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Importance of Disaster Recovery Planning for Businesses

6 Things Every Computer User Should Know How to Do

How to Recover Deleted Files

What You Need to Know About an Unexpected Computer Shutdown

How to Get the Most Out of Your PC

How to Backup Your Data

What’s all the buzz about data?

Posts Tagged ‘data backup’

Importance of Disaster Recovery Planning for Businesses

Written by WesTec on . Posted in Cybersecurity, Data Protection

No business thinks their systems will fail or they will be the victim of a cyberattack until the unthinkable happens. However, incidents such as these happen more often than one would think. This is why disaster recovery planning is so important for businesses of all sizes. Read on to learn more about the importance of disaster recovery planning and how it can be implemented for businesses of all sizes. 

How to Develop a Disaster Recovery Plan

One of the most important aspects of recovering from a disaster, such as equipment error or a cyberattack, is to have all business-related data backed up in the first place. Whether in the cloud or on physical hard drives, having data backed up is essential to ensuring optimal disaster recovery. 

Generally, WesTec recommends backing up computers every night and doing a full system restore once a month. By doing this, it may be discovered that files didn’t back up correctly the night before, and the error can be corrected in the morning when employees return to the office. This prevents a situation where data has become corrupt and no one realizes that data hasn’t been backed up in months.

Regularly Assessing the Plan

For a disaster recovery plan to be effective, it needs to be assessed regularly. Changes in staff or changes in the system that a company uses could also cause a plan to need to be assessed and changed. If a cyber attack or drive failure occurs, an outdated plan would not be useful to assist with data recovery. 

Contact WesTec to Create Your Disaster Recovery Plan

WesTec’s IT consultants work with our clients to solve a range of IT-related problems, including data recovery and creating data backup solutions. Our professionals are well-versed in IT solutions for small to medium-sized businesses and will assist you with finding the right combination of software and hardware that will suit your business’ needs. 

Interested in learning more about WesTec’s services? Contact us today to speak with one of our team members. Check out our blog to read more of our IT tips, and be sure to follow us on Facebook and LinkedIn!

6 Things Every Computer User Should Know How to Do - WesTec Services

6 Things Every Computer User Should Know How to Do

Written by WesTec on . Posted in IT, IT Consulting

With emerging technology, comes a major learning curve. For many, it’s difficult to even keep up! No worries — WesTec has got you covered and our IT support professionals are keeping it simple. Here are 6 things every computer user should know how to do in 2021:

IT support

Setup Your Wireless Network

If computer users must know one thing, it should be how to setup a wireless network and resolve wifi issues. A wireless connection is supported by a router; this router must be plugged in for users to access the internet. Most routers have several lights on the front that indicate the strength of the connection. If these lights are not on, the user should unplug and reset the router. Your computer will also indicate whether you are connected to the wireless network. On PC, the status of your connection can be found in the bottom right corner. On Mac, it can be found in the upper right corner.

 

Perform a Data Backup

System failure and natural disaster often strike with little to no warning. Therefore, it is crucial you know how to perform regular data backups. You can backup important data and files on flash drives and external hard drives. PC and Mac also offer software and servers that you can use to backup your data.

 

Install Antivirus Software

According to InfoWorld, 30% of computers in the United States are infected by some type of virus. Therefore, antivirus software is a must! Any IT professional would be happy to install your anti-virus software, but this process is actually pretty beginner-friendly. Antivirus software, like McAfee and Norton, can be downloaded directly from the internet and installed with ease. Dialogue boxes will walk you through the installation process.

IT support

Basic Troubleshooting

IT support professionals troubleshoot computer issues all the time, but it doesn’t hurt for a computer user to know basic troubleshooting skills. If your programs are failing or you are encountering an issue you cannot resolve, you must troubleshoot. Troubleshooting will identify what the problem is. To troubleshoot on PC, open your Start menu, then select “Settings” > “Update & Security” > “Troubleshoot.” On Mac, open your Apple menu and select “Restart.” Then, press and hold the “D” key while your Mac restarts. A screen with a list of languages will appear. Select your language of choice and your computer will begin running diagnostics.

 

Change Basic Settings

If you own a computer, you must know how to change your settings. Whether it’s adjusting sound levels or connecting a printer, knowing how to change basic settings comes in handy. On PC, open your Start menu and select “Settings” or “Control Panel” to make these necessary adjustments. On Mac, simply select the Preferences application, which can be found on your Dock.

 

Access Task Manager

If your computer is slow or unresponsive, you may have too many active programs open or a specific program has failed. Before calling your IT support team, try accessing your computer’s Task Manager. The Task Manager allows you to view active programs and force quit specific programs if necessary. On PC, you can access the Task Manager by holding Ctrl + Alt + Delete. On Mac, hold Command + Option + Esc. 

 

It’s helpful to know how to perform a few basic computer tasks, but if you’re just not tech-savvy, WesTec Services can help! We offer a variety of IT support services that can be tailored to your needs. Interested in learning more? Contact us today!

Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn!

How to Recover Deleted Files - WesTec Services

How to Recover Deleted Files

Written by WesTec on . Posted in Data Protection

Have you ever accidentally deleted a file and then realized you need it back? Unfortunately, it’s happened to most of us at least once–and we’ve all experienced the headache that follows.

Here are a few tips that can help you try to recover a deleted file from your device:

  1. How to Recover Deleted Files - WesTec ServicesMake sure the file is really deleted – If you’re not sure whether you permanently deleted a file, be sure to look for it before making an assumption. When attempting to recover deleted files, check the Recycle Bin or Trash on your computer. Typically, you can choose the filter “Date Deleted” to make your search easier. If your file was stored in a cloud storage like Dropbox or Google Drive, check your deleted files there–it may still be recoverable.
  2. Check your backups – Making regular backups of your most important files on your device can prevent you from losing critical data when you need it. If you do have a backup, you may be able to recover your deleted files. if you don’t have a backup, now may be the time to implement one.
  3. Try to recover the file – If you deleted a file on a magnetic hard drive, shut down the computer immediately. With the computer shut down, you should remove the hard drive from the computer entirely and place it in another computer as a secondary drive. Use file-recovery software to scan the drive. If you deleted the file recently and haven’t written to the drive much, you have a fairly good chance of recovering it.
  4. Professionally recover the file – If all other methods were not successful in recovering the deleted files, you may want to consider a professional data recovery service. Professional data recovery services deal with everything from deleted and overwritten files to dying hard drives that need to be disassembled and repaired.
To continually ensure the security of business data and important files, it is recommended to perform regular data backups to your computer. If you feel that you don’t have the time or expertise, WesTec Services performs data backup and recovery services provided by our expert IT consultants.

For more information on our data backup or recovery services, contact the experts at WesTec today.
What You Need to Know About an Unexpected Computer Shutdown - WesTec Services

What You Need to Know About an Unexpected Computer Shutdown

Written by WesTec on . Posted in IT

An unexpected computer shutdown can potentially harm your computer and its data, which is why it is important to properly turn off your computer by selecting shut down, restart or sleep.

Turning your computer off properly allows the computer to make sure that any running programs are closed. To avoid losing files or program corruption, it is best to cancel the computer shutdown and close the programs manually.

An unexpected computer shutdown can be caused by power outages, brown-outs, depleted battery or removed power cord, accidentally hitting the power button, or the computer may be experiencing some What You Need to Know About an Unexpected Computer Shutdown - WesTec Servicesother internal technical issue.

Because of the issues that can occur with an improper shutdown, the only time to hold the power button until the computer turns off is if the computer freezes. Sometimes turning a computer off and on again will allow it to reset itself.

So, how does an unexpected computer shutdown affect your device? Even if you don’t have any programs running, there are other processes going on in the background. When a computer is performing an update or correcting device bugs, an unexpected shutdown may cause the files to download as incomplete and they will then be unable to perform their assigned tasks.

If software files or the operating system become corrupted from an unexpected shutdown, a professional may need to repair the files or reinstall the entire system.

Before making any major changes to your system, be sure to perform a backup of any important data. In fact, regular data backups are always recommended.

WesTec Services performs data backup and recovery services provided by our expert IT consultants. Our services include a free report, which will outline common mistakes that many business owners make with their computer network.

To avoid any worry during an unexpected computer shutdown, contact WesTec today.
How to Get the Most Out of Your PC - WesTec Services

How to Get the Most Out of Your PC

Written by WesTec on . Posted in Business Equipment

Because computers are powerful tools that we are likely to use in our everyday business or personal lives, we want to be able to get the most out of them. Here are a few tips to help prevent the most common causes of a PC meltdown:

  Keep it cool

How to Get the Most Out of Your PC - WesTec ServicesComputers are complex electrical devices that hate to get overheated. The most common cause of overheating in your PC is dust accumulation inside the case, resulting in a slow-running, stopping and starting, and even a failed processor. To avoid overheating, locate and use your PC on a desk or other hard surface, as blankets or pillows block the cooling vents on the underside of the case.

  Keep it secure

Passwords are important to keep malicious intrusion out of your wireless network, keep documents on your PC secure, and for use on internet sites where payments may be required. A strong password uses at least eight characters that combine upper and lower case letters, numerals, and punctuation marks. It is advised to avoid the use of personal information in your passwords and to not use the same password for every account you have.

  Keep it backed up

Due either to your hard drive wearing out or due to software corruption, you may need to replace your PC or hard drive in the future. To preserve personal or business-related data, is it important to keep a current backup of it on a separate device (with an external hard drive) or with a Cloud-based service. If you don’t have a lot of data, flash drives will work well. Backups can be configured to occur automatically.

Whether you need backup disaster or recovery services, a network installation, or IT consulting, the experts at WesTec have you and your PC covered. For reliable IT managed services, give us a call today.

How to Backup Your Data

Written by WesTec on . Posted in Data Protection, IT, Management and Consulting, Network, Web & Cloud

Threats to a company’s data come in many forms. Cyber-attacks like malware, spyware and viruses attack valuable data from companies each day. While anti-malware and anti-virus can help prevent breaches, these softwares can’t protect data from physical disasters. Data backup is imperative for a company’s continued success.

Local and Network Backups

Storing information on-site is one of the easiest ways to backup data. It can be stored on hard drives, tape drives, or other storage systems connected to a company’s network. Copying files to USB drives or external drives also provide an easily accessible copy of files. However, this should not be the sole method of data backup. Physical disaster, theft and ransomware all pose threats to local backups.

Cloud Backups

Cloud backups are quickly being integrated into businesses looking for added protection. This method of data backup allows copies of data to be stored on remote servers and accessed by internet connection. Unlike other methods, the cloud allows for automated backup of data to provide up-to-date copies of files.

Online File Storage

Similar to cloud backup, online file storage stores files on the internet. Sites like Dropbox and Google Drive allow businesses to store and share files off-site. While online file storage works well as an additional backup method, it also comes with limitations. Depending on the files, backup can cost time and bandwidth. The experts at WesTec Services recommend a business keep at least three copies of data in different places and on two different formats for proper data backup. Our team can help protect your data from threats. Contact us to get started.

Mission: WesTec will be a “turn-key” solution for all of its clients’ business connectivity needs. It will offer efficient and effective solutions, directly and with strategic partners, that create tangible value for its clients at every point of contact. Westec will serve all people and entities with a servant’s heart.

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