the case. Installing an anti-virus program helps to fight against viruses; it does not help a computer to run faster. Though, overall, an anti-virus program can help a computer system to run better since it helps to protect against viruses.

Doing a search for subjects including keywords in this blog will aid as a learning tool to help understand computer maintenance.

Please contact us so that we may assist in computer health.

computer health tips

Get Away From the Computer Screen – Computer Tip of the Day

Spending too much time on a computer becomes counterproductive. Instead of getting more work done, you’re more likely to burn out physically and mentally.

Knowing how and why you should take breaks is especially important for office workers who rely on computers daily. Businesses should remind and encourage their employees to take frequent breaks.

Give your eyes a break

Looking at a screen for too long is bad for your eyes. This isn’t just something your parents told you to get you to stop watching television. According to this Spine Universe article, it can actually change the way your eyes work:

“Looking at a computer screen for extended periods causes some changes in how your eyes work, including blinking less often and exposing more of the eye surface to air. Every 15 minutes, briefly look away from the computer screen for a minute or two to a more distant scene, preferably something more than 20 feet away. This lets the muscles inside the eye relax.”

You should frequently give your eyes a break by looking at anything other than a digital screen. That means no laptops, no TVs, and no phones.

Do some stretching

Sitting at a computer too long promotes bad posture. That’s why you see some office employees with their shoulders rolled forward.

You can do two things to fight against this. One is learning how to sit properly by trying not to slouch. The other is learning to take short breaks to stretch and gain some basic mobility back.

Make a schedule

While most people will agree that it’s important to take breaks from the computer, few do it often enough. To make sure you’re getting enough rest, we recommend making a schedule to stick to for a few weeks. Make it a habit to get away from the screen, and you’ll be less likely to burn out in the future.

For more computer tips, contact us today.

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Computer Tips: Five Ways to Make Your Passwords Hack-Resistant

Computer tips are a great way to simplify your online experience. Check out these tips on password security:

Creating a secure password is a must in today’s world of online banking and information storage, especially for business-related activity. While it may seem easier to come up with one password and use it for everything, it’s not advisable. Just as in the physical world, there are virtual thieves happy to misappropriate information if you leave yourself and your company unprotected.

Here are 5 ways to make your passwords hack-resistant:

Use a Combination of Letters and Numbers- Using a combination of capital letters, small letters, numbers and symbols makes it harder for a hacker to decipher the password.
The Longer, the Better- Even though it may seem like a hassle to input, a longer password is more secure. The odds of figuring out a four-letter word are much better than those of figuring out a 12-14 letter word.
Password Manager- These programs are available from a multitude of companies. They are basically a repository for all of your passwords and are exceptionally secure. Some of them even generate safe passwords for you and store them. All you have to do is think of a password for the storage site.
No Names!- It is a big no-no to use personal information in a password. Birthdates, given and last names, and anything that is easily identified with you personally should be off-limits.
Using Incomplete Words- While this idea could make you work a little harder to remember your password, it is very effective. Using incomplete words (s2p1d instead of stupid, for example) and substituting numbers and symbols for letters are both great ways to secure your password.

With a little extra effort, it’s not difficult to secure your company’s information. Every step you take to protect information creates one more barrier against hackers, which in turn protects your business information and assets.

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