All someone has to do is look at the pricing model above to see why Backblaze is a no brainer for long term storage (not to mention the first 10GB of storage is free. With its recent inclusion as a destination for web server’s WHM backup, Farmhouse Networking has been recommending our hosting provider customers to make the switch from AWS Glacier. Here is the steps to make the switch:
Setup Backblaze Buckets
Login to Backblaze account
Click on the Create Bucket button in the B2 Cloud Storage Buckets section
3. Give the Bucket a name and keep the bucket private for the backups. Click on the Create a Bucket button.
4. Copy down your Backblaze Bucket name and Backblaze Bucket ID
Setup Backblaze Application Key
Click on the App Keys section
Click on Add a New Application Key
3. Give the Backblaze Application Key a name, chose the newly created bucket from the list and make sure to leave the Type of Access as “Read and Write”. Click the Create Key button.
4. Make sure to copy down the Backblaze Application keyID and Backblaze Application applicationKey. This will be the only time they are both shown. If you lose the Backblaze Application applicationKey then you will have to delete the current one and create a new one.
Setup WHM Backup to Backblaze
Connect to WHM as root user and choose Backup Configuration from the menu. The specific WHM backup settings are not discussed here, but feel free to contact us for advise on how to do so.
2. Click on Additional Destinations. Chose Backblaze B2 from the Destination Type and click on the Create New Destination button.
3. Enter in a backup name. Click on the “System Backups” if that is desired. Leave the Backup Directory blank. Enter in the Backblaze Bucket ID and Backblaze Bucket Name copied down earlier. Enter in the Backblaze Application Key ID and Backblaze Application Key. Click on the Save and Validate Destination button.
Make sure to disable your old AWS Glacier backup destination. All backups on Glacier should be set to auto delete according to a lifecycle, but if not then wait 120 days from creation to remove them to avoid any penalties. Speaking of lifecycles, it is a good idea to change the lifecycle settings on the Backblaze bucket to auto delete after a determined number of days since they do charge for total storage utilized.
If your company is would like to discuss the layers of security you have in place, then contact us for assistance.
Got a call a couple weeks ago from a local church:
“we came in and open the computer and we have ransomware on there. We can’t even get to any of our stuff. It’s telling us to email somebody and so that they can free up the computer.”
How does this happen?
Generally these things happen because people click on things they shouldn’t. Whether in an attachment in email from someone they don’t recognize, a link in social media that sounds too good to pass up, or an advertisement for something they can’t live without. Once the user gives permission for something to open or run on their computer the game is over and the hacker wins.
What to do when it happen?
Stop using the computer.
Leave the computer alone! Do not carry out any further commands, including commands to Save data.
Do not close any of the computer’s windows or programs. Leave the computer alone.
Leave everything plugged in and do not turn off the computer or peripheral devices.
If possible, physically disconnect the computer from networks to which it is attached.
Call us immediately. Write down any unusual behavior of the computer (screen messages, unexpected disk access, unusual responses to commands) and the time when they were first noticed.
Write down any changes in hardware, software, or usage that preceded the malfunction.
Do not attempt to remove a suspected virus! Let the professionals do the dirty work.
How to prevent this from happening?
Layers of protection is the simple answer. A good antivirus installed to stop the bad programs from running, DNS filtering to keep users off of bad sites / advertisements, a good backup of all data to recover when this does happen, and most important of all EDUCATION – teaching users what safe internet usage looks like and having policies in effect to train them can mitigate 60-70% of infections.
If your company is would like to discuss the layers of security you have in place, then contact us for assistance.
“Office workers across the UK are wasting 14 days per person each year — or 1.8 billion hours a year in total — because the technology they’re given isn’t good enough.” – BetaNews
Outdated Tech = Wasted Time
Slowness: When a computer is slow, so is the worker operating it. As a computer ages, like anything else, the parts inside wear down. Regular maintenance and replacement are the solution to increasing employee productivity.
Crashing: As computer crashes happen data is damaged or lost. This means work has to be re-done. Crashing can be a sign of software issues or hardware issues that require proper diagnosis. Once fixed employees can get back to business without interruptions.
Incompatibility: Out-dated software or hardware can cause what used to work perfectly to stop all together. Regular updates of all software and replacement of aging hardware is always the best policy. Helping employees stay on track with standard operating procedures makes work flow possible.
Security: Hackers are constantly working to find new ways of breaching security measures. Without current security solutions (firewall / DNS filtering / antivirus / SPAM filtering / password management ) and up-to-date systems, your network is a sitting duck. Network downtime due to a breach can be a business killer.
If your company is using out-of-date technology, then contact us for assistance.
Support from Microsoft for Windows Server 2008 R2 ended January 14th 2020, while SQL Server 2008 R2 support ends July 9th 2019. By this time you may find maintenance costs quickly spiral with the need to continually manage your aging hardware. In addition, if your company is growing or has fluctuating capacity needs, you need the kind of flexibility that allows you to scale IT resources up or down quickly – and cost-effectively.
Use Windows Server and SQL Server end of support as an opportunity to
modernize your application stack and optimize costs. Migrate your SQL
Server and Windows Server 2008 to Microsoft cloud, and realize the benefits of
extended support at no cost. As well as extra security updates you get a
scalable solution with a price plan to suit your business needs, with peace of
mind that your applications are always up to date.
To discover how modernizing your Windows or SQL server can help you on your path to digital transformation, get in touch with us today.
Keep your business running smoothly, improve security, and facilitate compliance with GDPR or other regulatory standards
Support from Microsoft for SQL Server 2008 R2 ended July 9th 2019, while Windows Server 2008 R2 ends January 14th 2020
End of support means the end of security updates, which can cause security and compliance issues along with the potential for business interruptions. Worse still, you may find it impossible to guarantee protection against hackers and malware. Without these updates you face the threat of losing precious data because of potential weaknesses in your environment – putting both your reputation and your business at risk.
By modernizing your infrastructure, you equip your business for the most advanced security, performance, and machine-learning innovations. With the largest portfolio for security and compliance certifications than any other cloud provider, modernizing with Microsoft offers secure data environments along with support for regulatory compliance.
To find out how to keep your business compliant and strengthen your customers’ trust , get in touch with us today.
From start-ups to small businesses, companies who embrace digital transformation are well placed to outperform the competition
Focus more on your business and spend less time worrying about maintenance, with hassle-free upgrades that save time and optimize costs.
On July 9th 2019, support from Microsoft for SQL Server ended, followed by support from Windows Server 2008 R2 on January 14th 2020. Many businesses are seizing this as a chance to modernise their IT infrastructure and integrate their Windows or SQL upgrade into their wider digital transformation strategy.
Companies that strive to integrate the latest most advanced technology to solve real business challenges often realize higher revenue margins. Without embracing innovation, they risk failure to evolve as a business, and losing out to competitors.
Updating your Windows Server or SQL Server enables you to embrace digital transformation and stay ahead of the curve. By breaking down the migration and modernization process into three steps—Assess, Migrate, and Optimize—you can solve the most pressing migration challenges and deliver the reliability, performance, and security your business stakeholders expect.
To discover how modernizing your Windows or SQL server can help you on your path to digital transformation, get in touch with us today.
When it comes to phone service there is not much difference between providers. They all bring dial tone to your business and route calls to their destination. They all provide the same set of features that users have come to know and use.
What Makes Farmhouse Networking Different
No Introductory Rates: Most local providers will offer an attractive introductory rate to get your business. The only bad part is after one years time you are automatically changed to the regular price which is often $10-$20 more per line.
No Installation Costs: As we are a growing provider of phone services, anyone signing up for phone service with us this year will have no installation costs.
No Bogus Taxes or Fees: We have looked at phone bills from the major local providers and each of them has some bogus tax or fee added to the phone bill. (The only valid ones are Telecommunications Relay Service, Telephone Assistance Program, the Telecommunications Devices Access Program, E911 (VoIP), FCC Regulatory Fee (VoIP), FUSF (VoIP), and P.U.C. Fee – in case you were wondering)
Phone Costs: Unlike computers, there is no reason why you need to buy brand new phones. There are vendor programs that sell re-conditioned phones at much lower costs and they work just as good as the new ones. There is also leasing options available to help ease the pain of purchasing phones too.
Our Prices: We are not out to gouge our clients or nickel / dime them to death as you have already read. The only question now is how much do we charge? For the standard user, the cost of a phone line is only $29.95 per month. The cost of a standard fax line is only $22.50 per month.
Extra Features: We have several features that most of the other providers just don’t. A customer portal that clients can use to chat with fellow employees, check voicemails, track expenses, and make other account changes. A mobile app that can be used to turn your smart phone into an extension of your desk phone and more. Also failover to another phone number – if the power or internet is out you can have your calls routed to any other phone.
If your company uses phones for business, then contact us to see the true difference.
This article came from the need of another local tech company to forward an Exacqvision Web Portal to something other than port 80, as it was already in use. I could not find a detail article on how to accomplish Sophos DNAT while changing the port number:
How to configure Sophos DNAT for an internal server
Navigate to Firewall then click +Add Firewall Rule and select Business Application Policy.
Select Application Template and choose DNAT/Full NAT/Load Balancing.
Fill out the settings as shown below:
Rule Name
Source Zones: WAN (and LAN if needed)
Allowed Client Networks: Any
Destination Host/Network: WAN Interface (#eth0-? whichever one you use)
Services: Either select the service you already created or create a new one for the external port to be used as below
Protected Servers: Select an existing or create a host entry for the internal server.
Protected Zone: Select the Zone in which the host resides (LAN or DMZ).
Change Destination Port(s): Check this then change the port to the internal port.
Click Save to save the configuration.
If your company is using a Sophos router and is unsure of how to configure it, then contact us for assistance in making the best use of your router.
In a new Windows 10 Support article, dated June 28th, Microsoft comes clean that they will no longer be backing up the registry file with its built in backup feature. “This change is by design, and is intended to help reduce the overall disk footprint size of Windows.” They instead recommend that System Restore be enabled and used to recover in case of registry corruption (which by the way uses disk space too).
Ending Registry Backup
The Windows Registry is a hierarchical database that stores low-level settings for Windows 10 and installed applications that rely on it. The kernel, device drivers, services, Security Accounts Manager, and user interface configuration are all in the registry. If the registry is lost then system settings, drivers, user interface tweaks, and many programs will all need to be fixed or re-installed from scratch.
If your company is using the built in Windows Backup feature, then contact us for assistance moving to a system that provides complete backup of your systems.
Farmhouse Networking has had a long standing policy that we do not keep a record of client passwords (except when needed for device administration). That is about to change, but before we talk about our new password policy let’s talk password storage:
Common Password Storage
Here are some popular places where many businesses store their passwords that make them very vulnerable to being stolen.
Passwords written on paper (that are not under lock and key):
On your desk under your keyboard (or taped underneath)
Under your stapler or desk decorations
On sticky notes stuck to your monitor or desk
On a scrap of paper on your desk or in a drawer
In a notebook or address book
In a old-fashioned Rolodex file
Paper printouts or photocopies of your passwords
Anyone with access to your office could easily find and steal passwords stored like this.
Passwords stored in your computer (without using encryption):
Remembered in your web browser
A document called “Passwords” that you’ve created anywhere on your computer, perhaps using Microsoft Word or Excel
A document with any other name on your computer (including the password as the name)
Email drafts that you’ve created (but not sent) containing password information
Anyone with access to your computer could easily find and steal passwords stored like this, including both a person with physical access to it as well as a virus or hacker gaining access via the internet, or scamming you into granting them access, even once.
Passwords stored in your smartphone or tablet (without using encryption):
Electronic “Notes” containing password information
Other documents or emails similar to the ones listed in computer storage above
Anyone with access to your device could easily find and steal passwords stored like this.
Passwords sent via regular (insecure) email:
Emails that you have sent to yourself containing password information
Emails that you have sent to anyone else containing password information
Any information that you send using regular (unencrypted) email puts that information at risk of being stolen. Email is neither private nor secure. Sending an email is like mailing a postcard, and hackers and thieves can easily read the contents. You should never send passwords (or any other confidential or sensitive data) via regular email.
Secure Password Storage
Now for the discussion of Farmhouse Networking’s new password policy. We are partnering with a company to provide a storage of passwords and other client documentation with military grade encryption. This partnership also allows us to address the dangers that common password storage present by offering our clients this same encrypted password storage service. Here are some of the benefits of this service:
Unlimited users
Unlimited passwords
Each user has a personal password vault
Shared company password vault
Security groups to manage access
Auditing & reporting (Compliance)
Secure password sharing
1-Click Login Tool (for all major browsers)
Mobile Device Access
Only $15 per month (Compared to Lastpass Business at $4 per user per month)
If your company is using common password storage of any kind do yourself a security favor and contact us to upgrade to secure password storage.
And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others. As the Scriptures say,
“They share freely and give generously to the poor. Their good deeds will be remembered forever.”
For God is the one who provides seed for the farmer and then bread to eat. In the same way, he will provide and increase your resources and then produce a great harvest of generosity in you. - 2 Corinthians 9:8-10
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