As a fleet manager, you want to keep your eye on the ball, become informed about news, trends, and legislation, and watch out for unexpected curve balls in the fleet management industry. To do your job effectively, you need to keep abreast of all that’s new to accurately manage budgets, reduce financial and safety risks and increase company revenues. After all, we all need to make our bosses, stakeholders, and customers happy. I want you to be on top of your game, so I’ve compiled 5 changes you need to watch for in 2017. Let’s hit the road. 1. Fuel Management Changes It’s no surprise to fleet managers that fuel cost is a key budget concern to the fleet industry. In the beginning of 2017 The International Energy Agency predicted the global crude oil surplus will diminish, driving up fuel costs. The increase occurred due to OEM and various other oil producers putting a cap on the production of oil, which fuels their own profits. Not surprised? But fleet managers are taking precautionary measures to increase fuel efficiency. A couple of these steps include purchasing more fuel-efficient vehicle models and downsizing the size of vehicles without sacrificing vehicle performance. Managers are also implementing better fuel efficiency by encouraging better driving practices. Some drivers receive monetary rewards for practicing more insightful driving habits. 2. Telematics With more telematics technology installed in vehicles this year, fleet managers are better able to manage rising costs more effectively. The utilization of implementing telematics boosted results in decreased fuel consumption, better routing and company productivity. Another tactic companies are employing is the use of SIM cards in telematics devices as a way to lower data costs. Whether for real-time monitoring or for scheduling, financial spending, and vehicle servicing, this evolving trend seems to be helping the fleet industry. 3. Paperless document management The world is moving towards a paperless environment for business transactions and the fleet industry is no different. Companies are trading in paper printing methods for electronic communications for purchase orders, delivery status, vehicle monitoring and reporting. These key processes are now conducted electronically through email, online portals and on company websites. 4. GPS Tracking Systems Approximately 30-40% of fleet companies use GPS tracking devices to manage aspects of business. Like telematics, these systems help to minimize risk, decrease costs, and increase revenue. GPS component tracking provides fleet managers more control over their business in these ways: Theft risks go down Driving efficiency goes up Managers are able to monitor key standards like hours of service better 5. Vehicle availability It happens frequently: Trucks get recalled and vehicles require maintenance regularly. Upfitter schedules can keep vehicles out of service. These inconveniences cause delays in your business, placing more stress on you. One solution fleet management companies are using is bailment pool programs. With fewer fleets doing their own upfitting, more companies are turning to bailment pools these days as a smarter alternative to keep business moving. The above article highlights five changes coming to fleet management in 2017. What other changes do you see coming down the pike? ...read more

Office 365 Migration   Microsoft Office is one of the largest products on the Microsoft flagship that most organizations use for productivity. It is quite easy to see why companies are striving for more efficient ways to keep production up and cost low. With Microsoft’s introduction of Office 365, organizations now can distribute complete office products at a fraction of the cost, while having their employees work from virtually anywhere in the world. No more limitations of an on-premise exchange or the hardware maintenance which is associated with this product.   Office 365 allows companies to communicate via Skype for Business, network via Yammer, collaborate via SharePoint, and be productive via the office suite of products from Word to PowerPoint. This complete suite was devised with cross-platform communication and interoperability in mind, which is why the utilization of this product is essential for businesses to cut cost and remain efficient.   IT GURUS OF ATLANTA handles the entire process from initial engagement conversations to full blown migration projects. We take the stress out of the process, include our expert personal touch, and ensure that client data and resources are protected during the entire process.  IT GURUS OF ATLANTA (706) 406-5914 or (888) 511-0143 customerservice@itgurusatl.com www.itgurusatl.com ...read more

Not so long ago in the past and to be more specific, it has been just 4 years since the announcement of LYFT as a large competitor for Uber. Today the company has grown in size and popularity and is definitely making waves in terms of pricing along with coverage. This company was first thought of as a fly by night company to be hauled away in the next big growth of Uber. However, this has been a far thought for LYFT. This company has been silently building itself and engulfing its efforts in technology. Their most recently talked about innovation to be brought online will be a Driverless Car Network.   Now many have bogged at the idea of Driverless cars, but they are becoming more and more trendy as time moves on. Innovators such as Mercedes has put self-driving capabilities in many of its models, followed by General Motors Nissan, Toyota, Audi, Volvo, and Tesla. Self-driving cars are no longer a talk of possibility; they are now here to stay. For that reason, GM has jumped on the forefront to invest $500 million in LYFT’s initiative for their Driverless Car Network. This effort essentially will change the way how we commute and reduce the risks associated with impaired drivers or drivers which are inebriated. As opposed to going out in the car yourself to make a pickup of a friend or parents, a simple call or selection in the LYFT app will send a Driverless LYFT vehicle to the pickup aid of the designated person and taking them safely to their next location without incident.   This means that the 94% of road accidents which are caused by human error will be drastically dropped due to the car being driven by Artificial Intelligence. Roadways will be more accessible with less vehicles cluttering the highways as more accessibility for carpools and more ability to work while riding effortlessly to work or to school. Many traffic jams are accounted by accidents which occur during morning or evening rush hour. Imagine not having to deal with such delays and being able to effortlessly get home while finishing up a project for work, school, or leisure. This is the future the LYFT is in the process of unveiling to the world in 2017.   As far as designs for the Driverless Car Network that LYFT will unveil in 2017, its all just speculations as LYFT along with General Motors has managed to keep talks or leaks about the designs under heavy guard. At the moment these companies stand at the cusp of changing the way how we all use our vehicles and LYFT is the company that is driving the helm.   IT GURUS OF ATLANTA LLC “All Your Company Information Technology Needs Under One Company” 3355 Lenox Road Atlanta, GA 30326 www.itgurusatl.com | customerservice@itgurusatl.com | (888) 511-0143 (706) 406-5914 “As a registered SAM.gov company, we service government entities across the entire US and Canada” “LIKE” us on Facebook at: www.facebook.com/itgurusatl “FOLLOW US” on Twitter: www.twitter.com/itgurusatl “CONNECT” with us on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/itgurusofatlanta/ ...read more

Earlier this week, Microsoft Corp. and LinkedIn Corporation announced that they have entered into a definitive agreement. An all-cash transaction worth $26.2 billion, Microsoft will acquire LinkedIn for $196 per share which is inclusive of LinkedIn’s net cash. With this joint venture, LinkedIn will still continue to be as it is, its brand, culture and independence. LinkedIn CEO, Jeff Weiner will be reporting to Microsoft CEO, Satya Nadella. The chairman of the board, co-founder and controlling shareholder of LinkedIn, Reid Hoffman, and Weiner both fully back this transaction. The transaction is expected to close this calendar year. With continuing growth of the business, LinkedIn is the world’s largest and most valuable professional social network. It is where how people find jobs, build skills, sell, market and get work done. The company had launched its newest version of its mobile app which increased member engagement and furthermore enhanced its delivery of improved business insights, and as well as increased financial results. What’s in for You? 1. Easy Access to Professional Services With more than 1.2 billion Office users, this joint venture would provide Microsoft an immediate access to LinkedIn’s 433 million members and more than 2 million paid subscribers in providing job search, connecting with colleagues, or just general work-related networking. In line with this, it would be easier for clients to identify IT Gurus of Atlanta’s professional IT services that would suit their needs. This in turn would contribute to complete customer satisfaction. 2. Connects Enterprises This new deal means Microsoft can embed LinkedIn with Skype, its email system and other Microsoft enterprise products. With the advent of Cloud technology, world class and cost effective IT services will be at the fingertips of the clients, whether it is in business or residential aspects. This could as well boost employee happiness and productivity with a flexible task management system, and all other services and products that Microsoft offers. 3. Enhanced Productivity and Success With Microsoft working hand-in-hand with LinkedIn, the customer relationship management would be more efficient. LinkedIn’s social network would greatly provide in-depth information about employees and organizations can help identify possible prospects and as well get the sale. With the Microsoft’s Office suite of business productivity tools such as Word, Excel and Outlook, it would connect the world’s professionals making anything possible and successful. LinkedIn’s vision is to create economic opportunity for every member of the global workforce through the ongoing development of the world’s first Economic Graph Microsoft. Whereas, Microsoft leads the platform as company for productivity to ensure a mobile-first, cloud-first world, with its mission to empower every person and every organizations on the planet to achieve more. This partnership would be of great help to both Microsoft users and the different subscribers of LinkedIn in bringing professional services to the world. With this, success will be on your screens. Thus, if you would want to experience the benefits we stated above, reach out to us today. It is our mission to provide you with world-class, quality and low cost IT Professional services. In this way, it would improve your business, office or home’s flow system. Enhance your productivity and reap your success with us in IT Gurus if Atlanta. IT GURUS OF ATLANTA LLC “All Your Company Information Technology Needs Under One Company” 3355 Lenox Road Atlanta, GA 30326 www.itgurusatl.com | customerservice@itgurusatl.com | (888) 511-0143 (706) 406-5914 “As a registered SAM.gov company, we service government entities across the entire US and Canada” “LIKE” us on Facebook at: www.facebook.com/itgurusatl “FOLLOW US” on Twitter: www.twitter.com/itgurusatl “CONNECT” with us on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/itgurusofatlanta/ ...read more

Six Types of Hackers The media and movies always seem to portray hackers in a certain light- a greenish, florescent one, nonetheless. Hackers are thought of as cyber punks, out to either steal your money or compromise your computer. While those are true, that isn’t the entire story. There are actually bad and good hackers in the cyber world, some hungry for victims and others eager to help. To better understand how to prevent hacks, you must better understand the hacker. Know your enemy, right? Here are the main 6 types of hackers: White Hat Hackers These are the relatively good guys in the hacking world. Usually hailing as computer security experts, these hackers specialize in penetration testing, among other tactics, to help secure companies’ information systems. With no unethical intentions, white hat hackers use their knowledge of computer security systems to find vulnerability in the companies’ security, and direct them on how to better their defenses against the bad hackers. Black Hat Hackers These hackers are the opposite of white hat hackers. A widely held stereotype, the black hat hackers are the bad guys of the hacking world, violating computer security for personal gain. They maliciously steal credit card numbers, harvest personal data to sell to identity thieves, pirate paid content and perform any other spiteful act on the internet. By planting soft-wares (worms) or malicious websites and waiting until the computer’s security system is vulnerable, they attack and take everything they can get. These hackers have the ability to run the Internet if others aren’t careful. This means that as a business owner, you must have a tight computer security, with intricate passwords and two-factor authentication. Gray Hat Hackers As the color represents, the gray hat hackers thrive in morally gray areas. They do the job of a white hat hacker, but without permission, as a black hat hacker. They surf the Internet and find a vulnerable computer security system, hack into it, but then inform the administrator how they did it, to then earn compensation for fixing the vulnerability. These types of hackers seem to be mostly harmless. Script Kiddie These are the wannabe hackers. With no strong knowledge of hacking or programming, script kiddies use other hackers’ readymade tools to hack into various computer systems or websites. It is assumed that these hackers are trying to make a name for themselves before they can become bad-to-the-bone black hat hackers. Usually using hacking programs, they are still able to get your information, so you must have encrypted data and strong passwords. Hacktivists These are the politically or religiously motivated hackers that hack networks in order to achieve some sort of justice or revenge. Organizations such as “Anonymous” are considered hacktivists, and are extremely skilled in the field, rarely getting caught. Out to expose a wrongdoer, these types of hackers, also known as the Elite, are not typically something a business owner worries about, unless the company is directly involved with a certain issue. Spy Hackers These types of hackers are hired by companies to gain competitors’ secrets or sensitive information. Either by gaining outside control or penetrating the company from within, as a mole, spy hackers’ only goal is to get the information, get out, and get paid. Now that you are familiar with the several types of hackers in the cyber world, you can better be prepared for a hacking situation. Since all of our information is stored electronically, computer security and protection is paramount in the digital age we live in. If you have any more questions or concerns regarding hackers or computer security, get in touch with IT Gurus of Atlanta today, so we may further help your company succeed! IT GURUS OF ATLANTA LLC “All Your Company Information Technology Needs Under One Company” 3355 Lenox Road Atlanta, GA 30326 www.itgurusatl.com | customerservice@itgurusatl.com | (888) 511-0143 (706) 406-5914 “As a registered SAM.gov company, we service government entities across the entire US and Canada” “LIKE” us on Facebook at: www.facebook.com/itgurusatl “FOLLOW US” on Twitter: www.twitter.com/itgurusatl “CONNECT” with us on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/itgurusofatlanta/ ...read more

3 Ways Small Businesses Can Be Big Data-Ready   Big Data is here to stay. It has invaded every aspect of businesses that it would be pretty hard dismiss the concrete results Big Data can bring. From SEO marketing, which is under the whim of machine learning tools, up to inventory management, where Predictive Analytics matters a lot, Big Data plays a huge role that huge companies are investing enormous amount of money and time just to squeeze out more from the Big Data juice. Fortunately, Big Data isn’t limited to huge enterprises; small businesses are fair game as well. Considering how adept at technology people are nowadays, plus the intensifying business competition, Big Data is not a luxury anymore but a necessity. Make sure your transition to Big Data maximizes every single dollar by following these surefire tips:      Having the Right Tools First, having the right tools is necessary to be Big Data-ready. Spreadsheets and outdated software won’t be enough to handle billions and billions of data you need to process in order to produce insightful information. You’ll be glad to know that most of the right tools are free. Preferred Big Data programming software like Python and R are open source technologies that anyone can use and modify according to their needs. While some databases and data analysis technologies like aren’t free, they’re priced appropriately ensuring great value for every dollar you spent. Having these tools at hand will ensure you’re on the right path to Big Data.   Proper System Implementation Having the right tools is necessary for fast and powerful data analysis and efficient data storage. However, having fast and powerful tools won’t matter if your data gathering and processing systems aren’t aligned for Big Data. Poor data processed into great Big Data tools will still produce poor information. Proper system implementation requires the expertise of a licensed IT professional, as it needs deliberate planning and execution to ensure proper data gathering and processing is mapped out. From designing IT infrastructure to choosing the appropriate system for your business, the IT professional will ensure that your business will be Big Data-ready.   Upgrade Employee Skills and Knowledge What most people don’t know about Big Data is that it’s a group effort. While the effects of Big Data are concrete and significant, it’s still not a process that a single person can handle alone. It requires the understanding and support of employees to ensure your Big Data tools and systems are providing the results that it should. Make sure your employees are Big Data-ready as well. Providing learning facilitation from IT experts will help increase awareness and cultivate appreciation of what Big Data can do for your business and how it can vastly improve their work and potential compensation. Having employees who champion the need for Big Data and thoroughly knows what is needed to keep your Big Data running smoothly at its optimum levels is one of the best investments you can make for your business to be Big Data-ready.   Is Your Business Big Data-Ready? The IT Gurus of Atlanta will make sure your business is Big Data-ready in no time. Its team of licensed IT experts will ensure your business has all the right tools and systems implemented while ensuring each of your employees are properly trained to keep your Big Data advantage running smoothly. All you have to do iscontact us todayand get your Big Data system up and ready.   IT GURUS OF ATLANTA LLC   “All Your Company Information Technology Needs Under One Company”   3355 Lenox Road Atlanta, GA 30326   www.itgurusatl.com | customerservice@itgurusatl.com | (888) 511-0143 (706) 406-5914   “As a registered SAM.gov company, we service government entities across the entire US and Canada”   “LIKE” us on Facebook at: www.facebook.com/itgurusatl   “FOLLOW US” on Twitter: www.twitter.com/itgurusatl   “CONNECT” with us on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/itgurusofatlanta/ ...read more

Microsoft to buy LinkedIn for $26.2 billion in cash   Microsoft Corp has agreed to buy LinkedIn Corp for $26.2 billion in its biggest-ever deal, combining the software giant's fast-growing cloud services business with an online network of 433 million professionals. The offer of $196 per share represents a premium of 49.5 percent to LinkedIn's Friday closing price. LinkedIn's shares soared 48 percent to $194.00 in early New York Stock Exchange trading and Microsoft's shares were down 4 percent. Reid Hoffman, chairman of LinkedIn's board and the company's controlling shareholder, said the deal has his full support. "I have always had a great admiration for LinkedIn," Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella said in a video on Microsoft's website. "I have been talking with Reid and Jeff for a while ... I have been thinking about this for a long time." Jeff Weiner will remain chief executive of LinkedIn, reporting to Nadella. Microsoft plans to speed-up monetization of LinkedIn by growing individual and organization subscriptions as well as targeted advertising, it said. Despite the rich premium paid by Microsoft, LinkedIn is selling for well below its peak of more than $270 per share in 2015, but a weak forecast earlier this year sent its shares tumbling amid slowing online ad revenue. LinkedIn went public in 2011 at $45. "I think, first of all, (LinkedIn) is a great business, even though the company stubbed their toe back in February," said Ivan Feinseth, analyst at Tigress Financial Partners. "It's a premium company and it deserves a premium valuation." The deal, which won the unanimous support of both boards, is expected to close this year, the companies said Microsoft said it would issue new debt to fund its acquisition. After the deal, which will require approval from regulators in the United States, the EU, Canada and Brazil, LinkedIn will become part of Microsoft's productivity and business processes unit, the companies said. IT GURUS OF ATLANTA LLC   “All Your Company Information Technology Needs Under One Company”   3355 Lenox Road Atlanta, GA 30326   www.itgurusatl.com | customerservice@itgurusatl.com | (888) 511-0143 (706) 406-5914   “As a registered SAM.gov company, we service government entities across the entire US and Canada”   “LIKE” us on Facebook at: www.facebook.com/itgurusatl   “FOLLOW US” on Twitter: www.twitter.com/itgurusatl   “CONNECT” with us on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/itgurusofatlanta/ ...read more

We can’t pretend that it’s nothing to worry about anymore. Cyber attacks are real and it doesn’t care what kind of business you’re in and how much your profit is. Cyber attacks don’t discriminate. That’s why it’s necessary to keep your business safe by implementing these top 4 cyber attack protection tips tailored for businesses:   Tip #1: Start With Your Employees Having the most sophisticated cyber security solutions won’t matter if your own employees aren’t even aware how to use it to begin with. Cyber security awareness and training programs facilitated by licensed cyber security experts is one of the most important measures you’ll have to take to keep your business from malicious programs online. Keeping your employees constantly vigilant against potential cyber threats is one of the best protections you can get for your business.   Tip #2: Cyber Attacks Aren’t Always Online With the vast improvements of online security and encryption, it’s really hard for a malicious hacker to compromise the security system of your business through brute computing force alone. Unless your security system was developed poorly, a hacker will have to come up with another way to attack your business. One of the common ways a hacker exploits the loophole of a business is through social engineering, a method where hackers trick employees to relax on their security measures. A common social engineering technique is to pose as a different person, usually a customer, contractor, a pizza delivery boy, a janitor, or in extreme cases, a person of authority. The method exploits human tendencies in order to fish out for key information or actually gain access to important documents and equipment. Establishing strong internal procedures and adding security protocols and clearances when accessing sensitive equipment and confidential documents are essential in keeping yourself from cyberattacks online and offline.   Tip #3: Get All the Protection You Can Possibly Get When it comes to cyber security protection, you can never be too secured. Adopting an ‘on your toes’ mindset when it comes to cyber security is necessary if you want to keep the confidential information and records of your business from falling into the wrong hands. Getting your employees involved and strengthening internal controls are great solutions, but you have to help your help business by keeping your software and your hardware as secure as possible. Establishing a strong firewall is a business standard when it comes to network protection, it ensures that every bit of data coming in and going out of your business are safe and secure. Installing an antivirus protection as well as it serves as a backup to your firewall. While breaching through a firewall is highly unlikely, it’s still better be safe with an antivirus than be sorry. Getting each of your software updated as soon as possible is necessary as well. Keep in mind that malwares, phishing programs, and malicious hackers are constantly improving and updates are your software’s solution to keep up with their breakneck pace of improvement. Remember to get your laptop and your mobile devices encrypted by IT security experts and extend this security measure to your employees as well.       Securing your business from cyber attacks is a tiring task. It asks of due diligence and constant vigilance. However, it’s way better than considering the possibility of a data breach where you lose tons of dollars or worse, completely losing your customer’s trust altogether, effectively getting your business shut down. With these real possibilities at hand, all the diligence and vigilance you expended is worth it. When it comes to cyber security, it makes sense to seek the help and guidance of the best IT team you can possibly get. Contact us today and let our team of licensed IT security veterans keep your business miles away from cyber attacks.   IT GURUS OF ATLANTA LLC “All Your Company Information Technology Needs Under One Company”   3355 Lenox Road Atlanta, GA 30326   www.itgurusatl.com | customerservice@itgurusatl.com | (888) 511-0143 (706) 406-5914   “As a registered SAM.gov company, we service government entities across the entire US and Canada”   “LIKE” us on Facebook at: www.facebook.com/itgurusatl   “FOLLOW US” on Twitter: www.twitter.com/itgurusatl   “CONNECT” with us on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/itgurusofatlanta/ ...read more

  5 IT Security Rules to Keep Your Business Safe   In today’s modern, computer-driven world, data security is an emerging topic of conversation and concern in the professional community. Since businesses rely on their data being safe at all times, it is extremely important to have good practices surrounding your data security. As with most things, it’s best to start with the basics. Here are 5 IT essentials to get your business started on the right foot:   Understand Your Most Vital Data Think about this: if your business was about to suffer a major setback, be it physical or monetary, what data would be of paramount importance to the continuation of day to day operations? After you’ve answered this question, you will know which data you absolutely have to secure. If you are a growing company, you might not have the means to secure ALL of your data, but keeping this essential information secure is a must, no matter what.   Bad Things Happen It’s easy to think that bad things won’t happen toyourbusiness, or that this doesn’t pertain to you for some reason. The unfortunate reality is, the risk of data loss from thieves, tornados, dysfunctional equipment and fires is present in any business that uses a computer to hold some or all of their data. Understanding that these issues can affect you will allow you to better prepare in case they do. Be sure to have a system in place that backs up your vital data at least once daily.     Consider Mobile Devices It isn’t business as usual in the mobile market these days. New advances in smartphone and tablet technology mean your employees can likely access at least some of your data on a mobile device. You need to be aware of this and work with your IT Management Company or internal team to put security measures in place for all devices, regardless of what form factor or operating system.   Review Your Policies If you don’t already have a clear and concise standard operating procedure and code of ethics for your employee’s online activities, you need to put one in place immediately. How will they know what they are and are not to do if it isn’t expressed to them explicitly? Another benefit of having this in writing is streamline training and communication, requiring all new hires to review and sign the policies on their first day of employment.   Trash Your Old Tech (The Right Way) Whenever your older equipment fails on you, it is important to note that it is not enough to simply trash the equipment. If a desktop computer fails, the hard disk in particular must be absolutely destroyed. Keeping these old devices from falling into the wrong hands is just as important as protecting your functioning equipment.   If you need assistance getting these systems in place, or are looking to expand your current IT functionality, give the IT GURURS OF ATLANTA a call today. We specialize in delivering unparalleled service and top-notch IT support around the clock for you and your business.   IT GURUS OF ATLANTA LLC “All Your Company Information Technology Needs Under One Company” 3355 Lenox Road Atlanta, GA 30326 www.itgurusatl.com | customerservice@itgurusatl.com | (888) 511-0143 (706) 406-5914 “As a registered SAM.gov company, we service government entities across the entire US and Canada” “LIKE” us on Facebook at: www.facebook.com/itgurusofatl “FOLLOW US” on Twitter: www.twitter.com/itgurusatl “CONNECT” with us on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/itgurusofatlanta/ ...read more

4 Ways IT Issues Can Hurt Your Company Whether you like it or not, technology is an integral part of our every day lives, and the same is true of your business. Because of this, it is extremely important that the technology you and your employees rely on every single day remains fully functional and safe. Let’s take a look at 4 ways these issues, when left unchecked, can have a negative impact on your company’s effectiveness. Email Woes Good email practices can make or break your business workflow. Email can be a great tool for your employees, but it can also be a serial timewaster if it is not set up and monitored properly. Having a dedicated service in charge of keeping spam out of you and your employee’s inboxes is the best way to ensure that email is being used as a tool for profitability, not as a time waster. Breaking up the flow There is a huge amount of focus that goes into creating a successful business, both on your end and your employees as well. Multiple studies over the years have shown time and time again that people are vastly more productive when they are in a sort of business flow. Unfortunately, this flow can be interrupted quite easily for most people, and technology failures are chief among the reasons for these interruptions. Keeping your employees on task becomes much easier when all of the technology they rely on is in perfect working order. Distraction Disasters In the modern workplace, distractions are literally everywhere. From the wonders of social media to countless meetings and lunch hours, it’s hard enough for your employees to get good work in when they need to; having broken technology in the mix serves to only worsen this effect. So much so in fact, that a researcher from the University of California found that if an employee is interrupted during a task, it can take them 23 minutes on average to return to it. This time can add up, and you don’t want your technology issues adding to the problem.   A lack of expertise You staff are at their best when they are able to focus on what they are best at; doing their job. If they are often sidetracked with repairing the printer, or troubleshooting the Internet connection or internal server, they are not using their time efficiently. In addition, since they do not have the proper training required to fix these sorts of issues, it is unlikely that they will; they might even manage to make them worse. Instead of taking this gamble, why not entrust your IT needs to the professionals? Allowing professional IT service providers to handle your issues frees up you and your employees to work on what matters most; pushing the company forward. The IT GURUS OF ATLANTA are your one-stop shop for all of your professional IT needs for your business. Give us a call today to set up a consultation. IT GURUS OF ATLANTA LLC “All Your Company Information Technology Needs Under One Company” 3355 Lenox Road Atlanta, GA 30326 www.itgurusatl.com| customerservice@itgurusatl.com | (888) 511-0143 (706) 406-5914 “As a registeredSAM.govcompany, we service government entities across the entire US and Canada” “LIKE” us on Facebook at:www.facebook.com/itgurusofatlanta “FOLLOW US” on Twitter:www.twitter.com/itgurusatl “CONNECT” with us on LinkedIn:www.linkedin.com/in/itgurusofatlanta/ ...read more

Microsoft ENTERPRISE MOBILITY SUITE (EMS)   The flagship for Microsoft when it comes to mobility is now EMS or expanded is Enterprise Mobility Suite. Many say, well what does EMS encompass? What can it do? Even better, why migrate from a proprietary cloud based solution or another well known one such AirWatch? Well Microsoft has heard the requests and today IT GURUS OF ATLANTA will answer this question in terms of Microsoft technology and how this flagship software can benefit your environment by taking it from being solely on-premise and a dial-in VPN administrative link to fully operational administration on the go no matter where the device is and as long as it has an internet connection. Still interested? Well as solution providers and implementers of these solutions, IT GURUS OF ATLANTA has taken EMS under its umbrella to offer this solution to its clients along with white glove handling. This means that IT GURUS OF ATLANTA not only architects the implementation of this product, but also implements, supports, and optimizes this product as it grows in scalability and design.   Enterprise Mobility Suite, or in short EMS is offered through Microsoft and various partners in a response to mobility access, management, data security, and reliability. The base for Windows systems today surpasses many other platforms including Apple’s MAC, Linux, and many others. A pulse check to see what environments are currently having to handle their workload either on a workstation, mobile tablet, or server, and that return pulse will more than likely be Microsoft leading the way in this arena. Now enterprises, small business, and even the government have implemented on-premise solutions such as Microsoft Active Directory for user and device management which is limited to on-premise administration or depending on the user to VPN into the network to receive the latest and greatest policies from the admin. Another solution has been Microsoft SCCM 2012 R2 which comes with indepth device and user management that integrates with any Microsoft Active Directory and does real time management as through its agent, but again, is limited to being an on-premise solution.   In recent years, Microsoft has released Office 365 which takes the email platform from being on OWA which is through a web browser access if not on a computer tunneled into the network to now being able to access Office 365 from any mobile device or browser. This is a very intuitive product which has been and still is being embraced by many organizations today. The security of not allowing users to download the email to a device which is managed by the “basic MDM” platform which comes with Office 365, then applying layers of security such as Multi-factor Authentication, or commonly known as MFA. All of these features along with a basic MDM feature that comes along with the SCCM 2012 R2 are the watered down versions of Microsoft InTune.   Lets not forget the last perspective which needs to be covered and that is the sharing of documents out to organizations and even internally without having to encrypt with a special key that can be lost or even misplaced rendering the document useless. That has been the cumbersome trouble of the past when dealing with sharing documents, files, and folders. The problem has been how to keep track of who is opening the documents if they aren’t logging on to a server to access the document, aren’t logging in to the company network, or if the document has to go externally.   Now Microsoft has the solution which it has designed to answer all of these issues in one single solution. Enterprise Mobility Suite or best known as EMS comes with Azure Premium Active Directory which allows management and synchronization of users that are either purely cloud based, in Office 365, or allows for a hybrid solution to integrate an on-premise Active Directory into the cloud. Azure Premium AD comes with a plethora of other features such as RemoteApp (multi-user access to server based applications), virtualization of servers from on-premise to the cloud, over 4000 SaaS applications, and the ability to add proprietary applications.  The next feature is InTune which does the device management for all devices except servers. This means InTune covers device management from Windows to MAC, laptops to desktops, and phones to tablets as well.  InTune does complete device management from containerizing the data within each application, giving full administrative control to the admin to allow disallow sharing of company data and delegating what applications can access this data. InTune even does compliance checks to allow or disallow devices on your network which the admin deems as potentially hazardous to the network or not up to specifications. This product even comes with ATA which is Advanced Threat Analytics which gives a full feature reporting on how applications utilize data, applications, resources, licensing, and even how many times a user successfully or unsuccessfully logs on to the network. There is a plethora of reports that can be pulled from ATA andmany customizable reports as well.  InTune also comes with features such as application deployment, MAM policies which lock down the device which do the same function as GPOs, Patch Management, domain synchronization from Windows 7- Windows 10 including MAC OS X.  Finally, the answer to sharing files or folders internally and externally is answered by the final component of EMS which is RMS, or known as Rights Management Suite. RMS allows users to share files and folders internally and externally while encrypting the file/folder to only be accessed by the delegated resource. The key goes with the document no matter the document/file goes. However the user has to access the RMS portal each time the document/file or folder is accessed to gain the latest and greatest rights for the document. Removing the document remotely, change privileges, access reporting on how the document is accessed, delegate rules to determine how the document/file or folder is utilized.   EMS is a solution that many would think offers a complete solution for user, device, and data management. Many of these features other MDM platform manufacturers charge on a per device basis and does not come with all three components as EMS does.  However Microsoft EMS charges on a “per user” basis and allows each user the ability to have up to 5 managed devices at no extra charge. At this point many are wondering well with all these features, EMS is going to be costly somewhere in the upper hundred-thousand dollar range or million. Surprisingly enough, EMS costs under $10 per user. That is correct, EMS, the complete suite is under $10 per user which means if you have a small business and your user base is 100 users, you would only pay $1,000 per month or less depending on what other discounts Microsoft can offer, this suite can be optimized cost-wise even lower.   Consider IT GURUS OF ATLANTA as your one-stop shop when it comes to EMS architectural designing and planning, implementation, and support. Our expert engineers and staff ensure upkeep the Microsoft standards and ensure that your environment whether hybrid, cloud based, or newly built is seamlessly brought over into the Microsoft cloud at a fraction of the cost.   IT GURUS OF ATLANTA (888) 511-0143 or (706) 406-5914   Visit us onlineWWW.ITGURUSATL.COM   Contact us via EMAIL: customerservice@itgurusatl.com   “All Your IT Needs Under One Company” ...read more

IT GURUS OF ATLANTA is the premier provider for Information Technology services. Our services encompass the entire United States from coast to coast and our plethora of services make us the No. 1 provider for IT services that are kept under one company umbrella. The expertise that is demonstrated by IT GURUS OF ATLANTA professionals is a reflection of the leadership team of Directors which have served various fortune 500 companies and top secret positions within the federal government. With the wealth of knowledge, skill, and experience, IT GURUS OF ATLANTA has recognized the need for IT Services to not be broadened out, but instead centralized, customized, and still yet universal.   A synopsis of some of our services that we offer are listed below:   Cloud Computing – Implementation/Design/Support for products such as Enterprise Mobility Suite (Microsoft Azure, InTune, Rights Management Suite (RMS)), IBM Cloud, Dell EMM, AirWatch (IaaS and PaaS).   ITIL - Service Desk, Change Management, Release Management, Capacity Management, Configuration Management, Asset Management, Portfolio Management, and Security Management.   Six Sigma - Lean Site Transformation, Value Stream Mapping (VSM), Yellow Belt Training, Green Belt Training, Black Belt Training, Lean Training.   Programming - VBScripting, PowerShell Scripting, Wise Scripting.   Platform Management - SCCM implementation, design, and support. OR Altiris implementation, design, and support.   Project Management - Commercial and Government   Program Management - Commercial and Government   Information System Security - Governance, Security IT Operations, Security Architecture, Risk Management, Assurance, IT Audit, Recovery, and Training/Awareness   Database Concepts and Strategies - Database Solutions, Database Management, Database Backup.   Mobile Device Management (MDM) - Mobile device security and Mobile Device Usage.   Desktop Solutions - Virtualization, Help Desk Solutions, Server Management, Software Support, Optimization, Hardware Support, Ticketing Systems, Virus/Malware Removal.   NetworkOperationsCenter - Network and Server Monitoring, Remote Systems Administration/Engineering, Patch Management Services, Backup and Restoration.   Engineering - Software Packaging, Design, Planning, Architecture, Implementation, Migration, Integration, Data Management, Administration.   Staff Augmentation - Work Force Assessment, Six Sigma - Waste Management, Reorganization, Contracting, Full time Staffing, and Work Force Expansion.   Let us know how we can service your company or agency today. We are government certified and registered with SAM including the SBA. We look forward to doing business with your company or agency in the near future.   Call us today at 888-511-0143 or 706-406-5914. Visit us online atWWW.ITGURUSATL.COM  Email us atCUSTOMERSERVICE@ITGURUSATL.COM  "LIKE US" on Facebook viawww.facebook.com/itgurusofatlanta    IT GURUS OF ATLANTA   "All Your IT Needs Under One Company"   ...read more

Lockheed Martin, a global aerospace and military defense company from United States, have recently announced a multibillion-dollar partnership with Leidos, a defense contractor based in Virginia that focuses on engineering and systems integration, to strengthen its information systems and global solutions unit. This partnership between two defense contractors is set to boost the CyberSecurity industry. Lockheed Martin Eyes Aggressive ExpansionThis massive deal is just one of the many accomplishments Lockheed Martin has accomplished in the first month of 2016, as it has successfully released SPIDER, a bleeding edge imaging technology for high-powered telescopes, and spearheaded the launch of the future USS Sioux City, a Littoral Combat Ship, among other things. These accomplishments come off the heels of positive revenues that outperform market expectations and Japan’s new security law that will allow Lockheed Martin to dominate the Asian market through partnerships with Japan’s defense agencies leveraged with general favorable response to Japanese technology.The deal with Leidos ensures that the information systems and global solutions unit of Lockheed Martin is in safe hands and is geared towards leaps and bounds of improvement in CyberSecurity. Leidos in Safe WatersLeidos Holdings Inc’s deal with the Lockheed, the largest US defense contractor, is set to spike up their business asset value by almost $5 billion. This move secured Leidos’s position in the local government market, which is currently under attack by a combination of decreased government spending, aggressive competitors, and lagging contractual agreements. The merging of Lockheed Martin and Leidos makes both companies as the biggest service provider for the US government and the strongest cybersecurity pairing in the industry. The Lockheed Martin-Leidos DealThe merger between the two defense contractor giants happened through a Reverse Morris Trust, a tax avoidance transaction strategy that allows a large company to unload its asset, like Lockheed Martin’s information systems and global solutions unit, to the acquiring, and usually smaller, company like Leidos, without incurring any tax as the acquisition is done through a merger. This strategy makes a tax-free asset transfer easy and simple.Leidos’s shares went up by 1.4 percent, a significant amount considering the industry of government services and the present cutthroat competition. Operating margins by the Virginia-based defense contractor is predicted to rise by around 10 percent and is currently looking at a $10 billion annual revenue, double their average annual revenue prior to the Lockheed Martin transaction. On Lockheed Martin’s side, it is viewed that the merger with Leidos will assist the company at dealing with its $8 billion payables when it acquired United Technologies Corp’s helicopter division, Sikorsky Aircraft, for $9 billion.With the transaction complete, Leidos will now be the leading federal technical services provider powered by 35,000 employees, an almost 100% jump in Leidos’s workforce. IT Industry ImpactIT industry analysts predict that this deal is just the start of a series of changes and improvements for the next few years designed to deal with the increasing sophistication and frequency of cyber attacks that infiltrated systems of huge corporations like Sony and the exploitation of system vulnerabilities like Apple’s cloud problem that led to invasion of privacy that haunted hundreds of celebrities. Even with the Lockheed Martin-Leidos deal, there are still a lot of area in CyberSecurity that IT companies have to cover. As it stands, the CyberSecurity market can be divided into 11 groups that branches further into 43 areas that need to be addressed which even the largest CyberSecurity companies can’t even effectively address yet. The CybeSecurity industry can only move forward from here. The IT GURUS OF ATLANTA is staffed by certified IT security experts who are trained and experienced at implementing safe and secure systems. Contact us for a safer and secure information system for your enterprise today, and be prepared for a more sophisticated tomorrow. IT Gurus of Atlanta Customer Servicelocal: (706) 406-5914toll free: (888) 511-0143 customerservice@itgurusatl.com Corporate Address3355 Lenox RoadAtlanta, GA 30326 ...read more

Cloud Solution Cloud solution providers are growing in the IT world, however the amount of reputable companies which specialize in support and implementing cloud solutions are rare. IT GURUS OF ATLANTA prides itself as being one of the most reputable companies on the market which do specialize in cloud technology implementation and virtualization, which cuts cost and bring businesses completely mobile. Let us design a solution for you today. Computer Programming and Engineering  IT GURUS OF ATLANTA has highly specialized Engineers which are versed and experienced in various aspects of engineering technology. From hardware implementations to programming software infrastructure to accept new environmental designs is the specialty of IT GURUS OF ATLANTA. Programming is the methodology to determine the codes and scripts to automate many services with the effort of less keyboard strokes or mental overtaking in order to accomplish tasks. Simplicity, effortless, high availability while low down time, and efficiency is the key behind the strategic Engineering efforts implemented by IT GURUS OF ATLANTA. Our staff is well versed in many programming languages to name a few: Oracle, Java, PowerShell, PSQL, VB Script, Wise Scripting and Auto IT. Let us be your technology or staffing solution for Engineering and Programming needs. MOBILE DEVICE MANAGEMENT Mobile Device Management is the next plateau to which all organizations are striving to take a hold on. With so many devices moving from being on-premise to now being BYOD (Bring Your Own Device), it is imperative that corporate data is maintained within the realms of the company. Standard methods of containerizing data such as an on-premise Active Directory and platform management tools such as SCCM (System Center Configuration Manager) and Altiris just to name a few offer excellent manage capabilities which give the ability for Administrators to maintain and manage corporate owned devices through patching, policies, and security measures which can be implemented and maintained while on-premise Call us today for a consultation session in which we can determine the best coarse of action to get your organization secure, efficient and effective. NOC IT GURUS OF ATLANTA has Network Operations Centers situated at various data centers throughout the country. We provide the security and integrity to ensure that your data is transferred quickly and efficiently. Our data backup and recovery solutions stand by the pride of IT GURUS OF ATLANTA to ensure that your downtime is minimal and your uptime is not only redundant, but effective. Let us host your next virtual environment or the next big data solution that your organization needs. Meet with the specialists here at IT GURUS OF ATLANTA and let us design a plan for migration, support, analysis, and growth which will take your company to the next level. SCCM and Altiris SCCM is Microsoft's solution designed to manage cross platforms and maintain them to optimal system health, maintenance, performance, integrity, and advancement. SCCM is one of the world's well-known tools which organizations have adapted since its initial development as a flag ship for Microsoft when it comes to platform management. In a response to SCCM, Symantec launched their own version of platform management which is called Altiris. This former concept which started out as Ghost has grown tremendously beyond words. This solution does everything from software deployment, maintenance, asset management, and even complex reporting. This robust platform management tool is definitely a class in its own. IT GURUS OF ATLANTA is the premier company which specializes in the installation, maintenance, architectural design, and support of both Altiris and SCCM. Let us design your next implementation solution to incorporate Altiris or SCCM today! IT GURUS OF ATLANTA Visit us online at www.itgurusatl.com Call us at 706-406-5914 or 888-511-0143 ...read more

It's definitely an exciting year for tech enthusiasts as techno giants continue to venture out to new technologies and improving present ones to deliver solutions in new ways. 2016 is just starting but it seems like the year is eager to start the momentum for innovative technologies and information that you should definitely know about. Here are some of the 2016 technology trends you should keep a close watch on as it may provide your company competitive edge: Better Artificial Intelligence Expect to see new ways Artificial Intelligence is used in various industries. In the IT Security sector, Artificial Intelligence's subfield, Machine Learning, is being actively used for quick and accurate assessment and apprehension of system threats and vulnerabilities which are exploited by human hackers. The continuous evolution of the machine learning capability will be definitely detrimental to attempts at hacking. Just last year, Splunk, a multinational software corporation based in America acquired Caspida, a company that employs machine learning to eliminate security threats. Exabeam, a big data security analytics company that uses machine learning for its algorithm raised $25 million last September as well, underscoring the fact that machine learning will pervade cyber security in 2016 and for years to come. Faster Data Solutions Big data has been the central theme and the favorite word used in the world of IT in the past few years for understandable reasons. However, just having millions of data at your command is no longer enough, you'll have to come up with ways to process out the information from your ocean of data faster to provide relevant business value. Having real-time information you can rely on at your disposal will surely revolutionize enterprise products and services. Apache Storm, Apache Spark, and Apache Samza, with runner ups Hive and Pig, are just some of the present big-data analytics solutions that allow you to stream big-data information in real-time. One look at the jobs boards and you'll find an increasing number of companies looking for individuals who can run these real-time big data analytics solutions. These technological innovation and market observation reiterates the fact that big data has finally paved the need for faster data. Better Options for Devices Don't be surprised to find 2016 swarming you with better device options. In the games and entertainment industry alone, Virtual Reality device exhibitors jumped by 68%. The race to deliver VR devices in the workplace, currently populated by Facebook, Google, and Samsung, led to significant innovation breakthroughs led by Valve and HTC where both companies will release its breakthrough VR devices this year. In 2015, the number of smart watch exhibitors have tripled and with Apple's release of Apple Watch last year, expect to see innovations and improvements of smart watches by leaps and bounds starting the year of 2016. Consumer electronics events reported a surge in the total space allocated for smart car exhibits in 2015. Roughly estimated at an increase of 25%, this means 200,000 square feet of an exhibit will be dedicated to smart cars alone. A number of reports about a possible joint venture between Ford and Google have led to both companies' stocks skyrocketing and a threat that will push smart car competitors to provide better features and more value to their products. Keep Up With the Technological Trends of 2016 The IT GURUS OF ATLANTA is staffed by certified It professionals and IT industry veterans who are constantly in touch with the latest technological trends. They're combine experience and expertise will get you the solution you need with the technology you want. Keep up with the latest technological trends to use and implement for your business! Call us today to get you one step ahead! IT Gurus of Atlanta Customer Service Local: (706) 406-5914 Toll free: (888) 511-0143 customerservice@itgurusatl.com Corporate Address 3355 Lenox Road Atlanta, GA 30326 ...read more