Do you backup the information off your home computer? About half of you will have answered “No” to this question. Historically, backups were an expensive solution to maintain and implement. Due to the evolution of the internet and web-based applications, you now have the ability to backup your home-office desktop or laptop to a secure offsite location at an extremely affordable cost.

A lot of companies market external backup devices which are essentially an external hard drive that plugs into your computer which comes with a software package you need to install. This software then backs up your information to the external drive. Ok, so if you’re desktop or laptop dies you have a backup on this external drive, however, what if the external drive dies? What if you accidentally drop this drive? What if you experience a flood or fire? The external hard drive backup solution does not provide a truly redundant solution. This is where the power of the internet comes into play

There is a reputable company called Mozy that provides off-site backup solutions via the internet. All you need to do is download a small piece of software, install it on your desktop or laptop, and run through the configuration wizard. All of your information is then backed up to Mozy’s servers via the internet and is stored in a secure off-site location. You can schedule your backup to run in the background while you work or at night when you sleep depending upon how much information you need to store.

At under $5/month for an unlimited amount of storage, Mozy provides an extremely redundant backup solution as you are not relying upon the integrity of a single external hard drive, you are safe knowing that your personal data is stored on multiple servers at an external location.

If you’re a small business owner looking for an easy method to track time, manage projects, and send invoices to your customers, you may want to take a look at Freshbooks.  It is a 100% online/web-based solution that can address multiple administrative tasks for small business owners.  It also provides direct integration with Paypal which allows your customers to pay their invoices via Credit Card or through their Paypal Account.

It provides the following:

1.    Customer management

2.    Invoicing

3.    Estimates

4.    Expenses

5.    Time Tracking

6.    Reporting

It also gives you a bunch of other features and functionality and is fully customizable.  If you’re looking for a Quickbooks alternative this may be your answer.  Since it lives in the ‘cloud’ you do not need to install any software on your computer and all you need is a web browser.  It’s extremely fast and easy to use, and best of all, it’s affordable.  Signup for a free trial of Freshbooks and you will see right away how it can make your life easier.

Junior IT Consultant

* You must be based in North Vancouver, West Vancouver, or Downtown Vancouver

Tired of your full or part-time job? Looking for something more flexible dealing with different people on a daily basis? Are you passionate about IT? Do you enjoy the customer service aspects of IT? Do you have proven system and network administration experience? If you answered Yes to these questions, then this is the job for you!

We are a growing IT consulting firm and have an opening for a junior IT consultant. This is a great opportunity for someone to grow with the company and it will provide ample room for advancement. We are seeking a highly motivated individual that thrives on tackling all IT issues!

Please tell us a little bit about yourself, summarize your IT experience, and please tell us what differentiates yourself from the other people applying for this position.  Please do not simply send a blank email with your resume attached to it – this position will require human interaction and communication is an important part of the process.  These are a couple things that are a must:

1. Fluent in English
2. Strong customer service skills
3. Access to a car with a valid driver’s license
4. 1-3 years of solid IT experience in Microsoft environments
5. Previous consulting experience is an asset but not necessary
6. MCSE, MCSA, or A+ Certificate is an asset but not necessary
7. Knowledge/experience with cloud computing technologies would be an asset