OnSite I.T. Blog

Is your business still gazing at the cloud from afar, wondering if it’s truly the promised land of IT efficiency? For many organizations, a move to the cloud for mission-critical operations can be complicated. Hesitation, while understandable, can be the biggest drain on your future potential. Let’s go through why those cloud migration worries might just be myths in disguise, and how we can help you shift into high gear.

Think of your business information that includes customer details, sales figures, product lists and more. All of that data is stored in your business’ databases. As a result, you need to understand how they work and what you need to do to best manage them and the data they contain. 

Here at OnSite I.T., we help businesses in Calgary make sense of their technology every day. We’ve noticed folks often have similar questions about databases, so let's clear them up with some simple answers. Did you know, by the way, that the first "databases" were essentially just well-organized paper records? We've come a long way!

Cybersecurity solutions are all well and fine, but your team also plays a significant role in keeping your business safe. You need to acknowledge they are a potential threat and take steps to prepare them for the bevy of threats they’ll face. Today, we want to discuss why your employees are a cybersecurity threat and what you can do to mitigate it.

Being overwhelmed can happen to everyone, even the hardest workers you know. If you’re not careful, the weight of your agenda could drag you down and create more problems than it solves. While you could power through, this is usually counterproductive, and you’d be better served by taking a moment to step back, breathe, and perform a micro-reset.

Listen closely. Hear that? It's the subtle, almost invisible hum of technology, the tireless engine powering your sales, streamlining your communication, and orchestrating your daily operations. We've all become wonderfully reliant on this digital symphony. Here’s a thought that might not hum so quietly: what’s the environmental encore of all this tech that keeps our businesses thriving? It’s a conversation that’s not just worth having; it’s essential.

A strong cybersecurity posture isn't just about installing the latest software or ticking boxes on a compliance checklist. It's about building a culture of security where every member of your team is actively engaged and invested in protecting your collective digital well-being… but how do you achieve that buy-in, beyond simply mandating policies? 

It starts with illuminating the "why" behind the "what."

Quick—how many passwords do you have to remember? Chances are, it’s more than you might expect… especially when you factor in both your personal ones and those you maintain for your business.

After all, it is risky to the point of irresponsibility to repeat your passwords across accounts, especially those you maintain for your business. This kind of repetition can easily lead to financial losses and reputation damage, as it facilitates a data breach.

Running a business today presents unique opportunities and challenges. For instance, safeguarding business information and systems—both physical and digital—is no longer just an IT department concern; it is fundamental to operational continuity and overall success.

The real question is whether or not you are prepared to deal with the threats you’re practically guaranteed to face.

Two things are invariably true in the modern business landscape: technology will play an integral role in operations, and obtaining this technology will require a relationship with vendors and service providers. As such, anyone seeking to run a business successfully must interact with these external parties and enter into business contracts.

This needs to be handled carefully, so while we aren’t offering legal advice, you should follow a few practices before and during the negotiation of an IT contract.

Running a business is like juggling flaming torches while riding a unicycle, blindfolded. You’ve got employees, customers, operations, and, of course, vendors. Vendors keep the gears turning, but if you’re not careful, those relationships can turn into a never-ending headache that eats up your time, money, and possibly your sanity. So how do you make sure your vendors work for you, rather than the other way around? Here’s how to get the most out of them without losing your mind.

You’ve probably been told that multitasking is the ultimate skill. Employers love it, schools encourage it, and everyone seems to brag about how they can juggle ten things at once. But here’s the truth: multitasking doesn’t actually work. In fact, it makes you slower, more stressed, and less productive.

People leave their jobs for all types of reasons. Sometimes they move on to different opportunities, sometimes they retire, and sometimes, the change is initiated by you. Regardless of the reason for their departure, they’re gone, and you have some loose ends to tie up before you can begin the process of finding their replacement. Let’s look at five things you need to do immediately when someone leaves your organization.

Happy Valentine’s Day! While this holiday is all about love, it just so happens to fall smack in the middle of tax season in the United States. So, while you’re hoping to get a sweet message from that special someone, there’s a chance you might also receive a text or an email from the Internal Revenue Service… or is there?

As it turns out, you won’t… but that’s a fact that scammers are hoping you won’t know.

Accessibility is a huge talking point in the world of IT. With modern technology solutions, accessible options are much easier to use and more inclusive, allowing workers to get their work done despite the circumstances. Today, we want to look at what the Windows operating system offers in terms of accessibility features.

Productivity is what fuels your personal or professional goals, and it’s easy to tie it into your self-worth if you’re not careful. It’s hard to be productive all the time, though. Today, we want to give you some actionable tips on how you can keep your productivity levels reasonably high.

Having tools that help enhance your ability to support your customers is rarer than you may expect. One of the best tools a lot of businesses employ is Customer Relationship Management (CRM). The CRM system can transform how a business operates, but to make the most of it, you’ll need to employ some strategies. 

While now may not be the most dangerous time to run a business, it is arguably a contender. Businesses are more reliant on digital technology than ever, meaning that these businesses also have to deal with more threats than ever. One such threat: the phishing scam.

Subscription services are all over the place these days, and we’re willing to bet that you have a couple of lingering subscriptions that you’ve either forgotten about or don’t care enough about to cancel immediately. The Federal Trade Commission, however, seems to care enough to take action with a ruling that makes canceling subscriptions easier. Businesses won’t be able to add more hurdles to their subscription cancellations, which is good for end users.

Would you trust a bank that locks its doors at night but leaves all the money sitting in a big pile on the floor? Probably not—if someone got through the door, they could take all the money without any trouble.

This is kind of how cybersecurity used to work. If someone got into a company’s network, they could see and use anything they wanted. But now, many businesses are using a better system called zero-trust security.

Cybersecurity is super important for any business today, and it can make the difference between a business staying safe or failing because of a cyberattack. While there are many things you need to do to protect your business, there are some key steps you can start with to keep it secure. Let’s go over what you should do.