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What Are The Three Types Of Cloud Computing?

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Cloud computing has been a boon for businesses and consumers alike for a long time, but there’s still a great deal of confusion surrounding this service. Although many might assume that all of the services related to the cloud fall under the same banner, there are actually three distinct types of cloud computing that benefit users in distinctly different ways. In this article, we take a look at software as a service (SaaS), infrastructure as a service (IaaS) and platform as a service (Paas) to give you a better idea of what they’re all about.

What software as a service is all about

Managing the complex technology infrastructures that modern businesses demand is often no easy task – which is why it’s not uncommon to seek out the services of a managed IT services provider in Sydney – but developing a little bit of know-how related to how a business processes and stores information can be incredibly helpful. The first step for many is differentiating between software as a service, infrastructure as a service and platform as a service, as your business might be using all three for very different purposes. Software as a service involves the delivery of services to customers, infrastructure as a service enables secure network and storage to businesses, and  platform as a service acts as a kind of middle ground, where developers are provided the means to create apps without the usual back-end issues. As you might imagine, SaaS is by far the most common type of cloud computing available due to it making possible the delivery of applications over the internet, ready for a user to use at any time they wish. Because there is no installation or downloading of software required, they can be used immediately – thing of streaming services like Spotify or Netflix for entertainment, and Microsoft Office 365, Google Apps, Xero, Dropbox and Slack for business users.

Less common needs related to the cloud

Although software as a service is the most common use of the cloud, that doesn’t mean that infrastructure as a service and platform as a service don’t have their place. IaaS is the ideal solution for businesses looking to do a lot of the work themselves, such as the introduction and use of valuable and highly versatile IT resources and infrastructure. IaaS provides the huge benefit of being available for both long-term and short-term needs, which allows companies to scale as they need to. This is because IaaS relies on third parties hosting some parts of the infrastructure, but customers will usually provide their own operating systems. Taking this one step further, platform as a service is highly valuable for businesses looking to create their own software. With PaaS, businesses have access to tech development tools, code libraries, servers, programming environments, and much more, plus they don’t have to worry about any relevant security or infrastructure needs as the vendor will take care of all of that for them!

The impressive flexibility of the cloud

If you couldn’t yet tell, businesses and regular people alike rely heavily on the cloud in their day to day life, whether for business or pleasure. The excellent scalability of the cloud is in part the reason for this, as it allows for completely open access to whatever an end user might need at any given time – no wonder it’s so popular!

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In Business

Ways To Help Better Organise Your Office Filing Cabinets

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Organising an office properly is often one of the key ways to make better business, and using filing cabinets is one of the best ways to stay organised. The problem then is that filing cabinets can very easily become disorganised, which does an office no favours whatsoever! Whether it be to staff not understanding the system in place, a lack of time for proper organisational upkeep or simple laziness, it doesn’t take long at all for a bulletproof filing system to come crashing down. There’s still hope, though – in this article, we take a look at a few simple tips to help ensure your filing cabinet situation doesn’t get out of control too quickly.

Tidy your filing cabinets up

If you’re a business with overflowing filing cabinets in Melbourne, you’re certainly not the only one. the best possible way to ensure that your filing cabinets don’t become a disorganised mass of files and information is to ensure that you regularly manage your clutter. Doing a bit of a tidy up can help you very quickly weed out a lot of unnecessary bits that are adding to the complexity of your filing system for no real reason. Finding outdated files and other pieces of paperwork can ensure your filing cabinet only has the most important up to date information necessary, allowing you to find whatever you need without having to sift through drawers of junk first. While you’re doing this, it’s also an excellent idea to work through the files you need and make them easier to find on the fly. For instance, breaking up a chunkier file into easier to find constituents can help you locate important information much quicker than you otherwise would be able to. Try to think of it as sorting through files and categorising the smaller bits that they’re made up of, and this way you can quickly find the individual parts of a larger file in the future.

Make drawers serve a specific purpose

Although the traditional alphabetical or numerical sorting is important for filing cabinets, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t try to get more specific with your sorting. In fact, this will help you save a good amount of time when you’re trying to find files in the future. Organising filing cabinets around this will often mean you approach the system in the way that works best for you – whether it be using categories, a colour system or whatever else, creating a system that makes sense to you will serve to help you in the future. For our final point, there’s a good organisational tip that many people don’t consider when organising their filing cabinets – don’t make them difficult to access. Filing cabinets that are easy to get to will incentivise people to actually use them, as you might be surprised how often poorly positioned filing cabinets might deter people from putting in the effort to make the most of them. After all, some people might justify the fact that their desks are covered in papers by saying that they’re going to make one trip to file them all, but this can very quickly lead to chaos.

Invest a little bit of time for a big payoff

If you want to afford your business more hours to do precious work and streamline your overall workplace practices, investing a little bit of time into filing cabinet management is absolutely one of the best ways to do so. It should be clear that it doesn’t too much effort on your part to do a lot of good work – just ensure that you keep up with it, and it shouldn’t be too long before your cabinet organisation is second to none!

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In featured

How to Choose a Builder for Your New Home Build

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Building your first home is a monumental and exciting journey. It’s a big commitment and a showcase of the hard work and effort you have put into creating this future for yourself. Years of hard work got you to the point where you are financially able to build the enclave of comfort you’ve always wanted. Whether that’s a two-storey unit with floor to ceiling windows and a gorgeous sunroom or a large bungalow with ample space and a beautiful outdoor landscape – the possibilities are endless, and the choices are yours to make. One of the key decisions you need to make in order to realise this dream, is choosing the builder that will bring your dream home to life. It is vital, that you put in time, effort and care to ensure you are making the best choice for yourself and your finances. In this article, we will look at some important elements to consider when choosing your new home builder. 

Licenses & Reputation 

The first step is to know who you are working with. It is vital that you trust the builders you choose as they are the ones helping you complete this project from start to finish. Before anything else, you want to make sure whichever company or private contractor you talk to has the necessary licensing. Each state has different requirements, so a builders license in NSW will have slightly different qualifications to those in other states. You want to make sure the builders you’re working with has the right licensing for the state that you’re in. Aside from that, browse their website and social media profiles to see what others have said about working with them. If you have friends or family who have used a specific builder’s services before, get in touch to find out their feedback. You can also check the disciplinary register of your state’s building authority to ensure the builder you’re looking to contract has not engaged in any misconduct. The more you learn about the builder you’re looking to hire, the better and more secure you will be with your choice.  

Portfolios & Vision 

The next thing to look at is the past projects this builder has worked on and if they’re similar to the style you’re after. Most builders will have a gallery on their website of past builds, or if they don’t you can easily get in touch with them to ask for one. This step is important as it’s a good way to get a feel for the visions and home designs these builders are comfortable working with. If possible, try to do a physical walk-through of a home that they have built, as this will give you a clearer picture of exactly what they are capable of and if it meets the expectations you have for your home. If you want to be extra diligent, ask if you can get in touch with their current clients to find out what it’s like dealing with this builder when the actual construction starts. Don’t be afraid to talk to your builder about their past builds as well, as this can help you understand how involved they are and how much care they give to their projects. If the builder can’t talk you through all aspects of their previous builds, it’s likely that they aren’t very committed and invested in this home as much as you are. It’s not enough for your builders to just have a Certificate IV in Building and Construction (Building) – CPC40110, their experience and approach to every individual home build is just as important. 

Understanding and Working Relationships 

Most layman might not be familiar with building terms and the exact nature of the construction process. You want to make sure the builders you’re working with are upfront and transparent about everything. You can gauge this by the conversations you have with them. Do they explain things to you well or do they leave you slightly confused? If you have any questions, are they direct and straightforward with their reply? Trust is one of the biggest values you need to share with the builder you choose – and this starts with a healthy and open working relationship. 

Australia’s construction industry is filled with many talented, passionate and reliable construction workers. With time, patience and effort, you’ll be sure to find the perfect match to help you build that dream home. 

 

 

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In Home Improvement

How to Make Your Pet Door Safer at Home

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Life for your family and pets becomes much easier when you have a pet door at home. It frees up your schedule to do more things outside the house, and your pets enjoy the freedom to go outside and play. If you’re thinking about getting a pet door installed, you may be wondering about their security. “Would my kids try to escape out of the house through the doggie door?” “What if a burglar tries to get inside?” These questions are common for homeowners to ponder. We’ll cover everything you need to know about making a pet door safer at home.

Connect the Dog Door to an Enclosed Area

Think about where you would you like your dog door to be. You’ll have added security by connecting it to an enclosed area, such as a fenced in yard. The ideal fence should be tall enough to keep your pets in and intruders out. If the yard is gated, a good exterior lock will do the trick. A pet door for an enclosed porch enables a pet that is small or strictly indoors to have access to fresh air.

Get a Door with a Secure Locking Mechanism

Out here in Australia, you never know what creature can venture in through the door! Fortunately, there are a number of quality pet doors that come with a sturdy locking mechanism. A regular PVC locking cover can get brittle and crack in the intense sunshine of the Southern Hemisphere. Composite is a sturdy material that will last much longer. A stronger material is more secure.

Invest in an Electronic Door

Thanks to the power of smart technology, there are even more options available to secure your pets and family. There are electronic dog doors, for example, that unlock when activated by the signal in a pet’s smart collar. Other kinds of electronic cat doors activate with a pet’s microchip. This kind of technology is very effective at securing the entryway, and the best part is, it’s hands-free! There are also tunnel extensions to pet doors available as needed for the best installation situation.

A Safe Solution for the Whole Family

It’s encouraging to know that these types of solutions provide safety for your family without sacrificing your pet’s freedom. By ensuring the enclosure of your pet’s living spaces and investing in strong security options for your pet door, you can have peace of mind leaving the house for your loved ones. There’s no need to fear when you have a great secure pet door that does its job keeping pets in, and intruders out. And, your furry family members will thank you for their newfound freedom!

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In Business

3 Ways to Keep Your Phone in Top Condition

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Smartphones only became popular at the turn of the century, but almost 20 years later, they’ve become an indispensable part of our lives. Whether you have an Android or an iPhone, you use it for all sorts of tasks from contacting loved ones, searching for directions, to making reservations for your favorite restaurant. They’re basically computers that can fit in your pocket, and they connect you to the world wherever you are.

However, just like any machine, smartphones are prone to damage. They’re usually made of glass and metal, and the physical body experiences wear and tear from everyday exposure to the elements. The screen can even shatter if the force is violent enough. Luckily, you can quickly get screen repair, among other tech services.

It’s not an overstatement to say that we can’t function without our smartphone, which is why it’s essential to keep it in top condition. Here are a few tips and tricks to get you started.

  1. Learn how to charge properly

The way you charge your phone has a significant impact on the device’s longevity. Unlike the mobile phones of the late 90s, most smartphone batteries today aren’t user-removable. Disassembling the phone yourself voids the warranty, and you’ll need specialist knowledge anyway if you want to do it correctly.

Since phones today use Li-ion batteries, you no longer need to drain the battery before rechanging it. One of the best ways to prolong the battery’s lifespan is to keep it charged between 40 to 80 percent. Letting the charge level drop too low or reach 80 and beyond can shorten the battery’s lifespan.

Another thing to remember: not all phone chargers are made the same. Make sure you’re using a charger with the correct voltage and output rate for your specific phone model. If in doubt, use the manufacturer-provided cord and power brick.

  1. Update the software

Many people find update notifications annoying, but they’re an essential reminder of a task you need to do often. One of the best ways to keep your smartphone in top condition is to update the software regularly. Developers often push updates for their apps that fix bugs and introduce performance improvements. Your OS provider (Google for Android, Apple for iOS) also releases periodic updates to the operating systems, ensuring that your phones last for a long time.

The first place you should check if you want to update your phone is the settings menu. There you’ll see if your phone has a pending update. Meanwhile, check the Play Store or App Store for app updates.

  1. Clear the cache

Your phone’s storage holds a lot of junk files that accumulate every time you use apps and programs. Eventually, there won’t be enough space left for critical processes and essential files. To keep your phone running fast, you need to clear the cache and delete unnecessary files.

A final word

These are just some of the things you can do to keep your phone running like new. Just like any device, you should take some time to learn the inner workings of your phone and adjust the settings to improve its performance.

 Meta title: Essential Maintenance for Smartphones

Meta description: Smartphones, while powerful, can be quite fragile machines. Here’s how to keep your phone running smoothly.

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