Microsoft Azure – An Alternative to Amazon and Google Cloud

The competition is tough among public cloud services like Google Cloud, Amazon Web Services, and Microsoft Azure. The first two may be older and more popular, but Azure is proving to be a worthy opponent. Microsoft’s cloud solution is a robust PaaS (platform-as-a-service) and the leading IaaS (infrastructure as a service) platform, resulting in heaps of revenue for the company since it was launched in 2010. The following points highlight the benefits of Microsoft Azure:

•Other tools from Microsoft can be integrated into it – Azure makes sense to organizations that are using other Microsoft tools like SharePoint, Outlook, and Office 365. The cloud platform integrates seamlessly with those products, even when applied on-premise to Linux and Windows. 

•PaaS and IaaS – Microsoft Azure offers both unmanaged (PaaS) and managed (IaaS) services. The latter lets organizations outsource cloud computing and pay only for what they need, and the former makes it possible to create software and web apps without maintaining or buying an underlying infrastructure. This way, organizations can customize software, like Office 365, to suit their unique requirements and specifications.

•Proven reputation – Microsoft itself is a reliable and credible brand and it powers a lot of the tools we use today, including Windows, Xbox, Bing, and Skype. Its reputation can be beneficial to small companies that are looking for a secure cloud platform. Organizations can be confident with Azure, since it is from an established industry leader.

•Strong analytics and BI support – You get NoSQL and managed SQL data services along with integrated support for using data and discovering insights to improve decision-making and business processes. With Azure, you can establish an SQL server in a cloud and use the Apache Hadoop-based cloud platform, HDInsight to create Hadoop clusters for deeper data analysis.

•Reliability – Microsoft Azure is covered by the company’s increasing number of managed data centers around the world. Hence, you should be able to count on 24/7 availability of health monitoring and tech support.

How to Keep Anyone Away from Snooping Around Your Cloud Infrastructure

Back in the day, we used to carry around discs, portable hard disks, and thumb drives. Now, you can store and access your data in the cloud and not have to worry about forgetting to carry any portable storage devices with you. While the cloud may have changed the way we store and access our data, this doesn’t mean that it can keep your data completely secure. Your information is still at risk with prying eyes and attackers around, waiting for an opportunity to access your files and steal them. Even if the cloud service provider claims to be secure, you still need to take measures to prevent anyone from compromising your cloud infrastructure. Here’s how:

•Keep your passwords secure – No one should be able to snoop around your cloud infrastructure if you do not give your password to anyone and you make it difficult to guess.

•Do not rely on the cloud too much – Backup your data not just in the cloud, but in traditional storage devices, too. That way, you still have access to it, even if the cloud becomes compromised or if there is no internet access in your area.

•Do not store sensitive information in the cloud – There is no such thing as absolute and real privacy online, so it is not recommended to store top secret files in any cloud infrastructure. It is better to be a bit paranoid with identity theft cases on the rise. Use the cloud only for frequently used files, and avoid storing documents containing sensitive and personal data or passwords.

•Use data encryption – Make sure your cloud infrastructure comes with local data encryption to provide an extra layer of security. The method is also known as ‘zero-knowledge proof’, and it will protect your data against cloud administrators and service providers, too. Moreover, make sure data is encrypted during the uploading and downloading processes, too.

Mobile Security

With smartphones, tablets, and laptops enabling anyone to work from just about anywhere, the need for mobile security is no doubt growing. Cloud solutions continue to help many individuals work and access their files remotely, too. However, despite the convenience of technology, data can still be at risk—especially with mobile devices. Reliable mobile security is absolutely essential to protect your privacy, your devices, and your files from cyber attacks, malware, and hackers.

Mobile security will not merely protect you from external threats. It can protect you from internal threats, too, such as data loss due to accidental deletion or unauthorized access to certain types of files. This can be crucial if your business practices BYOD (bring your own device) and allows employees to work remotely or from their homes. All crucial information and data (as well as identities) can be protected and will not be used to harm other services within the organization.

Basic forms of mobile security include antivirus solutions and policies. Some of these are cost-effective and reliable services that can help secure a small business. There are a number of low-cost mobile security solutions for small businesses that are looking for reasonably priced and reliable security tools. With these solutions, you get a free antivirus, paid and free SSL certificates, mobile device management, free internet security, security for POS systems, and firewall protection.

 StaySafeOnline.Org is a good source for resources and tools designed to help small business owners who want to protect their customers, employees, and business from data loss, cyber attacks, and other threats.

Having a BYOD policy is part of good mobile security measures, too. That way, all devices used in the business can be managed more efficiently. When creating a BYOD policy, be sure to highlight crucial factors like terms of acceptable use, security and password protection, the types of devices that are allowed, disclaimers, liabilities, and risks.

About the Author:

Mike Rana is the Chief Technology Advisor of Orion Network Solutions. Orion Network Solutions specializes in providing Computer Installation, Maintenance, and Consulting services along with 24×7 help desk services for small and midsize companies. We provide network solutions that enable small businesses to not only lower their management cost but also increases employee productivity at the same low price. We offer network solution that becomes an integral part of your organization and can provide an increase in productivity of your organization.

Source URL : http://www.orionnetworks.net/mobile-security/

Cloud Based Antivirus Solutions

Antivirus programs are essential to every computer and mobile device. Without them, your computers and smartphones will be vulnerable to hackers and security breaches. Old school antivirus solutions can only offer limited amount of protection and they are usually expensive to maintain in the long run. Using cloud based antivirus solutions may be a better and cost-effective solution that can provide real-time protection. When you use a cloud based antivirus, the program is stored and runs on a cloud service instead of being installed to your computer. This way, it offloads the workload and functions of the antivirus to the cloud-based server.

Conventional security software relies on a local computer. With cloud based antivirus, you only have to install a small client program on your desktop and it connects to the internet to access the web service of the provider. After an antivirus scan, data from your computer is analyzed, and the things you must do for countermeasures will be sent back to you. Cloud antivirus is becoming increasingly popular with personal users and organizations who are looking for improved, reliable, faster, and real-time protection that is accessible any time.

If you’re looking to buy well-known antivirus and anti-malware programs that offer cloud based antivirus solutions, here are some features to look for:

•Real-time monitoring, proactive detection of any new threat

•Automatic sandboxing of all unknown files

•Three layers of security: heuristic detection, in-depth analysis, and database of malicious codes

•Protection as you browse, play, or work online

•Light (so you will not even notice that it is in your machine)

•Independent (so you do not have to worry about manual updates, configurations, and settings)

Cloud based antivirus can be a good option for small businesses. Not only is it cost-effective—it can also reduce the amount of time and effort devoted to conducting antivirus scans periodically. A locally installed antivirus solution may require a lot of storage space and consume a lot of memory every time it conducts a scan, causing delays and interruptions. Cloud based antivirus solutions are lighter on the local memory and storage, and it comes with all the features you will need to detect and remove or quarantine viruses and malware.

About the Author:

Mike Rana is the Chief Technology Advisor of Orion Network Solutions. Orion Network Solutions specializes in providing Computer Installation, Maintenance, and Consulting services along with 24×7 help desk services for small and midsize companies. We provide network solutions that enable small businesses to not only lower their management cost but also increases employee productivity at the same low price. We offer network solution that becomes an integral part of your organization and can provide an increase in productivity of your organization.

Source URL : http://www.orionnetworks.net/cloud-based-antivirus-solutions/

Latest Security News: New Updates Regarding Microsoft and Other Application Updates in October

Microsoft’s Patch Tuesday for October delivered 10 critical updates to Windows 8 and 7 systems, with five rated ‘critical’, four rated ‘important’, and an update with a ‘moderate’ or lower security rating. The way those updates were delivered were different, too, in the sense that Microsoft followed the cumulative update model used in Windows 10 for all the currently supported Windows platforms and their respective versions. Before this latest update, Microsoft used to have a granular approach with individual patches and updates. Now, security is bundled with system component (.NET) and browser components as aggregate patches.

The October updates included multiple ‘Patch Now’ updates for Edge, Internet Explorer, Adobe Flash Player, and a minimum component of Microsoft Office, all of which will require you to restart your system after completion. MS16-118 is one of the critical updates aimed at Internet Explorer to resolve 11 vulnerabilities in its security related to scripting engine issues and memory corruption, both of which could make the browser vulnerable to remote code execution. At least one issue related to memory has already been exploited in the past months and was reported to Microsoft, resulting in this ‘Patch Now’ update.

MS16-119 is another critical update that will resolve 17 memory, scripting, and name space handling problems in Microsoft Edge. It comes with a fix that is aimed as a remedy for a recently detected exploit. MS16-127 addressed 12 security ‘priority one’ vulnerabilities in Adobe Flash Player. If left unpatched, hackers could remotely execute a code. The update is not directly linked with the Edge and IE updates. Instead, it affects only the platforms running on Windows 8.

Apart from Microsoft, Oracle rolled out a critical patch update, which consisted of patches addressing multiple security vulnerabilities. Oracle keeps receiving reports of various attempts to exploit vulnerabilities maliciously, so applying the update is crucial to keep your system safe. October 2016’s critical patch update covers 253 new security fixes for various products, including Oracle Database Server, Application Express, Enterprise Manager, and PeopleSoft Enterprise. 

About the Author:

           

Mike Rana is the Chief Technology Advisor of Orion Network Solutions. Orion Network Solutions specializes in providing Computer Installation, Maintenance, and Consulting services along with 24x7 help desk services for small and midsize companies. We provide network solutions that enable small businesses to not only lower their management cost but also increases employee productivity at the same low price. We offer network solution that becomes an integral part of your organization and can provide an increase in productivity of your organization.

IoT Devices

The billions of interconnected devices, buildings, vehicles, and other objects that are embedded with software, electronics, actuators, network connectivity, and sensors make up the Internet of Things (IoT). The best thing about IoT is that it allows data transfer over the network without human to computer or human-to-human interactions. In IoT, ‘things’ can refer to anything from a farm animal that has a biochip transponder, a car with built-in sensors that can alert you on certain issues (i.e. low fuel or low tire pressure), or someone with a heart monitor implanted in them. IoT devices have an IP address and the ability to deliver data over networks.

The Internet of Things came to be when the internet combined with microservices, micro-electromechanical systems, and wireless technologies. With that convergence, walls between information technology and operational technology were eliminated to enable machine-generated unstructured data to be determined for insights. However, since the IoT devices involve transferring data over a network, they are still prone to security risks. For instance, high-end cars that have built-in Wi-Fi are still prone to security issues that are common to conventional Wi-Fi hotspots. You should be worried about these vulnerabilities because hackers could attack your devices to access critical information about your business or organization. Hence, it is important to find and implement reliable security measures that can help prevent and remediate the security vulnerabilities that could pose a threat to IoT devices.

Traditional manufacturers rely on proprietary embedded systems, which are difficult to hack because of restrictions and closed source code. Many IoT devices run on Microsoft Windows because it is ubiquitous, commonly used by programmers, and reasonably priced. The operating system is used in various devices including mobile medical devices (i.e. pacemakers). However, unlike Windows for desktop, Windows for IoT devices currently lack a patching method, and since many of them are connected to the internet using wireless technologies like Wi-Fi, the easier it is for viruses to spread amongst them.

To avoid security vulnerabilities in IoT devices, it is essential to keep their software updated at all times. If your business relies on wearables and mobile smart devices, consider coming up with policies on how they should be used by your employees. An IT consultant should be able to help you come up with the right strategies to make your IoT devices safer. 

About the Author:

           

Mike Rana is the Chief Technology Advisor of Orion Network Solutions. Orion Network Solutions specializes in providing Computer Installation, Maintenance, and Consulting services along with 24x7 help desk services for small and midsize companies. We provide network solutions that enable small businesses to not only lower their management cost but also increases employee productivity at the same low price. We offer network solution that becomes an integral part of your organization and can provide an increase in productivity of your organization.

Windows 10 Free Upgrade Has Ended - What Happens Next?

Windows 10 is the latest operating system released by Microsoft, and you were given until July 29, 2016, to upgrade to it for free. That date is exactly a year since the initial release of the OS. The upgrade was offered for free as part of Microsoft's plan to get the OS to run on one billion devices in the next few years. Those running authentic Windows 7 and Window 8.1 were given the chance to upgrade for free; however, some users failed to do so. Regardless of your reason for not taking advantage of that free upgrade, upgrading to Windows 10 after July 29 simply means having to pay for it.

Upgrading to Windows 10 can be a crucial step to future-proofing your systems. Microsoft's long-term goal for providing a free upgrade is to gradually phase out Windows 7. On January 14, 2020, Microsoft will stop its commitment to provide extended support for it. Putting off the upgrade until 2020 may put your business at risk, because delays, reduce productivity, and make your systems vulnerable to attackers.

After the deadline, your small business can still upgrade by buying Windows 10 and consulting with a reliable network solutions provider for assistance in deployment. This way, you can avoid the guesswork and the upgrade will not have to cause too much downtime in your operations. A specialist can help you determine and confirm your system's readiness for Windows 10, too. They will take measures to ensure that you can upgrade to Windows 10 seamlessly and cost-effectively. Likewise, they can take care of the error codes and other issues that may occur during and after installation.

A Windows 10 upgrade can be automated to help you save time and effort. the deployment can be automated by using Microsoft s SCCM application. There are many benefits to upgrading to Windows 10. Apart from preparing you for the end of Windows 7, the new operating system lets small businesses be more flexible as it works across all devices, including mobile. It empowers BYOD policies while ensuring cost-effective implementation. Windows 10 may help boost your productivity with help from Cortana, the new virtual assistant, and other intelligent features like the unified control panel, enhanced notifications, and virtual desktops. At the same time, your business gets enterprise-grade security for your data.

About the Author:

           

Mike Rana is the Chief Technology Advisor of Orion Network Solutions. Orion Network Solutions specializes in providing Computer Installation, Maintenance, and Consulting services along with 24x7 help desk services for small and midsize companies. We provide network solutions that enable small businesses to not only lower their management cost but also increases employee productivity at the same low price. We offer network solution that becomes an integral part of your organization and can provide an increase in productivity of your organization.

Source URL : http://www.orionnetworks.net/windows-10-free-upgrade-has-ended-what-happens-next/