Cloud Computing: An Overview of SaaS, IaaS and PaaS

Cloud computing has been a revolution for technology. "Cloud" itself has become a broad term, but the services it provides can generally be summed up into three distinct categories: Software as a Service, Infrastructure as a Service, and Platform as a Service. Gaining an understanding of these subsets of cloud computing is essential for businesses and organizations who wish to utilize the benefits of this progressive technology.

Software as a Service (SaaS) provides a user access to software via a cloud platform. This is an increasingly popular model of selling and distributing software, effectively overhauling box sales. SaaS creates software on demand, and users will often pay for a license for a period of time, rather than a one-time buy. This can make using the software incredibly cost-effective. While a purchaser of boxed-software may have found it necessary to buy new models in past, SaaS generally will include any updates as they are released, without the need to enter into a new license. Similarly, SaaS allows the creator to distribute updates to all of its consumers immediately, allowing their product to remain cutting-edge. Of course, this also forces the consumer to abide by these updates, as it is frequent that software offered this way will not be covered under a service level agreement unless it is up to date. For enterprises, SaaS greatly outweighs its boxed counterpart in terms of scalability and accessibility. Software provided over the Internet gains the ability to be licensed to different machines on-demand. Consumers who need to purchase more licenses will be able to do so seamlessly.

Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) creates a shared environment within a company. IaaS requires an enterprise to have the technical knowledge to maintain a quality service. IaaS may be represented in any fashion which infrastructure is distributed amongst a company in a virtualized environment. Private cloud hosting, virtual data centers, and virtual private servers are poignant examples of IaaS. The usage of some form of IaaS is, of course, extremely common within enterprises, and represents the modernization of business structure and computing. The major downsides of IaaS surround the actual deployment of the model. Migrating to IaaS is usually incrediblly capital-intensive, and not easy for companies which do not have the resources to deploy. Furthermore, while IaaS may provide a level of scalability within a company's quarters, scaling beyond this region (e.g., to a new geographic location) may prove difficult.

A Platform as a Service (PaaS) is also hosted over the cloud but are services primarily accessible through the user's web browser. PaaS provides an easy to set-up, special-purpose environment for business customers. The focus of PaaS is to allow its users, generally within a business environment, to create and grow their services over the Internet. PaaS is frequently used by developers as a convenient and characteristic environment. Similar to IaaS, PaaS can decrease overhead costs significantly, as having the entire platform available across machines and updatable on demand diminishes redundancy and is less resource-intensive to maintain. PaaS may furthermore be a good solution for business with complex needs, but a less capable IT department. However, this can also be a drawback, as the customer may find PaaS as less customizable. Entering into an agreement with a PaaS provider puts a great deal of control outside of the business itself. Furthermore, should a company decide their PaaS is no longer effective for their needs, migrating away from it may prove difficult and nuanced.

Encompassing these advantages and disadvantages of cloud integration is the need for its users to gain a greater understanding of the technology. The cloud is a natural evolution for sharing and storing data. While efficiency and simplification may be the target of implementation, nuances surrounding the cloud prove to be anything but simple. A sufficient understanding of the technology and a proactive, thoughtful approach to utilizing it in both business and personal life may prove to be as necessary as learning to use the Internet itself, as generations before found themselves required to do.

Cloud computing has been a revolution for technology. "Cloud" itself has become a broad term, but the services it provides can generally be summed up into three distinct categories: Software as a Service, Infrastructure as a Service, and Platform as a Service. Gaining an understanding of these subsets of cloud computing is essential for businesses and organizations who wish to utilize the benefits of this progressive technology.

Software as a Service (SaaS) provides a user access to software via a cloud platform. This is an increasingly popular model of selling and distributing software, effectively overhauling box sales. SaaS creates software on demand, and users will often pay for a license for a period of time, rather than a one-time buy. This can make using the software incredibly cost-effective. While a purchaser of boxed-software may have found it necessary to buy new models in past, SaaS generally will include any updates as they are released, without the need to enter into a new license. Similarly, SaaS allows the creator to distribute updates to all of its consumers immediately, allowing their product to remain cutting-edge. Of course, this also forces the consumer to abide by these updates, as it is frequent that software offered this way will not be covered under a service level agreement unless it is up to date. For enterprises, SaaS greatly outweighs its boxed counterpart in terms of scalability and accessibility. Software provided over the Internet gains the ability to be licensed to different machines on-demand. Consumers who need to purchase more licenses will be able to do so seamlessly.

Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) creates a shared environment within a company. IaaS requires an enterprise to have the technical knowledge to maintain a quality service. IaaS may be represented in any fashion which infrastructure is distributed amongst a company in a virtualized environment. Private cloud hosting, virtual data centers, and virtual private servers are poignant examples of IaaS. The usage of some form of IaaS is, of course, extremely common within enterprises, and represents the modernization of business structure and computing. The major downsides of IaaS surround the actual deployment of the model. Migrating to IaaS is usually incrediblly capital-intensive, and not easy for companies which do not have the resources to deploy. Furthermore, while IaaS may provide a level of scalability within a company's quarters, scaling beyond this region (e.g., to a new geographic location) may prove difficult.

A Platform as a Service (PaaS) is also hosted over the cloud but are services primarily accessible through the user's web browser. PaaS provides an easy to set-up, special-purpose environment for business customers. The focus of PaaS is to allow its users, generally within a business environment, to create and grow their services over the Internet. PaaS is frequently used by developers as a convenient and characteristic environment. Similar to IaaS, PaaS can decrease overhead costs significantly, as having the entire platform available across machines and updatable on demand diminishes redundancy and is less resource-intensive to maintain. PaaS may furthermore be a good solution for business with complex needs, but a less capable IT department. However, this can also be a drawback, as the customer may find PaaS as less customizable. Entering into an agreement with a PaaS provider puts a great deal of control outside of the business itself. Furthermore, should a company decide their PaaS is no longer effective for their needs, migrating away from it may prove difficult and nuanced.

Encompassing these advantages and disadvantages of cloud integration is the need for its users to gain a greater understanding of the technology. The cloud is a natural evolution for sharing and storing data. While efficiency and simplification may be the target of implementation, nuances surrounding the cloud prove to be anything but simple. A sufficient understanding of the technology and a proactive, thoughtful approach to utilizing it in both business and personal life may prove to be as necessary as learning to use the Internet itself, as generations before found themselves required to do.

Robert Blake
877.860.5831 x190

FW: Breaking News: Yahoo said 500 million accounts were hacked in 2014, possibly by a "state-sponsored actor." It urged users to review their accounts.

September 22, 2016 NYTimes.com » Breaking News Alert September 22, 2016 BREAKING NEWS Yahoo said 500 million accounts were hacked in 2014, possibly by a "state-sponsored actor." It urged users to review their accounts. Thursday, September 22, 2016 3:05 PM EDT In a statement, Yahoo said user information — including names, email addresses, telephone numbers, birth dates, passwords and in some cases security questions — was compromised in 2014 by what it believed was a "state-sponsored actor." It did not name the country involved. The company said it was working with law enforcement officials, and resetting passwords and security questions. It encouraged users to review their online accounts for suspicious activity and to watch out for suspicious emails. Read more »

3 Backup Strategies You Should Consider for Your Home and Small Business

Backing up your home or small business data has never been more important, or easier. Long gone are the days when just the thought of backing up your data was a headache. With today's technology, finding and implementing the backup strategy best for you is easier than ever. While any backup strategy can be made to fit, some fit better than others. With a little forethought and planning, you can have a fully working backup solution in place before you lose that important file forever.

There are three basic backup strategies suitable for the home or small business: same machine, external drive, and cloud based. While these aren't the only solutions available, they are the ones most suited to smaller environments and they can be robust enough to scale up significantly.

1 Same Machine

Same machine backup is the easiest backup system to implement. Using space on your current hard drive you can create a local backup to another drive or partition. While the ease and cost of this method can be enticing, it offers the least flexibility from all three options and is the most likely to cause problems. Most operating systems come with a built-in backup tool, but others can be downloaded for little to no cost. Setting a same machine backup can be as simple as choosing a source and destination directory, even on the same drive. This kind of backup can be useful for recovering overwritten files, but if data loss occurs due to a hardware fault or theft, you are left with nothing. It would be considered the least appealing alternative of the three options.

PROS

• Costs nothing 
• Doesn't rely on an internet connection 

CONS

• Data is still lost after hardware fault or theft 
• Can only access backup from the same machine 

2 External Drive

Everybody has a thumb drive, right? All jokes aside, any external USB drive can be used to make a copy of files for safe keeping. Backup software works just as well with external drives, but now you have the added benefit of removing the backup and taking it elsewhere. External drives are now large enough and cheap enough to store huge quantities of data. While these drives can fail or be lost, you would still have your original files to continue working. Using multiple external drives has become a common method to make cheap, long-lasting backups. Hardware failures can happen, though, so it's important to routinely test external drives for any faults. While there is nothing wrong with using external storage for a backup, it only offers a basic backup functionality.

PROS

• External drives are cheap 
• Can move the backup to another location 
• Doesn't rely on an internet connection 

CONS

• External drives can develop hardware faults 
• Requires you to have the drive with you if you ever need to do a restore 

3 Cloud

Unless you've been living under a rock, you've heard, seen, and been schmoozed with promises of the cloud! The good news is when it comes to a home or small business backup solution, the cloud really can deliver. Before going any further, it is important to mention there are two main types of cloud backup services offered and while their functionality crosses over quite a bit, they both offer a different enough service that you should think carefully what it is you need before choosing one.

The first type of service is purely for backup purposes. After downloading the program, you create an account, select folders on your computer, and everything in those folders is automatically uploaded to cloud storage. You will be able to log onto your account anywhere in the world and access those files, but any changes made won't automatically be reflected on the original PC. Some cloud service providers do offer additional software to perform this task. There are numerous cloud services that offer this kind of backup solution. Carbonite and ElephantDrive both offer free basic plans for personal use.

The second type of cloud service is sync and storage. Once the software is installed, the service will create a basic folder on your computer. Everything inside this folder is uploaded to the cloud where it is then synced across any other devices with the same account. This is perfect for anyone that wants to work on a file at home, then pick up again from another device. Every time a change is made to a file it will be updated in the cloud and synced across all devices. Like the backup services, there are plenty of contenders when it comes to the sync and storage providers. Dropbox, Google Drive, and Microsoft's own OneDrive are three of the more popular service providers who offer free plans.

PROS

• Backups are stored offsite in the cloud 
• Always accessible with an internet connection 
• Files are automatically backed up as you work on them 
• Basic cloud services are often free 
• Able to access files from anywhere with an internet connection through multiple devices 
• Files can be worked on from multiple machines without having to send copies 
• Most cloud services will store multiple versions of each file allowing you to choose to restore an older version 

CONS

• Require an internet connection 
• Might need to upgrade subscription for large amounts of space 
• Sync and storage service operates from a single main folder 

Which one do you use? The first thing you need to do is figure out what system of backup will be most beneficial. Do you want to have a central folder of documents you can work on between different machines without having to e-mail them back and forth? A sync and storage cloud service would work well here. On the other hand, you might need to archive large video files that you don't want syncing to every computer you use. In this case, an external drive or backup cloud service would be a better fit. It should be mentioned that cloud services are all the rage for very good reason. With growing bandwidth capacity and the luxury to log into your account from the other side of the world and take control of your data, these services offer tremendous value and convenience.

As always, you should think carefully about what you need from a service first and foremost before implementing the solution.

Just make sure you implement something!

For more information or help implementing a solution for your business, contact us at 877.860.5831 or www.bitxbit.com

Robert Blake
877.860.5831 x190

Scientist, Engineer and Operations Manager (dentist)

Scientist, Engineer and Operations Manager (dentist)

Three Must-Haves for Your Network's Firewall

Given the amount of confidential data that flows in and out of a business, having secure and robust network protection is crucial. But considering that every business has its own specific requirements, such as scalability, affordability, and flexibility, selecting the right firewall is no simple task. However, there are aspects that every next generation firewall should have, and three of these are listed below.

Advanced Evasion Techniques Protection 

Advanced evasion techniques are known for their ability to penetrate, exploit, or circumvent multiple layers of network security. They are especially harmful because they can appear to behave like normal activity to a less complex security solution. But a firewall with advanced malware prevention technology lets any and all traffic be inspected, allowing for multi-level and full-scale monitoring and analysis that does not compete with normal network performance and operations.

High Availability and Failover Capabilities  

Every network has its periods of scheduled and unscheduled downtime. If your firewall has high availability and failover capabilities, these downtimes can appear almost seamless to the end user. On the network side, data is protected while applications routinely undergo updates and maintenance.

User and Application Control

Although having a few minutes to browse the web can actually help with productivity, being able to create and apply policies that protect your data, applications, and hardware is a necessary safeguard. With user and application control, you can specify user identities, roles, and domain names. Additionally, you can generate reports to review activities and keep data safe and secure for the benefit of all stakeholders.

The Need for Network Protection

The necessity of a secure network protection should be the impetus for you to invest in a next-generation firewall. Not only will it increase your business' resiliency and data availability, but it can also reduce the costs of unscheduled downtime and critical issue resolution. If you are debating which features to have in your firewall, consider the three above so that your data, clients, and business demands are protected from threats and intrusions.

Robert Blake
Bit by Bit Computer Consultants
721 N Fielder Rd. #B
Arlington, Texas 76012
Direct 817.505.1257

877.860.5831 x190

A Complete Guide to Protecting Against Phishing Emails

The term "phishing" refers to fraudulent methods of obtaining personal information. There are a number of phishing methods that fraudsters employ, the most common being by email. Phishing emails are designed to look as though they come from legitimate companies, often banks and credit card companies, with the aim of tricking you into entering personal information such as:

• Online bank details 
• User names 
• Passwords 
• Personal Identification Numbers 
• Social Security Numbers 

Phishing emails often look very realistic at first glance; they can contain perfectly duplicated logos and even some genuine links to the company's website in an attempt to further convince you that the communication is real. However, the link you click on to enter information will take you to an imitation website (known as a "pharming" website) or pop-up window, and you'll send all your sensitive information and passwords straight into the hands of cyber-criminals. You'll often see scare tactics used with phishing emails, stating that an account will be closed unless information is updated, or that there has been unauthorized access to one of your accounts so a password change is required. Once you click on the link and enter the information the criminals have it all - this one mistake could end up costing you months of heartache and frustration, thousands of dollars and your good credit. High-profile financial institutions such as Amazon, PayPal, and eBay have historically been prime targets of phishing scams. Recently however, social networks have also been targeted with phishing emails purporting to be from Facebook, Whatsapp and Google Plus; these mostly contain malicious links to gain access to your contacts list for spamming purposes.

Phishing is generally thought of as a modern phenomenon; in fact, the first successful phishing scams were undertaken during the early days of the internet. There's a reason they're still around today and getting more sophisticated - unfortunately they're big earners for criminals. Statistics indicate that over half of internet users get at least one phishing email per day; that's over 100 billion spam emails sent around the world every day! The Anti-Phishing Working Group estimate that around 5% of adults within the United States are tricked into responding to scam emails, costing over five hundred million dollars per year.
It's not just individuals who are targeted; companies both large and small have also fallen prey to phishing emails, leading to huge data breaches and devastating financial consequences. Luckily there's steps you can take to avoid being scammed. Read on for essential tips to protect yourself and your private information.

#1 Recognize common characteristics of scam emails

Phishing emails tend to share some common characteristics that can help you identify them. These aren't conclusive though, so further investigation will be required. Look out for:
Generic greeting - If the email starts with Dear Customer or Dear Sir/Madam, this should be an immediate red flag. Most high-profile businesses will personalize emails with names and account numbers.

Poor grammar and spelling - phishing emails usually contain multiple spelling and grammatical errors.

Alarming - Phishing emails will try to shock you into taking immediate action by telling you your account or password has been compromised, or that your account will be suspended if something isn't done.

Unknown Sender - never click on a link or download files or attachments from an unknown source. They could contain viruses or other malware.
A company you've never done business with - phishing emails are sent to thousands of people, in the hopes that a few will fall for it - so if you receive an email asking you to reset a password for a company you've never dealt with, it's a scam.

#2 Never click on an email link to enter sensitive information

Always go to your bank's website to enter information or update passwords. Don't follow any links provided in an email - type the URL for the website you want to visit into the search bar or use a bookmark that you have previously created. Banks and other financial companies will never ask you to enter personal information through an email; they will always ask you to log in on their secure website.

#3 Exercise extreme caution with pop-up windows

Pop-up windows can appear to be part of a trusted website, but there's no way to tell if it's been maliciously installed by someone else. Never enter any personal details into a pop-up window. If one appears unexpectedly, click the cross in the top left corner to close it immediately - do not click anything else, as this can trigger the installation of malware or viruses.

#4 Hover your mouse over links to check they're genuine

The only links you should click on are on trusted websites or links that you're expecting, such as a confirmation link. Even then, you should check they're genuine as they can be spoofed. This can be done by simply hovering your cursor over the link.

#5 Check websites are secure before entering any details

Is "https://" visible in the website's address bar with a green padlock? The "s" at the end of http means secure, and along with the padlock reassures you that information you send is protected and only visible to those meant to see it. However, these can be imitated so click on the green padlock to view the security certificate and ensure it correlates to the site you want to visit. If the name on the security certificate is different, don't enter any information and exit the site. Contact the company directly if you can't verify this certificate.

#6 Install firewalls on your computer and ensure all anti-virus and malware protection are kept up to date

Firewalls and strong anti-virus program are your first line of protection in the fight against phishing attacks. For maximum protection use both a network firewall and a desktop firewall. These defend your computer and network from possible intrusion. Keep all hardware, software and web browsers fully updated for full protection.

#7 Use your web browser to help identify fraudulent websites

Most well-known browsers have the ability to block fake websites which may be trying to extract your personal information, or infect your device with malware. There's different ways to enable this protection, depending on which browser you use -

Google Chrome - Click on "Preferences" then "Show Advanced Settings" (at the bottom of the page.) Within the Privacy section you'll see a box marked "protect you and your device from dangerous sites" - check this box. You'll now get an immediate warning if you accidentally try to enter a dangerous website.

Safari: Within your "Preferences" section, under "Security," select the box marked "fraudulent sites - warn me when visiting a fraudulent site"

Firefox: Click on "Preferences" then "Privacy" and "Security." You'll notice a box marked "warn when visiting a fraudulent site" - check this box. You should also check the box marked "block reported web forgeries."

It's important to keep your browser updated, as vital security patches and bug fixes that are essential for keeping you safe from hackers are often contained within updates.

#8 Never email personal information to anyone without PGP

Even if you know and trust the person you're sending it to, emailing unencrypted personal information isn't a good idea. You have no way of knowing your information is 100% safe once you hit the send button. If there's no way to avoid using email, ensure you are both using PGP encryption. This encrypts the information using a public and a private key, meaning only the recipient can decrypt it.

#9 Check privacy policies

Before you sign up to a website, check their privacy policy. If they state that they sell user's details, think again before signing up. Your email address could end up in the hands of spammers and phishers.

#10 If you have any doubts about emails you've received, call the company in question

If you receive emails asking you to take actions that you aren't sure about, call the company and ask. They'll be able to tell you whether the communication is genuine. Don't use contact numbers provided on the email; either go to the company's website to obtain the number or use one you have previously stored.

#11 Check bank statements regularly

Check bank statements and online banking records regularly for suspicious transactions - if you've been a victim of fraud, you'll notice it. If you see any transactions you aren't familiar with, contact your bank. They'll be able to block any further transactions immediately.

Email phishing scams are increasingly harder to detect and can end up having long-lasting consequences for their victims. Pay close attention whenever an email asks for personal information, especially if it appears to be from a financial institution, such as your bank or credit card company; they will never ask for your information in this way.

• Look out for immediate red flags - a generic greeting, along with poor spelling and demands for immediate action are clear indications it's a scam. 

• Ensure you're fully protected with firewalls and software, with anti-spam, malware and spyware software. It's essential to keep these up to date for full protection. 

• Your web browser should also be updated regularly. Be aware of where you are entering information - make sure the website is secure and the security certificate is legitimate. 

• It's also a good idea to be aware of what your email address will be used for when you sign up for a service - personal details are often sold on, resulting in you receiving increased amounts of spam and phishing emails. 

• It's always a good idea to contact the company directly if you're unsure whether an email you've received legitimate and contact your bank straight away if you notice the slightest financial irregularity. 

All it takes is a little knowledge, planning and awareness to stay one step ahead of the phishers, and keep your bank accounts and information protected.

4 Tips for Reducing Resistance to Change

The issues companies target for improvement by change projects...namely, teamwork, worker output and other contributors to workplace productivity are the very things that employee resistance negatively affects. In a mild state, resistance might appear as employee inertia. But employees may demonstrate change resistance in more overt ways, such as rebellion and sabotage. Consequently, it's important to design and implement change management strategies to prevent or reduce employee resistance when a change occurs. For instance, you might improve the likelihood a change project will succeed by including employees in planning and other change project processes.

1. Include employees and other stakeholders in change management project.

For a change project to succeed, stakeholders -- employees and others with a vested interest in a project's outcome -- must support project processes in emotional and practical ways.

The involvement of the right stakeholders at the right time can accelerate a team's progress, increase the value of project outcomes and decrease project risk. For instance, there's a greater likelihood a project will deliver its promised value, such as a 20 percent increase in productivity, due to a decrease in the risk that results from employee buy-in. The opposite is also true: disregarding key stakeholders or limiting their contributions can wreak havoc with a project schedule and budget, each of which may increase the risk of project failure.

One way to gain stakeholder support is to involve them throughout a change project's life cycle. To do so, a leader should identify and begin to communicate with stakeholders early in the project planning process. Only then will the project team understand stakeholder attitudes, which is needed for a project's outcome to reflect their perspectives.

2. Clearly and repeatedly communicate the need for change.

Organizational change is a disruptive event made more so if company leaders fail to alert employees to the forthcoming change and its effects says Rosabeth Kanter in "Ten Reasons People Resist Change." What's needed is for leaders to invite employee discussion of the change project and its ramifications during the early stages of the project. Kanter says that unless employees are active supporters of the change project, they may oppose it. For this reason, timely discussions between leaders and employees about the need for change, the nature of the change and its probable results are essential.

3. Limit the likelihood employees will perceive the change as a threat.

If employees doubt a change project will accomplish a desirable outcome, it's likely they will resist the change. Also, employees may withdraw project support if they conclude a project will make a bad situation worse. The origin of both of these responses is an employee's need to be in control of his work.

To limit the likelihood employees will perceive a change as a threat, invite them to participate in all phases of the change management project -- from planning for the change to its implementation. And if possible, allow employees to choose from a few alternatives that the team might implement, rather than force them to accept that which management chooses. 

4. Limit the disruption of employee work processes.

A change project can raise employee expectations, improve resource access and lead to employee reassignments and advancement. But these projects may have undesirable outcomes as well. For example, an employee might lose a degree of authority, need to work extended hours or lose his job.

Because an employee's work is one basis of his self-esteem, people may perceive workplace change as a threat according to "Managing through Change," a publication of the University of California. As a consequence, workplace change can result in stress or medical and behavioral issues that can negatively affect employee performance. So it's important to give employees ample opportunity to adjust to a change and provide training in new processes or technology. To best meet these requirements, it's wise to limit the number of workplace changes that occur simultaneously and implement them using a phased approach.

Although a company's management approves change projects to improve work processes, a project's effects can be anything but positive. If a company implements a change project too quickly or if the project scope is too large, stakeholder support may be difficult to come by. So it's best to involve them in the change management project processes early and often.

Robert Blake
Bit by Bit Computer Consultants
721 N Fielder Rd. #B
Arlington, Texas 76012
Direct 817.505.1257

877.860.5831 x190