Office 365 security

I have been talking with potential customers this week over their requirements for future IT and it became obvious that a Cloud solution was what was needed - specifically Office 365.

One thing that has come up time and time again were the questions "how secure is it?" and "we work with clients who might not think this is secure enough - is it?".

So I have taken the time to research this and as you might think Microsoft has produced the most comprehensive and high quality information on this - so I have taken some of this from Microsoft and reproduced it here for people to have an overview of Office 365 security. You maybe sceptical about Microsoft telling you how great Microsoft Office 365 security is, but what they say here makes sense and is logical and relevant and I believe provides good detail and explanation to most security questions.



"With Office 365, it’s your data. You own it. You control it. And it is yours to take with you if you decide to leave the service. The core tenets of our approach to earning and maintaining your trust are:

 Built-in Security :

Office 365 is a security-hardened service, designed following the Microsoft Security Development Lifecycle. We bring together the best practices from two decades of building enterprise software and managing online services to give you an integrated software-as-a-service solution.

At the service level, Office 365 uses the defense-in-depth approach to provide physical, logical, and data layers of security features and operational best practices. In addition, Office 365 gives you enterprise-grade, user and admin controls to further secure your environment.

Service-level security through defense-in-depth

Customer controls within the service

Security hardening and operational best practices

 Privacy by design :

When you entrust your data to Office 365 you remain the sole owner of the data: you retain the rights, title, and interest in the data you store in Office 365. It’s our policy to not mine your data for advertising purposes or use your data except for purposes consistent with providing you cloud productivity services.

Your data is not used for advertising

You have extensive privacy controls

You can take your data with you when you want

Continuous Compliance

Office 365 is a global service and continuous compliance refers to our commitment to evolve the Office 365 controls and stay up to date with standards and regulations that apply to your industry and geography. Because regulations often share the same or similar controls, this makes it easier for Microsoft to meet the requirements of new regulations or those specific to your organization and industry.

In addition, Office 365 provides admin and user controls, including eDiscovery, legal hold, and data loss prevention, to help you meet internal compliance requirements. These require no additional on-premises infrastructure to use.

Proactive processes to meet your compliance needs

Customer controls for organizational compliance

Independently verified to meet evolving standards

Transparent Operations

Moving to a cloud service shouldn’t mean losing access to knowing what’s going on. With Office 365, it doesn’t. We aim to be transparent in our operations so you can monitor the state of your service, track issues, and have historical view of availability.

You know where your data resides and who has access

Visibility into availability and changes to the service

Financially backed guarantee of 99.9% uptime"

If you would like to read even more detail about the security that wraps Office 365 up then please go to https://products.office.com/en-us/business/office-365-trust-center-cloud-computing-security?tab=7d4bf5d5-8549-acb8-3852-a62cc997fb45

I hope this has reassured anybody who has previously had doubts about Office 365 Cloud security and now understands that a great deal has been done to make O365 a robust and secure product that can be used with safety and reassurance.

 

Raise your virtual glass to PukkaGenTek and say Cheers and Welcome!!!

Here's a toast to our newly re-branded business. Here is some of what we offer customers in varying sectors:

ENTERPRISE

For companies that are no longer start-ups, SOHO or micro businesses but would like the same friendly, professional support service.

For companies who would like to be able to have any member of their staff pick up their phone or send an e-mail requesting support an unlimited number of times for any supported IT problem; or if the need arose expect an engineer to attend onsite any number of times or fix it remotely if possible.

For companies who would like corporate standards of IT monitoring 24/7 with an allocated IT manager; but who can’t afford that.

We can provide solutions to all of the above by providing the unlimited support, monitored by professional systems constantly and managed by experienced and fully qualified engineers – who will also fix any problems you’re experiencing.

We can offer support in many shapes and types; whether you just want a one off ad hoc call for a problem or issue or need a bit more for consultancy to give you strategic help or support. We can also provide a more consistent, robust and prioritised contract IT support which means you’ll always be uppermost in our thoughts when you need urgent help.

When your business is under our care and attention with one of our service contracts you will realise the highest standards of customer care and technical support engineering. When your business has grown to this size you need it to keep working and growing and this is where we can help support that.

If you want a service that is uniquely local but regionally professional providing robust managed solutions to a business that has outgrown its roots then look no further but get in touch with us and we’ll take care of all your IT cares, worries and concerns.

SMALL BUSINESS

Would you like to operate your business as a larger business and take that step beyond Micro, SOHO or start-up but don’t believe you are ready; perhaps we can help, by providing one of the first essential steps which is a first class, amazing, corporate style IT support for business, yet at a reasonable price you can afford.

We are an IT support company that specialises in SME businesses and we believe that extends from 1-50 machines size businesses as well as its bigger brothers. So if you would like to have unlimited telephone advice and help taken with unlimited remote support and on-site engineers when required as well then you can. If you’d like to have experienced and fully qualified Microsoft engineers available to you for unlimited problems then you can. If you’d like to have all your systems monitored and managed using corporate end technology and running 24/7 then you can; and you can have all this for a price that would surprise you.

We can offer you rolling monthly, no tie-in contracts that provide you with all-encompassing service contracts that offer comprehensive IT support for all the IT devices and systems you might have within your offices. Unlike a lot of other IT support companies we won’t just offer you an insurance style contract but instead we will provide a pro-active, managed and 24/7 monitored system contract. Along with that we can go on to offer further services such as high quality, low cost backup solutions and the best in anti-virus installed products; again both of these provided under the pro-active managed and monitored solution service.

If you want to be able to experience the best in SME IT support for a reasonable cost no matter what your size then talk to us and we’ll show you how you can get on with your business; warm in the knowledge that all your IT concerns are taken care of.

HOME USERS

A lot of us buy a PC or a laptop, or maybe both or maybe in a family there are several of these; worse still whilst they’re re all working fine not a problem, but then you have problems with them. Perhaps you have a relation or friend, but they’re not qualified or completely sure or can’t look at it until next week or the following weekend?

We can provide a high quality service typically only available to businesses in the form of our qualified experienced engineers. A one off ad hoc fix or perhaps a review and health check of your IT stock? Perhaps you would like to be relieved of the worry and concerns around all these computers around your house just waiting to go wrong.

Maybe you would even care to take out insurance in the shape of a Home support contract which for a very reasonable no tie-in monthly payment could provide you with the comfort blanket of knowing you are under full IT support just like a big business.

As we offer the same contract and proactive cover and support that we provide to our business support customers we will constantly monitor and manage all aspects of your day to day computer usage, giving your computers a good housekeeping routine on a regular basis. Also, likewise we can offer further products such as business class backup routines and anti-virus software and a host of other products and services that you may need to keep that warm glowing feeling of being under support with us.

We will care for all your IT needs to stop life being a computer gamble, and provide that computer knowledge, help and advice that you can rely on and trust to be completely professional.

So if you need help now then contact us; or if you want to take the computer gamble out of everyday life then call to discuss how we can provide a leading, friendly and professional solution to this quandary.

shop window and Internet webpage - analogy

Whilst working with a website builder to have a new website built I have realized that a website serves the function of a shop window. This is perhaps nothing startlingly new in terms of a concept but the analogy is so strong with me, as I work on my new shiny website that I thought I had to share this concept.

40 years ago the high street represented the current internet, with all those glowing, interesting shop windows showing off their wares and beckoning you into the shop to peruse and perhaps purchase. Now we have the same as we surf the internet, all those Homepages enticing and beckoning you to purchase their goods or services and if not then at least to enjoy the front page.

So I have used this as my driver, the definition of my website Homepage as a shop front and all the various hyperlinks and sub-sets, products and services that are available to the surfing potential customer who cares to open the door and step inside.

I keep this thought close to my heart when I decide on how my website looks and feels and operates; hopefully this is what encourages people.

Cloud Computing

Flexible and cost effective cloud based solutions.

Cloud computing is one of the important trends shaping technology for the business market today. Cloud solutions enable you to manage your IT requirements using resources via the internet rather than through a local computer or server.
Cloud computing can:

• increase flexibility – add and reduce computer resources as required
• greater accessibility – access systems from anywhere using PCs, laptops or mobile devices
• reduce capital expenditure – no requirement to invest in expensive server hardware and software
• lower support costs – cloud based systems often require less support as the infrastructure provider takes care of some of this as part of the service

The PC Support Group understands that one size does not fit all and every business is different. We are committed to providing our customers with unrivalled support by offering a range of cloud solutions to suit every need. Whether your focus is cost, security, flexibility or functionality we can provide you with the right solution for your business.

Why choose cloud computing with The PC Support Group?

• Personalised solutions to fit your needs
• Partnerships with leading companies including Rackspace, Microsoft and Google allow us to offer a wide range of value-added solutions
• Support is key to well managed infrastructure… even when it’s in the cloud. Our team takes pride in our speed and quality of response.

What can we do for you?

Here are just a few common business requirements that can more cheaply and easily fulfilled by our cloud solutions:

• File sharing – systems that enable you to share files and folders seamlessly in real time, no matter where you are, and without the need for an expensive server adding to your support costs and IT headaches.
   
• Email/Calendar – in just the same way as servers have provided for many years, it’s now possible to have access to emails, calendars and contacts on any device at any time in any place thanks to the cloud. You and your staff can instantly share, check and set up appointments, wherever they are, all without the need for a server and its associated costs.
   
• Remote desktops – how would you like your staff to be able to access and work on their desktop wherever they are in the world from any PC or mobile device? There is no longer a need to be in a specific location to get on with your job. Maximum flexibility, minimum cost.
   
• Virtualisation – for those that still need servers, cloud solutions can offer greater flexibility and reduced risk. By virtualising your servers we can remove your single point of failure, and therefore the risk to your business of a server letting you down. Your servers will sit on your own private cloud, either at your premises or hosted in a secure data-centre with engineers on-hand 24/7. Your business will carry on even if one of your physical servers lets you down.
   
• Software as a Service (SaaS) – software that can be used on demand for a monthly fee. No high upfront costs, no more complex installations and no more licensing headaches. Imagine logging onto any web browser and having your fully functional software available to you instantly. Totally flexible software, when and where you need it.
   
• Flexible Printing – print any time anywhere. We can set you up so that you can hit print on your iPhone, or other mobile device and your document will print straight out at your office, ready for you on your return… Even if your printer is in York whilst you’re in New York.

SEO tips for small business

Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) Tips for Small Business

 

Virtually every business can benefit from having a high profile on the web. There are two ways to achieve this, one is to pay for every click (Pay Per Click - PPC) and the other is to gain a natural ranking position through optimisation your web page for the search engines - search engine optimisation (SEO).

So how do you optimise your web site so that it appears high in the rankings?

The important thing to remember is that the search engines generally have one aim in mind - to bring to the fore the most appropriate web sites for any given word or phrase that is used.

Imagine that you are manually choosing the most appropriate web site for a particular phrase. What rules would you use? Here are a few you might use:

• A page that uses that phrase a number of times - if it keeps repeating that phrase then the page must be providing information about it
• A page that perhaps includes the phrase in the title - that must mean that this page considers the phrase important to what is written on the page
• A page that lots of other web sites point to (have links to) - if others think that page is worth "pointing to" then it indicates it's useful
• Which sites are pointing to the page? You would probably consider some sites to be more discerning than others.
• How large is the site? If it has lots of pages then it is likely to have more useful information
• How often is the web site updated? Sites that are updated more often are more likely to be current and therefore more useful.

All of these form the basis of the rules governing most search engines.

So how do you use these rules to help the visibility of your site?

Search engines such as Google, Yahoo and MSN are always changing their rules and using more sophisticated techniques to achieve the best results so there is no simple fixed solution but there are some basics that will always help.

The basic rules to follow are:

 

1. Decide which short phrases are important. I.E. What phrases are your customers likely to use when searching for your type of business? You will achieve better results focusing on a 2 or 3 word phrase rather than a single word. For example, if you clean wheelie bins in Newcastle then focusing on a phrase such as 'wheelie bin cleaning in Newcastle' is likely to produce better results than simply 'wheelie bin'.
2. Try to include the phrase in the name of the page
3. Try to include the phrase in the heading on the page.
4. Include the phrase a number of times throughout the page but keep the phrase in context and don't simply repeat the phrase.
5. Now here's a "techie bit" - in any web page there are three pieces of information called Meta Tags that need to be completed correctly (your web developer can do this for you).
   1. Title - Make this short, precise and make sure you include the phrase within the first 10 words
   2. Description - This can obviously describe your page more fully but don't waffle. If possible use your phrase twice in this but don't simply repeat it.
   3. Keywords - Make sure your main phrase is first in this list
6. You need to add credibility to your site by getting as many links to it as possible. The simplest ways to achieve this are as follows:
   1. Ask customers, suppliers and/or partners to place a link to your site from theirs - perhaps as part of a testimonial?
   2. Write articles about your business and your main subject and place those articles on the many free article web sites - find these by simply searching for 'free articles'. Make sure each article (or the information about the author) includes a link to your site.
   3. Register your business on every free online business directory site that you can find on the web.
7. The final important element is to make sure your site is accurate, up to date and highly relevant to your business area and the subject phrase that you feel is most important. Things to look out for are:
   1. Broken links I.E. Links to other pages on the site that don't link to a live a working page
   2. Update pages regularly - a site that has the same content for many months will be "marked down" by the search engines
   3. Size matters - a more substantial site with many pages of information will be considered to be potentially more important. Bit don't pad the site with rubbish!

Gaining and keeping a high ranking on the search engines takes time and effort but it's not complicated. If you follow these basic rules you will improve your search engine rankings and you could even gain that coveted page one spot!