GS Blog

Have you or your employees been compelled to work from home during the current pandemic? If you answered in the affirmative, you’re in good company. Digital voice and video traffic has spiked as more people try to handle their business and personal communications remotely. If you’ve ever thought about upgrading your current phone system to a hosted VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) solution, this is an ideal time -- and Gravity Systems is more than happy to get you started.

When it comes time to create such a network, you might find yourself wondering about the mysterious boxes that connect your devices, including how they work and which ones should go where. Here’s a high-level look at the world of network hubs, switches, and routers, courtesy of our Austin IT support specialists at Gravity Systems.

Phishing has posed threats to businesses for decades. With the advent of the current pandemic, however, the online waters have grown even more dangerous for workers to navigate. Our Austin tech support specialists at Gravity Systems want to make you aware of how some unscrupulous individuals and organizations could take advantage of your good will during this challenging time.

COVID-19 continues to affect businesses in significant ways, and not only in terms of revenues. As your enterprise goes in and out of lockdowns, you might hesitate to interact with third-party providers, including providers of outsourced IT services. Does it really make sense to give outsiders access to your hardware, software, and network at a time like this? It absolutely does. Here’s why.

We’ve had some impressive hail storms this year in Central Texas -- and the “fun” may not be over yet. While the Texas hail season traditionally extends from March through May, it can prove as unpredictable as other kinds of weather in the Lone Star State. (Just a couple of years ago, Houston saw one-inch hail in August!) Hail and other stormy weather can do serious damage to your facility, and therefore your IT system. So take the recent activity as your cue to protect your technology against the following threats:

Tablets have become some of the handiest and most popular business tools for workers on the go. But does that mean you should swap out your company’s fleet of laptops for them? Here at Gravity Systems, we would say no. Here’s why.

As Texas businesses start to reopen following the shutdowns enforced by the COVID-19 pandemic, many of these businesses seek to return to their previous norms as far as welcoming foot traffic, serving diners, and making in-person sales. But business owners shouldn’t dismiss what that shutdown period had to teach them about the pros and cons of their current IT setups -- especially since a second wave of infections (or some other similar crisis) might force a repeat of the situation. So our Austin IT support team asks: What have you learned about your IT system’s strengths and weaknesses?

It’s time to install another Windows 10 update -- or is it? Maybe you’ve heard that a new update has been rolled out, but you can’t seem to access it through Windows Update. Maybe you’ve heard some vaguely scary talk about the latest version already having known problems. How do you navigate the seemingly eternal confusion surrounding Windows 10 updates? With the aid of a little advice and guidance from your friends at Gravity Systems, of course.

Pat yourself on the back for taking your company’s IT security seriously. By running regular backups, installing patches, educating your employees on smart practices, and making sure that your firewall remains strong, you’re helping to keep your organization safe from malware, hackers, and unfortunate accidents. But our Austin IT managed services specialists would like to make a suggestion: Apply that same care to the management of your smartphones. Here are some steps to consider.

If you’d never used or even heard of Zoom before the COVID-19 pandemic, you almost certainly have now by now. The teleconferencing platform has spiked in popularity as the pandemic forces business teams, offices, and other associations to meet  online instead of in person. Like any other online communications channel, however, Zoom can pose its share of challenges as well as solutions. Here are some things you should know about using Zoom in your work, courtesy of our Austin business tech support experts at Gravity Systems.