The Trusted team at Burnt Orange Solutions are located in the Saskatoon computers Category.

Honesty and respect are important factors in daily communication at Burnt Orange. Gareth and the team at Burnt Orange Solutions are YOUR Saskatoon IT stress solution. Burnt Orange Solutions are your Trusted Saskatoon IT Experts. In their latest Saskatoon IT Tip, they share top tips to ensure IT security at your Saskatoon business! 

Top IT Security Tips 

Keeping passwords, financial, and other personal information safe and protected from intruders, scammers and stalkers have long been a priority of businesses. Besides,  it’s increasingly critical for consumers and individuals to heed data protection advice and use good practices to keep personal information safe from harm.  Gareth McKee- Owner Burnt Orange Solutions 
 

   1. Backup your data.

One of the most basic, yet often overlooked, data protection tips for individuals is backing up your data. Basically, this creates a duplicate copy of your data so that if a device is lost, stolen, or compromised, you don’t also lose your important information.  This is vital for businesses, no matter how small or large. As the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and insurance company Nationwide pointed out.

“According to Nationwide, 68% of small businesses don’t have a disaster recovery plan. The problem with this is the longer it takes you to restore your data, the more money you’ll lose. Gartner found that this downtime can cost companies as much as $300,000 an hour.”

 2. Malware

Malware is a serious issue. Anti-malware protection is essential for laying a foundation of security for your devices. Malware is short for malicious software, and it’s software designed to infiltrate or damage a computer without your consent. Things that fall into this category sound scary – they include viruses, worms, trojan horses, spyware, scareware and more. Malware can attack you via websites and emails, or hidden in downloadable files, photos, videos,  The best way to avoid getting infected is to purchase and run a good anti-virus protection program, then do periodic scans for spyware. Also, be very vigilant when it comes to clickable links in emails or on websites you are unfamiliar with.

WARNING: 350,000 malware versions are identified every day. A new malware programme is released every seven seconds. Malware activity has increased by 61% over the last year. The cost of malware attacks is going up too, with companies and people losing around 11% more money in 2018 than in the previous year. Scammers are sneaky: sometimes malware is cleverly disguised as an email from a friend or client. Unfortunately, even the most cautious will likely pick up an infection at some point.  Gareth McKee

  3. Keep Up To Date

Operating system and software updates are a gigantic pain for users, but they’re a necessary evil! These updates contain critical security fixes and improvements twill protect you and your devices from newly discovered threats and glitches. Failing to install these updates means you are at risk. Operating systems and software updates may not be updated frequently or on a regular schedule so we suggest setting your systems to update automatically if possible.

   4. Secure Your Wireless Network.

A valuable IT tip for both small business owners and individuals, it’s always recommended to secure your wireless network with a password. This prevents unauthorized individuals within proximity to hijack your wireless network. Even if they’re merely attempting to get free Wi-Fi access, you don’t want to inadvertently share private information with other people who are using your network without permission. In addition, be sure to turn your computer off when you are finished using it. Leaving your computer connected to the Internet when it’s not in use gives scammers 24/7 access to install malware and commit cybercrimes. To be safe, turn off your computer when it’s not in use.

Contact Burnt Orange today for more information or to take advantage of your FREE initial consultation. View them on Facebook here. They are your Burnt Orange Solutions are Trusted Saskatoon IT Experts!

The Trusted Saskatoon directory team are thrilled to brag about our newest partner in the Saskatoon Legal / Professional Services category,  Express Employment Saskatoon, Your Trusted Saskatoon Employment Agency. They have a variety of jobs available, full-time, part-time, and temporary positions are available. Although locally owned, Express is one of the leading staffing agencies in North America, Express provides employment services and workforce solutions to employers throughout our community. Business decisions come down to time and money, and your locally owned Saskatoon Express Employment Professionals office can save you both.

Trusted Saskatoon Employment Agency Express Employment

Our Saskatoon IT Tips are from the Trusted professionals at Burnt Orange Solutions.  We promise to have a one-hour response time for all your Saskatoon IT support needs. Honesty and respect are important to us. In our latest  IT Expert tip Article, Gareth McKee, owner of Burnt Orange Solutions shares tips on protecting your business information by having managed networks.

The Benefits of Managed Networks For Saskatoon Businesses

With rapid advances in IT technology, every business owner feels the pressure to not only keep up but also innovate. Managed network services mean that by outsourcing one of the key functions of your organization or local companies IT structure you can access the expertise necessary to keep your IT systems not only running but to future-proof and innovate.

Burnt Orange Solutions is a Saskatoon IT provider and w e can ensure that your business is using the latest technologies and equipment and advise you on what you need to do to keep it moving forward. This ensures you stay competitive and that your systems are functioning at their optimal level. This means SMBs can stay competitive with larger companies by having access to the same resources that larger enterprises may be able to have in-house.

Managed Networks Reduce Costs.

Managing costs are a major factor in any business and managed networks can help as they can reduce costs in a variety of ways.

Speed: You don’t need a permanent IT team on-site, but when you do need help, you can get it fast from Burnt Orange Solutions.

Savings: You save on wages and specialist IT space. Managed network services allow you to pay only for what you use. We offer a fixed monthly fee which means it’s easy to budget for your services and an all-inclusive price means you get the support you need.

Efficiencies: You can also reduce infrastructure costs by streaming multiple services over a single connection, saving staff on remote connections extra expense.

Save On Power And Reduce Your Carbon Footprint

Centralizing your key systems in a data centre and using virtual platforms for applications means your team can access the network wherever they are working from, on-site or off-site. This mean everyone who needs to can access what they need to whether its’ apps or data storage. You can save on power and reduce environmental impact.

You can upgrade security systems across the company easily and quickly and monitor your whole network to pick up any issues quickly 24 hours a day.

Getting your network managed from Burnt Orange Solutions means we will monitor your systems, continuously suggesting improvements and implementing them quickly and cost-effectively.

With cloud servers and backup business continuity is assured, even if your main office is lost, the business can carry on.

The qualified network security experts at Burnt Orange are better able to provide security expertise than many in-house teams, with up-to-date knowledge of not only the latest security systems but also what threats businesses face today.

We hope this article gave you some insight into the benefits of managed networks. If you want to ensure your business IT security, contact the Trusted Saskatoon IT professionals at Burnt Orange Solutions and they can take IT worries off your plate.

Burnt Orange IT Solutions Products & Services:

• Managed Networks
• Backup and Recovery
• Data and Network Security
• Hosted Services
• Telephone Systems
• Secure WiFi Networks

'IT Support You Can Trust and Understand'

Burnt Orange Solutions are Trusted Saskatoon IT Experts

Trusted Saskatoon Accouontants Hounjet Tastad Harpham is a locally owned and operated accounting firm in Saskatoon. While they are based in Saskatoon, they serve clients across the entire province. Hounjet Tastad Harpham has spent decades gaining the trust of the people of Saskatchewan and has gained a reputation as one of the most knowledgeable and consistent accounting firms in the city, and province. They provide accounting and tax services for small, medium, and large businesses, as well as individuals and non-profit organizations. Hounjet Tastad Harpham is a partnership between Roseline Hounjet, Allyn Tastad, and Dustin Harpham.

Accelerated capital cost allowance is changed.

 The incentive accelerates the amount of   capital cost allowance that can be deducted   from taxable income. First of all, the half-year   rule has been suspended. Until now, you   could only claim half of the regular allowance   in the year that something was purchased.   Now you can claim 100 per cent of the   applicable capital cost allowance in the year   of purchase.

In addition, the first year of capital cost allowance has been bumped up by 50 percent. In practical terms, a producer will have equipment in various capital cost allowance categories. Net additions to any class will be increased by a factor of 50 percent for calculating the first-year capital cost allowance.

For subsequent years, the allowance deduction returns to normal. 

So how does all this work in practice? Let’s say you buy a new or used tractor for $100,000. Tractors and other self-propelled equipment are in Class 10 and eligible for a 30 percent capital cost allowance.

If you purchased the tractor before Nov. 20, the capital cost allowance in the first year is 15 percent or $15,000. This is half of the 30 percent allowance in the first year of purchase.    

How does this affect your tax bill? If you’re running an incorporated farm with a federal tax rate of 12 percent, the $45,000 capital cost allowance reduces your tax bill by $5,400. The same tractor purchased before Nov. 20 would generate a reduction in taxes of only $1,800.

This is a federal incentive to buy equipment and stimulate the economy. However, remember that when you’re allowed to claim more allowance in year one, it reduces how much is left for subsequent years. The total amount of deduction hasn’t been increased. You just get to claim deductions sooner.             

There is value to receiving more of your tax deduction earlier, but when you work through the numbers, this shouldn’t move the needle very much when deciding whether to upgrade equipment. Other considerations remain much more important.

TOP 10 TIPS TO HANDLE HOMEWORK

One of the simplest ways for students to develop in-class confidence is by being able to confidently turn in homework, completed and on time. But in order to accomplish this, students need a reliable homework strategy.

When it comes to homework, a little organization and strategic planning helps students of all ages to complete their homework on time. When solid homework habits are established, good grades are sure to follow…not just for the next test but for the entire school year.

Set Up a Study Area—From the first day of class, even if there is no homework, designate one area of the house as the “homework zone.” This is an area with no distractions that is dedicated to working on projects and assignments.

Make Materials Available to the Homework Zone—What tools does your child need to get the homework done? Use a container or box to keep all supplies handy. Anything that your child may need access to during homework should be easily accessible so that he won’t waste time rummaging around for it.

Remove the Distractions—If the homework zone is the dining room table, and a TV is nearby, make sure that the TV is off. But don’t be too stringent; some people work best with a little background noise, such as a radio playing quietly in the background.

Set a Time Frame—Choose a time that is best suited to your family’s needs to work on homework. Whether it is right after school, or after dinner, sticking to a set schedule helps the work to get done.

Offer Guidance—Don’t do the homework for your child; be available, read the newspaper, or read a book so that if your child needs to ask a question she won’t have to go looking for you.

Use An Agenda—Agendas are the key organizational tool for homework. An agenda reminds students of tasks to be completed, and is also a great place to write down questions to ask the teacher.

Stay Informed—Regularly talking to your child’s teacher is a great routine to establish. Ask about upcoming projects that may require extra help or any regularly occurring assignments such as vocab quizzes. These things can all go onto a Master Schedule that the family shares.

Be a Role Model—“Do your homework!” is a refrain heard in many households. Set a good example by practising what you preach; read a book, do some research, or scratch some chore off your to-do list.

Offer Praise—Be specific in your praise, and be sure to recognize children’s efforts, and hard work, not their intelligence. Kids will appreciate that their efforts are not going unrecognized, and you’ll help bolster their confidence.

Watch Frustration Levels—If your child is feeling stressed by homework, or just can’t master the concepts, then it’s time to seek help. Getting homework done is a routine part of school, just like eating lunch, but with a well-established homework routine, it can even be confidence boosting.