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Ferrum Technology Services Blog

Ferrum Technology Services has been serving the Elgin area since 2007, providing IT Support such as technical helpdesk support, computer support, and consulting to small and medium-sized businesses.

Six Changes You Can Easily Make to Help Your Business Succeed

Six Changes You Can Easily Make to Help Your Business Succeed

Successful businesses need to change to keep up with what customers want, new trends, and how the world is changing. This means they have to know their business well and be open to trying new things. Let’s look at six important areas where businesses often make changes to stay successful.

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5 Solutions to Help Keep Your Data Private

5 Solutions to Help Keep Your Data Private

Data privacy is one of those issues that people find more serious the more they know about it. Most people don’t think much about it because they figure they are just one person and don’t move the needle for people looking to collect data. They couldn’t be more wrong. This week we’ll discuss individual data privacy, considerations individuals should have, and what to do to keep your data safe.

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Patience and Productivity Go Hand-in-Hand

Patience and Productivity Go Hand-in-Hand

A business with workers who stay productive is usually a successful one. There are tons of tips out there on how to stay productive, but one that often gets overlooked is patience. This month, we're focusing on how patience can actually boost productivity.

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The Fundamental IT Defense Plan

The Fundamental IT Defense Plan

Properly maintained IT security is necessary for the modern business. If your business utilizes email, connects to the Internet, or has employees that use mobile devices like smartphones and tablets, you need to have solid IT security in place. The following covers a lot of common elements required to protect your data and reputation. Keep in mind, depending on your industry, there may be additional compliances and regulations you need to follow.

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10 Questions to Ask Yourself When Evaluating Your IT

10 Questions to Ask Yourself When Evaluating Your IT

Although successful business owners are often cut from different cloths, one factor that many share is constantly measuring and assessing everything involving your business. From the profitability of particular departments, to equipment lifecycles, to the various expenses your company pays each month, the key to sustainable growth is by understanding what works and what doesn’t.

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7 Critical Factors to Consider When Choosing IT Solutions

7 Critical Factors to Consider When Choosing IT Solutions

If your job is running a business, it’s pretty likely that making time to fully compare and understand every piece of business technology just isn’t in the cards. Even if you are pretty comfortable around computers and networking equipment, there are a lot of solutions out there, each with a big list of pros and cons. Finding exactly what you need can be challenging, time consuming, and cost you a lot of time and money if it doesn’t quite fit in with what you already have in place.

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Should Cryptocurrency Be Taxed?

Should Cryptocurrency Be Taxed?

If you are a frequent reader of this blog, you’ve seen articles about blockchain before. This week we thought we’d go a different direction and take a look at the question of whether or not cryptocurrency, a construct made possible by blockchain technology, should be made taxable by state, federal, and international lawmakers. Let’s take a look at blockchain, its role in cryptocurrency, and whether or not taxation is on the agenda down the road.

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No Business is Too Small to Be a Target to Cybercriminals

No Business is Too Small to Be a Target to Cybercriminals

One of the biggest myths about cybersecurity and cybercrime is that smaller businesses are somehow immune to the more dangerous types of threats because they don’t pose a viable target for cybercriminals.

Nothing is further from the truth.

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The NSA Says You Need to Reboot Your Mobile Device

The NSA Says You Need to Reboot Your Mobile Device

When did you last turn your mobile device off and on again?

While any IT provider worth their salt would be the first to tell you that this is troubleshooting 101, another source also recommends a quick reboot every so often: the National Security Agency.

Let’s explore why the NSA shared this advice and what difference following it can make.

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Tip of the Week: Protect Yourself By Keeping Your Stuff Private

Tip of the Week: Protect Yourself By Keeping Your Stuff Private

If you're not paying for a product, the saying goes, you are the product.

While the Internet offers immense benefits, it also poses risks—especially concerning data privacy. Websites and social media platforms collect user data, tracking online activity to sell to advertisers or, more recently, to train AI systems.

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How to Get a Handle on Windows 11

How to Get a Handle on Windows 11

Windows 11 has some cool tools that can make it easier to use, especially if you set things up to fit how you like to work or play. Here are four easy tips to help you organize your Windows desktop and get things done faster.

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That Barbie Blu-Ray You Rented Could Cost You Your Data

That Barbie Blu-Ray You Rented Could Cost You Your Data

In June, Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment—publisher of the eponymous Chicken Soup for the Soul book series—officially filed for Chapter 7 and then Chapter 11 bankruptcy, spurring the liquidation of many of its assets. Many may not realize that these assets include Redbox, the movie rental service, with its 24,000 distinctive scarlet kiosks.

What we’re concerned about, however, is what will become of these kiosks and, critically, the data they contain.

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Tip of the Week: These Google Docs Shortcuts are Really Valuable

Tip of the Week: These Google Docs Shortcuts are Really Valuable

Does your business rely on Google Workspace for productivity? If so, we have some helpful tips to boost your efficiency by using lesser-known shortcuts. Let’s dive into a few tricks that can save you time and help your team work smarter.

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2024 Ransomware is as Scary as Ever

2024 Ransomware is as Scary as Ever

If you’re not familiar with ransomware, we wish we lived in the same universe you’ve been living in the past decade. It’s a serious problem for all types and sizes of businesses, not to mention its impact on individuals, governments, and world organizations. Today, we want to go over some of the latest ransomware tactics in use as of 2024.

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Your Employees Might Be Your Greatest Security Risk

Your Employees Might Be Your Greatest Security Risk

Your employees might be putting your business at risk, even if they don’t know it yet. Most companies feel this frustration, and they want their employees to prioritize cybersecurity in the same way administrators and security staff do. This frustration is something that can be challenged and addressed… with the right solutions and policies, of course.

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The Cloud Gives Modern Businesses More Opportunities

The Cloud Gives Modern Businesses More Opportunities

If you want to talk about the most important technology today, the cloud is definitely a big deal. The cloud helps businesses do things that used to only be possible for the biggest companies. Today, we’ll look at how small businesses use the cloud and the benefits they get from it.

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The Real Risk to Cybersecurity? Indifference

The Real Risk to Cybersecurity? Indifference

Many people still underestimate the importance of cybersecurity and data privacy, putting themselves and others at risk. Most individuals are accustomed to sharing personal information online, whether through social media, e-commerce platforms, or various digital services. However, this lack of caution can lead to serious security breaches, identity theft, and even financial fraud. When people fail to take basic security measures, such as using strong passwords or enabling two-factor authentication, they create vulnerabilities that malicious actors can exploit. These weaknesses don’t just impact them personally but also expose organizations and communities to cyberattacks.

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Invest in the Right Technology and Save on Massive Future Headaches

Invest in the Right Technology and Save on Massive Future Headaches

Technology is crucial for the success of businesses, but it has created this mindset that if a business doesn’t have the latest and greatest, they’re falling behind. The truth is that the latest gadgets are not necessarily the best decision for your business. Today, we want to assist you in making the best decisions about your technology.

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The IoT Can Really Help Today’s Manufacturers

The IoT Can Really Help Today’s Manufacturers

The Internet of Things is an umbrella term for internet-connected devices, but whatever you want to call it, the integration of technology into manufacturing and distribution processes can have a lot of benefits. Today, we’ll take a closer look at manufacturing IoT.

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Ad Blockers are Awesome, Here’s How They Work

Ad Blockers are Awesome, Here’s How They Work

With so much of the world now online, it’s no wonder that advertisers have shoveled countless dollars into embedded advertisements. Whether you’re reading articles, watching videos, or even scrolling through your social media feed, it’s expected that ads are a part of that experience—even though most people find them to be disruptive, annoying, and invasive. Many users have resorted to ad blockers in an attempt to make the Internet bearable.

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