|
             
|
Technology
Home Office Technology TLC—A Little Goes a Long Way
by Ann Westerheim
The care and maintenance of the technology in your home office should be a priority. Whether it’s used as the hub for a home-based business, a link connecting your main office to home, or only as a focal point for the administration of household accounts and personal email, your home office and the technology equipment in it need your attention to avoid costly technology mistakes. Simple measures, such as backing-up data, downloading the latest anti-virus update and a short list of other, easy procedures can make the difference between a simple-to-remedy glitch and a very pricey technology disaster.
Data Backup. Even though it’s “just a home office”, everyone should get into the practice of running proper data back-ups. Many people don’t regard loss of data as important because they believe that they can re-enter it quickly. This simply isn’t true. The amount of information one stores over time can be staggering. Typically, those who have been through losing their data without back-up vow never to make that mistake again.
Periodically backing up your data will protect against system crashes, loss or theft of systems, and user mistakes. There are several great options available:
- Read/write CDs – These are easy and inexpensive, although they have limited storage capacity.
- Tape Drives- These provide more storage, but can get to be expensive.
- Network Access Storage - These devices are relatively new and very convenient
- On-line storage
The main idea is to select a solution that you’ll actually use. If you have a slow Internet connection, you’ll probably be frustrated by on-line storage. If you have a lot of data on your system, you’ll have to use several CDs and may skip backing-up some important files.
The best way to handle your individual back-up needs is to look at the size of your data files and match it to the solution that best fits your needs. Also, some applications, such as Microsoft Office XP, have built in back-up software. With it, all files can be backed up with the single press of a button, without having to copy files individually.
Some common mistakes to avoid include: backing up the wrong drive, backing up to the wrong place and forgetting to back up your email files. Once your back-up data is complete, check it to verify that what has been backed up is what was intended to be backed up. If that back-up data is ever needed, you’ll be glad you did!
Anti-Virus Protection. Getting a computer virus is a very frustrating experience. Although virus removal tools are available free-of-charge on the Web, many are challenging and time-consuming to use. In addition, if the virus kills your system, getting on the Internet to obtain the removal tool won’t be possible.
The good news is that viruses are usually avoidable. Here’s what to do:
- Make sure you are running anti-virus software on ALL your systems.
- Run “live updates” on a regular basis, at least every week, to protect against new viruses. The anti-virus software available in stores is already out-of-date the day it’s installed!
- Scan all incoming and outgoing emails.
- Run full system scans on a weekly basis.
- If your home network runs several computers and a virus enters the system, each computer will need to be disconnected from the network and each one will need to be cleaned.
- Check your anti-virus “system status” periodically. A common mistake is to assume that live updates and scans are being run on a regular basis, only to find out that none were run in a long time, leaving your system exposed.
Firewall Protection. A firewall is a device that protects your individual computer or computers on a local area network from outside attack. It keeps out hackers, viruses and worms. If your computer is connected to the Internet (even with dial-up access) without a firewall, your network is open to intrusion. Outsiders can view, copy and write files. Think about the risk!
In addition to simply not having a firewall, other common mistakes include assuming that one isn’t needed for just one stand-alone computer (that’s not on a network) or thinking that no one will “find you”. Unfortunately, a hacker doesn’t need to be specifically looking for your system. He/she runs automated programs to identify any exposed systems.
Here’s what’s needed:
- Get a firewall! The latest Microsoft operating systems come with built-in firewalls for an individual system. Other simple firewall software can be purchased for around $100 for a network.
- Go to the Microsoft web site periodically to get the latest security patches on all your systems.
Wireless Network Security. Wireless networks are great – why not enjoy sitting on the back porch while working on your computer? Also, everyone in your house can be connected to the network and share an Internet connection without the costly expense of hiring an electrician to install wiring. A word of caution, if your wireless network isn’t properly configured, ANYONE can access your network!
Here’s what to do:
- Turn on WEP (Wired Equivalent Privacy) encryption
- Change the default password. A lot of people don’t know this needs to be done!
- Turn off the SSID (Service Set Identifier).
Enjoy your wireless freedom. But, remember to complete these easy measures to keep your system safe!
When Bill Gates founded Microsoft, his vision was “a computer on every desktop”. Back then, that was a pretty wild idea. Today, many homes in our area are running several computers on a network. This is an amazing achievement in a very short time.
By following a few simple steps you can protect your computers and your network. Spend more time enjoying technology and less time fighting it!
# # #
Ann Westerheim, PhD. received her B.S., M.S. and PhD. in engineering from MIT. She is president of EKARU, LLC (www.ekaru.com), headquartered in Westford, Mass.
Reprinted from The Beacon (Acton, Massachusetts), July 22, 2004."
| Business Briefs | Legal | Technology |
