The Michigan IT Experts

There are tools besides the ones built into Windows 10, like the free and open-source 7-ZIP, which allow you to compress and decompress files; for the purposes of this blog, however, we want to focus on the built-in functionality of Windows 10.

First, let’s explain what compression and decompression actually does to the files; please note that we will use the terms “zip” and “unzip” files when referring to these processes moving forward. When you compress a file, it becomes a more compact format that can easily be transferred. This process helps to reduce the file size of the files. A ZIP folder is one which stores these compressed folders or files.

Windows 10 has made great strides in terms of transparency and accessibility of compression/decompression. Windows now allows you to view the contents of a zipped folder just by opening it like any other folder (it used to be the case that you would have to decompress it first). You can then use this information to determine whether or not you want to extract (or unzip) the contents of the folder to your PC. Any edits made to these files will not be permanent until you extract them.

Zipped files are easily identifiable by the zipper that runs up and down the icon, as well as the file type being .ZIP. To unzip a specific file, click and drag the file to the extraction location. Alternatively, if you would rather just unzip all contents of the folder, you can right-click the .ZIP file and click Extract All. If you are in the folder already, you can click the button from within the folder. You will have to choose an extraction location next. In the end, all extracted files will go to your desired location.

As for the extraction location, click on the Browse option and find the folder you want to extract your files to. Once you have the destination selected, click on the Extract button. Depending on how large the files are, it might take some time, but the process is simple enough and quick enough that it shouldn’t take too long before you see the unzipped folder in your desired location.

Did you find this trick helpful? Let us know in the comments below.

For IT management, you have two choices: hire someone in-house to manage your technology or outsource the responsibilities to a third party. How can you know which one is the best for you?

If you hire an in-house department of IT technicians to work on your technology, you can bet that it will be a lengthy and time-consuming process. You have to put together job descriptions, duties and responsibilities, preferred requirements, and so much more, including advertisement, putting together a search committee, collecting hiring documents like resumes and applications, and interviewing successful candidates. By the time you get to the onboarding process, you better hope that all the time you have invested in this process was worth it, because it’s time wasted if not.

For businesses that need help now and want to outsource their entire IT department, there are many resources available and benefits to doing so. Most IT maintenance and management can be done remotely without the need for an on-site visit, meaning that there are no limits in terms of physical or geographical barriers. If it suits your needs, you could work with someone on the other side of the country, and you should never have to settle for anything less than the best for your business.

The biggest difference between the two is that an in-house IT department is dependent on other peoples’ qualifications rather than what your business needs. This is unacceptable, as any resources you implement for your business should improve its operations, not hold it back from reaching its full potential. You should always search for the solution that best fits your company.

An IT audit is the perfect way to start your journey toward solution implementation. It gives you a bird’s eye view of your business’ technology so you can better see where your IT infrastructure is versus where it needs to be. We can provide you with an audit, then provide recommendations based on our findings, as well as implement them according to your specific needs.

The other option you have is to hire an in-house group of technicians, which is perfectly fine if that’s what you need, but we can also help in this situation! You hire your technicians to handle tough technology problems specific to your business, so why not let us tackle some of the everyday inconveniences, like help desk support and day-to-day maintenance? You might find that it is easier to focus on improving your business when you have someone handling these smaller tasks behind the scenes.

If your company wants to prioritize technology maintenance and management, reach out to NuTech Services at 810-230-9455.

What Does Zero-Trust Actually Mean?

According to the United Kingdom’s National Cyber Security Centre, the official definition of zero-trust is “the idea of removing inherent trust from the network. Just because a device is within the internal "trusted" side of a firewall or VPN, it should not be trusted by default.” 

Basically, this applies to just about all devices on your network, including the ones that are supposed to be there. No devices should be trusted by default.

How Effective is It, Really?

As you might have guessed, not all businesses can subject their networks to this great of scrutiny, so you will want to make sure that your company’s policy reflects its needs. The NCSC makes special note that this is more of a guidance rather than a hard rule, and it should be used in terms of network design rather than as a solution you implement to solve your problems. In fact, some businesses might not even be able to pull off a zero-trust policy.

Think of companies with large computing infrastructures. The sheer number of devices on the network and the costs of implementing such a policy could be staggering, and the policy itself could take years to fully flesh out and develop before it starts to show any true return on investment. Businesses might also have to acquire new hardware and train technicians, as well as frequently update this technology to maintain security standards. In particular, organizations with a BYOD policy will have a difficult time with zero-trust.

Even with these issues, however, there remain many reasons to consider zero-trust as a model for your business. Here are a few:

• Greater control over data means delegation to the appropriate users.
• Stronger authentication and authorization
• Better user experience (consider single sign-on as an example)
• Every action or device is subject to some form of policy, meaning every attempt at accessing data is verified.
• Detailed access logs

Start Securing Your Systems Today

You don’t necessarily have to implement a zero-trust policy to enhance your network security, but what you should do is call NuTech Services! Our technicians can give you the strongest fighting chance at stopping any and all threats out there. To learn more, reach out to us at 810-230-9455.