EgoSecure data security solutions

If data is lost due to theft, negligence or accident, great damage can be done. It can ruin businesses and reputations. The most vulnerable points of attack are our devices, e.g. computers, smartphones, laptops, etc., which are operated by people – and people are fallible.

Anti-virus protection and a firewall are not enough to protect data in the modern age of unprecedented levels of cyber crime. Data is the life-blood of every organisation and for more than 10 years, EgoSecure have been innovating and leading the way in the field of data protection. To date, more than 2,100 customers from every industry and of all sizes, are benefiting from their data protection solutions.

EgoSecure do more than just blindly protecting your data. Firstly, the unique solution determines the data protection situation of your network. It then gives you accurate information, specific to your network, with guidance on how to protect yourself via our 20+ protection modules.

 

 

Resources:

As EgoSecure Premier Solution Partners, Complete IT Systems can offer you expert advice on the solutions and how they could be effectively deployed in your business.

Request your no-obligation free trial via this link or call us on 01274 396 213.

Secure file sharing & collaboration: The path to increased productivity & reduced risk

 

Enterprise File Sharing and Sync (EFSS) products are making inroads into the enterprise – in fact, Forrester analyst Ted Schadler recently called the space the “hottest technology category since social networking”.

However, many EFSS implementations leave many issues unanswered, such as:

  • How will intellectual property be protected if a user shares or syncs it?
  • How will compliance be handled if regulated data ends up in the EFSS system?
  • How will data be discoverable if files are synced to a cloud service and the company gets entangled in a lawsuit?
 
Security is almost invariably top of mind and enterprises soon discover that many of the EFSS solutions fail to offer hoped-for security, and can even be a conduit to major security breaches.If you would like to know more, please download the Whitepaper or get in touch and I’d be happy to arrange a demonstration.

 

As Blackberry Partners, Complete IT Systems can offer you expert advice on the solutions and how they could be effectively deployed in your business.

To find out more please call us on 01274 396 213 or use our contact form and we’ll arrange a good time to call you back.

How BlackBerry Workspaces can help your business build trust

Your sales department creates a lot of content and regularly shares it externally. At any given time, multiple sales documents are in the hands of prospects, customers, and partners. Every time one of those files is shared, there’s the chance that it might end up in the wrong hands.

That can cost you dearly. Trust is one of the most valuable commodities in sales, and the reputational damage from a leak or breach causes you to lose that trust. And that in turn can lead to lost sales and clients, lower revenues, and even regulatory penalties.

Avoiding that scenario with a traditional approach to cybersecurity is an exercise in futility, as well. A salesperson sharing a product blueprint with a prospect isn’t going to stop to wonder if that prospect’s network is properly monitored. They’re interested in doing their job, not grappling with security requirements.

Selling the case for file security

Centuries ago, people would protect their assets by walling them off. If a wall wasn’t good enough, they would shore it up with more materials or extra security measures. For a time, this approach worked well for enterprise data.

We’d have corporate perimeters with a lot of security solutions in place to keep the good stuff safe and the bad guys out. These perimeters are still important, but they’re no longer sufficient on their own. The way that people work today is changing.

Companies no longer send quotes and offers to clients on sheets of paper. Salespeople no longer must carry binders filled with product details while speaking with customers. Employees working on the road no longer need to haul around a laptop or a ton of documents – a smartphone or tablet is enough.

In such a climate, it doesn’t matter how much you strengthen security within your own perimeter if you lose control of a file the moment it’s outside. You cannot guarantee that every partner, prospect, or vendor you work with will hold themselves to your standards. And given the extent to which files are shared in sales, yours will eventually find their way into the hands of someone with lax security.

Secure Your Sales with BlackBerry Workspaces

Enter BlackBerry Workspaces. Trusted by leading organisations to deliver a smooth, easy collaboration experience, Workspaces’ file-level security allows you to protect your documents even after they’ve been shared. Picture this:

  • Set an automatic expiry date when you share a quote with a prospect. When the quote expires, your prospect will no longer have access to any files they’ve been given
  • Collaborate safely with anyone. No matter what device you’re on, Workspaces allows you to seamlessly share files – but it also lets you track exactly how those files are being used and accessed.
  • Protect intellectual property for large deals. Your firm is responding to a large complex public tender. Workspaces allows you to create a secure team folder for exchanging and editing documents. Sales leads can share the response document with the tenderer and no one else.
  • Control every file – no matter where it is. With Workspaces’ granular file controls, your IT department can dictate whether a user can access, view, copy, print, edit, download, or forward a file. These permissions can be changed at any time with just a few clicks.

Efficient collaboration is critical for success in sales, but it cannot come at the expense of security. Thanks to BlackBerry Workspaces, it doesn’t need to. Your sales team can readily access, share, and collaborate on even the most confidential files with ease, all while remaining BlackBerry Secure.

Request a demonstration

To find out how WatchDox can help your business, contact us to request an evaluation.

 

As Blackberry Partners, Complete IT Systems can offer you expert advice on the solutions and how they could be effectively deployed in your business.

To find out more please call us on 01274 396 213 or use our contact form and we’ll arrange a good time to call you back.

Horses for courses – We kick off Royal Ascot by helping find the right tablets for your business

Not all horses are created equal. Sure, they’re all wonderfully majestic creatures, and all that, but they’re not all cut out to do the same work. You’ve got sleek thoroughbreds, solid workhorses and graceful baroque breeds – one trick ponies, even. The same is be said for your company’s devices.

From conference rooms to conventions to customer sites, tablets are everywhere in business these days. Is it time for you to jump on board? If you want to be productive wherever you go, the answer is a definite “yes”. Thin, light, and powerful, today’s tablets for business can replace clunky laptops and can help you get more done whether you’re typing on a keyboard or drawing on the screen.

If you’re going to rely on a tablet for work on a regular basis, it pays to shop around beforehand to find the best business tablets. Most are designed for consumer use, and may lack features and capabilities that could benefit your business. Here are a few things to look for when choosing a business tablet that will truly accelerate your users’ success.

  1. Will it run your business applications?
    If you’re just looking to do email and basic productivity, most tablets can handle your needs. However, if you really want to get work done on the go – especially if you’re looking to replace your laptop – you’ll want a business tablet that can run the applications you rely on every day. Otherwise you’ll find yourself switching back and forth between devices, or you’ll be away from the office without the capabilities you need.
  2. Does it have enough power?
    The whole point of a tablet is to free you from the wall outlet, so make sure the battery life is rated for at least 8 hours or more based on the tasks you’re likely to perform. You’ll want to be able to get through a whole workday, plane trip or collaboration session without plugging in.
  3. Can it keep your information safe?
    Tablets are easy to take with you – which means it’s also possible to misplace them. If that happens, you want to make it hard for any unauthorised users to access your valuable business applications and data. At the same time, you don’t want to waste a lot of time signing in when you want to get to work. Consider biometric options such as facial recognition for a great balance of convenience and security.
  4. How easy is it to manage?
    Giving your employees tablets can be a productivity dream, but if you’re not careful, it can become a management nightmare. Multiple operating systems and proprietary administrative tools add complexity. Ideally, you should be able to manage business tablets using the same solution you apply to laptops, desktops and other IT resources.
  5. Is it comfortable and convenient to use in a variety of settings?
    For a laptop replacement, the keyboard is critical. You’ll want a device you can comfortably type on for hours at a time. If you like to draw or take notes using digital ink, look at your options for a stylus. Advanced stylus technology can give you the same ease of expression as pen and paper with the benefits of digital saving and sharing.

Want to find out more?

As Microsoft Gold Partners, Complete IT Systems can offer you expert advice on the solutions and how they could be effectively deployed in your business.

To find out more please call us on 01274 396 213 or use our contact form and we’ll arrange a good time to call you back.

How to use the cloud to grow your business

In previous blogs, we’ve looked at the top 5 benefits of cloud computing for businesses, and how to reduce costs with cloud. In this edition, we’re focusing on how to use the cloud to grow your business.

With the maturity and advancement of cloud services, any company now has access to enterprise-grade IT technology, without having to invest in infrastructure, software and hardware, or the people to manage and maintain it.

Enterprise security for ANY business

In addition, any business now has access to a plethora of cost effective services and solutions previously attainable only by the largest of IT budgets. Take security as an example – any sized business, even from a start-up, can now have the same IT security systems as a large multinational organisation, for a fraction of the cost.

The types of security solutions available through the cloud are extensive, sophisticated solutions such as multi-factor authentication, DDoS mitigation, threat management, identity management, data loss prevention, encryption and rights management – these were previously only in the domain of big businesses, now everyone has access to them for a cost of a subscription.

Where else can I gain efficiency?

Looking towards the future, we can now see clearly with the gradual disappearance of on premise infrastructure that Single Sign-on, once the ‘holy grail’ of the enterprise IT department, is one of the next adoption waves to gather momentum. Customers can immediately reduce costs and improve efficiency for both users and IT departments, reducing administration overheads and improving productivity with Single Sign-on and by implementing self-service password management.

But this change of highly affordable advanced IT services can create dilemmas for businesses – with such a wide choice available it is difficult for customers to choose the most appropriate options. That’s where Complete IT Systems come in, as we can help businesses select the most effective appropriate cloud technology services for its operations, and integrate them so that they are part of a single, seamless managed platform.

The key steps to success

We believe it is prudent to take a process driven approach to ensure your business gets the most out of the migration to the cloud, as you are putting in place foundations to underpin the business. We would suggest some of the following key steps are considered as part of the migration planning:

  1. Identify the essential services for you core business operations – this will be core technologies like email, but also some thought needs to go into how data is archived and whether there are any compliance regulations control how you store data.
  2. Define file sharing and data storage requirements – there are lots of options for storage in the cloud but we find that most businesses require some structure around how they store files as some file sharing/ sync. solutions can be restrictive and create inconsistency.
  3. Determine how users will access data, specifically looking at remote and mobile device access. Develop process relating to the use of both company owned and personal devices, and enforce these through the use of mobile device management tools.
  4. Evaluate your current IT support agreements and determine if these are appropriate or if improvements and cost savings can be realised with the move to the cloud.

Want to find out more?

As Microsoft Gold Partners, Complete IT Systems can offer you expert advice on the solutions and how they could be effectively deployed in your business.

To find out more please call us on 01274 396 213 or use our contact form and we’ll arrange a good time to call you back.

The future of technology in the classroom – part 2

Technology is revolutionising the way we teach, and the way in which children and young people learn. Gone are the days of outdated textbooks and simple whiteboards and markers. Schools are increasingly focused on bringing classrooms into the 21st century and using technology to create more vibrant and engaging learning experiences.

In the second of a two-part blog (this way for part 1), we take a look at some of the newest technology for the classroom and the ways in which it is impacting learning, as well as what future classroom technology could look like.

Independent research

Perhaps one of the simplest ways in which new classroom technology can be used is to access the internet for research. Today’s kids tend to turn to Google to answer their questions if they have access to a smartphone, tablet, or computer, but sometimes schools are resistant to incorporating this type of independent research into the classroom.

It makes sense that schools are more eager for students to absorb learning material supplied in the classroom than information sourced from Google. It ensures that students are on the same page in regard to the curriculum. Plus, it can be tricky to figure out the accuracy and reliability of information published online.

However, these points are exactly why future classroom technology should be used to encourage independent internet research. It’s an opportunity to teach students to differentiate between reliable and unreliable online sources and to help them to use the internet in a way that enhances that which is learned in the classroom.

It can also give kids the chance to read more deeply into the topics covered in the classroom if they’re particularly interested in them. Having the ability take control of their learning could help them to get more excited about the subjects studied in class which will only enhance the learning experience.

Here are a few ways in which teachers could incorporate independent online research into their lessons:

  • Ask students to use Wikipedia and Google to research for class presentations
  • Set additional web research tasks for students to do if they finish classroom work earlier; this rewards fast working and gives students the opportunity to learn more about a topic
  • Have students use Google first to find answers to simple questions, such as the definition of a word
  • Use an interactive display at the front of the class to Google words, phrases, or topics that are new to the whole class

Some of these techniques do rely on students having easy access to the internet, either at home or during lessons. However, the future of technology in the classroom is leaning towards the availability of laptops or tablets for every student. It may be some time until we get there, but many schools are already focused on future classroom design in which exercise books and pens could be completely replaced with laptops or tablets for every pupil.

Versatile lesson delivery and presentations

The newest technology for the classroom focuses on interactive learning, and interactive display screens are the cornerstone of this trend. Interactive learning is effective because it encourages students to take charge of their own learning and forces them to engage in the class more directly than if they were to simply sit, listen, and take notes.

Interactive displays are large LED screens with touch capability. This allows teachers to deliver full-colour presentations at the head of the class, and interact directly with it by touching, tapping, or swiping at the screen and writing on it.

The advanced interactive displays at Avocor are provided with the Windows 10 operating system and have a variety of connection ports – including USB – to make it really simple for teachers to hook up laptops or USB sticks to display their presentations. Alternatively, if cloud computing is available in the school, accessing resources is even easier. Plus, the screens make it really easy to use to a variety of apps and software designed for the classroom.

Kids can benefit from this future classroom technology, too. They can:

  • Interact directly with the content on the board, either alone or with their peers thanks to multipoint touch technology
  • Deliver their own interactive presentations with ease
  • Enjoy more varied lessons
  • Learn from a wide range of media types, including text, images, video, and music
  • Take part in virtual field trips, in which places and experiences can be explored via the internet without leaving the classroom
  • Collaborate more readily with teachers and peers on projects

Interactive displays also make it possible to incorporate video conferencing into the classroom, which could totally transform future classroom design. It could allow students to be taught by teachers in different cities or countries, or to interact with experts all over the world to gain extra insights into the learning material. It also enables collaboration between different classes or even schools, which could boost students’ communication skills.

Future classroom design looks more and more likely to be focused on interactive learning, and the interactive display is the newest technology in the classroom to have such a vast and versatile impact on the ways in which children learn.

This content is provided from the ever-excellent Avocor blog.

Want to learn more?

Complete IT Systems have a team of Avocor specialists on hand to demo the solution, discuss business benefits and help you understand how the technology works for your organisation. There’s also a great range of resources available on the Avocor blog.

Give us a call on 01274 396 213 or use our contact form to discuss your requirements with us.

 

The future of technology in the classroom – part 1

Technology is revolutionising the way we teach, and the way in which children and young people learn. Gone are the days of outdated textbooks and simple whiteboards and markers. Schools are increasingly focused on bringing classrooms into the 21st century and using technology to create more vibrant and engaging learning experiences.

In a two-part blog, we take a look at some of the newest technology for the classroom and the ways in which it is impacting learning, as well as what future classroom technology could look like.

Gamified learning

Using games to enhance lessons isn’t a new technique. Teachers have been gamifying their lessons for years because it:

  • Makes learning fun
  • Makes students more motivated to learn
  • Boosts memory
  • Improves strategic thinking
  • Encourages cooperation and teamwork
  • Enables controlled competitiveness

However, the future of technology in the classroom involves a greater move towards electronic games rather than pen and paper games.

This is valuable because the students of today play computer games more than ever before. From smartphones to tablets, and PCs to gaming consoles, kids have access to computer games in more ways than ever before. If teachers are to really grab the attention of their students with games in the classroom, they need to strive to make their games as colourful and engaging as those played outside of the classroom.

New classroom technology like interactive displays makes it possible for teachers to display educational computer games at the front of the class. This could be in the form of games which are intentionally designed for education, or those which are just for fun but which can stimulate learning opportunities.

During an interview with the Guardian, Ollie Bray, Education Scotland’s National Adviser for Emerging Technologies in Learning, described ways in which the latter can be effective. He explained that the Mario and Sonic Winter Olympics game played on the Wii could be used to collect authentic data for use in a numeracy lesson. In the process, kids are able to apply numeracy techniques to data that means something to them, which helps them to become more engaged in the subject matter.

The use of computer games can be an excellent way to introduce students to topics that would otherwise be deemed uninteresting by many young people. Future classroom technology could, therefore, include games consoles which can easily be hooked up television screens or interactive display screens.

Access to the cloud

Although the cloud has been changing the way we store and access our data and documents for years, uptake on this new classroom technology in schools is not as high as it could be. However, the cloud poses a huge variety of benefits for teachers and students alike.

From a teaching perspective, the cloud can:

  • Make access to lesson plans, presentations, and other resources easier
  • Allow access to resources anywhere with an internet connection – i.e. outside of school
  • Enable simpler marking if students can upload work to the cloud

For students, benefits include:

  • Easy access to resources outside of lessons and school, which could aid with homework and revision
  • Use of cloud-based learning apps via smartphones, tablets, and laptops
  • Simpler sharing of work or presentations with teachers and classmates

From the point of view of schools, cloud computing makes sense because it’s a cheaper solution to on-premise data storage and networks. All that’s needed is a reliable internet connection; there’s no need to invest in hardware and software, and regular maintenance isn’t required like it is with on-premise servers. Compared to hosted data storage, cloud computing also tends to be less expensive.

Another benefit of cloud computing is that it can make textbooks available online, reducing costs for schools. This could also benefit students if they’re required to purchase their own copies, which is common in university. Electronic copies of textbooks tend to be cheaper, which is particularly useful if editions and curriculum are updated regularly.

The future of technology in the classroom could see students and teachers working from e-books rather than physical textbooks, but cloud computing is the first step in this direction.

We’ll resume the discussion in part 2!

This content is provided from the ever-excellent Avocor blog.

Want to learn more?

Complete IT Systems have a team of Avocor specialists on hand to demo the solution, discuss business benefits and help you understand how the technology works for your organisation. There’s also a great range of resources available on the Avocor blog.

Give us a call on 01274 396 213 or use our contact form to discuss your requirements with us.

 

Balancing mobility and productivity with business security

The workplace is a rapidly changing landscape, being driven by technology and working habits. Long gone are the days where employees are tethered to their desks.

In the modern workplace, there’s an ever-growing need for fully networked print and scan technology. However, these sophisticated devices bring with them new security risks. And with the GDPR regulations having taken effect in May 2018, there is now the risk of tough fines for breaches and insufficient protection of office data.

Challenges that our customers are facing in this area include:

  • Confidential information left unattended on printers or scanners, and potentially risking unauthorised people getting access to it
  • Vulnerable networks – businesses are exposed to threats as data exposure due to non-secure networks
  • Internal threats – data can end up in the wrong hands via disgruntled workers or careless handling of content

Canon Office Security is a comprehensive solution for businesses seeking to keep their data safe and adopt resilient information security protocols. The Canon solutions include small-to-medium sized businesses out-of-box security solutions to improve the security in their office.

So regardless of the size of your business, we are able to offer you a solution that consists of a range
of single function scanners to multifunctional devices and software applications backed up by our
services that allow you to:

  • Control the access to devices through user authentications
  • Protect documents with secure print or PDF encryption
  • Manage your print & scan policy giving unique permissions to either individuals or groups

Need some help or want to find out more?

As Canon Authorised Partners, Complete IT Systems are able to offer you leading guidance on your organisation’s print environment to achieve best value for money, results and reliability.

Give us a call today on 01274 396 213 or email  to talk to one of our print specialist team.