Message from General Computer Development 

Enjoy a well-deserved summer vacation while keeping an eye on your business

In a remote working world, the possibilities to find an effective work-life balance are numerous. Traveling is one way to break routine and relax. 

For business owners, taking time off work isn't always an option, staying connected for the important matters is inevitable. Luckily, there are many tools providing an opportunity for a good working-vacation. Microsoft Teams, Azure, SharePoint, OneDrive, Office 365, Amazon Web Services are some of the tools enabling remote work this summer. Good internet speed is also a key. 

These are some of the best US cities for remote work this summer. 

1. Virginia Beach: according to its website, the Guinness Book of World Records Virginia Beach has the "longest pleasure beach on the planet."

Internet speed: 194mbps. 

The minimum recommended speed for remote working, including video conferencing, emailing large files, transferring large files is 25mbps.

2. Santa Cruz, California: there are 14 state parks and beaches in Santa Cruz county, including Big Basin Redwoods State Park, the oldest state park in California. 

Internet speed: 93mbps

3. Honolulu, Hawaii: beautiful landscapes, amazing waterfalls, precious beaches. Do we need to say more? 

Internet speed: 101mbps

4. Santa Fe, New Mexico: a destination for lovers of the arts. According to many travel blogs, the city was the first in the US to become a UNESCO Creative City, a network that includes "cities that have identified creativity as a strategic factor for sustainable urban development."

Internet speed: 94mbps

5. New Orleans, Louisiana: world-renowned for its distinct music, Creole cuisine, unique dialects and its annual festivals, most notably Mardi Gras. 

Internet speed: 70mbps

The reality for entrepreneurs is that sometimes you can't fully unplug, but that does not mean you need to stay chained to your desk to stay productive. Today, you can be seamlessly connected to your team and your business data from any device and virtually anywhere.

How is software changing the way we do business?

New technology pushes development of new software. These advances can improve every aspect of businesses in any industry, saving time and money. 

These are a couple of the most popular software effectively changing how you do business. 

1. Customer Management: As businesses grow, the need to manage customer information in an efficient way becomes more important. You can keep track of all your customers and nurture your relationship using a customer relationship management (CRM) software. By keeping track of past services, orders, or contacts made by your customers, you can make better suggestions or create specific promotions at the right time. 

2. Security: Regardless of your industry, security should be a top priority in this digital age. Keeping sensitive information secure is crucial to you and your customers. The right software can keep your data secure, and it can also alert about any vulnerabilities and make recommendations for improvements. 

Depending on your industry, there are many software packages that can help improve your operations, better serve your customers, and maximize your profits. 

You can also choose to get software developed specifically for your business unique processes and operations. The major benefit to customized software is that you are leveraging new technology to fit your business, instead of forcing your business unique needs into out-of-the-box software.

Important Announcements

1. Internet Explorer 11 (IE11) desktop application retires on Windows 10 on June 15, 2022 (non LTSC, non-Server)

The future of Internet Explorer in Windows 10 is Microsoft Edge. Internet Explorer mode (IE mode) provides legacy browser support within Microsoft Edge. Because of this, the IE 11 desktop application will be retired on June 15, 2022. this means that the IE11 desktop application will no longer be supported and afterwards will redirect to Microsoft Edge if a user tries to access it. 

Action: To continue using a supported browser, transition to the new Microsoft Edge. To continue using legacy IE-based sites and apps, you will need to configure those sites and apps to open in Microsoft Edge using Internet Explorer mode. 

What you need to do to prepare: We recommend setting up Microsoft Edge in your organization. If your organization needs legacy browser support, you will want to set up IE mode in Microsoft Edge. 

2. Reminder: Skype for Business Online retires July 31, 2021

Please note neither Skype consumer service nor Skype for Business Server products are affected by the retirement of the Skype for Business Online service. Current Skype for Business Online customers will experience no change in service up to the retirement date. 

Microsoft encourages customers using Skype for Business Online to plan and begin the upgrade to Teams today. 

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