Let's count!

Did you know that the saying “we can only effectively manage what we can count” applies to software as well? We are used to counting office chairs and computers, factory machines and tools, cars and real estate. What about software? After all, it also costs a lot of money and claims to be an asset.

It's one thing when you are the happy owner of 5-10 licenses, but if there are 500-700 of them? Or, say, 1500-2000 and some of them are located in the branches, some are morally outdated and cannot be used in modern conditions, and some were bought by the predecessor, who, leaving his current place of work, forgot to transfer all the necessary information to the successor?

Let's say you were able to independently calculate the software available on the balance sheet in your organization. Then there is the question of effective management of software resources ... License management includes a number of important tasks, ranging from product downloads to software inventory and renewal of license agreements.

Many people are familiar with such a concept as SAM (Software Asset Management) - an international industry standard, ISO / IEC 19770-1, which is supported by Microsoft and many other developers. Implementing and applying SAM will protect your IT investment and help you understand what software assets your organization has, where and how effectively they are used.

To implement this methodology, you can invite companies that have passed the appropriate training and certification, or you can try to figure it out using your own strength and our course on licensing Microsoft software products , where we will tell you how: aws solution architect salary

buy software without overpaying;

use software products without fear of being caught in copyright infringement;

keep records of software and plan purchases.

How to license Windows 10 now

The Windows 7 operating system is so good that all the media are reporting the end of its technical support. And how to license a new operating system, they tell only in the Training Center "Network Technologies" on the author's course NT-LicWindows "Licensing Windows OS in an organization, legal aspects of using software."

The new curriculum provides knowledge of the fundamentals, as well as the methods and procedures for licensing Microsoft operating systems for individual and corporate users. Companies and organizations will learn how to quickly acquire the necessary licenses and meet IT budgets, and individuals - how to work in Windows without violating copyrights salary range for an architect.

Familiar and reliable Windows 7 has been running on computers all over the world for over 10 years. For those wishing to continue using this operating system, the course will provide information on licensing options.

The modern legal aspects of using software will be of interest to anyone who works with Microsoft applications.

Keep calm and keep learning

Dear listeners of the Network Technologies Training Center .

We would like to inform you that our training center continues its work in normal mode. All confirmed courses will be delivered according to the planned training schedule.

Also recall that 90% of all the courses you can listen to in a remote format.

Remote training in the training center " Network Technologies " is: how much is clients on demand

Courses in real time.

Live communication with the teacher and the group .

Connection from anywhere in the world.

Saving travel time .

GDPR course for Ukrainian business

A successful business in the European Union is based on knowledge of the specifics of local markets and tax legislation. It is also necessary to ensure the protection of personal and payment information of European customers, as required by the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

The two-day curriculum for the NT-GDPR course "Personal data protection and processing under the GDPR" , created by the "Network Technologies" Training Center, will provide a comprehensive knowledge of the basics of legal regulation of this activity, help to organize interaction with European clients, taking into account the requirements of GDPR, and also teach risk management information security it architect jobs.

The GDPR course will be of immense benefit to both large companies operating in the European market and small online stores with EU citizens as their clients. Compliance with the GDPR will preserve the right to work in Europe, as well as avoid legal sanctions, the financial component of which is calculated in euros.

Ukraine is gradually implementing European legislation, also in matters of personal data protection. An in-depth acquaintance with the GDPR will help to develop and apply similar approaches for organizing the protection of personal data of Ukrainian consumers.

European standards for information security in Ukraine

The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine adopted the law “On Amendments to the Law“ On Information Protection in Information and Telecommunication Systems ”regarding confirmation of the compliance of the information system with information protection requirements.

The law on the territory of Ukraine adopted the requirements of the ISMS family standards for certain categories of information, the protection of which is ensured by the legislation of Ukraine. Also, the law has been amended to the basic requirements for the protection of information, as well as the criteria for establishing compliance with these requirements google cloud certification. 

Corresponding amendments were made to the Law of Ukraine "On the protection of information in information and telecommunication systems" and for the most part affected the ways of confirming the compliance of the information system with the requirements for information protection by establishing appropriate criteria.

The explanatory note to the above document indicates that the main purpose of the adoption of this law is to integrate European requirements and criteria for assessing information protection against cyber threats with the Ukrainian legislative data protection system. Standards that regulate data protection issues, cybersecurity - information security management systems, ISMS (Information Security Management System, ISMS).

The law touched upon the main topics of protection and exchange of information, such as cryptographic protection of information. The law established the main points and requirements for the placement, storage of basic information resources, their protection and other regulatory requirements, both general and industry-specific.

The adoption of this law is undoubtedly a step forward for information security in Ukraine. The implementation of international standards, European ISMS will provide uniform cybersecurity requirements for companies of all sizes, thanks to a single independent standards base. Also, this, unambiguously, will facilitate the procedure for confirming the compliance of systems with information security requirements, as well as public procurement in government agencies and organizations where information protection is ensured by law.

The training center "Network Technologies" invites you to attend the NT-Security IT course Building an information security management system (ISMS) . The course is built on Ukrainian and international requirements for information security, reveals the main standards of the legal framework and is constantly updated with the release of new requirements and the adoption of updated standards.

Cloud architect education and training

How to become a cloud architect

There are plenty of paths to becoming a cloud architect — if you’re still early in your career, you might want to consider a formal degree program. But for those with experience in IT, Gartner suggests IT pros with the following skills and experience will find the transition easiest:

Enterprise architects: Hilgendorf notes that the role of a cloud architect is “a new form of an enterprise architect,” and that it’s an easy transition from enterprise to cloud architect. However, the report cautions it’s best suited to those with “real hands-on program leadership.”

I&O (virtualization): Those with virtualization or infrastructure architecture experience are often a good fit for the cloud architect role, since “many cloud programs begin with simple IaaS projects, and virtualization architects are best-positioned to understand the technical nuances of a ‘virtualizationlike’ environment,” says Hilgendorf.

Integration architecture (network, identity, services and data): Some of the biggest issues with cloud adoption arise with integration across the company. Integration architects are adept at working with complex systems, and they’re typically skilled at working across departments.

Business liaisons: Employees who are known for rocking the boat or pushing the envelope with technology can serve as valuable liaisons to encourage company buy-in to new cloud technologies.

You might even find there’s an “extremely technically savvy individual in a business unit,” who has the right skills and background to bring value to enterprise cloud adoption, says Hilgendorf. If your organization finds it difficult to land the right skills outside your company, there might be someone well suited to the role in another business unit who can transition to cloud architect with a small investment in training and education.

Cloud architect education and training

If you’re just starting out in your career and you have your sights set on becoming a cloud architect, you can attend a master’s program specializing in the field. There are also a variety of certification and professional development programs you can choose from. If you already have an IT background or the right skillset for a cloud architect, you can look into one of these professional certifications to boost your resume:

AWS Certified Solutions Architect: Amazon Web Services (AWS) is one of the most-used cloud services in the industry. This certification establishes your skills when it comes to managing AWS applications and infrastructure.

Google Certified Professional Cloud Architect: Google’s cloud architect certification asses your ability to design, plan, manage and provision cloud solution architecture and infrastructure. It also covers security and compliance, analysis and optimization of cloud architecture.

IBM Cloud Computing Solution Architect: This certification demonstrates your ability to “design, plan, architecture and management principles of an IBM cloud computing infrastructure.”

Once again on obese security: concise and clear

The security and safety of customer data is one of the key components of Tucha's business. In order to ensure maximum protection of information, we use both hardware and software.

Ensuring the protection and safety of client information: edge programmer tech support

the use of cluster solutions (data is stored not on one server, but in clusters);

daily data backup (if necessary, the client company can adjust the frequency and volume of backup);

use of server solutions from HP (no less than ProLiant DL180 G6) and Dell (no less than PowerEdge R510); data storages consist of Hitachi SAS disks (Ultrastar 15K600 or higher), combined into RAID10 arrays;

isolation of client companies' data from each other (each of them receives separate dedicated virtual machines and virtual networks);

monitoring of network activity.

Additional features:

use of VPN connections using encryption protocols (Tucha supports IPSEC, PPTP, L2TP);

two-level user authentication in Tucha (in addition tokens and smart cards can be used for the authorization process);

the ability to effectively and at a lower cost organize control over the movement of information within the organization (access policies, logging of data downloads, restrictions on the use of USB ports, etc.), as a result of which the risk of moving commercial information out of the office is minimized.

For most small and medium-sized companies, providing such a high level of security in a classic IT infrastructure is absolutely impossible due to the lack of the necessary tools and IT specialists of the appropriate level. And we offer all this in a standard set of services.

Three Convenient Ways to Connect to Your Desktop in Tucha Cloud

Today we will focus on ways to connect to cloud services (for example, TuchaOffice or TuchaFlex ), which the system administrator of the client company can choose to organize end-user access to Tucha. After all, it is important that users are not only safe, but also convenient. The administrator's choice is as follows: what does an it analyst do

Connection via RDP.

Using RemoteApp.

Web access.

Typically, companies migrating to Tucha use different combinations of these methods depending on the needs of a particular department or employee. It may well be that for the accounting department it will be most convenient to have web access to the database, but for the sales department it will be connected via RDP. It should be clarified that all three connection methods can provide a high level of security.

RDP connection

rdp (1)The technology from Microsoft, which appeared back in 1998 and is constantly evolving, is one of the most versatile, convenient and frequently used options for connecting to a virtual IT infrastructure. The bottom line is that a user, using an RDP client, gets access to a workplace that is deployed in our cloud in a German data center. In this case, the user sees only the final result, and all computing operations are performed on servers in distant Germany.

The desktop to which the client connects is neither visually nor functionally different from the desktop on an iron PC. Similarly, you can install familiar programs and work with them.

The advantage of this option: for example, an accountant has the ability to work not only with 1C, but also with Microsoft Office, client-bank and other software. The user can use any software without restrictions, if those are not installed by the administrator, of course.

Internet speed requirement: at least 256 Kbps. Also, the RDP protocol allows you to customize the graphics settings, which makes the user experience comfortable with a low Internet connection speed.

Access devices: any device, including diskless stations, old PCs, thin clients.

Today there are RDP clients for all stationary and mobile platforms and even browsers. For example, 2x provides clients for iOS , Android , Ubuntu , Facebook app , Chrome plugin, and many other options. Microsoft , Yongtao Wang , Ericom, and others have similar tools . In general, see our matrix of RDP clients and choose the one you need.

RemoteApp

appStrictly speaking, it is a variation of the first option. The RDP client is used, the computing power is in distant Germany, but not the entire desktop is displayed on the client device, but only one application, which is defined by the system administrator. The most powerful solution in this area is the paid 2X RAS (Remote Application Server) application from the 2x company mentioned above.

This option will be useful, for example, in such cases.

When you need to restrict access to one application.

When a user needs to combine work on a local PC with the use of an application that is taken out to the cloud.

When the application needs to be available in specific conditions and at low Internet speeds.

This connection option can also be used on almost any device, and it is even less demanding in terms of Internet speed.

Remote Desktop Web Access

web (1)Access to applications and desktops from a familiar browser, which is now installed on the vast majority of devices. The user simply enters the required address into the browser, then enters the access details and works productively. Often this connection method is used when accounting is taken out to the cloud. Here again, the leader is 2X , and instructions for using web access can be found on our blog .

Overclocking: How to use the power of the clouds 100%

Practice shows that not all customers are aware of the real capabilities of cloud servers and do not always use their resource 100%. Therefore, we have described several cases using 

TuchaFlex + as an example of how to "squeeze" the maximum benefit out of the cloud. Let's start with one accountant and gradually work our way up to a network with an office and branches.

I am an accountant

One of the most common mistakes is that an accountant transfers some data and applications to the cloud, and stores the rest on a local computer. This partly makes working with the server 

meaningless. And the law of meanness states that data from a local machine will be needed exactly when the computer is not around. What to do?

Example. The accountant places 1C in the cloud , client-bank, Word and Excel documents, mail, works from the cloud in MEDoc, sends reports. He gets access to all work data from anywhere in 

the world and becomes truly mobile. By the way, he also does not worry about the physical safety of data, because the data center is located in Germany under the round-the-clock supervision of specialists.

By the way, if an accountant runs more than one company - it's also not a problem, you can put several databases in the cloud at once, and they will not interfere with each other's work.

The next situation is that besides the accountant, the company has several managers. How do you organize their collaboration in the cloud? Just give your employees a point of access to the 

cloud - everything will do: right down to the home PC or tablet. In this case, access rights to various data can be configured individually 

What does an it analyst do.

Example. The company stores everything that is used in the work in the cloud: Word and Excel documents, 1C, mail, CRM. In general, everything that was previously stored on the local 

machine. By the way, peripheral devices (printer, scanner, cash register, etc.) are also launched from the cloud - this is not a problem. One day the manager decides to expand the staff, calls his 

cloud provider and after a few minutes changes the configuration of the cloud so that the connection of new users does not interfere with the quality of work.

Accountant + office + branches (6-10 people)

Now imagine that, in addition to the accountant and managers, the company has a branch, store, other division, etc. In this case, the cloud is simply irreplaceable.

Example 1. The first store of the enterprise is located in the capital, the second - in a large industrial center. The director moves the entire IT infrastructure to the cloud and connects both stores 

to the base. The bottom line is that the accountant no longer needs to consolidate data from different cities into one whole, and branch employees can work according to the same standards 

with the main enterprise, because everyone uses common databases (within the framework of the allocated access rights, of course).

Example 2. The managers of the company travel around the country and conclude contracts. The director and accountant need to constantly monitor the process. To carry their workplace 

behind them, employees connect their laptops or tablets to the workspace and leave "to the fields", and the manager monitors all transactions online.

General recommendations

1. Set up the cloud. Each business has its own specifics, therefore, the cloud must be configured individually. If you need help from specialists, please contact us, we are always happy to help.

2. Cloud - for work. Of course, you can upload a movie, an album of your favorite artist or an archive of photos with cats to the server, but is it worth it? Leave entertainment for your local 

machine and use the cloud for work.

3. Fewer tabs. Do not open a million tabs in the cloud and keep them open all the time - it overloads the processor.

4. Change passwords. Change them at least occasionally and do not store them written on a sticker next to the keyboard. A folder on your computer desktop is also not a good place.

5. Internet connection from 10 Mbps. Remember that you need the internet to access the cloud. Its speed and stable performance are not the last factors.

TuchaFlex + VPS builder test plan. VPS mail server

We continue a series of publications about competent testing of Tucha.ua services. In previous issues, we have already told how to properly test the TuchaBackup backup storage, TuchaHosting website and mail hosting, and the TuchaFlex + VPS constructor for transferring to the 1C cloud. Today we will continue to develop the topic of fast virtual servers and consider how to organize a mailer on a VPS.

Why is mail in the cloud beneficial?

Often, companies out of ignorance or for reasons of economy choose not the most successful methods of placing corporate mail. These include storage on physical equipment within an enterprise or using free services like Google or Yahoo.

In the first case, you have to sacrifice the security and safety of data and tightly tie mail to the local Internet channel and power grid, in the second - to use the mailer "on bird's rights" without flexibility, guarantees of privacy, and even more so complete control. The case when insignificant savings can lead to the most dire consequences for the business.

But all these risks can be easily avoided if the issue is properly approached. We recommend moving your mail to a separate virtual server in the cloud it support analyst.

What are the advantages of this transfer?

1. Guaranteed resources and technical support.

2. Safe storage of corporate mail on a remote server.

3. Full administrator access to managing mailboxes.

4. High speed of work and stable access to the mail server without being tied to the local Internet and power grid.

How to set up a mail server?

Most of our users use the ISPmanager web server control panel to work with mail, so we will consider the complete procedure using its example.

1. Start ISPmanager and open the Mail> Mail Domains section . Click Create .

2. Fill in the required fields. Note the Default Action . Here, choose what to do to the domain when letters arrive at a non-existent mailbox. Save your changes.

3. Open Mail> Mailboxes and click Create .

4. Fill in the required fields and save your changes. If in the future you need to disable the mailbox, select it and click Off. (blue light).

5. Go to Mailbox Settings .

6. Add the created mailbox to your mail client.

7. Return to Mail Domains and click Change .

8. Activate the protective functions: protection against incoming spam (Greylisting and SpamAssassin), virus checking, DKIM and DMARC verification, SSL certificate (you can use the same one as on the website). Save your changes.

9. If necessary, Greylisting and SpamAssassin can be activated for individual mailboxes. To do this, open Mailboxes and click Change . Then check the corresponding checkboxes and save the changes.

5 reasons to go to the cloud

Cloud technologies today are no longer some "unprecedented beast", they are technologies that are changing reality here and now. Hundreds of thousands of companies around the world have chosen the cloud as a simple, secure and reliable tool for their business. And in our reality, given the general economic climate and the actions of the authorities, storing data abroad is not an exotic whim of individual companies, but a necessity. Otherwise, you can lose everything. The following are the main arguments for moving data to the cloud.

The cloud is safe

Storing data on remote servers is much more reliable than locally, the main thing is to choose the right provider. A well-chosen provider means regular monitoring of equipment with replacement of worn-out elements, continuous data replication, creation of backups and snapshots. Cloud infrastructure is the ability to quickly and without loss restore all information even in the event of force majeure, which in the case of local storage is much more difficult, and sometimes simply impossible. And the physical location of the data in another country is an additional protection against third-party intervention (for example, unfair competitors or authorities that exceed their authority).

The cloud is available

Those who have dealt with the issue superficially believe that cloud technology is too expensive. Indeed, how can a safe, reliable and functional solution be available? It turns out that it can. And this is achieved due to the scalability of the technology - you pay as much as it takes for your work, no overpayment for extra megabytes and megahertz. The cost formation for the user is transparent - without hidden fees, surcharges and overpayments. There is no need to even buy special cloud software - you can use what you have already purchased, rent it or use free solutions.

The cloud is fast and easy

What is an it tech

There is still a belief among the uninitiated that cloud adoption is a huge investment of time and effort that could be diverted to other goals, and downtime that will negatively impact a company's business processes. In reality, the transition to the cloud takes from several hours to a couple of days (depending on the amount of data transferred). If you are confident in your abilities, you can carry out the work on the transfer yourself, and if not, entrust it to our specialists using the extended support service. Qualified assistance in building cloud infrastructure, transferring data, configuring software - and all this for little money available to every client.

Moving to the cloud is possible without retraining staff

Often, company staff - from administrators to ordinary employees - express concerns about the transition to the cloud, as they believe it will require training from scratch. But in reality, nothing will change for workers, except for the physical placement of programs and data - the same software, the same environment. For the sysadmin, everything becomes even easier, since most of the work in the cloud can be done remotely and centrally.

In the cloud, your data is yours alone

It is believed that the provider may block your data to prevent you from switching to another operator. In practice, this is possible only with one-day providers, for whom the company's image is an empty phrase. For everyone else, reputation is above all, and all relationships with a client are formalized in the form of an agreement, where it is clearly stated who has access to information and on what conditions.

How to create a password that's easy to remember

The password should not only be strong, but also well remembered. So how do you make such an exact combination? We suggest creating a password based on the song name, phrase or association with them. For example, your favorite song is The Beatles - Let It Be (1970). Then the password might look like TB-19lib70.

pass_02-100

What passwords cannot be used

For company user accounts, you cannot use: entry level tech support jobs

the same password as for other information systems (for example, home internet service provider, free email, forums, etc.);

the same password for different corporate systems;

the same passwords in both Unix and Windows operating systems.

Things to avoid when dealing with passwords

Share your password with others, including administrative personnel.

Communicate the principles of creating a password (for example, based on the last name).

Submit your password in electronic surveys, unfamiliar login forms, or elsewhere.

Share the password with colleagues during your absence, vacation or business trip.

Additional measures to protect your data

Make sure your computer has a password protected screensaver that will turn on after 10 minutes of inactivity. However, the login should not be performed automatically.

Also, lock your computer every time you leave your desk. There are several ways to lock your PC. For Windows operating systems, the following sequence applies: press the Windows + L or Ctrl-Alt-Delete keys and select the corresponding value from the available list of operations. If you need to block a PC with an OS of the Linux family, use the Ctrl + Alt + L key combination .

And a few more rules that we recommend to apply when working with Tucha cloud infrastructure:

Ensure that incorrect password attempts are enabled for all accounts. Remember that the user account is locked at 1:00 after 5 incorrect password attempts within 5 minutes. Only system administrators can unlock accounts that are members of the Administrators group. And this is done after confirming that the wrong password was actually typed by the user. Otherwise, the problem is passed on to the company's information security team.

Remember to update your password regularly. Change it at least once every 180 days, and for accounts included in the Administrators group - once every 90 days.

If you suspect someone might have learned your password, change it immediately and notify the company's information security team by phone or email . If someone asks you to provide a password, you should also immediately contact our technical support service.

Also, immediately contact the technical support  service of the company in case you have lost your password, media or device on which it was saved. If someone finds out your password, you can change it yourself.

Where and how to store passwords correctly

Let's take a look at the simple principles of storing passwords that will protect your data from falling into the hands of intruders.

How to avoid storing passwords:

does not write down passwords in paper form;

do not leave information about passwords in any files or media, access to which not only you have,

do not store passwords that were set by default administrators for you;

do not store passwords in software that is not intended for this (in browsers, utilities for connecting to other services, etc.).

For the most secure storage of passwords, we recommend using password managers such as KeePass, EnPass, CommonKey, Dashline, etc. We also prepared for you a visual instruction on how to properly configure and use the KeePass tool.

Summary

So, protecting your data online is not that difficult. It is only important to create a strong password, store it correctly and follow simple measures to protect data from access by others. Now you know how to do it. And if you have any questions or you suspect that someone might have found out your password, please contact us at any time. We are in touch 24/7 and will always provide prompt assistance!

Business value of partnership. Recommendations of Tucha partners

Partnerships are an important part of our business development. At the same time, partners for us are, first of all, like-minded people, with whom it is much easier to make customers happy. Not so long ago, we wrote about the principles on which our company builds partnerships and why cooperation with Tucha is much more than just financial benefits. Now we decided to talk with partners to find out from them the answers to such important questions: 

What is a partnership for you? What is the place of partnership in business development? Who are your partners?

What do you pay attention to when choosing partners and what do you think is the most important thing in a partnership? What principles of cooperation with partners are you guided by?

What do you yourself never allow in a partnership and what do you consider unacceptable in relations with partners?

Tell us how you became a Tucha partner. What do you value in cooperation with us the most? 

The slogan of our affiliate program is “Recommend with confidence”. How confident are you in recommending Tucha to your clients? Does cooperation with us increase the loyalty of your customers, does it make them happier?

Zhigalkin

Sergey Zhigalkin, managing partner of Cursor

About the importance of partnership.

Partnership is always about reliability. For us, partners are those companies and people from related fields in which we are 100% confident and who are always ready to recommend as reliable service providers. 

Our partners are, of course, Tucha, also the Bitrix24 dealer company, the Ukrnames domain name registrar, the Unisender e-mail newsletter service and the Publica SMM agency.

On the principles of choice.

As mentioned earlier, this is, first of all, reliability. We also consider experience in the service market and the ability to satisfy the needs of the most demanding customers to be important qualities.

About inadmissible in partnership.

If we transfer a valuable client who requires a special approach, we always explain the specifics of such cooperation. And we also expect that the partner will listen to us and will not allow a situation when the service level is below the proper level.

About partnership with Tucha. 

We worked on one of the projects that is hosted on Tucha servers. Before that, we also repeatedly encountered sites hosted in Tucha's clouds, but this was the first interaction experience when working on a large project using the company's services and technical support. We were pleasantly surprised and satisfied as much as possible with the result of this cooperation. After that, little by little communication began with the partner department, which turned into a reliable partnership techsupport resume.

About Tucha's recommendation to his clients.

For both cloud hosting and other tasks, we 100% recommend Tucha to our clients. As a hosting provider, you are # 1 on our list.

As for whether cooperation with Tucha increases the loyalty of our customers, we think that it is.

 

A useful tool - snapshots: how they are created and what they can do

Data security and safety is an important issue for any business. Unlike physical servers, clouds have much broader capabilities. For example, you can completely restore a virtual machine disk from the past. This is available thanks to the useful tool snapshots. Earlier we already wrote what it is and why they are called a time machine. Now let's tell in more detail under what conditions snapshots are created and how storage of two snapshots of each disk of the client virtual machine is achieved.

What are snapshots and why are they needed

Snapshots are complete snapshots of customer virtual machine disks that we create on a regular basis. For all users of TuchaFlex + and TuchaBit services, we take snapshots and store the last two of them for each client disk. The cost of creating and storing snapshots is already included in the cost of renting servers.  

What are snapshots for? A snapshot can be used to restore a machine disk to the state it was in when the snapshot was taken. Also, the snapshot can be uploaded for further use as an image of a new virtual machine, or added as an additional disk to any server within our cloud infrastructure.

How snapshots are created tech support engineer job description

Let's recall how snapshots are created. The virtual machine is stopped during the snapshot creation. The pause can last from a few seconds to several minutes - it all depends on the size of the disk and the size of the data that has changed since the last snapshot. At this time, the snapshot has the status Creating . When the snapshot is taken, it gets the BackingUp statusand the virtual machine resumes its work. Then the snapshot is copied from the main storage to the backup. This process takes from several minutes to several hours, the exact time depends on the volume of the disc. This does not affect the operation of the virtual machine. After that, the snapshot is deleted from the main storage, and the virtual machine is briefly stopped at this time. When the snapshot is deleted from the main storage, the virtual machine will continue to work, and the snapshot saved in the backup storage will receive the BackedUp status . 

In what order are the images taken? In the queue, those disks for which the last saved snapshot was created before the others have higher priority. There is an intelligent algorithm that determines their queue, taking into account the "age" of the last images and the load on the infrastructure.

Is it possible to change the time of taking pictures

For a specific virtual machine, you can shift the snapshot time or make the interval narrower. However, it is worth considering this: if you narrow the time period too much, then the likelihood that the picture will be taken during this period is significantly reduced. This is because another likelihood increases: at the specified time interval, the storage will already create a snapshot of another disk. Therefore, if the user still wants to narrow the time interval for taking pictures, we recommend setting the gap width at least 3-4 hours. 

A virtual machine can also give up its turn in another case: if at the moment when the snapshot queue comes up to it, it performs operations with a disk with an intensity of more than 1024 KB / s. It is for this reason that pictures are not always taken strictly every night.

You can of course ignore the shared queue and virtual machine activity metrics. That is, to create pictures strictly at certain hours and days (for example, once a day at 4:20). However, there are certain risks involved. For example, there is a risk of data corruption inside the server itself, since the operating system, when creating a snapshot, may start recording any data that will not be added due to a pause in the virtual machine, which is necessary to take a snapshot. As a result, the file system can theoretically lose its consistency (integrity), which will lead to damage or loss of some data.

If the customer finds it convenient to take a different snapshot time, you can change the schedule. To do this, you just need to contact our technical support service , and we will organize everything.

Tags on pictures

Noremove

Any snapshot can be noremove tagged with a value of 1 . This means that it will not be automatically deleted, changed or overwritten (although it can be deleted manually). This label should be placed on the snapshot itself, not on the virtual machine or disk. Note that when both snapshots are marked with noremove , new snapshots will be created, but not saved. This means that actual pictures will not appear.

Nosnapshot

Also, a virtual machine or its disk can be marked with a nosnapshot label with a value of 1 . In this case, automatic snapshots for them will not be created until the mark is removed.

An important point to note that concerns both noremove and nosnapshot tags. The Value field should contain the exact time of the labels.

Data security in the clouds

For a modern company that wants to remain competitive, information has become the main value - work data, customer base, business contacts, developments, accounting information, etc. Losing or, even worse, leaking data to competitors or free access today is often tantamount to bankruptcy. Therefore, close attention is paid to information security issues in any serious business. The traditional approach - local or dedicated servers - no longer satisfies most companies, because the risks are too great: equipment failure, theft or seizure can seriously harm.

Given the situation, management and administrators are looking towards cloud solutions that are designed to protect against most negative scenarios. In addition, cloud infrastructure is also cheaper than maintaining a fleet of equipment, and the desire to save money becomes another factor when choosing a remote service. On the other hand, the lack of cloud knowledge scares potential customers. So should you be afraid of storing data in the cloud?

Some cloud use cases

Those companies that are little familiar with modern cloud solutions often perceive such services rather narrowly - as a regular file storage, only remote. However, this is only one of the many options for using the cloud, because today solutions based on virtualization technologies allow:

automatically create and store backups (data backups). You no longer need to worry that a backup that is not made in time will lead to the loss of important data - the remote server is responsible for this according to the established schedule. It is just as easy to restore data from the backup storage, literally in a few clicks;

keep accounting in 1C: Accounting or other familiar environment - both the software and all the necessary environment can be deployed on a cloud server and provide access to trusted employees. All working data, databases are also conveniently and safely stored in the cloud;

launch and maintain the work of CMS 1C-Bitrix and corporate sites that run under its control, as well as any other CMS on which the company's sites are built. This solution allows you to provide sites with almost 100% uptime;

 

any other software packages your company works with - office applications, CRM systems, databases, IP telephony and much more. This allows you to completely transfer office work to the cloud and save on equipment. At the same time, there is no need to retrain employees - for them the working environment will remain familiar, but the necessary flexibility and mobility will be added.

Cloud technologies leave customers complete freedom - to install any operating systems, accompanying software, customize and configure the environment for themselves - there are practically no restrictions.

Why is the cloud secure?

For a business service provider, the security of customer information is a top priority. At Tucha, we make sure that every byte of data is reliably protected. And here are the main things we do for this: Technical support analyst job description

we place equipment in a Tier III data center located in Western Europe (Frankfurt, Germany). This level of protection means that all main engineering and network communications (electricity supply, ventilation, temperature control, access to the network) are duplicated, repair or replacement of one of the components does not require the equipment to be suspended. Even force majeure, such as, for example, a power outage, will not lead to a shutdown or loss of data;

we use network equipment and carrier-class servers from top vendors, no low-end hardware;

we regularly replace worn-out elements, we replicate data on parallel media;

for additional protection, we regularly create system snapshots and data backups (for some services this service is included in the default price, for others it is available upon request).

This combination of techniques allows you to guarantee uptime from 99% to 99.9%, depending on the service.

In a world where the cost of information is many times higher than the cost of the material base, security comes first. And we can really ensure the physical safety of your data and take care of your interests in any situation. Apply for competent advice, we are always in touch!

Data security in the clouds

For a modern company that wants to remain competitive, information has become the main value - work data, customer base, business contacts, developments, accounting information, etc. Losing or, even worse, leaking data to competitors or free access today is often tantamount to bankruptcy. Therefore, close attention is paid to information security issues in any serious business. The traditional approach - local or dedicated servers - no longer satisfies most companies, because the risks are too great: equipment failure, theft or seizure can seriously harm.

Given the situation, management and administrators are looking towards cloud solutions that are designed to protect against most negative scenarios. In addition, cloud infrastructure is also cheaper than maintaining a fleet of equipment, and the desire to save money becomes another factor when choosing a remote service. On the other hand, the lack of cloud knowledge scares potential customers. So should you be afraid of storing data in the cloud?

Some cloud use cases technical strengths

Those companies that are little familiar with modern cloud solutions often perceive such services rather narrowly - as a regular file storage, only remote. However, this is only one of the many options for using the cloud, because today solutions based on virtualization technologies allow:

automatically create and store backups (data backups). You no longer need to worry that a backup that is not made in time will lead to the loss of important data - the remote server is responsible for this according to the established schedule. It is just as easy to restore data from the backup storage, literally in a few clicks;

keep accounting in 1C: Accounting or other familiar environment - both the software and all the necessary environment can be deployed on a cloud server and provide access to trusted employees. All working data, databases are also conveniently and safely stored in the cloud;

launch and maintain the work of CMS 1C-Bitrix and corporate sites that run under its control, as well as any other CMS on which the company's sites are built. This solution allows you to provide sites with almost 100% uptime;

any other software packages your company works with - office applications, CRM systems, databases, IP telephony and much more. This allows you to completely transfer office work to the cloud and save on equipment. At the same time, there is no need to retrain employees - for them the working environment will remain familiar, but the necessary flexibility and mobility will be added.

Cloud technologies leave customers complete freedom - to install any operating systems, accompanying software, customize and configure the environment for themselves - there are practically no restrictions.

Why is the cloud secure?

For a business service provider, the security of customer information is a top priority. At Tucha, we make sure that every byte of data is reliably protected. And here are the main things we do for this:

we place equipment in a Tier III data center located in Western Europe (Frankfurt, Germany). This level of protection means that all main engineering and network communications (electricity supply, ventilation, temperature control, access to the network) are duplicated, repair or replacement of one of the components does not require the equipment to be suspended. Even force majeure, such as, for example, a power outage, will not lead to a shutdown or loss of data;

we use network equipment and carrier-class servers from top vendors, no low-end hardware;

we regularly replace worn-out elements, we replicate data on parallel media;

for additional protection, we regularly create system snapshots and data backups (for some services this service is included in the default price, for others it is available upon request)

This combination of techniques allows you to guarantee uptime from 99% to 99.9%, depending on the service.

In a world where the cost of information is many times higher than the cost of the material base, security comes first. And we can really ensure the physical safety of your data and take care of your interests in any situation. Apply for competent advice, we are always in touch!

Support that sells, not supports

 Sales in tech support or help desk are another facet of the forces of darkness in your support. We know that in the support services of many companies, including telecom operators, a support person is obliged to offer additional services and he has a sales plan that directly affects the amount of bonuses. And this is terrible, because takes time, gives the impression of being caught up and constantly striving to make money on the client. As a result, the assessment of the operator's work is reduced and loyalty drops significantly. Damn it, I'm nervous, my mobile Internet does not connect with a paid package, after 10 minutes my presentation at the conference, and to me “We have good news for you: you can connect a 5 GB Internet package for only 150 rubles. Would you like to connect right now? " Yes, e-my, solve my problem right now, and let the salespeople call a separate call. 

There is only one advice here: say “no” to sales in the help desk if you are concerned with operational assistance: communication, gadgets, support for B2B solutions (hosting, CMS, CRM, etc.). And try to weave sales organically if you are a non-responsive service. For example, when contacting a perfume store to clarify the availability of a product or opening hours, it is quite permissible to tell about a new product of the same brand or add: “We work from 10 to 22, come, you will have discounts of up to 70% and 2 for the price of 1 for the entire care”. 

IVR: friend or foe?

The next block of problems includes a powerful weapon that can become a highly efficient customer management machine, or it can kill all the intentions of your service. We are talking about IVR (and along with its descendants - chatbots). IVR is an excellent tool for reducing the workload on the help desk: you can "engage the client" before the operator answers and take him directly to the right specialist. Again, IVR should be a router, not a sales tool in the areas listed above. IVR saves time for both the client and the operator by identifying the problem and assessing the priority of the call.

By the way, the offer to call back if the client does not want to listen to the voice menu or communicate with the bot seems to be excellent. "If you do not have time to wait for the operator's answer, hang up and we will call you back within 5 minutes." 

Ignorance of the product

There is such an anecdote: "The store director says to the sellers: - Sorry, but it seems to me that the phrase" all sorts of crap "does not fully reflect our entire range." And it is quite suitable for describing the work of a support service, whose employees can hold dozens of cheat sheets in front of their eyes, but at the same time do not know the product or service of the company at all, let alone compare the product and customer expectations from it. Experience shows that there is no client more disappointed than someone who knows more about your company's product or service than a person who is trying to help at the other end of a chat, call, or mail. 

The advice is as simple as possible: any support person should be familiar with all the functions of a company's products or services, as well as the best combinations of products and services for each type of customer. Only in this way you will not just answer the client's question, but answer in his system of values, understanding how and why he uses this product. This is an ideal and hardly feasible option, since in this case experts should work in technical support, but striving for it can improve the level of service quality. And as they say, a satisfied client gradually turns into our agent and begins to attract new clients. Therefore, the competent work of technical support is a struggle for loyalty, which indirectly affects the increase in sales, even without selling anything it analyst jobs.

How it works

Here it is worth mentioning inattention, which can create the impression of ignorance of the product. Inattention is a special category of technical support errors. It can be caused by both a lack of knowledge and fatigue, because work in the support service is almost always an intense workload, sometimes with a not most physiologically acceptable schedule. Therefore, it is not uncommon for a support person to confuse the name, the product, and the question itself on the phone. The situation is aggravated by the fact that the employee notices an error, but still does not clarify the question or answer the wrong one. Of course, this will certainly lead to problems with the client, because he will remain dissatisfied with the work.