Valparaiso Magazine - Winter 2021

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tech for success | REWORKING THE WORKPLACE >> Working from home is, for the most part, not bad, said Joe Grossbauer, security analyst for GGNet Technologies. GGNet Technologies’ mission is for people to get more done with less time, effort, and frustration by setting up computers and software the way each person needs them to work. They are located in Valparaiso. (219-926-6800 | www.ggnet.net) With cloud computing, which stores the data on a remote server, it’s possible to work from anywhere there is an internet connection. Your connection to the office doesn’t require a desk; it could be just about anywhere. “It’s from the beach. It’s from the park. It’s from your back deck,” Massa said. “It is moving forward at breakneck speeds now.” But employee productivity isn’t just a matter of sitting down and opening the lid of a laptop. One of the considerations for people who work from home is to have a comfortable home office setup. That includes ergonomic chairs. “Workers need a chair they can sit in for more than half an hour without their back hurting,” Massa said. “We’ve never sold as many chairs as we have this year,” Greg Fox, president of Pulse Technology added. Some companies offered employees a choice of chairs with the understanding that the chairs would be brought to the office when workers returned to the workplace. Pulse Technology is an office solutions business with headquarters in Schaumburg and a local office at 312 Roberts Rd. in Chesterton. (800-837-1400 | www.pulsetechnology.com) The advantage for the employee was a caring employer who even thought about details like comfortable seating. The advantage for the employer was more productive employees and new office furniture when they returned to the office. Bucher took his two monitors with him. “Having dual monitors improves productivity 20 to 30 percent,” he said. A real keyboard is better than the one built into the laptop. With the touchpad sensitive to a dragging thumb, “all at once you’re typing in the wrong paragraph,” he said. Pulse Technology sells other office equipment for the home, including printers. “That area of business has gone through the roof,” Fox interjected. Security experts are concerned that nothing bad goes through the firewall. “It’s really important to control your own data,” Massa said. In the office, workers typically don’t think about having a firewall to secure data. When they work remotely, however, security should be a concern. “Firewalls are a real thing. It’s a wall to protect us,” Bucher said. “Most of us don’t have a firewall at home. Their router can work like a firewall, but it’s very rudimentary,” he said. “Rule No. 1 is without having that firewall, you can walk right into that person’s PC.” Bucher’s firm has encountered ransomware that tried the 10 most popular passwords. Choose passwords carefully rather than using one that is easily guessed. Encryption is an important concern, too. Grossbauer had a client hit firewall limits in the fall because of the increased number of VPN (virtual private network) connection. A VPN uses encryption to protect data being sent and received. That enhances security but can slow traffic. It creates double traffic because the data has to be encrypted, decrypted and validated each time. Failed packets of data get resent. “My personal internet at home is getting a little more shaky during the day,” Grossbauer noticed, with more people working at home. “Be very careful when handling sensitive data,” including credit cards, medical records and clients’ sensitive or confidential records, Grossbauer said. Networks in the workplace typically protect data well. “You need to take extra caution when working remotely,” he said. That could include a business-grade file storage service like Dropbox with point-topoint encryption.“If you’re handling normal types of stuff, it’s not a big deal,” he added. Make sure laptops are secure to prevent concerns about data being lost. “Don’t store data on a laptop or other mobile device,” Grossbauer warned. NW INDIANA’S PREMIER IT COMPANY • 25 YEARS IN BUSINESS The techs are amazing — always so friendly and professional. We can always count on their fast and reliable service! MANAGED IT SERVICES CLOUD & CYBERSECURITY TECHNOLOGY CONSULTING REMOTE WORKFORCE SOLUTIONS 19-year Valpo Chamber Member 219-462-7200 | info@golden-tech | golden-tech.com 6 VALPARAISO MAGAZINE | WINTER 2021
— Joe Grossbauer Bucher has seen an explosion in the usage of two-factor authentication. That can mean checking a code on your phone when you log in so the computer can verify you’re really the person trying to access it. “It’s a quantum leap in protection,” he said. Computer security is a bit like encountering a bear in the wild. “To survive, you have to be faster than your friend to get away,” he said. The idea is to deter a hacker so the criminal will seek another victim elsewhere. He also likened it to getting rid of moles. The key to doing so is getting rid of grubs, their food source. If everyone Preventive Care | Dentistry | Surgical Care in Northwest Indiana Dog Training got smarter | Boarding about | Wildlife Rehab | And More computer security, hackers would move on to a M•A•H different area. >> JOE GROSSBAUER security analyst, GGNET Technologies CELEBRATING 75 YEARS of Caring & Community PET HEALTH CARE FOR CATS, DOGS & EXOTICS Compassionate care that pets & people have looked up to for over 75 years 219-462-5901 651 Eastport Centre Dr.,Valparaiso www.mcafeeah.com M•A•H Pet Care for Cats, Dogs & Exotics Preventive Care | Dentistry Surgical Care | Boarding & More 219-462-5901 651 Eastport Centre Dr. | Valparaiso www.mcafeeah.com ValpoChamber.org 7
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Page 3 and 4: Tech for success STORIES... CONTENT
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Valparaiso Magazine - Winter 2021

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