DCN Solutions- IT, Computers, Web Site Design and Programming in Perth Western Australia

How Often Do You Backup?

noreply@blogger.com (DCN Solutions) — Wed, 21 Nov 2012 00:19:00 +0000

Backing up is an absolute necessity in the office environment. Nevertheless, we have come across businesses with no backup solution all too often. When we setup a new server, we try to incorporate a backup drive into the setup. We have written a batch file that goes through the common locations that data is stored (Desktop, My Documents, Photos, Videos etc.) and duplicates them onto the backup medium. This is perfect for situations where you have dozens of gigabytes of data or, like many of our medium sized businesses, where you have several workstations that need to be backed up to the main server.

The drawback however is that you need to take the backup medium off site at the end of the day. To make things easier, we have an off-site backup solution that is not only convenient, but the best protective method against hackers, fire, theft or simple hardware failure. For more information, have a look at our Off-site Backup Services here or contact us directly at backup@dcnsolutions.net

Windows 8: The lowdown

noreply@blogger.com (DCN Solutions) — Mon, 19 Nov 2012 23:45:00 +0000

Yesterday was my first attempt at Windows 8. I'm not a big fan of change, especially with operating systems. When Vista came out a few years ago, I recommended to all of my clients to wait until the bugs had been ironed out before upgrading. Good thing I suggested that, as Vista was possibly the worst operating system Microsoft have ever made. When Windows 7 came out, the speed and reliability issues are pretty much fixed, and so far with Windows 8, I'm quite impressed. The major difference is the new "Metro" interface. It essentially replaces the desktop and start menu with an Android like tiled interface. If you have a tablet or touch screen, this can be quite useful, as you can put your favourite programs, bookmarks and files in one easily accessible place. However, if you are a fan of "Homeostasis", then check out this guide on making the desktop the first thing you see when you log in.

As for the explorer interface, nothing seems to really have changed between Windows 7 and Windows 8. You can still access the control panel, browse the contents of drives, install games etc. as per usual. I recommend having at least 4Gb of RAM in any computer/laptop you get with Windows 8 (same recommendation as Windows 7) as the Metro interface saves a lot of info in the background (in a manner of speaking, you have 2 desktops running at any given time). The graphics requirements are also higher than Windows XP, so do not go installing Windows 8 on a computer more than 7 years old, as the graphics requirements then were quite low in cheap computers compared to now.

Something to keep in mind too is that Microsoft have already started phasing out Windows 7. If you want to get a computer with Windows 7, you have about 6-12 months to get it, otherwise your only choice will be Windows 8. Already, I can only source the x64 versions of the software from my suppliers. Having said all of this, I personally will not be getting Windows 8 for at least a year. As with the previous operating system upgrades, it is extremely wise to wait for all the bugs to be found by other people before jumping in and finding your productivity suffers.

We are Back!!

noreply@blogger.com (DCN Solutions) — Wed, 14 Nov 2012 22:50:00 +0000

Well, it has been a while but we are back to updating our blog! We have been concentrating on automation (program that do your work for you) for the last 12 months and have done some amazing work for our clients! Technology has also improved, so there are more reviews coming. Stay tuned over the next couple of days!!

Gaming Machine Review

noreply@blogger.com (DCN Solutions) — Sun, 20 Nov 2011 00:32:00 +0000

Check out our quick review of a Gaming Machine we built for one of our clients:

http://www.facebook.com/dcnsolutions

Save Your Precious Data!

noreply@blogger.com (DCN Solutions) — Sun, 20 Nov 2011 00:31:00 +0000

Who here has had a computer crash and lost data?

Who wants to prevent data loss in case your computer crashes?

I have several backup servers and special software so all your photos, documents, videos, financial docs etc. are automatically duplicated over the internet to my secure servers. It is a no-brainer for businesses, but think of your personal photos and documents? If there is a fire, or someone steals your PC, it is gone for good!

Find out more here:
http://dcnsolutions.net/products-and-services/off-site-backup/

Unlimited Calls/Text!

noreply@blogger.com (DCN Solutions) — Sun, 20 Nov 2011 00:30:00 +0000

New Offer from ACN: $70 unlimited call/text and $100 international credit.

ACN use the Optus network and their office is in Sydney, so awesome coverage and quick Aussie support when you need it!

Get more info:
http://www.acnpacific.com.au/products/australia?ibo=storefront&ID=7250292900&handle=dcnsolutions

Who is reading your Emails?

noreply@blogger.com (DCN Solutions) — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 02:35:00 +0000

A recent study was able to get many trade secrets of large companies in America. This was done by purchase very similar domain names and waiting for someone to send an email that was slightly misspelled. The results were astonishing! Stock reports, passwords and even employee's personal details were retrieved, all by someone misspelling the recipients email address!

Be weary of the spelling of email addresses, as if you do spell it incorrectly, it may not bounce back to notify you.

Stay up to date with IT in Perth! Visit dcnsolutions.net and signup for our email newsletter

DCN Solutions' Sister Website

noreply@blogger.com (DCN Solutions) — Tue, 23 Aug 2011 04:04:00 +0000

We have created a new page dedicated to our webdesign, custom software and hosting. You can see the site at www.joondalup-web-design.com.au/

New Website: tarullistone.com.au

noreply@blogger.com (DCN Solutions) — Thu, 28 Jul 2011 02:06:00 +0000

We have just launched our latest website: www.tarullistone.com.au!
This site, includes photo galleries, google map and sweet graphics!

Keep your eyes peeled on dcnsolutions.net for the latest in our designs!

Hacker Charged with NBN Attack

noreply@blogger.com (DCN Solutions) — Thu, 28 Jul 2011 01:59:00 +0000

A self taught hacker has been charged with hacking the new National Broadband Network. See the full article at www.news.com.au

New "Indestructible" Virus!

noreply@blogger.com (DCN Solutions) — Fri, 08 Jul 2011 01:42:00 +0000

Kaspersky has revealed there is a new virus going around called TDL-4. This one is special, in that it is designed to hide in peoples computers without their knowing, and is extremely hard to remove. Infections occur when visiting rogue web sites (usually pornography or pirated content). Be very cautious when visiting a website that you have not gone to before!

See the full article at cnet: http://news.cnet.com/8301-13506_3-20075725-17/tdl-4-the-indestructible-botnet/

DCN Solutions: Winner of the 2011 MDBA Awards

noreply@blogger.com (DCN Solutions) — Wed, 22 Jun 2011 13:24:00 +0000

DCN Solutions is proud to announce our win of first place in the 2011 Malaga and Districts Business Association award for the category of Professional Services.

This award was won due to our business ethic of absolute honesty, quick response times, and of course our technical expertise in every IT field.

My thanks to our team members, Sarah, Peter and Beau, as this is a great achievement for our team!

Acer Travelmate 5742 on Special!

noreply@blogger.com (DCN Solutions) — Tue, 21 Jun 2011 00:13:00 +0000

Get the Acer TravelMate 5742, with a 15.6" screen, Corei5 2.66GHz processor, 4GB of RAM and Win7 Pro! Normally $1299, down to $1099! Only before June 30 2011!!!!

Get more info here!

New to DCN Solutions: Online Backup Service!

noreply@blogger.com (DCN Solutions) — Mon, 30 May 2011 14:33:00 +0000

DCN Solutions is proud to announce our new off-site back up service! We have a piece of custom software that schedules a backup of your data, compresses and encrypts it, and sends it to several hosting data centres in Perth. By backing up your mission critical files (such as MYOB, Quickbooks, Project Documents etc.) you have peace of mind that your data is safe from hackers and any disaster that might affect your office. For more information, please visit dcnsolutions.net/products-and-services/off-site-backup/

Virus Alert: Old one still doing the rounds...

noreply@blogger.com (DCN Solutions) — Mon, 30 May 2011 12:05:00 +0000

A fake virus has been doing the rounds for several years now. It goes under many names, but it incorporates "XP Anti-Virus", or "Vista Anti-Virus" in its name. It pops up repeatedly saying you are infected with many Trojans and other Malware, and prompts you to purchase the full version to remove these threats. All this does is collect your credit card details for unauthorised purchases!

Most anti-virus programs don't detect or remove it, but we have found one piece of software that does: Spyware Blaster! As this fake-virus infects your computer when you visit compromised web sites (via google searches etc.), Spyware Blaster blocks known sites from being accessed! This prevents these type of bugs from being installed at all! The link to Spyware Blaster is on our web site at dcnsolutions.net/about-us/links/

Web Site Update: reefkitchens.com.au

noreply@blogger.com (DCN Solutions) — Wed, 25 May 2011 08:57:00 +0000

The Reef Kitchens web site layout has had a bit of a face lift, with a new light box based photo gallery, 3D page border and basic SEO optimisation!

Does your sight need a face lift? Get in contact with us, we have graphics, programming and SEO specialists awaiting to assist!

New Website: villaggiowoodfiredpizza.com.au

noreply@blogger.com (DCN Solutions) — Mon, 23 May 2011 23:39:00 +0000

We have just launched our lastest website: http://www.villaggiowoodfiredpizza.com.au/!
This is a fairly simple site, but includes a photo gallery, google map integration, and a full menu!

For more designs, see our re-designed web site at
dcnsolutions.net/products-and-services/web-site-design/

Beware of Phone Scams!

noreply@blogger.com (DCN Solutions) — Sat, 21 May 2011 09:09:00 +0000

In recent months, we have heard of scams where people are called up and told that they have a virus and need to run a scan on their computer. They are then directed to download or run software which actually infects the computer, or they are directed to a web site to download software. Be wary of phone calls like this! Only use trusted anti-virus software, like AVG, Microsoft Security Essentials, McAfee etc.

If you feel that you way have been compromised, contact us as soon as possible! These people may have access to your computer!

The Next Generation in Online Business Directories

noreply@blogger.com (DCN Solutions) — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 03:00:00 +0000

It has been a busy month for us at DCN Solutions. We have a new technician named Peter helping us out, have several websites in the works and we have started a beta testing campaign on willhelp.com.au. Any suggestions are welcome!

Stay tuned for the launch of our new web site designs at dcnsolutions.net/webdesign!!

New Website Services!

noreply@blogger.com (DCN Solutions) — Mon, 28 Mar 2011 05:11:00 +0000

A while ago we did a website for Jeska Design - jeskadesign.com.au. We have now updated her website with an online ordering system, new graphics and slide transitions. We made her graphical vision become a reality! Are you a graphic designer, wanting to broaden your horizons and offer web design amongst your services? We can help! Have a look at our other web designs at http://dcnsolutions.net/webdesign and our new outsourcing page at http://dcnsolutions.net/outsourcing!

iPad 2 Has Been Launched!

noreply@blogger.com (DCN Solutions) — Fri, 25 Mar 2011 23:14:00 +0000

The apple iPad2 was released in Perth yesterday. Dozens of people queued for hours to get the latest tablet offering from Apple. See the full article here from PerthNow.com.au

New Website: cameradynamics.com

noreply@blogger.com (DCN Solutions) — Fri, 11 Mar 2011 09:05:00 +0000

We have been busy with a new website: http://www.cameradynamics.net/. This website, although basic, can store thousands of items for sale in the custom eStore database. There is a backend to add new products, and all customer orders are emailed through to the office straight from the website.

For more ideas for your website, check out dcnsolutions.net/webdesign.

Cheap Hosting - Pros and Cons

noreply@blogger.com (DCN Solutions) — Thu, 10 Mar 2011 08:20:00 +0000

There are many options for hosting your website, and some companies are offering extremely cheap deals, which include databases, email and even Google adwords coupons. So why stay with an Australian hosting provider? Here are some pros and cons

Pros:
Overseas hosting is cheaper
More features included in their base products

Cons:
Delays in access times (traffic has to be routed out of the country, then back in. This is a problem for local customers, especially if your target market is in Australia)
Delays in talking to a real person in your area (some companies setup instant messaging links overseas for technical support)
Downtime due to network outages (since the servers are many links away, there is a greater risk of an outage)

Our hosting packages are run from dedicated servers in Malaga, maintained by local people, working in our timezone. Really it boils down to this: is the sweetness of a cheap price worth the risk of delays and outages?

Solid State Hard Drives Keep Your Files Safer

noreply@blogger.com (DCN Solutions) — Tue, 08 Mar 2011 09:01:00 +0000

Solid State hard drives are the latest in the evolution of storage technologies. They will eventually replace hard drive based storage devices currently used in your laptops and desktop computers. They are designed to save information directly on to silicon chips as opposed to magnetically encoding a rotating steel platter. One of the interesting by-products of this move is that Solid State drives can be easily and quickly erased. Older hard drives would take considerably longer to do a low-level format which would permanently erase all data. This has now allowed criminals to erase evidence instead of being caught.

See the full article on the Sydney Morning Herald

New Processors are Out!

noreply@blogger.com (DCN Solutions) — Sat, 05 Mar 2011 08:28:00 +0000

Intel has raised the performance bar again with a new CPU, the Core i7 990X. Its is just slightly faster (about 100 Mhz) than the current top of the line 980X, but with the same price tag. The only catch is that it wont be available for a while in Australia.

Still, stay tuend to the Core i7 section of our website to see when it arrives!