ATECH MSP Blog

Computer problems aren’t just annoying, they are a major impediment to a business’ overall productivity. There are several common problems that can slow down your computer, each with its own signs, causes, and fixes. This month we’re going to look at some of these problems and what the solutions are for them.

Keeping track of your business’ technology is very important for smooth operations and long-term success. You need to monitor every piece of your technology to avoid wasting money and facing security issues. A good inventory system helps you know what technology you have, where it's being used, and when it needs maintenance or replacement. This ensures your team has the right tools when they need them, which helps boost productivity and growth.

Now that smart mobile devices are a mainstay in business, the landscape will never be the same again. Your organization needs to have a plan to acquire, manage, maintain, and secure these devices. Businesses generally choose either Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) or Corporate-Owned, Personally Enabled (COPE), depending on their needs.

Keeping track of your organization’s technology can actually be more difficult than you may think. First of all, most businesses aren’t that worried about their technology as long as it works as designed. Secondly, technology tends to move in and out of an organization pretty fast. In this month’s newsletter, we are going to go into some steps you need to take to get a handle on your technology inventory.

If you've been in the market for upgrading your hardware, be it a new graphics card, CPU, or even a laptop, you might have experienced something alarming: soaring prices. The once-stable cost of computer hardware has been inflated recently, leaving consumers frustrated that they can't find the hardware they are looking for at reasonable prices. Let's briefly go into what's causing this unprecedented spike in hardware prices and how we can help you navigate through it.

When evaluating your business assets, it's essential to prioritize technology. Let's briefly go into the reasons why this is important and explore effective management strategies your business can roll out to improve your operations.

Selecting the right servers for your business is extremely important and can either promote optimal performance, reliability, and security of your business computing; or it can present nothing but problems. Today, we will go through six tips to help you make good decisions about servers for your business.

All businesses depend on the Internet in at least some capacity, and it’s so commonplace and accessible these days that people often take it for granted. However, a lot of work goes into making sure that the infrastructure you know as the Internet remains accessible and operational. Let’s go over the hardware you’ll need to ensure you stay connected.

Your IT is a big deal, even if you don’t think it is. Managing IT is indeed a substantial and often complex responsibility that can be more extensive than some business owners initially realize. It demands your attention, and not just because you pay for it, but because a properly managed IT strategy can have major benefits for your business. A realistic perspective can go a long way toward setting you up for success. Let’s outline some ways your business can lose control over its technology budget.

In recent years, educational institutions have widely adopted the regular use of laptops in the classroom, and with budgets being a pressing concern for many of these institutions, the cost-sensitive nature of Chromebooks make them an excellent option… at least, that would be the assumption. However, this is not the case in the slightest, as the software that powers these devices regularly reaches its end of life, despite the hardware being perfectly capable of more.

Any business that utilizes technology is sure to accumulate wasted materials over time, whether it’s a drawer full of old chargers or a room full of old, outdated workstations. To make sure that they don’t land themselves in a landfill, you should make a conscious effort to recycle and reuse your old technology in some way. Here are some options to consider.

Small businesses create a lot of waste. Fortunately, many are taking responsible steps to ensure that their old technology doesn't end up in landfills. Let’s explore what small businesses do with their technology once it's thrown away and how they contribute to a more sustainable future.

Scaling your business' technology infrastructure is crucial for sustainable growth. With the right strategies and tools in place, you can effectively optimize your operations and enhance productivity. Let’s delve into key approaches and considerations when it comes to scaling your business' technology.

Without hardware, where would your business be right now? You can’t run your mission-critical applications and software without devices to host them on. You need to do all you can to ensure it stays in a proper state, but there will always eventually come a time when you cannot sustain it any longer and need to upgrade.

Here’s what you need to know about your hardware refresh cycle, including what it is, what you can do with one, and how to plan it out.

The growth that digital storage has seen over the past several decades is immense. In that time most data has been stored on hard disk drives (HDD). Now with solid-state drives (SSD) being more affordable than ever, it’s no surprise that most computers are preferring this faster and less fragile model. Today, we wanted to highlight that fragility and try to expose some variables that help you tell if your HDD is about to fail. 

HP has been taking steps to disable any ink cartridges that they didn’t produce from working in their printers, much to the disapproval of users everywhere. Let’s go over what this means, both in terms of the backlash as well as what it means for your business.

Apple has long been a key part of the technology industry, producing quality hardware year after year. Although Apple tends to produce sleek and high-end hardware running its proprietary operating systems, these devices are far from perfect and were especially controversial at certain points in the past.

We live in an era of upgrades. Consider how often people upgrade their smartphone. Do you give the same care and attention to your business’ technology? Oftentimes users ignore the signs that it is time for an upgrade even when they are crystal clear, just saying to themselves, “I’ll get by just fine.”’ This is not the mentality that will help you move beyond your current productivity. You need to be able to identify when older devices are holding you back and take steps toward replacing them with better, more powerful ones.

The next time you’re near a desktop, take a peek at the back where the motherboard’s various ports offer the opportunity to connect to different cable types. Many of these cables have overlapping functions—like the capabilities of USB and HDMI. Having said that, however, one of these cables will probably outlast its contemporary.

When it comes to procuring new technology solutions for your business, what is your preferred method of doing so? If you haven’t thought about it, perhaps you should start. Gartner predicts a major decrease in PC shipments for the remainder of 2022. This has significant implications for any technology user, but this is especially true for business owners who might need to consider hardware refreshes in the near future.