IT Horizons Blog

IT Horizons is not just your IT go-to team, we are your business partners!

IT Horizons Blog

We are IT Horizons - an IT company that strives to provide the ultimate solution for all your technology needs. We are blogging to help educate businesses in our community and keep them informed of current trends and opportunities.
Angie Saltman

10 Reasons Why Incorporating Data Privacy is A Savvy Business Move

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Data privacy might sound like a dry topic, but actually, it's incredibly cool – and crucial – for Canadian businesses and organizations. Here’s why:

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Angie Saltman

An Introduction to IT

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You’ve probably heard of ‘IT’ a lot and might use the term yourself. But what does IT really mean? Let’s break it down.

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Angie Saltman

The IT Things We Do

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Here are some things our team does for our IT Managed Services clients in an average week!

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Alex Saltman

Get Relief with IT Managed Services 

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Once a business hits 5 or 6 computer stations, managing IT can become a demanding task. Your business relies on its IT infrastructure to function optimally. As technology continues to change, it’s time-consuming (and often costly) to keep up.

That’s why IT Managed Services has become an increasingly popular solution for businesses looking to outsource the management and maintenance of their IT systems.

Here are a few ways that IT Horizons relieves the burden of managing IT for our clients:

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Angie Saltman

Ultimate Guide to IT Project Management

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Some teams sit around the break room talking about that one big project that might happen, or vacation plans… but if you want to see our team get super animated about a topic, it probably involves IT Project Management.

Because there’s nothing more exciting than starting a huge IT project that’ll require everyone’s favourite skills, right? Wrong? OK, well, let’s chat about what we love about IT project management and all the things you won’t have to worry about because we’ve got it covered.

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Alex Saltman

All About Hybrid IT Management

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Do you remember the olden days, when an office would have a big monitor at each desk, under the desk everyone had their own chunky tower, a big noisy server sat in the back office, and a stream of cords connected everything together to make a ‘modern’ office? It’s almost crazy to try to imagine doing business that way now!

Of course, if you have an office (and you may not even need one of those anymore), you’ll still have some on-site equipment. But now you’ve also got cloud-based ‘equipment’—services that are accessed from anywhere and provide an essential link to co-workers, customers, projects, and data.

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Angie Saltman

Top Q&As About IT Consulting

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Hello! It’s us, your friendly Grande Prairie IT services company, here to answer some of your questions about all things ‘IT’.   Do you help individuals with computer problems? No , IT Horizons works with small to mid-sized businesses. Although much of our work is with individuals at those businesses, our work is only through these organizations. We always get the latest software and upgrades so we don’t need an IT consultant, right? That depends. Are you confident that you’re getting only what you need, and that what you’re purchasing is saving time and money? If not, we can help. An IT consultant is not a salesperson. Our job is to analyze your organization, your current systems, and your needs, and then decide what solutions will suit you best (and actually save you time and money). If your IT strategy is to always buy and upgrade, then you’re using excess...
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Alex Saltman

Email Phishing - What Information You Should Never Give to Anyone

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Have you ever received an email that does not look familiar or looks suspicious? Be wary of it, as it might be malware or any other form of cyber-attack, also commonly known as a phishing attack. If you ever come across any such email, that asks you to log in somewhere, the only logical thing to do is DO NOT LOGIN! The term ‘phishing’ comes from ‘fishing,’ only that in this case the victim is the “phish” and the hacker is the ‘phisherman’. It may (generally) ask you to allow access to an application or attachment sent in the email. And, if you follow the attacker’s instructions whether intentionally or unintentionally, you might get into serious trouble. The hacker can do anything, ranging from something less harmful like installing a simple virus in your system that handicaps certain applications, to attacking your computer with something as dangerous as ransomware. Ransomware...
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Alex Saltman

Our IT Managed Services Could Have Saved $1000s from Ransomware

Our IT Managed Services Could Have Saved $1000s from Ransomware
You’ve probably heard of Cryptolocker. It’s the nefarious ransomware trojan targeting Microsoft Windows that made the rounds via email starting in 2013-2014 that locked businesses out of their own files by encrypting them and holding them hostage. It impacted many – including Grande Prairie organizations that you know and may do business with! Cryptolocker and its many ransomware cousins act like typical viruses in the way they’re spread and distributed. But what makes ransomware so dangerous to you and your business is the fact that it specifically targets corporate data for monetary gain and the results can be catastrophic for those whose network is unprepared and inadequately protected from such an attack. Ransomware works by encrypting and locking you out of the files on your computers, server, and network storage. These files could include your policies and procedures, sensitive contracts and agreements, or your accounting database and financials. The attackers...
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Alex Saltman

Choosing the Right Tech for Your Business

Choosing the Right Tech for Your Business
We all rely on tech to help run our business, and it’s great when it’s running smoothly, but it can be horrible and expensive when it isn’t. Hiring the right tech company to look after your technology will keep your systems functioning effortlessly, and can make the difference between just surviving and powering ahead in full growth mode! What to look for: A good IT firm will start by having a consultant sit down with your leadership team to listen and learn all about your business before recommending anything. They should provide unlimited computer support to you and your staff for a fixed monthly fee. A technology strategy plan will be offered and created for your business, with at least one year planned. Every business is different and has different technological needs. A custom tech solution is part of every successful business. Experience! Hire an IT company that has experience...
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Alex Saltman

Need Onsite Support for Your Franchise or Big Box Retail Store? IT Horizons has You Covered

Need Onsite Support for Your Franchise or Big Box Retail Store? IT Horizons has You Covered
At one time or another, you've probably heard someone say that it's hard to find good help. Maybe you, too, have uttered these words. Well, it gets even harder to find the help you need when the place where you need it isn't located in the same postal code or even the same country. For owners of franchises or big box retail stores in the Peace Region, in or around Grande Prairie, finding quality, affordable technical support and other IT solutions just got easier. The highly trained and experienced team of people at IT Horizons are equipped to satisfy all your IT needs, while our reputation as a dependable leader in the local IT industry provides the peace of mind you need to know that the job will be done right, the first time. Comprehensive IT Solutions Tailored to Suit Your Needs Working with a consultant from our company will...
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IT Horizons Team

The Surveillance Cameras that Are Going to Protect Your Business, No Matter When or Where

The Surveillance Cameras that Are Going to Protect Your Business, No Matter When or Where
In my last post, I talked about the rise in crime that's occurred in the last little while in Grande Prairie and the surrounding areas. Whether it's the holiday season that's prompted the wave of break ins at local businesses, or an unfortunate new trend, companies that don't have quality surveillance systems in place are vulnerable. As I mentioned, we at IT Horizons install surveillance cameras from Ubiquiti Networks, in addition to the many other information technology services we provide. Today, I'd like to give you a sneak peek at some of the awesome features that the UniFi Video Camera Pro has to offer. UniFi Video Camera Pro Highlights: Crystal Clear Footage: The downside of lower quality surveillance cameras is that the footage they provide may not be clear enough to make out faces or other details that are crucial to catching the culprits, should there be a break in....
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Angie Saltman

Protect Your Business this Holiday Season: Surveillance Camera Installations from IT Horizons

Protect Your Business this Holiday Season: Surveillance Camera Installations from IT Horizons
With all the fun and excitement of the holiday season, it's also a time of year when the number of break ins tends to rise. This year, in the Peace Country, it's no exception as there's been an alarming amount of crime in the last little while. Businesses have been particularly vulnerable and those without security systems or systems that are robust enough to provide quality security footage are left with little recourse. At IT Horizons, we install surveillance cameras, in addition to the range of IT security services we provide for small and mid-sized businesses and even households. Choosing quality cameras that are installed by a trained and experienced IT consultant can make the difference between catching the people who steal from you and leaving your business vulnerable to another break in. The Difference an IT Consultant Can Make When you entrust us with installing your surveillance cameras, you...
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Angie Saltman

Look No Further than IT Horizons for a Wide Range of Cable Installation Solutions

Look No Further than IT Horizons for a Wide Range of Cable Installation Solutions
At IT Horizons, we strive to offer residential, commercial and industrial clients the most comprehensive IT solutions available. This means that beyond the unwaveringly awesome technical support, ongoing maintenance and monitoring, we also perform cabling and physical installations of all shapes and sizes in places that include office buildings and homes to remote job sites in the field. Whether you're moving locations, building a new facility or simply need to upgrade or add to your existing IT environment, IT Horizons is equipped with the expertise and equipment to satisfy all of your cabling and physical installation needs. Our Comprehensive Installation Service Offering Because our clients have very diverse needs, we're ready and able to provide a wide range of installation services: Structured cabling Ethernet Phone cable Coax cable Audio cable Server racks and closets Wireless access points Network infrastructure devices Environmental controls and monitoring Power management (backup generators, etc.) Physical...
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Alex Saltman

Purchasing New IT Solutions? Consider a Training Program and Your Business will Benefit in More Ways than One

Purchasing New IT Solutions? Consider a Training Program and Your Business will Benefit in More Ways than One
Last time, I talked about some of the ways businesses can use technologies like Office 365 to optimize their workflows. The first step is choosing to implement the IT solutions that will make it possible to collaborate on projects from any location, securely store data in the cloud, share documents, sync everything between the devices you use daily, and more. Learning how to leverage these technologies so that growing your business is less fishing in the dark and more of a highly strategic and well-executed plan of action, however, is of equal importance. In far too many instances, businesses invest in IT solutions only to choose not to receive training from an experienced IT consultant who can, and will, teach them how to use these tools for maximum results and return on their investment. When you fail to learn the ins and outs of these technologies and how they can...
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Alex Saltman

Kick Workplace Productivity Up a Notch with Cutting-Edge IT Solutions

Kick Workplace Productivity Up a Notch with Cutting-Edge IT Solutions
The key to business growth is finding ways to work smarter. Sure, it's going to take some blood, sweat and tears to get where you want to be, but to sustain growth over the long-term, you've got to develop ways to do what you do, only better and faster. For many small and mid-sized companies, the key to optimizing workflows is using the latest technologies to ensure the processes that make their businesses tick are as efficient and effective as possible. Just as important as the IT solutions you implement, you've got to know how to really put them to work for you, and this, unfortunately, is a step that many businesses often overlook. Office 365 for Business, Server Products & other Cloud-Hosted Services Office 365 for Business is a secure cloud-based solution that allows you to not only store and edit information but also collaborate with others, anywhere and...
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Alex Saltman

Not Your Average IT Solutions Provider

Not Your Average IT Solutions Provider
Welcome to IT Horizons, an IT managed service provider that serves small and mid-sized businesses in Grande Prairie and the surrounding areas. Our aim? To shake things up a little and to offer businesses the chance to drive and achieve their goals with the help of our fresh approach to IT solutions and a never-ending pursuit of excellence! Thoughtfully Applied Technology So, what's so 'fresh' about our approach? We get to know every business we work with, from the ins and outs of their daily operations to their goals and plans for the future. We know that with what we like to call 'thoughtfully applied technology,' our clients' IT experience will be just that much more positive, with solutions that don't just meet their needs today but are designed to take their companies into the future.  Experience IT Horizons might be the new kid on the block in the IT...
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