In 2012, we achieved the following goals:

• Increased company size by employees by 100%
• Completed several professional websites
• Entered into the field of system integration with a low-voltage emphasis
• Helped various businesses with their initial phone/network/wiring setup
• Increased customer base versus 2011

Again, all these were only possible because of YOU, the client!  We are looking forward to continue to serve you with professionalism and excellence in this coming year.  There are guaranteed to be many new computer products and gadgets to be released in 2013, so check back with us to stay afloat concerning the latest IT trends.

Happy New Year!

From Ace, Matt, Christine, Avery, and Joab (Your Vital Computer Services Team)!

Here’s the main external parts of your computer you should clean on a regular basis and how to go about doing so. We recommend that you exercise caution when opening the case to your computer and not to just go in and clean willy-nilly. Some internal components are incredibly fragile and you could render your computer useless.

Keyboard Most people naturally rest one hand on the keyboard, this near constant contact means oil and dirt from your fingers will be transferred to the keys, causing a buildup of grime overtime. You may also find other nasties like crumbs get under the keys and can potentially hinder the operation of the keys.

The best way to clean a keyboard is by using compressed air, which can be found at any store that sells computers or computer parts. When cleaning, hold your keyboard upside down and blow the air into the spaces inbetween the keys. Sir Isaac Newton’s good friend gravity will take care of the rest.

If you have grime on the keys, you can use a number of methods to remove it. The most popular is to use distilled, denatured isopropyl alcohol - commonly called electronics cleaner - and a lint-free cloth. Dip the cloth in the alcohol and gently rub it over the keys, you’ll be amazed at how much gunk will come off. For spaces in between the keys, use a cotton swab/Q-tip.

Before you attempt to clean the keyboard, be sure to unplug it from your computer. If you use a laptop, turn it off and disconnect the power cord. Whatever you do, don’t spray or splash liquid on the keyboard this will likely cause it to stop working. You should take care not to use bleach, acetone, ethyl alcohol, acid or pure water. While these liquids will clean the keyboard, some tend to eat through plastic, or just straight up ruin anything electrical; best to avoid them.

Mouse Once your keyboard is spic-and-span, it’s time to look at your mouse. As with the keyboard, unplug it before you clean it. For mice with trackballs, flip them over and undo the cover that keeps the ball in place - usually achieved by turning the cover clockwise - take the ball out and gently scrape any lint or gunk off the rollers on the side of the area where the ball is housed.

For optical mice, using a Q-tip/cotton swab dipped in isopropyl alcohol to gently wipe down the mouse will work wonders.

Monitor Monitors, regardless of style, are dust and fingerprint magnets. To clean your monitor: turn it off unplug it, and run a lint-free cloth over the glass in a circular motion. If it’s really dirty, glass cleaner can be used. However, be warned that industrial glass cleaner will remove the anti-glare coating on the monitor, so look for a glass cleaner that’s safe to use on monitors instead - it should say so on the bottle.

Connector cables Cables are often the most neglected part of a computer, normally because they are black and it’s near impossible to see the dirt. Any Mac user who has had a laptop for a number of years can attest that the once white charging cord isn’t as white as it was when brand new. To clean any cable, first disconnect it from the power source. Use a cloth or Q-tip/cotton swab dampened in your, by now, good cleaning friend, denatured isopropyl alcohol, to clean the cable.

If the connector ports of the cable are dirty, don’t go dipping them in any liquid, this will likely ruin them. Instead, look for isopropyl rubbing pads, which have been dipped in a 99% isopropyl alcohol solution. If the isopropyl alcohol you have used for cleaning the other components is 99%, you can also use a cotton swab dipped in this solution. Just be careful not to apply any force and ensure the connector dries quickly.

Inside the case If you have a desktop, with a tower, chances are there’s a fair amount of dust inside the computer. This dust can slow components down, decrease the computers cooling ability and has, if left unabated, been known to be the cause of electrical fires.

Companies that have rented their computers from a vendor, or have machines still on warranty should not open the case, as they will void the warranty. If you feel the internal components need to be cleaned, contact your vendor and ask if they can come and clean your systems.

If you’re more of a do-it-yourself person, you can open the case to clean inside. Be sure to unplug ALL cords and when you lift the case off keep your hand on the metal frame. Be careful to touch NO COMPONENTS as a static shock could ruin them. Touching the metal part of the case should ground you. After that, you can use compressed air to blow the dust out of the case. You may want to do this away from the area where your computer is, as there can be a lot of dust.

After you have your computer case back on, plug in everything and start your showroom clean computer up. You may even notice it runs faster, or at the very least looks good. If you feel it’s time for a computer clean-up and have any questions then please contact us.

I oftentimes ask clients and friends alike a very simple question: "What is the current anti-virus you are using?"  I also often marvel at the responses I sometimes get when I ask such a question.  Over 50% of the responses are that the person simply does not know what anti-virus software they are using, or if they even have one.  Yes, over 50%.  The other 45% say they use a free anti-virus or an anti-virus of a lower quality because "someone told them that it was good".  In this day and age, this is simply unacceptable if you truly want to be protected.  Most virus creators these days are getting creative enough to make their virus appear as if it is an actual virus protection program!  So how will you know the difference if you don't even know the name of the anti-virus you're supposed to be using?  These rogue anti-virus programs, as they are named, will hijack your system and try to convince you that you are extremely infected (which, infact, is somewhat true) and that you must purchase their program to clean your computer up and restore your files (which, infact, is flat out theft).  Therefore, at Vital CS we are partners with ESET Security Solutions for Home and Business users alike.  They have a well-regarded reputation of being at the top of their industry, and will keep you secure and safe in all of your internet endeavors.  We highly recommend their product if you currently do not have a subscription to another product, if you do not have a current anti-virus, or are using a free program.  Free programs simply do not cut it, as they will not be able to stay current with virus and malware trends.

Be also informed, that some anti-virus products do not come equipped with a firewall.  A firewall can either be software-based or hardware-based and is used to help keep a network secure from intrusion.  An example of a software firewall is the Windows integrated Windows Defender.  This will protect an individual client from intrusion on an application layer basis.  An example of a hardware firewall is a Sonicwall TZ 200.  The difference between a hardware and software firewall, is that the hardware firewall can protect an entire network from intrusion, and operates at the data and network layers, rather than waiting to deal with information at the application layer.  Software firewalls are usually free, or included in your purchase of an anti-virus software, where hardware firewalls can be rather costly, and are most efficiently used in a business scenario with sensitive data stored on their network.  This does not mean that if your business uses a hardware firewall that your client workstations should not use a software firewall.  Infact, by using both, you have substantially increased your protection network-wide.  In short, you must have a firewall enabled!

Stay protected!

First and foremost, we've probably all heard a friend or an colleague make a suggetsion about a brand or type of tech product that we should purchase.  You might even trust this friend or acolleague very well.  Everybody has preferences, no doubt, but in the world of technology there are products that are simply better than others, regardless of preference.  You must assume, therefore, the role of a detective when looking for your next IT purchase, whether it be phone, PC, laptop, router or service provider, or any other tech related product.  Don't take your friend's word alone, research the product!  Find out what the pros and cons of each potential purchase are, what brands are trending up and trending down, and ensure that the item you are looking to purchase is compatible with the rest of your technology system/network.  Doing these simple steps will help guide you towards victory in this information war!

Secondly, no one would possibly think of buying paint from a food store, or hardware for repairing a deck from a sewing store.  In the same way, you should never buy a computer from anything other than a computer store!  There are many retailers who have started carrying computers and computer related peripherals because they know they can find a buyer.  Don't be that buyer, because often times computers from such stores have little or no warranty available, and are often after-market brands which have a reputation for breaking quickly due to cheap parts.  An example of a place where you should buy a computer would be Microcenter or Fry's.  These are places that specialize in the industry, and will be properly equipped to assist you should you have a problem or question with your purchase.

I hope that these two tips will cause you to be more prepared to make your next tech purchase.  Just remember that many retail stores will attempt to sell you what they want you to have, rather than what you really need.  Don't be fooled thinking that the larger price tag means better quality in all cases, either.  Be wise, and informed, and you have nothing to fear in the information war.

IT-Related Risk: The net mission impact considering (1) the probability that a particular threat-source will exercise (accidentally trigger or intentionally exploit) a particular information system vulnerability and (2) the resulting impact if this should occur. IT-related risks arise from legal liability or mission loss due to—

1. Unauthorized (malicious or accidental) disclosure, modification, or destruction of information
2. Unintentional errors and omissions
3. IT disruptions due to natural or man-made disasters
4. Failure to exercise due care and diligence in the implementation and operation of the IT system

In order to prepare for such situations, a business owner would need have what is known as a "risk assessment".  This is where a reputable IT company, such as Vital Computer Services, comes into a business space and quantifies the above mentioned points to gage how much IT risk is evident and how it can be mitigated.  Many common ways that IT risk can be mitigated is through proper use of on and off-site backups, correct network infrastructure and routing, high profile anti-virus and firewall softwares in place, mail security profiles, and disaster recovery plans.  Identifying the risk is the easy part, however managing such risk in a rapidly developing technological society such as ours should definitely be left to professionals; we find that many office managers and business owners still attempt to do this on their own. 

If you believe your business has IT risks that haven't been accounted for, there's no time like today.  Most small business, roughly 75% to be exact, last no longer than a week when and IT risk becomes and outage and isn't addressed.  That's a startling statistic.  Nonetheless, this can be avoid by taking action to make sure your business is ahead of the trend in reference to IT.  Don't be afraid to reach out and inquire for a quote about what an IT maintenance system/program costs for you.  It costs nothing to talk to us, but it could cost you thousands by not talking to us.

At Vital Computer Services we strive to be on the sharp edge of technology knowledge. This is one of the reasons that you see us creating these blog articles. Hey, we have to keep up with the rapidly changing scape of technology in order to present our clients with the best fitting solutions.

It's amazing how many solutions are available to help streamline a company these days... Let's face it though, a solid infrastructure is critical for building anything and therefore the same is true with building your business. I would like to point out that the technological infrastructure of a business is absolutely critical for efficiency, productivity, and profitability.

In order to achieve this kind of excellence, you need someone who knows what solutions are out there! You also need someone who knows how to shop for these solutions and who will negotiate on your behalf with various vendors. Vital Computer Services is your place to rest, we will help you assess and plan your next move for the betterment of your business.

So the image you're seeing above is of me (Asaph) with my Cisco study material... Preparing for new certifications. What a joy because as you can see we are constantly growing in the knowledge that it takes to alleviate the challenges that our customers may face in the future.