A very 21st century problem, we are on the cusp of an information overload. By 2013, humans had produced an estimated 4.4 zettabytes of data and by 2025, that's set to skyrocket to 160 zettabytes each year! To put that into perspective, if Netflix's entire catalogue was streamed more than 3000 times, that would use 1 exabyte of data. A single zettabyte is 1000 exabytes. Our current infrastructure can only handle a small fraction of the oncoming data deluge, and by 2040 it is expected our total data will have consumed all of the world's microchip-grade silicon.

With today's technology, we store most digital archives - ranging from music to satellite images and research files - on magnetic tape. This tape, although cheap, takes up a lot of space and needs replacing every 10 years. According to Victor Zhirnov, chief scientist at the Semiconductor Research Corporation, "Today’s technology is already close to the physical limits of scaling, DNA has an information-storage density several orders of magnitude higher than any other known storage technology."

Just how dense is that exactly? If you formatted every movie ever made into DNA, it would be smaller than the size of a sugar cube and last 10,000 years.

The idea of replacing silicon-chip or magnetic-tape with DNA isn't new, successfully storing Robert Frost's poem "The Road Not Taken", as well as Deep Purples "Smoke on the Water" and a gif of a galloping horse. So if we have successfully use DNA to store data, where is the issue? Cost. DNA-synthesis companies exist, Twist Bioscience for example, charge between 7 and 9 cents per base, meaning a single minute of high quality stereo sound would cost just under $100,000.

With recent molecular data storage breakthroughs, Microsoft plans to have an operational prototype working inside one of its data centres by 2020. Doug Carmean, a partner architect at Microsoft research, said that this storage solution will be offered to "boutique" customers, needing in the gigabyte and petabyte range. Microsoft's long-term goal though, is a much more ambitious and exciting prospect. "We're going after totally replacing tape drives as an archival storage," says Doug Carmean.

With plenty to be excited about in data storage, one thing for certain is this is a modern day problem and we're searching for a 3.8 billion year old solution.

With the almost endless list of ICT support providers out there, where do you start when it comes to finding the right kind of support that fits inline with your business? The answer very much depends on whether or not you're looking to prevent inevitable issues in your I.T or fix the issues when they arise.

What is the difference?

Due to the very nature of technology, things will go wrong. Reactive support is built on the idea of supplying IT help and guidance when things do go wrong; essentially a safety net for when business applications or servers fail. The biggest disadvantage to a reactive support model within businesses is that there is no visibility into an entire IT infrastructure of your business, often resulting in IT teams having to do a lot of digging around to find the root of a problem. Not only does this approach waste valuable time and resources, it also leaves your IT infrastructure open to potential problems caused by human error, which can lead to thousands of dollars wasted.

Prevention is better than a cure, Proactive Support is a support model based on prevention. With proactive IT support, IT support teams provide regular maintenance and constant monitoring of your IT infrastructure, finding Similar to taking a car in for regular services rather then driving it until your brake fails. With a fixed monthly cost, Proactive support makes it easy to budget and shows you exactly where you are spending.

As IT infrastructures become more complex, organisations are opting for the proactive approach to ensure downtime is kept to a minimum, risks are mitigated and problems resolved before they occur. Is the proactive approach best for your company? and we'll find out what will work best for you

Through Xerox's new partnership with PrintReleaf, Managed Print Service (MPS) customers will have the opportunity to contribute to the reforestation of global forests. With the tagline 'You print one, we'll plant one', PrintReleaf is leveraging paper usage reporting to calculate the number of trees needed to reforest that usage.

Xerox customers around the world will be able to sign up for PrintReleaf as an add-on to their Managed Print Service contract. Using an online portal, customers of Xerox will have the unique opportunity to select the managed forestry projects to have their trees planted as well as have access to tracking and reporting on their direct impact on global reforestation efforts.

Sustainability is already a strong core focus of the Fuji Xerox brand and has been integrated into the foundation of their Managed Print Services through the innovative development of Xerox print devices and a recycling program for the consumable components.

"From our Green World Alliance program to the Xerox Print Awareness Tool, we have long been known for our dedication to sustainability," said The vice president of Xerox's Environment, Health, Safety & Sustainability, Wendi Latko. "With PrintReleaf, now we’re able to take that commitment one step further by empowering our MPS customers with an industry certified service that will accelerate and promote their efforts as stewards of the environment."

This newest partnership with PrintReleaf is another means in which Fuji Xerox is working towards a greater environmental responsibility. CEO and Founder of PrintReleaf, Jordan Darragh stated, "Xerox’s roots in sustainability make it an ideal partner for us in our continued work towards a more sustainable planet".

As the only authorised dealer of Fuji Xerox printing devices in the Wide Bay and Burnett region, Widebay IT aligns itself with the same standard of sustainability as Xerox. Our Managed Print solutions are designed from the ground up with sustainability and minimal environmental impact in mind, also minimising our customers costs. If you're interested in how your business can increase it's environmental responsibility and save on costs, call us today on (07) 4152 9066

In an increasingly digital and connected age, our personal details, the information we store in the Cloud even our work lives - these days, it's all online. In a 2016 consumer insights survey, 88% of workers stated it was important that their office remains secure. 60% of workers, unsurprisingly stated said they were concerned about preserving the confidentiality of documents when printing.

When the innovative technology already exists to protect us, why should we worry about our information falling into the wrong hands?

Keeping sensitive documents secure with SecurePrint

When it comes to keeping your information secure, there is a rather simple solution and it's one that every office can do. SecurePrint is a feature available on your Fuji Xerox device, adding extra layers of security by letting you choose the time to print the document and create a 4 digit passcode at the time of printing.

By utilising SecurePrint, the communal office printer becomes your own personal office printer, safe and secure.Protecting your documents with your Multifunction device

Fuji Xerox multifunction printers have a wide range of security features built in and while SecurePrint is revolutionary, it isn't the only way your printer protects you. The following 4 ways are just some of the ways a Fuji Xerox machine can help with document security.

Tap 'n' Go Technology; A powerful solution

These days, an efficient workplace and confidential documents can be attributed to SMEs using outdated technology. With Tap 'n' Go, SMEs have a powerful solution that integrates smart software with printing devices.

Ensure documents remain secure by using a PIN to release print jobs.If the printers go down, your business doesn't go down with them.Improved productivity for both employees and the office, by releasing print jobs at any device, even if it's busy or offline.

I want to start off by pointing that outsourcing I.T isn't a new idea. For years now, businesses and schools have been outsourcing their I.T functions and management, providing themselves with more resources, upgraded technology and a proactive approach towards cost efficiency.

In the past few years, I.T outsourcing has evolved so much that it is no longer just about cost savings. These days, outsourcing your I.T is considered a strategic tool for increasing productivity and a businesses competitiveness. Outsourcing gives you the opportunity to take a step back and consider what is at the core of your business and what could be performed more efficiently.

So, what are the benefits of outsourcing my I.T?

Your capital isn't spent on expensive hardware, giving you the chance for other investmentsEfficient cost managementOperational flexibility is improvedImproved levels of serviceManagement overheads are reducedHave the latest technology and updates with the option to rapidly deploy new capabilitiesMeet your tactical and strategic objectives fasterObtain the skills of highly trained professionals that would otherwise be unaffordable on a full time basisRisk burden is shared and accountability is taken off of you.Re-focusing your priorities onto what your business does best.

Lastly, many small businesses simply cannot afford to match the support services of larger companies. Outsourcing helps small businesses to seem "big" by providing them access to the same scale, efficiency and expertise that larger competitors enjoy, essentially leveling the playing field.

It is an undeniable fact that we live in an age where data is the new currency; Facebook's latest scandal anyone?. Everything and everyone is connected to a data management of sorts. How we manage that data or information can and will drastically affect businesses operations, which is why I.T outsourcing is becoming more important for a businesses sustainability.

The cloud - A tech term that seems to be very trendy as of late and yet, few people can actually explain what 'the cloud' is. What is the cloud? When are we using it? How does it actually benefit my business? All questions we here at Widebay IT receive all too often.

So, what is the cloud exactly?

First and foremost, the cloud is not a physical thing. It is a network of servers, each with its own function. Some servers use computing power to run applications or deliver a service.

As an example, a few years ago Adobe moved their entire creative services offering into a cloud based Software-as-a-Solution (SaaS). This meant, instead of spending money on an expensive suite of programs that comes in a box, you subscribe to each service with a monthly fee.

Then there are other servers in the same network that are responsible purely for storing data.

For example, taking a photo on your phone stores it in the phones internal storage however when you upload that to instagram or facebook, it's stored in their cloud.

Okay, well what are the benefits of working in the cloud?

A businesses decision to move to the cloud, in our experience, in very often financially motivated. Traditionally, companies had to buy their own hardware and equipment. Not only does this have a initial cost but the value of the hardware depreciates quickly. With the cloud however, companies are now able to pay for exactly what they're using. This new model means that its easy and quick to scale up and down as a company grows or shrinks.

This is the main reason 'the cloud' seems to be everywhere today. Not only does it give us all the opportunity to show off how extravagant our lunch is but it also helps companies save thousands of dollars every year.

If all that data is in the cloud, how big IS the cloud?

This is an interesting question we get asked all the time and the honest answer is, No one knows exactly just how much space cloud based services such as Google or facebook can offer; however according to this infographic, around 1 Exabyte, which is such a huge number without visual representation, it's hard to picture.

Summing it all up. The cloud is a network of servers with varying uses from computing power to storage solutions. The main selling point for businesses switching to the cloud is the scalability and cost savings associated with the service. If this is something you're interested in hearing more about to speak to one of our professionals about moving your business into the cloud and we'll show you just how much you could benefit.

ACCC chairman Rod Sims has stated that consumer broadband issues will be a major focus this year. The communications watchdogs will be continuing to focus on NBN speed advertising.

On Tuesday, 20th February, Rod Sims publicly spoke and warned NBN retailers that the ACCC are going to be getting involved when consumers are not provided speeds they are paying for. With recent enforcement action from the ACCC, Telstra, Optus and TPG were forced to refund tens of thousands of NBN customers.

During his speech, Rod said "Consumer issues in the provision of broadband services, including addressing misleading speed claims and statements made during the transition to the NBN, have become one of the ACCC's most prominent issues in the past two years and highlights the importance of both our consumer and competition focus"

"The first report of the ACCC's Measuring Broadband Australia program will be released shortly, and our commitment to truth in advertising related to broadband speeds is making it easier for Australians to choose a service provider."

"You have seen a number of ACCC enforcement actions in 2017, and can expect further interventions this year."

It's only early 2018, but already there has been more action towards making the NBN consumer friendly then we have previously seen. How has your NBN experience been so far?

For SMB's, Windows and Microsoft based systems remain the dominant choice. Windows continues to be the OS most widely used on desktops and laptops and Microsoft Office remains the most widely used work office suite. So it’s no surprise that Windows systems remain the top target for Ransomware. Before Office 365, you wrote a Word document on your laptop, saved it on your system or file server, then emailed it as an attachment to share outside your organization. Copies of your file could exist in several places: your laptop, a file storage server, your sent email, and the inbox of the recipient. The collaborative capabilities of Office 365 make ransomware defense more challenging thanks to shared files and OneDrive sync.

A stunning 100% of IT professionals reported they had seen Windows systems infected by ransomware, as reported in Datto’s State of the Channel Ransomware Report. The following strategies and tactics will help reduce your ransomware risk, protect your networks and devices, and ultimately help you recover your data when a ransomware event occurs.

Update to Reduce Risks

The War on Ransomware's second line of defense is Security and that begins with an up-to-date operating system, an up-to-date browser, and up-to-date patches.

For a single user, that’s relatively easy to achieve but businesses must manage a large number of devices. While tools exist to help upgrade, update and patch systems at scale, too often administrators leave things alone. In the real world we see out-of-date, unpatched software more than necessary. So review the following items to reduce your ransomware risk wherever possible.

Operating System

Microsoft system requirements list Windows 7 Service Pack 1 as the oldest desktop operating system suggested for Office 365. Remember, though, that Microsoft first released Windows 7 in 2009, and that mainstream support for it ended in January 2015.

Run Windows 10 to reduce your ransomware risk. Microsoft found that “devices running Windows 10 are 58% less likely to encounter ransomware than when running Windows 7” in a “Ransomware Protection in Windows 10 Anniversary Update” report.

Browser

Microsoft built Office 365 to work with a variety of browsers, including Chrome, Firefox, and Safari, as well as Internet Explorer and Microsoft Edge. If you deploy Chrome, Firefox, or Safari in your environment, make sure these stay current, as well. Google updates Chrome about every six weeks, while Mozilla releases a new version of Firefox roughly every six to eight weeks. A once or twice-a-year browser deployment leaves people needlessly vulnerable to known and patched problems.

Patches

Finally, while it may seems obvious, apply patches promptly. Ransomware and other malware pursue multiple paths around defenses—so it’s not enough to just update to devices monthly. An unpatched laptop that connects to your network, servers, or OneDrive today, may deliver malicious code to encrypt every file it can find tomorrow. So patch promptly.

Security

Ensure there is a line of defense between you and the web. A reliable, corporate grade security solution is a must. There are a plethora of security software options and when choosing just one, there are a number of must have features to look for:

- Real-time scanning: All antivirus software is designed specifically to detect malware; just not all in the same way. Higher grade antivirus software have dynamic scanning features that are repeatedly checking your pc for malicious files.

- Automatic Updates: Although no substitute for regularly checking for updates manually, built in automatic updates add an extra layer of assurance.

- Protection for Multiple Apps: From email clients to instant messenger platforms and certainly internet browsers, harmful software can sneak into your system from a variety of different sources. Antivirus programs need to protect multiple vulnerable apps from potential dangers, otherwise you’re leaving your hardware dangerously exposed.

- Auto-Clean: If the antivirus software immediately detects malicious software, why wouldn’t it delete the code on the spot? Since there’s no reason to leave potentially harmful software on your system, you should choose a program that utilizes an auto-clean feature to rid itself of viruses.

- Fights Against All Types of Malware: Between trojans, bots, spyware, viruses, etc., there are many different types of malware that can harm your computer, and antivirus programs are sometimes designed only to target a specific type of software. It’s better to go with a program that can comprehensively detect all or almost all of the various forms that malware takes.

If you are unsure about your antivirus options, it's best to ask your IT manager or IT provider for help.

Widebay IT have launched war on ransomware and are dedicated to protecting SMB's against the ransomware threat and stopping the epidemic. If you are interested in learning more or joining the fight along with many other SMB's, visit our war on ransomware page.

Ransomware has been around since 1989, the first being AIDS Trojan and was unleashed via floppy disks. It wasn't until last year, when the virus named WannaCry caused global panic in only 3 days, that the true threat of malware and more specifically ransomware entered into public consciousness.

With the explosion of digital currencies, such as bitcoin, the growing pile of evidence to suggest that digital extortion of an almost untraceable currency could be profitable has made ransomware a far to common and very real threat.

The reason ransomware is so dangerous is that it's difficult to stop, even with the most up to date anti-virus software and the only real protection against it is a reliable backup. There are no signs of the threat subsiding, so we are highlighting 5 of the most deadly strains of ransomware to raise awareness and educate.

1. GandCrab

One of the latest strains of ransomware, GandCrab was discovered in January 2018. Taking a different approach to infect victims, using exploit kits being marketed to cyber criminals as a "ransomware-as-a-service" package.

2. GoldenEye

Reported to have hit Ukraine's national bank, the state power provider and Kiev's main airport. Thought by industry specialists to be a combination of ransomware infections. Usually, when ransomware infects, it encrypts the files however GoldenEye acts differently in that it targets an entire systems, preventing the user from even booting the device.

3. WannaCry

Described by EuroPol as unprecedented in scale, WannaCry hit on Friday May 12 2017 and in just 3 days, shut down hospitals all over UK and had spread to 200,000 systems across 150 countries, attacking government agencies, national organisations and put simply, anyone it could with access to the internet. The reason behind WannaCry's ferocity is that it used a leaked exploit, first developed by the National Security Agency (NSA).

4. Cryptolocker

Long since shut down thanks to Operation Tovar in 2014, Cryptolocker showed cyber criminals everywhere just how successful ransomware could be. In of itself, not that different from ransomware today, Cryptolocker is where modern ransomware started.

5. Locky

Cybercriminals thought of it all with Locky. Not only encrypting data files but also Bitcoin wallets and windows services that were responsible for system recovery, removing any ability from users to reset or recover their system.

Anyone could tell you just how rapidly technology is changing and unified communications and collaboration systemsare certainly no exception. To ensure your investments are primed for the long haul, below are 6 steps to follow thanks to our partners at Mitel.

1. Keep your communications seamless

By the end of this year, it is expected that 70% of mobile professionals will be doing business on mobile devices. The mobile workforce trend is one that isn't leaving any time soon, and one all business' should jump on board with. Your communications and collab systems should be designed with this mobility trend in mind, so the in-office experience is consistent across all mobile devices, regardless of distance from the office.

2. Boost your bottom line with significant cost savings

Did you know, that the average cost to a company for bad or non-existent mobile strategies is $36 Million a year. That's a staggering number and one that improving your mobile collab strategy will avoid. Working with a Managed telecommunications provider (Widebay IT) that understands the mobile-first vision can transform your business and improve profit margins.

3. Engage the best talent, anywhere in the world

According to a study done by Mitel, 36% of employees would choose flexible working options over a pay rise. Not only increasing morale around the office, but a mobile collaboration strategy helps to create meaningful connections with employees on the road or in remote offices, allowing your business to really embrace collaboration.

4. Build customer loyalty in a changing consumer market

Rather than waiting in long lines and being on hold for what can feel like hours, today's customers are a lot busier and constantly on the move. Your customers want the ability to connect with you instantly, through social media, sms, webchat. To take advantage of this and gain the competitive edge talk to a Managed Telco Service provider (Widebay IT).

5. Protect your investment as your business grows and needs change

Unless you don't plan on your business growing, flexibility is a must. Partnering with the right Managed telco service provider ensure that as your business grows, your communications and collaborations systems grow along side you. Whether you're on-prem today, moving to the cloud or starting to test a hybrid model, your communications environment needs to easily scale as your business expands.

6. Trust a partner that delivers all this and more

From how your employees innovate to how you engage with your customers, your communications are critical. Take your team collaboration and customer experience to the next level by partnering with a Managed Telco Service provider (Widebay IT) that can support you today and tomorrow, no matter what the future brings.

If at some point, you've gotten angry, annoyed or even just slightly irritated at your business telecommunications systems, it's very likely you've considered looking at different options and have come across Cloud hosted, On-Premises and Hybrid communication options.

So you have uncovered a ton of information about all the different options, but what are you suppose to do with all that information? Has it put you any closer to a decision? In most cases, the answer is no. With all the information available online, it's difficult to filter out what is right for your business.

Our cloud communications partner, Mitel, put together this simple decision tree to help make things easier. It helps you work through the most common, critical decision points that most businesses have to take into account. Is it a substitute for a consultation with one of WideBay It's trained telecommunications staff? Probably not. But it's a great place to start and will give you a much better idea of which way you should be leaning and if you choose to have one of our professional sales team visit your business you won't be completely blindsided.

So what's next?

Hopefully after going through the above chart, the many options are a lot less overwhelming. Have you made a decision on what's best for your business based on what you found out, congratulations! Are you still lost on what all of that means for you specifically or need our trained telecommunications team to assist you and making the correct decision? We strongly suggest taking advantage of WideBay I.T's obligation free business audit.

Our free business auditing service that we offer is what helps set WideBay I.T apart from the Office technology market. We wholeheartedly believe in our approach to offer the most outstanding customer service with our willingness to go the extra mile to ensure that our customers are happy. Have one of our highly trained professionals conduct a comprehensive analysis of your business, because we guarantee you'll be surprised with the outcome, after all it's free. Book an appointment online now because other than large printing bills, what have you got to lose?

When you think of the word 'printer', what comes to mind? Do you think of a big, boxy device that takes up way too much space in the office? Maybe you just think of a device that prints, scans and copies and that's it. While this is true for older printers, the modern printer is far more powerful than it has ever been. While there is so much to say about modern printers, I'm going to focus on one particular feature in the incredible innovative Fuji Xerox SMARTseries printer range a range of amazing printing solutions and the same benefits as a large multifunctional device, but at a fraction of the cost and footprint. Here are four ways the modern printer can help you run a more efficient and profitable small business.

1. Protect your documents with server-less on demand printing.

Arguably, one of the best features of modern printers are their security capabilities. Australian companies are the second most likely in the world to fall victim to malicious and/or criminal data breaches, averaging 34,249 compromised documents during a single breach.

The Fuji Xerox SMARTseries printers offer the Server-less on demand option, in order to stop documents from being stolen.

2. Improve staff productivity and automate the workflow.

Every minute of the working day is valuable, and today's workforces are moving at lightning pace to keep up. Nobody has the time, nor should waste the time on carrying out menial tasks such as scanning and faxing. The SMARTseries range of printers is capable of being programmed to eliminate the human factor of repetitive tasks almost completely - For example, multiple emails, faxes, printouts and scans can be completed within seconds at the touch of a button, giving staff more time for important tasks.

3. Cut costs with Capture, Monitor and Control.

According to Fuji xerox's 'Office Printing Habits Report', printing costs can account for up to 4% of revenue, for 90% of SME's. Unfortunately printing is a cost ALL businesses need to account for to keep running efficiently and organised, however companies are spending more than they need to because of a lack of knowledge when it comes to monitoring and controlling. High printing costs can be the result of a number of factors, like; unnecessary printing, personal printing, lack of training and outsourcing colour printing.

The SMARTseries range of printers can help cut those costs using Capture, Monitor and Control (CMC). CMC allows businesses to establish rules to minimise office printing costs. For example, you can the default device settings to mono and duplex printing, and also put printing quotas in place to cap and control printing costs.

4. Digitise important documents, and turn them into searchable PDF's

Thanks to multifunction devices that can digitise documents instantly and retrieve them at the click of a button, the labor intensive task of finding specific files from cabinets and cupboards is a thing of the past. the searchable pdf option in the SMARTseries printers automatically read the scanned document, allowing you to CTRL-F any document and search for specific keywords.

As part of our ICT service offering, data backup is one of the most vital aspects of survival as it ensures business continuity, even in the most severe of storms, that we lucky few in Queensland get to experience.

Instant Virtualization allows a protected system to be virtualized and hosted either locally, through the use of Datto's BDR appliance (SIRIS), or off-site in the Cloud with minimal downtime.

How can Instant Virtualization benefit your business?

True local Virtualization: Having access and the ability to run virtual machines directly on the Datto appliance, simplifying the process of system restoration, reducing downtime and money wasted on outdated recovery processes.

Protect & Virtualise anything, restore anywhere: Instantly backup anything that can be protected (Physical and virtual systems - with agents or with agentless backups), virtualise physical with virtual BDR, or even virtual with a physical BDR.

Hybrid Virtualization: Backup and restore any recovery image within seconds - even from an archive of old, dusty recovery points.

Physical Server restore, before repair: Backup data is available immediately, and accessible for restoration by physical servers, even before any replacement disks have arrived in the mail.

Still asking yourself what Instant virtualisation is? The below video should help