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The Dark Side of Social Media

Thursday, March 1st, 2012

The Dark Side of Social Media

Which of the following statements are true?

  • 845 million people actively use Facebook.
  • Over 50% of the population in North American uses Facebook.
  • Facebook accounts for 1 out of every 5 pageviews on the internet worldwide.
  • There are 2.7 billion likes every single day on Facebook.
  • Facebook has 425 million mobile users.
  • Facebook is a favorite target for cybercriminals.

If you said that they all were true, you’re right. Obviously Facebook and other social media networking sites are a boon for businesses, an opportunity to reach enormous amounts of potential customers. But the last statement is also true. Facebook and other social media sites hold stores of valuable information, and draw cybercriminals like pirates to buried treasure.

This particular type of crime is on the rise. Security research labs report a 20 to 40 percent increase in malware targeting social networking sites. Just this January, a campaign disguised as a friend request attacked Facebook users, who not only didn’t get a new friend, but ended up connecting to a site hosting a malicious JavaScript.

Right about now, you may be wondering why a network support provider is blogging about friends and social media sites. But Facebook and the other sites aren’t just about friendship. Just one look at the numbers shows you the impact they can have on your business. The negative impact can also be huge. The number one cause of data breaches is malicious attacks. Not stolen laptops or accidental sharing, but attacks that arrive via the Internet and more and more often through social media. And social media has a wide range. Your business may have a page. You employees may access Facebook on breaks. They may use company laptops off hours.

But don’t write off social media—it’s too valuable. Instead, we suggest using a two-fold security strategy: education and technology… First, educate your employees. Make sure they use strong passwords and don’t click on links that seem even slightly suspicious. If you know of a particular threat, make sure everyone at your company knows about it. And for the technological half of your security, call us at NCC Data, the leading provider of IT services in the Dallas Fort Worth Area. We stay up-to-date with the newest security solutions and monitor the latest threats, so you don’t have to. You can take advantage of the opportunities that social media offers, knowing that NCC Data, your network support provider, is protecting you from the dark side.

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The App Internet: The Death of the Web?

Tuesday, February 21st, 2012

The App Internet: The Death of the Web?

According to some IT experts, the Web is on its way out, and a brave new world of apps will take its place. As the leading provider of IT services in the Dallas Fort Worth Area, we want to be your guide to the ever-changing world of technology, whether it be web-base or app-based. We’re not just a network support provider, but an IT management consulting firm who’ll help you to navigate future shifts and take advantage of new opportunities.

What exactly is the “App Internet?” Forrester CEO George Colony explains it this way: “Two ways of computing have dominated over the past 20 years. The first I’ll call the “Microsoft model” — where local personal computers do most of the work. The second model is the Web/Cloud model, in which most of the work happens on remote servers. Both are outmoded. The Microsoft model fails to leverage the economies of scale in the Cloud; Web/Cloud fail to leverage the exponential growth in the power of local storage and processors.

“So what comes next? Something I call the “App Internet.” In this model, powerful local devices (PCs, smartphones, tablets) run applications that simultaneously and seamlessly take advantage of resources in the Web/Cloud. If you want to see this model in action, check out iPhone and Android applications.”

Forrester isn’t the only IT expert to proclaim the coming of the App Internet. “Over the past few years, one of the most important shifts in the digital world has been the move from the wide-open Web to semiclosed platforms that use the Internet for transport but not the browser for display,” writes Wired’s Chris Anderson. “It’s driven primarily by the rise of the iPhone model of mobile computing, and it’s a world Google can’t crawl, one where HTML doesn’t rule. And it’s the world that consumers are increasingly choosing, not because they’re rejecting the idea of the Web but because these dedicated platforms often just work better or fit better into their lives (the screen comes to them, they don’t have to go to the screen). The fact that it’s easier for companies to make money on these platforms only cements the trend. Producers and consumers agree: The Web is not the culmination of the digital revolution.”

What would this change mean to the Web as we know it? Traditional PCs would be out, replaced by mobile devices. Websites would be replaced by apps (or whatever apps will have evolved into). The App Internet could limit the impact of cloud computing. It will certainly require different IT architecture.

But will the shift to the App Internet really happen? According to Forrester, the tide is already turning. Their research has found that 15% of tablet users say they use apps more than the web. And it’s not just app use that will increase. Forrester predicts that tablets will account for $8.1billion in global app sales in 2015, up from $300 million in 2010.

The App Internet could provide amazing opportunities for businesses savvy enough to embrace it. NCC Data can help your business to take advantage of these opportunities. Whatever the future of computing, our IT experts offer the business strategy consulting that can put your company on the right track, and the computer network support you need to keep you there. We do more than provide IT services in the Dallas Fort Worth Area. We provide you with a guide to the future.

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Top Stories of 2011:

Monday, January 9th, 2012

Technology and Life Intertwine


At NCC data, technology is our life. After all, we make our living by providing computer network support. This year, we watched as the rest of the world began to understand—and use—the very real connection between technology and life. Just take a look at some of the top news stories of 2011:

Egypt’s “Facebook Revolution:” Online social networking helped to topple Mubarak’s regime last February. Pro-democracy leaders used Facebook to nurture and organize the movement that kicked off the “Arab Spring.” Their online efforts were so were so successful that Egyptian Internet service providers, under pressure from the government, cut connectivity to the Internet for five days in early 2011.
Britain’s Riots: As if to demonstrate the dark side of social media, the past summer’s riots were largely organized via Blackberry Messenger, Facebook, and Twitter. Prime Minister David Cameron decried the use of social media, and went as far as saying, “Free flow of information can be used for good. But it can also be used for ill. And when people are using social media for violence, we need to stop them.” Cameron’s government considered censoring and/or shutting down social media sites in the wake of the riots.
Japan’s Earthquake/Tsunami and Thailand’s Floods: At first glance, these tragic stories seem to have little to do with technology. But look a little deeper, and you’ll realize that both Japan and Thailand supply much of the PC and component markets. The impact of the damage to Sony, Freescale, Fujitsu, and Texas Instruments facilities isn’t just felt in Asia, but globally. You may feel even it in your pocketbook soon, as the cost  of computers and phones is expected to rise as a result of the shortages.
Steve Jobs: When was the last time a tech hero was so lauded? When was the last time a tech hero was ever lauded? The fact that the world mourned Steve Jobs proved how much technology touches our lives, The fact that many people received the news of his death via one of Jobs’ own devices makes the point all the more relevant, and more poignant.


The fact that technology is intertwining with life is good news for business. It’s easier than ever to connect with customers, stream operations, and cut costs. We can show you how. As the premier provider of IT Services for the Dallas-Fort Worth area, NCC Data, we live and breathe technology. We understand where technology, life, and business intersect. We provide the expert computer network support that allows you to take advantage of the many opportunities provided by this new technology-savvy world.

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Three IT Areas to Watch in 2012

Friday, December 30th, 2011

Is your company ready for 2012? The new year is poised to bring big changes in the way the world does business, courtesy of technological advances. Smart businesses are gearing up to take advantage of the new opportunities. At NCC Data, providers of computer network support and IT Services for the Dallas-Fort Worth area, we’re excited about the changes in IT and business—and we want to make sure that none of you are left behind.
What are these changes and how might they impact your business? We advise you pay special attention to:

Big Data - According to IBM, we create 2.5 quintillion bytes of data every day. If that’s not overwhelming in itself, consider that the number is growing: 90% of the data in the world today was created in just the last two years. This “big data” is an opportunity and a challenge. More information can give companies an edge, but only if they can manage, assess, and understand it. Analysts from Gartner, the world’s leading information technology research organization, believe that most organizations are ill prepared to address the challenges posed by big data. In fact Gartner predicts that “Through 2015, more than 85 percent of Fortune 500 organizations will fail to effectively exploit big data for competitive advantage.”

Mobility - Technology will continue to trend toward mobile devices. The pace is expected to quicken. In the next four years, smartphones and tablets will make up more than 90 percent of new devices adopted. If Gartner predictions are accurate, by 2016, at least 50 percent of enterprise email users will rely primarily on a browser, tablet or mobile client instead of a desktop. This shift toward mobility will likely affect software, too, as much more will be created for mobile technology, maybe even excluding traditional PCs.

The Cloud – More businesses will rely on cloud services in order to streamline management and optimize benefits. They may also be more vulnerable, as new security risks are bound to arise. In the next few weeks, we’ll take a closer look at each of these areas, so that you’ll get overviews of each of these opportunities and the challenges they present.

We’re happy to give you up-to-date information, but we’d like to do more. We’d like to provide your business with computer network support services that allow you to take advantage of these changes in technology, while leaving you time to run your business. We’d like to help you utilize big data, make a smooth transition to mobile technology, and ensure that you’re accessing the cloud in the most efficient and secure manner. We can do all this and more. That’s why businesses trust NCC Data for IT Services in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.

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Better for Your Business: Laptops or Tablets?

Tuesday, December 6th, 2011

It’s a win-win situation. You’d like to make some year-end purchases to reduce your taxes. Your employees would like some new mobility devices, either laptops or tablets. But before rushing out to take advantage of holiday sales, you’ll want to carefully consider which type of mobile computer best serves your business.
NCC Data’s Dallas and Ft. Worth IT consultants would like to offer a little guidance in regards to the laptops versus tablets debate. To begin with, consider how your business uses mobility devices. Ask yourself:

  • Who is using mobility technology? What are they using it for?
  • Who else might benefit from its use?
  • How are mobile technologies being managed, procured, and evaluated?

The answers to these questions can begin to guide you to the best device for your business. For example, if your employees mostly use mobile technology for email or to send documents when telecommuting, a laptop may be a better choice, as it has a traditional keyboard that makes typing easier. But if you have field-based employees who’d benefit from GPS technology for route planning, or salespeople who need to make impressive presentations, enterprise-ready tablets may be the right choice.
There are a few general differences to keep in mind:
Weight: Tablets are typically lighter than laptops.
Durability: Laptops tend to be more durable than tablets, whose touch screens can be scratched or damaged.
Battery life: Tablets generally have a longer battery life than laptops.

And then there are the more specific differences. Since laptops have been around a while, you’re problem pretty familiar with their attributes. Tablets have some of the same features as laptops, but not all, and some tablets are more business-friendly than others. To make sure you’re getting what’s best for your business, make sure to ask:

  1. Will Adobe Flash work on this tablet? Adobe PDFs?
  2. What apps are included?
  3. How much storage does it have?
  4. What ports and peripherals does it have?
  5. What security features are included?
  6. How will it interface with my company’s current configurations?

These last two questions are vital. It’s important that people using your mobility devices have access to the data they need, and that your data is secure if the device is lost or stolen.

As you can see, there’s a lot to consider. If it all seems a bit much, consider asset management services from a computer network support company like NCC Data. The professionals at NCC Data live and breathe technology, so they’re up-to-date on the latest offerings. They’re plugged into a network of other computer experts, so they hear about the issues and benefits surrounding new technology. By leaving your asset management to NCC Data’s Dallas and Ft. Worth IT consultants, you’ll know that whatever device you buy works for your business and that data protection is in place. You can make the right year-end purchase, make your employees happy, and make sure you use your time for your business, when you use asset management services from NCC Data, the computer network support company you can depend on.

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Be Prepared: Disaster Data Recovery Can Save the Life Of Your Business

Thursday, September 15th, 2011

Fires. Power outages. Employee gaffes. What do these have in common? They can all cause serious damage to your company data— unless you have a reliable disaster recovery plan in place.

Most businesses don’t. According to Gartner, a research and advisory firm, only 35 percent of small businesses have a comprehensive disaster recovery plan in place. And businesses that aren’t ready may lose more than data. The National Archives & Records Administration reports that 60% of companies that lose their data close their doors within six months of the disaster, and 93% of companies that lost their data for 10 days or more filed for bankruptcy within one year of the disaster. And even businesses that mange to stay open suffer large damages: International Data Corp. estimates that companies lose an average of $84,000 for every hour of downtime.

Disasters do happen. The recent spates of wildfires across Texas bear witness to that. An alarming number of businesses are affected by similar emergencies: a recent NFIB National Small Business Poll reported that natural disasters have impacted more than 30% of all small businesses in the USA. And when you add in the man-made disasters and accidents that can cause data loss, the number of businesses affected grows.  A recent survey conducted by Symantec shows that 93% of organizations have had to execute their disaster recovery plans.

Another sobering statistic: According to analyst firm IDC, about 70% of all successful attacks on computer networks were carried out by employees and insiders. That number doesn’t include the non-malicious accidents like dropped laptops and spilled coffee.

When it comes to disaster data recovery planning, it’s wise to play it safe by capitalizing on the experience of the knowledgeable professionals at a computer network support company.  NCC Data offers complete IT services to Dallas-Fort Worth businesses, including disaster data recovery planning that can keep your data, and your company safe. Why use a computer network support company rather than your in-house IT staff? Outside professionals like the ones at NCC Data can often see the big picture, identifying mission-critical workflows that keep your business productive. In addition to saving your valuable company data, professional disaster data recover planning, due to its analytic nature, can actually improve your business processes and technology. And because we at NCC Data understand that business is all about the bottom line, our solutions are not only customized to your business, they’re tailored to your budget.

Although your company may not be able to avoid a natural disaster, you can prepare for one, so that it doesn’t become a business disaster.

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Up Your Game with Vendor Management

Saturday, August 13th, 2011

You may have learned that outsourcing routine IT tasks benefits your company, saving you time and money. But have you thought about the other routine work that slows you down? What if you could streamline tasks so that your company got to focus on your business, instead of the everyday work that takes up time but doesn’t need your expertise? And what if that service came from an established managed services company you already know and trust?

Professional outsourced vendor management can free up valuable time while increasing your company’s competitive advantage. By efficiently managing your vendor relationships, your business can save money, obtain better quality, and provide optimal customer service to your clients who indirectly rely on your vendors. Specifically, good vendor management can:

  • Improve Communication – By providing information and feedback in a timely manner, vendors get what they need when they need it. Improved communication leads to fewer misunderstandings, speedier correction of problems, and overall better relationships with vendors.
  • Assess Vendor Capabilities and Performance – By monitoring service and evaluating performance, you can make sure that your vendors are not only fulfilling your business requirements, but giving you the best possible value.
  • Align Priorities – By staying informed about your vendors’ operations, you can ensure that they reflect your business priorities.

Professional vendor management services can accomplish all of the above, plus one thing your own business most likely can’t provide: a single point of contact.

NCC Data can do all of that and more. Though known for providing the top outsourced IT services in Dallas, we offer more than computer network support, offering vendor management as a complimentary service to managed IT services. We don’t just manage your PCs and servers, but liaison with software vendors, phone and internet service providers, and copier and printer companies. We help your company improve communication, assess vendor capabilities and performance, and align priorities, all with a single point of contact. Call NCC Data today at 972-354-1600 to see how our vendor management service can give your company a winning edge.

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The Word is Out: Outsourced IT is In.

Thursday, June 2nd, 2011

As we work with more and more clients in various industries, we’re seeing that companies are spending more with Outsourced IT providers than ever before – in fact, a recent survey showed that 76% of mid-sized firms expect their IT outsourcing budgets to rise in the coming years.

Why? It’s true that outsourcing IT functions can save money, but that’s not the only reason to consider it, or even the most important one. Here are a few more:

  • Control costs. Cutting costs may not be the only reason to outsource your IT functions, but it is a major attraction. IT outsourcing converts fixed costs into variable costs creating a “spend what you need” environment, it releases capital for investment elsewhere, and allows you to avoid large expenditures in processes and personnel.
  • Increase efficiency. Companies performing all business processes themselves have much higher costs in research and development, marketing, and distribution costs that are passed on to the consumer. Outsourced IT provides a cost effective way to utilize efficiencies of scale.
  • Reduce labor costs. Hiring and or training staff for short-term projects can be costly. Outsourcing lets you focus your human resources where you need them most.
  • Level the playing field. Most small firms are unable to match the in-house support that larger companies possess. Outsourcing IT can help small firms perform “big” by giving them access to the same economies of scale, efficiency, and expertise that formerly were only accessible by larger firms.

Focusing on efficiencies has far reaching effects throughout an organization. Outsourcing your IT can increase the overall performance of your company allowing you more time to do what you do best.

Contact NCC Data today at 972-354-1600 to see why we’re recognized as one of the top independently owned Outsourced IT services companies in the Dallas-Ft. Worth Metroplex.

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Work smarter with Fractional Outsourcing

Wednesday, March 9th, 2011

IT Departments come in all sizes, but one word frequently applies to all of them: Overworked.  If your IT staff has projects they need to cover but can’t seem to make time between their everyday tasks, we can help. With fractional outsourcing, NCC Data can pick up the slack on all or part of your IT needs, helping your IT staff to focus on more important matters. We tailor each contract and outsourcing solution specifically to your business needs.

Our service options include:

  • 24/7 proactive monitoring of your servers
  • Support for desktops and laptops within your network
  • Offsite backup with version tracking (read more about version tracking in our last blog post)
  • Virtualization solutions for server management
  • AntiVirus / Malware / Spam maintenance
  • Vendor management- we will be your vendor liaison with software vendors, phone and internet service providers and copier & printers companies
  • We will manage any peripherals connected to your network including BlackBerrys, iPhones, etc.

If your IT department needs help shouldering their workload, NCC Data and fractional outsourcing might be an option for you to keep things running smoothly. Call us today to talk about how we can help reduce stress for your staff.

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What is Cloud Computing? Answers from NCC Data.

Tuesday, December 7th, 2010

You’ve most likely heard the term cloud computing, then wonder if it is something your business needs.  We’ve seen a number of definitions from the simple to the complex come out of the IT industry; but basically, cloud computing is a combined set of computing services and resources that are delivered over the web.  Many times it’s provided as a pay-per-use or subscription-based service over the Internet that can actually extend your IT department’s current capabilities — and that’s one of cloud computing’s best uses — increasing capacity on the fly without having to invest in new software or hardware for your IT infrastructure.

Two of the common types of delivery for cloud computing are

  • SaaS (Software as a Service): This method of cloud computing is via a single application through the Internet browser.  For businesses (end-users), there are no software licensing fees nor upfront investment in servers. For providers like NCC Data, we need only maintain the enterprise application. Human resources departments, even nationwide sales forces, are common users of this type of cloud computing.
  • MSP (Managed Service Providers): Cloud computing as a managed service has actually been around for some time; it just had a different label.  Services such as virus scanning for emails, spam filters, application monitoring or desktop monitoring services can all be executed via cloud computing. We (NCC Data) see the application, not the end-user.  In other words, this is a critical application to your business that lies on the other side of your firewall – “in the clouds.”

Like any relatively new IT concept, there are concerns with security and data loss in cloud computing, which is why it’s best to work with a company that handles nothing but IT services. When expertly managed, the positive and elastic characteristics of cloud computing eliminate the need for predicting peak traffic. What does this mean for your business?  You’ll have quick flexibility and scalability when your business grows – and you won’t lose your competitive advantage while you’re waiting for a major IT overhaul.

You can learn even more here, then call me at 972-354-1600 for a personal and professional conversation about the merits of cloud computing and how it can plug into a business.  NCC Data delivers information, solutions, and innovation to businesses.

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