Stuart Crawford – Page 85 – Ulistic Projects Blog

November 11, 2018

Why is my Windows 10 Pro Deactivating?

If you are experiencing problems with your Windows 10 Pro operating system, you are not alone. Thousands of users from the US, Japan, and South Korea flooded tech message boards late this week with complaints that their legitimately purchased software was deactivating itself.

What Exactly Happened?

Starting on November 8, comments began to appear online from several users expressing frustration over the pop-up messages they received from Microsoft after booting up their computers. These messages included the error codes: 0xC004C003 or 0xC004C003, and incorrectly implied that the users were trying to run illegal copies of the Windows 10 Pro edition on their computers. Those affected by the glitch were then prompted to install the Windows 10 Home edition or to purchase a genuine copy of the Pro edition from the Microsoft store. Anyone who received a deactivation warning was still able to operate the computer using the Windows 10 Pro edition, although distracting watermarks were plastered across the screen.

Microsoft acknowledged that the company was fully aware of the DMR issue within hours of the first messages showing up online. A statement released from the company said it was still trying to determine the reason behind the deactivations to provide a fix, but at the time the exact cause was unknown. Engineers from Microsoft suspected that “some unspecified issue with the Windows Authentication servers” was the cause behind the deactivations.

On Friday, a day after Microsoft first address the deactivations, the company released an update about the bug:

“A limited number of customers experienced an activation issue that our engineers have now addressed. Affected customers will see the resolution over the next 24 hours as the solution is applied automatically. In the meantime, they can continue to use Windows 10 Pro as usual.”

As of Saturday, some users online were still reporting problems with their operating system.

Will This Affect Me?

The good news is that the deactivation problem seems to be affecting only a small portion of the total number of Windows 10 Pro edition users. Of the licenses which were affected, the vast majority of them were digitally updated from an early version of Windows. If you have not already received the warning after restarting your system, there is a good chance that your copy of the operating system is not affected by this bug. But for those who hit with the glitch, you have several options.

What Can I Do About It?

First, don’t panic and assume that you need to repurchase a new license for the Windows 10 Pro edition if you are still receiving a warning as of today. As long as you are using a genuine version of the operating system, there is no need to buy another copy, as the fix will automatically take effect. The best thing to do is just to wait. But if you are unwilling to wait, you can attempt to correct the issue on your own by running the Troubleshoot app. You can access the Troubleshoot app by going to Settings then clicking on Update & Security followed by Activation, and finally to Troubleshoot. This should correct the issue immediately.

November 10, 2018November 4, 2018

Happy Birthday USMC

Every year, the United States Marine Corps Birthday is celebrated with a cake-cutting ceremony and a traditional ball on November 10th. This event celebrates the establishment of the Continental Marines on November 10th, 1775.

Many Marines have become to view November 10th, the birthday of the United States Marine Corps, as their second birthday. This tradition runs very deep. Marines often wish each other “Happy Birthday” on November 10th and attend Marine Corps Birthday Balls, which are held in many cities across the globe. On this day, the Commandant of the Corps reads a “Birthday Message” to the Marines. The purpose of the birthday message is to contemplate the legacy of the Corps and the responsibilities that all Marines must honor.

History

For about three thousand years, fighting men have served as infantry to secure harbors and land bases and as boarding parties to launch attacks on other ships. The Royal Marines was formed in 1664 as the Maritime Regiment of Foot.

About 100 years later, a Continental Congress committee in the American Colonies met in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to create a resolution calling for two Marine battalions to fight on shore and at sea for independence. The U.S. Congress passed “An Act for Establishing and Organizing a Marine Corps” on July 11, 1778. The Congress approved the resolution on November 10, 1775.

Is Marine Corps Birthday a Public Holiday?

The Marine Corps Birthday is not considered a public holiday. This year, it falls on a Saturday and the vast majority of businesses in the United States will follow regular opening hours.

Internal Celebration

Personnel, veterans, and other people associated with the Marine Corps celebrate this day. Usually, this day is celebrated with a birthday cake, a formal dinner, and entertainment at a Marine Corps Birthday Ball. The very first Marine Corps Birthday Ball was held in 1925.

Revolutionary Result

On this day in 1775, the US Marine Corps began under the name of the Continental Marines when the Second Continental Congress ordered two Marine battalions to serve with the Continental Navy during the American Revolutionary War. Both the Continental Navy and the Marines were dismantled after the war. However, eventually, the Marine Corps was re-established formally due to increasing conflict with France.

US Marine Corps Today

The United States Marine Corps is the combined-arms task force on the air, on land, and at sea for the US Armed Forces. The US Marines Corps has more than 180,000 active duty personnel and 40,000 personnel in the Reserve for the Marine Corps. The Marine Corps Reserve is the biggest command in the U.S. Marine Corps.

Undoubtedly, the Marine Corps Birthday is a special day for hundreds of thousands of Marines across the globe. For more information about the United States Marine Corps Birthday and how this day is celebrated, don’t hesitate to contact us.

November 9, 2018November 9, 2018

And You Thought The Feds Were Secure…

There are many pieces to the massive Federal exchange that enrolls people for insurance under the Affordable Care Act (ACA, “Obamacare.”) One of them allows insurance brokers and agents to enroll potential beneficiaries directly. (This is different from the consumer-facing part of the exchange, where consumers can enroll themselves.) On October 13, 2018, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) detected “anomalous activity” and by October 16, confirmed that a breach had cooccurred. About 75,000 individuals’ records were stolen. CMS shut down the system on October 20 to install new security measures and planned to have it back online by October 27.

CMS was unusually close-mouthed about the breach, noting only that it was contacting those affected and would offer them identity theft protection. This being the case, we can only speculate about what exactly happened. It could have been as something as simple as an agent leaving their password on a Post-It Note under their keyboard, or as sophisticated as exploiting an unknown fundamental vulnerability in the myriad of software packages that make up the entire exchange system. It must also be remembered that the Exchange software talks to several other systems, including the IRS, and the breach may have come from anywhere in the chain. A 2015 report by the HHS Inspector General found the that the whole healthcare.gov system suffered from some vulnerabilities which had not been rectified as of the date of the report. It is now, of course, three years later.

What Lessons Can We Learn From This?

Because CMS has explained virtually nothing about how the breach happened, it is hard to tell what lessons we can draw from it – other than to note that so far, any system that humans can attempt to secure, humans can find a way to penetrate. No system is entirely safe.

Because CMS did not respond to questions, we do not know, for example, whether end-to-end encryption was used for data transmission, and we do not know if the particular data files accessed were encrypted. Encrypting data in both storage and transmission provides an additional layer of protection – in the ideal case, even if the hackers get the data, they can’t use it.

Was It An Inside Job?

Security officials in both the public and the private sectors are well aware that even with all recommended safeguards in place, they are still vulnerable to hacks by employees or other trusted agents. After all, someone has to be able to access that data to use it. Even if the USB ports on the laptops and desktops are filled with glue, even if biometric identifiers are used, an insider can dump data, zip it into a file, and send it to cloud storage, where it can be accessed by anyone with access to that portion of the cloud. And that will include a population beyond one’s own employees. A really sophisticated hacker can keep events from being logged or modify the logs so that there is no trace that the transmission ever happened. Based on the information CMS was willing to release, we cannot conclude that this was not an inside job. The only fact that militates against it is that the amount of data stolen was so small. If someone were really trying to make a killing on the dark web, they would steal far more. Perhaps this breach was just a “proof of concept.” Or it may merely be a case of unauthorized access. We just don’t know.

Trust? Verify? But?

The experiences of the military and the National Security Agency (NSA) with insider theft of data in recent years suggests that even the steps the military and the intelligence services have taken cannot completely protect them from inside jobs. Edward Snowden, Chelsea Manning, and Reality Winner all were thoroughly vetted and had authentic credentials. Still, the data got out. (Perhaps it is true, as was said in the early data of the web, that “…data wants to be free.”)

No One Is Safe

Security experts repeatedly tell us that our existing systems cannot be made impenetrably secure. It is the very nature of the technology we use now – for health insurance, for banking, for voting – to send large amounts of critical data across unsecured networks for at least part of their journey. All we can do is encrypt, vet out employees, and – hope.

November 9, 2018

3 Types of Cyber Security Solutions Your Business Must Have

Cybersecurity is one of the main concerns for most businesses, and for a good reason. Companies of all sizes, from small mom-and-pop businesses to large corporations like eBay, are facing cyber attacks. Each year, cybercriminals become more and more innovative when it comes to the types of cyber attacks they launch against organizations. Here are three types of cyber security solutions your business must have to protect against cyber attacks.

Perimeter Security

The first type of cyber security solution your business should have is perimeter security. This type of solution serves as a barrier between the Internet and your network. Mobile devices, cloud technologies, and web services provide a significant number of new opportunities for organizations. However, these technologies also add to the number of solutions and services that need to be kept secure. If there is a vast web of connections, it can be easy for just one malware to invade and spread throughout the entire network. To deal with such threats, you need to establish a perimeter security framework that will guard access to vital data, applications, and services.

Some examples of perimeter security solutions include the following:

Firewalls
Intrusion preventions system
Spam protection

Firewalls refer to a set of protocols that dictate what can and cannot enter your network. A firewall works by monitoring outgoing and incoming traffic. Firewalls scan where payloads are coming from and determine whether these sources are trusted. Firewalls are typically used to prevent Trojans and other malware from entering a network. However, firewalls can also be used to prevent employees from sending sensitive data outside your network.

The main disadvantage of firewalls is that they can be circumvented if hackers send payloads that are trusted to avoid detection. Therefore, you should use an Intrusion Prevention System (IPS) along with your firewall. An IPS is a solution that is intended to identify malicious network activity. IPSs use “anomaly-based detection” to look for patterns in data, applications, IP addresses, and network packets that may suggest an intrusion. An IPS are able to identify intrusions even if they come from a trusted source. The IPS is a useful solution for identifying hackers who make changes to already existing malware to avoid detection. IPS kill, or quarantine identified malicious payloads to prevent the spread of malware through your system.

Some research studies indicate that as much as 91 percent of cyberattacks begin with a phishing attack, which is often sent through email. The hacker sends an offer or requests to encourage users to click on the links, which are full of malware. Spam solutions work by flagging emails and blocking ads to make sure employees don’t have to see threatening or annoying emails. Some spam solutions come with a “safe browsing” feature that checks the destination of an URL to ensure that it is safe.

Intranet Security

Another type of cyber security solution is an Intranet security solution. An important of cybersecurity is protecting individuals devices and computers from malware that has managed to infiltrate your local network. The most common strategies for Intranet security include the following:

Updating and patching software
Anti-malware software

Human Security

Many computer users mistakenly believe that the only treats they need to consider are innovative hackers and malware attacks. A side effect of this is that many companies pour all their resources into intranet security and perimeter security, only to ignore human security. IBM conducted a study in 2016 and found that 23 percent of all security breaches are caused by human mistakes, such as having weak passwords, connecting to networks that are unsecured, and answering spam emails. If trusted individuals in your organization perform these actions, spam blockers, firewalls, and anti-malware software become useless.

Here are a few tips that will help you ramp up human security within your organization.

Employee Training

You should offer comprehensive security awareness training to your employees so that they are equipped with the skills to protect themselves and your organization from a variety of threats. You can hold training seminars in-house, or you can get support from a third-party to train your employees.

Your employees should learn about the different types of malware, such as worms, ransomware, and Trojan horses. Teach your employees about the capabilities of each form of malware so that they know the warning signs if their device becomes infected.

Establish a strong password policy. Teach your employees about the importance of a strong password and inform them of proper techniques for setting good passwords. Not only is it right to use complicated passwords with symbols, numbers, and uppercase and lowercase letters, but it’s also important that the password is lengthy. You should also have your employees use different passwords for different applications. That way, if a hacker is able to get a hold of a password, they are still not able to access all of the applications within your network.

Security Testing

Not only do you want to train your employee, but you also want to conduct security testing to ensure your employees have learned all the information you want them to know. Security testing is excellent for reinforcing the security practices you want your employees to adopt. According to some studies, security testing has helped some companies reduce susceptibility to threats by up to 20 percent. There are many different software solutions out there that you can use to test your employees. For example, some solutions send fake spam emails to employees. If employees fall for the spam emails, the solution corrects the actions of the employee and tells them what they should do in the future.

For more information about the types of cybersecurity solutions that your business should have, don’t hesitate to contact us.

November 9, 2018

Thank You Veterans!

World War I officially ended on June 28, 1919, when the Treaty of Versailles was signed. However, fighting ended seven months earlier due to an armistice on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month. For that reason, November 11, 1918, is generally regarded as the end of “the war to end all wars.” In November 1919, President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed November 11th as Armistice Day with these words: “To us in America, the reflections of Armistice Day will be filled with solemn pride in the heroism of those who died in the country’s service and with gratitude for the victory, both because of the thing from which it has freed us and because of the opportunity it has given America to show her sympathy with peace and justice in the councils of the nations…”

Although the name “Veteran’s Day” was not used until 1954, this day was designated a legal holiday to celebrate and honor the ending of World War I. In 1938, Armistice Day was “dedicated to the cause of world peace” and to honor the veterans of World War I on November 11th each year, becoming a federal holiday. In 1954, after World War II and the Korean War, President Dwight D. Eisenhower changed the name of the holiday to Veteran’s Day to honor American veterans of all wars. In 2018, Veteran’s Day falls on a Sunday which means there will be a Federal holiday for workers on the following Monday. State and local workers’ schedules are determined locally, therefore you should check with your locality to determine whether offices will be open or closed on Monday, November 12, 2018.

What is the Difference between Veteran’s Day and Memorial Day?

The original concept for the celebration of Veteran’s Day was for a day observed with parades and public celebrations and a brief stoppage of business beginning at 11:00 a.m. The observance of Veterans Day ton November 11th preserves the historical significance of the date and helps focus attention on the important purpose of Veterans Day, a celebration to honor America’s veterans for their patriotism, love of country, and willingness to serve and sacrifice for the common good.

Memorial Day, also a federal holiday is held on the last Monday in May. It is dedicated to remembering soldiers who lost their lives in battle or from injuries received in battle. Veteran’s Day is a day to honor all veterans, living or dead, who serve or have served in the military honorably during wartime and peacetime. Veterans come from families in all parts of the United States; men and women who serve are embedded deeply in the community. Here are some facts about American veterans:

16.1 million living American veterans served during at least one war.
5.2 million American veterans served during peacetime.
2 million American veterans are women.
7 million American veterans served during the Vietnam War.
5.5 million American veterans served during the Persian Gulf War.
2 million American veterans served during the Korean War.
As of 2014, 2.9 million American veterans received compensation for service-related disabilities.
As of 2014, three states have more than 1 million American veterans among their population: California, Florida, and Texas.

How to Celebrate Veteran’s Day

Veteran’s Day is a good day to find a way to thank veterans for serving the United States. There are many veterans living in communities around the U.S., some of whom don’t have relatives to care for them. You can visit patients in Veteran’s Hospitals, nursing homes or neighbors that you know are veterans. Honoring veterans with celebrations and parades is a great idea, but helping them after their service to the U.S. with daily life has great meaning to them as well. Many restaurants offer free meals to veterans on Veteran’s Day, and other businesses give discounts or assistance in any way they can.

November 8, 2018

What Are the Top Software Programs for Lawyers?

Most lawyers realize that their firms would benefit by implementing legal practice management software. Case, contact, and document management tools; accounting, billing, and time tracking features; calendar, schedule, and docket control are all made easier. This allows attorneys to spend their valuable time on clients and cases, rather than on daily paperwork.

There are many benefits to adopting software programs for a law office. They coordinate communication between attorneys and support staff. This helps to properly assign duties and manage deadlines. Additionally, the document management tools allow for a fast, paperless search of files on the go. Generally, practice management software keeps cases organized.

By checking out some of the features that the top law practice management software tools offer, firms can choose the right option for their needs.

How Could Choosing ActionStep Improve the Daily Flow of a Law Office?

This highly flexible, cloud-based practice management solution offers an integrated approach that addresses the basic needs of small to medium-sized firms. ActionStep allows users to design their own workflows to suit their areas of specialty.

Other noteworthy features that ActionStep provides include the following:

Calendar management
Client billing
Client conflict and copyright check
Client Portal
Data Security
Email management
MS Office Integration

Additionally, with this software, attorneys can access, search and retrieve billing, documents, emails, and file notes, etc. with merely the click of the button.

Why Should Attorneys Choose Bill4Time?

Bill4Time is exactly what it claims to be; it is a time and billing software for companies that bill based on hourly rates. In addition to its standard office software, it has a legal edition. The industry-specific version has America Bar Association (ABA) Task Codes. It also offers checks for conflict of interest, as well as trust accounting and reporting.

One of the top-rated options for law firms, Bill4Time integrates with a variety of payment gateways. These include PayPal, Quickbooks, and other credit card processors. Clients have plenty of flexibility in payment options.

How Does Clio Benefit a Firm?

Clio might be the perfect management tool for law offices. It is designed to provide an array of benefits. Users can effortlessly organize case details, create workflows, and set schedules. It allows firms to take control of their finances with accounting system integration.

Its multiple features streamline nearly all of a law office’s processes. It enables the performance of accounting, client, case, documentation, and information management, office finance, time-tracking, and scheduling with one dynamic platform. Plus, it is compatible with Android, iOS, Mac, and PCs.

How Would HoudiniEsq. Improve a Law Practice?

A legal practice management solution, HoudiniEsq runs both Windows and MAC operating systems. This software includes client management, customizable workflow automation, email management, invoicing, and trust accounting. It comes in both desktop and cloud-based versions.

What Does MyCase Offer?

MyCase is a comprehensive, web-based practice management option for lawyers. This software offers procedures that are easy to use, as well as online payment, and a secure client portal. It also resolves the generally inefficient communication between clients and their legal counsel by providing a single platform for information sharing.

Since many legal users prefer mobile options, this software provides android and IOS apps for its users. MyCase offers legal practice management assistance to their customers by way of certified consultants. This ensures successful software use.

Why Should Lawyers Choose PracticePanther for Their Firm?

A management and billing software tool, PracticePanther is designed to be easy to use for those in the legal profession. In an all-in-one automated and secure software, it combines time tracking and billing, expense management, and payment processing.

Additionally, PracticePanther offers the following features and functions:

API Access
Custom Fields
Daily Agenda Emails
iPhone, iPad, and Android Apps
Money-Finder Report
Online Payment Processing
Quickbooks Accounting Integration
Secure Client Portal
Trust Accounting
Unlimited Data Storage
UTBMS Coding & LEDES Billing
Zapier Integration

This software is designed to help users save many hours per week while managing their practice. This results in a better, more lucrative bottom line.

How Can Tabs3 Be of Service?

This is desktop-based, Windows-only software designed specifically for law firms. Tabs3 is one of the most innovative and intuitive software options. It features advanced compensation formulas, client status reports, customizable billing, and time tracking. Plus, with particular additions, it supports electronic billing formats, such as LEDES. It also seamlessly integrates with Tabs3 accounting, financial, and custom report writing software.

In Conclusion

Many law offices have fewer than five employees. However, they still offer the same services as larger firms do. This means they require software that provides the same comprehensive functions as do bigger practices.

Several of the top practice management software options offer free trials or demos. This allows firms to basically “test-drive” a variety of systems. Then, they can compare the features of each before committing to their favorite.

November 8, 2018November 23, 2018

Skype to Microsoft Teams: Hints and Tips for Making the Move

Microsoft has announced that Microsoft Teams is about to become the primary communications client for users of Office 365. This means that an upgrade from Skype for Business to Microsoft Teams is imminent, and your company and its IT department will need to be prepared.

Microsoft Teams

Teams is a major upgrade compared to Skype. It provides a host of collaborative tools that center around what Microsoft describes as a chat-based hub. It supports enterprise voice and video calling using Skype for Business. Going beyond Skype, it integrates with existing Office 365 services such as Azure, SharePoint, Yammer, Outlook, OneDrive, and Exchange while providing access to team-enhancing tools such as intelligent Bots and Connectors.

Microsoft now feels that users can switch to Teams without using the functionality they have become accustomed to in Skype for Business –teams are considered to be at “feature parity” with Skype for Business. It has spent more than a year preparing Teams for this transition and has pointed out that nearly 70% of their enterprise customers who are using Skype for Business are already using Teams. While change is often met with resistance, it seems that this particular upgrade will prove quite useful in the long run.

The Upgrade Is Not Really Optional

The first thing to realize is that this move from Skype to Microsoft Teams may sound as if it is an optional upgrade right now, but in time it will prove to be mandatory. This upgrade will be pushed on users, and it is better to be prepared and have a plan in place to make the move. For the time being, however, Microsoft supports their clients being able to make the move on their own timetable – while still encouraging them to start using Teams immediately.

There are Two Types of Upgrades Available

For smaller organizations, there is an option known as Upgrade Basic which will upgrade the entire organization at one time. This is great for businesses that don’t have the IT resources to make the move on their own and is basically an automated upgrade. The automatic upgrade offers became available on November 1. For those who prefer or need a more phased upgrade approach, Microsoft also has an Upgrade Pro option. Note that there is an abundance of tools Microsoft has made available to assist with the transition process for both types of upgrades.

Administrators Have Some Control Over Team Creation

If your company is subscribed to Azure AD Premium, then IT administrators can limit who is able to create teams. This is possible because Groups and Teams are interconnected. Limiting who can create teams will be used to keep the number of teams created in check until the transition process to Microsoft Teams is complete.

Be Aware of Potential Compliance Issues

Teams is designed to serve as a central hub for groups to collaborate. Because of that design, there are project specific spaces that can include features such as file storage, SharePoint sites, and guest access through Gmail or Outlook accounts. These types of features can be problematic when it comes to compliance issues for areas such as healthcare, government, education, or legal applications. These compliance risks will need to be carefully addressed early on during your company’s adoption/transition process.

File Sharing

Decisions regarding file sharing need to be made before transitioning, also. First, note that if your organization is using Teams, there is no need to be using network file shares. Another factor to consider involves sharing procedures for Teams. When sharing files in Teams, a system needs to be established for how users will be accessing shared files. Resulting issues can include unnecessary duplication and users accessing different versions of the same files.

Microsoft Has Provided Guides for Teams

There is a Quick Start Planning Guide and Adoption Guide from Microsoft that provides a wide overview of what Teams can be used for and how to best implement it, along with some video content to help users better understand the potential of Teams. It would be a wise move to check out the materials Microsoft has made available and to do so well before your company is forced to make the change to Teams.

Conclusion

No official sunset date or end-of-support has been set for Skype for Business, but the transition to Teams is imminent. Now is the time to make sure your company is ready to make the change. You are strongly encouraged to take a look at the materials that Microsoft has made available to help companies and employees make the transition as smoothly as possible. And don’t forget, as you follow your own roadmap to upgrading to Teams, that you need to keep in mind critical (but easily overlooked) issues such as file sharing and compliance.

November 7, 2018

10 Tips for Future CIOs

Are you considering taking another step forward with your IT career? With the dynamic, disruptive technologies emerging today, the opportunity to lead the technology initiatives within an organization is an enticing prospect.

To be a chief information officer today means having a deep technical background, leadership expertise, and the ability to influence other senior leaders. CIOs today need to become bold trailblazers, helping companies identify, invest in and implement the key innovations that will transform organizations.

What does it take to be a successful CIO. Here are 10 tips.

1. Remember that Perfection Is Not the Aspiration

Many CIOs have grand visions and ideas for how a company may use technologies to fuel transformation. The reality, however, is that most organizations have resource constraints and may be hesitant in taking big technology leaps. That’s why even small steps can be transformative. For a company with no strategic IT plan, developing the network infrastructure and improving the website may be big steps. Getting to perfection is, in most cases, impossible.

2. Seek to Understand Through Data

Data-driven decisions are going to be better for the organization. That’s why smart CIOs look closely at the data to inform their work. The challenge is that many organizations do not have the systems, discipline or procedures that are necessary to collect, analyze, use and fine-tune the right data. Data can serve as the evidence that allows leaders to move faster and accelerate innovation. CIOs need to understand what foundational data is needed, understand the processes that collect, store and report that data, and ensure that others in the organization are using a similar approach.

3. Focus On Fundamentals

There are a lot o big, shiny new toys for CIOs to play with. Virtual reality, automation, cloud solutions, the Internet of Things, quantum computing and 3D printing are sexy and enticing ideas, but be careful. The IT fundamentals need to be locked down before you can layer on new ideas. Those fundamentals — infrastructure, connectivity, access and security — have not changed in many years. Get these areas right and you’ll be a stronger organization in a better position to look at new approaches.

4. Advocate for Digital Transformation

Increasingly, CIO roles are changing. Gone are the days when managing new system installations and “keeping the lights on” are the primary responsibilities. Once those fundamentals are in place, it’s time for the CIO to step up and lead digital transformation. CIOs are uniquely positioned to integrate the silos that exist in any complex organization. They can bring together the disparate parts of the enterprise, buoyed by their knowledge of existing technologies in use, and integrate those with supply chain needs, marketing and sales, and customer relations. It’s the holistic approach to digital transformation that’s necessary to compete. CIOs should seek to be in the driver’s seat.

5. Automate Where You Can

Automation is a major factor in digital transformation today. Whenever possible, look to automation that can simplify processes, free up human and financial resources, and improve productivity. There are capabilities to automate many manual processes today, from document creation to manufacturing. Finding those solutions and successful implementations that show return on investment can be persuasive ways to convince other leaders to invest in further transformation.

6. Create a Shared Understanding

One challenge most CIOs face is the unfamiliarity with many technologies. Legacy systems are working just fine, say the doubters. That’s why persuasive education is so important. Building a shared understanding is a two-way street. It starts with the CIO gaining a keen understanding of the core business of each corporate unit. It then needs to extend to helping leaders of those units understand what IT is and what’s capabilities are. This shared understanding allows for better conversations about needs, challenges and opportunities. Whether you work in an agile organization or under a more rigid approval process, the shared understanding helps to create partnerships and more effective collaborations.

7. Build and Nurture Trust

This adage is true in any workplace, but the need to establish and build trust is critical. Trust takes a long time to gain and can be lost quickly. At every point in your career, you should work on building, maintaining and strengthening trusting relationships. How? Do what you say you will do. Don’t gossip. Focus on solutions that are shared wins and that help your partners be better and more effective at their work. Trust often leads to advocacy and support, especially in the c-suite.

8. Make Vision a Shared Experience

Leaders need to be visionary, carving out a path with inspiration that compels others to follow. But while CIOs should be adept at creating a vision, they need not create it alone. In fact, it’s powerful to engage others at your level and at others in the development of the vision. You can shape and guide the discussions, but others should either see themselves in the final product or know that their ideas were carefully considered before a decision was made.

9. Don’t Overly Govern

Governance structures are necessary. Policies need to be developed, oversight needs to be established, protocols need to be followed. But too much rigidity and by-the-book thinking can slow down processes. In small companies, governance may be as simple as the CEO, CFO and CIO being on the same page about a direction and need. While governance is important, it shouldn’t completely dictate every aspect of your work.

10. Practice Self-Care

CIOs often put in long hours, stretching themselves to be responsive and responsible. But they also need “white space” every day, unscheduled time where they can take a walk, play a game, exercise, or otherwise recharge.

For CIOs, it’s a heady time, full of opportunity and curiosity. Thinking about the practices, skills and strategies you’ll need when you become a CIO — and practicing them before you take the job — helps prepare for future success.

November 7, 2018

What You Need to Know About Free WiFi in New York Airports

As a seasoned business traveler, you already know that flying through JFK, Newark, or LaGuardia can be a bit challenging—even on a good day. Between dealing with security, flight delays, and hordes of obnoxious fellow passengers, what is supposed to be a smooth transition to your destination can easily turn into a mess of inconvenience and annoyance. Add in a lack of free internet and an ordinary three-hour layover can seem like an eternity with no way to send email, check the weather, or even tackle a little bit of out-of-office paperwork.

Thankfully, the powers that be have come up with a solution to ease the burden on passengers and make it easier to surf, stream, and work remotely. Effective immediately, all New York City travelers have access to four hours of free high-speed Wi-Fi at major terminals. Here’s what you need to know to take advantage of the program.

Which Airports in New York City Offer Free Wi-Fi?

Three major airports in New York City—JFK, LaGuardia, and Newark—now offer free wireless internet. Additionally, New Jersey’s Stewart Airport is also taking part in the program. For business travelers who regularly venture outside of the New York City area, the word that these locations are finally joining the rest of the world by offering free high-speed internet is good news.

And there really is no catch. Passengers are allowed up to four hours of high-speed use per session. The internet works with laptop computers, smartphones, tablets, and other Wi-Fi enabled devices deemed safe for terminal use by the TSA.

How Do You Login to Airport Wi-Fi in New York?

According to the Port Authority, signage was placed inside the terminals with instructions on how to connect to the public network. However, in most cases the setup is similar to connecting at a local hotspot in your neighborhood: select the appropriate connection in your Wi-Fi options, agree to the terms of service, and watch a short advertisement. The connection will reset after four hours, but travelers are allowed an unlimited number of four-hour blocks.

Can You Only Get Wi-Fi in Certain Terminals?

Previously, JetBlue’s Terminal 5 in JFK was the only area with free high-speed internet for travelers. The only option in other terminals included a service called Boingo, which was free for thirty minutes before requiring additional payment and was often frustratingly slow. Thankfully, this new system expands the coverage to all areas of the four airports listed above.

How Fast is the Wi-Fi Connection?

According to the Port Authority’s Robert Galvin, the free airport Wi-Fi connection offers download speeds ranging from 20 Mbps and up to 50 Mbps. This is comparable to most public connections at hotels or your favorite corner Starbucks. And it certainly is fast enough for a quick video chat, downloading a large file, or binge watching a couple of episodes of your favorite television series on Netflix.

Staying Safe While Connected to Public Wi-Fi

Officials at all New York City airports agree that data safety is important. However, business travelers need to adhere to a few additional personal rules to keep their information secure while on a public network.

For example, save viewing sensitive data such as online banking, medical, or sensitive business information for a time when you are on a private connection. Hackers have been known to use large public Wi-Fi networks to mine identity data, so it really is best to not put yourself in a bad situation unnecessarily.

Also, when you can, try to stick to websites with the “https” prefix. This signals that the site is secure, making it much more difficult for tech-savvy travelers on the same connection to snoop on what you’re looking at on your screen. And be wary of any popups that suddenly appear while on an airport connection that ask you for personal information other than the first setup screen when connecting according to the instruction signage.

Are you traveling through JFK, LaGuardia, Newark, or Stewart Airport soon? Look for more information and signage from the Port Authority on-site as to the login process, how to connect, and what to expect when using free airport Wi-Fi in New York City.

November 7, 2018

How to Insert or Remove a Page Break in Microsoft Word 2016

Page breaks are incredibly useful when it comes to formatting your Microsoft Word documents so that they look exactly the way you want them to. The page breaks tool allows you to determine where a page begins and ends. Here is some information about how to insert and remove page breaks in Microsoft Word 2016 as well as the types of page breaks that exist.

How to Add a Page Break

When a page can no longer fit additional content, Word automatically adds a page break. However, in some cases, you may want to add page breaks elsewhere. For example, if you’re working on a lengthy document, you may want to create to add a page break to create a new section. Page breaks are also useful when it comes to adding space around images and other graphics.

Fortunately, the process of creating a page break is incredibly simple.

1. Move your cursor where you want to begin a new page. For example, if you want to add a page break between two paragraphs, you should place the cursor before the first character of the second paragraph.

2. Navigate to Insert > Pages > Page Break. Microsoft Word will then create a new page where you placed your cursor.

You can also the keyboard shortcut CTRL + Enter to add a page break quickly.

Other Kinds of Page Breaks

In Microsoft Word, there are many different types of breaks that you can add.

Column Break: If you have multiple columns in your document, you can use a column break to start adding content to a new column. Using a column break is far better than simply pressing the Enter key to move to the next column. Even if you make changes to the text or change the font size, you won’t have to worry about formatting as long as you use a column break instead of pressing the Enter key.
Text Wrapping: Another type of page break is text wrapping. If you have an image or in your document, you can use a text wrapping break to ensure the rest of the content flows around the image and the caption.
Next Page: The Next Page feature works similarly to the Page Break feature. The main difference is that it creates a new section and gives you the option to use formatting that is different from the prior sections. For example, you can use the Next Page feature to rotate a section to portrait or landscape mode. You can also use different footers or headers or add columns to the next section without impacting the formatting of the rest of the document.
Continuous Break: The Continuous Break feature creates a new section but doesn’t have you begin on a new page.
Even and Odd Page Breaks: This feature allows you to add a section break. You will begin on the next odd or even page, depending on the type of break you pick. You can also format the even and odd pages of a document differently.

How to Remove Page Breaks

It is just as easy to remove page breaks from a document in Microsoft Word 2016.

1. Click on the symbol for Show/Hide.

2. Double-click on the page break you want to get rid of.

3. Click on “Delete”.

Keep in mind that you can’t remove page breaks automatically added by Microsoft Word, However, you can change where these automatic page breaks land so that you can keep certain lines or paragraphs together.