Richard Grace, Author at IT Solutions & Small Business North Sydney

Get More Unplugged Laptop Time with These Battery-Saving Hacks

One of the big draws of a laptop computer is that you can use it anywhere. You don’t need to have it plugged in all the time because it has an internal battery. Your laptop may start out with several hours of battery life when you first buy it. But the lifespan can get shorter […]

5 Exciting Ways Microsoft 365 Can Enable the Hybrid Office

“Hybrid office” is the new buzzword you’ll hear used in business discussions. It’s the mix of having employees both working at the office and working from home. This has become more than a buzzword and is now the reality for many companies. There was a survey of employees with remote-capable jobs. The survey found that […]

Which Form of MFA Is the Most Secure? Which Is the Most Convenient?

Credential theft is now at an all-time high and is responsible for more data breaches than any other type of attack. With data and business processes now largely cloud-based, a user’s password is the quickest and easiest way to conduct many different types of dangerous activities. Being logged in as a user (especially if they […]

Top 5 Mobile Device Attacks You Need to Watch Out For

Smartphones and tablets are often the preferred device for communications, web searching, and accessing many types of apps. They’re more portable and can be used from anywhere. We’re seeing the takeover of many activities that used to be performed on traditional computers. Now, people are using mobile devices instead. For example, Microsoft estimates that up […]

Signs That Your Computer May Be Infected with Malware

Approximately 34% of businesses take a week or longer to regain access to their data and systems once hit with a malware attack. Malware is an umbrella term that encompasses many different types of malicious code. It can include: Viruses Ransomware Spyware Trojans Adware Key loggers And more The longer that malware sits on your […]

Should I Consider Switching to Microsoft’s Edge Browser? (Top Features)

One of the most important applications we choose is our internet browser. When on a computer or a mobile device, we work in that most of the time because many applications are now cloud-based, so accessing them means going through your browser. Over the years browsers have come and gone. A little over a decade […]

Pros & Cons of Using the Windows 365 Cloud PC

While many companies have moved most of their workflows to the cloud, there is still a key component of office operations that is location-based. This would be employee computers. Most companies still rely on desktops and laptops to allow employees to access critical software and as their main workstation. This can become inconvenient if you’re […]

Pros & Cons of Using the Windows 365 Cloud PC

Understanding the Not For Profit (NFP) Sector

The IT Agency understands the significant challenges faced by organisations operating within the NFP sector. We currently partner with many NFP organisations to provide quality IT Services through both ad-hoc and managed service contract arrangements, as suits their individual requirements. Our expertise helps NFP organisations overcome challenges, including: Managing complex member relationships Monitoring service levels […]

Cyber Security – The Essential Eight Mitigation Strategies

Cyber Security Awareness Month occurs each year in October – but here at The IT Agency, we practise cyber security every day of every month, 365 days a year. Being honest, prior to reading this article, how many of you were genuinely aware of a month dedicated to Cyber Security Awareness? It’s a global mission […]

Windows 10 2004 is coming

Now in May, Microsoft is preparing to release its Windows 10, 2004 update. This change will soon be accessible to all Windows 10 devices, via the Windows Update. While this is considered a modest compared to previous releases, there are still several significant advancements from the last version of Windows 10. Providing an overview, here is a summary of the key changes and what you can expect: Cortana Microsoft is rebranding […]

COVID-19 Scam Alert

You’re not alone in working from home during this COVID-19 pandemic – scammers, hackers and phishers are beavering away, searching for vulnerabilities to exploit within your IT networks and processes. The stark reality is that many thousands may have lost their jobs amid the current health crisis, but for cybercriminals it’s just another huge, unexpected […]

COVID-19 Video conferencing security issues

The Coronavirus-inspired upsurge in employees Working from Home has generated a massive increase in the number of ‘team meetings’ conducted via one of the many proprietary Video Conferencing applications available – e.g. Zoom, Webex and MS Teams, among others. Video Conferencing has been around for long enough that many, if not most, users will already […]

COVID-19 increases remote access risks

Working from Home (WFH), also referred to as ‘remote working’, has proved to be an essential tool in the global struggle to contain the spread of COVID-19. However, the sharp rise in remote working has brought with it a surge in network vulnerabilities as connections are made across unprotected links. For WFH to succeed, several […]

Office 365 is becoming Microsoft 365

New name, same great value, same price. Don’t worry—you don’t need to do a thing. Your product services, apps, and features will stay the same, along with the price. Your subscription name will update automatically in the admin centre and your monthly billing statements on or after April 21, 2020. Office 365 Business Essentials is […]

Ransomware takes its TOLL

You may have read reports, such as this in the Australian Financial Review, on the recent ransomware attack on Australian transportation and logistics giant, Toll Group. This really brings home to the Australian business community a topic we at The IT Agency have written and warned about many times, most recently in our blog post […]

Microsoft Dynamics 365 CRM Hub

Opportunity Many business have multiple team members and keeping track of all your accounts and contacts can be a daunting tasks. Dynamics 365 allows you to centralise all your spreadsheets into one database that all users can access. Furthermore, the out of the box integration with Office 365, Teams and other Microsoft technologies allow for […]

Microsoft Dynamics 365 Customer Service Hub

Opportunity Case or Incident Management is vital for any service industry business especially those that have to legal capture and report on incidents and issues raised by customers, supplier or other relate entities. The capture and analysis of this incident knowledge is critical in being able to effectively service your clients. The IT Agency through […]

Microsoft Dynamics 365 Sales Hub

Opportunity The IT Agency can provide a tailored account and sales automation and pipeline mgmt system for clients who have outgrown Outlook and Excel spreadsheets. This includes a scope workshop to determine a solution aligned to the business requirements and a rapid implementation to get the client up and running. The client can identify some […]

Microsoft Common Data Services and Power Apps

The Microsoft Common Data Service lets you securely store and manage data that’s used by business applications. Common Data Service includes a base set of standard entities that cover typical scenarios, but you can also create custom entities specific to your organisation and populate them with data using Power Query. App makers can then use […]