IT Horizons Blog

'The Cloud' refers to accessing your data or programs over the Internet instead of locally. “The cloud” is really just a metaphor for the Internet. Some of you may have even seen the Internet expressed in drawings as a puffy white cloud, back in the day. This is where the term, 'the cloud,' started. How can a business benefit from using the cloud? Unparalleled Connectivity & Increased Collaboration: Access your data from anywhere at any time with your team. You can save thousands of dollars on your business' information technology needs. Physical onsite servers & backup solutions are now optional. Just 5 years ago, when a small business was moving to the next level and needed an IT infrastructure, the cost could be between $15,000 and $30,000! Today, instead of investing all that upfront cost for technology hardware and physical setup, we can leverage cloud subscriptions that often take a...

An IT environment that's going to keep up with the demands of your business both now and in the future starts with a solid foundation - a structured cabling system that's robust and adaptable. This is one of the many IT solutions our trained and experienced team provides to small and mid-sized businesses throughout Northern Alberta and B.C, and it's one that can determine your network infrastructure's overall performance. Cabling that Keeps Your Business Competitive In today's technological world, a quality, effectively installed structured cabling system is a must for any business that wants to stay competitive. Our team can perform cabling installations for businesses in any industry, and we will ensure that your system can be easily integrated with the technologies you use now, but also scaled to accommodate your changing needs. Taking steps to properly install quality structured cabling and components today will mean less downtime and other...

Depending on the industry you're in, keeping track of the assets that are vital to your business can be significantly valuable to you internally, but it may also be a necessary step in meeting various security or compliance regulations. Accountability is an important factor in many IT environments, but depending on how your IT solutions are delivered or by whom, there may actually be little in the way of updated or clear documentation for you to draw on. In the last couple of blog posts, we've been talking about managed IT services and, specifically, the immense value that this type of arrangement can have for small and mid-sized businesses. This week, I'm going to discuss yet another benefit of managed IT from IT Horizons - greater accountability. Consistency & Transparency Sometimes, when IT solutions are provided in-house, knowledge is internalized rather than clearly and regularly documented. When it's time to...

In the 21st century, technology rules. There’s no way to get around it, or away from it, regardless of the industry you’re in, or the size of your business. But, just how important is technology to businesses today, and how are they addressing their technology needs? Clutch wanted to find out, so they conducted a survey of more than 400 small businesses to glean their insights. The results support what we already knew: demand for IT services is on the rise, with more companies both hiring more IT support internally and turning to outside vendors and contractors to help meet their needs. Most (69 percent) of small and medium businesses (SMBs) have hired at least one type of IT service provider. And, momentum is continuing to build; 39 percent of SMBs plan to boost their spending on IT services in 2016. The market is moving to more of a managed...

With all the fun and excitement of the holiday season, it's also a time of year when the number of break ins tends to rise. This year, in the Peace Country, it's no exception as there's been an alarming amount of crime in the last little while. Businesses have been particularly vulnerable and those without security systems or systems that are robust enough to provide quality security footage are left with little recourse. At IT Horizons, we install surveillance cameras, in addition to the range of IT security services we provide for small and mid-sized businesses and even households. Choosing quality cameras that are installed by a trained and experienced IT consultant can make the difference between catching the people who steal from you and leaving your business vulnerable to another break in. The Difference an IT Consultant Can Make When you entrust us with installing your surveillance cameras, you...