What Benefit Does Managed Hosting Offer Over In-House Management?

The answer to this question will differ between companies. It will depend on the project that you are working on. Effective planning can be the difference between success and failure for your business. I learned from past experience that a Business Continuity Plan is a time and money saver. According to cio.com, a Business Continuity Plan outlines procedures and instructions an organization must follow in the face of disaster, whether fire, flood or cyber attack.

No matter the size of the company, when it comes to managing your infrastructure, you value time and money.

There are three large categories of costs that you must consider.

Infrastructure Costs

The first set of costs that you will need to consider will be the starting infrastructure costs. You will need to determine the correct server hardware for the project.

Here is a list of questions to consider:

• What size server(s) do you need?
• How many servers does the project call for?
• What is the processor that would best work for your environment?
• What resources are necessary to function while at the same time allowing for growth?
• What software will you need?
• Are there be any licensing costs associated with acquiring the software?

These and many more questions will need answers before making any of your purchases. To answer them and also get the right equipment you may need to hire a Systems Administrator. They or your developer will need to determine what resources will run your project. This may not be known at the onset, but effective planning and monitoring of your environment will help.

If the person building your site or application is unsure you can seek professional help from an IT firm. It also helps to know the software you plan to use and what typical server requirements accompany it. You can always start small and upgrade infrastructure along the way.

This leads us to consider the second group of costs, your operating costs.

Operating Costs

Operating costs of your environment can include many factors. Consider hardware and software support, power and network infrastructure support, storage, and facilities.

Once you have gotten the environment in place you will need to hire staff to maintain it. If you are a company that does not already have an IT staff this is a considerable factor to think about. You will need to deal with IT staffing and labor, as well as training and staffing turnover.
For More: Server Managed

Managed Dedicated Server Hosting

Managed Dedicated Server Hosting

Picking the right hosting solution is one of the first (and most important!) decisions you’ll make for your website. While there are plenty of available options, none can match the versatility and level of control you’ll get with a dedicated server.

When you use a dedicated hosting service, you’ll be given a server that’s exclusive to you. This ensures that no other user will share the same resources or have access to your data. You also get full control over the server, so you can ensure your site is more secure and performs as well as possible.

In this article, we’ll discuss the ins and outs of dedicated hosting and look at the different types of dedicated servers. Then we’ll talk about why you might want to consider dedicated hosting and explain how to pick the option that best suits you. Let’s get started!

An Introduction to Dedicated Hosting

In the simplest terms, dedicated hosting provides exclusive access to a physical server. That server is only available to you and your website. This is in contrast to VPS hosting and shared hosting, where your site occupies the same server as many other users.

You can think of this as the difference between renting an apartment and owning a house. With your own dedicated server, you have more freedom to configure it however you want, and you don’t have to share its resources with other sites.

Dedicated hosting comes with numerous additional benefits for you and your site. For example, it provides:

• Improved speed and performance. Since your site doesn’t share server resources with anyone else, your site will often be significantly faster.
• Complete freedom and control. You can configure your server to match your specific requirements and get full access to every aspect of your site.
• Increased security. Since only you have access to your server, it won’t be vulnerable if another site gets attacked. You’ll also have a unique IP, which makes it much less likely that your site will be blacklisted.
• More storage space. Most dedicated hosting plans include a lot more storage space for your site’s files (with up to 2TB of disk space).

Of course, all types of hosting have their pros and cons. Which one you should pick depends entirely on your site’s requirements and the level of control you desire. Let’s talk about whether dedicated hosting is the right choice for you.

What is mean by wireless LAN?

A wireless local area network (WLAN) is a wireless distribution method for two or more devices that use high-frequency radio waves and often include an access point to the Internet. A WLAN allows users to move around the coverage area, often a home or small office, while maintaining a network connection.

A WLAN is sometimes call a local area wireless network (LAWN).

In the early 1990s, WLANs were very expensive and were only used when wired connections were strategically impossible. By the late 1990s, most WLAN solutions and proprietary protocols were replaced by IEEE 802.11 standards in various versions (versions "a" through "n"). WLAN prices also began to decrease significantly.

WLAN should not be confused with the Wi-Fi Alliance's Wi-Fi trademark. Wi-Fi is not a technical term, but is described as a superset of the IEEE 802.11 standard and is sometimes used interchangeably with that standard. However, not every Wi-Fi device actually receives Wi-Fi Alliance certification, although Wi-Fi is used by more than 700 million people through about 750,000 Internet connection hot spots.

Every component that connects to a WLAN is considered a station and falls into one of two categories: access points (APs) and clients. APs transmit and receive radio frequency signals with devices able to receive transmitted signals; they normally function as routers. Clients may include a variety of devices such as desktop computers, workstations, laptop computers, IP phones and other cell phones and Smartphones. All stations able to communicate with each other are called basic service sets (BSSs), of which there are two types: independent and infrastructure. Independent BSSs (IBSS) exist when two clients communicate without using APs, but cannot connect to any other BSS. Such WLANs are called a peer-to-peer or an ad-hoc WLANs. The second BSS is called an infrastructure BSS. It may communicate with other stations but only in other BSSs and it must use APs.

What is the best entry level IT certification?

In today’s fast-paced and highly connected tech industry, seeking out the most relevant and useful career insight into the industry can seem like an intimidating task, especially when innovation in the tech field can change the name of the game overnight.Most newcomers coming into the tech field have little to no experience but are desperately seeking the right IT and computer training. The catch 22 is that most hiring managers will only consider candidates who have the proper IT experience. So, what's the best way to get your foot in the door? Certifications. It’s really just that simple! If you are new to IT and want to break into the field but can't find a good way to do it, certifications are the best place to start.

Here are the five best entry-level IT certifications for newcomers:

1. CompTIA A+

The Computing Technology Industry Association (or CompTIA) is a non-profit association that is dedicated to furthering the education and validating experience with its full line of vendor-neutral certification exams. The best IT certification to start with if you are a newcomer is CompTIA's A+ certification. This will be your initial building block.

CompTIA A+ covers the fundamentals of computer technology, installation and configuration of PCs, laptops and related hardware, and basic networking.

CompTIA A+ covers the skills required to install and configure PC operating systems, as well as configuring common features (e.g. network connectivity and email) for mobile operating systems Android and Apple iOS.

The best way to get started is to grab an old desktop PC, open the case and start taking things apart and learning each piece. Begin to figure out what each piece does and where it goes on the motherboard. You'll be ahead of the curve once you set up your A+ certification training class.

2. CompTIA Network+

The Network plus certification is the clear choice for the second best certification for newcomers in the IT industry. While the A+ certification does touch on a few of the physical networking aspects of IT, it doesn't cover it in depth enough to gain the understanding you would need to obtain an entry -level networking job.

If you want the best return on your training investment, and a much better looking resume, you should think of A+ and Network+ as a package deal. Most newcomers will take the combination A+/Network + training in order to save on the individual cost. With both of those certs on paper, your resume will be much strong in a pool of candidates

3. CompTIA Security+

Security plus training is an absolute must for any newcomer to the IT field. There are countless security threats in today's world, so much so that companies pine after a candidate with any security background or certifications. You don't necessarily have to have a CISSP, CASP or CEH training at first but are something you’ll want to look into as you progress in the field. CompTIA Security+ not only ensures that candidates will apply knowledge of security concepts, tools, and procedures to react to security incidents; it ensures that security personnel is anticipating security risks and guarding against them.

CompTIA Security+ certification designates knowledgeable professionals in the field of security, one of the fastest-growing fields in IT. CompTIA Security+ is an international, vendor-neutral certification that demonstrates competency in:

• Network security
• Compliance and operational security
• Threats and vulnerabilities
• Application, data and host security
• Access control and identity management
• Cryptography

This may be the most important certification you, as the IT newcomer could obtain. There are several mistakes that newcomers could make if they don't entirely understand the basics of IT security. On top of that, the government has the DoDD directive 8570 that requires government and contracting personnel to have certain certifications that deal with information assurance and security and CompTIA Security+ is one certification that satisfies the 8570 directive.

4. Cisco CCENT

If you have the Network plus certification under your belt already, or already hold entry-level knowledge of networking, great! Cisco Systems offers the Cisco Certified Entry Network Technician or CCENT which dives deeper into networking, specifically focused on Cisco's proprietary hardware and software. To obtain the CCENT certification you have to pass the Interconnecting Cisco Networking Devices Part 1 or ICND1 exam. This exam covers everything from installation, operation, and troubleshooting of network devices as well as a few security concepts and the basics of routing and switching.

The CCENT certification will be much more in depth than Network+, but it’s also much more involved. Getting your CCENT and having it on your resume will give you an advantage over the competition, especially if they only have the Network+ certification.

5. Cisco CCNA

Although the Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) exam has no official prerequisites, the Cisco Certified Entry Network Technician (CCENT) certification is a great starting point to prepare for the slightly more advanced CCNA certification.

Cisco CCNA assures employers you are able to install, operate and configure enterprise-level switches and routers. CCNA certified individuals can also detect and solve common network problems and have the option of specializing in security, voice or wireless networking.

CCNAs typically have some common key skills, including communication skills, troubleshooting skills, organizational skills, customer service skills, analytical skills, familiarity with Microsoft Office Suite and Cisco, and the ability to use industry-specific tools. Aside from that, they make a pretty decent median salary as well: In May of 2015, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics identified that Network and Computer Systems Administrators earned a median annual salary of $82,200.

Certifications are a great way to validate what you've learned in the classroom, as a newcomer and since IT is and always will be a constantly changing field; IT certifications are the place to start. This should give you a better idea of what to look for in entry-level certifications. Now all you have to do is choose a path and get started!

Jobs In Cyber Security

As hacks and data breaches continue to dominate headlines, it comes as no surprise that cyber security experts are among the most sought-after professionals. With very good pay, job security, and the allure of fighting on the front lines of cyber-warfare, the information security industry can seem nothing short of glamorous.

So what’s the catch? While cybercrime is very real, the prospective thrills surrounding the prevention of newsworthy data breaches are often overshadowed by reality. As with other jobs, work in the information security industry can be demanding, stressful, and routine.

Ultimately, when making any major career choice, it's essential to start with realistic expectations. To help, we’ll review the realities of jobs in Cyber Security: the good, the bad, and the ugly surrounding what can be a highly-rewarding career.

Cyber Security Salary, Growth, Demand, and the Power of Choice

Technological advances have made protecting systems against hackers, spyware, and viruses vitally important. Virtually every type of organization has confidential information stored on computer networks—professionals are needed to keep this vast amount of information safe. As the Internet grows, so does cybercrime.

Luckily for cyber security professionals, this generates great demand for jobs. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), employment of Information Security Analysts is projected to grow 37 percent from 2012 to 2022, which is much faster than average.

As the principals of supply and demand dictate, this also creates a significant earning potential for qualified individuals. The BLS reports a median annual salary of $86,170, or approximately $41.43 per hour.

How Much Does a Cyber Security Specialist Make?

Cyber security is a growing field. Our lives are more and more online, our money and reputations are digital. As information moves to the cloud, securing it becomes more of a challenge.

What does a Cyber Security Specialist Do?

Cyber security specialists monitor, test, and troubleshoot security systems. They need to know about security products and how to operate and install them. They are also expected to educate employees on proper security techniques and how to protect their data, and may establish security policies.

What kind of Pay will a Cyber Security Specialist Earn?

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), information security analysts have a median pay of $90,120 per year. Equally important, the BLS anticipates that computer security jobs will grow 18% during the period from 2014 to 2024, higher than the average for jobs in computing and much higher than the 7% projected average for all jobs.

Salaries tend to be higher in major metropolitan areas, and some information security analysts earn over $140,000. A lot of security specialists work for the government. Thus, the job has the potential for high earnings, and some individuals may move up to security manager - the person in charge of computer security for a larger company. Be aware that some computer security specialists are paid hourly, but most are on salary.

How do you Become a Cyber Security Specialist?

A lot of security specialists start out as network administrators or system administrators. Having a degree in information science or cybersecurity certainly helps. The wide variety in pay reflects differences in location and company size. As mentioned, a lot of cyber security specialists work for the government. Others are employed by financial organizations, military contractors and, of course, IT services companies - especially those that handle other people's data in the cloud.

There are also cybersecurity consulting firms, and some specialists may eventually branch out on their own to claim more profit - and more risk. Consulting firms tend to work with companies too small to hire their own specialists, as most companies prefer their cyber security specialists to be full time employees. Which does mean that healthcare and other benefits are likely.

Also, because of the sensitive nature of the work, companies prefer to keep employees long term - which can help with job security and give you the chance to earn retention bonuses and advance within the company. (Some companies may hire entry level computer security specialists in house, meaning that you might be able to move to this position from a lower paid network administrator job in the same company).

About Computer Security Specialist Jobs

Computer security is of utmost importance to company managers responsible for protecting their company’s information assets. Computer security specialists, or information security analysts, are responsible for protecting those assets on a day-to-day basis. A computer specialist’s job is to make sure only authorized people gain access to confidential information.

Planning Security

Security specialists strive to build in security during the planning stage of software systems, networks and data centers. It is less costly to build in security from the beginning than to retrofit systems after they have been implemented. Security specialists analyze specifications for critical components of computing infrastructure to determine vulnerabilities, risk and mitigating actions.

Securing the Infrastructure

Even the best built systems and buildings retain overlooked vulnerabilities found later during an audit or an actual security breach. The security specialist’s job is to determine the best way to secure the infrastructure, including physical security and cyber security. Information may be compromised by an unauthorized data center intruder as well as by a hacker who finds a cyber door into the network. Placing a secured door on the data center or a firewall on the Internet connection is the responsibility of the security analyst.

Monitoring the Infrastructure

A key component of infrastructure security is the monitoring infrastructure. Security analysts place network and computer monitors at strategic points on the network and on critical servers. These monitors typically communicate with a central server, reporting all activity for later analysis. Security analysts use automated tools to scan the logs produced by the monitors and look for aberrations in the activity.

Responding to Incidents

Every network is secure until someone hacks it. In the event of a security breach of any kind, the security specialist rolls into action. When an analyst finds a potential threat or attempted breach, it is his job to close the security vulnerability and if possible, identify the perpetrator. Many companies establish security event response teams with escalation procedures based on the type of incident and the severity of any breach. Security analysts function as experts on these teams to provide expert guidance and reasonable responses.

information security specialist jobs

If you are pursuing a degree in computer science or information technology with career interests related to the in-demand field of cyber security, then you may be wondering what an IT security specialist does. Since maintaining secure information systems is essential for business leaders today, IT security specialists are vital professionals who help companies protect their information assets in secure systems. As cyber attacks continue to grow in frequency and sophistication, more IT security specialists are in need to assist companies in finding innovative solutions for preventing hackers from stealing information. In fact, employment of information security specialists is expected to skyrocket at the rapid rate of 37%, thus creating 27,400 new jobs before 2022, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Read on to learn about what an IT security specialist does in order to determine whether this hot IT job is right for you.

IT Security Specialist Job Description

Information security specialists are employed in various industries to help organizations create disaster recovery plans and carry out security measures that will protect the company’s computer networks and systems from being comprised. Due to the increasing importance of information security, these specialists often report directly to upper-level managers, including information systems managers and chief technology officers, to design effective security precautions to protect their organization. Some IT security specialists may also work on teams within the information technology department to collaborate with network administrators, computer systems analysts, and software developers. Most information security specialists work for computer systems design companies, consulting firms, private corporations, and financial institutions.

Daily Responsibilities for IT Security Specialists

As the number and severity of cyber attacks continues to rise, the responsibilities placed on information security specialists are also continually expanding and becoming increasingly complex in nature. In an effort to stay a step ahead of dangerous hackers, IT security specialists must stay up-to-date on the latest methods attackers are using to infiltrate computer systems and decide on the measures that will most effectively protect the organization’s information. On a typical day in the life of an IT security specialist, they can be found monitoring computer networks for security violations, installing new security software, preparing reports on security breaches, conducting penetration testing to find vulnerabilities, developing IT security standards, recommending security changes to executives, and teaching staff about security procedures.

What does a Cyber Security Specialist do?

Cyber Security Specialist  Qualifications and training | Key skills

Any computer connected to the internet is vulnerable to cyber attacks. Cyber security, or IT security, is the technique used to protect computers and networks from criminal intrusion. Specialists in cyber security are among the most sought-after professionals in the tech sector as businesses and governments seek to fight off an increasingly daring and ruthless cohort of global cyber criminals and hackers. Skilled and dedicated security specialists work in this field that demands a mix of artistry and technical expertise. They need to be constantly one step ahead of the hackers and organised criminals behind a new crime wave.

There is increased potential for career progression, especially in larger organisations and financial service providers. There is also scope for experienced security professionals to go into business for themselves as consultants. You can find out more about cyber security as an area of work, from an industry expert, here.

Typical duties include:

• seeking to build in security during the development stages of software systems, networks and data centers
• looking for vulnerabilities and risks in hardware and software
• finding the best way to secure the IT infrastructure of an organisation
• building firewalls into network infrastructures
• constantly monitoring for attacks and intrusions
• when the cyber security specialist finds a potential threat or attempted breach, closing off the security vulnerability
• identifying the perpetrator and liaising with the police if necessary

Typical employers of cyber security specialists

• Network providers
• The government
• Banks
• Schools and universities
• Airlines
• Any large organisation with a database
• Security consultancy firms

Jobs are advertised online, by careers services and by recruitment agencies.

• View our graduate IT and technology vacancies.

Qualifications and training required

Both university graduates and school leavers can enter the cyber security profession. Graduates tend to need a degree related to computer science or in a STEM subject.

A number of employers run apprenticeships in cyber security, some of which involve studying towards a degree at the same time as working. To find out more about getting into IT and technology via a school leaver route, visit the IT and technology section of TARGET careers, our website aimed at school leavers.

• Read our IT graduate salaries article to find out how much you could earn in IT.

Key skills for cyber security specialists

• Strong IT skills and knowledge including hardware, software and networks
• Meticulous attention to detail
• Ability to use logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of IT systems
• A forensic approach to challenges
• A deep understanding of how hackers work and ability to keep up with the fast pace of change in the criminal cyber-underworld
• Ability to seek out vulnerabilities in IT infrastructures

Highest Paying Cyber Security Jobs

High End Security Jobs List

Data breaches happen so often that it’s easy to gloss over the headlines, but the fallout is much harder for companies to ignore: hacks are not just embarrassing, but can lead to serious financial and reputational damage. So, it’s not surprising that there’s high demand for cyber security professionals, and that those who are up to the task are generously compensated. In fact, Computerworld reported that cyber security was the third most highly sought-after skill (right behind app development and tech support), according to managers who planned to expand their IT staff in 2017. In the same report, John Reed, the senior executive director of IT staffing firm Robert Half Technology, pointed out that many companies regularly have vacancies due to their inability to find suitable candidates.

Not only are cyber security skills in peak demand, but according to Computerworld’s 2017 IT Salary Survey Results, security is the third highest-paying IT specialty (after cloud computing and ERP) . But not all cyber-sec jobs pay the same. A handful of positions stand above the rest, at least in terms of compensation.

Here are some of the highest paying cyber security jobs:

• Chief Information Security Officers | $102,000 - $500,000

  Senior-level executives are typically well-paid, and CISOs are no exception. Chief Information Security Officers, also known as Chief Security Officers (CSOs), are extremely valuable to the companies in which they work because they offer the best of both worlds: business savvy and technical skills. CISOs also need to have management chops: they’ll be overseeing security engineers and managing the company’s incident response team. But this isn’t a hands-off management role: not only are CISOs responsible for an entire company’s data privacy, regulatory compliance, threat prevention, adherence to security practices (the list goes on and on), they’ll also roll up their sleeves and assist with incident response alongside their team. CISOs often work alongside chief information officers, too, since part of the job is to protect the company’s revenue. In most large companies, CSOs/CISOs report to the CTO or CIO. Because of the amount of data analyzed or the sensitivity of it, CISOs at financial services or insurance companies may report directly to the company’s CEO.
  According to the compensation information website PayScale.com, a chief security officer earns a median salary of $135,768, with the possibility of another ~$100,000 in profit sharing and bonuses. But Paul Wallenberg, unit manager of technology services at recruiting firm LaSalle Network, told Computerworld that CISOs earn $200,000 to $500,000 in total compensation. Robert Half’s 2018 salary guide lists the midpoint for CISOs at $170,000, with a range between $143,250 and $241,000. Computerworld itself listed the average as $150,929, with an average $22,379 bonus.

• Senior Security Consultant | $76,000 - $162,000

  Senior security consultants help minimize an organization’s security risks by analyzing current security settings and providing recommendations on better practices, procedures, software, and tools. They analyze and modify firewalls and other software packages as well as hardware devices like switches and routers. Senior security consultants wear many hats. They can be found leading security training sessions for employees, participating in meetings to craft cyber security policy, implementing security standards across devices, and creating risk analysis reports and recommendations for management.
  According to PayScale, the median salary for senior security consultants is $105,840. Salaries range from $76,296 to $142,474, with the possibility of additional compensation in the form of commissions, profit sharing, and bonuses bumping up the high end of pay to $156,355. Robert Half’s 2018 salary guide lists the range for senior consultants/project managers of all stripes (not just security) as $96,000 to $162,000.

• Security Engineers / Security Team Leads | $59,000 - $180,000

  Some technologists want to stay as far away from management positions as possible, so they stick to security engineering roles. Security engineers work to prevent breaches—or minimize their impact, should they occur—by securing and monitoring systems and networks, installing firewalls and encryption programs, hunting down vulnerabilities within their own company’s network and systems, and responding to security incidents.
  The role often has an education component as well: security engineers help people within an organization improve awareness through security training programs and other strategies. Security team leads do everything security engineers do, and then some: they provide leadership from within their own team, but don’t have a traditional management role. This typically entails overseeing and delegating to a small development team, mentoring newer developers, overseeing any work done on the project, and communicating closely with management—but from within their position as part of the company’s technical staff.
  Security engineers typically report to a team lead, or a software manager or director, who in turn reports to the CISO. Security engineers typically earn around $130,000, according to Wallenberg, but security team leads earn $170 to $180k. According to PayScale.com, a cyber security engineer earns an average salary of $96,359 per year, with the possibility of additional compensation ranging from $2000 to $40,000 in the form of bonuses and profit sharing.

Security specialist job Description

What is A Security Specialist?

Security Specialist is a catchall description for a wide variety of entry- to intermediate-level IT security jobs. In the majority of cases, you will be responsible for designing, testing, implementing and monitoring security measures for your company’s systems. You’ll see a fair amount of crossover in this role with Security Analysts, but junior-level specialists usually have to deal with a lot more administrative tasks.

In addition, Security Specialists tend to be all-rounders. You’ll know how to configure firewalls and implement compliance measures. But you’ll also be adept in pen testing, auditing, and post-incident analysis. In some cases, you may be the one responsible for developing an infosec strategy, recommending security products, and even training other employ

security specialist Job Responsibilities:

As part of your day-to-day tasks, you could be required to:

• Analyze and establish security requirements for your systems/networks
• Defend systems against unauthorized access, modification and/or destruction
• Configure and support security tools such as firewalls, anti-virus software, patch management systems, etc.
• Define access privileges, control structures and resources
• Perform vulnerability testing, risk analyses and security assessments
• Identify abnormalities and report violations
• Oversee and monitor routine security administration
• Develop and update business continuity and disaster recovery protocols
• Train fellow employees in security awareness, protocols and procedures
• Design and conduct security audits to ensure operational security
• Respond immediately to security incidents and provide post-incident analysis
• Research and recommend security upgrades
• Provide technical advice to colleagues

In a large organization, you will typically report to a Security Manager.

Security Analyst Job Description

Information security analysts design and implement security systems to protect a company or organization’s computer networks from cyber attacks, and help set and maintain security standards.
Information Security Analyst Responsibilities:
Monitor computer networks for security issues.
Investigate security breaches and other cyber security incidents.
Install security measures and operate software to protect systems and information infrastructure, including firewalls and data encryption programs.
Document security breaches and assess the damage they cause.
Work with security team to perform tests and uncover network vulnerabilities.
Fix detected vulnerabilities to maintain a high-security standard.
Stay current on IT security trends and news.
Develop company-wide best practices for IT security.
Perform penetration testing.
Help colleagues install security software and understand information security management.
Research security enhancements and make recommendations to management.
Stay up-to-date on information technology trends and security standards.
Information Security Analyst Requirements:
Bachelor's degree in computer science or related field.
MBA in information systems.
Experience in information security or related field.
Experience with computer network penetration testing and techniques.
Understanding of firewalls, proxies, SIEM, antivirus, and IDPS concepts.
Ability to identify and mitigate network vulnerabilities and explain how to avoid them.

Understanding of patch management with the ability to deploy patches in a timely manner while understanding business impact.

5 Troubleshooting Tips For Fixing your own Computer

5 Troubleshooting tips for fixing your own computer

1. Run a thorough virus scan. It's obvious, but it's effective: Fire up your virus scanning software, launch the deepest and most thorough scan available, then leave it to do its work. ...
2. Update your software. ...
3. Cut down on the bloat. ...
4. Test your Wi-Fi connection. ...
5. Reinstall the operating system.

Troubleshooting is a form of problem solving, often applied to repair failed products or processes on a machine or a system. It is a logical, systematic search for the source of a problem in order to solve it, and make the product or process operational again. Troubleshooting is needed to identify the symptoms. Determining the most likely cause is a process of elimination—eliminating potential causes of a problem. Finally, troubleshooting requires confirmation that the solution restores the product or process to its working state.

In general, troubleshooting is the identification or diagnosis of "trouble" in the management flow of a system caused by a failure of some kind. The problem is initially described as symptoms of malfunction, and troubleshooting is the process of determining and remedying the causes of these symptoms.

A system can be described in terms of its expected, desired or intended behavior (usually, for artificial systems, its purpose). Events or inputs to the system are expected to generate specific results or outputs. (For example, selecting the "print" option from various computer applications is intended to result in a hardcopy emerging from some specific device). Any unexpected or undesirable behavior is a symptom. Troubleshooting is the process of isolating the specific cause or causes of the symptom. Frequently the symptom is a failure of the product or process to produce any results. (Nothing was printed, for example). Corrective action can then be taken to prevent further failures of a similar kind.

The methods of forensic engineering are useful in tracing problems in products or processes, and a wide range of analytical techniques are available to determine the cause or causes of specific failures. Corrective action can then be taken to prevent further failure of a similar kind. Preventive action is possible using failure mode and effects (FMEA) and fault tree analysis (FTA) before full-scale production, and these methods can also be used for failure analysis.

Common PC Problems and How to Troubleshoot Them

computer hardware trouble shooting

You don’t have to run to the repair shop every time your PC ends up with an issue. Many of the common PC problems have a rather simple solution, and you can fix them yourself with a few simple steps.

To help you troubleshoot common PC problems yourself, I have listed 15 most common PC hardware problems and what your options are if you face any of them.

1. PC Overheating

A heating PC slows down the whole system and leads to frequent crashes. Additionally, PC components may also get permanently damaged due to constant exposure to heat.

There are two main reasons your PC heats up, i.e. either the cooling system isn’t working properly or the PC is heating to the point your cooling system can’t handle it anymore. In either case, I have written a comprehensive article on different solutions to handle an overheating PC. Do check it out.

2. Dysfunctional USB Port

If your USB port stops working, it’s not necessary that it’s broken. Below are some solutions that can fix this issue:

Method 1: Restart the PC

Restarting the PC is the answer to many problems, and it is a common solution to USB port problem as well.

Method 2: Uninstall USB port driver

Uninstalling the driver of the USB port will force Windows to reinstall it when you will restart the PC. This may fix the problem. Here is how to do it:

1. Press Windows + R keys and enter devmgmt.msc in the Run dialog to open the Device Manager.
2. Here, expand Universal Serial Bus controllers option.
3. Now right-click the entry USB Host Controller and then click on Uninstall.
4. Repeat this for all entries with USB Host Controller to uninstall drivers for all the USB ports.
5. Once deleted, restart the PC and Windows will automatically reinstall the drivers and fix any driver issues.

Method 3: Disable USB selective suspend

USB Selective Suspend is a Windows power saving feature that suspends unused or idle USB ports to conserve power. Sometimes it could stop a USB port from working. Here is how to disable it:

1. Press Windows + R keys and type powercfg.cpl in the Run dialog to open Windows Power options.
2. Here click on Change plan settings next to your current plan and then click on Change advanced power settings.
3. Now, expand USB settings and disable USB selective suspend setting.
4. Restart the PC to see if it fixes the USB port issue.

Note: This option should be kept enabled if you want to save battery power. If it doesn’t fix the USB port issue, then enable it again.

3. PC keeps disconnecting from WiFi

If your Wi-Fi is working fine but your PC keeps disconnecting from it, then your PC’s network card may not be receiving full power. Windows has a built-in power saver option that gives less power to the network card. You need to disable this feature:

1. Go to Advanced settings in the Power Options.
2. Here expand Wireless Adaptor Settings and then expand Power Saving Mode.
3. Set this to Maximum Performance.

4. PC beeps

The PC motherboard is smart enough to detect problems and sounds beeps in different rhythms to tell you. Here is an article on what it actually means when the PC beeps multiple times.

If the PC doesn’t start after the beeps, then it’s usually difficult to solve the problem yourself. However, I’m going to list down two of the most common problems due to which beeps occur, and thankfully, you can solve them yourself as well. 

Problem 1: Out of place RAM

A problem I recently dealt with. If the RAM inside your PC gets loose or out of place, then your PC will beep 2-3 times and won’t boot at all. The solution is simple, open up the PC (laptop users should let an expert handle this) and reinsert the RAM. Here’s how:

1. Take out the RAM completely and clean any dirt inside the slot using a cotton bud.
2. Now insert back the RAM and put enough pressure on both ends to ensure it is fully inside.
3. Afterward, close the clips and make sure they’re properly locked. Even a slightly loose RAM will be unable to work.

This video should help you properly install the RAM