Google Workspace, Slack, or Microsoft Teams: Which is safest for your business?

With the onset of the pandemic and transformation in workplace behaviors, remote work has reached a climax. Many companies face the same question – what is the best collaboration tool for working at home? Businesses are rushing to use collaborative software to keep their productivity high in these uncertain times.

There are many options, but we decided to delve deeper into; Google Workspace vs. Slack vs. Microsoft Teams’ positive and negative security features.

Microsoft Team Positive Features

• Teams enforces team-expansive and organization-wide two-factor authentication
• Single sign-on through Active Directory and data encryption in transit and at rest.

Microsoft Team Negative Features

• A flaw in Microsoft Teams could allow a hostile actor to view a victim’s chats and steal sensitive data. An actor might set up a malicious tab in an unpatched version of Teams that would provide them access to their private documents and communications when opened by the victim. (Source: the daily swig)
• Users in teams do not have the structure from the beginning. You don’t know which channels you need or which channels you should build most of the time. The maximum number of channels per team has been limited to 100. This feature should not be a problem for smaller units, but it may cause difficulties for larger groups. When the predefined limit is exceeded, specific channels must be terminated.
• Over time, users get increasingly accustomed to and proficient at what they do. You can’t switch channels or reproduce teams right now; thus, creating Team blocks isn’t very flexible. This frequently wastes time because manual replications become the only option.

Slack Positive Features

• Improve communication between departments and improve the ability to contact and notify people quickly. The user interface has a unique look and feels with various color schemes.
• This speeds up the update process, and the two-factor authentication provided by Google Authenticator is reliable and error-free.
• Using Slack on mobile devices is as easy as using the desktop version, and the huddle feature makes it even more convenient.

Slack Negative Features

• 1 Working with larger teams is not a good experience as you might experience glitches and connection unreliability now and then.
• Searching should be enhanced; it is currently unorganized. Grouping allows you to evaluate if the findings are helpful in the future. DMs, for example, and channels are examples.
• Notifications for mobile and desktop don’t always operate in sync. The system is also out of sync when going from desktop to mobile. There’s a lack of consistency in the workflow there.

Google Workspace Positive features

• Focus on collaboration: Google workspace is a dream for companies that need intensive cooperation in many ways.
• It’s based on the cloud and is always connected to Google’s cloud storage and file-sharing platform, Drive.
• Email: Gmail referrals are rarely needed. It is the world’s most popular email client, strengthening its market position with excellent security tools, an easy-to-use interface, and numerous features ideal for business and personal use.

Google Workspace Negative Features

• Document conversion issues: You may have problems converting Google Sheets and documents to Microsoft documents and PDF formats. You need to find a third-party app to help with the conversion. There’s something a little…flat about Google workspace and Docs integration. Yes, it’s a word processor, so there’s not much to do with it, but the compatibility issues hinder the experience.
• Takes hours: It may take some time to import data or documents from other external sources into the system. File management is a pain. The entire process feels clumsy, leading to a great deal of disorganization inside our company.
• Instead of downloading individual software onto your mobile device, you’d wish there was an option to download the complete Gsuite into one app. Because Gsuite is essentially confined within a single browser, users expect all apps to be in one spot.

Technology has gone far over the years, and the effect from the COVID 19 gave birth to the introduction of several electronic offices where members of an organization can meet and discuss issues they could have done when they physically met. This work has compared the pros and cons of each platform and is considering Google Workspace with its specific qualities and consideration of future security.

Solution: Create a high-speed remote desktop hosted virtually on a private server… like we have.. what a coincidence…

Uptime is a Priority for Every Business

In today’s highly competitive market, it becomes tough to stand out. Businesses are desperately struggling to get any advantage over competitors in your market space, even a small one. There is a lot of talk about speed, security, or cost, but an even more critical factor that web software companies don´t fully value: uptime.

What is uptime?

You may have already heard the word “uptime” at a conference or read it in an article. The uptime is when a web page stays connected online each day, and it is listed as an average percentage, for example, 99.7%. There is also its evil twin, downtime, which is the number of seconds, minutes, or hours that a website is not working, preventing users from accessing it.

Also, uptime is the best way to measure the quality of a web hosting provider or a server. If the provider shows a high uptime rate, it guarantees good performance.

Why should uptime be a priority for my company?

Consider what you’d feel if you tried to access a webpage on your computer, but it wouldn’t load. What would be your initial impression of that website? According to studies, 88 percent of online users are hesitant to return to a website after a negative first impression. What good is it to invest so much time, money, and effort on your website if no one visits it? What’s the purpose of working on a website if it doesn’t work when it matters most?

All hosting and server businesses often offer high uptime rates, but the trees do not obscure the forest. Although 99 percent may appear to be a large number, it indicates that your website may be down for over two hours over a week, which would be devastating to a heavily trafficked website.

When it comes to uptime, you must consider every second because you never know if a second of downtime could make a difference compared to your competitors’ websites. Those critical seconds result in a loss of Internet traffic, financial loss, a drop in Google SEO ranking, and a loss of reputation, among other issues.

Even a difference between 99.90% and 99.99% in uptime can be crucial. In the first case, your website would suffer downtime of 11 minutes per week, while with an uptime of 99.99%, your web page’s rest would be reduced to only one minute per week. It may cost more money to get that efficiency advantage, but it’s worth the investment.

Perfection is impossible

Despite what has already been stated, you must be aware that no one, not even the best provider in the world, can guarantee absolute perfection, especially since servers are still physical machines susceptible to external (hacking attacks, power outages, or natural disasters) as well as internal (human errors, DNS or CMS problems, hardware/software problems, server overloads) threats that can bring your website offline.

It would be best if you also remembered that these dangers are unpredictable events, and although we can prepare contingency plans, we will never know the exact moment when the threat will arrive. The world isn’t perfect, and your website won’t be up and running 100% of the time forever and ever.

It is also essential to understand that not all downtime is the same. For example, scheduled server maintenance from 2 a.m. to 4 a.m. is very different and less damaging than an unexpected drop at noon. That is why it’s highly recommended to save and use backups of your website precisely for these emergencies and choose a good provider.

The best solution

The safest way that providers offer us to guarantee an excellent uptime is the dedicated server hosting as a service. You will enjoy full and exclusive access to the server, using all its resources to optimize your website to the maximum without having to share it with anyone.

You can configure your dedicated server hosting to your liking from the control panel (though make sure your provider also has 24/7 technical support for possible eventualities); you have more hosting space and capacity that you can use as you wish; you don’t have to worry about the hardware (which the provider takes care of), and they are flexible enough to manage high-visibility pages, reducing vulnerabilities.

Among other valuable tips, it would be an excellent idea to use a website monitoring service to monitor the performance of your site 24/7, receiving an immediate notification if downtime occurs. Additionally, this is a handy way to verify the reliability of your hosting provider’s warranties.

Another practical option is to use a CDN (Content Delivery Network) to download the portion of your website’s content to servers that are closer to your users geographically. CDNs are very useful for increasing a website’s speed and, more importantly, reducing the number of events that cause downtime, thus freeing up space on your primary server and reducing tension. Check with your hosting provider to see whether a CDN is included in their package.

A dedicated hosting server may seem like a relatively expensive solution, but keeping your website online for as long as possible is worth all the necessary investments.

Conclusion

Current trends reveal tremendous pressure to maintain and improve high uptime rates, with sustained growth in demand over the last decade. In the future, experts hope that it will be possible to achieve an uptime of 100% since, with the arrival of the Internet of Things (IoT), this requirement will become essential for our daily lives.

A reliable hosting provider provides you with state-of-the-art server infrastructure and ensures a smooth performance of day-to-day business operations. Compared to traditional or shared hosting, which is resource-limited and lacks reliability, VPS hosting features a fully dedicated private server for your exclusive use. This makes it ideal for startups and médium to large businesses seeking an affordable eCommerce web hosting service in the US to fulfill their essential needs of running a successful online business.

One of the most common questions we’re asked at Protected Harbor is, “what kind of uptime can I expect from your hosting?” It’s not a wrong question — when choosing a hosting service for business, you want to know that your website or servers will be available.

We are the Uptime monitoring specialists. We monitor the uptime of your sites and applications to detect downtime before you or your users do. Contact us today to know how with a dedicated and experienced team, we deliver unmatched flexibility, reliability, safety, and security and exceed clients’ expectations.

What is IoT? Everything you need to know

Kevin Ashton created the term “Internet of Things,” or IoT, in 1999. However, it wasn’t until Gartner added IoT to its list of new emerging technologies in 2011 that it began to acquire traction on a worldwide scale. There will be 21.7 billion active connected devices globally by 2021, with IoT devices accounting for more than 11.7 billion (54 percent). This means that there are more IoT devices than non-IoT devices globally.

The Internet of Things impacts everyday life in various ways, including connected vehicles, virtual assistants, intelligent refrigerators, and intelligent robotics. But what exactly does the phrase imply? What are some of the benefits and challenges of the Internet of Things?

What is IoT?

The term “Internet of Things” is abbreviated as “IoT.” It refers to network-enabled devices and smart objects that have been given unique identities and are connected to the Internet so that they can communicate with one another, accept orders, and share with their owners; for example, when the butter in the intelligent refrigerator runs out, a grocery list may be updated. In a nutshell, this is the process of connecting items or machines. Simple domestic appliances to industrial instruments are among the networked devices that can be used.

Applications can be automated, and activities can be conducted or finished without human participation, thanks to the Internet of Things. Smart objects are internet-connected items. More than 7 billion IoT devices are currently connected, with analysts predicting that this number will climb to 22 billion by 2025.

How does IoT work?

An IoT ecosystem comprises web-enabled smart devices that gather, send, and act on data from their surroundings using embedded systems such as CPUs, sensors, and communication hardware. By connecting to an IoT gateway or other edge device, IoT devices can share sensor data that is routed to the cloud for analysis or examined locally. These devices may communicate with one another and occasionally act on the information they receive. Although individuals can use devices to set them up, give them instructions, or retrieve data, the gadgets do most of the work without human participation.

In a nutshell, the Internet of Things operates as follows:

• Sensors, for example, are part of the hardware that collects data about devices.
• The data collected by the sensors is then shared and combined with software via the cloud.
• After that, the software analyzes the data and sends it to users via an app or a website.

Why is the Internet of Things (IoT) important?

The Internet of Things (IoT) has quickly become one of the most essential technologies of the twenty-first century. Now that we can connect common objects to the internet via embedded devices, such as mobile phones, cars/trucks, and healthcare devices, seamless communication between people, processes, and things are conceivable.

Thanks to low-cost computers, the cloud, big data, analytics, and mobile technologies, material things can share and collect data with minimal human interaction. Digital systems can record, monitor, and alter interactions between related stuff in today’s hyper-connected environment. The physical and digital worlds collide, but they work together.

What is the Industrial Internet of Things, and how does it work?

The usage of IoT technology in a corporate setting is referred to as the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), the fourth industrial revolution, or Industry 4.0. The concept is similar to that of consumer IoT devices in the house. Still, the goal here is to analyze and optimize industrial processes using a combination of sensors, wireless networks, big data, AI, and analytics.

With just-in-time delivery of supplies and production management from start to finish, the impact may be considerably higher if implemented across a complete supply chain rather than just individual enterprises. Increased labor efficiency and cost savings are two possible goals, but the IIoT can also open up new revenue streams for organizations; manufacturers can also provide predictive engine maintenance instead of only selling a solitary product, such as an engine.

What are the benefits of using IoT?

The Internet of Things has made it possible for the physical and digital worlds to collaborate and communicate. It provides several advantages to businesses by automating and simplifying their daily operations.

Companies exploit the vast business value that IoT can offer as it grows dramatically year after year. Here are a few of the most significant advantages of IoT:

• To develop new revenue streams and business models
• Using data-driven insights from IoT data to enhance business choices
• To make corporate operations more productive and efficient.
• To make the customer experience better

Even though the economic impacts of the COVID-19 epidemic have had a substantial influence on global IoT spending, an IDC report shows that it will grow at a CAGR of 11.3 percent from 2020 to 2024.

What are the challenges in IoT?

The Internet of Things (IoT) has quickly become an integral component of how people live, interact, and conduct business. Web-enabled devices are transforming our worldwide rights into a more switched-on location to live in all over the planet. The Internet of Things faces a variety of challenges.

IoT security challenges:

1. Lack of encryption – While encryption is a terrific way to keep hackers out of your data, it’s also one of the most common IoT security issues.
   These drives have the same storage and processing capability as a conventional computer.
   As a result, there has been an increase in attacks in which hackers manipulated the algorithms to protect people.
2. Inadequate testing and upgrading — As the number of IoT (internet of things) devices grows, IoT manufacturers are more eager to build and market their products as rapidly as possible, without much consideration for security. Most of these gadgets and IoT items are not adequately tested or updated, making them vulnerable to hackers and other security risks.
3. Default passwords and brute-force attacks —
   Nearly all IoT devices are vulnerable to password hacking and brute force attacks due to weak passwords and login data.
   Any firm that uses factory default credentials on its devices exposes both its business and its assets and its customers and sensitive data to a brute force attack.
4. IoT Malware and ransomware – As the number of devices grows, the threat of malware and ransomware is made.
   Ransomware exploits encryption to effectively lock people out of numerous devices and platforms while still gaining access to their personal data and information.
   A hacker, for example, can take images using a computer camera.
   Hackers can demand a ransom to unlock the device and return the data by utilizing malware access points.
5. IoT botnet aimed at cryptocurrency – IoT botnet workers have the ability to change data privacy, which poses a significant risk to an open Crypto market. Malicious hackers could jeopardize the exact value and development of cryptocurrency code.
   Companies working on the blockchain are attempting to improve security. Blockchain technology is not inherently dangerous, but the app development process is.
6. Data collection and processing – Data is a critical component of IoT development. The processing or usefulness of stored data is more critical in this case.
   Along with security and privacy, development teams must think about how data is acquired, stored, and processed in a given context.

Conclusion

Researchers and developers from all around the world are fascinated by recent breakthroughs in IoT. The developers and researchers collaborate to bring the technology to a broader audience and help society feasible. However, improvements are only achievable if we consider current technical approaches’ many challenges and flaws.

Protected Harbor is a firm believer in IoT and is committed to delivering ultimate solutions for IoT which are secured and protected. With our 24×7 monitoring, 99.99%, and proper security in place, businesses can take full advantage of this ever-growing technology trend.

Unifying security operations and visibility throughout your entire company is becoming increasingly crucial. OT and IoT networks and devices have significant differences. Protected Harbor incorporates unique features and methodologies to consolidate and simplify security operations across these converged infrastructures. Contact us if you’d like to learn more about how we address OT and IoT visibility and security.

Are virtual servers more secure and protected than physical ones?

In 2022, cloud data centers will process 94 percent of all workloads. It will dominate the workload processing and supersede non-cloud data centers. Thus, if you’re planning to migrate to a cloud server, this article will assist you in your decision.

Are the physical servers a thing of the past? Not long ago, people feared a future of thronging data centers covering the globe. While that sounds exaggerated, spatial concerns have always been a critical part of any information center or server room. Owing to virtualization, the development of physical infrastructure slowed within the last decade.
As more organizations benefit from virtualization, virtual servers are already becoming a vital component of the modern hybrid ecosystem.

Businesses and service providers are choosing virtual servers over physical ones due to several advantages, including:

• Reduced costs and overhead expenses
• Better scalability as new virtual servers can be created as per need
• Recovery and backup features for a fast and reliable restoration
• Technical support from the virtual server hosting provider for setup and maintenance.
• Ease of installing updates and software to several virtual servers

Is it true that virtual servers are less exposed to threats?

It’s not that virtual servers are less secure than the other servers. In many ways, virtual servers are more secure than physical servers because they depend upon a single-host server and are more isolated.
Each virtual server has its OS (operating system) and configuration, which may or may not be according to the benchmarks set by the parent company. Every one of these servers must be patched and maintained the same way other server does to keep up with the potential vulnerabilities.

The rise in virtualization has yielded a significant vulnerability. Gartner released a study that concluded that many servers being virtualized are less secure than their physical counterparts. So, using virtual servers has its benefits and leverages, but when security is concerned, at a minimum, organizations must have the same type of monitoring as physical systems.

Servers enable you to control and distribute the information and secure and protect the information. Servers can be distinguished into three main types:

• Physical server
• Virtual server
• Cloud server

Physical server

These are the dedicated servers that use the standard components including processor, memory, hard drive, network, and operating system (OS) for running applications and programs, also called Traditional or ‘bare-metal servers. ‘ These servers are mostly single-tenant which means a single server is dedicated to a specific user.
The pros of having a physical server are that it is dedicated, unshared, and can be customized to serve a specific purpose. The obvious disadvantage is that it’s expensive and space required to set up the infrastructure.

Virtual server

A virtual server is like renting out space on a physical server off-site, similar to AWS. They have the same efficiency as a physical server but not the fundamental biological machinery. A virtual server is cost-efficient and provides faster resource management. Multiple virtual servers can be created from a physical server with a hypervisor or container engine.
Cost reduction, less operational expense, and scalability are the most significant benefits of server virtualization. The drawback, however, is that the upfront investments might be expensive for the software licenses and servers. Also, not all applications and servers are virtualization friendly.

Cloud server

A cloud server is a centralized server resource built, hosted, and delivered through a cloud computing platform over the internet and can be accessed on demand by multiple users. It can perform all the functions of a typical server, delivering storage and applications.
A cloud server may also be referred to as a virtual server or virtual private server.
Cloud servers provide ease of accessibility, flexibility, customization and are cost-efficient. While network dependency, security, and technical issues are some of the cons that a reliable data center management company can handle.

Physical vs. Virtual vs. Cloud servers, Which is right for your business?

Each type of server serves its purpose and delivers according to the business’s needs. Still, there are several factors to consider when deciding on the exemplary service for you: budget, performance requirements, data security, space, environmental control, workload, and data type.
As the world is rapidly moving toward the cloud- lifting all applications and information, larger enterprises are quickly leading the approach and virtualizing.

The past decisions to move servers into the cloud, either in virtual servers or colocation environments, become intelligent decisions for most companies. The primary benefits of switching to cloud servers are:

• Affordability- since third-party providers manage cloud servers, it is far less expensive than owning your infrastructure.
• Scalability– cloud servers respond quickly, scaling up and down to meet demand or any data storage needs.
• Convenience– users can access the data from anywhere, anytime, and can be easily managed through a single API or control panel.
• Reliability– since the cloud runs on numerous servers in a managed environment, service continues even if one component fails. It can efficiently deliver the same performance as a dedicated server.

But the reality is, even in today’s world, there is still a use of physical servers. And the decision-making should be done by considering the factors above.

Protected Harbor among the top virtual hosting companies

As a top virtual hosting company, Protected Harbor has accomplished exceptional reliability, stability, and durability with its Datacenter management service. Eliminating the causes of failures, we have achieved 99.99% uptime for our systems. We provide an unmatched service over any other provider with features like application outage avoidance (AOA), proactive monitoring, and technology improvement plan (TIP).
To know more about switching to a cloud server and the migration process, consult our experts; click here.

Protected Harbor’s New PBX Phone System

Protected Harbor is proud to introduce a state of the art phone system 3CX.  It is available to all our current clients and anyone in the market looking to upgrade their current set up.  Protected Harbor partnered with 3CX, and provides system configuration and support.

The benefits of this new phone system are plentiful, starting with the end-user being in complete control.  This PBX can be installed on-premise and virtualized on a Linux or Windows platform.   It is easily set up via iOS and Android apps for remote work via QR code.  Staff can easily be added, and voicemail can be set up in minutes.  The user management is simple and easy which will save countless hours of work.

The biggest benefit perhaps, of our system is that it has a softphone so you can make and receive business calls from your PC, tablet or smartphone.  There is no need to be tied to a hard physical phone in your office.  It’s perfect for businesses that have employees working from home during COVID-19.

Moreover, many of the phone features that other vendors classify as add-ons, such as video conferencing, iOS and Android mobile apps or call center features, are included with Protected Harbor’s PBX. So, there are no hidden costs for the features you need.

Switching to this configuration makes complete sense when you compare pricing to that of other PBX vendors such as 8×8 and Avaya. Our system provides a complete unified communications solution that is easy to manage, flexible and affordable. Whether you are a small business or a large enterprise, you can save thousands and avoid all the hassle of purchasing additional extensions and add-ons as your business grows.

Think less about maintaining your PBX, and more about your business – call or email us today to find out more about Protected Harbor’s new phone system! www.protectedharbor.com

WHY IS 99.99% UPTIME IMPORTANT?

Today, businesses of all sizes have grown more reliant on their technology and no business, no matter the size wants to see their systems or site offerings offline – even for a few minutes.  This is why uptime has become vital.  For many companies, uptime is not a preference, it’s a necessity.

Uptime is important because the cost and consequences of downtime can cripple a business, however, no business in any industry can guarantee absolute perfection. Even with tremendous precautions and redundancies in place, systems can fail.  Natural disasters or other mitigating factors out of our control that may require a quick re-boot can’t always be predicted or prevented.

In order to evade debilitating periods of downtime, businesses must employ the most current technologies, designed with uptime in mind, or utilize a managed service provider well versed in the latest technology and long term solutions.

It is no secret that businesses look for 99.99% uptime.  If this percentage seems unrealistic, the additional decimals make a huge difference. The reality is that .1% of downtime is an unacceptable percentage for most companies.  When businesses encounter downtime, they cannot provide services to their customers.  Customers have short memories and as a result, may be tempted to take their dollars elsewhere if they cannot get what they want in a timely manner.

Not only is losing customers disastrous, but productivity can suffer as well.  This is never a good combination.  The average cost of downtime across businesses of all sizes and all industries is around $5,600 per minute.

When a customer selects a company, they need to trust that they are working with a professional and capable organization. Not being able to access a company’s website or employees telling customers they cannot help them at the moment they called does not ensure shopper confidence. This damage can be irreversible to a business’s reputation.

Given that the consequences of downtime are so costly, it’s easy to understand why achieving near-perfect uptime is so important. In order to completely avoid all of the costs and consequences associated with downtime, businesses need to be aiming for uptime of at least 99.99%. While these consequences may seem a bit disheartening, the good news is that there are ways to avoid them. Get connected to our data center and solve your issue.

Protected Harbor helps businesses across the US address their current IT needs by building custom, cost-effective solutions.  Our unique technology experts evaluate current systems, determine the needs then design cost-effective solutions. On average, we are able to save clients up to 30% on IT costs while increasing their security, productivity and durability.  We work with many internal IT departments, freeing them up to concentrate on daily workloads while we do the heavy lifting.  www.protectedharbor.com

Keep Your Business Running – Prepare for The Worst

Since the face of how we do business has changed because of COVID-19, businesses should think about (and hopefully prepare for) cyberattacks and security breaches. Having a disaster recovery plan in place to restore critical information is a good place to start.  However, in these times this is simply not enough.

This is why it’s important to have a 360 business continuity plan ready.

Here are some devastating facts from Bureau of Labor, PC Mag, Gartner, Unitrends and TechRadar:

• Every year, 20% of businesses experience system loss from events such as fires, floods, outages, etc. These types of occurrences not only result in loss of data, but they displace employees and shatter operations
• 60% of companies that lose their data will shut down within 6 months
• Only 35% of Small Businesses have a comprehensive disaster recovery plan in place, according to Gartner
• The cost of losing critical applications has been estimated by experts at more than $5,000 per minute
• Network downtime costs 80% of small and medium businesses at least $20,000 per hour

If these facts are not enough to ensure a business continuity plan is in place, then you are rolling the dice in a game you will not win.  It is not a matter IF something will happen its WHEN.

A business continuity plan creates a means of keeping your business operational during a crisis. In addition, the plan should include protocols for your devices, communication channels, office setup – including employees, and more.

If you’re currently experiencing unexplained system slow-downs, unexplained outages and trying to maintain normal computer functions, then your system needs definite attention, and you probably don’t have a continuity plan in place. It’s not too late to start, but understand it’s going to take some time and effort but the end result will be invaluable.

This is where Protected Harbor can help. We deliver end to end IT solutions ranging from custom designed systems, data center management, disaster recovery, ransomware protection, cloud services and more.  On average, we save clients up to 30% on IT costs while increasing their productivity, durability and sustainability.  Let our unique technology experts evaluate your current systems and design cost-effective, secure options.

With us, you can be sure your systems will run during a crisis.  Contact us today to find out more.  www.protectedharbor.com

What Does Downtime Cost the Average Business?