This short piece of writing will explain the steps a business should follow before installing new software on to their computer systems. This means that they will have a safe and speedy download that doesn't affect the day to day trading of the business.
1.) Before even starting the installation the user or business needs to decide when the best time for it to take place in order to keep the business open as usual or minimise downtime.
2.) The next step would be to back up all the files on the system (if possible) to stop the update making them corrupt are deleting them all together.
3) A company would need to make sure that they had sufficient licensing to install it on the right number of devices.
4.)The next step is to make sure that the hardware the device being updated uses is compatible with the software being installed.
5.) Knowing the download time and seeing whether it interrupts business hours would be the next step.
6.) If that is acceptable then the software can be downloaded, after it has finished, check it works by opening the application in question to see if it runs smoothly, in a business you would need to designate a team to test all computers before workforce returns to work.
7.) You would then need to restart the computers to make sure they work after being turned off. If all computers are working then you are OK to go ahead with business as usual.
This piece of writing has taught me how a business should download and install software onto their computer systems. They need to follow these 7 simple steps in order to make sure that the business has time for trading before and after in their usual hours which will decrease the risk of business downtime.
Wednesday, 1 April 2015
Tuesday, 31 March 2015
D2 (DONE)
In this essay I will be evaluating the risks involved with installing or upgrading software and explaining the best ways to minimise the risks. With all installations and upgrades there will be problems if the user does not follow instructions or if the vendor of the software has released it too early. These problems can bring businesses to their knees and lose them thousands of pounds in a short amount of time, depending on scale.
A definite possibility after installing software is that the files data that was previously on the device is wiped and gone forever unless it's been backed up. This can happen from bugs in the new software or just the incompatibility between the software and hardware. The loss of data can be detrimental to a business or even just an average user, they can be very important project files or priceless sentimental pictures or sound clips. The loss of files will cause the computer system to be useless because there is nothing on there to work on, business wise.
Compatibility issues mean that the software is not at the same level as the computer in terms of technological advancements or it means that the two (software and hardware) are made my competing or differing companies so will not work together. In most technological compatibility issues it is the users computer that isn't able to run the software because it is too old, and if it is able to run the software, the little RAM it has will not be able to run the software at it's maximum effectiveness. On the other hand you have software that has become outdated that used to do the job but better alternatives have been released and this is a common reason for installing or upgrading software. Ways to avoid having compatibility issues include reading the specifications needed to run the software, which is present on almost every vendors website, I know this from my previous first hand experience whilst researching different Anti Virus software. Businesses can also have 'test computers' which emulate the specifications of their common computer system, they can then run the software and see if there are any side effects in regards to computer speed or effectiveness.
There are also cases where software can claim to be legitimate when really they are carrying viruses to intrude your computer and steal information. The advertising will lure customers in and offer extremely good prices compared to other softwares. The program might even do the job that it is meant to do but will run in the background leaving the user clueless. The way to reduce the risk of this happening would be to only visit established websites when downloading software, if this isn't possible then another to check the legitimacy would be to read reviews and comments about the product. Negative responses would obviously mean avoiding that particular software.
Updates can be released too early without being properly tested, this has scope to release bugs onto the market and potentially take out a whole computer network, if a business were to adopt the new update. Hackers will be able to exploit these bugs in some cases meaning that they can access classified documents. Anti virus software sometimes has this aspect in their range of cover so for most part this would be covered, especially via firewall. Anti virus software also has a database of viruses so should be able to deal with this kind of threat.
Using a computer when an update is installing is likely to slow the computer down and make the update take longer to download. From a business perspective, the downtime this has could lose them money so instead of trying to work and update, they would need to weigh up the opportunity cost by leaving work stations bare compared to working through it. Also, using a computer during an update could increase the risk of it failing and having to restart the operation again.
A definite possibility after installing software is that the files data that was previously on the device is wiped and gone forever unless it's been backed up. This can happen from bugs in the new software or just the incompatibility between the software and hardware. The loss of data can be detrimental to a business or even just an average user, they can be very important project files or priceless sentimental pictures or sound clips. The loss of files will cause the computer system to be useless because there is nothing on there to work on, business wise.
Compatibility issues mean that the software is not at the same level as the computer in terms of technological advancements or it means that the two (software and hardware) are made my competing or differing companies so will not work together. In most technological compatibility issues it is the users computer that isn't able to run the software because it is too old, and if it is able to run the software, the little RAM it has will not be able to run the software at it's maximum effectiveness. On the other hand you have software that has become outdated that used to do the job but better alternatives have been released and this is a common reason for installing or upgrading software. Ways to avoid having compatibility issues include reading the specifications needed to run the software, which is present on almost every vendors website, I know this from my previous first hand experience whilst researching different Anti Virus software. Businesses can also have 'test computers' which emulate the specifications of their common computer system, they can then run the software and see if there are any side effects in regards to computer speed or effectiveness.
There are also cases where software can claim to be legitimate when really they are carrying viruses to intrude your computer and steal information. The advertising will lure customers in and offer extremely good prices compared to other softwares. The program might even do the job that it is meant to do but will run in the background leaving the user clueless. The way to reduce the risk of this happening would be to only visit established websites when downloading software, if this isn't possible then another to check the legitimacy would be to read reviews and comments about the product. Negative responses would obviously mean avoiding that particular software.
Updates can be released too early without being properly tested, this has scope to release bugs onto the market and potentially take out a whole computer network, if a business were to adopt the new update. Hackers will be able to exploit these bugs in some cases meaning that they can access classified documents. Anti virus software sometimes has this aspect in their range of cover so for most part this would be covered, especially via firewall. Anti virus software also has a database of viruses so should be able to deal with this kind of threat.
Using a computer when an update is installing is likely to slow the computer down and make the update take longer to download. From a business perspective, the downtime this has could lose them money so instead of trying to work and update, they would need to weigh up the opportunity cost by leaving work stations bare compared to working through it. Also, using a computer during an update could increase the risk of it failing and having to restart the operation again.
M2 (DONE)
In this essay I will be explaining the preparation that needs to be done before installing new software. When installing new software the user must presume that they will not have a seamless transition, as it is likely that there will be a problem with installing the software or at least some steps to follow in regard to making your hardware and software compatible. With how advanced software can be now, you would have to think that they would take up a considerable amount of space on a hard drive. As well as taking up a substantial amount of room the download can also take a long amount of time. Here are some of the vital things that need to be considered when downloading new software:
Training:
Businesses need to be sure that every employee will be able to use the new software to its full potential as it is vital to the business that everyone is as efficient as possible to achieve business goals as fast and as swiftly as possible. Training all employees will increase productivity and even motivation because the employees feel like they have been invested in.
Rights:
It is important for everyone in a business to have access to certain things, but this is not always the case from department. For example, if a finance department was to allow a work experience employee access to all records and have the ability to give and take money or assets of the business. This means that different computers need to have certain rights to information. This gives peace of mind to managers of departments be only trusted employees have access to vital information.
Timing:
As previously mentioned, the timing of installing new software to a business needs to be when the business is at its least busy. This is to prevent the business from losing too much business, it is also convent to do when most employees are liable to be off work, such as christmas or easter. This also means that if there is a problem then the business has the ability to fix issues with the software before employees come back.
Communication:
Communicating with employees is the most vital part of this installation, this is because without employees that can use this software you might as well not have the software at all. After training the employees you will also need to tell them when the change is going to be implemented so that they can use the software as soon as it his the system. Communication with the manufacturers of the software is also very important because you can query them at any point during the process and can answer employee questions for you.
Training:
Businesses need to be sure that every employee will be able to use the new software to its full potential as it is vital to the business that everyone is as efficient as possible to achieve business goals as fast and as swiftly as possible. Training all employees will increase productivity and even motivation because the employees feel like they have been invested in.
Rights:
It is important for everyone in a business to have access to certain things, but this is not always the case from department. For example, if a finance department was to allow a work experience employee access to all records and have the ability to give and take money or assets of the business. This means that different computers need to have certain rights to information. This gives peace of mind to managers of departments be only trusted employees have access to vital information.
Timing:
As previously mentioned, the timing of installing new software to a business needs to be when the business is at its least busy. This is to prevent the business from losing too much business, it is also convent to do when most employees are liable to be off work, such as christmas or easter. This also means that if there is a problem then the business has the ability to fix issues with the software before employees come back.
Communication:
Communicating with employees is the most vital part of this installation, this is because without employees that can use this software you might as well not have the software at all. After training the employees you will also need to tell them when the change is going to be implemented so that they can use the software as soon as it his the system. Communication with the manufacturers of the software is also very important because you can query them at any point during the process and can answer employee questions for you.
P1/M1 (DONE)
Business wise, upgrades in software aren't necessarily prompted by a pop up, because software can become obsolete due to competition offering extra features, more power or a better customer service, so the business would have to upgrade to the other option. It can also be caused by lack of tech assistance from the provider or security problems. Because software is created by people, there will be some human error aspects in the coding used to make the software. These error often make computer programs have bugs, these can be hard or easy to find but regardless should be dealt with by the creator within 2-4 weeks. These mini updates are called patches often come out with more features but can take the user a whole to download. Of course there are pros upgrading software such as:
- Better security and more reliable:
With any software there could be weak spots to be exploited, especially in beta versions of software. This can make updating the software worth while to improve security.
- Bug fixes/patches:
Updated versions of software can have bug fixes or patches (as previously mentioned) that will clear any problems that were in the previous version and updating will mean getting rid of these problems.
- New features being added to the later versions:
New features are an obvious pro to upgrading software, they can allow the user to do their job better or have a better experience in general.
- User interface:
People that have problems with navigating may be willing to update their software if they thought it made the program easier to use.
- Less lag/smoother running:
An update can cause the program to run faster, this can be because the software is relying less on the hardware and would take less room up in memory on a hard drive
However, upgrading software can have cons such as:
- Waste of time/money
If you were running a business you would have to waste time and money training staff to use new software in order to carry out their job.
- Downtime
In business terms, there could be a downtime where the business isn't operating, which means there could be money or even contracts lost by not meeting delivery/manufacturing times.
- The new software could be less compatible with the OS
Less compatibility with the users operating system could make the new update slower than the last one and make the users experience worse. The software can also take more space on the computer in memory which would make it run slower.
- Decreased stability with newer, less tried and tested versions
Sometimes software can be released too early and no testing will have been done on it, this could mean that the software affects your computer and cause it to crash.
- User interface
The opposite to people that have difficulty operating a certain peice of software, there will be people that can and use the software everyday. A change in layout could mean that this person will take longer to carry out tasks and become very inefficient as well as fustrated.
In general all updates will have pros and cons because they are made by humans and we aren't perfect, however if the update has a con generally the creator will fix it with no charge and these are normally carried out promptly (depending on the severity of the problem). If you were still weary about upgrading you could hold off from upgrading the software until you see reviews of it and make an informed decision after.
P2 (DONE)
In this essay I will explain the potential risks that come as part and parcel of downloading or upgrading new software, examples of these include:
- Security Issues
- Change of Policy
- Less support from the Manufacturer
- Incompatibility
It is important for businesses to recognise these risks and have a plan in order to mitigate these risks.
Security Issues:
If the software was new and not tested properly then it could mean some security measures have not been taken. This could be detrimental to a business or even just a household because of the strictly confidential information that is on their machine, like bank details or a billing address. A way to mitigate this risk is to wait a few weeks after this software has been released and read reviews on the security aspect of it, failing that a business could take on the contract from the software provider but only on a few devices which wouldn't be awful if they were to be hacked into by others.
Change of Policy:
If a business was using a program which allowed them to do their job effectively, unlike any other, then if they were to change company policy of any kind it could impact upon how your business works depending on the amount the business is dependant on it. A change in policy is likely to affect the up and running time of a business, this means a potential loss of money or big money contracts. I think the way that a business could mitigate the risk of a change in policy is having a back up way of doing things that is regularly practised meaning that if the change were to occur the workforce would know how to deal with it. Also upgrading software at the quietist times is vital to ensure the business loses the least money possible.
Less Support from the Manufacturer:
If you were to change providers of a certain software, perhaps because your business had outgrown the original software, you could find that the bigger the company the less time they have to answer queries about the software and this has massive potential to negatively impact your business because when you have a problem with the software which paralyses your business you would have to wait hours or even days for help from the service provider.
Incompatibility:
This is an obvious risk to a business because it has the capability to corrupt every file on a device or system if used by all devices, it could also mean that computers become unusable because the hardware used doesn't support the software that had been downloaded then it won't work, an example of this is when a different OS is used in the same system as different drivers, like Linux OS and Microsoft drivers, these two don't support each other because they are competitors. A way to combat this is to check that both the hardware and the software are compatible before you buy.
D1 (DONE)
With so many users on the internet (2.92 billion) you'd have to figure that not everyone is on the internet is there for recreational or business use, some people want to commit crimes by stealing information from other people online. These people can hack into bank accounts, social media, and even tap smartphones to view online services provided by phone manufacturers, such as apple's iMessage. To combat hackers users can download anti virus software. Examples include Norton, Avast and McAfee.
These programs are designed to protect a computer system from various threats that are received from the internet or from downloads. The programs put up a firewall as well as a search protection system that takes away the threats and tells the user what they've avoided by using the anti virus program. It is able to do this by connecting to the companies server via the internet and relaying information on which websites are harmful so that when the user types in the address it is blocked. The software also actively scans files in the background and all this makes anti virus software one of the most important to own, which is why I chose to justify installing it.
Protection:
Obviously, the main reason anyone would download this type of program is to protect their computer from threats. This is because users normally have spent a fair amount on their new computer and it is a big investment, so as well as tech insurance they download anti virus. It also gives users peace of mind when surfing the net and no need to be weary about what they click on..
Peace of Mind:
As previously mentioned users will have peace of mind as soon as the anti virus software is installed they can browse unhindered. However, browsing is not always carefree because although this software is good, it's not perfect. This means that the software can have faults such as a coding error, with websites being made approximately 571 for every second you can't really blame these programs for not keeping up.
Scanning:
If a user feels that their computer is still being affected by a virus they can manually scan their computer for threats. Users can choose from various scans from quick 'shallow' scans aimed at certain parts if the computer or lengthy 'deep' scans that can make sure every file on the computer is secure. Files can also be manually scanned as soon as they are downloaded, if the user is prone to downloading lots of files then this would be a good option.
Price:
Users don't tend to skimp on price when it comes to protecting their belongings. This is because consumers are programmed to see high price as perceived quality, a 'you get what you pay for' mentality. Anti virus are normally renewed yearly and come at a high price. Of course there are cheaper alternative that do the job, but don't offer certain extras such as back up tools and hard drive clean up capabilities, which is why consumers pay more.
Storage:
As most anti virus software needs to be running non stop, it can take up a fair amount of memory on the computer and a large chunk of RAM to run. The amount of RAM needed could be a problem because some computers don't come with a large amount as standard. This has scope to slow down the computer considerably because it does not enough RAM to run effectively.
Internet Usage:
To be truly effective, the software needs a good sustainable internet connection at all times, this means keeping a computer system running so the software can detect new viruses from a company server. This means keeping a router/modem running 24/7. This generally won't be a problem for most computer users, but some people that buy anti virus software will be part of the older, potentially more cautious generation and turn power off when they are not using it, this could negative affect their computers ability to block viruses.
I will now recommend three different anti virus softwares for personal use, based on price and quality. I have chosen to compare Avast, McAfee and Norton, which all offer personal or business anti virus protection. I have chosen to compare the business aspects of their offers and these recommendations will be aimed at a business manager.
Avast:
Avast offer a business protection package called the Endpoint Protection Suite Plus. It comes with Email Server protection, File Server protection, Remote Management, Workstation Protection, a Firewall and Antispam as standard. I think all of these features are useful to the manager of a business because they know that their workforce is secure and free to do their job. The firewall works by monitoring behavior outside of the LAN and white list safe applications so that the workers know which ones will not harm their computers. The remote management is the feature I think is most useful for a manager, because it saves endless amounts of time. Rather than walking to the workers office, they can simply see what they are doing from their office and offer corrections after. It requires microsoft operating systems as new as XP onwards as well as at least 256mb of RAM. It costs £939.80 to run on 20 devices for three years, which sounds hefty but depending on the size of the business, could save considerably more.
McAfee:
McAfee only offer protection to small business so would be an option if you were considerably large, which is a real negative as Avast offer to cover up to 200 devices on one system. This comes with Multi-Device protection, Mobile Security, Anti-Malware, 'Always on' Security, Anti-spam, Anti-Spyware, Safe Searching and a Desktop firewall. Again this package sounds pretty competent and would allow a workforce to carry out tasks freely, The two features that would be most useful to a manager are the Mutli Device Protection, as more and more businesses are using company phones rather than using personal mobiles. A workforce would expect their calls and texts to be in safe hands and could contain confidential information which could be disastrous if it got out, such as customer information or new projects which competitors could use. The other main feature I think is useful is the always on security, this would be beneficial for companies that have people working on night shift as they wouldn't be at risk and have the same protection as the day shift workforce. McAfee protection requires the user to have operating systems from Windows vista on wards BUT also offers protection for Mac OS X 10.8 on wards, this is a massive advantage that McAfee has over Avast because more and more businesses are using Macs, and are used in all creative businesses.There is no information for how much power is needed to operate but recommends a high speed internet connection. This package costs £649 on 20 devices for 3 years.
Norton:
Norton also offers a small business protection software but having been on the website if you need protection for more than 24 computers you can email Norton directly to speak to them, so there could be scope for more devices. Its feature include Malware and Virus protection, protection for all devices (similar to Multi Device), the ability to monitor all devices from one device and flexible protection for growing businesses. The two features I think differentiate this product from the rest are the monitoring capabilities, as you can monitor from a device such as a smart phone or any device with web access, which wasn't specified by Avast. This is better for business managers because they may have a fast lifestyle including meetings and sales pitches, so the ability to monitor all of the work force from their phone will be very useful. The other feature which I think is useful is the option to have more security as the business grows, this allows the manager to focus on expansion without having to worry about changing security software packages. This package requires the user to have microsoft's Windows XP and on wards or OS X 10.7 as a mac alternative. Again no amount of power has been stated but high speed internet is recommended. This package costs £959.97 for 20 devices on a three year contract.
For a business manager I would recommend Norton Security closely followed by McAfee. This is because it takes features from the other competitors such as monitoring capabilities and the ability to protect Apple devices. I feel that it is unique by having an expansion plan for when a business starts to get bigger, and for any entrepreneur this is the ultimate goal. The price tag is rather hefty, being the most expensive of the three, but I feel that you do get what you pay for and internet security should be priceless for a business. This type of program is worth upgrading and installing and I feel I have justified doing so.
These programs are designed to protect a computer system from various threats that are received from the internet or from downloads. The programs put up a firewall as well as a search protection system that takes away the threats and tells the user what they've avoided by using the anti virus program. It is able to do this by connecting to the companies server via the internet and relaying information on which websites are harmful so that when the user types in the address it is blocked. The software also actively scans files in the background and all this makes anti virus software one of the most important to own, which is why I chose to justify installing it.
Protection:
Obviously, the main reason anyone would download this type of program is to protect their computer from threats. This is because users normally have spent a fair amount on their new computer and it is a big investment, so as well as tech insurance they download anti virus. It also gives users peace of mind when surfing the net and no need to be weary about what they click on..
Peace of Mind:
As previously mentioned users will have peace of mind as soon as the anti virus software is installed they can browse unhindered. However, browsing is not always carefree because although this software is good, it's not perfect. This means that the software can have faults such as a coding error, with websites being made approximately 571 for every second you can't really blame these programs for not keeping up.
Scanning:
If a user feels that their computer is still being affected by a virus they can manually scan their computer for threats. Users can choose from various scans from quick 'shallow' scans aimed at certain parts if the computer or lengthy 'deep' scans that can make sure every file on the computer is secure. Files can also be manually scanned as soon as they are downloaded, if the user is prone to downloading lots of files then this would be a good option.
Price:
Users don't tend to skimp on price when it comes to protecting their belongings. This is because consumers are programmed to see high price as perceived quality, a 'you get what you pay for' mentality. Anti virus are normally renewed yearly and come at a high price. Of course there are cheaper alternative that do the job, but don't offer certain extras such as back up tools and hard drive clean up capabilities, which is why consumers pay more.
Storage:
As most anti virus software needs to be running non stop, it can take up a fair amount of memory on the computer and a large chunk of RAM to run. The amount of RAM needed could be a problem because some computers don't come with a large amount as standard. This has scope to slow down the computer considerably because it does not enough RAM to run effectively.
Internet Usage:
To be truly effective, the software needs a good sustainable internet connection at all times, this means keeping a computer system running so the software can detect new viruses from a company server. This means keeping a router/modem running 24/7. This generally won't be a problem for most computer users, but some people that buy anti virus software will be part of the older, potentially more cautious generation and turn power off when they are not using it, this could negative affect their computers ability to block viruses.
I will now recommend three different anti virus softwares for personal use, based on price and quality. I have chosen to compare Avast, McAfee and Norton, which all offer personal or business anti virus protection. I have chosen to compare the business aspects of their offers and these recommendations will be aimed at a business manager.
Avast:
Avast offer a business protection package called the Endpoint Protection Suite Plus. It comes with Email Server protection, File Server protection, Remote Management, Workstation Protection, a Firewall and Antispam as standard. I think all of these features are useful to the manager of a business because they know that their workforce is secure and free to do their job. The firewall works by monitoring behavior outside of the LAN and white list safe applications so that the workers know which ones will not harm their computers. The remote management is the feature I think is most useful for a manager, because it saves endless amounts of time. Rather than walking to the workers office, they can simply see what they are doing from their office and offer corrections after. It requires microsoft operating systems as new as XP onwards as well as at least 256mb of RAM. It costs £939.80 to run on 20 devices for three years, which sounds hefty but depending on the size of the business, could save considerably more.
McAfee:
McAfee only offer protection to small business so would be an option if you were considerably large, which is a real negative as Avast offer to cover up to 200 devices on one system. This comes with Multi-Device protection, Mobile Security, Anti-Malware, 'Always on' Security, Anti-spam, Anti-Spyware, Safe Searching and a Desktop firewall. Again this package sounds pretty competent and would allow a workforce to carry out tasks freely, The two features that would be most useful to a manager are the Mutli Device Protection, as more and more businesses are using company phones rather than using personal mobiles. A workforce would expect their calls and texts to be in safe hands and could contain confidential information which could be disastrous if it got out, such as customer information or new projects which competitors could use. The other main feature I think is useful is the always on security, this would be beneficial for companies that have people working on night shift as they wouldn't be at risk and have the same protection as the day shift workforce. McAfee protection requires the user to have operating systems from Windows vista on wards BUT also offers protection for Mac OS X 10.8 on wards, this is a massive advantage that McAfee has over Avast because more and more businesses are using Macs, and are used in all creative businesses.There is no information for how much power is needed to operate but recommends a high speed internet connection. This package costs £649 on 20 devices for 3 years.
Norton:
Norton also offers a small business protection software but having been on the website if you need protection for more than 24 computers you can email Norton directly to speak to them, so there could be scope for more devices. Its feature include Malware and Virus protection, protection for all devices (similar to Multi Device), the ability to monitor all devices from one device and flexible protection for growing businesses. The two features I think differentiate this product from the rest are the monitoring capabilities, as you can monitor from a device such as a smart phone or any device with web access, which wasn't specified by Avast. This is better for business managers because they may have a fast lifestyle including meetings and sales pitches, so the ability to monitor all of the work force from their phone will be very useful. The other feature which I think is useful is the option to have more security as the business grows, this allows the manager to focus on expansion without having to worry about changing security software packages. This package requires the user to have microsoft's Windows XP and on wards or OS X 10.7 as a mac alternative. Again no amount of power has been stated but high speed internet is recommended. This package costs £959.97 for 20 devices on a three year contract.
For a business manager I would recommend Norton Security closely followed by McAfee. This is because it takes features from the other competitors such as monitoring capabilities and the ability to protect Apple devices. I feel that it is unique by having an expansion plan for when a business starts to get bigger, and for any entrepreneur this is the ultimate goal. The price tag is rather hefty, being the most expensive of the three, but I feel that you do get what you pay for and internet security should be priceless for a business. This type of program is worth upgrading and installing and I feel I have justified doing so.
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