Are You Utilizing IT Services to Your Full Advantage?

Are You Utilizing IT Services to Your Full Advantage?

Do you know what an IT provider is really capable of doing for your business and its technology? Chances are, it’s likely more than you think.

Below, we’ll review a few benefits that any IT resource worth their salt is capable of providing to a business like yours, and call it this week’s tip!

Keep Your Technology (and Data) Secure

When was the last time you checked to see if any of your technology had a software update or security patch available?

Studies have shown that neglect to implement these changes has enabled 44 percent of data breaches. Imagine the difference if every business was proactive in the maintenance of their solutions, and applied these improvements as they were released.

Of course, threats also take advantage of your employees to gain access to your systems. An employee that is unaware of how to spot a phishing email is far more likely to get hooked, and these kinds of social engineering attacks are only getting more popular.

One of the most important responsibilities of an IT resource is to ensure that a business is safe from threats of all kinds. Through a combination of cybersecurity solutions and training of your employees, your provider should be able to reduce the amount of threats that darken your business’ door.

Serves a Trusted Outsourced Provider

While you may already have an internal IT resource on your payroll, there’s a fair chance that their workload has grown beyond their capacity. Not only are they responsible for shaping your organization’s IT strategy moving forward, they also are on call to put out any metaphorical fires that may break out during the day-to-day.

With a sufficiently large internal staff, meeting these demands isn’t unduly challenging, but very few organizations have the number of IT support staff members that they really should. This is part of the reason that so many businesses have found success after turning to an external resource as a way to reduce their functional deficit.

The trick is to establish how this resource will provide the greatest value. Should their focus be on maintaining and improving the systems that the business relies on, or would they serve greater purpose as a lifeline for employees who are experiencing technical troubles?

Protect Your Business

Your business could easily come under threat from two fronts.

First, as we mentioned before, there are direct attacks to your business security. Second, there is the chance that circumstance alone could do some severe damage. Whether a weather event puts your business out of commission for a time or one of your crucial service providers (like the power company, for instance) suffers downtime of their own, you could be facing factors outside of your direct control.

In cases like these, it is important to proactively put the solutions in place to insulate yourself against this kind of situation’s ill effects, such as a comprehensive backup and disaster recovery solution. This will help to ensure that if the worst were to happen, you wouldn’t have to start from square one.

A trusted IT resource can assist in selecting the right solutions for your individual business needs, and WheelHouse IT can be that resource for you. Reach out to us at (877) 771-2384 to learn more ways that an MSP can help your organization thrive and grow.

Tech Continues to Turn the Entertainment Industry on It’s Head

Tech Continues to Turn the Entertainment Industry on It's Head

Admit it, technology is changing the way you “consume” media. Who of us hasn’t binged a show on a streaming media service while simultaneously looking up the backstory of every character on the show?

Today, people want to consume content the way they want, when they want, and for as long as they want; and technology has a lot to do with it.

The most obvious shift that has been seen is the reliance on streaming media. For a decade, outfits like YouTube and Netflix have transformed the way that people want to access media.

This has opened up a major market for content creators to get their content in front of audiences without having to depend on the major distributors. The breadth of media that is being created as a result of this access, is significantly shifting the way people think about the content they consume.

In the past, content creators had to go through distributors in order for anyone to see the content they had created. These distributors were in a nice position in the market. They could purchase or lease content, make deals with major advertisers and marketing organizations, and rake in all sorts of revenue.

While there are still plenty of content distributors that do this, it is not as easy for them to take advantage of their position in the market today as content creators themselves are beginning to roll out their own paid services, offering them to customers online.

So as where media companies of the past relied on content scarcity to thrive, with so much consumable content being created, by so many different creators, it’s beginning to challenge the way that the traditional content distributor is viewed. Technology is driving this in these three ways:

Shift #1: Media is Being Seen on the Move

With mobile devices and wireless technology better than ever, many users have come to expect to consume major media on the go. In fact, according to Cisco, mobile computing will drive a quarter of all video traffic by 2021. With this boost in the mobile availability of streaming, more people will potentially be exposed to this on their mobile platforms.

One way this is happening is that many media companies are starting to roll out vMVPDs or virtual Multichannel video programming distribution services. This is providing users with options to get the content they want on the devices they will utilize the most.

Services like Sling TV, DirecTV Now, and Playstation Vue are revolutionizing the way people watch content. While the major media distributors continue to expand with their own MVPDs, it will be interesting to see if they can continue to dominate the market the way they have for decades of cable TV. On a related note:

Shift #2: Cord Cutters Are On the Rise

Cable companies have held all the cards in the cable game since its inception, but with the rise of streaming services created by content creators, more people are moving on from their cable packages. The pace at which this is happening is the most revealing variable, as cord cutting grew by 33 percent so far in 2018.

So while there are 186 million U.S. adults watching cable services through cable, satellite, and telecom-provided pay TV services, there are 33 million cord cutters. This represents an increase of 3.8 percent, slightly more than 2017’s drop rate of 3.4 percent.

Shift #3: Data Will Fuel Content Creation

Media organizations collect a lot of data. This data, if used to do so, can give content creators and decision makers a more complete view of their audience. Behavioral analytics is now being used to find audience patterns inside unstructured data that is collected throughout a company’s service delivery.

This will not only alter the advertising (allowing media companies to command more for advertising space), but also the content creation itself. Knowing what people want to see is a must; and, by creating shows they know people will like, it cuts down on the production costs of uncertainty. In the past, these companies would throw a bunch of shows at an audience hoping that one of them would stick.

These companies will also use the data they capture to improve the broadcast. Televised sports has been one great example of how networks are enhancing audience satisfaction through the use of technology. Not only do they use augmented reality to break down analysis, they also have begun to utilize mobile application development as a way to enhance the viewer’s engagement by providing them with real-time statistics and data visualization.

These big data initiatives, coupled with the increasing shift to Internet-hosted technologies to create and consume content, are working to change the way people are entertained.

Are you someone that has been at the forefront of this technological shift? Do you think that traditional cable providers and telecoms will rein in the third-party content creators and win back their market share? Let us know in the comments section below.

An OLED Display is Something Special

An OLED Display is Something Special

Displays are a huge selling point for many commercially available technologies. With the need for high definition capabilities now commonplace, many manufacturers have been looking to OLED technology.

Today, we will take a look at the OLED display to give you an idea what makes it so fundamentally superior to other LED displays.

What is OLED?

OLED, or Organic Light Emitting Diodes, are much like conventional LED technology. A light emitting diode (LED) is a semiconducting light source that functions by producing light by moving electrons into defined spots within a screen’s emissive layer. Electricity goes in and light comes out.

OLED uses the same concept, but instead of individual LED bulbs being lit up, OLED uses light emitting films. This allows the OLED display to produce higher contrast images. Lights are lighter and darks are darker; and, because of the makeup of OLED film (hydrocarbon chains rather than semiconductors), these displays use significantly less energy (electricity) to produce images similar to traditional LED technology. Since hydrocarbon is an organic material, the “O” in OLED stands for “organic”.

How Does It Work?

An OLED panel is made up of several layers. The substrate layer acts as a structural framework; the anode, the film that draws electron; the cathode, the film that provides electrons; and the organic layer between them. The organic layer is further divided into two layers: a conducting layer that has the holes and an emissive layer where light is produced.

Types of OLED

The different OLED displays are used for different types of devices. Passive-matrix OLED (PMOLED) have slower refresh rates, meaning that they are used on devices that need only static images. Active-matrix OLED (AMOLED) have faster refresh rates, and are used for televisions and smartphones that have applications that need to refresh quickly.

What Are the Benefits?

Since OLEDS operate as both a light source and color creator, simultaneously, they produce several benefits over standard LED displays. They include:

  • Reduced power consumption: Since an OLED display doesn’t need any of the electronics used to to power the back light necessary for traditional LED, it uses less power.
  • Improved picture quality: OLED incorporates color filters allowing them to produce warmer colors and darker blacks. Since OLED displays don’t have a shutter arrays, they can be produced with higher refresh rates and produce much better viewing angles (up to 90º).
  • Durable and lightweight: By getting rid of the backlight and shutter array technology found on traditional LED displays, OLED displays can be much more lightweight and flexible. In fact, a new innovation: inkjet-based printable OLED displays, allow for a reduction of nitrogen volume and enhances what is called thermal uniformity. This technology improves manufacturers’ ability to make more malleable displays such as wallpaper-like screens.
  • Less expensive: As more manufacturers begin to utilize OLED displays more and more, prices are going down quickly.

With OLED displays beginning to show up in many mediums it’s good to know how these displays work.

Have you purchased a device with an OLED display? Leave your thoughts in the comments below, and continue coming back to our blog soon for more great and useful technology information.

Spruce Up Your Business with Digital Signs

Spruce Up Your Business with Digital Signs

The modern office is a wonderland of incredible new technology solutions designed to augment both your employees’ and your visitors’ experience, and nowhere is this more true than with digital signage.

What is Digital Signage?

Unlike physical signs that contain information, digital signage systems allow your organization to dynamically display a varying amount of information or data to observers. This can include information such as office numbers or locations, current promotions or offerings, and even raw statistics that your employees can use to determine how productive they are being with their time and resources.

Digital Signage can be used both internally and externally, but the ultimate goal remains the same: to provide a dynamic, modern interface that consumers or users can interact with to learn more about your business. Here are some real world uses for digital signs:

  • Displaying availability and events in conference rooms at a convention center.
  • Displaying current hours of operation and contact information for a front desk.
  • Advertising sponsors at public events and locations.
  • Providing specials and promotions for businesses both inside and outside where there will be high foot traffic.
  • Displaying pertinent news and alerts to residents, customers, or employees.
  • Displaying KPIs and other employee metrics in employee areas.

To best use digital signage solutions for your business, be sure to pay attention to these three specific areas:

Think About the Platform

Your organization needs to determine where the information called by your digital signage comes from. In most cases, it’s simply a decision to call it from locally on your network or from the cloud. Either way, you want to make sure that your infrastructure is doing so as quickly and efficiently as possible. If you’re displaying the same content all over your office, a cloud-based interface with a dashboard can allow you to show similar (or even different) content to each of your signage interfaces.

Consider the Content

That being said, your digital signage solution won’t be valuable for your organization unless you know what you’re showcasing. This, of course, also depends on the intended purpose. If your employees are viewing it, perhaps you can include statistics that can help your organization be more productive. If you have visitors in your office, you can display various promotions or office locations to make sure they don’t get lost. Basically, if you can think it, digital signage can make it happen.

Identify Locations

Where would your digital sign be most effective and appropriate? We think it’s safe to say that one at the entrance is probably the most effective, but wherever you decide to place a digital sign, have a strategic purpose for it. Think about how signs directing visitors can be placed so that they can naturally be followed by anyone who visits. Basically, you want signs to be in a place where there is a high amount of traffic so as to create the best visibility and increase the outcome of having them, whether it’s more for productivity or a more efficient guest experience.

WheelHouse IT can help your business determine the best platform, content, and location for your digital signage. To learn more, reach out to us at 877-771-2384.

Spying On People You Depend On May Not Work Out In Your Favor

Spying On People You Depend On May Not Work Out In Your Favor

Relationships can sometimes be uncomfortable. Whether it is in the workplace or at home, sometimes people find the need to take advantage of other people by spying. To get control over their situations, solutions have been invented to help parties monitor endpoints for information.

Security Monitoring

One of the most popular monitoring technologies, is security monitoring. Typically it is done through the use of a dedicated surveillance system. It can also include access control and intrusion detection systems to keep physical structures safe, and to decrease liability for businesses of all types.

Network Monitoring

Network monitoring software allows IT technicians to see what is happening on your business’ network. Network monitoring typically deals with function. Is your network and infrastructure functioning as intended? Technicians will use monitoring software to ensure that endpoints, networking equipment, and servers are all functioning properly; while also monitoring the network for known threats and inefficiencies. Businesses depend on their technology and through the monitoring process, they can get a thorough view of the network and infrastructure to keep small issues that are found from becoming larger, more costly problems that could cause operational downtime.

Some network monitoring software also provides technicians the ability to view how each person is using their network-attached devices. Do you see productivity wane from time to time? Once you can ascertain what employees are doing on their computers that keep them from being productive, you can take the steps necessary to keep them on task and productive. This also allows you to ensure that they aren’t unwittingly putting your business at risk by visiting risky websites, and being otherwise unsavory on your network.

Application Monitoring

Some applications provide IT administrators the ability to view logs of application use. Whether these be self-hosted or cloud-hosted apps, keeping tabs over how your staff uses the applications you deploy can provide information that could work to your business’ favor. Some applications, like instant messaging and Voice over Internet Protocol, come with built-in reporting that allows administrators the option to view/listen to communication between staff and clients alike. This feature provides a positive effect on an organization’s customer service as the frequent review of correspondence can provide perspective on how projects and services are planned, carried out, and supported.

Additionally, cloud-based applications often keep statistics that provide some clarity to how a solution is used, and what users need to do to use it more effectively. In being able to see how users are using solutions, decision makers can make the most cost-conscious decisions, reducing an organization’s software overhead, and efficiently providing the types of solutions that help build sustained profitability.

Mobile Device Monitoring

Mobile devices are extremely useful, but they can also be a gateway to distracted and nefarious behavior. For a business, decision makers have to come up with a fair, but thorough plan in which to monitor the devices that access data on their network. Employees, however, aren’t all that supportive of giving their employers full access to the information held on their personal smartphones. This creates some consternation between the two sides. That’s why, if you don’t have plans to outfit your staff with company-owned devices, you have to develop a Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) strategy that outlines what IT administrators can view, what they can’t view, and how the policy works to benefit the organization’s mobile device management policy.

Most employees, especially if they feel that their phone is being monitored, will work within the confines of the BYOD policy. They just have to know that you are unable to access, and alter, their personal information. People depend on their smartphones, and if they need to sign off on a BYOD policy so that their company can ensure that nefarious entities are not being brought in, most will need some assurance that their personal files stay personal. Monitoring is a proactive way to save your business a lot of time and money.

If you would like to learn more about monitoring your business’ end points, contact the IT professionals at WheelHouse IT today at (877) 771-2384.

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