5 Outdated IT Practices That Companies
Need To Eliminate
Technology changes nearly as quickly as the calendar flips. A new device or upgrade that was trending not long ago may become antiquated or obsolete before you know it.
Information technology is integral to most businesses today, but keeping up with the interrelated parts of IT and the advancements – from software to cyber security to social media platforms – isn’t always prioritized. IT experts say companies falling behind in that category could see their business slip as a result.
“Over the last several years, many IT practices have become fixed and inflexible,” says Chris Hoose (www.choosenetworks.com), an IT consultant who works with small businesses. “While older concepts are a good springboard, some have become ineffective. There are many you can reconsider and/or eliminate.”
Hoose looks at five IT practices he thinks businesses should stop using:
Outdated software. One of the biggest security vulnerabilities a company can face is one of the simplest to address: outdated software. “There are many risks associated with using unsupported or outdated software, and hackers love to exploit these gaps,” Hoose says. “Then there are the inevitable problems of a system failure or antiquated workflows that slow a company’s productivity. Although upgrading software – including your operating systems – can be time-consuming and expensive, doing so can safeguard your organization and create more room for innovations.”
In-house server hosting. Much of today’s modern software is hosted in the cloud. “Most cloud vendors are able to provide public, private or hybrid cloud hosting based on your requirements,” Hoose says. “With such extensive cloud capability, there is no reason anymore to rely on in-house server hosting. Migrating to these versions can not only help save your business the costs of purchasing and maintaining software, but also the costs of maintenance and upkeep on servers.” Another plus of cloud computing is the added security of cloud disaster recovery, a backup and restore capability that enables companies to recover data and switch to a secondary operational mode.
Inflexible work environment. The new wave of the workforce is an IT strategy that includes video cameras and laptops for team members to facilitate remote work and remote communications. “If your firm doesn’t have that flexibility, they risk being left behind,” Hoose says. “Flexible work arrangements improve a company’s effectiveness and morale. It’s one of the best uses of today’s IT.”
Newsgroups and discussion forums. These popular mediums once served as portals where questions were raised from the team and answers were provided in a question-and-answer format. Better alternatives, Hoose says, are options like Facebook, Hangouts or Slack. “The format is far more intuitive and user-friendly with social media pages than with conventional discussion forums,” he says. “Also, multiple answers can be handled easily with social-media pages.”
Unnecessary complexity. Hoose says an overly complex structure is the core failing of legacy systems. “Rethink your architecture and prioritize for simplicity,” he says. “When modernizing your systems, less is more in terms of both architecture and functionality. You can start by implementing only the most important features. Make sure the new application will work well with the rest of the tools used in your business by default. Whatever applications you choose, make sure you use a solid and future-ready technology stack to deliver optimal performance.”
“Many executives are unsure, or even unaware, of the risk that obsolescence presents to their technology portfolios,” Hoose says. “Their uncertainty stems from not having the right data and dealing with conflicting points of view on priority, value, and risk.”
About Chris Hoose
Chris Hoose (www.choosenetworks.com) is the president of Choose Networks, an IT consulting firm for small businesses. Hoose started the company in 2001 to give large-scale solutions and support to businesses that can’t afford their own in-house IT department. He earned a Master of Information Systems Management from Friends University
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Paralympic bronze medalist Marybai Huking of Plain City, Utah, has been named to the U.S. women's goalball team for this summer's IBSA International Goalball Qualifier in Fort Wayne, Ind. Team USA's men's and women's goalball teams will do battle with an international field during the July 2-9 event, with the top two teams in each gender not already qualified for Tokyo earning berths to next year’s Paralympic Games.
Nine Paralympic Medalists Headline U.S. Goalball Teams Selected for Tokyo 2020 Qualifier in Fort Wayne
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (April 25, 2019) – The U.S. men’s and women’s goalball teams will put experienced squads on the floor this July as they attempt to qualify for next year’s Paralympic Games during the IBSA International Qualifier in Fort Wayne, Ind. A total of nine Paralympic medalists – four on the men’s team and five on the women’s squad – will do battle with an international field during the July 2-9 event held at the Turnstone Center and the Indiana Institute of Technology.
Three-time Paralympic goalball medalists Asya Miller (Portland, Ore.) and Lisa Czechowski (Boonton, N.J) lead the women’s team. Both are five-time Paralympians, winning medals together in Athens in 2004 (silver), Beijing in 2008 (gold) and Rio in 2016 (bronze). They will be joined by three of their bronze-medal winning teammates from Rio: Amanda Dennis (Peachtree City, Ga.), Eliana Mason (Beaverton, Ore.) and Marybai Huking (Plain City, Utah). Rounding out the women’s team is Shavon Lockhardt (Brooklyn, N.Y.), with Ali Lawson (Jasper, Ga.) serving as the alternate.
“To have the opportunity to qualify for the 2020 Paralympic Games in front of our friends and family is a dream come true,” said U.S. Women’s Coach Jake Czechowski. “The team is training hard and will be ready to defend our home court.”
Rio 2016 Paralympic Games silver medalists Tyler Merren (Coral Springs, Fla.), John Kusku (Commerce Township, Mich.), Joseph Hamilton (Sacramento, Calif.) and Andrew Jenks (Wilmington, Del.) will be joined by Calahan Young (Irwin, Pa.) and Joshua Welborn (Birmingham, Ala.) to form the U.S. men’s team. Merren is a three-time Paralympian, having also won a bronze medal in goalball at the Athens 2004 Paralympic Games.
“It’s a very unique privilege to have the opportunity to represent the USA on our home soil,” U.S. Men’s Coach Matt Boyle commented. “I am sure the men who have been selected will not disappoint.”
Fields of 16 men’s and 16 women’s teams are expected to participate in the IBSA International Qualifier in Fort Wayne, with the top two teams in each gender not already qualified for Tokyo earning berths to next year’s Paralympic Games.
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ABOUT UNITED STATES ASSOCIATION OF BLIND ATHLETES (USABA)
Since its founding in 1976, USABA, a community-based organization of the United States Olympic Committee, has reached more than 100,000 blind individuals. The organization has emerged as more than just a world-class trainer of blind athletes, it has become a champion of the abilities of Americans who are legally blind. In addition to providing grassroots and development opportunities in multiple sports, USABA serves as the high-performance management organization for the Paralympic sport of goalball in the U.S. Through a partnership with Turnstone Center, USABA established the first-ever long-term goalball resident program in the country where members of U.S. Men’s and Women’s Goalball National Teams train full-time. USABA’s mission: to empower Americans who are blind and visually impaired to experience life-changing opportunities in sports, recreation, and physical activity, thereby educating and inspiring the nation. www.usaba.org | Twitter: @USABA | Facebook: United States Association of Blind Athletes
ABOUT TURNSTONE: Founded in 1943, Turnstone’s mission is to empower people with disabilities to achieve their highest potential by providing one of the most comprehensive offerings of services and programs to people with disabilities and their families under one roof in the United States. Thanks to generous support and compassionate staff, Turnstone’s legacy of advocacy and innovation continues to contribute to a world that accepts and values people based on their abilities. www.turnstone.org | Twitter: @TurnstoneCenter | Facebook: Turnstone Center for Children and Adults with Disabilities | Instagram: @TurnstoneCenter
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GSA Contract signing allows ATS to expand their services to all government entities; this is the next step in many partnerships to come as Stewards of Humanity.
This is a strategic move that allows us to secure contracts for safety in order to make the SafetyShield products available for all government entities.”
— Richard Allred
MIDVALE, UT, UNITED STATES, April 23, 2019 /EINPresswire.com/ -- ATS ShieldSafe®, located in Midvale and Pleasant Grove, UT is thrilled to announce the signing of the Federal Government’s GSA contract that makes it possible for ATS to sell to the U.S. government through the General Services Agreement, instead of having separate contracts with each agency.
ATS ShieldSafe offers built-to-last safety showers that are fully ANSI compliant – offering optimal protection for workers in all weather conditions.
A process that has been two years in the making, Richard Allred, CEO of ATS, had this to say about the contract: “This is a strategic move that allows us to secure contracts for safety in order to make the SafetyShield products available for all government entities.” To be approved, the GSA needed to analyze sales data and ensure the updating all the equipment, as well as intense scrutiny from the GSA to ensure their products are of interest to a vast number of government agencies. “This is the next step in our many partnerships with U.S. government entities and continue to expand water technologies, water treatment chemistry, and other products and services. It also provides a worldwide reach to government entities outside the U.S,” he added.
ATS Director of Administrative Services, Ashley McIntosh, has worked hard to secure the GSA contract signing and it’s paid off. She began working towards the GSA contract back in 2017 and went through a rigorous process. “We had to wait quite a while after we submitted all the paperwork until we received a response back. Fortunately, the State of Utah is very supportive in helping small businesses, like us, succeed. They provide a couple of different companies to help us in acquiring a GSA contract.” It takes time and sometimes, due to different challenges, approval doesn’t come quickly. “Once the government replies, there’s a negotiation process and the assurance that nothing has changed,” she stated. However, much did change regarding the products we offered from the beginning of the process, as well as with the GSA requirements under our specific Schedule. McIntosh then had to go through most of the process all over again with our new products and with the government “refresh.”
The government approved the contract on March 15. Now the hard work begins of selling off the contract and getting the word out. This contract applies to ATS ShieldSafe® products, including decontamination showers and accompanying accessories, and we can renew this contract every five years through 2039.
GSA provides over 11 million products to the federal agencies and it is ATS’s job to market to federal agencies who could benefit from our product. “It’s like Amazon for the government, where they purchase products and we ship it out.” Anyone in the government can buy the products without the need to bid.
Allred, in an email to the company, said, “I would like to acknowledge McIntosh’s hard work as well as all the many who have helped in this undertaking.”
GSA Contract Number: 47QSWA19D004Q
About ATS
For over 40 years, ATS, located in Midvale, UT, has been pivotal in providing high-performance, smart water solutions for water and wastewater treatment plants and professionals. With best-in-class technology, experience, managed services, and programs, it drives superior water treatment quality at lower costs and in the most environmentally-responsible approaches. ATS partners and consults with its customers to solve problems and create positive outcomes with the mission of being Stewards of Humanity. Additional information can be found at www.ATSSmartSolutions.com
For more information, please contact:
ATS
Richard Allred
801.255.5336
media@ATSSmartSolutions.com
Richard Allred
ATS
+1 801-255-5336
email us here
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Phaze Concrete outlines a few essential differences in commercial and residential construction protocols.
CEDAR CITY, UTAH, USA, April 23, 2019 /EINPresswire.com/ -- There are many reasons construction can be confusing. After all, each construction project is different. Countless different protocols come into play from residential to business construction and many others. Yet, business and residential construction is one of the main instances of concern.
Phaze Concrete has a lot of experience with both types of construction. Therefore, they understand the most common issues new and even experienced buyers have. That is why the company has decided to discuss the most common differences in commercial and residential construction protocols.
Rules
There are many rules that differ between commercial and residential construction. This means that the qualifications for doing the different construction projects differ. Therefore, it is important that the construction companies are qualified for the job. Construction is unique. After all, commercial and residential building serve different purposes on a fundamental level. Businesses are meant for a heavy volume of people while a residential building is meant for families. Generally, a family will be kinder to their home than the general public will be to a building. Therefore, the different buildings must be built accordingly.
Materials
Keeping in line with the differences in a residential and a commercial building, the materials are completely different. This makes the protocols for that material different. While a commercial building is made primarily of steel, a residential building is made from a wooden framework (generally). This allows residential buildings to be a little more unique but have a harder time with a large volume of people going in and out every day. Everything from the weight limits to the physical limitations of the building itself are called into question when deciding the material that is best suited for a job. Once that material is decided, it has its own requirements to help keep it safe and secure with every build.
Timeframe
The time frame is also important when it comes to the protocol of a residential and commercial building. Simply, a commercial property is going to be constructed quicker than a residential. The reason is due to the people involved. Business Owners have stakeholders and customers. Plus, a business is good for the entire community. Therefore, it is important that the project is ready to start contributing as quick as possible. The funds and influences within a commercial project are much greater than those in a residential project. However, a residential project is more customizable. A buyer can make a residential area a home, so the specifics of the home might take more specific craftsmanship. Of course, this takes time.
To close, the market for expansion is always growing. There is always a need for more, bigger, and better construction. Even if it is not a whole building, a renovation or addition to your home or business is possible. Therefore, it is important to understand the differences in construction protocols. Phaze Concrete has served their community for many years. During that time, the company has seen many unnecessary issues due to confusion. However, by taking these different protocols into account, it can save both business and residential buyers a big headache.
Caroline Hunter
Web Presence, LLC
+1 7865519491
email us here
