All Systems Go: Launching a Small Business (and the Tools You'll Need)

Posted by Andreas Christodoulou

Description :

Happy New Year everyone!

Starting a business requires an ample selection of tools to make operations manageable. Without them, you'd spend more time with its administration than selling and customer interaction.

Where's the fun in that? Almost 1 million businesses are launched each year with most being small operations. This is an interesting trend because it shows the viable nature of starting a business where before launching was heavily determined by access to finances and resources.

Perhaps the tools make the difference? I think so. I haven't launched a brick & mortar operation but I have started several successful, online businesses. Many tools I use are same (or similar) to those found in many, other small businesses. I can reaffirm this based on my networking and business with owners.

What common ground did I find with business tools?

1. Payment Processing

All businesses need a form of payment gateway services to complete transactions. Brick and mortar stores will likely use Point-of-Sale systems whereas online businesses rely on shopping cart software.

2. Accounting

The first year in business comes as a shock when it's time to pay taxes. Business taxes depend on its organization, profits, and expenses. Average business tax rates are usually 19.8%.

Accounting software is a must to keep income and expenses in order. Both TurboTax and Quickbooks make great options for small business owners.

3. Legal or business document(s)

All businesses should have a business plan to keep efforts aligned and to improve their chances to secure funding through loans and investments. Other important documents may include a bill of lading, trademarks, seller's permits, and more.

Legal and business documents are costly if they're created by professionals. Like taxes, a small business owner may use tools to create these items in-house. 

Tools include DocuSign and Formswift.

4. Computer and mobile hardware

What's a business to do if team members don't have access to computers, mobile devices, and the Web? These two sets of tools, alone, present many opportunities -- including:

• Access to website building tools

• Mobile CRM and networking tools

• Social media marketing and always-on monitoring

• Warehouse management and logistics

• Payroll and time management software

These tools become vital for its launch as Web efforts will generally lead to high engagement, low-cost marketing campaigns to build awareness and sales.

Also, businesses may choose to bring advertising and marketing creative design in-house by making flyers, posters, brochures, and business cards for a fraction of the costs if done by a designer. 

Tools all small businesses will want to explore include Salesforce, Hootsuite, Wix, and ADP.

5. Business Intelligence

BI tools give small business owners insights into the business operations and organization. Data is uploaded to these tools to compile information and records to produce actionable reports.

Microsoft Power BI offers a free version of their tool many small business owners may want to explore if they feel it provides a benefit.

6. Helpdesk

Gathering customer (and employee) feedback is tedious if these items are stored and organized through traditional filing systems.

Helpdesk software sits on your workplace hardware. Or, it's cloud-based. These tools create a gateway for feedback and handling issues. Other benefits include:

• A central hub for FAQ's

• User roles and hierarchy for management

• Community forums to crowdsource help

There's a Tool for Everything

No matter the task or problem... there's a tool to provide a solution. Yes, each tool you introduce will produce a learning curve and time investment. But, they will greatly reduce the tedious tasks.

This frees more of your time to work on the enjoyable activities like interacting with customers, exploring new ventures, and nurturing team cohesion.

I've found most businesses all use one or all types of these tools. Though, ask your fellow entrepreneurs for extra pointers and suggestions.

*by andreascy*

Making BYOD Work For Your Company

Posted by Andreas Christodoulou

Description :

Many businesses are getting in tune with the digital age, and one of the ways they are doing it is by adopting a bring your own device (BYOD) policy for employees. 

It is a process that has been somewhat slow to be fully adopted by businesses for a few reasons. First, many employers are hesitant to let their employees store private company documents on their own devices for fear that the privacy is compromised. Also, if certain business applications and log ins are used on the employee devices, and the employee leaves to go work for a rival company, they can still view and log in to those applications. 

Through mobile device management (MDM), your business can take the necessary steps in making sure that it will not get burned by instituting a BYOD policy. In fact, the two go hand in hand. In order to execute a safe BYOD policy, companies also need to employ an MDM strategy. Mobile communication companies like BlackBerry have been offering MDM solutions for several years. As the BYOD and MDM trend continue to gain interest, services are becoming even more readily available.

Since BYOD policies are gaining much attention, companies are starting to realize the importance of some of the benefits, such as saving money on hardware, reserving IT resources and creating employee satisfaction. Companies still have to be careful when implementing a BYOD policy because no two companies are identical, so your approach should be tailored. 

Here are a few management best practices to help make BYOD work for your company:

• It is important, first and foremost, to have your employees agree to all levels of a BYOD policy, and do it in writing. This will help all parties maintain a smooth working relationship within the BYOD policy.

• The policy should be clear on what happens if the device is lost or stolen. Companies have the capability to wipe out all of the data associated with their private documents to prevent unauthorized access. 

• Business documents and personal documents need to be divided from each other. This can be done through good application management and programming.

• The policy also needs to clearly state that the devices be compliant with laws and regulations specific to the company’s industry. For example, if you work in government, you need to make sure that by having a BYOD policy, you aren’t violating any legal or confidentiality policies.

• There needs to be a policy about what to do with the device if an employee is terminated for any reason. People change jobs all the time, and you’d hate for them to be able to access all of your company documents after their time there is done, especially if they move on to work for a rival company.

• Lastly, your BYOD policy needs to clearly state that each employee needs to follow specific security guidelines. All personal devices used in a BYOD policy must be secure so as they cannot be exposed to malware, viruses, hacks or any other security breach.

RECOMMENDED: BYOD in Call Centers: Innovation or Disaster?

Since there isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach when it comes to a BYOD policy, there is definitely a way to cater it so it works for your company. 

*by andreascy*

The Best Graphics Cards of 2013

Posted by Andreas Christodoulou

Description :

What's the golden rule of building a gaming rig? You don't skimp on the GPU. Processors, RAM, hard drives and accessories can all be sacrificed without sabotaging the experience, but the graphics card is the heart of any gaming PC. 

It doesn't matter if it's a $500 budget machine or a $3,000 powerhouse.

Finding a balance between quality and price is tough. AMD and Nvidia are the two big manufacturers regarding chipsets (Radeon and GeForce), but several third-party companies assemble the actual video cards and add the memory.

Gigabyte GV-N670OC-2GD

Chipset: GeForce GTX 670

Memory: 2GB

Price: $285 on Newegg

This is the perfect card for the budget builder. The 670 is a middle-road chip from Nvidia capable of handling high settings from fan favorites like Skyrim and some GTA IV resolution mods. It's new anti-aliasing mode helps eliminate most of the jagged edges during gameplay without sacrificing frame rate, and you can game on three monitors from a single card (4-way SLI is optional if you want to go crazy).

On top of that, Gigabyte houses 2GB of video RAM on the card, which is standard, and keeps it all cool with three massive fans — all for less than $300.

EVGA 03G-P4-2784-KR

Chipset: GeForce GTX 780

Memory: 3GB

Price: $520 on Amazon

So the GTX 670 doesn't quite wet your whistle. We get it. You want to run that new Battlefield 4 download on ultra-high settings while gaming on several monitors. But at the same time, you're not made of money. The 780 is one of Nvidia's top chipsets and, while the price seems high at $520, it's actually modest in comparison to others (don't worry, we'll get to those).

The extra gigabyte of memory makes a difference too, as games like BF4 list 3GB as the recommended dosage for video memory. Any gaming PC equipped with an i7 and 16GB of RAM should have a card like this.

Sapphire Vapor-X

Chipset: Radeon HD 7970

Memory: 3GB

Price: $385 on Newegg

Nvidia and AMD are a bit like Ford and Chevrolet. Each have loyalists who swear by the product's superiority, but in the end it's really two versions of the same beast. The Radeon HD 7970 is the chipset from AMD that's comparable to a GTX 770 from Nvidia. Both chips can manage high to ultra-high settings on modern games and handle all the shadowing, smoothing and anti-aliasing a game can challenge.

The 3GB of memory is on par with any mid- to high-end card, and the Radeon is capable of 4K resolution if you can actually afford one of the displays.

EVGA 06-P4-2791-KR

Chipset: GeForce GTX Titan

Memory: 6GB

Price: $1,010 on SuperBiiz

Alright, no more child's play. You want the biggest, baddest video card on the market and you don't care what it costs. Nvidia has you covered. The GTX Titan is, by leaps and bounds, the sexiest chipset in gaming graphics. It packs every feature under the sun and is backed with 6GB of memory that could likely handle two games at once. This card doesn't run ultra-high settings on just today's games, but will run top-notch without skipping a frame for any 2014 game as well. It's a clean grand to buy, but this card is a Ferrari among Mustangs.

SEE ALSO: Game-Changing Reasons Why Parents Can Say Yes to Video Games

Be sure to leave your thoughts – feedback is highly appreciated. Oh and SUBSCRIBE! ;)

*by andreascy*

Stay Safe While Shopping Online This Cyber Monday

Posted by Andreas Christodoulou

Description :

Hi friends! We are friends by now, right? :) Cybercrime costs the U.S. economy anywhere from $24 to 120 billion each year, the Center for Strategic and International Studies reports. 

This year, get the jump on your Cyber Monday holiday shopping safely by protecting your computer with these eight tips.

1. Use antivirus software - Antivirus software alerts you to malware, spyware or keylogging software installed on your computer. Most antivirus programs also spot phishing scams, which attempt to steal your information by posing as legitimate entities (i.e. your bank). Keep your antivirus software up to date and running this holiday season to stave off cybercrime.

2. Be wary of too-good-to-be-true email offers - If you see an incredible-sounding offer (say, 80 percent off Sephora's new arrivals), check the store's website or CyberMonday.com, a site that lists legitimate Cyber Monday offers. If Sephora is offering the same deal, you know it's legit and you can shop with confidence.

3. Shop securely - Type in the store's actual Web address when searching for deals. For example, go to Macy's site directly when searching for deals instead of relying on a potential scam email or link on an unfamiliar site. A secured Website keeps your data protected so that others may not view it during transmission. Secured sites use https instead of http. If you are trying to check out and you do not see the S there, hold off on your purchase. Someone may swipe your credit card number.

4. Protect your network - Protect your home wireless with a password to stay safe. While you might browse the internet at your local library or coffee shop, don't purchase anything if their network is not secured.

5. Log off, don't just close the window - You bought those stocking stuffers from Target and paid after making sure the page was secured. Don't just close the webpage window, log out of your Target account first. This prevents thieves from stealing your personal or financial information because you left your information logged in.

6. Pay with credit and watch your account - Paying with credit cards is often more secure than a debit card purchase. Keep an eye on your account for fraudulent activity in the days and weeks to come. If you see fraudulent activities, file a claim with the credit card company. Many credit card companies also screen for unusual transactions. So, if someone in Romania tries to purchase $1000 worth of computing equipment, a red flag goes up as this is obviously not consistent with your purchasing behavior. The transaction will not go through and you'll be notified.

7. Update that web browser - Using an old version of IE or Firefox can leave you vulnerable, according to the Chicago Tribune. Protect your finances by updating your browser when asked.

8. Use smart passwords - When signing up as a store customer online, select a strong password that combines letters, numbers and special characters. There are encryption apps you can use to make your password hard to hack, such as KeePass. If you're worried about forgetting an encrypted password, use a memorization tool like Dashlane.

RECOMMENDED: Top Ten Best Cars of 2014 Under $60K

Hope you found something useful in the above tips. Are there any extra details you’d like to know? Please don't forget to join our Facebook fan page and spread our voice to your friends and other social circles. Stay tuned for more!

*by andreascy*

How To Shop Black Friday Like A Pro

Posted by Andreas Christodoulou

Description :

Black Friday is a great day to get huge TVs, powerful laptops and an array of other products for incredibly low prices. 

If you're new to Black Friday shopping, or if you just want to learn how the pros do it, then follow these tips. You'll be finding the best sales without breaking a sweat.

Be Focused

The first thing that you have to do is being focused. Most people who shop on Black Friday love the amazing sales, but they are just going to buy anything that's cheap. This approach makes it difficult to find the best stores with your favorite products. What do you really want to buy? For example, let's say that you want a new laptop. After figuring out what you want, you can then compare the different stores that offer good laptops to see which one has the best price. Researching the price shouldn't be hard. You can check flyers and inserts, the store's website or check online for the latest Black Friday deals. You should bring the flyer or insert with you to ensure that you get the right price.

Make a Plan

Most people don't just visit one store on Black Friday. If you want to do a lot of shopping, like early Christmas shopping, then you'll want to make a plan to ensure that you visit every store on your list. You should organize your list based on which products you want the most. If you want a laptop, then visit a store with computers before going anywhere else. This ensures that you get the things that you really want, and anything else is just a bonus.

Small Stores

The big brands always advertise Black Friday sales, which causes a lot of people to visit them. Best Buy, Target and other similar stores have lots of sales, but they also have long lines. Consider visiting smaller stores. Due to public demand, nearly every store will have deep discounts on this day. You can call the store or visit the website to see what sales will be offered.

Social Media

Social media will be your best friend on Black Friday. Many retailers will issue last-minute coupons to ensure the highest number of sales. You should follow any retailers that you plan to visit on Black Friday. This will ensure that you get these coupons if they are issued, and you might get updates about new discounts.

Join Forces

Do you have a friend, spouse or child that loves shopping just as much as you? Then join forces to make Black Friday that much easier. For example, you can run to the cheapest product while the other person gets a cart or rushes to find another cheap product that you both want.

Be Comfortable

If you're going to be out all day, then ditch that bulky winter jacket for something more comfortable. It's a much better idea to dress in layers so that you can just remove one or two things to get comfortable. Those bulky jackets will make you feel tired halfway through your shopping because you'll be sweaty and uncomfortable.

SEE ALSO: Four Interesting Graduation Present Ideas

I love to blog about mobile phones and shopping tips. I recommend buying a smartphone from AT&T on Black Friday to take advantage of the biggest holiday saving.

*by andreascy*

Will You be the Next Victim of Laptop Theft?

Posted by Andreas Christodoulou

Description :

Laptop theft is becoming increasingly common, which should concern you if you own one. FBI statistics say that 97 percent of stolen computers will never be recovered. Statistics also report that 1,600 laptops are stolen daily in the United States alone. 

Today, we can safely assume the number to have increased greatly. If you own a laptop, chances are 1 in 10 that your laptop will be stolen.

Data Loss

The hardest thing to swallow about the theft of a laptop is always the loss of the data it contains. Family pictures, music libraries, and, of course, sensitive documents all vanish in the blink of an eye. Most laptop users also have their passwords saved on the laptops, so it's easy enough for the thieves to hack into accounts and gather enough material to commit other crimes, such as identity theft.

If we look at the theft of laptops belonging to large corporations, the fallout of the loss of a laptop can be extremely difficult to contain. Organizations lose several thousand dollars, at the very least, every time a laptop belonging to one of their employees is stolen. In 2004, Software Insurance claimed that over 600,000 laptops had been stolen, which caused a hardware loss amounting to $720 million and information losses estimated at $5.4 billion. Clearly, the loss of the hardware does not hurt as much as the loss of the data on the laptop.

Protecting Yourself against Laptop Theft

The only way to guarantee that your laptop won't be stolen is to keep your eye on it all the time. Of course that's not always possible. Luckily, there are several ways in which you can reduce the chances of your laptop being stolen and protect your data from being compromised.

To protect your laptop from being stolen, you can use either an alarm or chains to keep it attached to something immobile. Since a large number of laptops are stolen by thieves breaking into offices, you can prevent yours from being stolen by keeping it attached to something solid and immovable. Alarms can alert you or a security guard in the event someone tries to steal your laptop by breaking the lock.

Unfortunately, there are no foolproof ways to protect your data, as a determined attacker will eventually get in no matter the levels of encryption or password protections you use. But you can use a combination of biometric scanners, tracking software, data encryption, BIOS passwords, drive locks, and OS passwords to make it as difficult as possible for a thief to steal your data.

Laptop tracking software will help you recover your laptop only if the thief isn't smart and connects to the Internet. Full Disk Encryption is a popular approach to protecting data. It is inexpensive and easy to maintain, but, like other methods, can be cracked.

In the end, it's best to be realistic and prevent the theft of your laptop from ever happening, since it's statistically improbable that you'll be among the 3 percent who have recovered their computers after a theft.

READ ALSO: The Mobile Kill Switch Is In Effect: Here’s What You Need To Know

For more tips on laptop safety, i suggest researching protection software and products. 

*by andreascy*

SAP FICO - What Are Some Of The Advantages

Posted by Andreas Christodoulou

Description :

There are plenty of reasons why enterprise software is quickly becoming a necessary and popular option. Business organizations have to deal with a lot of complexity in their immediate business environments. However, they have to be smart about this and also keep one eye on the present and the other on the future.

But, managing a business environment fraught with complexities is not an easy task. And this is where enterprise software such as SAP can play a huge role.

What are some of the areas in which SAP can come into play? 

Almost every area of enterprise operations; which essentially means extremely large-scale operations; can benefit from SAP. Broadly speaking, software is implemented in areas such as: 

•  Resource management

•  Materials and supply chain management 

•  Customer relationship management 

•  Mobility networks 

•  Finance and control 

When it comes to finance and control, one of the most popular modules of SAP is SAP FICO which stands for Financials and Controlling. 

What are the benefits of learning or using SAP FICO? 

A business organization can realize plenty of advantages to having streamlined and effective financial and controlling mechanisms in place. These mechanisms can extend to almost every aspect of business operations and can bring about some really wide reaching and in-depth changes and benefits. 

Thus, by learning and implementing SAP FICO, a business organization can encompass different aspects of its financial framework. 

Specific aspects that can be addressed with SAP FICO 

A business organization needs to meet internal policies and external governance requirements. One of the ways in which it can do so is by implementing integrated financial reporting structures. 

This simply means that the software for SAP FICO can be integrated with sales, distribution, materials management and so on. With SAP FICO certification or capabilities, one can address issues and areas such as: 

•  Accounts payable

•  Accounts receivable 

•  Bank accounting

•  General and other ledgers

•  Cost and profit centers

•  Management of different financial assets

There is also quite a lot of emphasis on organizational structure and management of fixed assets. Both of them are extremely important for any enterprise professional. 

Automation of processes 

At enterprise levels, almost every aspect of business is heavily automated. With SAP FICO in place, an enterprise can enjoy automation and simpler management of all its financial operations. This also gives the enterprise an opportunity to comply with various federal regulations and also meet accounting standards all across the globe. It can get pretty cumbersome and perhaps even impossible for manual controls of the same. And this is where training in SAP FICO comes into play. 

Career prospects 

Learning SAP FICO can also help an individual enhance his career prospects with recruiters in industries such as: 

•  Finance 

•  Information technology

•  Hardware manufacturers

•  Knowledge processing industries

•  Banking sectors

It is quite interesting indeed to be equipped with knowledge on various aspects of finance and control because it vastly improves the employability of an individual. Considering the fact that SAP training is constantly getting updated with the latest technology and methods of operating specific aspects of business, it does become relevant for an individual to undergo periodic training and update his knowledge levels as well. 

RECOMMENDED: Top 3 Tech Tools for Managers That Mean Business

What’s one thing you’re hoping to learn as a member of our community? Let me know by leaving a comment below.

*by andreascy*

Record Breaking Wi-Fi

Posted by Andreas Christodoulou

Description :

Researchers from the Fraunhofer Instiute at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology have set a new Wi-Fi speed record of 40GB per second - by creating new hardware and using higher radio frequencies. 

The Dawning of a New Day

Essentially these researchers are now able to transmit 10 high-definition feature films per second, over a 0.6 mile distance. Their technology could fill a 4TB drive in under 100 seconds (1 min 40 seconds) when running at full speed (well, in theory it could, but currently no SSD or HDD could hope to keep up with it).

This development is excellent news for any gamer or movie addict as entire episodes or games could be downloaded within seconds, as opposed to hours - once it becomes commercially available. The motivation behind the project is to help Germany catch up to its neighbours as it is currently behind in terms of fibre network adoption.

In fact, the research, which was sponsored by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research to the tune of €2 million, was conducted to find an alternative to fibre optic cable. It seems that the researchers, at least, believe that they’ve succeeded with project leader, Professor Ingmar Kallfass, reporting that; “We have managed to develop a radio link based on active electronic circuits, which enables similarly high data rates as in fiber-optic systems, therefore allowing seamless integration of the radio link”.

Why it Works

Mashable’s Jesse Emspak explains that what makes this high-speed Wi-Fi possible is a combination of ‘better hardware’ and the use of higher radio frequencies. The “better hardware” is what researchers are calling their transmitter and receiver chips which are quite compact; measuring 4 x 1.5mm2 . Kallfass and his team believe that the set of chips could be integrated into compact ICs.

The second component is the use of higher radio frequencies - 240 gigahertz in this instance. Most Wi-Fi networks operate at either 2.4 or 5GHz and higher frequencies can experience atmospheric interference. It would seem, however, that 240 GHz is not affected and, as such massive amounts of data can be sent over this wavelength. Emspak explains that; “The high frequencies are necessary for moving lots of data - the number of bits that can travel over the airwaves is inversely proportional to the wavelength. The shorter the wavelength, the more data that can go in a given time”.

The technology has already been tested over a distance of one kilometer (linking two skyscrapers) and certainly seems to be quite robust when it comes to bad weather.

Possible Applications

Apart from faster download speeds in central areas, another application for the tech could be use in rural areas where it is too difficult to lay down fibre optic cables; as these transmissions will be able to go much further than a current Wi-Fi router could manage. Should this prove to be the case it would mean a breakthrough for people working between buildings or in the countryside.

At present the technology has not been made available commercially but, once it is it looks set to change the way many people around the world use their computers. Just think of the possibilities; email hosting services could be accessed from more locations, videos could be downloaded in the blink of an eye and people in areas that were traditionally isolated could soon have internet access. It truly is the dawning of a new day. 

 READ ALSO: Search Engines and Web Hosting - The Best Combination

Keep pushing up higher! 💪

*by andreascy*

The Advantages Of Purchasing An Acer Laptop

Posted by Andreas Christodoulou

Description :

When it comes to purchasing a laptop, the market is wide open. There are numerous brands and models to choose from and one of the most popular, as far as international sales are concerned, is Acer. Acer is actually the #2 laptop brand in the world (regarding overall sales). The brand offers dependability, affordability and portability, just to name a few of the primary features.

With Acer, one of its best claims to its intrinsic value is its affordability in a growing and competitive market. This article is designed to provide some insight as to the advantages to owning an Acer laptop. This is not to establish it as the top brand, but to submit to you the advantages.

1. Memory

One of the most important elements of a laptop’s functionality is its memory. Acer is competitive in the amount of memory it offers standard. Acer Laptops come with a variance of memory space, and carry the capability to easily add more memory in a short period of time. The memory can be increased at the time of purchase with very little impact to the total prices. Memory can also be added as an aftermarket addition with minimal costs.

2. Portability

Another important feature on any laptop is portability, which is reflected in the size and weight of the laptop. Acer offers a number of laptops and notebooks that are extremely portable while remaining highly functional. Even when the models increase in screen size, the weight of the device, has a whole, allows it to be easily managed. These laptops can be easily stored in the average backpack or carrying case.

3. Wireless Capability

The entire point of portability is to have accessibility. Having multiple wireless options allows the user to stay connected and have the accessibility to the web and business remote networks. You can connect to home based WiFi systems, public networks, and even Bluetooth devices, such as printers, headsets, and more.

4. Connectivity

The ability to have connection adaptability is extremely important when choosing a laptop. As network and WiFi connections vary your computer’s ability to adapt to those variations and facilitate a seamless connection is quite necessary. Acer laptops also support multiple connectivity ports for USB drives and Ethernet connections. With some of the lower priced laptops, there is a letdown is connectivity and network sharing capability. This is not the case with Acer. Acer provides a great computing experience at a reasonable price.

5. Affordability

All of the different features and capabilities of the Acer (its affordability may very well be its best feature), makes it a great value and a viable alternative to some of the more well-known brands. Are there brands out there that provide features that are not standard or available on Acer? Yes, but as a general rule, you will see those additional features reflected in the price. If those special features that sit outside the standard capabilities of Acer laptops are not absolutely necessary for you, then you will be surprisingly satisfied with an Acer laptop.

RECOMMENDED: The Battle between Windows, Chromebook and Mac

Thank you for reading! Feel free to share your feedback! :-)

*by andreascy*

DDoS Protection - Threats, Targets, Solutions

Posted by Andreas Christodoulou

Description : 

It is slightly alarming to note but is an unfortunate truth that cyber-attacks have taken on many forms and have become pretty cost-effective as well, at least for the attackers.

Nowhere this is more evident than in the field of distributed denial of service attacks. These, so called DDoS attacks have come to the fore lately because of their availability and potential for destruction. Today they are being unleashed against all kinds of targets including: 

•  Government organizations 

•  Financial sector 

•  Individuals 

•  Banks of national importance 

•  Defense websites and so on 

As a result, more and more organizations are looking at the various ways in which they can deploy the best in class DDoS protection services. Before looking for the ideal service provider when it comes to such protection services, there are a few things that you can keep in mind. 

The price of DDoS attack 

Last year, the Ponemon Institute brought out a report that revealed that around 65% of the respondents had dealt with some form of a DDoS attack. Earlier this year, yet another document called Worldwide Infrastructure Security Report stated that 94% of the respondents need to deal with such attacks on a regular basis. This is an alarmingly large percentage. And this fact alone should be reason enough for you to seek DDoS protection. 

If you fail to deploy such protection for your network then you are likely to face consequences such as:

•  Going off the grid for a prolonged period of time 

•  Loss of customers, revenue productivity 

•  Loss of reputation in the business domain 

•  Disruption of communications and networking 

The price of DDoS protection 

Ideally, DDoS protection should be able to take care of your application layer protection (also known as Layer 7) and or your network layer (Layer 3). Considering that DDoS attacks can take place at mammoth scales and can target both the network and application layers, it is important to deploy protection for the same as well. Ideally, the mitigation also needs to take place outside of your core network, as the cure can be almost as bad as the disease itself. 

Important Factors: Speed and Scalability 

There are different types of DDoS attacks but they all have one common goal – depletion of resources, CPU, memory and bandwidth. Traditionally, to mitigate such attacks, an organization would invest in an upkeep of additional resources – specifically more servers or stronger machines. However, DDoS attacks are getting bigger all the time and when they go beyond the resource limit, the website or network are still brought down. This is why it’s so important to invest in flexible DDoS protection that can scale up to meet and deflect attacks that can “morph” on-call to go beyond the pre-acquired bandwidth. 

Obviously, on-premises and hardware based solutions will not offer such flexibility, as they require more setup time and may depend upon physical delivery. This is why many modern day providers are gravitating towards cloud based anti DDoS solutions that can be easily implemented and can scale up on demand, providing a cost-effective mitigation option even against the largest attacks. 

Who should seek DDoS protection? 

If you have an online presence of any kind then you should seek DDoS protection. This becomes even more important if you are dealing with confidential data, personal information of a large number of clients, e-commerce operations and even if you use cloud computing for your applications. 

Simply put, whether you are a small business or an enterprise, it is important to consider employing DDoS protection. 

*by andreascy*

Introducing BodyCom Technology

Posted by Andreas Christodoulou

Description : 

Microchip Technology introduced the BodyCom system, a new short-range wireless connectivity technology that uses the capability of the human body to transport a few signals, providing intuitive, simple, and safe communication between two electronically compatible devices. 

Communication between BodyCom system devices occurs when they are within a few centimeters of the human body: a simple proximity or touch detection can establish a BodyCom system connection.

The BodyCom system was implemented with the following priorities:

     • Very low consumption, especially for the Mobile Unit

     • Fast system response

     • Stable and Robust communication with Fault detection

     • Limited field of action (as little as a few centimeters) to allow an identification when the
        touch action takes place from whoever wears the Mobile Unit

     • Low cost and complexity

The signal transmission uses capacitive coupling between the human body, the Base Unit and the Mobile Unit (see Figure 1). 

Figure 1: BodyCom System Working Principle

Because of this, the signals are more attenuated at low frequencies than at high frequencies, requiring the signals that are transmitted to have higher amplitude for lower frequencies. The Mobile Unit is a battery-powered portable device, and power consumption is a priority, while the Base Unit can deliver more power.

On the video, Applications Engineer Chris Tucker, makes an introduction to BodyCom Technology utilizing the BodyCom Development Kit demonstration.

For more details check out the AppNotes. 
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Inner Workings of High Speed Internet

Posted by Andreas Christodoulou

Description : 

The term "Internet" has many meanings depending on what network a person uses. No one person, no one government, no one entity owns or controls the Internet. Instead, it consists of many networks cooperating and making alliances all over the world. 

Each organization monitors and maintains its own network. A group known as the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) sets standards, oversees research, and gives guidance for many areas of the network. Best of all Tim Lee Burns who oversaw the majority of work on the early Internet is part of that group.

Managing Traffic

High speed on the Internet happens from local, regional, and international networks communicating on needs and hardware. Each group contributes to the internal structure of the Internet in a variety of ways. Companies lay down the infrastructure that carries the bits and bytes cable, satellite, fiber optics, and wireless. Organizations and governments create guidelines on use, bandwidth, and standards. Of course, most of the work is finding ways to make the bits and bytes flow as quickly as possible between home and the site a person is accessing. As a human enterprise, it ranks as the first global cooperation created solely for offering a means of communication for anyone anywhere.

Internet 2

A living breathing ecosystem comes as one of the best ways to describe the Net. It has an overarching framework that everything else connects on. It has niches for specialized needs in the ecosystem. What affects one part or section of the Net has effects on the rest of the Net. It changes daily and reacts differently every day. It is all determined by human interaction and communications with others either directly or indirectly.

Not for profit research since 1996 in 200 universities and 115 companies across the globe have been testing advanced network technology daily. All require high speed networks. Many of the wonders of technology a person experiences today came out of these universities and companies. Other entities pick the technology up, adapt it, and make money with it. Online books, music, movies, and magazines started out as ideas and seeds for use at the not for profit research facilities. Presently, these places are working on high definition video, quicker ways to resolve network problems, and enhanced detection of any problems.

Connection

What high speed Internet providers give to a consumer is an access point, not the Internet itself. A provider may have their niche and personal network where they give their brand of news, weather, financial data, games and storage. It pays to determine your needs and shop around. These providers come at different levels. An ISP (internet service provider) may cover a specific geographical area and offer the initial connection to that area. National ISP exists and serves cities and towns in a nationwide network.

Another access point is OSP (online service providers). OSP is like a club where one must become a member. It functions more as a large gateway to the Internet. These entities regulate what services members have access to. It customizes a version of the web to its companies vision and needs.

More and more wireless Internet service providers are becoming the norm. Smart phones, laptops, desktops or any device with wireless capability can access a hotspot. Some wireless access points are free, and others take a monthly fee for access. In urban areas, restaurants, colleges, community areas such as airports offer free wi-fi for the public use.

Join

Internet has become one of the major means of communicating in business, in the news, in media and among many individuals. Every day across the globe it becomes a culture of its own and part of people’s lives. The astronomical amount of data streaming through it in its many forms ensures something is available for anyone in any format if they have a need.

SEE ALSO: Online Security Education Program for Your Employees

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*by andreascy*