Protect Your Computer Against Viruses With a Good Backup Plan

Didn't the antivirus just say it cleaned the infection? So why's it back? Because the antivirus has been taken over by the virus. It can only stop something that it either knows about, or looks like something it's seen before (heuristics). If it didn't catch the virus in the act, it's too late. The warning could have been the virus trying to make you feel like it was removed and not think about it anymore.

But I did everything right!

Most security professionals are brave enough to admit that they've fallen victim to malware once or twice. The delivery mechanisms play on our instincts, and all the knowledge in the world will occasionally fail when we're enticed by something that goes straight to the core of our being.

So you did everything right, and got a virus. Now what?

This is why you back your stuff up

This is why you do it. It's for when all the best practices and precautions fail. Backups are the panic button. You press it and hope your backup scheme was good enough.

You might as well reinstall everything

That's probably not what you wanted to hear. You'll never be sure it's gone unless you restore everything from a clean backup. Find all your installation CDs, get your backup disks, write down what needs to go where and go at it.

You should probably make up a restoration plan in advance of needing it. Even people who always remember to backup often forget to plan the restoration. A restoration plan is a check on the backup plan.

But backing up is hard

It's only hard if you don't plan ahead. As long as you have your operating system and application installation disks, you only need to back your personal files up. This is where good organizational systems shine. If you scatter documents and files all over your hard drive, you'll have a rough time backing up. If you keep it all in a few well-planned paths, you just copy them over to your backup media.

Don't let it happen again

So you've recovered, have your backup and restoration plan, and are more confident. So what now? The best thing you could do is practice not being tricked by deceptive e-mail subjects from malware distributors. Go in to your spam folder and start looking. Seek out lists of common malware spam subjects. If you know your enemy, they're less likely to win again.

The 3 Tips on Laptop Backup Solutions

In this article I give a few tips on how to backup your Laptop. For the Dutch audience I suggest that you look also for different providers than the typically Dutch ones like KPN and UPC.

Tip 1

Of course you can choose an extra hard disk to backup your documents. When you choose the backup facilities of the provider of your anti-virus maker like Norton 360 it works fine, but what happens when your hard disk and laptop is stolen or if your children borrow your backup hard disk to download their favorite CSI series and they throw away your previous backup from your hard disk hard disk?

Tip 2

Then consider looking for an online backup system. It is easy to use and you don't have to think about what was your last backup. Another advantage is that the online providers store up to 28 days of your backups. So, if a virus hits your computer you can go back a few days before the attack.

Tip 3

If you consider to backup your computer through an online provider look for possibilities in the US. In the Netherland there are some very good providers, but if you look at their price/service ratio it is worth looking in the US or England. Due to the exchange rates they are much cheaper. For instance a two year contract with Mozy compared with KPN safes you around 25 dollars.

Actually if you compare the service of online backup with the price of a external hard disk, do not wait and go for the online system. The three major parties in Netherland are KPN, Mozy and Carbonite.

Click Read More If You Want To Know More About Online Backup? To find out more about the specific Laptop Backup Solutions from Mozy click here. Or visit our website greatbackupsoftware.com

Carbonite Vs Mozy - A Legit Comparison

When it comes to the industry of online backup services, there are always two names that enter the pictures: Carbonite and Mozy. These are considered to be two of the most popular online backup utilities existing on cyberspace. If you want to get the best out of backing up your files online, then it is just the right thing to see a legit comparison between Carbonite and Mozy to see how one is different from another.

Carbonite has been present on the web for four years now and it is very well known for its reliability on recovering backed up files ever since 2006. On the other hand, Mozy was founded in 2005 and has been tendering unlimited and accessible storage ever since as the most convenient way of backing up and accessing files. Simply put, both Carbonite and Mozy work at its best in order to give out superior services as far as online backing up of files is concerned.

Looking at the pros of Carbonite, you can see how advantageous it is. The interface of Carbonite can be easily understood and used. While you are working on your computer, Carbonite does what it has to do without sacrificing the speed of your computer.

There is also no problem about major issues such as storage capacity because Carbonite offers unlimited storage for both Windows PC and Mac users. Data are encrypted in order to safeguard them from unauthorized access. Wherever you are and anytime you want, you can access your files that are backed up using Carbonite. Another good thing is its being an automatic backup service which means there is no more need to worry about backing up the files.

However, there are noticeable cons that Carbonite still needs to resolve. For one, its technical support is only available during weekdays at office hours. Beyond that designated hours, you can still be able to call, chat or email but the response needs additional fees. Another issue has something to do with the slowing down of the backup process after reaching a particular amount of storage. Also, there is a tendency for more than 4GB files to be skipped over which necessitates the user to manually add the files to the list instead.

There are also other good points about Mozy. Free subscription is available for up to 2GB of files. If you want unlimited storage, you can pick MozyPro which also makes it possible for a multiple computers to have web-based backup that has an unlimited storage space. Regarding technical support, Mozy offers an around the clock tech support that can be taken advantage of any time of the day, any day. Backing up of files with Mozy is hassle-free because it is fast, automatic, and secure. Encryption of data is prioritized by Mozy so that unauthorized access of files cannot be done. Furthermore, the interface of Mozy is more than just user-friendly

Categories of Autoloading DVD Duplicators

DVD duplication technology uses a red laser to make copies of DVDs on recordable discs. DVD duplicators can also be used to duplicate CDs and most disc copiers feature a dual drive that can support both CD/DVD-R and CD/DVD+R formats. Some disc copiers can also be used for printing. The principle advantage of autololoading (or automated) disc copiers is that they minimize the need for human intervention in the CD and DVD duplication / production process. Unlike manual DVD copiers, they don't require an operator to load and unload the drives. Users only need to load blank discs into the machine, start it, enter the number of copies needed and return to pick up the duplicates. There are three main classes of autoloading dvd copiers:

- Standalone Autoloading DVD duplicators: These disc copiers are simple to use and operate very much like manual standalone CD or DVD towers, with the added benefit of automation. They are available in smaller models that are compact and portable, as well as larger copiers suitable for the duplication of large volumes of DVDs and CDs.

- PC-Based Autoloading DVD duplicators: These models are connected to a PC via either a USB or Firewire interface - or a combination of the two. The PC connection allows you to create your CD and DVD directly from a host PC, giving you more control over duplication / publishing since you can run application and production software on the PC. The operator doesn't need to burn a master disc before the duplication process because the system creates disc images on the host PC hard drive.

- Networkable Autoloading DVD duplicators allow network-wide access from multiple clients to the autoloading dvd copiers.

Determining Which Disc Copiers Best Suit Your Needs

Given the extensive variety of DVD duplicators available on the market today, deciding which disc copier or duplication / publishing system to buy can be quite confusing. The general guidelines below highlight some of the factors you should consider when choosing disc copiers.

--> The speed factor: both manual and autoloading dvd copiers feature drives that record at different speeds. If speed of recording is a primary concern, select the disc copier with the highest recording speed that you can afford. Keep in mind that manual disc copiers are faster then autoloading DVD duplicators because there is practically no limit to the number of drives that can be added. Also, manual loading and unloading is generally faster than autoloading. If you need to copy DVDs and CDs quickly and at low cost, your best option is probably a manual tower duplication system

---> Minimal user intervention, ease of use and portability: Nothing is better than standalone autoloading DVD duplicators if what you need is ease of use and unattended operation. Compact models are more suitable for use in remote locations since they are easy to transport.

--->What kind of end product do you need? Choose a DVD duplicator system that both copies and prints if you need custom printed discs, but if all you need is duplicates of the master (original) disc, then a standard disc copier is a better choice

--->Volume or size of duplication tasks: Autoloading DVD duplicators are recommended for high volume duplication. Although manual disc copiers are typically faster, automated disc copiers require almost no physical intervention

---> Multiple duplication jobs: PC-based or PC-connected autoloading dvd copiers allow users to run multiple jobs using a host PC, without any human intervention for fast production of archived jobs, while providing more control over the production process

---> If your organization has multiple clients or users who need access to DVD disc duplicators, your obvious choice is to invest in networkable autoloading dvd copiers that make it easy to create large numbers of custom discs with very little user intervention

Whether you need corporate disc copiers to distribute business-related information (sales brochures, training manuals, etc.), or you simply want to make copies of CDs and DVDs to give to your friends, you'll find exactly what you need among the extensive array of manual and autoloading DVD duplicators on the market.

CD and DVD Duplication - Lasers

Laser technology is a vital component of CD Duplication, in fact it is the foundation upon which the technology of CDs developed and therefore integral to the processes involved. As CD technology has developed over the past 40 years, so too have the lasers used developed and advanced to produce new capabilities and uses of CDs.

With lasers being a vital part of the Duplication process, not just in reading CDs, the development in laser technology has therefore had important implications for CD Duplication, while the laser process used during duplication will impact the lasers used at the CD reading stage.

Originally, CAT lasers were used to read CDs, with an infrared wavelength of 780 nm. Subsequently the wavelength has been reduced to produce DVDs, using a reading wavelength of 650 nm, while Blu-Ray discs use a lower wavelength still of a violet wavelength of 405 nm. This development of using smaller wavelength lasers has been to increase the amount of data that can be stored onto a disc. Particularly with the development of using discs to store imagery and video, rather than just audio and ROM data, much more data has been needed to be stored on a single disk. With the physical size of discs remaining the same, this data has had to be packed much closer together in order to fit it all on. As a result, lasers with shorter wavelengths have had to be developed in order to read this now more compact data storage.

Inevitably, as well as requiring a shorter laser wavelength to read a disc, so shorter laser wavelengths have been required in order to 'write' the data onto the disc during the CD and DVD Duplication process. During Duplication, a laser is used to change the reflectivity of the disc surface, with these variations in reflections detected by the laser in the disc reading device. It therefore follows that the changes in reflection of this disc must be shorter, and therefore the laser that creates them must also be so.

Lasers used during Duplication are called Laser Beam Recorders (LBR). These laser machines can vary the wavelength of the laser, depending on what is needed and what the disc is to be used for, to create CDs, DVDS, Blu-ray and other disc types. LBRs use either Photoresist Mastering or Non-Photoresist Mastering (also known as Dye-Polymer mastering) to write to the discs. Photoresist mastering uses discs with light-sensitive surface materials that change reflection when exposed to the laser, while Dye-Polymer mastering use discs with a Dye-Polymer surface material which evaporates when exposed to concentrated energy produced by the laser at the required points on the disc. Each of these techniques has different benefits, and also requires a different laser setup to write to the different disc types.

Lasers used to Duplicate a disc are much more powerful than those used to read the disc. This makes sense, as a reading device does not want to alter the disc surface and affect the data stored on it, whereas this is the exact purpose of a LBR. An LBR needs to operate at a power setting that produces enough energy to alter the surface of the disc, which is currently around 200mW, while disc readers run at around 5mW. This allows readers to run at a lower power, saving energy, and also allows a significant differentiation between the two power settings to avoid readers inadvertently causing damage. In order to allow this, disc surface materials that can be moulded at the higher power setting while remain unaffected at the lower setting of the reading lasers have to be selected.

Lucy Lewis is new at writing articles, with her charming and inquisitive mind she wants to explore the literacy world in a whole different light. So watch out for further articles.

How to Determine If Your Managed Service and IT Support Is Sufficient for Your Business

In the current economic climate no one wants to waste money. It is a big reason so many companies outsource their non-core activities, like Managed Services and IT Support, in the first place. But how is a business owner to know if his or her IT Support is doing the best job it can?

Responsiveness

Probably most important is how quickly your outsourced IT Support can respond to issues that arise. Things like viruses, servers going down, etc can crop up for a variety of reasons and interrupt the work flow of your company. Does your IT Solution have the ability to react instantly to these situations? Are they proactive, meaning they are even able to anticipate serious problems before they arise? A good IT Support solution has proactive monitoring that alerts them of potential issues before they come to a head. And when serious issues do arise, they can respond on multiple tiers. Tier 1, immediate phone support and the ability to remotely connect to affect a solution. Higher tiers would incorporate more in-depth analysis, and if needed, an on site visit ASAP.

Technological Savvy

Simple put, does your Managed Services IT Support team know what they are doing? Do they have any certifications? How long have they been in business and can they provide recommendations from satisfied clients? Do they promise they can do things that they have consistently failed to do, or do they deliver? Don't be satisfied with excuses. They are there to ease your burden, not add to it. They may be the nicest group of guys in the world, but if they are not up to date on the latest, pro-active, technologies, and are unable to quickly diagnose and repair issues, then you should move on.

Personable

I include this because it is important that your employee base know they can contact tech support, and not be condescended, or chided, but treated with respect. If your employees do not feel comfortable bringing up a situation that occurs, that helps absolutely no one, and potentially will cost you money.

To summarize, I think these are the base line factors you need to consider when evaluating your Managed Services and IT Support solution. In my next post I will speak more about specific items to look for when choosing on a solution. Until then, see ya later!

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