Showing posts with label Microsoft Windows. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Microsoft Windows. Show all posts

Sunday, September 27, 2015

Avast for Business goes free...


Following on from my previous post about Cryptowall, Avast recently launched a free business version of their proven antivirus software.

Avast!
Avast! (Photo credit: Wikipedia)


While the personal version of Avast Antivirus has always been free, the huge difference here is twofold:

  • The free business version runs on PC desktop and server platforms (Windows XP, Vista, 7, 8, 10, SBS, Server), as well as Apple Macs (that old saying "Macs don't get viruses" no longer applies, folks);

  • The solution is cloud-based.
    This is a big plus, since it can then be managed, monitored and administered from virtually anywhere.
Traditional business antivirus solutions, which are designed to protect servers as well as workstations, can set you back a fair deal.
Startups and smaller businesses however, may not have the capital to put down on commercial antivirus solutions, and this is where Avast comes in.

I am currently testing the free business solution to get a feel for it, and interestingly, there are no limitations in terms of installs or licences, so you can install it on as many devices as you need to:


The cloud-based control panel is also well laid out, and provides a tidy overview of your protected devices, as well as a real-time threat status.
I have to say that it all looks rather appealing, especially since it costs the same as a breath of fresh air...
The only real "gotcha" is that you can upgrade to a premium paid version.
This obviously offers a more formidable arsenal of antivirus wizardry, however I expect that most users will find the free version more than adequate.

Saturday, October 4, 2014

Do not drop your hard drive. You have been warned...

How much data do you generate in a single day?
Between documents, images, videos and other content, I would guess that the figure is somewhere in the tens of megabytes at least, if not hundreds or more.

The amount of data that we generate nowadays is just scary, and the more data we create, the more storage we require to keep it safe.

English: A USB hard drive. This is made by Wes...
English: A USB hard drive. This is made by Western Digital and uses a mini B USB connection for both power and data transfer. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The obvious solution? External hard drives.
Cost-effective, portable and convenient - just plug in a USB cable, copy and paste and you are good to go.
Well, that's the idea at least.

While USB hard drives are a great place to put all of your stuff, they are also vulnerable to damage if not handled correctly.
Recently I dealt with several clients who expressed a great deal of surprise when their prized external hard drives suddenly went belly up, nasty clicking sounds and all.
I really feel that hard drives and other similarly sensitive products should ship with a bold disclaimer on the box, something like this:

"IF YOU DROP THIS DRIVE, THERE IS A PRETTY GOOD CHANCE THAT ALL OF YOUR PRECIOUS DATA WILL BE LOST FOREVER"

You get the idea - inside that sleek outer casing, there are platters, heads and other moving parts that when crashed together, can render a hard drive completely dead.
In some cases, even a light knock can damage a drive, and I am amazed that people still find this hard to believe.
I suppose because they have spent a lot of money on the device, they expect it to be tough and able to take some punishment.

Sure, you can find so-called "rugged" hard drives which boast of an increased ability to take a beating, however I certainly wouldn't put my precious data at risk testing one of these devices...

Trust me, hard drives are feeble in careless hands.
So next time you purchase an external USB hard drive, why not spend the extra few bucks and get a second one, just in case Murphy and his minions are lurking somewhere down the road...





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