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May 19th, 2013
Does Your Computer Have a Virus?

Computer RepairsHow Can You Tell When Your Computer Has A Virus?

 

For typical computer users, there are three common signs that indicate a potential computer virus. These signs are generally easy to detect, but often many users ignore the signs until it is too late.

Computer Start-up is Slower Than Normal

Most users can tell when their computer is starting slower than normal because they know how long it normally takes for their computer to complete the start-up process. If computer users notice that their computer is taken twice as long or even longer to start-up, a virus might be the source of the problem.

Multiple Advertisement Popup Windows

When computer users are overwhelmed with advertisement popup windows that continuously appear no matter how many times the users close the popup windows, the most likely source for the problem is a virus or related issue such as spyware or malware.

Cannot Connect To The Internet

If computer users are unable to connect to the Internet or their connection is constantly lost, many times the problem can be linked to a computer virus. In addition, the odds of an Internet connection problem being related to a virus increases significantly when the source of the problem cannot be traced to a gateway, ISP, or modem issue.

For most computer users, the fight against computer viruses is a never-ending fight. However, if infected, knowing the signs of a virus can help users increase the chance of saving their computers from a computer virus.

Topic Article, Cloud Computing, Computer Repairs
May 14th, 2013
Disaster Recovery in Las Vegas

Computer RepairsIt is a normal Tuesday night, work is going well and your computers seem to be functioning well.  You haven’t really even thought about them for a while, and then a power surge hits them or the computer dies.  There were all sorts of files that need to be recovered.  This could be months worth of work lost forever.  What can you do?

The first thing you need to do is determine if your issues are from a single instance disaster like power or water or an Operating System / Virus disaster.  If you computer can still turn on and the data all seems to be missing, it is not the power supply, obviously.

Rather than telling you it would have been better if you would have had a data recovery system in place, which you surely understand at the moment if you are dealing with massive data loss, we want to help you take a breath and realize all may not be lost.  With the proper recovery software and hardware, much of your lost data can be retrieved if you have the physical hard drive you know the data should be on.  If it was damaged in a fire and all the data was on premise, there is obviously very little that can be done if the hard drive was melted in the fire.

For those looking for a data recovery solution, it is critical to realize the size of your system needs to be in alignment to your needs.  A single user may be able to get away with a Dropbox kind of solution.  For Enterprise customers, that will not work.

We are happy to discuss the particulars of your situation and see if we can help you recover your lost data.  Give us a call to set up a free consultation in Las Vegas today!

Topic Computer Repairs, Data Backup, General Tech, Hardware
April 24th, 2013
The Benefits of Hiring a Managed IT Firm in Las Vegas

PerformanceReducing Downtime with Managed IT Services

Keeping business operations running smoothly is paramount to the success of any organization, large or small. Customers look to the reliability of web sites and software platforms to determine how trustworthy and reputable a business is in other areas. Fair or not, web presence is the most visible part of a business to most consumers.  If your applications are on The Cloud and used to interface with clients, it becomes critical to have a solid IT company at your back because you can’t hide when the systems are down!Hiring a managed IT service organization is a great way to ensure business continues as usual. When the unexpected happens, it helps to have someone on-call who can take care of the problem and continue business operations as soon as possible.

Instead of relying on a single IT person to fix business problems, hiring a managed IT service allows an organization to focus on the business and not on the technicalities. With a large staff waiting to optimize servers and repair critical systems as problems occur, business downtime is kept to an absolute minimum. By keeping hardware in-house and hiring a wide variety of technology experts, these firms ensure the job is done right the first time.

Imagine an IT failure from a customer’s perspective – they may not be able to purchase the products they want, and worse, the business’s reputation is tarnished. Managed IT services are really the best way to reduce downtime and keep the solid reputation your business deserves.

Topic (Tech) Business Continuity, Business Continuity, Cloud Computing, Computer Repairs
April 18th, 2013
IT Solutions in Las Vegas – Where to Start

PerformanceThe Best Solutions Come from Knowing the Best Options

Good business involves a devoted effort to constantly maximizing benefits while minimizing costs. Technology is a key component of this equation, affecting nearly every part of your business process from employee support and productivity to manufacturing and inventory handling to product delivery and customer service.

The best solutions come from being able to evaluate the best options — not just by knowing specific information about separate programs, but also to be able to envision how separate programs can work together as a unified system to meet your goals. You may know all the ins and outs of what your business needs, but do you have the technological expertise to weigh all the details of available software packages: their requirements, advantages and risks, as well as employee useability and how different packages might interact together? You may have your own tech support staff that can get all the software details, but do they have the in-depth understanding of your business to see places of opportunity where improvements can be made with available options instead of only being able to judge effectiveness by how well they support “business as usual?”

An expert in IT solutions for business can give you this vision so that you can see all your options and map out where you want your business to go and the best route to get there. Few investments can have such a profound impact on day-to-day activities that ultimately translate to a better bottom line, so it is a strategic partnership well worth your consideration.

Topic Tech Tips
April 13th, 2013
Computers Driving You Crazy?
Tired of Fixing Your Own Computers Yet?

Tired of Fixing Your Own Computers Yet?

If you run a business here in Las Vegas and your computer room looks more like spaghetti with wires running everywhere and your computers are all slow and seem to get disconnected, surprisingly, you are not alone.  Often the business owner is good enough with computers where they can get a network running when they are in the initial stages and trying to save money.  Eventually, there is more business and the owner has less time to keep the new computers going strong and next thing you know, the whole situation is a bit of a disaster.

ITS can rescue your business from doing its own IT!

Have the peace of mind of calling a qualified IT tech whenever you have computer problems.  We have an actual helpdesk with Microsoft certified computer technicians.  We spend all of our time on computers, so this is our business.  You can work on what got your business to the place where there were 5 or 10 people all complaining about slow computers and substandard quality.  If you are an accountant, you can focus on taxes and building your business.  If you are a hotel, you can improve your guest experience.  We take the pain out of IT and make it so you can again work to build your business rather than get frustrated by your computers!

Give us a call if you would like a free network assessment where we can show you simply how our monthly plans can simplify your budgets as well as improving the customer experience you deliver to your clients!

Topic (Tech) Business Intelligence, Business Continuity, Cloud Computing, Computer Repairs, General Tech, Hardware
April 12th, 2013
Business Data Lines – Too Slow for VoIP?

PerformanceIf you have a small business that has multiple phone lines and you tend to get spotty calls during the busiest times of the day, it is likely you have a data speed issue.  When you have 10 or 15 employees all using the internet and then you notice that calls are really “choppy” then you likely have an issue with speed.  Sometimes companies will try to solve the riddle by simply getting a larger bandwidth on their internet.  This solves the problem, of course, but may cost an extra $500 or $1000 per month.

Are there any other solutions?

If you have a problem with the phone quality of your VoIP line in Las Vegas, maybe you do have a data issue, or maybe the problem could be somewhere else in the stream of IT.  If you allow all your employees to stream video, you are taking up huge amounts of bandwidth there.  The same holds true for video Skype and Pandora.  Any streaming media should be closely monitored.  You can install a firewall to prevent the main offenders (YouTube, Facebook, Pandora, Rhapsody, Skype, Hulu, etc..) from being accessed.  The firewall will also tell you which employee is looking at what sites.

A firewall for many Las Vegas clients is a lot more cost effective than signing a new data contract for a T3/T5 line.  If you need a professional to take a look at your computers, we’d be happy to do a free network health check if your business has 5+ computers on-site!

Topic Uncategorized
March 26th, 2013
Getting the Best Business Internet Deal in Las Vegas

Info Highway

Low Cost T1, T3 or T5 Data Lines in Las Vegas!

Are you opening up a new office in Las Vegas or looking at your data costs currently for your business.  Maybe you have a T1, a T3 or a T5 data connection and wanted top cut your costs or improve your reliability.

Intelligent Technical Solutions has a nationwide deal to get data in Las Vegas cheap.  The best news for you, we are located right here in Las Vegas.  You don’t have to call Cox or whoever does your current data plan if there are issues and deal with their helpdesk, you can call us locally if there are any problems.  We can meet up with you onsite to discuss your data needs and see if there is already an adaquate data line in your building or if one would need to be established.  We can often get the wholesale data providers to finance the data line because they want full coverage all over Las Vegas.

If you need a T1 in Las Vegas, a T3 or a T5 data line for your business, give Intelligent Technical Solutions a call today!

Topic Hardware, Internet Social Networking and Reputation Management, Internet – Social Networking and Reputation Management
March 20th, 2013
Choosing a Solid Cloud Based Email

render of a five step software development processAre you considering migrating to a cloud based Email to help reduce the costs of your server and hosting accounts for your in-house Email solution?  If you are, there are a few key things you need to consider before the migration to the new system.

  • What is the new provider’s security protocol?  What are their encryption policies?
  • Who do you call if the server crashes?  Have you tried calling that line to see how long it really takes to get to a real person?
  • What will you use for your Email client?  Does it integrate with your other software?
  • Will training be required for staff on the new Email system?

Like every technology decision, where you choose to host your Email is a major IT decision.  You want to make sure you have experts who can help ensure you have the right solution as well as the right SLA.

Please give us a call if you are looking to migrate your Email to a cloud based system!

Topic Uncategorized
March 4th, 2013
Three Good Reasons to Migrate to the Cloud

Three reasons a Las Vegas company should invest in The Cloud

There are many myths and half-truths surrounding the idea of The Cloud. These rumors can be found among the employees and customers of many Las Vegas area businesses. This is because many don’t understand the significance of this technology. The truth is that The Cloud is helping the world of business by creating a new and exciting environment. There are many reasons to adopt The Cloud. Below are just three to help you decide.

1. It is a time-tested tech

The truth is that The Cloud is built on stable technology that has been in use for at least a decade. Since the World Wide Web became a commercial force in the mid 1990s, consumers have used many instances of The Cloud. These range from web-based email services to online multiplayer games. The Cloud is what these services are built on and are highly successful.

2. A company can use The Cloud to expand

When a company is looking to expand, each business has to pay attention to resources and capital. The more of each it has, the easier it is for a company to plan for the future. The Cloud can help a company save on resources and capital in one area so they can be used in another. Since there is no longer a reason to invest in digital hardware, resources typically reserved for this can be used in new and unique ways.

3. Any hardware can be used to access The Cloud

When saving resources, it is good to see what your company already owns. Each piece of hardware that belongs to the company can be used to access The Cloud. The Cloud can also be used on any mobile device that an employee already owns. This will help pave the way to the future.

Do you have any more questions about The Cloud? Give Intelligent Technical Solutions a call today.

Topic Cloud Computing
February 28th, 2013
Business Efficiency and the Cloud

Cloud Computing WordcloudThe Cloud can help a Las Vegas company become efficient

Doesn’t every company want their employees to be more efficient? In the buildings and businesses around Las Vegas, this idea is echoed in how employees work and play. The Cloud can help make your company a more efficient and lean business, creating an atmosphere where employees want to work. Since The Cloud isn’t tied down to any specific type of hardware, an employee can go anywhere to work. This helps bump up productivity inside the company and keeps all employees on track to an efficient workplace.

This doesn’t mean The Cloud will replace a traditional office environment. On the contrary, it will enhance it and make office business easier for everyone involved. The Cloud will help employees that might transfer in from other departments and branches, or those transferring to other parts of the company. Since The Cloud offers updates of software across the entire company, there is no need to retrain these employees that move around the business. If your company is small, this will help your employees work even if they are on a business trip. If your company is large, this can help employees that come from other states or other countries.

The Cloud isn’t about employees just having access to the same files, it is about these employees understanding and being trained on the all the right software. Every employee needs to have the right tools to do their jobs. The Cloud allows you to give these employees the tools no matter where they are or where they come from. The Cloud helps a company strengthen their business while preparing for the future. It transforms your company from a stodgy business stuck in old thinking in to a lean and efficient machine.

The Cloud is a new technology that can help your company. What questions do you have about The Cloud? We’d love to answer. Contact Intelligent Technical Solutions today for more information.

Topic Uncategorized
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