Do you remember a PC operating system used in the dim and distant past called Windows XP? Microsoft stopped supporting it several years ago which means no patches will be released to fix security vulnerabilities. Even so, according to the latest figures, there are still thousands of computers running on […]
Vantage IT is thrilled to be exhibiting at Watford Business Show in November – the biggest SME business exhibition in Hertfordshire. It attracts business people from North London, Buckinghamshire, Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire & surrounding areas. Keynote speakers include Lyndsay Morgan, Operations Director of Climb Online, a business started by Apprentice Mark […]
According to recent reports, there are around 10 million office workers in the United Kingdom. Most of these will have access to a PC, so that represents a significant number of people using a keyboard, mouse or trackpad every day. But how many people think about the ergonomics of their […]
Intel has revealed details about its upcoming range of 8th Generation Core processors. Some of the new features will represent a significant improvement over previous generations. For example, mainstream laptops will have 4 cores instead of the usual 2. According to Intel, these new CPUs will provide better performance and […]
As we all know, genuine toner cartridges can be expensive. This has led other companies to produce compatible toner cartridges or even fakes at a much lower price. Whilst this can appear to result in a substantial cost saving, this is usually a false economy and can even cause damage […]
Buying a new PC for your organisation should be more than just a financial decision. Before buying a new PC, you should consider what benefits it will bring to your organisation and what the intended usage will be. For example, do the users have to wait for 5 minutes every […]
The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has fined TalkTalk after details for 21,000 people were exposed to fraudsters. It was found that TalkTalk failed to protect the information and unnecessarily allowed staff access to huge amounts of data which was then passed to unscrupulous third parties. The security breach was […]
The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport has launched a proposal to ensure organisations strengthen their IT infrastructure. Organisations who fail to implement effective cyber security measures could be fined as much as £17 million or 4% of global turnover. The Network and Information Systems (NIS) Directive which will […]
Hundreds of thousands of pounds worth of fake Cisco equipment has been seized by police in Kent. Cisco had spotted the counterfeit equipment in circulation and notified the police. This is not an isolated incident and other hardware manufactures are also having their equipment faked. Due to the high […]
What can you do to ensure your IT systems are protected against the modern world of continuous security threats? We have always focused on keeping our customers’ networks secure and have provided you with a 10 point security checklist. 1) Firewall 2) Anti-Virus 3) Backups 4) Encryption 5) Patching 6) […]
Most computer users will have relied on Microsoft Office to produce letters, spreadsheets and presentations, to send and receive emails, and utilise a database. But have you thought about using Office 365? Since Microsoft launched Office 365 in 2011, many organisations have benefited from the numerous features it offers. As […]
Do you struggle with a small monitor? Do you get eye strain from your existing monitor? Would you like to increase your working area to two screens? Do you regularly work with graphical 2D and 3D images? If you can answer yes to any of these questions, it is likely […]
Are you spending too much on ink cartridges? Do you have to wait too long for your documents to be printed? Is the print quality inconsistent or poor? Can you only print on one printer? Are you unable to scan? If you can answer ‘yes’ to any of these questions, […]
Earlier this week, Microsoft launched its latest Surface Pro 2-in-1 laptop. It is the first refresh to the company’s popular line of hybrid PCs since October 2015 and it will be available to purchase mid-June. The concept behind the new Surface Pro is the same as its predecessors. It is […]
Vantage IT will once again be delighted to be exhibiting at The Hertfordshire Business Expo in June, the biggest business event in Hertfordshire. The Expo will be taking place at Alban Arena, St Albans on Monday 12th June 2017 and it would be great to see you there. In […]
Globally, there are millions of people that suffer from financial loss due to online hackers. There are, however, many things you can do to stay safe. In this blog, we have given five helpful tips to keep in mind whenever doing a financial transaction online. Make Sure the Website is […]
Being a victim of computer malware could cripple your organisation. Taking shortcuts with malware protection is reckless and unnecessary. McAfee Endpoint Protection is so much more than just anti-virus software for your PCs. It will also provide: Anti-virus for your server Firewall protection for PCs Web filtering Encryption for […]
Microsoft has released the second major upgrade to Windows 10 and has recently started rolling it out to PCs worldwide. The new ‘Creators Update’ has introduced a number of changes to Windows 10, both visually and behind the scenes. We have therefore compiled a list of the main things to […]
Mobilising your organisation can dramatically improve your efficiency. From lowering office overheads to improving the strength of your customer relationships, the benefits can be vast. What’s more, enabling employees to work from anywhere can also deliver a competitive advantage from a happier, more productive team. But in order to enjoy […]
Microsoft will be patching a security vulnerability that was recently noticed in Word. The bug allows malicious software to attack an unsuspecting user’s PC with an infected Word document. The flaw was reported at the weekend and emails have already been noticed that are being sent out to exploit it. […]
On 25th May 2018, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) will come into force. The GDPR replaces the Data Protection Act (DPA) and sets out what is required to keep individuals’ data secure. Although it is European legislation, it will still be introduced in the UK and will remain as […]
Cloud storage is great, but added care needs to be taken when you are entrusting your data to another organisation. Earlier this week it was reported that confidential documents which included passwords, credit card details, health data and legal documents were accidentally shared by organisations using Microsoft’s Office 365 service. […]
Product Lifecycle support for Microsoft’s Exchange Server 2007 email will end in April 2017, have you prepared for this? Existing email servers will continue to work past this date initially, but will receive no further patching from Microsoft, leaving your systems vulnerable to viruses, malware and instability. Each version of […]
Please don’t think you cannot be a victim of Ransomware. It is becoming more prevalent and it can affect anyone, even you! Criminals are constantly trying to find ways to extract money from unsuspecting victims and in ransomware, they have found a successful and easy to administer method. What is […]
You may be familiar with Cloud backup services from tech giants such as Microsoft, Google and Amazon. Examples of popular Cloud services are Microsoft Azure Backup and Office 365, which is Microsoft’s Email hosting platform. While these services can be right for some small to medium sized businesses, are they […]
Network Attached Storage (NAS) devices have become popular solutions for small businesses that would like easily accessible, centralised storage at a relatively low cost. What is a NAS? A NAS is a networked device which contains one or more storage drive. The drives will either be hard drives (HDD) or […]
Replacing your computer’s Hard Disk Drive (HDD) with a Solid State Drive (SSD) is simply the best upgrade at your disposal, capable of speeding up your computer in ways you had not thought possible. Vantage IT can upgrade your company’s PCs and laptops with these drives, providing significant improvements in […]
Closely monitoring the temperature within critical IT environments is vital. Jacarta, a leading supplier of environmental monitoring equipment, often hears horror stories of failing cooling systems, so they wondered how reliable they are. In 2007, they commissioned a survey of data centre managers which found that over 45% of the […]
HP is at the forefront of utilising new technologies to develop computers that are increasingly powerful yet smaller in size. The latest offering is the revolutionary Z2 Mini. Made for and by design professionals, the Z2 Mini gives you both performance and reliability in a small, elegant design for […]
HP has expanded the battery safety recall that it announced in 2016 because additional batteries are affected. Why is the Battery Recall Notice Being Issued? The faulty batteries have the potential to overheat, posing a fire and burn hazard to customers. What Products are Included? Affected batteries were shipped with […]
An increasing number of people are embracing ‘The Cloud’ to store their files, whether this is Dropbox, OneDrive, Google Drive, Amazon Cloud, or any of the other file syncing services out there. File syncing services can be very useful. However, it is a common misconception that these services are a […]
Vantage IT is delighted to be exhibiting at The Hertfordshire Business Expo in February, the biggest business event in Hertfordshire. The Expo will be taking place at Shendish Manor, Hemel Hempstead on Monday 6th February 2017 and it would be great to see you there. In addition to the exhibition, […]
Messaging, meetings and screen sharing – all this in one application that works with Microsoft Office. Microsoft Skype for Business simplifies your infrastructure by combining calling, conferencing, video, instant messaging and sharing into one platform. You can host a webinar, conference or other event from any device, enabling team […]
Data backup is one of the most important, yet also one of the most ignored areas of IT. ‘Backing up’ means making a copy of your most important files which can be restored if the original copy is lost. Preferably, a second copy should be held at a different location […]
Many business users have a separate laptop and mobile phone when working remotely or in the office. However, Microsoft and HP have a new Smartphone solution which can revolutionise the way you work. Due to Microsoft’s Windows 10 operating system and cloud services such as Office 365, this has provided […]
Data is one of the most valuable assets an organisation will possess and keeping it safe could be critical to the survival of your organisation. For this reason, it is vital that data is backed up with a reliable, comprehensive backup procedure. Be in control of your data Backing up your […]
If you want to understand your customers, then a CRM (Customer Relationship Management) system is essential. It is a way of documenting, knowing and appreciating your customers so you can identify and manage valuable customer relationships. Hosted CRM that focuses on simplicity Vantage IT Solutions provides Free, Premium and […]
Data is a critical part of every organisation, but this most valuable asset often poses a huge risk when it travels or is transmitted beyond your network. An Overview of Encryption Encryption protects information stored on mobile or static devices and during data transmission. It is a way of safeguarding […]
Microsoft has recently released an update to Windows 10 which some Sage users reported has stopped them logging in to Sage 50 Accounts. When users try to log in to Sage, they may get an error message such as ‘You have entered an invalid password’ or ‘Unable to register data […]
Vantage IT has been working with IT for many years and we recently took the opportunity to look through some of the items we have been given that have found their way in to our museum. One of these items was an 8 inch floppy disk. For the younger amongst […]
Have you considered the impact of an unreliable or slow broadband connection to your organisation? How long could you last without your internet connection? Reliable internet connections are now an essential tool for any organisation. Unreliable internet will give you considerable downtime for your emails, internet browsing, remote access, Voice […]
Anyone who has suffered with back pain will tell you how badly it has affected them. Vantage IT has always been an advocate of the importance of good posture, particularly for workers that spend lengthy periods of time in front of a computer. Sitting in the correct position and arranging […]
Microsoft officially released the highly anticipated Windows 10 Anniversary Update on 2nd August but the scale of the roll-out means they may stagger the updates gradually. Microsoft has introduced several new features and improvements to this update, so we have summarised some of the main ones for you. Redesigned Start […]
A holiday should be a relaxing break from your chaotic work life. However, if you don’t adequately prepare for it, you could return feeling even more stressed than you did when you left! Efficient planning will allow you to enjoy your holiday worry-free, so we have put together a few […]
Cloud computing has become increasingly popular over the last few years, to the extent that most organisations use at least one cloud service out of the many available. Current trends suggest that the popularity for cloud services is likely to grow even more over the coming years. Here are some […]
As you may be aware, Microsoft’s latest operating system, Windows 10, has been a free upgrade for Windows 7 and 8 users since its launch last year. Microsoft is aiming for one billion devices to run Windows 10 in the next two years, and they will start charging for this […]
We attended the Infosecurity exhibition in London and met up with some important vendors in the IT security industry. This is an essential event for any serious business in the IT industry and all the major vendors presented their latest IT security innovations. Vantage IT will be introducing some of […]
Phishing emails are nothing new, but a recent one seems very personal. There have been an increasing number of them being reported and one of them was sent to a friend, so we have seen it first-hand. This was not the generic email that stands out as a scam the […]
Breaches in online security seem to be an increasingly common fact of life and there is the potential that any of us could be affected, whether it is as a consequence of an easily guessed password or because a site we use has been hacked. Earlier this week, VTech announced […]
Over recent weeks a financial scam aimed at businesses has become more prevalent. It is highly targeted and appears plausible, with some research possibly being performed prior to sending the email or making the call, such as calling the office to gather contact details. The scammers request accounts staff urgently […]
Hosted Exchange from Vantage IT will provide all the benefits of Microsoft Exchange and Outlook but without the hassle and cost of managing your own in-house server. We continually introduce new services to provide you with the best possible solutions to your business needs. Our newly introduced Hosted Exchange Online […]
Software manufactures frequently release updates to fix security flaws and to improve performance. We encounter computers that are not fully patched and consequently are at risk from security breaches. Security vulnerabilities are often discovered by people wanting to infect computers with malicious software. The companies that produced the software will […]
If you compare the outsourced IT support service offered by Vantage IT with what is on offer from other IT companies, we measure up very well. We were approached by a company who requested that we host their website and provide email facilities with our Hosted Exchange service because they […]
We always say we are the Complete IT Solution and will go the extra mile for our customers, something of which we are very proud. Here is an example of the service we provide going beyond outsourced IT support. Building work had taken place at the offices of a long […]
On 21st April, Google is planning to make changes to the algorithm it uses for people to obtain search results. They want web sites that are mobile-friendly to be given a greater weighting, meaning they will appear higher in search rankings. To assist people with adapting to the forthcoming change, […]
In July 2015, Windows Server 2003 R2 will go end of life when Microsoft withdraws support. Do you still use Server 2003? Are you ready for Microsoft no longer providing support? If not, Vantage IT is here to help you. The following information gives a brief explanation of what will […]
Product Windows Server 2008 or later Windows Vista or later Summary The following will clear all jump lists but allow you to add new items. Solution 1. Press + R or click Start then Run 2. Type %APPDATA%\Microsoft\Windows\Recent\AutomaticDestinations 3. Delete all files in this folder. Note: A restart is required. Additional […]
Product Windows Server 2008 or later Windows Vista or later Summary If a thumbs.db file cannot be deleted from a network share even though no one is accessing the folder in which it resides, turn off caching of thumbnails in the default domain group policy: Solution 1. Open the Group […]
Product Windows Server 2008 or later Windows Vista or later Summary Registry Editor enables you to view and edit critical Windows and application settings. Warning: Editing the registry incorrectly can result in serious problems. We advise that a backup of the machine or the registry is taken before making any […]
Product Windows Server 2008 or later Windows Vista or later Summary Group Policy controls various configuration on multiple servers and clients such as restrict access to specific features in Windows for specific users. Solution For a Windows Server operating system: 1. Press + R or click Start then Run 2. Type […]
When you type a website address such as www.vantageit.co.uk in your browser, you will notice that the characters ‘http’ or ‘https’ appear as a prefix. Hypertext transfer protocol (http) is the basis that enables data to be transferred across the web. When the ‘s’ is added to the http, it […]
The data a company holds is vital, so if there is ever a time when it is not accessible, the prospects of the business would be precarious at best. Vantage IT always ensures our IT Support Contract Customers’ data is backed up, but we do get contacted by companies and […]
We are pleased to announce that on 1st October 2014, Steve Monaghan was promoted to Innovation and Infrastructure Director at Vantage IT Solutions Limited. Steve has recently spearheaded Vantage’s considerable investment in updating its numerous services, including DataSafe Online Backup, PatchSafe Software Patching, WebSafe Secure Mobile Email and MailSafe Anti-Spam; […]
You may have heard the name ‘Shellshock’, which is the latest security vulnerability to be publicised. This came to light last week and was rated as extremely serious because it could enable a hacker to gain access to and control over computers, such as web servers, firewalls and indeed potentially […]
It is always nice to receive praise, and interesting when it comes from a different perspective. Vantage IT provides the IT support for a local company with offices throughout the world and a head office based on mainland Europe. A representative from the IT department at the head office said […]
If you receive a document that states it cannot be displayed properly until macros are enabled, DO NOT click on the button to enable macros. Macro viruses were around years ago but fell out of favour with the virus-spreading underworld because improvements in the security of Microsoft Office prevented macros […]
Another week and another warning about cybercrime and malicious software. This time the media said we had two weeks to ensure our systems are secure before all hell breaks loose. Although most of the warnings we receive are correct, there is a risk that they are becoming so frequent that […]
Several weeks ago, Microsoft ended support for Windows XP (unless you work for the UK government which is paying Microsoft over £5m to extend support for a further year). This doesn’t mean computers using XP have stopped working – they will carry on running as they did before. What it […]
Changing the domain name of a network is a complicated process. It is a task that Microsoft itself describes as ‘complex’ and that it ‘should not be undertaken lightly’, so you can see that to carry it out you really do need to be able to trust in an expert. […]
You may have heard in the news over the last week of the existence of a vulnerability (called Heartbleed) in a product called OpenSSL, something that is used by many systems throughout the internet. Last week we checked our customers’ systems as well as our own and immediately patched the […]
Earlier this year Vantage moved in to purpose designed and built offices. The move gave us the opportunity to design the new offices to give us the ideal working environment for many years to come. As the number of services we provide has expanded – our outsourced IT support, email […]
We are sure it hasn’t escaped your notice that Apple recently released iOS 7, an updated operating system for later versions of its mobile devices – iPhone, iPad and iPod. It is the biggest upgrade of the operating system for a long time so has been greeted with huge amounts […]
