DESlock - Encrypt your valuable data!

What is DESlock+?

DESlock+ is a simple to use, encryption application for companies and organisations of all shapes and sizes.  This software protects your data and helps your organisation comply with government encryption requirements.

Encryption is the process of encoding information in such a way that only authorised persons can read it. Therefore encryption is essentially an additional layer of data security, even in the event that your laptop is stolen, encrypted data is worthless to a hacker. 

DESlock+ Features:

• Full Disk Encryption
• Removable Media Encryption
• DESlock+ Go Portable Encryption
• File and Folder Encryption
• Mail Encryption
• Text and Clipboard Encryption
• Virtual Disks and Compressed Archives
• Encryption Key Management
• Centralised Management
• Enterprise Server Proxy 

Centralised Management: All commands, updates, status requests and responses are posted via the DESlock+ Enterprise Proxy, allowing management of any user or workstation with a standard internet connection. Thus, allowing you to maintain control of remote workstations with ease. DESlock+ also allows for remote management where the encryption policy can be changed without user interaction, encryption keys can be added or removed, full disk encryption can be started and users may be recovered or reset.

DESlock+ Go Portable Encryption: DESlock+ Go is an on-device application which runs straight from the USB stick, needs no install and, with the right password allows the user to edit, read and write encrypted documents on any PC. On top of this DESlock+ can also protect USB sticks and other removable media with full disk or file level encryption. Full integration with key management system ensures fast, silent operation.

File and Folder Encryption: This feature allows you to choose the files and folders you want to be encrypted and then all files moved to an encrypted folder will be encrypted automatically.

Mail Encryption: DESlock+ offers transparent email encryption for Outlook through a dedicate plugin, where the email can only be decrypted by recipients who share the same key as the sender.  DESlock+ also works with most text based applications, encrypting and decrypting directly into the active window or via the Windows Clipboard, this form of encryption works with any email client.

Client Side:

Data is a critical part of every organisation, but this most valuable asset often poses a huge risk when it travels or is transmitted beyond the corporate network. Full disk and removable media encryption protect laptop computers against the unexpected. File, folder and email encryption allow fully secure collaboration across complex workgroups and team boundaries, with security policy enforced at all endpoints by the DESlock+ Enterprise Server. Meet your data security compliance obligations with a single MSI package.

Server Side:

The DESlock+ Enterprise server can manage users and workstations together or independently. Activation, and changes to security policy, software feature-set, encryption keys and endpoint status are all handled, securely through the cloud keeping your most high-risk endpoints under close control at all times.  Home and mobile working make extending encryption security policy beyond the perimeter of your network a necessity. Only DESlock+ offers full control wherever your users are.

For more information about DESlock+ call Andy on: 01723 587240

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How to recover an unsaved Microsoft Office Document...

Never worry about losing unsaved changes again!

We've all closed the document we were working on without saving the changes we’d made. And we've probably all had a mild panic when we realised that we hadn't saved our work. So here’s how to recover unsaved edits or even never before saved documents.

To recover recent, unsaved changes to a document follow these steps: 

•  Open the Word document that you were working on, click the ‘file’ tab in the top left of your screen.

• Down the left hand side you should see more tabs, make sure you are on the one labelled 'info'.
• This should give you a page with three headings, under the 'versions' heading it should show you all unsaved versions of the document you have open.

• Click on the version you need and once it opens SAVE IT!!

Alternatively, it is possible to recover a previously unsaved document in the event that you close it without saving it. Here’s how:

• As before open up Microsoft Word, this time just a blank document, and click the 'file' tab in the top left corner.
• From the tabs on the left hand side of the screen, select the 'recent' tab.

• This will show you a list of all the saved documents you have recently opened, and at the very bottom of the screen there is a folder labelled 'recover unsaved documents'. Double click this folder and this should open in a new window.

• In the new window chose the file you need from all your unsaved documents, open it and SAVE IT!!

Both of these methods can be carried out in other Microsoft Office applications, including Publisher and Excel.  

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How can vSphere transform your Business IT?

Vmware vSphere is the industry’s leading and most reliable virtualisation platform. vSphere separates applications and operating systems from the underlying hardware, so that your existing applications see dedicated resources, while your servers can be managed as a pool of resources. The end result is a business that runs on a simpler, more resilient IT environment.

vSphere Key Benefits include:

·         Business Continuity and always-available IT

·         Reduced IT footprint and simplified management

·         Drastically cuts hardware and datacenter running costs

·         Improved service levels and application quality

·         Strengthened security and data protection

vSphere is made up of numerous key components, including:

Vmware ESXi hypervisor architecture – a high performance virtualisation layer, enabling multiple virtual machines to share hardware resources, while maintaining high performance levels.

VMware vCenter Server – providing centralised management and performance monitoring for all virtual machines and vSphere hosts.

VMware vSphere VMFS – a key technology, allowing virtual machines to access shared storage devices and enabling other vSphere components, such as VMware vSphere Storage vMotion.

VMware vSphere Thin Provisioning – enables implementation of a tiered storage strategy and reduce storage spending by up to 50 percent.

VMware vCenter Update Manager – allowing for automated tracking, patching and updating of vSphere hosts, as well as applications and operating systems running in VMware virtual machines.

VMware VMsafe APIs – provides higher levels of security by enabling the use of security products that work in conjunction with the virtualisation layer.

vSphere High Availability – in the event of hardware or operating system failures, vSphere high availability provides cost-effective, automated restart for all applications, within minutes.

vSphere vMotion – eliminates the need to schedule application downtime for server maintenance, as vMotion enables live migration of virtual machines across servers with no disruption or service loss to users.

vSphere Data Protection – enables agent-less backups with built-in deduplication, to provide simple, cost-effective backup and recovery for virtual machines.

vSphere Endpoint – an agent-less antivirus and antimalware protection to keep all your virtual machines secure.

Why vSphere?

With vSphere your business can leverage a comprehensive and cost-effective virtualisation solution to protect your business, reduce your IT footprint and dramatically reduce your IT costs.

For more information contact Andy Potts on 01723 587240.

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Cloud Backup - How can it benefit you?

Cloud backup is increasingly more popular within our current technological environment, so we are taking this opportunity to keep you up to speed with what cloud backup actually is and why there has been an increase in its popularity.

Data Backups

Before cloud backup we relied on local backup, local backup is simply a copy of data to be stored in a different location to the original data, most commonly on tapes or another hard drive. However this form of backup cannot be seen as an effective form of disaster recovery. In order for this to be an effective form of disaster recovery the tapes or hard drives containing the copies need to be stored in a secure offsite location, to ensure that in the event of a fire the copies of your data are not lost along with the originals. This is where cloud backup comes in.

What is Cloud Backup?

Cloud backup or remote backup, as it is also known as, works in the same way as local or tape backup, except that your data is copied to highly secure off site data storage facilities over the internet. This form of backup is completely automatic, thus providing a more effective form of disaster recovery than local backup, due to data being stored offsite.

Why Cloud Backup?

Backup of this type offers a number of benefits to businesses, such as:

·         You only pay for the storage (GBs) you need

·         It offers a large retention period allowing for retrieval of accidentally deleted or modified  files

·         Flexible, limitless storage that can be scaled up or down as you require

·         Backup data can be accessed from any computer, even on the move

·         Backups can be completely automated, no user intervention is required

·         Offsite storage adding an element of disaster recovery

·         Scalability – it can easily adapt to deal with business growth

·         Most online backup services have redundant systems in place, increasing the safety of your  data

If you want to know more about online backup and how it can benefit you, why not give Andy a call on:

01723 587240

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Workplace Recovery - Prepare for the Unexpected

What is Workplace Recovery?

Workplace recovery is designed to prepare your business for the unexpected. Disaster recovery is of critical importance to any business and physical disasters such as fire, floods and lightning strikes are vastly overlooked when it comes to comprising a disaster recovery plan, yet these cause just as much harm to businesses as stolen, lost or broken hardware or data and email outages.

If your business was hit by fire or flood putting your office completely out of use, it will seriously inhibit your ability to trade. Over 70% of businesses involved in a major disaster either never reopen or subsequently fail shortly after reopening due to lack of client confidence or the customers taking their business to a competitor. That equates to one out of two businesses that never return to the marketplace following a major disaster. The businesses that do survive, plan their response to a disaster before it strikes.  Our workplace recovery service is designed to quickly provide you with office space, IT equipment, telephony and most importantly access to your business critical servers and data in order to help your business continue to function. 

Disaster Recovery & Business Continuity

In business, being prepared to respond promptly in the event of a disaster is vital to ensuring you can continue to trade as normal. Without plans in place to deal with emergency situations, the outcome will be devastating to your business. With our workplace recovery service it is easy to keep your business prepared for the unexpected, and your critical operations running as normal.

With one in five businesses suffering a major disruption to business every year, can you afford to be unprepared?  Our workplace recovery service can be completely tailored to meet the specific requirements of your business.

What Practical Networks Workplace Recovery has to offer?

Practical Networks has many years’ experience working with businesses of all shapes and sizes, so you can rest assured that whatever the disaster, we will have your critical operations up and running as quickly as possible.

The Workplace Recovery services on offer include:

•    Access to your business critical data and email
•    High speed internet access with enterprise firewall security.
•    Pre-equipped workstations
•    Dedicated rack space and cooling.
•   Telephony, including DDI and VOIP
•    Secure Server rooms
•     Fax, print and copying
•     Full onsite technical support
•     Easy access and onsite parking
•     Fax, print and copying
•     Meeting rooms
•     Secure storage
•      Kitchen facilities

Expect the Unexpected!

Physical or natural disasters are often overlooked in disaster recovery plans, yet there are a number of events that can put your office out of use such as:

• Fire
• Flood
• Lightning strikes affecting communication
• Theft or vandalism
• Severe weather

Natural disasters can cause a great deal of property damage and often leave some economic damage in their wake. The severity of the aftermath largely depends on the resilience of the affected party.

Reputation, Compliance & Delivery of Service

Customers expect to be able to deal with organisations during normal working hours and any drop in this service can damage the reputation of your business. The inability to operate can have a negative effect on your customers and their likelihood to remain loyal. Also with customers continually expecting more and more from the companies they work with, resilience is an important business trait to have.

A resilient workplace recovery strategy can be an integral element of meeting industry regulations. A number of industry governing bodies require a plan of continuous service and delivery at all times.

Our workplace recovery will help your business reputation stays intact, by ensuring you can maintain critical operations in times of crisis, while also helping you to meet industry regulations.

Is your business prepared for the unexpected? If not, we are on hand to provide a tailor made solution to meet your requirements.  For more information or to discuss your requirements call Andy on: 01723 587240 or email recovery@practicalnetworks.co.uk

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Cryptolocker - Don't Let It Hold You To Ransom

WARNING - RANSOMWARE!

Cryptolocker ransomware is spreading at a rapid rate, with business PC users being a primary target.

What is Cryptolocker?

Cryptolocker is a ransomware that encrypts files and charges a ransom to decrypt them. Below are examples of the prompt given once cryptolocker has taken hold of your files.  

How it spreads:

Cryptolocker spreads in two ways, via email attachments or as a secondary infection.

Email Attachments – Email attachments that require downloading are the primary tool used to spread cryptolocker. The emails often appear to be from a shipping company, for example; UPS, FedEx and Royal Mail, with the attachment portrayed as tracking information. See examples below:

Secondary Infection – PCs that are already affected by one or more viruses are more open to being infected with cryptolocker. This is because viruses offer a back door for further attacks. 

Prevention Advice:

Backup – It is always a good idea to make regular backups of important data, especially in this case. Backups can be set up to prevent the backup of infected files and provide a clear restoration point when files are lost or infected.

Limit – Limit access to important files, as this lessens the chance of them being encrypted.

Update – Maintain updates for your anti-virus, system and applications to keep your PC up to date and patched.

Educate – Make sure everyone in the office is aware of the dangers of phishing emails and suspicious email attachments.

Avoid – Avoid opening attachments you weren't expecting or from unknown sources.

If you would like more information, please do not hesitate to get in touch with us on 01723 587240.

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So What is OneNote?

So what is OneNote?

OneNote is an application designed for note taking, and is often overlooked in favour of Microsoft Word. However OneNote is set apart by its interface, which offers flexibility in the organisation of your notes. The layout is essentially that of a notebook, the pages automatically divide into notebooks, sections, pages and subpages, thus lending itself to easy organisation and reorganisation of vital information. OneNote is designed to allow text to be inputted anywhere on a page, as you would in a hand written notebook.

OneNote may also be seen as a collaboration tool as it also allows users to save images, tables, audio and other forms of communication in a free-form document.  When importing files such as Excel spreadsheets, images or Visio diagrams, OneNote stores a copy of the original file directly to the notebook while also allowing for editing. 

OneNote also saves all notes to your OneDrive online storage account, allowing access from a wide range of devices.

OneNote’s benefits include:

Email linking – Outlook includes a OneNote icon in the ribbon of email messages, allowing you to browse and choose where you would like to save the email within OneNote. This allows for emails to be linked to corresponding projects for ease of access.

Charts & Graphs – OneNote offers its own chart tool or allows you to import charts and graphs from applications such as Excel or Word.

Built in OCR – If you have an image in which you only need the text, paste the image into a OneNote document and choose the copy text from picture option. You will instantly get a plain text version of the text within the image that you can paste into a notebook or word document.

Collaboration – OneNote has a sharing feature which allows multiple users on a network to connect to the same notebook for viewing or editing purposes. Notebooks can have many authors and masses of information, so OneNote automatically highlights recent changes and lists the authors of new material for ease of collaboration.

Information storage and retrieval – OneNote has a built in search feature, which begins displaying results as you type, allowing for quickly locating files. Users can also add keywords to audio and video files in order to aid others in quickly locating and viewing the media. Searches can be altered to span the entire history of the application or to focus on specific notebooks or groups of notebooks.

All of these benefits aid productivity in the work place by allowing a wide range of media and information to be stored, organised and viewed in one place.

So if you have the Microsoft Office Suite, why not try OneNote now? You’ve got it already.

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