Windows 7 – End of Support

Time is running out for those still using Windows 7.  In January 2020 Microsoft will no longer be providing support for PCs running Windows 7.  The security updates will also end, and the recommendation is to upgrade soon.

What does the end of support mean to you?

If you do not upgrade before January 14th, 2020 you will be working with a product that no longer is supported.  This is of concern, particularly when it comes to business use.  While your PC will continue to work it may become vulnerable to viruses and other security risks.  Microsoft will no longer provide the following support for your business:

·         There will be No technical support

·         There will be No software updates

·         There will be No security updates

Time to upgrade to Windows 10

Today all businesses depend on technology to operate and you should not leave yourself open to disruption or the worry of compromise.  To avoid security risks and viruses, Microsoft recommends that you upgrade to Windows 10 now.  Windows 10 will give your business advanced security, deployment methods, compatibility tools and many extra productivity features.

Windows 10 improvements  

With fast and hardworking features, and new ways to interact with your computer—Windows 10 can help you be efficient and effective. It’s the most secure Windows yet and it is built to stay that way.  Windows 10 is synonymous with device security and must form an integral component part of your security strategy. By staying up to date, you are assured of the latest features and protection. Windows 10 Professional is also designed to integrate better with the later versions of Microsoft Server operating systems and indeed office 365 platforms.

With new creative features, quicker sign-ins and many added features Windows 10 will allow you to focus on what matters - your business.

What to do next

Now that you understand the importance of upgrading to Windows 10, we can make it easy for you.  GDK Network Systems are your trusted technology partner.  We can work with you to make the upgrade and ensure you don’t need to be concerned.   Get in contact with us today to arrange your upgrade to Windows 10. 

What Makes a Great IT Professional?

As a business, you will certainly benefit from having a reliable IT professional as a partner. You will come across challenges, issues and the need to find the best solutions, so you will need someone you can count on.

IT Expert

While there will be no need to employ a full-time IT expert, outsourcing tasks and projects to one when your business requires them is more than recommended.  How to recognise a great IT professional? Here are a couple of important traits you need to keep an eye for.

Loves the job and does it with enthusiasm every day

A person that enjoys what he or she is doing will always deliver superior results because there are passionate about being involved in the process. If you manage to find an IT expert that is actually enthusiastic about his or her work, you know they will show dedication as your IT partner.

Is capable of explaining things in simpler terms as well

The IT domain can be rather tricky to understand, especially when your own knowledge is rather restricted. Because of this, it is useful to find an IT professional that can explain things to you in a manner that you can also understand what is happening. After all, you are spending money out of your company’s budget, you will want to know how it is spent and what the advantages of adopting various strategies are.

Knows how the sector is evolving

It is very important for a person operating in the sector to know how things are evolving in the background and what the latest breakthroughs are. Bearing in mind that the IT sector is developing very fast and current solutions may soon be outdated, it’s even more important to find an expert that is up to date with everything that is new in this area.

Knows their area of expertise well

The IT sector is a very broad one and covers a high number of elements. This is why you will find professionals that are specialists in certain areas. But, regardless what type of IT expert you need, make sure that they know their area of expertise in depth so they can help you achieve the desired results.

Does not hesitate to share their knowledge with others

You may always learn a thing or two from such an expert, details that will help you manage your business better than before. It’s great to work with a person that is keen on sharing their knowledge. This will prove you are spending your budget well and you will value learning from them.

At GDK network systems we have a team of IT Professionals that are passionate about what they do.  Our collective experience will cover all areas for your business IT.  Talk to us today – your trusted technology partner. 

GDK - Taking Care of IT

Technology must surely be the most important enabler when it comes to growing a business.  All businesses regardless of size or industry are in some way reliant on their IT systems to operate. 

Business IT Care Plan

As a business owner you need somebody to take care of the technology while you take care of your business.   That is why it is vital to ensure you have a robust IT care plan in place for your business.  The GDK Business IT Care Plan not only takes care of your computer systems, it provides a secure environment where your business can thrive. 

Your IT Support

When selecting a partner, you want to ensure they have the knowledge and capability to look after your needs.   With a good managed IT solution provider, you will have the support of an experienced and expert team.  It will feel like having your own IT department but without the high costs associated with that. 

Your IT care plan will provide you with a team that will monitor and manage your network.  They will provide remote support and will organise on-site escalation when required.  Being proactive is key, catching the threat before any damage is done is priceless. That is why it is important to perform regular health checks on your systems to ensure your operations continue without disruption. 

Easy to Manage IT

Getting all your support from one point of contact will make things easier.  Our Business IT Care Plan is designed with one simple monthly fee that gives you peace of mind.  There are no hidden costs just an expert team in your corner helping your business to thrive.  One team dealing with all third-party suppliers of software and more, one invoice and one point of contact. 

Covering everything from cyber security, disaster recovery planning, updates, backups and cloud this is an extensive solution that will cover all major IT areas.  Let your business grow with the support and expertise of GDK Network Systems – your trusted technology partner. 

Introducing Promethean ActivPanel Titanium

GDK Network Systems – Ireland's leading reseller of Promethean for the last 12 years - is delighted to introduce the new Promethean ActivPanel Titanium.

Thoughtfully designed for the classroom environment with the teachers’ needs in mind, the ActivPanel Titanium delivers an intuitive user experience via the unified menu - making it simple, quick and easy to navigate, while integrating seamlessly with Promethean’s Activ Inspire Software. This includes Promethean’s Instant Whiteboarding app – collaborate without the need to connect to a computer and deliver interactive and engaging lessons on an infinite canvas.

Natural writing experience

Understanding the importance of the writing experience, they developed Vellum Writing Technology to deliver a natural and precise writing experience – writing on the ActivPanel is as natural as putting pen to paper. Automatically detecting the difference between pen, touch and palm erase, the ActivPanel Titanium makes writing on the screen truly seamless.

Apps at your fingertips

Introducing the Promethean Locker - the go-to place for all your Android apps. From the pre-loaded range of essential interactive apps to the ability to download a wide range of educational apps from the Promethean Store, the Promethean Locker saves time and makes teaching with tech easier by providing a single destination to access, launch and manage apps.

Tested and Built for IT Support and Security

The ActivPanel Titanium has been built from the ground up to integrate into any technology environment reliably, securely, and with a teacher-centric design that makes it easy to use. The onboard Android™ 8 operating system delivers a new level of speed, security, and reliability, while enhanced over-the-air updates reduce the time and effort needed to make software and firmware updates. All included software, apps, and platform services are purposefully designed for ongoing enhancements and continuous innovation, ensuring that today’s investment will pay dividends well into the future.

Some of the many benefits of this new product:

Enhanced Interactivity: Teachers and students can collaborate with up to 20 simultaneous touch points including pen, touch, and palm erase. Intelligent palm rejection technology recognises when a user is simply steadying themselves to write confidently on the screen.

Device Mirroring: ActivPanel Titanium’s controlled, multidevice mirroring lets teachers and students collaborate from anywhere in the classroom by connecting handheld devices.

Room-filling Sound: Students who hear better, learn better. The ActivPanel Titanium’s bass-enhanced, front facing speakers fill the classroom with full range audio and superior fidelity.

Dual Proximity Sensors: The ActivPanel Titanium automatically wakes up when someone enters the room. Teachers can quickly get started with the tap of the finger anywhere on the panel.

Teacher-friendly Centre Console: Designed with the teacher in mind, the ActivPanel Titanium features an ergonomic, angled control console. Teachers now have quick and easy access to the unified menu, volume controls, source selection, and more.

Wi-Fi and Bluetooth for Enhanced Connectivity: Provides the flexibility required for diverse networking needs and offers more classroom mobility. Bluetooth allows for easy connection to accessories and STEAM-based hardware, such as robots and lab sensors.

All-in-One and Connected: The ActivPanel Titanium features the speed, security, and reliability of the Android 8 operating system on-board, with 4 GB of RAM, 64 GB of storage, and Gigabit LAN integration.

Intuitive & Ergonomic: Promethean have drawn on their more than 20 years’ experience of developing technologies which enhance the teaching and learning environment to underpin a design philosophy which focuses on user feedback and market knowledge – enabling them to deliver advanced and flexible classroom solutions which directly address the needs of teachers, school leaders and ICT professionals.

To find out more about the new ActivPanel Titanium please contact the team at GDK Network Systems. We can arrange a free of charge, no obligation trial and demonstration for your school.

Business Continuity Planning

Business continuity planning involves creating systems of prevention and recovery to deal with potential threats to a company. Any event that could negatively impact operations is included in the plan, such as cyber-attack, supply chain interruption, loss of or damage to critical infrastructure.

Disaster Recovery

Disaster Recovery is part of the process.  A robust disaster recovery plan will focus on restoring the IT infrastructure and operations after some crisis occurs.  This will be a core element of business continuity planning for most companies.   

With most businesses dependent on their technology to operate, there are certain processes that can be put in place to reduce risks.   In order to create a plan that is suitable for your particular business, there are a number of questions that you should ask yourself as a business owner.

What to ask in relation to Business Continuity

• Do you know what information and systems your business needs to remain operating?
• Do you know where your business’s critical information and data is stored and also who has access to it?
• Have you evaluated all of the potential sources of disruption on your system which could harm your business?
• Do you have an active programme to reduce the likelihood of a disruption?
• If you lost a critical system, do you have a plan of how to restore the system?
• Do you have an established business resumption team?
• Do you periodically test your business resumption plan along with your site emergency response plan?
• Do you know what the costs will be for your business to respond to a serious cyber incident, including recovery?

Seek Expert Advice

If you cannot answer or are uncomfortable with these questions, then it is time to act.  Make it a priority to discuss business continuity planning at your next management meeting.  Speaking to an IT expert team about your concerns will give you peace of mind.  We all hope that disaster will not strike, but if it does you must ensure you are prepared.   GDK Network Systems are a trusted technology partner, you can avail of our expertise when it comes to business continuity.

What Makes a Great Helpdesk?

Many companies will have help desks or a customer support section but the quality of these can vary greatly.  It’s crucial to ensure if you are paying for any service that you get top quality, particularly when it comes to IT support.  The helpdesk will often be the first person you interact with and it is so important that the right people are there to support the client. 

Here we look at what makes a great Help Desk;

Talent

There is a certain talent in being a great help desk team member.  Having the expertise and knowledge is important, but also knowing how to ask the right questions to assess the issue can make the difference.  Having the ability to provide advice on preventing issues will help avoid IT pitfalls.   

Knowledge

We want to have confidence that the person we are speaking to knows what they are talking about.  Having a great depth of IT knowledge, not just on one or two subjects but being an all-rounder is key.  Having a genuine interest in keeping up to date with the latest technology and happenings will be the difference between good and great.

Experience

You want to work with somebody that has experience and takes the issue seriously.  A great help desk team member will know how to resolve the issue using experience of past cases.    Also knowing how to keep systems running smoothly will come with years of experience.  With experience comes empathy and this is important too when issues are stressful for the client.

Access

The modern office is not 9 to 5 anymore.  Having unlimited access to a help desk is key including live phone support.  The help desk team should be able to securely start a remote session to any server or workstation as if they are sitting right in front of them. 

Process Driven

A great help desk will be process driven so they can provide excellence in all areas.  Calls will be logged and controlled to ensure a proper resolution is found.  The client should be kept up to date on the progress of the matter.  Processes drive learning will ensure the team strives for continuous improvement.

When working with GDK network systems you can have the utmost confidence in our help desk team.  With years of experience and a vast amount of knowledge we are your trusted technology partner.