DFW Cyber Tech

If your Windows-base computer is running sluggish and it's a pretty clean installation (i.e. no malware on it), if you have an old mechanical hard drive, switching to a solid state drive can make a world of difference.

We just replaced a laptop's hard drive with a Samsung 860 QVO (1TB) drive and the difference was night and day. It literally is like a brand new computer. The really good thing about these Samsung drives is that they come with cloning software (download) so it's a pretty simple process that someone with a little tech experience can accomplish on their own.

If you want to try this, you'll need three things:

1. The new drive like this: https://www.amazon.com/Samsung-Inch-Internal-MZ-76Q1T0B-AM/dp/B07L3D19MY/ref=sr_1_1
2. A SATA to USB adapter like this: https://www.amazon.com/StarTech-com-SATA-USB-Cable-USB3S2SAT3CB/dp/B00HJZJI84/ref=sr_1_2_sspa
3. And the Samsung data migration software located here: https://www.samsung.com/semiconductor/minisite/ssd/download/tools/

With the rise of ransomware, backing up your data is one of the most important things you can do to protect your business. If all your data is encrypted by malicious software, as long as it is regularly backed up, it's simply a matter of finding and cleaning the affected machine on the network and restoring your data.

Keep in mind that just installing some backup software, setting it to run automatically, and forgetting about it, is not the only thing that is involved in having a solid backup plan. You must make it a priority to regularly verify that backups are 1) running as scheduled, 2) all your data is covered, and 3) restoration produces reliable/readable files.

That last step is very important. The way we test restoration is to create a "test directory" where we periodically add files to the directory and update the contents of another file, and then do periodic restoration testing.

We use and recommend CrashPlan Pro to our clients. It's $10/month per machine--that includes servers--for unlimited space, *file versioning*, and it performs both remote and local backups. If you have a company policy in place that all company data is to be stored on the server, then you only have to cover the server.

File versioning is important because, in the event that you backup a bad, encrypted file, it won't overwrite the good, previous version of the file, and you should be able to restore a previous version of the file. When you choose a backup service provider, make sure that it includes this very important feature.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us. Here's a pretty good article on disaster recovery: https://smallbiztrends.com/2017/03/it-disaster-recovery-plan.html

If you want more information on CrashPlan Pro, check this out: https://www.crashplan.com/en-us/business/

What is an IT Disaster Recovery Plan and Why Does Your Small Business Need One Now? - Small Business Trends An IT Disaster Recovery Plan is a clearly documented and structured process for responding to unforeseen events. And your small business needs one today.

We recently installed a Watchguard T15-W at a customer's site. Very impressed with the integrated security features. One of the more impressive attributes is the ability to block any client machines on the LAN from downloading potentially malicious files, such as *.exe, *.zip. Considering the threats that exist today, such as ransomware, this capability is essential.

Call us for a free on-site assessment of your business' network security.

https://www.watchguard.com/wgrd-products/tabletop/firebox-t15

WatchGuard Firebox T15 With today's remote offices and distributed workforce, the concept of a distinct corporate network perimeter has all but disappeared. A security solution that can be seamlessly deployed everywhere that your network connects is now essential for securing modern organizations.