Microsoft CRM Programming Secrets – Tips for Developers

Having a customer relationship management solution can help a business organize and easily streamline processes and functions related to developing, retaining, and improving customer relationships. Microsoft offers some of the leading CRM solutions that are flexible and customizable for every business. Some leading examples are Dynamics 365 and SharePoint. Developers of Microsoft CRM solutions should be able to provide a unique platform that can help businesses fulfill their objectives for implementing a customer relationship management solution. Here are some tips for a developer to enable proper Microsoft CRM programming:

•Consult with the business – Developers must take time to understand the unique requirements of the business. That way, they can develop a bespoke solution that should work for their customer. For instance, Dynamics 365 can be programmed and developed to run on-premise and online.

•Know the programmability features of Microsoft CRM – By identifying a customer’s requirements, developers should be able to use the right programming models that will enable them to customize the right solution for every situation. For instance, when developers write their customers to access the data in Dynamics 365, they have the option to use the organization service or the Web API. The latter offers a development experience that is useful across programming languages, devices, and platforms. It implements open data protocol (Odata), too, which is the standard for consuming and building RESTfulAPIs over any rich data source. Microsoft provides a list of community-supported libraries for OData. Otherwise, developers can code directly using HTTP. 

.NET developers may Web API or the organization service, which enables them to use the set of tools and assemblies to create strongly typed classes with attributes and custom entities added to Dynamics 365. SDK tools and assemblies for code generation can work with Organization Service Context, which is designed according to the same concept as WFC data services to enable developers to track changes and manage relationships and identities.

•Consult with experts – Consulting services can give developers a competitive edge and keep them ahead of their competition when they are updated with the latest developments and knowledge. 

•Use special tools – Address Two and Infusion soft are CRM software tools that can leverage the existing CRM platforms of a business.

Source URL : http://www.orionnetworks.net/microsoft-crm-programming-secrets-tips-for-developers/

How Proper Cyber Security Can Lengthen a Company's Life

Information has become one of the most valuable resources today. As our world becomes more and more digitized, protecting valuable data has become a major challenge for business—not just for the big corporations, but also smaller companies. Data theft or hacking is a serious threat to businesses of all sizes and in all industries. So, as long as there data is digitally stored, anyone can be a target. That is why a growing number of companies have been paying more and more attention and investing heavily on protecting their information. In 2017, the value of the cyber security market is expected to reach $120 billion.

 Data theft, hacking, and more recently the ransomware threat can dramatically affect the reputation, profitability, and viability of companies in many ways. If your business gets targeted, you must deal with the impact of the data breach and containing the threat to prevent more data from being lost. Recovery and restoring the lost data will also be a huge headache. And then there is the issue of restoring the loyalty and confidence of your stakeholders, clients or customers. All of these will cost a lot of money and can really hurt your bottom line or worse, kill off your business altogether.

That is why it is imperative to shore up your data protection and security. Just because your company is small doesn’t mean that it is less susceptible to attacks. In fact, 71% of reported cyber-attacks target small and medium businesses.

When it comes to cyber security, prevention is always better (and less costly) than a cure. The main problem with cyber security is that the threat constantly evolves. As such, the need is to have a dynamic and proactive solution to protect oneself from these cyber threats. Investing now on protective measures such as good antivirus software, firewall protection, strong and secure password systems, and a strong awareness on cyber threats is the key to safeguard your information from intrusion and unauthorized access. A mindset of constant improvement and investment in cyber security systems is necessary to insure a company's survival in today's digital world.

Source URL : http://www.orionnetworks.net/how-proper-cyber-security-can-lengthen-a-companys-life/

Advantages of Deploying Mobile Applications for Your Business

Mobile apps are not merely for big-time businesses. In fact, every business (regardless of size) can benefit from having a mobile application. When implemented with a good mobile strategy, mobile applications for your business may help boost your sales, generate more leads, and keep existing and prospective customers interested in what you have to offer. Mobile applications can be an important aspect of your marketing strategy for the following reasons:

•Establish a marketing channel that is direct and easily accessible to your customers – Apps can be versatile in a sense that they can deliver or include general information, booking forms, prices, user accounts, newsfeeds, messengers, search features, and other features you think may be necessary to keep your business easily available to your customers.

•They keep your business available all the time – An average American tends to spend over two hours on his or her mobile device daily, and while only a few applications are encompassed in this usage, users will still have to swipe, scroll, and scan for the apps they want to use. When they have your app, you can establish your presence in their subconscious minds, even if they do not use it for that particular session.

•Mobile apps provide better value to your users – One of the most common applications of mobile apps for a business is enabling a digitized loyalty program, which will make it easier for customers to keep track of points and collect rewards through their mobile devices. This way, your mobile application may encourage more downloads and return customers. The more customers use or buy your services and products, the more points they can earn, which they can use to obtain certain products or services that they need or could want. Starbucks, for instance, uses a mobile app to providing exclusive rewards to those who have it.

Source URL : http://www.orionnetworks.net/advantages-of-deploying-mobile-applications-for-your-business/

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/