General IT | DataYard

January Maintenance Week 2022

Throughout the week of January 10th 2021, we will be performing maintenance on DataYard’s infrastructure and customer servers. This will include performing updates to all managed server infrastructure, including tasks that require reboots/shutdowns/service interruptions. Maintenance will begin at 12:00AM EST and will be completed by 8:00AM EST throughout various days this week. Making IT Better!

Let us know if you have any questions, concerns, or just want to chat: 1.800.982.4539 or [email protected]. Remember to follow us on Twitter (@datayardtechops & @datayard)!

December Maintenance Week 2021

Throughout the week of December 13th 2021, we will be performing maintenance on DataYard’s infrastructure and customer servers. This will include performing updates to all managed server infrastructure, including tasks that require reboots/shutdowns/service interruptions. Maintenance will begin at 12:00AM EST and will be completed by 8:00AM EST throughout various days this week. Making IT Better!

Let us know if you have any questions, concerns, or just want to chat: 1.800.982.4539 or [email protected]. Remember to follow us on Twitter (@datayardtechops & @datayard)!

Understanding What VPNs are and Why You (Probably) Need One

If you are reading this, you’ve likely at least heard of the term “VPN”. It’s possible you’ve even used a VPN without fully understanding what it is. Today, we’re going to not only explain what a VPN is, but also why they can be very beneficial in today’s cloud-based world.

VPN stands for “virtual private network”. While they were once mostly used by IT professionals (and maybe those looking to mask their digital activity), VPNs are very common in today’s interconnected business world, especially as remote working has become a regular part of life. With critical data being shared and accessed from different places across the world, privacy and security needs to be a top priority.

A VPN can help with that.

What exactly is a VPN?

Before we dive into what a VPN is, we need to establish some context.

When you’re connecting to the internet at work, you’re (hopefully) connecting through a secured network operating off a local server. This server, among other things, acts as a buffer between your company devices and the internet. It should be equipped with a firewall and configured so that only the appropriate information can enter or exit it.

This provides vital protection for your data while providing your employees with the access they need.

When someone connects to the internet from their home, however, they’re most likely going straight from their device to the internet. Yes, there’s their local router and modem, but outside of a basic password set for Wi-Fi, there likely isn’t anything in the way of protection.

While this is generally fine for personal internet usage, it can become a problem when private work information is being shared or accessed. This is where a VPN comes in.

A VPN is a server that you connect to remotely. Once connected to the VPN, you can then browse the internet, access information on your company’s network, etc. in a secure environment. It’s essentially the same as if you were connecting to your office’s secured network, except you’re doing it across an external internet connection through a process known as tunneling.

The actions you take, the data you share, and the places you visit are all encrypted through the VPN.

Why Do You Need a VPN?

The primary benefit of a VPN is enhanced cybersecurity. As we mentioned, all data sent across a VPN is encrypted. That means even if a hacker was able to get to the data you’re sharing, it would be undecipherable to them. VPNs are especially useful when people are utilizing public internet such as in a Starbucks, where you don’t know who else might be on the network.

With so much work done on the go or remotely, VPNs offer critical security for an affordable price. For most businesses, it’s the best way to manage employees’ online activities when they’re working out of the office.

It also provides a safe way for employees to access information kept on your company’s server.

VPNs Aren’t Foolproof

While a VPN is a great addition to your cybersecurity arsenal, they have their limitations. Additionally, when implemented poorly, VPNs can tax your server speeds and result in slow performance. That’s why it’s best to implement VPNs as part of a larger digital strategy for your business.

At DataYard, our IT consultants in Dayton, Ohio can help create a proper digital strategy, including setting up VPNs, identifying weak points in your cybersecurity, rolling out updated protocols, and more. If you’re serious about improving your company’s security and technological prowess, contact DataYard today.

Our IT Pros is Here for You

LEARN MORE ABOUT HOW DATAYARD CAN KEEP YOU SECURE

What to Look for in Colocation

With a growing need for flexibility, scalability, complexity, and power, more and more businesses are keeping their server systems off-site. While cloud servers work great for a number of businesses, some companies need (or just want) to utilize their own equipment.

Colocation is still very much alive in the 2020s, offering a best of both worlds approach to hosting. Businesses get to purchase, setup, and control their own equipment. However, they don’t have to worry about housing, cooling, or powering it.

That is, as long as they choose the right colocation provider. What should you look for when deciding on a colocation site?

What to look for in colocation...

Scalability

One big reason businesses look to colocation is because they simply don’t have the space to house their equipment. But it’s not enough for a colocation space to meet your current needs. As your business grows, your technical needs will grow as well. This doesn’t just mean you need more space, but you will also need more power.

Before looking at a colocation space, consider what your technical needs might be 5-10 years from now. Make sure that you choose a provider that can easily grow with you, providing the space and resources you need.

Accessibility

While colocation systems might be housed off-premises, they’ll still need to be accessible to your team. After all, it’s your equipment. With how dependent businesses are on keeping their systems operational at all times, you need to be able to get to your equipment anytime, day or night.

24-hour access, 7 days a week, 365 days a year is a must.

Security

Servers don’t just need digital protection; they need to be physically safe as well. While protecting your systems from cyber threats might be the responsibility of your team, it’s up to your colocation provider to keep your equipment safe.

In addition to keeping it secured from unauthorized access and theft, they also need to keep it temperature controlled, safe from power outages, and more.

Our Colocation Services

In need of a secure, scalable, and reliable colocation facility to house your servers and equipment? Our Data Center is an excellent choice. Wherever you’re operating from, our facility has the capacity and capabilities for both today’s and tomorrow’s needs.

Here’s what you can expect from our colocation services:

Move-in Ready
Scalable
24/7/365 Customer Access
SOC 2 TYPE II Certified

Not entirely sure what you need? Maybe you’re looking for additional help building out your infrastructure? Our experienced team of IT consultants in Dayton, Ohio is up to the task. For all of your hosting, IT, and data center needs, DataYard is here for you.

Our Data Center is Here for You

LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR COLOCATION SERVICES

Work-Life Balance with BYOD

BYOD (bring your own device) offers a number of benefits. Employees choose the device they use, employers save on device costs, remote working is simplified, the list goes on. It’s not without its concerns, however.

In addition to security risks, one of the primary red flags with BYOD is the blurring of work life and personal life. With the rise of smartphones, powerful portable computers, mobile networks, and cloud-based systems, the work-life balance has become increasingly murky. Left unchecked, BYOD can disrupt this balance even further.

While work-life balance is sometimes labeled as an employee concern, it should be just as important to employers. It’s not just about whether their work life bleeds into their personal time, but how much of their personal life infiltrates into work time.

True to its name, it’s a balance of both sides. Maintaining work-life balance results in employees with better attitudes who are more efficient. With the current COVID-19 quarantine measures that are in place, keeping work life and personal life separated is more difficult (and more important) than ever.

Here is some general guidance for maintaining work-life balance with BYOD, whether your employees are quarantined at home or not.

Separating Work and Life with BYOD

When it comes to managing devices owned by your employees, much of it is about setting expectations.

You shouldn’t expect your employees to always have their work email pulled up, their communication app turned on, etc. In fact, unless their role requires emergency responses or it’s a special situation, it might be good to encourage employees to mute work-notifications during off hours.

On the other hand, you should set hours when they should be online and reachable from their device. Make sure they know when their hours of availability should be. Set a policy for placing meetings/availability on a shared calendar.

If you’re using Slack, Teams, or a similar communication tool, ask that employees keep their statuses updated.

Speaking of tools and apps, make sure they have the necessary programs installed on their device so that they can adequately perform their tasks and responsibilities. Additionally, make sure that antivirus and firewall software is in place and activated.

This will help protect both them and you from whatever they use their device to do. It’s hard to tell them what they can’t do with their own device, but you can mandate what they need to do if they’re going to use it for work.

Preventing Personal Actions from Invading the Workplace

If your employees are using personal devices for work, those devices are naturally more exposed to risks. To protect your company’s information and network from things the device might be accessing, proper security measures need to be implemented.

For more hands-on monitoring and control, there are additional tools you can implement, such as a MAM (mobile application management), This allows you to monitor, update, and even remove mobile applications from a remote device, protecting your employees from otherwise dangerous software.

Other tools can allow you to monitor, access, and update laptops and desktops as well. Whatever you do, it’s always important to be transparent with your employees. Make sure they know what you can see and access on their device.

It’s a Process

Successfully integrating BYOD requires guidelines, policies, and expectations. Maintaining the balance between work and life as your employees use their own devices is a process. It’s important that you engage with your employees, get their feedback, and adjust accordingly.

Of course, creating policies, implementing changes, and assisting employees with any technical difficulties is a lot of work. This is where a dedicated IT team can help.

At DataYard, we provide a range of IT services to assist modern day businesses. Whether you need cybersecurity, cloud storage, managed IT, or all of the above, we’re here to serve. For BYOD, our IT consultants in Dayton, Ohio can help create and implement policies and that maintain work-life balance and keep your systems protected.

Contact us today!

Keep Work and Personal Use Separate

LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR CYBERSECURITY SERVICES

Importance of IT in Quarantine Remote Work

With the outbreak of the COVID-19 virus and the implementation of quarantine and social distancing measures, most office workers are finding themselves operating from home. While many modern offices have some degree of work from home policies in place, the idea of everyone working from home day after day is a much different situation.

Everyone is having to rapidly adjust.

Working from home every day sounds great in theory, but it also poses a number of problems. For workers, many struggle with productivity and focus at home, especially with schools being closed and children being home.

For business owners and office managers, there are more unique concerns. It’s very important to maintain proper IT practices and security measures while everyone is working from home. Though we don’t know how long this time of quarantine will last, it’s best to prepare for the long-haul.

Here are a few things to be mindful of...

Employees Being Ill-Equipped

Most office workers have a laptop, tablet, or at-home computer to utilize. If you have a bring your own device policy in place, they may even use it for work already. Even if they do, the rest of their at–home setup likely pales in comparison to their work setup. If your employees have multiple monitors, standing desks, comfortable chairs, and/or new computers at the office, sitting at a dinner table with a laptop is going to be a challenge for them.

If possible, let employees take monitors, work computers, and even desk chairs home during this time. Give tips for creating their setup. You can even have employees share their own setups.

Security Connections

Home networks are often much less secure than business networks. While you can’t overhaul the broadband and Wi-Fi systems that your employees have at home, you can implement protocols on the devices they’re connecting to it.

This includes making sure their device’s network settings are configured correctly, that firewalls and anti-virus software are turned on, etc. A further measure would be to implement a VPN (Virtual Private Network). This encrypts the data coming and going from a device, making it undecipherable to anyone who isn’t authorized to view it.

This is a highly effective measure that can be implemented with simple, affordable software.

If further security measures are needed, you could issue hardware firewalls to employees to be used at home. It’s an added expense, not to mention some additional configuration would be needed, but for employees who are handling especially valuable data, it may be necessary.

Implementing Communication Tools and Software

With everyone working from home, there’s a greater need for implementing communication and sharing tools. While you certainly had a number of software programs and online tools you used in office, some applications might be needed. Thankfully, there are more ways than ever to connect, share, and work collaboratively without being in the same building.

The main hurdle here is getting your employees setup and trained on the tools.

A Dedicated IT Team Makes Remote Work Much Smoother

With so much already going on, trying to micromanage the individual IT needs of each remote employee can be impossible. However, it’s very important that these needs are met and that they’re handled appropriately.

This is an especially terrible time to lose productivity, experience miscommunication, or suffer from a security breach.

Having a dedicated IT team on hand can make a massive difference. A quality IT company is well-versed in operating remotely, and they’ll be able to assist in setting employees up with new hardware and software and making sure your systems are secure.

At DataYard, we provide a wide range of IT services perfectly suited to help businesses adapt to the rapidly changing work atmosphere. Our IT consultants in Dayton, Ohio can help you maximize security, connectivity, and productivity while your employees operate remotely. We have the knowledge and experience to spot shortcomings, create IT strategies, and implement changes so that everyone is on the same page, regardless of where they’re working from.

Our IT Pros are Here for You

MAKE REMOTE WORKING BETTER

Outsourcing CTO Responsibilities

For small and even medium sized businesses, it can be difficult to figure out which positions you need in your company and which ones you don’t. This is especially true when it comes to executive positions. On one hand, team leadership is vital for maintaining structure, managing departments, and growing in a healthy manner.

On the other hand, these higher-level positions can come with high salary requirements.

But the question isn’t just whether or not you can afford them. It’s also whether or not you really have the need for a full-time employee in that position. You might need some of their skills and duties fulfilled, but that’s not enough to justify a high-level hire.

Especially in the case of something like a CTO.

What Does a CTO Actually Do?

CTO stands for chief technical officer. Generally speaking, they have the role of managing technology infrastructure, overseeing teams, creating digital/tech strategies, and driving everyone towards overarching goals and standards.

However, with today’s tech-heavy, digitally driven world, the exact responsibilities of a CTO can get a little muddled. Sometimes they get mixed up with other positions, such as a VP of engineering or CIO.

In the case of tech startups, the founder and CEO actually might act more like a CTO. Or the CTO might be a separate cofounder.

For companies that aren’t building a software platform or a new piece of technology, however, a CTO usually isn’t an immediate position. As the company grows and you start to integrate more devices, digital storage, cloud-based software, etc. into your operations, some of those CTO-like skills are suddenly much more important.

Unfortunately, a quality in-house CTO is one of the most expensive hires to make, as they are typically highly educated and very experienced. Rather than creating an executive position that will prevent you from making other key hirings, you may want to consider outsourcing the basic CTO responsibilities to an IT company.

Advantages of Outsourcing Your CTO Needs

CTOs need to stay current with technology standards and security threats. They must also be good at developing and executing strategies to keep ahead of these standards and threats. As it happens, these are all things that full-service IT companies like Data Yard do by nature.

Because of this, IT companies are regularly used to handle the responsibilities typically associated with a CTO.

By utilizing a third-party IT company, you can have access to a higher level of knowledge and skills for less than an executive role would cost you. It’s also scalable, so you only pay for the amount of work that you need. As your company grows, the level of service provided by your IT partner can grow with you.

At Data Yard, our AYS (At-Your-Service) solutions allow us to operate as a partner of your business. We provide strategic support including big-picture planning, infrastructure management, security implementation, on-going support, and more.

We also fit into your business where you need us to. Whether you need us to act as your CTO and IT department or you need us to assist an in-house IT team, we have you covered. The responsibilities of a CTO are very important to a modern business, but that doesn’t mean you have to strain your budget on a single position.

Instead, contact Data Yard. Our IT consultants in Dayton, Ohio are happy to help you figure out how we can better serve your business.

We Are At Your Service

LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR AYS SOLUTIONS

Why SD-WAN Matters for Businesses in 2020

SD-WAN stands for “software-defined wide area network”. Whereas a traditional WAN typically operates at the point of contact, an SD-Wan is able to create a virtual architecture within the network, proving intelligent control. SD-WAN is designed for today’s network activity, bringing more customization, faster speeds, tighter security/privacy, and more.

How do I configure my Android phone to work with Connect mail?

Follow the guide below to set up POP/IMAP email on an Android device.

Step 1: Go to “Apps“.
Step 2: Go to “Email”.
Step 3: Click on the “Menu” button.
Step 4: Go to “Settings“.
Step 5: Click on “+ Add An Account“. (You may have to select Add New Account again depending on you phone app)
Step 6: Enter your full email address and password for the email account.

android setup

Step 7: After hitting “Manual Setup” you will select the desired protocol.

android account type

Step 8: Enter in our mail server information. For POP/IMAP server enter pop3.donet.com or imap.donet.com and for username enter your username given to you by DataYard. Example “carri.test”. If the password field is not filled in, re-enter it again. Select Port 995 for inbound POP. Select Port 993 for inbound IMAP port.

android incoming_pop android incoming_imap

Step 9: Enter in our mail server information. For the host SMTP server enter smtp.donet.com and for username enter your username supplied by DataYard. If the password field is not filled in, re-enter it again. Select Port 587 for outbound server.

android outgoing

Step 10: Select “Next”. Proceed to the following steps on screen. These setting are your personal preferences.

android

Hack Your Own IOT Thing

On November 18th, 2015, DataYard participated in the 9th Annual Taste of IT put on by Dayton’s Technology First at Sinclair’s Ponitz Center. It was a great show — well attended, and lots of energy. Many thanks to the organizers, Ann Gallaher and Michelle Marek, as well as the many volunteers and speakers who helped put on a wonderful technology event here in the heart of Dayton.

I had the pleasure of doing a presentation in the afternoon on a topic that has really captured my imagination: the ideas behind IOT, an “Internet of Things”. Lately, I’ve been exploring the concepts behind network-connected Things, and building my own prototypes to bridge physical and virtual realities.*

The intention of my talk was to briefly describe at a high level how Things work, and then I dove into some of the hardware, software, and apps that make building Things relatively easy.

For those who are interested, I’ve uploaded my slides and presenters notes to SlideShare.net. Feel free to contact me with questions or project ideas.

David Mezera

* Yes! The picture in the banner is a Thing I recently built and tested for our data center — an underfloor pressure and temperature sensor that streams data out via WiFi to Blynk. It uses the Sparkfun ESP8266 Thing Dev Board and the Sparkfun MPL3115A2 pressure/altitude/temperature sensor.

IOT