Web Developer / Content Writer

What Is A Server?

Posted on April 19, 2021April 22, 2021 by Gretchen Thomas

You own or manage a business that uses technology to function optimally. You have a network, workstations, a server, and various devices. But what is a Server? Have you ever wanted a down-to-earth non-techy explanation? Well, here it is!

Your server gives you the ability to store your company’s software and valuable data. It also allows you and your computers to communicate with other computers and people within your network and externally over the Internet. In short, servers pass data from one computer to another. Without them, we wouldn’t have our business networks or the Internet.

A server is a big computer that stores information and “serves” it to other computers via your company’s network or the Internet. It captures data from one device and delivers it to another that is on the same network or is connected to the Internet.

What are the differences and similarities between desktop computers and servers?

Servers are more powerful than desktop computers

Servers are similar to desktop computers but they are way more powerful. Compared to your personal computer, servers have a lot more space and speed, which means they have a higher processing capacity. Physically, desktop computers are smaller devices while servers are large machines.

Servers have different operating systems than desktop computers

Desktop Computers have operating systems. Servers have special server operating systems.

Servers have larger storage capacities than desktop computers

Your desktop computers store personal files. A server stores all the files for your business as well as your larger company-wide programs like your email and browser clients.

Servers run 24/7 while we regularly power on and off desktop computers

You might power on and off your computer regularly, but you want to keep your server on all the time.

Desktop Computers

Computer to human communication

Servers

Computer to computer communication

Computer geeks design home computers with a nice and friendly user interface. You can visually see how all the files are arranged and easily navigate in between apps like Outlook, Word, Excel, Google Chrome, Adobe Acrobat, or Zoom. Personal computer designers build this happy environment for us because they want us to develop long and lasting compatible relationships with our computers. But server designers have created machines to communicate with other machines. These server machines don’t need different fancy windows, screens, pictures, icons, and pretty colors for their happiness (optimal functionality).

Now that you know a little bit more about servers, you understand why they are so important to your business. They need to be monitored 24/7 to make sure they are in good health. This helps keep your entire network and thus your business in good shape.

If you need help with taking care of your server, give us a call. (844) 400-0616

Learn more about our onsite computer support: Onsite Computer Support

Find the answers to the following questions and more fun facts about servers in this article: Little-Known Facts About Servers and Data Storage

What county in the US does 70% of the world’s internet traffic travel through?
Why did Facebook build its data center (a place which stores multiple servers – think cloud) in a very cold place?
Can servers be recycled?

Microsoft Exchange Server Zero-Day Exploit: Update Now!

Posted on April 8, 2021April 26, 2021 by Gretchen Thomas

Starting in early January 2021, another pandemic in the form of a zero-day exploit has been taking advantage of on-premise installations of Microsoft Exchange Server. Threat actors have been attacking business networks around the world as quickly as COVID-19 attacked our global health.

What is a zero-day exploit?

A zero-day exploit is when attackers find an unknown vulnerability in software or hardware and then leverage it before security teams detect it and create a defensive patch. It goes unnoticed until attackers send their ransom note.

In this recent zero-day exploit, attackers searched for and found vulnerabilities in Microsoft Exchange Servers that many businesses use on-premise. The attackers exploited these vulnerabilities to access emails and obtain long-term access to business networks. Once inside a network, they withdrew valuable data and stored it in their own cloud servers.

The four flaws in Microsoft Exchange Server

CVE-2021-26855, CVE-2021-26857, CVE-2021-26858, and CVE-2021-27065

Stealing Passwords & Searching for Vulnerabilities

Cyber attackers usually get into networks by stealing passwords. But they sometimes get in by searching for vulnerabilities as in the case of this zero-day exploit. Firewalls and antivirus software don’t detect the infiltrators because they basically steal the digital identity of someone who should have access. They can then create remote access to control the server and steal data from the company’s network.

Their end goal is to steal information. They scramble the organization’s valuable data so they can no longer access it. Then they use it for ransom. They may even destroy the network and data permanently.

National cybersecurity groups suspect a Chinese nation-state group, Hafnium, to be the source of these attacks. Microsoft engineers worked 24/7 to create the needed patches. They used out-of-band emergency patches. Out-of-band patches are fixes created and sent out immediately instead of waiting for the next scheduled update to issue them to the public. This means that Microsoft considered this threat to be very dangerous. All businesses should apply the update ASAP.

Hafnium’s Attack on Microsoft Exchange Server

Hafnium rents servers in the US even though the individuals themselves are based in China. They usually target organizations in the United States such as medical research organizations, law firms, universities, DoD contractors, and non-government organizations.

Even though this group is responsible for the initial exploits, there are many other bad actors that are moving in like vultures to take advantage of the situation.

Security Patches – Shields Up!

IT companies around the globe have been moving as quickly as possible to apply the updates and protect their clients.

The government department in charge of homeland cybersecurity reported worldwide exploitations. They have ordered all businesses and other organizations to apply Microsoft’s patches or disconnect email servers that are at risk. The direction has been to treat all organizations as if they have been compromised. If IT companies can’t find signs of the infiltration, they should disconnect the Exchange Server and rebuild it. Additionally, organizations should install and run security updates as an administrator as opposed to running them in normal mode. If you have made the mistake of doing this in normal mode, Outlook (for those who access it through their browser) and the Exchange Control Panel may stop functioning properly.

It has been a busy few months for our cybersecurity teams as well as others around the world.

One of the most important ways you can protect your technology is to keep it updated with patches and newer versions. This applies to all your computers, devices, machines, software, and servers. If you don’t keep them updated your vulnerability to cyberattacks increases.

Usually, Microsoft doesn’t provide patches for older versions of Exchange because businesses are responsible for keeping their technology patched and updated. But because of these global attacks, Microsoft has worked tirelessly to create more patches to protect those that still had older versions.

Give us a call if you need our help.

Is Your Business Network Vulnerable?

Posted on March 3, 2021April 22, 2021 by Gretchen Thomas

Is my business network vulnerable? That’s a question that keeps many business owners awake at night. Penetration tests for business networks often show that a network is most vulnerable from the inside. For example, it is not unusual when people write down their passwords and put them on their desks. I see it all the time.

Awareness of Local Exploitation

It’s important to be aware of the fact that there are vulnerabilities that can be exploited locally by individuals with the intent to steal data or cripple a business. Some might pose as a repairman or janitor. Some might be dumpster diving searching for information like account numbers, contact names, and numbers. And they want to breach your business to access your data.

The Value of Your Data

Your company’s data is the meat on the bones. It’s the most vital part of your business. Everything but the data can be replaced. So, if hackers can access your network and take your data, that can be devastating to your business. Too many businesses don’t realize how crucial it is to have their servers and networking equipment physically secure with a locked door or cabinet.

My Experience with Business Network Vulnerability

In my previous experience, I performed work for a large business that worked with sensitive, protected data. I brought it to the attention of management that the building’s network had a physically exposed element that could have been exploited by a hacker posing as a repairman or janitor.

This is why I continue to encourage the clients I work with to secure their network.

The following article (and video) is a great resource to understand how businesses can increase their network security. In non-techy language, it explains the most common network vulnerabilities. It even includes things like shoulder surfing, tailgating, and dumpster diving.

Read the full article: Common Types Of Network Security Vulnerabilities In 2020

At Least Put a Lock on the Door

The above article says businesses should have biometric authentication (fingerprint or face recognition) and access cards to protect servers. While I agree with this one-hundred percent, it is better than nothing to at least have a lock on the door and managers holding the keys.

Customized IT Solutions for Unique Businesses

Posted on February 18, 2021April 22, 2021 by Gretchen Thomas

Every business requires Customized IT Solutions because everybody’s business is different. The way people run their business and the layout of their buildings is different.

Industry Specific Tools

Everybody has different needs and different IT solutions. When you have this uniqueness between clients you can’t just use cut-and-paste solutions. My goal is to help tailor the IT solutions to the client’s needs.

Every business has industry-specific tools that integrate with their network in unique ways. We have clients who run equipment from imaging machines for x-rays to CNC machines (a computer-controlled cutting device). With each business, I have to consider the best, customized solution.

Customized IT Solutions: updating hardware & software is an investment

Another thing we run into a lot is that many of our clients invested a lot of money several years ago into their IT hardware and software when Windows 7 was still around. This makes it a challenge to come in and clean up their network. When a business has old equipment, there are a lot of things that need to be upgraded for it to run smoothly. I know it’s an expense for a company and it seems like it doesn’t directly profit them. It takes a portion of their budget and it’s hard to see the benefit of the investment.

Updating hardware & software is like maintaining the tires on a pickup

Their investment is kind of like the tires on a pickup. You can spend time with flats, downtime, and low traction. You can spend a lot of time and effort constantly fixing flat tires. Or you can invest in some new tires which don’t slow you down and keep your workflow optimized.

The tires on the truck don’t make the truck money but they are a crucial part of the truck that allows it to function optimally. They are vital for the truck to run, whether it’s coming or going.

Wi-Fi stability & connectivity issues at a school with a large campus

Recently, I assisted with restructuring a large network to improve Wi-Fi stability and connectivity speeds across a school’s large campus up in Idaho City. The students at this school constantly rely on assigned laptops. They have to carry them from class to class. And they reported that they were having nothing but headaches with their connectivity. Their speeds were slow. The signal was constantly dropping off.

Customized IT Solutions: the handoff

Because the structures of businesses’ buildings are always different, the way we have to run cable for Wi-Fi connectivity is also different. But, I’m constantly trying to apply the knowledge that I learn from one client to issues that another client has. When I troubleshoot, I’m always looking for something out of place and something that needs to be improved.

I recently worked on optimizing connectivity for another one of our clients who was having similar issues in their large warehouse. I applied the same solutions to the school district in Idaho City. When I went out to look at their campus, I noticed that a lot of their network was not optimized. So, I took a map of the school and mapped out the location of all the access points. I then restructured the way that their controller was set up in order to make the handoff smoother.

Handoff is when students with laptops walk outside of the bubble that the access point (AP) is capable of listening and talking on.

I corrected the handoff issues they were having by adjusting what’s called the RSSI or Received Signal Strength Indication. When the performance level goes down, the laptop knows that it needs to look for another access point.

Tailored IT Solutions: access points and laptops need to communicate

With the RSSI adjusted, the access points and laptops could communicate with each other. Now, when a student walks to the edge of a bubble and the laptop gets to that threshold of performance, the AP says, “Hey you’re out of my limit. You need to start looking for another access point because I’m going to drop.” The device will then respond, “Okay, is there another access point that I can connect to that I’m getting closer to?” The laptop searches for a closer access point and switches over to it with barely even a hiccup.

Monitoring outages mitigates major issues

I also wiped out and rebuilt their controller on the server, so it was easier for us to manage and monitor outages. After setting up remote alerts for their network, I could see their outages ahead of time. We are able to mitigate major issues because I call the school every time a switch or an access point goes down.

The outcome of our Customized IT Solution

Before, the students would avoid using the wireless because it was just too unreliable. After I implemented these solutions, the students are using the Wi-Fi and are more confident that it will work. Now, it’s actually helping students with their education and learning. They can actually complete assignments. The Wi-Fi is being used for what it was intended for.

Read more about Wi-Fi Connectivity: Wi-Fi Extenders for Business

“Thank you so much for your article about David Rucker. Although, we have gotten to know him fairly well over the time that he has been our technician, it is always nice to know more. He is very professional in all that he undertakes and is also a wonderful guy!!”
Debbi Mills-Havey
Cathedral Administrator
St. Michael’s Episcopal Cathedral

WiFi Extenders for Businesses

Posted on February 10, 2021April 22, 2021 by Gretchen Thomas

Situation 

A large manufacturer in Boise needed WiFi extenders. They needed them because they were adding a new ERP* system to assist with tracking and in-production job costing for their manufacturing line. They planned to use iPads in multiple buildings and throughout the property to update where they were in production.

*“Enterprise resource planning (ERP) refers to a type of software that organizations use to manage day-to-day business activities such as accounting, procurement, project management, risk management, and compliance, and supply chain operations.” –Oracle

The Problem 

Wireless Internet

The company had wireless internet in their business office and in their main building. But they did not have it in their other facilities throughout their property. To run multiple underground cables to different buildings would have been extremely expensive. It would have also disrupted their business’ production processes. In their day to day workflow, materials needed to be continuously shuttled around the property. And a major underground cable install would have considerably slowed this process down. So, their CIO asked our sales engineer if Integrinet IT could help with a solution to solve the issue.

Our Solution: WiFi Extenders

As a wireless solution partner with Ingram Micro, we leveraged their expertise with ours. After providing our clients with a map and their property dimensions, we put together a Point-to-Point solution to beam Internet to the other facilities on their property. We did this by mounting WiFi extenders–strong exterior wireless access points throughout their propert–which gave them WiFi coverage everywhere.

Impact 

The cost savings for the project were considerable. Because they didn’t have to trench to multiple areas of the property and run conduit and cable throughout the entire area, they saved thousands of dollars. The project came in at less than $2,500 and the underground cabling system would have come in at ten times that.

With WiFi extension throughout the property, the company can now easily update inventory and track production line stages. These improvements have significantly increased efficiency in their overall production tracking process.

Conclusion 

To conclude, if your business is experiencing similar problems, schedule a free consultation. Joe (Utah) and Fred (Idaho) specialize in learning about your specific business needs. They are excited to help you find solutions that are right for your business. 

Read another case study: End of Life (EOL) Server – Server Consolidation

Customer Story: Business Communication & Collaboration

Posted on February 1, 2021April 22, 2021 by Gretchen Thomas

Improve your business communication & collaboration

Clifton Coffee Roasters (CCR) was the first specialty coffee roaster to adopt the Teamwork solutions from the Microsoft platform. This means they’re breaking new ground in communications methods for their industry. As the company expands, they depend on Teamwork solutions from Microsoft to:

manage their growth
drive innovation
help their employees connect in the most meaningful and productive ways possible

Want to increase productivity and drive innovation in your business? Check out this video to see how this company leads the way in business communication and collaboration innovation in their industry. And then contact Joe (Utah) or Fred (Idaho) at Integrinet IT to learn more by Scheduling a Free Consultation.

Click on the above image to view the video or here: View Video.

The number-one benefit of Microsoft 365 for us has been the improved access. We have access to everything, anywhere we are in the world, as long as we can get online.
Will Hawkins
President,
Allpro Construction

The actual way you can maximize your business productivity

OneDrive for Business enables effortless access to files, including 1 TB of data for each user. As a result, you and your employees can work together and share documents easily, wherever you are.

When you access and edit your documents offline, your updated files sync automatically when you’re back online. This enables you to just pick up where you left off in your document when switching devices.

View or revert to a previous version of your document thanks to automatic saving and file versioning.

In addition to that, you can preview more than 270 common file types right from OneDrive for Business. That means that you won’t have to open a separate app.

Furthermore, you can stream a video on demand without waiting for it to download.

Get more details here:

Crash Course in Office 365: How It Can Help You Grow Your Business

Project Management with Microsoft 365

Posted on January 29, 2021April 22, 2021 by Gretchen Thomas

Situation

A large nonprofit company with multiple locations in Treasure Valley, Idaho was struggling with its project management. They had been using notepads, email, and in-person meetings to create and manage projects. It was difficult for them to track and advance a project. As a result, no one knew where they were in the process. Subsequently, it was a challenge for management to complete projects in an ineffective and efficient manner. So, they called us to discuss some technology options that would increase their productivity.

The Problem

Inability to See the Bird’s Eye Perspective

Because they were not able to get an overall perspective of the components of each project, it took a long time to complete them. Consequently, this workflow was terribly slow and often frustrated everyone involved.

Ineffective Communication

Additionally, frontline workers were not being supported throughout the problem resolution stages. It was difficult to maintain effective communication on projects between offices and departments.

Disorganized File Systems

Moreover, mid-level managers were doing more work than needed. Each time they had to put a project down to work on something else, they would often lose their place. Upon returning to it, they wasted a lot of time finding their notes, documents, and where they had left off.

Inability to Make Decisions Quickly & Confidently

The upper management was not able to make executive decisions as quickly as they wanted. As a result, their resolution and implementation processes moved too slowly for their needs.

Our Solution

As their Managed Services Provider, we researched various solutions. We presented them with 3 to 4 options. After hearing about each one, they chose the following Microsoft 365 products:

OneDrive and SharePoint for file storage
Teams for chat, video conferencing, and project management

Impact on Project Management

Manage your Files with Microsoft OneDrive and SharePoint

They started using Microsoft OneDrive and SharePoint to save project files in one location. And everyone on the project team had access to them. With all the files in one place, each person always had an overview of the project. Team members that had to juggle multiple projects were able to move between projects more easily without wasting a lot of time figuring out where they left off.

Watch this SharePoint Tutorial to learn more: How to Use Microsoft SharePoint

Managing your Communication with Microsoft Teams

Microsoft Teams gave them the ability to quickly communicate with each other about their projects. No need to compose another email for a short question. A secure conversation could be ongoing from a project’s start to end. Because Teams saves all conversations, they had the ability to easily review previous communications to bring them up to speed when returning to a project.

And with video conferencing available at a click of a button in Teams, face to face meetings were a breeze. Even with employees working remotely or at different office locations, they could easily and efficiently collaborate in video meetings.

Conclusion

Organizing communication and project files increased this company’s productivity. Microsoft 365 gave them the tools and we facilitated the install and management. They now are able to work more effectively and efficiently as teams to complete their projects. This solution has been a great relief for them and continues to save them time and frustration.

If your business is experiencing similar problems, schedule a free consultation. Joe (Utah) and Fred (Idaho) sit down with you to learn about your specific business needs. They are excited to help you find solutions that are right for your business. Give us a call (844) 400-0616.

Learn more about Microsoft Teams: Crash Course in Office 365

Switching from Analog to Digital Solutions

Posted on January 25, 2021April 22, 2021 by Gretchen Thomas

Before switching to a Digital Business, employees at Clifton Coffee Roasters used analog solutions to communicate. They physically printed out all documents, filled them out by hand, and then brought them into the office. In the office, they would get scanned and entered into a computer. Sounds tedious, right?

Making the Switch from Analog to Digital

Powered by Teamwork solutions from Microsoft, Clifton Coffee Roasters team members communicate better than ever. Now, their team members stay connected from wherever they are located. With flexible communication tools like Forms, employees can contribute and work together on shared documents from personal devices. No printing or scanning required.

Check out this video (or read the transcript below) to learn how this business switched from analog to digital business solutions by connecting their teams and resources with help from Microsoft solutions.

View the video…

Video Transcript

We used to use a lot of paper from invoicing to timesheets to engineering logs for our food accreditation service. In the roastery, we had to physically write a list or sign off check sheets every morning when we opened to show that we were safe for food production. And we’re able to take a lot of those forms and make them paperless.

And then the other big one was when I used to visit coffee farms, I’d be scribbling notes on the back of a notepad or on my phone and then trying to either send the information back or get it back to the office so we could just be able to tell the story. Microsoft has allowed us to record this information through forms and allow anyone in my team to get access to it in real-time.

Contact Us to Learn More

Contact us to learn how you can switch from analog to digital business solutions by connecting your teams and resources with help from Microsoft solutions.

Crash course in Office 365: How it can help you grow your business

Posted on January 19, 2021April 22, 2021 by Gretchen Thomas

You may be already taking advantage of Office applications like Word, PowerPoint, and Excel. But do you know that Office 365 gives you the capability to access content from any device? Do you know that it allows you to leverage the power of AI to create more impactful content? Check out this guide for more on how Microsoft applications can help protect your sensitive data and accomplish more in your workday.

View: Crash course in Office 365: How it can help you grow your business

Schedule your free consultation with Fred (Idaho) or Joe (Utah) for Microsoft Office 365 business support. (844) 400-0616

Customer Story: Clifton Coffee | Connect and Collaborate

Posted on January 11, 2021April 22, 2021 by Gretchen Thomas

Clifton Coffee Roasters was the first specialty coffee roaster to adopt the Teamwork solutions from Microsoft platform. This means they’re breaking new ground in communications methods for their industry. As the company expands, they depend on Teamwork solutions from Microsoft. They use these solutions to manage their growth, drive innovation, and help their employees connect in the most meaningful and productive ways possible.

End of Life (EOL) Server – Server Consolidation

Posted on January 8, 2021April 22, 2021 by Gretchen Thomas

SCENARIO: END OF LIFE (EOL) SERVER

A leading accounting firm in Treasure Valley, Idaho had been relying on six physical servers to run their daily business operations. Because many businesses rely on their services, a high level of productivity is crucial.

But their servers were reaching end-of-life (EOL) status. This meant that slow server performance was decreasing the firm’s productivity. It also meant that upgraded software was no longer compatible with the server hardware. Something needed to change.

THE PROBLEM

When we met with the accounting firm, we discussed the following problems:

Their Servers had in fact reached End of Life (EOL).
The company from which they had originally purchased the servers had not given them a warranty or support.
Running six servers with six applications was very inefficient.
The expense to maintain six servers was not economical.
The servers took up a lot of closet space, consumed a lot of power, and generated a lot of heat.

OUR SOLUTION: SERVER VIRTUALIZATION

After meeting with them, we designed a plan that upgraded them to a more efficient system. Instead of running and maintaining six physical servers, we proposed that they consolidate the six into one. We did that by setting them up with server virtualization — converting five of their physical servers into software servers.

A software server is a virtual machine. Each one acts like a unique physical machine capable of running its own operating system and application.

IMPACT

After implementing this solution, we were able to improve our client’s position by:

Saving our client money.

In simplifying their infrastructure, we freed up resources they could use for other business projects.

Conserving physical space and energy.

Because they now have only one server generating heat, the firm disconnected one of their two air conditioners in their server room. They no longer need it. They are now saving on their energy bill and decreasing their carbon footprint on the earth.

Decreasing server maintenance costs dramatically.

In the end, they only had one physical server to maintain. They no longer had to pay for replacing old server hardware on the other five. And battery backup was greatly simplified, which will save them thousands of dollars when it comes time to replace it.

Increasing the performance of their system.

With upgraded processors and more memory, their new system is superior to the old, which has significantly improved their productivity

Completing the project during off-hours.

Our service engineer worked over a weekend so that he did not disrupt this company’s service and workflow. Because of this, their transition was seamless. When they returned to work Monday morning, they were able to hit the ground running.

Higher Performance & Lower Costs – Can’t Beat That!

Learn more about Cloud Solutions & Data Backup

Learn more about how Server Virtualization works

Comments from the Principal of the Firm
We are happy with the service we receive from you all, and our network upgrade was seamless. We appreciate our working relationship with you.

A Construction Company Gets Hammered by A Keylogger

Posted on January 6, 2021April 22, 2021 by Gretchen Thomas

Every business needs #cybersecurity regardless of how small it is. This case study reported by the National Cybersecurity Alliance increases our awareness of this fact: The owner of a small family-owned construction company was notified that an unknown source initiated a $10K ACH transfer. They contacted the bank and learned that cybercriminals had made six transfers in one week from the company bank accounts, totaling $550K. How? Read the full story here. We are here to make sure you are protected from these kinds of attacks. Give us a call if you are in need of a free security assessment.