quo vadis Archives - Quo Vadis, Inc.

15 Jul 2016

Business, News Joseph Squicciarini 0 comment

Windows 10 for free?

Windows 10: Quo Vadis strongly recommends a Windows 10 upgrade (if you haven’t already!) – especially in the next 2 weeks while it’s still free!

Remember, Windows 7 is 7 years old, Windows 8 is 5 years old, and Windows 10 is already 2 years old!

Steps to upgrade: Confirm with your mission-critical software vendors that they support Windows 10. If they do, then make a good backup of your data, and upgrade just one computer. Any speed-bumps can be worked out before you upgrade the rest of your office.

Generally, if your workstation will run Windows 7 or 8 comfortably, it’ll run 10 just fine.

Fun fact: Windows 10 includes Microsoft Edge – a built-from-the-ground-up new browser from Microsoft. It has extremely low power consumption, and is currently the only web browser than can stream 1080p.

15 Jul 2016

IT, Security Joseph Squicciarini 0 comment

Do you hate changing your password?

HERE’S A TIP:At Quo Vadis we don’t have to worry about the constant password change. We use 1Password, a helpful, easy-to-use, secure app that stores all your logins, passwords, and more!

Tired of remembering all those passwords? Tired of the constant change? Do you want just one password for everything?

1Password.

Who doesn’t? As hackers become more real and more prevalent, passwords need to be much more complex. If you’ve taken the Security Awareness Class you know the danger, and you know how critical your password security is.

Every one of your businesses are connected to the internet, which makes you a target for cyber-attacks. Unfortunately, small businesses have a misconception that they are an unlikely target, but a quick Google search will produce a number of results showing small and medium businesses are attacked at nearly the same rate as enterprise level. Hackers know many companies don’t take cyber security seriously – and they’re right. It has come to our attention that many of you have simple passwords equivalent to having a key code entry of 1234! This is completely unacceptable.

It may be that, when you signed up for Network Care, you dismissed our counsel to implement strong passwords for your users. It’s time to reconsider. Ensure that you’re using strong passwords! Use these helpful guidelines to help create complex and secure passwords:

8 characters long
At least 1 uppercase letter
At least 1 lowercase letter
At least 1 number
Simple enough to remember without writing it down

Of course, additional security measures are always encouraged, like adding special characters and making the password longer. Make sure your password doesn’t include your name, and avoid generic ones like “Password1”. If you’d like us to enforce complex networks in your network or if you have any other questions or concerns, please call the Help Desk to discuss.

20 May 2016

IT Joseph Squicciarini 0 comment

Windows 10 Rebooting at the Wrong Time?

If you’ve been using Windows 10 for a while now, you’ll know that updates are automatically downloaded and installed without notifying you, the user. And you may have had the unfortunate situation of Windows 10 rebooting at the most inopportune time- like during that important presentation! If you’d like a little more control, modify the Windows Update settings, to schedule when automatic updates will restart your computer.

In the Settings app, go to Update & Security > Windows Update and then click the Advanced options button. In the drop-down box, switch the setting to “Notify to schedule restart.”
This won’t disable or block Windows Update, but just defer when you need to reboot.

20 May 2016

IT Joseph Squicciarini 0 comment

Something’s Different In the World Today

New Guy

Say “hello” to Alec Mangum! The newest member of the Quo Vadis team joined us at the beginning of May. Since he’s learning the ropes, we appreciate your patience and understanding (and light hazing) when you call for support. 😉

Tristan Mosher has been with us for about 3 months now and has made great progress! You should start seeing him visiting your offices soon in order to get some onsite training.

Clear Details

When emailing in your support requests to Quo Vadis please let us know what the issue is so that we can effectively direct you to the correct department.
This may seem silly, but in the interest of keeping everything productive and efficient, please don’t email us to ask us to call you – pick up the phone and give it a shot! Worst case scenario, it’s NOT a good time, and you’ll get voicemail. But in that case, you’ll definitely get a call back when we are ready to resolve your issue.

Healthy Security

A virus infected the computer network of MedStar Health in April, forcing the Washington health-care behemoth to shut down its email and vast records database, and raising additional concerns about the security of hospitals nationwide. Does this concern you? Read the full article here. Quo Vadis has saved half a dozen clients from sure disaster with the Crypto Ransomware viruses by utilizing the incredible services of the Datto backup appliance. Do you have one yet?

Move It To The Cloud

Intuit Inc. can’t get everyone to switch to QuickBooks Online. The provider of small business software made a big mistake in 2015. But it’s learned its lesson, and now appears poised for growth. Read the full story here.

Hi-Tech / Lo-Tech

Have you ever heard of home-automation? Do you love gadgets, apps, and hands-free technology interaction? Do you want to monitor, control, and protect your house, office, and devices all from your computer or mobile device? Maybe you want to hear music throughout the house, or you want to adjust the lighting for a romantic dinner by voice. Whether you’re paranoid about the CIA listening in, or you’re just trying to protect your family in a cutting-edge hi-tech way, Joseph is the expert.

From wireless music, lights and locks, to handgun familiarization, old-school radio contact, Joseph has been researching and buying up technology to learn the latest and greatest in automation and security.

If you’re interested in sitting down to chat about it, call the Help Desk and choose Option 2 for Wise Counsel. Utilize the resources at your fingertips. It’s free!

23 Mar 2014

About Joseph Squicciarini 0 comment

The Renaissance Mindset

We are unapologetically old fashioned. We rise when a lady comes to the table. We still believe that men are responsible for doing what they say and all actions have consequences. We believe in good stewardship and spending wisely. We own the network. We treat it as if it were our own equipment. We recognize that the clients we have are working for a profit and that expenses must be justified by providing measurable value to the business. We seek to earn the role of trusted adviser. In short, we recognize that by providing excellent support and wise counsel our clients will gain peace of mind and refer us to others.

08 Feb 2013

IT Joseph Squicciarini 0 comment

An “IT” Company

Quo Vadis provides consulting services to small business markets along the eastern seaboard and Ontario, Canada.

Our mission is to help small businesses leverage technology by stabilizing existing network infrastructures, providing virtual IT staff to field questions and respond to technology requests. In so doing, we become a very cost-effective partner in day-to-day operations without the burdensome overhead.

We offer:

Help Desk support with a tiered pricing structure
Complete network management
24×7 monitoring of critical hardware and services
Competitive rates for onsite services
Managed web hosting and design
Application training and software support

06 Feb 2013

Home Joseph Squicciarini 0 comment

Quo Vadis

Before starting Quo Vadis, we looked around for a company that specialized in helping small business owners navigate the world of technology. We couldn’t find one. Quo Vadis is uniquely designed to work directly with business owners who need wise counsel as they implement new systems and maintain sound business practices amid ever-growing compliance mandates and exploding innovations in the computing industry. We focus on building strategic alliances with long-term partners, whether they be honest, knowledgeable engineers, best-of-breed vendors, or like-minded business owners. Our success is tied to the success of these relationships.

The Quo Vadis business philosophy is a commitment to integrity, while providing excellent service to the clients who trust us. Our name is Latin for, “Where are you going?” In our experience, there are few business owners who are confident in their firm’s technological direction. Fortunately, we know the way. Join us.

We give technical guidance to the business community in these mission critical areas:

Data Protection

You know that sick feeling you get in your stomach when blue lights start flashing in your rear view mirror? It’s just like when your computer screen turns blue just before you save the document you’ve spent hours working on. We hate that feeling! And we know how to avoid it.

Business Continuity

Nobody wants to talk about funeral planning when the sun is shining and the coffee tastes so good, but that’s an important conversation. If your server dies right now, wouldn’t it be calming to have a backup plan already in place?

Remote Management and Monitoring

There was a time when doctors were paid to keep you well. That about says it.

Hosted Applications

If a car accident three blocks away makes your Internet go down, or a tenant down the block causes a power outage, why should your business suffer? It doesn’t have to be that way. Our goal is to save you money in the long run.

Patch Management

A recent automobile recall due to possible battery explosions got our attention. When safety is concerned, everyone takes notice. The same thing applies to computers – but since no one gets burned, it’s easy to ignore the annoying update reminders. We do it all for you, behind the scenes, while you get more work done.

Threat Detection and Assessment

Detecting threats to your proprietary, confidential data and preventing intrusion is one of our top priorities. We recognize how much damage can be done by a theft, and the resulting effect on your business reputation.

Network Design and Maintenance

Our profitability demands that the networks we support be secure, stable and supportable. Funny thing: so does yours.

Disaster Recovery

We’re talking about more than business continuity. What happens between a disaster and the time the new computers show up? We can rebuild your business, and make it stronger than before. Let’s write a happy ending to a sad story… and who knows, your insurance rates may go down too.