telanova Blog

Can ex-employees access your systems?

Details: Created: Monday, 01 November 2021; Written by Jonathan Hobson

30% of ex-employees can still access their previous employers files and email. So they could maliciously delete, spy, tamper or sell information.

Even if they have no malicious intent - having an unused and unmonitored account means no one may notice if it is compromised.

It is a huge GDPR fail.

That’s why telanova has a leaver procedure for our customers: This includes:

Do we need to do anything before they leave?
Reset passwords
Disable accounts
Change “shared” passwords (e.g. Wi-Fi)
Grant their manager access to their email and files
Remotely wipe business data from personal devices
Remove them from phone systems, websites etc
Set an out of office message

Engage telanova as your IT team and we will advise you so you can avoid potentially costly data protection mistakes.

Pre Installed Windows 11 - can you go back to Windows 10?

Details: Created: Tuesday, 26 October 2021; Written by Tim Nicholls

So. You want a fast new computer. However, you find out that Windows 11 can’t run that application upon which your business depends. What next? Well the good news is that Microsoft provides downgrade rights. At telanova we can downgrade Windows on the new PC to the same version as you’re currently using, one that’s confirmed to be compatible with your business apps.

Another reason to downgrade, is that many companies will want to keep their staff on Windows 10 for consistency of support and training, until they are able to upgrade at a time they can dictate, and not be pushed into an early piecemeal switch by the Microsoft product release cycle.

Tell your contacts how telanova gets them the latest and greatest technology overcoming the technical hurdles.

Tales from the helpdesk - the slow laptop

Details: Created: Monday, 11 October 2021; Written by Tim Nicholls

A customer called our help desk recently because their laptop had suddenly started running slowly. Could we do something about it?

One of our team was able to quickly connect using our secure remote access software. While they were running through the standard checks to ensure there was no unusual activity due to malware or similar activity, they noticed that the laptop was running on battery power, and that the battery was at less than 40% capacity. They got the customer to plug the laptop into the mains, and the performance was instantly restored. Laptops will slow down to reduce their power consumption to extend battery life, and older batteries will drain more rapidly.

Result was a very happy customer, and it was all resolved within a couple of minutes.

This is just one example of how a well-trained and experienced Helpdesk can quickly get your users back to full productivity with the minimum of fuss, to find out more about how our helpdesk can help you contact telanova.

Donating old computers safely

Details: Created: Monday, 18 October 2021; Written by Jonathan Hobson

When giving away old computers it’s tempting to think - “All I need to do is just delete all the files, sorted.”

Unfortunately that’s not the case. When you delete a file, it actually just gets marked as deleted. There are plenty of free tools anyone can use to remove that deleted mark, making all the deleted files visible again. You also need to consider all the things that aren’t simple files, for example, saved logins to websites.

You may trust the person you give the computer to, but what happens when they’re finished with it? Whose hands might it end up in? In any case, the GDPR is quite clear that you should ensure all personal data is removed when a device is retired from the organisation.

The most fool proof way is to wipe the computer using a tool designed for that purpose. The operating system will need to be re-installed afterwards before the PC can be used again.

Many devices have a “restore to factory settings” option, but that relies on the manufacturer including a secure wipe during the process, many do not, or have it as an optional extra.

Engage telanova as your IT team and we will advise you so you can avoid potentially costly data protection mistakes.

Windows 11 is here!

Details: Created: Sunday, 03 October 2021; Written by Jonathan Hobson

Today is Windows 11 launch day - Here are a few features that that might tempt you to upgrade

Secure by default - Windows 11 has many of the optional security features from previous versions turned on by default as well as security improvements.
Teams integration - With many businesses adopting teams over the pandemic, Microsoft has tightly integrated it into their desktop. Chatting or calling a colleague via teams is now much more natural and easier.
Design - yes it has a more Mac-like modern design - but more importantly they have improved the way applications snap and align. If you are using multiple screens or a touch device this is going to make life easier.

You’ll want all these benefits for your organisation and you’ll want telanova to overcome the technical hurdles explained: