Our Learning Center Video Library is designed to provide answers to questions that we are most frequently asked. Since we have so many videos, we have separated them out into categories to help you navigate to the video that will best answer your questions. We also have a search feature on each page.
Is Microsoft forcing you to switch to the new Outlook? Yes, starting January 2025, the classic version of Outlook is getting a makeover—whether you like it or not. Here's what you need to know, including tips to navigate the transition smoothly, and if there are features you're missing or you just like the old version, how you can go back and forth to your heart's content.
Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) refers to the use of smart sensors, devices, and systems in industrial environments to collect and analyze data in real-time. Unlike the consumer-focused IoT (Internet of Things), IIoT is designed specifically to improve efficiency, safety, and productivity in sectors like manufacturing, energy, and transportation.
Business critical devices are the essential IT hardware that keeps your business running smoothly. Whether you're a business owner or IT professional, understanding these devices can help you mitigate risks, avoid costly downtime, and ensure your operations stay up and running.
Ever wondered how the internet evolved into what it is today? From its early days as a military experiment to becoming an integral part of our daily lives, the internet has come a long way! In this video, we take you on a fascinating journey through the history of the internet, covering key milestones.
Curious about what a hard disk drive (HDD) is and how it works? In this video, we break down the basics of HDDs—an essential storage device for computers and electronics. Learn how HDDs store and retrieve data using spinning platters and magnetic heads, and discover the advantages of using HDDs for large-scale data storage.
A solid-state drive (SSD) is a data storage device known for its speed, reliability, and efficiency. Unlike HDDs that use spinning disks, SSDs rely on flash memory chips to store data. This key difference results in faster performance and enhanced durability.
In today's digital age, choosing between cloud storage and local storage is crucial for managing and securing your data. With the ever-evolving cyberthreat landscape, understanding the key differences between these storage methods can help you make informed decisions.
Feeling overwhelmed by a mountain of data and unsure where to start? You're not alone. This common issue, known as decision paralysis, can affect even the most seasoned professionals. Fortunately, Microsoft Copilot is here to help! What is Microsoft Copilot? Microsoft Copilot, integrated into Microsoft 365, acts as a virtual data expert
In today’s remote work world, accessing company data securely is more important than ever. But what’s the best way to do that—especially when you’re moving away from traditional office setups? Enter Microsoft’s Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD) and Windows 365. Both offer cloud-based workstations, but how do they differ?
SMS is a text messaging service that allows the exchange of short messages—up to 160 characters—between mobile devices using cellular networks. Unlike messaging apps, SMS doesn’t require internet access; it only needs a cellular signal. This makes SMS incredibly useful in areas with poor or no internet coverage
XML, or Extensible Markup Language, is a flexible and structured language designed for storing and transporting data. Unlike HTML, which focuses on displaying data, XML is all about the data itself. It uses tags to define different parts of the data, and the best part? You can define your own tags, making XML incredibly extensible.
If you've been an IT client of ours for a while, you've probably asked yourself, "how does our windows patching work? There have been some questions about Windows Patching, especially about that little popup that shows up on your screen. Here’s the deal.
Are shiny new tech tools draining your business profits instead of boosting them? Investing in advanced technology promises increased efficiency and a competitive edge, but without proper employee training and change management, it can lead to costly mistakes and decreased productivity.
In today's digital world, smooth IT operations are crucial for businesses, but interruptions can pose challenges. High Availability addresses this by ensuring IT systems operate continuously and reliably, even during failures or heavy usage.
Explore how Microsoft is transforming small and medium-sized business productivity with Copilot for Microsoft 365! Initially exclusive to larger enterprises, Copilot is now available to businesses of all sizes using Microsoft 365 Business Standard or Business Premium.
Discover the latest AI innovations in Microsoft Copilot and how they're revolutionizing productivity in Microsoft 365. From Word to Excel, PowerPoint to Teams, Copilot integrates smart features that enhance collaboration and efficiency. Learn how Copilot accelerates document creation
Imagine a business ecosystem where devices, machines, and systems interact seamlessly to perform various tasks. By connecting these devices to the internet, they can communicate, collect data, and make autonomous decisions. This interconnected network is what we call the Internet of Things (IoT). How Does IoT Work?
Think of the browser cache as a temporary memory storage system. When you visit a website for the first time, your browser downloads all the necessary files needed to display the webpage properly. These files can include HTML documents, images, CSS stylesheets, JavaScript files, and more.
What is the difference between 3G, 4G, 5G? Let's break down the differences between 3G, 4G, and 5G in a simple way, without getting too technical. 3G was the third generation of mobile networks, providing faster data transfer speeds compared to its predecessor, 2G.
A Single Point of Failure is a potential risk caused by a flaw in the design, implementation, or configuration of a system. It’s the one fault that can shut down an entire system. This could be in your cybersecurity, networking, and similar aspects.
So you have a computer, and you want to do various tasks like writing documents, browsing the internet, or playing games. To make these tasks possible, your computer needs something to manage and coordinate all the different parts inside it. This is where the operating system (OS) comes in.
RAM, or Random Access Memory, is a dynamic player in the world of computer memory. Unlike storage devices, RAM is volatile and acts as the computer's short-term memory, storing actively used and processed data. Imagine your computer's RAM as a desk – the larger it is, the more tasks and processes it can handle simultaneously.
In recent years, technology has rapidly changed the way we interact with the digital world. There are two terms that have been used over the past few years that may sound familiar. VR, Virtual Reality, and AR, or Augmented Reality. One you probably haven’t heard of as much is MR, or Mixed Reality.
What is a cookie? Besides being a wonderful little dessert, a cookie is also a tech term. Imagine you're at a party, and the host gives you a sticker with your name on it. This sticker helps the host remember your name throughout the party, so they can greet you by name and offer you things you might like.
A BCDR device stands for Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery device. It's a specialized tool that helps businesses protect their data and IT infrastructure in case of unexpected events like natural disasters, power outages, cyber attacks, and hardware failures.
A server, in the IT world, is a specialized, powerful computer that serves a specific purpose. A server is a super-smart, super-organized computer that does important jobs for other devices, like your regular home computer or phone. It's not meant for browsing the internet, playing games, or watching videos.
Think of your home or office as a city, and the internet as a vast network of roads connecting different cities. Now, think of a router as the traffic cop for your city. A router is a device that helps your computer or other devices connect to the internet. Here's how it works!
“Bring Your Own Device” - or BYOD – is a policy where employees use their personal devices (phones, laptops, tablets, etc.) for work, rather than company-provided devices. It has become more popular recently for a number of reasons, not the least of which is the desire for reduction in device maintenance for companies – and the associated cost.
Microsoft Teams Exploratory is essentially a 12 month free license for your organization to use Teams. 12 months later Microsoft is going to tell you how it's expiring and you should do something about it. What they don't do is they don't bother to take a look and see whether or not the organization is already using Teams.
Short answer, it depends. Some common policies that are important for all companies to have are: - An acceptable use policy that defines what employees are allowed to do and not to do in the organization – especially around how they use technology.
BI stands for “Business Intelligence”. Like all acronyms in IT, the definition varies. But I like this definition: BI is a collection of software that allows organizations to analyze existing data and receive meaningful results. Think for a minute about your organization. How it collects data as part of its business.
This question is tougher than it sounds. The simple answer is “try running your organization without IT”. But that’s lazy. Here are several types of improvements that IT can bring to most organizations. Of course, your mileage may vary.
These are just a few examples of how AI can be used in manufacturing. By leveraging the power of AI, manufacturers can gain insights into their operations that might otherwise go unnoticed, and make more informed decisions to improve their processes and products.
DNS, or “Domain Naming Services or System or Server”, is why stuff works on the internet. When you go to our website, “Simplex-IT.com”, how does your browser know what server actually hosts that web site? DNS..
A static IP address is a fixed address assigned to a computer or other device by an Internet service provider (ISP). It does not change and is used to provide the same address every time a device connects to the internet.
WiFi is a wireless technology that allows devices to connect to the internet or other networks without the need for physical cables. It uses radio waves to transmit data between devices, similar to how a radio station broadcasts music.
An IP address, short for Internet Protocol address, is a unique numerical label assigned to each device connected to a computer network that uses the Internet Protocol for communication. This Protocol was created by the Internet Gods back around 1985.
Virtual Private Network (VPN) is a secure connection between two or more computers or devices that allows data to be transmitted and received over the internet without being exposed to malicious actors. It is commonly used to protect personal information, such as passwords and financial data.
Ok, this one is mostly an excuse to tell a true story that happened to me back in the mid-80’s. Because…well, I’m old.
What’s my point here? It’s great to create processes and procedures to use in an emergency. Documents that identify processes to be followed and resources to be involved.
Simplex-IT has had a busy year this year, from Tradeshows to our big office move, to our Annual Party at Quarter Up to our new Content Creation Team to our Awards, here are the Top 10 Moments of 2022.
OneDrive is a Microsoft cloud storage service that lets you store your personal files in one place, share them with others, and get to them from any device connected to the internet. There are personal and business versions of OneDrive.
You may have heard the term "Tech Debt", aka "Technology Debt", "design debt" or "code debt". It's a term that is commonly used to describe a situation where an organization is using a technology solution that...well, isn't the best available. But what does it mean, and is it a specific definition?
An algorithm is simply a set of instructions given to precisely define a sequence of some kind. That's pretty much it! Usually, we're talking about instructions given to computer systems to allow them to do their thing.
How expensive is downtime? "The Server is down." Yeah, we hate to hear that. Because downtime is expensive. But how expensive? That's a really important number that we ignore way too much. Downtime.
Technically, the “Dark Web” is simply areas on the Internet that require specific credentials or software or configurations to access. Resources on the Dark Web do their best *not* to show up on search engines.
Shadow IT is a term given to IT resources...hardware, software, subscriptions, services...that are used by an organization without the knowledge of whoever’s handling IT or cybersecurity for the organization.
SSL stands for "Secure Socket Layer" and are important in IT. Companies purchase SSL Certs from 3rd party resellers like GoDaddy or Network Solutions. These 3rd parties verify that the company is who they say they are.
Are IT Certifications worth it? Bob discusses advantanges for the individual, the hiring company and the employer for receiving IT Certifications.
Let's talk about IT certificates. There are 2 types: Vendor oriented and Vendor Neutral.
What is Infrastructure as a Service or IaaS, Software as a Service or SaaS, and Platform as a Service or PaaS?
What is the Difference Between Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery? And which would you want for your business?
So how much does the cloud cost? Well it depends on the size and complexity of what you want to use the cloud for. The price will increase when you start including things like VMs, replication, backups, and other applications.
Azure is Microsoft’s version of a cloud service. Other companies like Amazon and Google also have their own versions of cloud services to choose from.
People are always asking us, "Why is IT so hard?". We love to make it as easy as possible by simplifying the complex. If all of these IT terms overwhelm you, then consider getting a partner for your organization to help you through it.
There are 3 types of clouds: Public- Private- Hybrid. Learn which option is best for you and your organization.
Why do I need to manage Passwords? Because passwords are a pain! Why do I need a Password Management system for my organization? Because passwords and users are a bigger pain!
So, what the heck is the cloud? In the tech industry, the joke is that the cloud is somebody else’s computer. But to break it down, the cloud is taking the server in your office and migrating it to a resilient data center that you access over a private network or internet.
5 ways organizations can get IT support. Depending on the complexity of your organization, you actually might be using more than one! But if your organization uses Abdication or Seagulls, we need to talk.
Multifactor authentication is another layer of security beyond a password and there are many ways to introduce additional authentication methods.
