Preferred Computer Solutions Newsletter September 2007

March 2008
In this issue

√ When the Economy
Slows
√ Turn off PC at Night?
√ Broadband Blues
√ Protect Your Data

4 Tips for Troubleshooting your Broadband Blues
by Kim Komando
Reprinted with permission
from the Microsoft Small Business Center

Many small-business owners shell out big bucks for high-speed Internet access. The savings in time are usually rewarded with higher productivity.

If your high-speed system happens to be running slower than a clogged drain, don't complain just yet. Before you pay for an expensive in-office visit from your Internet service provider's tech support, here are four things you should consider.

1. Know your speed. You can sit at your computer with a stopwatch to see how long it takes to connect to your favorite Web site. But this is not a very good indication of download speed. Believe me, I've tried it. There are too many variables involved. I suggest you call the ISP and ask. The ISP probably can check download speeds on your line remotely. The number you get from the technician will probably be a best case figure; real-world Internet traffic can be bogged down.

When the Economy Slows

When our economy slows down, and people talk about recession, business owners and managers look much closer at ways to save money and increase efficiency. While there are many ways that this can be accomplished, we would like to concentrate on two of them. Why you should not run your business on neglected technology and Preferred Technology Solutions NetManage managed care programs. We all know how important our companies information is, but the fact of the matter is that not every firm treats their technology infrastructure as they should. Many neglect their infrastructure. And a neglected infrastructure is not a good infrastructure. A quality infrastructure can help firms become more productive, reduce risk and also help streamline operations, thus reducing costs. If you are in a management position, you should be asking yourself how good is the infrastructure that you are running your company on and what would happen if it went down or worse yet, you lost all of your data? PTS can help you analyze your technology so you know it’s current status.

On the support side, there are times when having an in-house technical staff is required. And there are times when it is better to outsource to a highly certified firm like PTS. For those who do not require an in-house it staff, PTS NetManage managed care program has been proven to help reduce IT support costs, increase efficiencies and reduce business risk. We ask you to act on our offer. Please allow PTS to discuss your current infrastructure with you as well as how it is being supported. Allow us to discuss the ways that we can help you reduce costs, reduce business risk, streamline operations and become more productive.

Do You Need to Turn Off Your PC at Night?
by Monte Enbsyk
Reprinted with permission from the Microsoft Small Business Center

For many years now, I've been shutting off my computer at night. But I'm now convinced you can leave your computer on at night and still conserve as much energy.
If you're a Windows user (Windows XP, Windows 2000, Windows Me), just set up your PC to "hibernate" overnight. "Hibernate" powers down your monitor to about 5 watts of energy and your PC to 2.3 watts -- virtually the same as turning your PC off (your monitor uses zero watts when turned off; more on this below).

Either way, you save as much as $90 a year in power costs compared to a PC left on with a 3D screen saver running.

"Well, duh. Welcome back from the Disco Era," many of you are thinking. You already knew all this.

Maybe so, but the question keeps coming up, year after year: Should you shut your computer down at night or leave it running?

Preserve and Protect Your Data

Summary
As the amount of data being created continues to increase, and that info is accessed and shared by more people, SMBs can't afford to ignore the need for data protection.

Small and medium businesses are powered by information.
Should your business lose that information or even suffer an interruption in access, it can have serious consequences. When it comes to protecting their electronic data, some SMBs feel they are at a disadvantage because they lack the large budgets and dedicated IT staff that many large enterprises enjoy.

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