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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.

What’s the Difference Between a Power Strip and a Surge Protector?

What’s the Difference Between a Power Strip and a Surge Protector?

We’ve all been in the position where we need to plug something in, but the outlet is completely full. Fortunately, there are devices that can help resolve this problem—but as is the case with most things, one option is notably better for business purposes. Let’s go over what makes a power strip different from a surge protector, and why the latter is a far better option for businesses.

In-House Networking: Cabling Considerations

In-House Networking: Cabling Considerations

Depending on the technology, you might find that a wired connection will serve you better than a wireless one. Therefore, it becomes critical to know how to connect various cables to endpoints around your office. Today, we wanted to give you three practices that will help you ensure that cables are laid effectively and efficiently in your office. By sticking to these, you’ll be able to connect components to your network with ease.

How to Apply a Security Policy that Works

How to Apply a Security Policy that Works

The modern business is faced with countless challenges that threaten its existence, many of which stem from the problems associated with network security. If a business doesn’t have policies, procedures, and solutions in place that protect its data and network, it is making a fatal mistake. Here are five suggestions we have for how you can ensure your network is best protected from security threats.

Why You Shouldn’t Use Your Work Email for Personal Accounts

Why You Shouldn’t Use Your Work Email for Personal Accounts

Efficiency is great, but it should never come at the cost of boundaries. A perfect example of this is your work email address. It might be easy to use it to subscribe to an online service, like Netflix, but this is far from the best idea. Let’s take a look at why it might be a bad idea to breach these boundaries between your personal life and your work life, and why it might have lasting consequences.

How to Keep Your Workstations Working Reliably

How to Keep Your Workstations Working Reliably

Taking care of your business technology can be exhausting, especially if you don’t have dedicated IT staff to ensure that it happens on a regular basis. Thankfully, with managed services, it’s easier than ever to make sure that your desktop solutions are kept up-to-date and ready for whatever comes their way. Here are three tips you can use to stay on top of desktop maintenance and management for your business.

Tip of the Week: How to Shape Your Disaster Recovery Plans

Tip of the Week: How to Shape Your Disaster Recovery Plans

You need to be sure that your business is prepared for disaster, which will necessitate a disaster recovery plan. While there are many steps that go into creating one, we wanted to highlight a few in particular and outline a few best practices to follow for each. Here are three of the most vital elements of a successful business continuity strategy, with a few tips to help you fulfill them most effectively.

E-Waste is a Major Problem. What Can You Do About It?

E-Waste is a Major Problem. What Can You Do About It?

E-waste is a considerable problem, and not just for businesses; it’s also terrible for the environment. Let’s go over some of the biggest reasons why discarded electronics, including some of the hardware that you invest so much money into, can be problematic, as well as some ways your organization can reduce its e-waste footprint.

5 Things You Can Do to Be Ready when Technology Falters

5 Things You Can Do to Be Ready when Technology Falters

While we might like to think that all computer problems are an easy fix, there is only so much you can do in certain circumstances. That being said, having a couple of computer maintenance “hacks” under your belt can make things loads easier for you when you do have to get your computer repaired. Here are some tips to consider before it’s time to get your computer repaired.

Use These Five Tips to Be More Productive from Home

Use These Five Tips to Be More Productive from Home

Many workplaces have taken to fighting the pandemic by adjusting their workplace strategies to enable both in-person and remote work. This change occurs as many companies realize that remote work is indeed a viable option, even in industries that have traditionally been opposed to the concept. With remote work so commonplace, it’s only prudent to include it in the onboarding process. Let’s go over some ways you can encourage your employees to build a more productive home office situation.

Stay Safe When Shopping Online

Stay Safe When Shopping Online

Some people shop almost exclusively online, and with the holidays gifting many folks gift cards, hackers are on the lookout for ways to exploit those who shop via the Internet. What can you do to stay safe while you are shopping online?

Fake Ransomware Attacks Work Because People are Scared

Fake Ransomware Attacks Work Because People are Scared

Ransomware is one of the worst threats you can encounter, and the first half of 2021 saw more large-scale ransomware attacks against both individuals and businesses than ever before. A new threat, however, promises to disrupt this trend, and it’s one that you might not have considered: fake ransomware attacks.

Backup Secrets from the Pros

Backup Secrets from the Pros

Data backup is one of the most important parts of protecting your digital assets, but many organizations are unable to successfully pull it off without a hitch. We’ll help you get a feel for what should happen when you set up your data backup system, what happens when you initiate a backup, and how to proceed with restoring it.

Identifying Errors in Phishing Emails can Save Your Bacon

Identifying Errors in Phishing Emails can Save Your Bacon

Phishing scams have been around for a long time, and they have only grown more convincing and more dangerous. Some businesses can’t even tell the difference between phishing scams and legitimate messages! How can your organization take the fight to phishing emails? It all starts with knowing what to look out for.

Tip of the Week: Make Sure Your Headphones are Clean

Tip of the Week: Make Sure Your Headphones are Clean

With so many people working remotely, it’s no surprise that folks are used to having headsets on or earbuds in. With increased use, these devices naturally get dirtier than they would otherwise. Let’s take a look at how you might go about cleaning them.

How to Mitigate the Damage You See from Ransomware

How to Mitigate the Damage You See from Ransomware

This year saw a considerable rise in the number of high-profile ransomware attacks, so if you have not already considered what you are going to do to put a stop to them for your own business, you need to do so now. Thankfully, there appear to be several measures you can implement to limit the damages done by ransomware, and it all starts with some preparation.

Best Practices are What Make Us Stand Out

Best Practices are What Make Us Stand Out

You hear the term “best practices” quite often, but unless you know what the buzzword means, it is pretty much meaningless. There actually is some merit to understanding what the term “best practice” is and why it is so important, so without further ado, let’s take a deeper dive into what a best practice actually is.

For the SMB Returning to Work

For the SMB Returning to Work

Many states’ stay-at-home orders that are/were designed to mitigate the spread of the COVID-19 virus are now lapsing all over the U.S. As a result, business owners are re-opening their doors to a great deal of uncertainty. We have put together this guide to help the business owner understand that, even though you’ve finally been given the go-ahead, you have a responsibility to keep your staff and customers safe.

Don’t Let Your Small Business Fall Prey to These Common Security Risks

Don’t Let Your Small Business Fall Prey to These Common Security Risks

Data breaches are an unfortunate reality that businesses have to contend with, but small businesses often do not give them the consideration that they deserve. It is critical that you consider security challenges and take these risks seriously. Let’s examine how you can overcome some of the many challenges that small businesses have with cybersecurity.

3 Tips to Build Better Habits (Future You Will Thank You)

3 Tips to Build Better Habits (Future You Will Thank You)

Some high-profile business owners are notorious for having daily routines that build good habits, like going to the gym or waking up early, but more often than not, the stressors of day-to-day business build bad habits that compound on each other over time. Therefore, it is imperative that you address this now and develop good, productive habits.

Managing Your Email Can Help You Be More Productive

Managing Your Email Can Help You Be More Productive

Wrangling an email inbox that has been left to its own devices for months can be a challenge, especially for those who sign up for email lists and never unsubscribe from anything. If this sounds like you, be sure to read on and discover ways that you can finally take back control of your email inbox.

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