Feature:
Ten Things Every Business Owner Should Know to Protect the Business Information on Their PC

1. Eventually your hard drive will fail. It's just a function of time and luck (or a lack thereof). It is better to be safe than sorry so back up your data now.
2. If your Hard Drive dies, 95% of the time it can be recovered. Sometimes it takes less than an hour; sometimes it can take much longer and cost hundreds of dollars.
3. Cheap online backup is great if you never have to restore your data. In the event of a failure, it can take days to get the data back down.
4. Having more than 2GB of data in Outlook is not a good idea. Outlook starts slowing down the more email you keep. Additionally, the larger the Outlook file, the harder and longer it takes to recover it if corruption happens. The simple solution is to regularly Archive your email and copy your Archive.PST to your server or another computer.
5. Antivirus software is like a Flu shot, it helps prevent you from getting the FLU but doesn't guarantee it. Going to the wrong websites opens you up to infection, opening email chain letters does, too.
6. A computer virus is just like a real Virus: they tend to spread among congregated groups. The congregating is usually somewhere on the internet or in an email you open. Live in the woods and you are safe (and lonely); live in the city and you need to get a vaccine.
7. Websites for kids are notorious havens for spyware and viruses. Don't let your kids use your computer, especially not your work computer. Get them their own.
8. Patches are sent to your computer by software publishers to plug the holes they have found in their computer code in the programs on your computer. Stop the patches and you will open yourself up to infection from a computer virus.
9. Patches for some applications can be sent at any time. It is not unusual for a patch to make all or part of your system stop working. Forcing down the applications or your PC can cause corruptions in the application. Instead, call IT support for help.
10. Use passwords to protect sensitive data in an Excel or Word file. Click on File > Save As > then click the down arrow next to a button called Tools. Select General Options and enter a password. DO NOT LOSE THIS PASSWORD, as the file will not open without it.

Mike Gonsalves is president of Strategic Fusion, an Alpharetta-based provider of Managed IT Services for small to medium businesses. For more information, visit www.sf-it.com or call 678-353-3222.