January 20th, 2021 by admin
Many businesses have found themselves making the switch to the cloud, and when you look at everything it offers it's not hard to see why. They give a wealth of benefits that most would be hard-pressed to ignore, such as improved security and the ability to access your data from anywhere...
Posted in: Solutions
November 16th, 2020 by admin
SAN MATEO, CA - MPA Networks, Inc., a leading managed technology services provider (MTSP), announced today that it is helping customers take advantage of a substantial tax deduction, outlined by guidance issued from the IRS, also known as Section 179. Section 179 allows businesses to completely deduct...
Posted in: Press Release
July 10th, 2019 by admin
Many businesses have changed the traditional business model to adapt to the way people now choose to work. With Workplace-as-a-service, small to midsized businesses can be fully functional and successfully, without being in a physical workspace environment. Combining this service with a bring-your-own-device...
Posted in: Solutions
June 25th, 2019 by admin
During the beginning stages of operations, demand can be slow at first and then gradually start picking up, but what happens when small demand increases to significant demand in a short period? When a company is experiencing expansion, it is usually a step in the right direction because growth in business...
Posted in: Solutions
May 8th, 2019 by admin
SAN MATEO, CA – MPA Networks, Inc. a leading managed technology services provider (MTSP), announced today that the company now offers SD-WAN-as-a-Service to their small to mid-sized business (SMB) customers. SD-WAN is a leading technology and according to research firm Gartner, “by the end of...
Posted in: Press Release
December 28th, 2017 by admin
There are many ways to reuse an old computer. Replacing an old computer that still works is a good feeling. The device survived the replacement cycle. However, some desktops and laptops have the potential to lead second lives in the workplace. Re-assigning old devices to different jobs is a great way...
Posted in: Solutions
November 16th, 2017 by admin
Businesses use surge protectors every day without thinking about them; however, they are an incredibly important piece of technology that can make the difference between a $20.00 and a $2,000.00 equipment replacement. While uncommon, a power surge can wreak havoc on computers, monitors, TV screens, smartphones,...
Posted in: Hardware and Software
November 8th, 2017 by admin
It's inevitable: employees working hard on a time-consuming project and then out of nowhere, the lights start to flicker and the power goes out. Suddenly, those workers express their frustration by pulling out their hair because they've just lost hours' worth of work. In addition to being portable, laptop...
Posted in: Hardware and Software
October 10th, 2017 by admin
Wireless charging in the workplace has the potential to make it easier for your employees keep their arsenal of devices running throughout the day with fewer of those pesky low battery warnings. Until recently, wireless charging hasn't been as good at increasing productivity as it could be because one...
Posted in: Hardware and Software
September 26th, 2017 by admin
With proper planning, your business can take advantage of USB flash drive technology to increase productivity, while eliminating most of the medium's inherent risk. The USB flash drives likely lying around your business offer excellent opportunities to increase productivity and make workflow easier,...
Posted in: Cyber and Data Security, Hardware and Software
September 12th, 2017 by admin
It's easy to take a functional Internet connection for granted until it's no longer working. When that Internet connection inevitably goes down, your business could be left scrambling to figure out how to keep working until service is restored. The best solution your business can utilize is to develop...
Posted in: Solutions, Hardware and Software
July 18th, 2017 by admin
Spending far too much money on excessively overpowered computer hardware can quickly deplete your company's IT budget, taking funding away from other important expenses. Two exciting products released in June 2017, Apple's new iMac Pro ($4,999) and Intel's Core i9 CPU family (starting at $999), are poised...
Posted in: Hardware and Software
July 5th, 2017 by admin
It happens in every office eventually: an employee is going about their workday and suddenly their computer or monitor won't turn on. Fortunately, there's gold in those unused desktops and laptops stuck in the storage closet. Aside from the computers having literal gold in some components, your business...
Posted in: Hardware and Software
June 20th, 2017 by admin
Amazon Alexa, the voice-based intelligent personal assistant you may have seen an early adopter friend use at home, has surprising business use potential to increase productivity in the workplace. Like Apple's Siri, Google Assistant, and Microsoft's Cortana, Alexa is able to perform tasks for the user...
Posted in: Hardware and Software
June 13th, 2017 by admin
Many small-to-medium businesses (SMBs) have taken to hosting their own intranet to increase productivity in the workplace. For those unfamiliar with the term, "intranet" is not a typo, but rather an internal network that behaves like a private Internet. At their core, intranets help businesses improve...
Posted in: Solutions
June 6th, 2017 by admin
Computer memory market trends could play a role in your business’s decision on when to upgrade or replace employee computers. According to PC World, the technology research experts at Gartner predict that prices for both RAM and Solid State Drives (SSDs) will start to decline in 2018—and then crash...
Posted in: Hardware and Software
May 16th, 2017 by admin
Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) solutions can help small and medium businesses increase productivity by enhancing your communication potential. VoIP isn't just a simple digital upgrade over your existing office analog phone service: It opens the doors for new ways to look at customer management...
Posted in: Partners and Industries
March 28th, 2017 by admin
If the sounds of disgruntled employees complaining about poor Wi-Fi connectivity are all too familiar in your SMB, it's time to consider switching to a mesh network. Unlike traditional Wi-Fi networks that use a single point of origin and optional extender networks, mesh networks utilize a series...
Posted in: Hardware and Software
March 9th, 2017 by admin
Network-Attached Storage (NAS) servers are a great asset for small businesses managing data. For the uninitiated, NAS is essentially a streamlined server designed specifically for sharing files between devices. Because of their simplified nature, NAS devices are typically easier to use and...
Posted in: Hardware and Software
February 8th, 2017 by admin
Your employees' computers may not be up to speed anymore after two or three years of use, but in many cases your staff can upgrade or tune up these devices to keep pace with work demands. Upgrades can often be purchased and installed for under $100 a system, offering an inexpensive way to extend the...
Posted in: Hardware and Software
January 18th, 2017 by admin
Depending on your industry, modern virtual reality (VR) devices could offer impressive options to improve productivity. The video game industry, for one, has been a major player in pushing VR technology. Despite a handful of flops like Nintendo’s 1995 release “Virtual Boy,” products like the “Oculus...
Posted in: Hardware and Software
January 11th, 2017 by admin
For anyone unfamiliar with the Google Applications platform, Google Docs et al. are a Cloud-based spin on mainstay office suite programs that can help your staff work better together. With a zero-dollar price tag (compared with Microsoft Office's hefty annual subscription fees) and the potential...
Posted in: Hardware and Software
January 5th, 2017 by admin
If your small-to-medium business (SMB) isn't looking at ways to increase productivity through Cloud services, you could be missing out on exciting opportunities. But while the Cloud offers countless opportunities for business expansion, it can also taking up an ever-increasing share of your company's...
Posted in: Hardware and Software
September 21st, 2016 by admin
IoT devices have incredible potential to make your office more efficient. Previously we’ve discussed the caveats IoT devices bring to the workplace a few times, but today we’re going to focus on how these devices can increase productivity. It’s easy to fall back on the old mentality “If it ain’t...
Posted in: Hardware and Software
August 30th, 2016 by admin
Those old servers your business no longer uses—and keeps running anyway—are more than just a security risk: They’re hurting your firm’s bottom line. The term comatose server describes a functional server, connected to a network, that sits idle virtually all of the time. If your business is running...
Posted in: Hardware and Software
August 24th, 2016 by admin
Secondary monitors have incredible potential to increase productivity in the workplace. It might not seem like much, but minimizing, maximizing, and arranging application windows on a single computer monitor can take up a significant amount of time. Adding a secondary monitor increases the screen...
Posted in: Hardware and Software
August 2nd, 2016 by admin
Not all storage devices were built to stand the test of time, so it’s important for every business to ensure its data is backed up on a reliable platform. If you’ve ever needed to reference financial records or court cases from a decade ago, you’ll know how much easy, reliable access to data can...
Posted in: Hardware and Software
July 19th, 2016 by admin
How fast is your company's broadband Internet speed compared to ten years ago? Chances are that while your online connection at work back then was faster than your first home Internet service (think of that annoying dial-up modem noise), if you tried using that "primitive" DSL at work today the relatively...
Posted in: Hardware and Software
June 21st, 2016 by admin
More and more businesses are switching their storage solutions from hard disk drives (HDDs) to solid state drives (SSDs) for one simple reason: the appeal of faster loading times and increased productivity. However, HDDs can still be the better choice in cases where maximum capacity is more important...
Posted in: Hardware and Software
May 17th, 2016 by admin
Let’s talk about desktop monitors. In many companies, large or small, an onboarding employee gets whatever display hardware might already reside in their assigned cube—no matter how old it is. But like most computer products, the technology is always improving, while costs for newer models are dropping....
Posted in: Hardware and Software
March 2nd, 2016 by admin
When it’s time to upgrade employee smartphones, your business needs to worry about backing up data, clearing the memory, and figuring out the best way to get rid of the old devices. According to Business Insider, the average smartphone upgrade cycle reached 22 months in 2012. This time frame could...
Posted in: Hardware and Software
February 11th, 2016 by admin
We were as optimistic as anyone about Microsoft's long-awaited release of the Windows 10 operating system. As we discussed last May, we looked forward to real improvements—chiefly a better desktop interface—over its widely unloved predecessor, Windows 8.1. At the same time, we hoped Microsoft had learned...
Posted in: Hardware and Software
January 26th, 2016 by admin
The Cloud is here to stay—and growing before our eyes. Even the customer segment that the marketing world terms late adopters—the last people to "get on the boat" of tech trends—are finally taking a hard look at migrating at least some of their IT to Cloud-based apps. One big reason is that their...
Posted in: Hardware and Software
January 12th, 2016 by admin
It's been talked about everywhere from the New York Times to Men's Health and Women's Health: Sitting at a desk all day may be dangerously unhealthy. Medical studies conducted around the world support the same conclusion: When a human body remains seated and inactive, it quickly enters its...
Posted in: Solutions, Hardware and Software
December 10th, 2015 by admin
Apple announced the iPad Pro in September of 2015. Microsoft announced the Surface Book just a month later. Both devices are blurring the lines between tablets and laptops, offering interesting new opportunities for technology use in the workplace and resolving many of the issues present in the current...
Posted in: Hardware and Software
December 2nd, 2015 by admin
Your business can take a productivity hit and incur unnecessary expenses because of a very common, often overlooked problem: dust buildup in computers. Dust inside computers can decrease their efficiency and even their operational lifespans. These microscopic particles are everywhere—and unless...
Posted in: Hardware and Software
August 19th, 2015 by admin
Back in July, we talked about the emergence of Cloud-based Desktop-as-a-Service (DaaS). From overall cost to scalability, mobility, and security, more IT decision-makers are recognizing DaaS as simply a better alternative to traditional networks of standalone computers. As with any other...
Posted in: Hardware and Software
August 6th, 2015 by admin
Each month, Microsoft releases a new security bulletin. In May of 2015, forty-six vulnerabilities had been identified and fixed, spanning products such as Windows, Internet Explorer, and Office. In June, it was even more. While some of these vulnerabilities were low-threat, others were more critical,...
Posted in: Cyber and Data Security
July 30th, 2015 by admin
We've recently received quite a few questions regarding "virtual workspaces." Particularly in light of the imminent release of the next version of Windows (which, as we've discussed, won't come cheaply for enterprise users), will virtual workspaces be a cost-effective alternative to full computers...
Posted in: Hardware and Software
June 24th, 2015 by admin
As the Bay Area moves into the warmest months of the year, you can enjoy the summer knowing your annual home spring cleaning is behind you—when you tackled all those chores in (literally) one clean sweep over a weekend. With that taken care of, now’s a good time to review your company's tech refresh...
Posted in: Hardware and Software
June 11th, 2015 by admin
April 22 marked the annual worldwide observance of Earth Day. This made us think about the role small businesses play in the "Go Green" movement. Many companies have a genuine concern for preserving our planet's natural resources—even if many hotels use going green as a convenient excuse not to provide...
Posted in: Hardware and Software
March 20th, 2015 by admin
How would you react if your company's next phone bill revealed a major cost spike—to the tune of over $100,000? It's actually happening now to small businesses across the U.S., thanks to international VoIP toll fraud—perhaps the fastest growing cyber-threat today. While many small companies have adopted...
Posted in: Cyber and Data Security
February 4th, 2015 by admin
Computers have a knack for breaking at the most inconvenient time. Murphy’s Law is alive and well. But you don’t need to wait for IT repairs in order to get an employee back to work: smart techniques and planning can minimize your downtime so you can maintain productivity and take back otherwise lost...
Posted in: Hardware and Software
January 21st, 2015 by admin
Several years since you probably first heard about it, "the Cloud" remains among the trendiest buzzwords in the tech world—particularly here around Silicon Valley. Several of our Bay Area law firm clients have approached us asking if migrating their IT into the Cloud is the right choice for them, especially...
Posted in: Solutions, Partners and Industries
January 14th, 2015 by admin
It doesn’t take a psychic to know that one of your business goals is improving efficiency and productivity. You can do both with an IT managed service provider. MSPs specialize in finding technical solutions to streamline your work environment and preemptively stop work interruptions. The end goal of...
Posted in: Solutions
December 12th, 2014 by admin
It doesn’t take a psychic to know that one of your business goals is improving efficiency and productivity. You can do both with an IT managed service provider. MSPs specialize in finding technical solutions to streamline your work environment and preemptively stop work interruptions. The end goal of...
Posted in: Solutions, Hardware and Software
November 13th, 2014 by admin
If you've been reading our blog for a while, you know why we believe managed IT services are the smart choice over "going it alone" — particularly for a small business. Over the past few years alone, we've seen several major tech companies — some of the really big names — branch out into the outsourced...
Posted in: Solutions
November 6th, 2014 by admin
Last month, the Bay Area commemorated the 25th anniversary of the Loma Prieta earthquake. Those of us who lived through that experience remember the sudden, unexpected jolt — and how the event disrupted our lives for several weeks afterward. Of course, we were a lot less reliant on technology back...
Posted in: Cyber and Data Security, Solutions
April 21st, 2014 by admin
It is vital that Information Technology enhance workplace productivity, rather than hinder it. With proper IT systems and management in place, it is possible to accomplish your work faster and with far less risk of downtime and technology inefficiencies. A productive IT environment also helps increase...
Posted in: Solutions
March 27th, 2014 by admin
By this point, nearly every small and medium sized business owner has heard of the cloud and has a basic understanding of cloud computing. A majority of them have probably even considered moving their data and applications to the cloud, not wishing to appear behind the times to both clients and employees,...
Posted in: Solutions
March 18th, 2014 by admin
With all the hype surrounding cloud computing, it may seem like any business that is NOT in the cloud is woefully behind the times. As an IT Managed Services Provider, we hear the following questions from clients and prospective clients all the time: "Should we move to the cloud?" "The cloud is faster...
Posted in: Solutions
February 22nd, 2014 by admin
What is IT Standardization? Standardization refers to the general uniformity of desktops and laptops across an entire business. Ideally, all workstations and laptops should be identical (or as identical as possible), including uniform software versions and configurations. This process of standardization...
Posted in: Hardware and Software
January 30th, 2014 by admin
Escape the Dreaded 'IT Money Pit' Information Technology is the backbone of modern business - it is the infrastructure on which businesses run and employees work. It is the wheel that keeps everything rolling smoothly. As such, it makes perfect sense our IT should be reliable and contribute to solid...
Posted in: Solutions
January 24th, 2014 by admin
If we asked you a very simple question — what is Information Technology? — how would you respond? What would come to mind? We're guessing you would focus on computers, flashing lights, monitor screens, and server rooms, right? Perhaps even throw in printers, phone systems, and mobile devices...
Posted in: Solutions
September 30th, 2013 by admin
Partnering with a Managed Service Provider (MSP) is one of the most important decisions you can make to ensure the longevity and productivity of your SMB. Why? An experienced MSP is a true business partner, reduces and streamlines IT costs, and takes a proactive approach to your IT and long-term business...
Posted in: Solutions, Partners and Industries
August 27th, 2013 by admin
Managed Service Providers - or MSPs - are tasked with the critically important job of managing IT to help businesses run smoothly. Information Technology is the foundation upon which businesses operate, communicate, and grow, and must therefore be well monitored and cared for. What many business...
Posted in: Solutions
August 18th, 2013 by admin
Downtime - it isn't always what you think! When you think downtime, I'm sure you're picturing the results of a total IT disaster - perhaps a flood destroying the server room or a malicious virus that hacks the network, forcing everyone to close up shop. This is the kind of downtime that may take...
Posted in: Solutions
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