-Maintenance and repair: This is the costs for labor and parts required for maintenance and up keeping
-Software: Software licenses
-Support and training: Support and training for using new software and hardware
-Downtime: The time when productivity has ceased and employees are unable to work because of broken systems

Take this as an example:
If I were to go to a car lot and buy a car for $5,000 dollars, yet 6 months down the road, I had to replace the sparkplugs, battery, and oxygen sensor, get new tires, and fix the A/C. All the while, I had to put my car in the shop (downtime) to get it fixed. I have lost my ability to be productive and am no longer able to manage the cost of ownership. In the end, I am sitting with a $5,000 repair bill, frustration, and little confidence in my car. I could have bought a $10,000 car and saved time and money with the amount of repairs.
Just like buying a computer, many business owners decide to stretch the life cycle for a computer or buy with the intensions of buying “cheap” instead of based on quality. What gets their minds set on buying something cheap is due to the fact that they are choosing to ignore the TOC. Computers can give a company a huge amount of gained efficiency. Only when business owners choose to accept their importance in investment will they properly value their use. The biggest thing to keep in mind, especially with business computing, you will always have some type of maintenance cost. Nehring Technology helps to leverage out this cost and make your system more productive along the way!

We offer Mobile Device Management which should be taken very seriously!
Smartphones have become mini-computers and happen to be much easier to steal. It’s a fine line to tread between having a personal cell phone and a work related one. Business owners should make a clearly defined line as to their stance when it comes to personal cell phones being used for work purposes.

It is amazing the amount of data users have on their smartphones without thinking about it! Let’s take my smartphone as an example.
What I have:
My personal e-mail with credentials saved
My Facebook access with credentials saved
My personal bank account with username saved but not password
My dropbox account with credentials saved
My personal contact list populated through my personal e-mail with credentials saved
My personal Amazon Kindle library with credentials saved
Access to Google Play with credentials saved
My work e-mail with credentials saved
My work phone access with credentials saved
Several Wi-Fi connections for tech work as well as personal home use with passwords saved (encrypted)

That’s a lot of information that could go badly for me if the proper steps are not taken to protect myself. I do have our Mobile Device Management that monitors my phone and allows for remote wipe capabilities. That way if my phone does get stolen I can have it wiped clean before anyone can wreak havoc on my life. I also have an app called Lookout which is a virus protection program that incorporates backup and missing device protection. Lastly, I have a screen lock that requires pattern recognition for someone to access my phone.

It’s extensive what I’ve done to protect my phone and yet I feel sometimes as if it’s not enough. There is always still user error. I have downloaded free apps in the past without reading through the permissions the app is given after downloading and installing. Recently I’ve paid closer attention and it’s amazing what applications ask permissions too when downloading and installing on your phone.
My example would be Toddler Coloring Book Free by Rad Lemur Kids Games. (Please keep in mind that I am not judging this application nor am I a user so I have no background to base my assumptions on.) This application when you go to download it from Google Play wants you to accept and download allowing the game to have permissions to Phone Calls, Network Communication, System Tools and Your location. I am not sure why a coloring book application would require my phone call information and thus I wouldn’t download this application without further research and to confirm from other users that it’s safe.
However, as I stated previously, there have been applications in the past that I’ve simply accepted and downloaded without doing the research. Human error is the greatest weakness to any security system you own. Please be aware of what you are accepting before allowing applications to have control of your smartphone data!

Everything I’ve spoken of so far relates mostly to personal information so let’s take a look at business related risks. My boss has provided the Mobile Device Management for my use on my personal smartphone. It helps keep me protected but it also helps keep Nehring Technology protected. If I’ve lost my phone we can wipe the data or remove my business e-mail to protect the company. On the other hand, if I turn into a malicious employee who’s been fired Nehring Technology can also wipe the company information from the phone and protect customers and employees from anything I might do.

It’s a new concept and gives you lots to think about. Just to throw a plot twist into the concept you should also consider the “Mobile Device” portion of our management service. We don’t just protect smartphones but tablets too!

I just wanted to write a short piece to give everyone an example of what can be done for protection and what kind of information is already on a smartphone that you may not even think about. I had a lot more in my list then I thought and am happy that I’ve got the protection I need to feel safe using my smartphone!

Yahoo article that spurred my food for thought:
10 Dumbest Risks People Take with Their Smartphones

I bet you are wondering why you need a system that has Intel vPro capabilities now, aren’t you? Well, with Intel vPro and your consent you we will be able to resolve even more of your issues remotely. This incredible manageability feature helps us deliver service to you without having to increase the price of our service. If we need to use Intel vPro you will see a screen similar to this one:

From here we will put in the code on our end and will be able to see exactly what you are seeing on your screen regardless of whether or not the computer is functioning properly.
As you can see, Intel vPro is great product that will help us serve you in a more timely manner. It is a great solution for those problems that are hard to explain or not resolvable by regular remote support means. It really is a feature your computer needs to keep your uptime on the up-and-up.

Technology can enhance and leverage productivity and opportunity in any business. Considering technology trends and the growing economical conditions will allow your business to maintain a competitive advantage. When making strategic technology decisions, there are several things that should be kept in mind. Decision makers should understand the total cost of ownership (TOC) of purchasing and operating computers. The old frame of mind that cheaper is better is vastly losing its value. Base cost for technology hardware is on average ONLY about 20% of the total cost of ownership. The remaining 80% exists in technical support, maintenance, and labor fees. So, think smart and plan ahead!

Tangible versus intangible products are like night and day. More often then not, when business owners make a tangible decision they generally have an understanding of what the product is or can do. They visualize the product’s look and feature set while basing their decision on the level of commodity. Intangible services, such as those offered by Managed Service Providers, may leave decision makers confused and indecisive.  Prospects don’t fully understand the complete scope of service and the education gap can be costly. This is why a trusted Managed Service Provider can be so valuable. They discuss, plan and implement goals that are mutually agreed upon by each party. Nehring Technology serves as a trusted adviser and virtual CIO for businesses eager to learn and grow with practical and enterprise level technology solutions!

Microsoft has maintained a habit of releasing new versions of Office every 3-4 years with each version adding additional features or interfaces for you to use. This could be expensive for end-users as they may need to update all of the computers in their office to the newest version of Microsoft Office every 3-4 years, this can cost thousands of dollars (dependent on the number of computers and the version needed). With Office 365 however, this is no longer an issue. Office 365 is Microsoft’s first venture into the SaaS (Software as a Service) model. With this pricing model, you chose the level of service you need and pay for it monthly. Microsoft office is run as a webapp in this model (similar to Google Docs). This option is great as version updates are included FREE, and it also means there is no longer a huge up-front cost for Microsoft Office. Now that’s something to think about when running a business. Interested in a FREE trial? Contact us and start learning!

Definition of Identity from dictionary.com¹:
i•den•ti•ty
[ahy-den-ti-tee]
noun, plural i•den•ti•ties.
1.
the state or fact of remaining the same one or ones, as under varying aspects or conditions: The identity of the fingerprints on the gun with those on file provided evidence that he was the killer.
2.
the condition of being oneself or itself, and not another: He doubted his own identity.
3.
condition or character as to who a person or what a thing is: a case of mistaken identity.
4.
the state or fact of being the same one as described.
5.
the sense of self, providing sameness and continuity in personality over time and sometimes disturbed in mental illnesses, as schizophrenia.

What makes our identity is always changing as the world evolves and recently our identities have started to include social networking sites such as Facebook or Twitter. This is a vital concept for all ages to learn. I’m not saying out right that Facebook or Twitter should be added to the definition of identity. However, these social networking sites can be considered part of the “condition or charter as to who a person or what a thing is” (aka identity).
What that means is that your identity is officially part of the “internet” which can be an unsafe environment if you don’t take corrective precautions. Your identity will forever be linked with what you post or tweet, with the pictures or videos that are spread faster than wild fire and how you conduct and protect yourself while using these sites².
Identity Theft is already a well-known issue in the banking industry and it should be considered a well-known problem for all industries. I’m sure you’ve seen news reports or heard some story of Facebook accounts or Twitter getting hacked and the ensuing posts or comments that occur afterward. It can sometimes be done in jest and everyone has a good laugh.
What happens when it’s not? How would you feel to have your identity on a social networking site taken away, ruined or blackened because someone thought it would be funny? What if you lost your job, your best friend, the support of your family or all your hard earned cash? These are real problems that I’m seeing more and more in the news.

YOU and you alone are responsible for protecting your identity. The way you define identity should also include how you conduct yourself on the internet with a special consideration to social networking. Use password protection. Make it something complex; spend the time to look it up every time you need to log in. Use a rotating password and make sure you still have ease of access by having password protective software such as KeePass³.
All people from young to old should understand that your credentials when logging into anything on the internet are part of your identity. You need to keep them as part of your identity and not share them with the world or even a friend or family member. I certainly don’t want any of my friends or family members owning my finger prints let alone some unknown person so, why would I share access to my identity and give them my username and password to internet sites?
Be smart about your choices and protect your identity. Roll your eyes at me and think that it’s too much effort but understand that the extra 10 seconds it takes will help protect you. Do something proactive and learn how to get protection for your passwords. Social networking isn’t going away any time soon and we all need to grow and learn with it.

This is my first blog but I think it’s an important one. I hope everyone followed along and I hope it gave you some words to contemplate. I have a young son who isn’t old enough to socialize on the internet but you can bet your behind that I’m going to teach him the value of identity. I want him to be proud of who he is going to grow into. I want him to have the self-esteem to be anything he wants. I want him to understand the safety of protecting himself including his passwords as the world of technology and social networking grows with him. I will teach him these things so that he can grow up strong. I hope my message today helps others to do the same!

1 What is Identity?
2 This blog took a turn on me while I was writing it and ended up being more focused on protecting your passwords and identity through social media. However, I think it’s also important to point out that you can create an identity for yourself through these sites and how poor posts can still affect you. Here are some sites that show that:

10 Facebook Status Updates Gone Horribly Wrong
Facebook Post That Got Netflix CEO in Trouble With the SEC
Tweets Gone Wrong
5 Stories of Twittering Gone Bad

3 Learn More About KeePass
4 Locked Computer image, available at http://bridge-outsourcing.com/nl/social-networking/social-networks-data-protection, June 23rd, 2010

Antivirus software is only one level of security that should be addressed.

Unpatched software exposes your business to a great deal of risk.  If your business has personal customer information, law requires that you take steps to make sure that data is secure.  Fines and legal expense could be insurmountable if a breach occurs. Software patching is just as important at securing your systems as antivirus program is.  Would you lock your front door, but leave your back door wide open? Of course not, so why do it with your IT resources.

We can automate the needed updates so you know your systems are secure.  We can patch more than 90 different third party applications.

But, what if the patches break something on the computer?

Patches and updates can affect other software on a computer and cause them to stop working. It is usually better to apply patches immediately upon release rather than wait for testing to be done.  The risk of delaying patches is typically greater than any affects the patch may cause on a desktop system.  When problems do arise, as they will do on occasion, then they can be addressed and rolled back if necessary.

Can patches and updates cause your system to run slow?

Sure they can, especially if your system is more than 4 or 5 years old.  Updates and patches are written to more current specifications. Each time your computer is updated with Operating System updates or application patches, more system resources are needed. The required performance footprint increases.  Older systems will show performance decline.  We can guarantee you that a 7 year old computer will run no better than a 7 year old computer can.  It will not run like it did when it was new, even if you have not increased its workload by adding additional programs.  Software updates and patches will tax the system.  Computer horsepower doubles every 18 to 24 months.  That means a 7 year old computer has less than 1/12^th the required horsepower than it did when it was new.

So, what can be done about a slow computer?

If the system is more than 5 years old, the answer is easy. Replace it.  In any business, IT assets need to be placed on a replacement schedule.  Systems should be replaced at least every 5 years.  A computer system has a 100% failure rate. Eventually it will fail, it is just a matter of time. It is unpredictable and can happen at any time in its life cycle. Systems that are more than 5 years old have very low performance and are truly buying time before it dies completely.  If the system is newer a tune-up could help its performance.