Blog RSS Feed 8cabf9e4-b8a0-455c-8afd-896a94d6f4cf
But first, let’s go over a little about what this actually looks like.

What is included in an SLA?

Your SLA will include an agreement from the company stating the terms of your guaranteed uptime; that is, how much of the time you can expect your network and systems to be up and running. Your agreement will include service terms as well: what types of service you can expect from the company, what items are not covered under your contract, and response times.]]> Thu, 23 May 2013 14:11:56 GMT 84d838b9-8ae8-4f70-83aa-c0b251aedf04 By Rachel Noe

Searching for a managed services provider and determining exactly the services your business needs is an easily overwhelming process. There are many options available to you. We have been asked many times what different managed services there are and how an organization might employ them. As an entry in our Q&A series, we take a look at a few of the different managed services options available to you through a provider like Claris.

Managed Computer Support

Let’s say you have the IT hardware but lack the time or technical staff to maintain it. This is a common experience among growing businesses, and is the point where managed computer support comes into the picture. This service ensures that each issue that affects your company’s devices is handled by a competent technician with experience resolving issue. This can also include remote monitoring of computers (and other hardware), which enables your provider to resolve many issues remotely, minimizing the effect on your workday and productivity. 
]]> Fri, 17 May 2013 13:13:00 GMT 835ac780-225c-4920-b249-c7deec8ffa60
Work Smart, Play Hard 

Meet Travis Evans, Backup Specialist, ukulele aficionado and Claris fun-maker. Travis embodies our core value of “Work Smart, Play Hard” in his passion for excellence and endless creativity in making Claris a better place.]]> Mon, 13 May 2013 15:07:06 GMT 55b8c2c8-2b58-4acd-8bd0-693b97351f68
First, the public cloud.

In this model, the infrastructure is owned by an organization selling cloud space as-a-service, and is widely available on a pay-per-use basis. RackSpace and Amazon Web Services are two of the most commonly used public cloud services. Pursuing this model typically requires considerable front-end technical knowledge. Additionally, it is dependent on a consistent, robust internet connection. If the connection goes down, you will be unable to access your cloud-hosted data or applications.]]> Wed, 08 May 2013 13:03:38 GMT 8000e85c-83ff-4e68-8afb-5f6a6f520e77
In light of the recent bombings in Boston, it has become evident that one thing is incredibly important to us during an emergency situation: communication. While we pray that events like these never happen, it is imperative to familiarize ourselves with the best forms of communication during disasters like these. So that whether we are in the middle of the chaos or we are watching it transpire from the TV at work, we will be prepared.

Dan Thompson recently discussed this topic with local news networks in Knoxville and in Chattanooga, and what he said may surprise you. Some of the controversy in Boston bombings surrounded whether the police shut off the cellular signals after the initial blasts to prevent another explosion. This kept many people from communicating with loved ones during a critical time in the event. However, Dan shared that regardless of what was done in Boston, it’s likely the cell providers did not have enough towers to handle the volume of calls going out.
]]> Fri, 03 May 2013 14:38:54 GMT 26e8c0e9-6cf9-4e0e-a4dc-b997c0b8f563
What started your "fix-it" mentality? 

 “I’ve always had a ‘fix-it’ mentality. It really drove me throughout college, and landed me firmly in the IT world. On top of that, I’ve always been ‘The Computer Guy’ for family and friends. I started disassembling my parents’ computer when I was about 9. My parents got so mad, they made me fix it instead of paying someone else to do it. That’s just part of who I am. When I see a problem, I really want to solve it. IT meshes well with my personality.”]]> Tue, 23 Apr 2013 19:52:41 GMT 4a567f6b-35fb-4c75-8943-7b6b57a4d1ea
Megatrend 1: Consumerization

As technology has changed, so have consumers. In short, users have become more technologically savvy, and this has resulted in people who expect very different things out of their technology, says Gartner’s report. The rise of social media has given consumers a platform to make their thoughts and wishes known, and consumers themselves have, in some cases, become the innovators in the technology world.
]]> Fri, 12 Apr 2013 15:21:16 GMT dcf6c2e5-2d42-4b7e-bd57-57f644a533ef Tue, 09 Apr 2013 19:05:22 GMT 7972c9a9-402b-433c-80db-1e9e0bad2a87
We’re constantly on the lookout for simple ways to make your life easier using technology. One way that few people utilize is right there within Microsoft Outlook: the “To-Do Bar.” The To-Do Bar is the panel on the right side of Outlook that shows you upcoming appointments, your calendar, and your unified task list.  The task list contains:
 

• Flagged messages that require a response
• Contacts you need to call (flagged)
• Tasks that come up spontaneously

]]> Wed, 27 Mar 2013 14:49:18 GMT abeb33cd-9e0c-4aa7-83c3-98957afdc56a
China is so highly populated that real estate prices are ranked among the highest in the world. So Hong Kong is intensifying its innovation and building underground data centers to help curb costs. According to some sources, two thirds of the land in the region has “high to medium suitability” for cave digging, which makes underground data centers an ideal option. The subterranean data centers would supposedly lower the risk of both physical attacks and most natural disasters. ]]> Mon, 25 Mar 2013 15:15:55 GMT d2e4455f-e0e2-411b-ab68-92bd0ed4a014
The identity thieves will send text messages to people saying, “You’ve won a free $1,000 Walmart gift card, click here to claim your prize!” But, as they say, “caveat clickor.” Clicker Beware. ]]> Fri, 22 Mar 2013 18:47:26 GMT 7606ae4a-eb8d-4bb0-baf8-c9318835ded8  
Passwords are vital for safeguarding devices, bank accounts, emails, etc. But they can be hard to remember, so we often tend to use the same passwords over and over on multiple accounts. This completely defeats the purpose of a password. To address the password and broader security issue, companies are experimenting with innovative ways to access your devices and accounts. Let’s take a look at where password practices have come from and where password technology is going. ]]> Wed, 20 Mar 2013 16:27:33 GMT 7ae7e19e-9cb6-4024-96de-23a9f73558c5 ]]> Tue, 19 Mar 2013 13:58:48 GMT 55e2c00e-d86b-4915-bbdf-953834c6ba8f  ]]> Fri, 15 Mar 2013 14:18:14 GMT 4ba0c696-062c-45ae-bbfa-9057f391ee84  ]]> Thu, 14 Mar 2013 14:28:00 GMT e693a87c-7652-49c8-9138-cffe9f637c28 best help you? Here are a few suggestions on how to find the best solution, whatever your situation and technology needs may be.
 

1. Network with others in your community  

• At the most basic level, start by asking other businesses in your network which solutions they are using. Which IT professionals/firms do they recommend?

]]> Mon, 11 Mar 2013 16:23:20 GMT b64ea0dd-1633-4566-8e1c-87657add6c8d Mon, 04 Mar 2013 14:04:10 GMT d75a9cdb-9608-43f4-91e8-71c3d3a2d2cb  
Though Opera is not the most popular browser, its features definitely set it apart from the competition. Here are the top three features of Opera that may have you reconsidering your primary mobile browser: ]]> Fri, 01 Mar 2013 14:04:42 GMT 90a8b893-9d26-453d-99d2-05bf03c4eacd Thu, 28 Feb 2013 14:26:43 GMT 6dfb3e57-88be-4b5e-9efd-68bb2f2c6602



]]> Tue, 19 Feb 2013 14:34:06 GMT 1c225c13-bc99-4c10-8cad-2fc542dc0b62 MSPmentor.net ranked Claris Networks #45 of the top 501 Managed Service Providers in the world. The MSPmentor 501 Global (formerly the MSPmentor Top 100) uses metrics such as managed services recurring revenue growth, network devices managed, end-user devices managed, profitability per employee, etc. This marks Claris’ fifth consecutive year Claris has made the list. Additionally, Claris is the only managed service provider in any of the markets in which we serve (primarily Knoxville, Chattanooga and Nashville) or the entire state of Tennessee to make the list. We are very grateful for the recognition and, as always, thankful to our clients and staff who encourage this company toward excellence daily. ]]> Fri, 15 Feb 2013 18:44:40 GMT 78e7268e-d85e-48f1-ab3f-838566fdfa0d The technology for 3D printers has been around long enough for people to start doing some seriously ambitious stuff. Take a look at some of the coolest. If you would like to learn more about one, just click its photo.

1. Beautifully complex kinetic sculptures 





]]> Tue, 12 Feb 2013 13:43:04 GMT fff0c9ba-567a-4331-886e-5030876334d9 Chattanooga Times Free Press. Thus, the company saved $4 Million and clinched the favored underdog position in online speech for the next week. It’s a rule on the internet, anytime you try to silence someone’s message, you simply amplify its platform and give it a passionate following. ]]> Mon, 04 Feb 2013 15:11:43 GMT 937d87fd-da84-4bcf-b4f6-aed501c2e0ee



]]> Wed, 30 Jan 2013 15:29:49 GMT bc7a8d05-9a9f-4ef9-883d-1cb37fa65447 2013 will be a good year for technology. Most research shows that small, medium and enterprise level businesses will continue to adopt cloud computing. On the consumer level, the gaming and entertainment industry is in for some major upsets, the tablet war will continue to heat up and diversify, and there will probably be a several long-winded patent wars. We’ve scoured the internet and compiled our list of the most exciting technology to anticipate in 2013.
]]> Tue, 29 Jan 2013 17:43:39 GMT