mindSHIFT Technologies Blog

Protecting Company Data with Mobile Device Management

Mon, 06 May 2013 11:49:00 -0400

One of the biggest data security challenges facing IT and business management today is the problem of maintaining effective control over data that is accessed by employees via mobile devices. Mobile device management (MDM) systems can help to protect data.

Avoid the Drama - Review and Test your IT and Data Backup Plan

Thu, 11 Apr 2013 12:12:00 -0400

Take action today to review and test your IT and data backup plan. If you haven’t implemented a backup plan for your data and systems, today is the day to start working on it.

Migrating to SharePoint 2013 from SharePoint 2007 or SharePoint 2010

Tue, 02 Apr 2013 13:55:00 -0400

If you are considering an upgrade of your SharePoint^® installation to the 2013 version, you first need to make some assessments on your current implementation. This blog outlines the key considerations in planning an upgrade migration to SharePoint 2013.

Preparing Your Plan for IBM i Backup and Disaster Recovery in the Cloud

Thu, 21 Feb 2013 15:24:00 -0500

In preparing an IBM i^® system or environment for high availability (HA), backup and disaster recovery (DR) in the cloud, there are several key considerations to include in your project planning.

Weighing Outsourced IT for Your Law Firm in 2013 and Beyond

Fri, 15 Feb 2013 12:29:00 -0500

What are the key factors that you should have on your list when assessing IT outsourcing for your law firm? This blog discusses the top points to consider in your plan.

Evaluating SharePoint in the Cloud

Wed, 21 Nov 2012 11:08:00 -0500

One of the biggest challenges for organizations is the implementation, installation, start-up and ongoing management of SharePoint software and hardware infrastructure. Hosted SharePoint in the cloud can ease or reduce many of these hurdles for your organization.

It’s Time to Upgrade Your Sitecore CMS

Wed, 07 Nov 2012 16:19:00 -0500

Now that Sitecore has announced CMS 6.5 as the official recommended release, you should be considering and developing your Sitecore Content Management System (CMS) upgrade plan.

How to Help your Business Weather any Storm

Mon, 05 Nov 2012 10:18:00 -0500

Apparently Mother Nature did not get the memo that hurricane season is wrapping up. Hurricane Sandy bore down on the East Coast and was certainly the “Super Storm” that meteorologists predicted it to be, with high winds and widespread flooding up and down the East Coast. Unfortunately, storms like these are not uncommon; they happen with what seems to be ever increasing frequency no matter where you live in the country. Snow in the North, hurricanes down South, tornadoes in the Midwest and earthquakes on the West Coast. These are facts of life and things that all businesses must prepare for. Technology has come a long way and provides solutions that allow companies to stay productive no matter what the weather conditions.

Migrating from SharePoint 2007 to SharePoint 2010 and 2013

Thu, 30 Aug 2012 07:47:00 -0400

According to Ben Franklin, in this world nothing can be said to be certain except death and taxes. For IT directors, and systems and support administrators who are responsible for Microsoft SharePoint Server technologies, add a third certainty—SharePoint 2007 Mainstream Support ends on October 9, 2012.

Who Needs Business Intelligence?

Wed, 18 Jul 2012 12:39:00 -0400

To make good decisions, every business needs the right data—at the right time. But who needs business intelligence (BI) tools? In almost every organization, there are people with broad, possibly enterprise-wide responsibilities, as well as individuals in departments and cross-functional teams who have more limited decision making roles. They are all potential users of business intelligence tools.

Disaster Preparedness – Are You Ready?

Wed, 27 Jun 2012 16:18:00 -0400

The beginning of hurricane season on June 1 is an annual reminder to dust off that binder on the shelf behind you labeled ‘Disaster Plan.’ What’s that? You mean you don’t have a business continuity plan in place for your organization?

The Meaning of Business Agility in Cloud Computing

Thu, 21 Jun 2012 12:34:00 -0400

Today we often hear the phrase “business agility” used in connection with cloud computing. What exactly does it mean? Put simply, business agility is the power to change, rapidly and effectively, to suit changing circumstances.

Data Encryption Can Protect You from an Information Breach

Wed, 20 Jun 2012 13:56:00 -0400

Data encryption is one of the hottest topics in business news today. It seems that every day we hear of a lost or stolen laptop that puts private data at risk. These common occurrences, along with high profile incidents like the successful attack on the LinkedIn password file, should be a warning bell to business owners and managers.

SharePoint—a Document Management Solution for SMBs and Non-Profit Organizations

Wed, 18 Apr 2012 14:33:00 -0400

Microsoft SharePoint Server 2010 makes document management a reality for non-profits and small and medium-size businesses (SMBs). Its affordability, especially as a cloud hosted solution, and its familiar user interface appeal to both CFOs and end-users. Here is a mini “case study” of how mindSHIFT successfully delivered document management with SharePoint.

Busted! Four Myths About Virtual Desktops

Thu, 05 Apr 2012 15:49:00 -0400

The last five years have all been declared “the year of VDI” (Virtual Desktop Infrastructure) by industry pundits, but in retrospect, none of those years have truly earned the title. Like most new technologies, there is a lot of misinformation and hype out in the market about the capabilities and challenges of virtual desktop technology. And some of the “common wisdom” has earned mythological status. To bring things back to reality, today I’m busting four myths about virtual desktop technology (also known as Desktop as a Service, or DaaS).

IT Outsourcing and Cloud Services by mindSHIFT Technologies, Inc.

Wed, 14 Mar 2012 16:19:00 -0400

Does IT have you running in circles? It can be a drain on resources, money, and, most of all, time. Whether IT is your day job or simply one of your responsibilities, mindSHIFT has the expertise and resources to take either all or a portion of the burden of IT management off your shoulders, so you can focus on more strategic initiatives.

Watch this short video to hear from our customers about their experiences with mindSHIFT and learn how our IT outsourcing and cloud services can be tailored to meet your specific technology needs.

Go Green with your IT

Mon, 27 Feb 2012 15:42:00 -0500

Approaching IT in an eco-friendly way will not only result in a more environmentally-friendly organization, it will also enable your company to operate more efficiently and save money on such basic costs as paper and heating and cooling. To gain these dual benefits, organizations may want to consider implementing these green IT steps.

Securing ePHI with Server-Based Computing

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 10:31:00 -0500

In 2011, we saw a huge increase in the number of major breaches of Protected Health Information (PHI) due to the loss or theft of unencrypted devices. The largest of these breaches was experienced by Sutter Health of California which suffered the theft of a computer containing more than four million patient records. The data for about 3.3 million of these patients included their names, addresses, dates of birth, phone numbers and email addresses. The remaining 943,000 records also contained medical diagnoses and services provided.

Killer Apps for your Law Firm’s SharePoint Intranet

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 10:50:00 -0500

After working with dozens of law firms on their SharePoint projects, I've developed a list of best practices and "killer apps" that we have found to make a real difference in the success of law firm intranets. The key to a successful implementation is identifying features and services that will drive traffic from users, encourage user adoption and deliver measurable business benefits. As a result of a good intranet implementation, law firms can reap benefits such as increased inter-office collaboration, faster access to information and better insight into data.

Tech Tip: In VoIP implementations, what is a softphone?

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 11:30:00 -0500

Q: I'm moving to VoIP soon. What is a softphone? Should I get one?

A: A softphone is a software-based phone client that greatly expands your ability to place or receive calls when working outside of the office. It can be installed on a smartphone, laptop or a desktop computer. When placing calls through your softphone, you appear to be calling from your office. Most softphones also display your contact list from your VoIP account, enabling quick contact availability for ease of dialing. Incoming calls to your office phone number ring simultaneously on your office phone and your softphone, wherever you may be.

Do you know where your ePHI is?

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 15:16:00 -0500

What is PHI and ePHI?

PHI stands for Protected Health Information. It includes any information that identifies an individual, i.e. includes either the individual's name or any other information that could enable someone to determine their identity and relates to at least one of the following:

The past, present or future payments for health care services;
The provision of health care to the individual;
The individual's past, present or future physical or mental health.

ePHI stands for Electronic Protected Health Information. ePHI is all Protected Health Information which is stored, accessed, transmitted or received electronically.

Case Study: Small Law Firm Implements “Cloud Computing” Solution

Tue, 24 Jan 2012 15:33:00 -0500

This article, authored by Rita Thompson, CLM, of Kavanagh Maloney & Osnato LLP, is featured in the July/August 2011 issue of New York | New York published by the New York City Chapter of the Association of Legal Administrators (ALA).

Cloud computing: the practice of using a network of remote servers hosted via the Internet to store, manage, and process data, rather than a local server or personal computer.

Do you ever lie awake at night thinking about a problem at your firm? Sometimes, the solution to your problem may be closer than you think.

mindSHIFT's IT Support For Healthcare Organizations

Fri, 13 Jan 2012 15:13:00 -0500

We understand that when your technology doesn't work, neither does your practice. That's why our Customer Care Center is staffed full time with the best and brightest technology engineers ready and willing to help you. This article will talk in detail about the level of IT support mindSHIFT provides to healthcare organizations.

Desktop Virtualization: The Numbers Add Up

Wed, 04 Jan 2012 14:07:00 -0500

This article, authored by Silas McCullough of mindSHIFT Technologies, is featured in the December 2011 issue of ILTA's Peer to Peer Magazine titled "The Incredible Shrinking Computer."

The ever-increasing competitive landscape, limited IT resources and current economic conditions have caused many law firms - large and small alike - to seek out new alternatives to lengthy, complicated IT deployment cycles, escalating hardware costs and the demand for access to data from any location. Desktop virtualization is one option that makes today's desktop hardware footprint, time to roll out a legal desktop and IT costs smaller while increasing employee productivity as well as accessibility to and availability of electronic data.

Evaluating and Selecting a Voice over IP (VoIP) System

Fri, 23 Dec 2011 12:32:00 -0500

The cost savings, increased functionality, and improved productivity and mobility offered by Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) is fast making it a priority for small and medium-sized businesses. But what are the key factors to consider when evaluating and choosing a business VoIP provider? How can you be sure that the vendor you select will be flexible enough to meet the growing needs of your organization?

Finding the Right IT Service Provider for Your Healthcare Organization

Thu, 22 Dec 2011 16:12:00 -0500

Many companies offer IT management services and IT support to healthcare organizations. But which managed service provider is right for your specific healthcare IT needs? This article will provide you with the information that will help you evaluate managed hosting providers and select the one that will help you take care of your IT needs without losing focus on your primary goal – the health of your patients.

Welcome To The World of Cloud Services

Thu, 22 Dec 2011 10:15:00 -0500

Today’s workforce is increasingly mobile. The traditional office job is evolving. Whether working in the field, traveling or telecommuting, the need for reliable, secure, and highly available access to work resources and data is growing. With the proliferation of affordable high-speed networks, Wi-Fi coverage and mobile devices, employees are able to work and be productive from virtually anywhere.

What Is A Managed Service Provider

Wed, 21 Dec 2011 15:13:00 -0500

An Managed Service Provider or MSP is like a virtual IT department.

When a company subscribes to a managed IT service, a managed service provider manages the hardware, software, and network equipment on the customer premises and at the MSP's data center.

Compelling Financial Reasons to Start your EHR Transition Now

Tue, 13 Dec 2011 10:02:00 -0500

Overburdened by the need to transition to Electronic Health Records (EHR)? This article will help better understand the financial reasons for transitioning to EHR for your private medical practice.