Capstone Works Blog

Experts are sounding the alarm about potential challenges on the horizon.

While we’re not economists, nor are we financial advisors, we do make it our business to keep our finger on the pulse when it comes to the technology industry. Computer hardware has always been dragged along by a tide that ebbs and flows based on a lot of external factors, but experts are chiming in to warn businesses that there is a good chance that IT hardware prices will increase substantially throughout 2025, and it isn’t clear when things might go back down. Let’s take a look at what’s going on.

The clock is ticking for Windows 10.

In just 12 months, this widely-used operating system will reach its end of life (EOL).

Last time, we talked about a few different types of device setups you can use when traveling and working remotely. Now we want to discuss how to ensure that your data is always secure, no matter where your staff is.

Whether your job puts you in the office, on the road, or the comfort of your own home, being able to work effectively from nearly any environment can give you an edge. While everyone will have slightly different needs, not to mention preferences, we decided to have a little fun with this and talk about some cool gadgets that you might not realize even exist, and some ways to get more out of the devices you already have when it comes to working remotely.

The fax machine. Love it or hate it, it’s been a staple for many businesses, especially those within the healthcare industry. One particular reason why fax is so popular for medical facilities is because it is assumed that fax machines are secure, whereas digital files need to be secured. That said, it’s time to rely less on outdated technologies like fax, especially when dealing with medical records.

Have you ever heard that loud fan whine noise coming from your server room? Is it your IT infrastructure hard at work helping you to increase profits or is the sound of the “zombie” servers? A zombie, or comatose, server is a physical server that is running but has no external communications or visibility and contributes no computer resources; it essentially consumes electricity but serves no useful purpose. For something you have most likely never heard of, it’s a big problem. An estimated one in three servers in North America falls into the "undead" category. Given those odds, it’s likely that most businesses are running servers that are no longer doing anything relevant and could be decommissioned.

As the line between working in-office and working from home becomes more and more blurred, a new trend in employee technology has begun to emerge – BYOD, or bring your own device. Many companies are offering their employees the option to bring their own devices into the office environment as it can improve both employee satisfaction and office productivity.  But CIOs still must consider three different basic set ups/options before taking the plunge:

Organizations today cannot successfully grow their business while neglecting their technology needs; though it is impossible to become an IT expert while remaining focused on your niche. The world of IT is constantly changing - from cloud computing, Big Data, mobility, the Internet of Things, and new data storage – options can be overwhelming for any SMB owner. Is it time for you to upgrade your data storage? Are you employing the best solution to fit your needs? As you evaluate your technology solutions, don’t forget about your data storage options.

Sometimes when your workstation feels bogged down, a relatively cheap and simply hardware update can make a huge difference in performance. Adding more RAM (Random Access Memory, often just referred to as memory) can be a game changer for your bogged down PC.