NIT Blogs

We highly recommend, and ourselves use, Google Chrome to our customers as their primary web browser. Google Chrome is the fastest, most secure, and feature rich web browser on the market. There are a number of embedded features and extensions that will help users increase productivity and enhance their web surfing experience. One of my favorite features of Google Chrome is the "Sign in to Chrome" sync feature. Signing in to Chrome brings your bookmarks, apps, history, and other settings to all your devices. Anything you update on one device instantly updates everywhere else, and your Chrome stuff is safe in case anything happens to your computer. It’s your web. Take it with you. Check of the following video for an overview of Sign in to Chrome…..

Download Google Chrome:

https://www.google.com/chrome

Download Google Chrome for Android (Beta):

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.android.chrome&hl=en

As Mac's gain in popularity, thus market share, they become a more enticing target to those with malicious intent. With the majority of Macs being unprotected and Mac users being lulled into a false sense of security, Mac OS X looks to become a fertile breading ground for future malware attacks.

In the past, over 90 percent of the desktop market share used to belong to Windows, but with Mac’s eating away at that market share, the number of threats to Mac OS X have increased significantly. The general consensus among security researchers is that there’s nothing about the Mac that makes it inherently more secure than Windows, but Windows has always been a juicier target for malicious hackers because it has had a much larger market share than the Mac. As a result, when customers switch from a Windows to a Mac, they are often under the false impression that they are switching to a more secure environment. While it’s not true that the Mac is more secure, it is considered safer because fewer hackers target it. What we like to call “security through obscurity”, which is no longer the case.

Last year, Mac users were introduced to the MacDefender Trojan, and over the past few weeks, security researchers have found that over 670,000 Macs were found with the Flashback Trojan. Now earlier this week, two new malware apps targeting Mac users have arrived on the scene. So, if you are a current Mac user and have not been concerned with security up to this point, it’s time to start worrying about it. And if you are a Windows user thinking of taking that leap over to the Mac because you believe the hype that ”it’s more secure”, take the information I just provided you into consideration and make sure you protect yourself either way.

On April 8, 2014, in just under two years, Microsoft will end support for both Windows XP and Office 2003. What does end of support mean to customers still using either? Beginning April 8, 2014, you will no longer receive security updates, non-security hotfixes, free or paid assisted support options or online technical content updates for either of these two products. Running Windows XP SP3 and Office 2003 in your environment after their end of support date may expose your company to  security and compliance risk as well as lack of software and hardware vendor support. Unsupported and unpatched environments are vulnerable to security risks and may result in an officially recognized control failure by an internal or external audit body, leading to suspension of certifications, and/or public notification of the organization’s inability to maintain its systems and customer information.

Ultimately, this means it is time to begin the process of upgrading or replacing your Windows XP systems and Office 2003 installations. Two years sounds like a long time, but it will go by faster then you think and it would be a lot easier on your bank account, your employees, your business, and your sanity to do a phased replacement/upgrade of those systems over the next two years rather then to get caught having to foot the bill to replace them all at once. So, over the next few weeks, we will be contacting our customers with Windows XP systems and Office 2003 installations to discuss your options and help put a plan in place. For those of you who’s business is currently not an Ntegra IT customer, we can still help. Give us a call ((757) 321-9880) or shot us an email ( This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ) to discuss your options as well.

Ntegra IT Solutions supports the fight to end breast cancer by supporting teams participating in the Susan G. Komen 3-Day, 60-mile event. But we can’t do it alone and these teams need all the support they can get. So please, show your support in the fight to end breast cancer and help our friends participating in this event by making a donation. Each team member’s goal is $2300 with the team goal of $10,000 and net proceeds from the the 3-Day for the Cure are invested in breast cancer research.

The team member and their teams that we are supporting:

Sarah Rogers of Team Sista’s

Susan Altizer of Pinkies and The Brain

Thank you for your support!

If you have been using Gmail (Google Apps) for some time, you know that when ever you click an email link within your browser it would typically open an installed email application rather then a new compose window within Gmail. Thanks to HTML5, this is no longer an issue. Follow the link to find out more!

http://gmailblog.blogspot.com/2012/02/open-email-links-directly-in-gmail.html

“Tile Restoration Inc - We have been using Ntegra IT for 2 years now. Great customer service, and the technicians are very professional and personable. They readily assist and are quick to fix whatever comes up whether it be remotely or on site. They go out of their way to make sure your business stays running smooth. We know we can count on them to meet our Technology needs. You won't find a better technical service anywhere. We highly recommend Ntegra IT Solutions!!”

--Brad Albritton, Vice President, Tile Restoration Inc.

Visit our Yellow Pages ad and Google Places page for more reviews and ratings!

“Kitchen Corps, Inc. is extremely pleased with the services provided by Ntegra IT Solutions Inc. We use them for our entire company IT services. Our network runs very smoothly. Steve is quick to help with an issue no matter how big or small, sometimes they call us to solve a problem before we even know there is an issue! If you are interested in Ntegra's services, call them for a consult. By the end of the meeting you will see why they are the perfect choice!”

--Sarah Rogers, Director of Operations and Sales Manager, Kitchen Corps, Inc.

Visit our Yellow Pages ad and Google Places page for more reviews and ratings!

“I've worked with Steve and Ntegra IT Solutions for almost 7 years. Steve and his team continue to provide world class service to our organization. Their response time is incredible, but more importantly the trust I have for Steve is second to none. If you're looking for not only top notch service, but also a company you can trust, Steve and Ntegra IT Solutions should be your choice.”

--Robert Holroyd, Vice President, Phoenix One Step

Visit our Yellow Pages ad and Google Places page for more reviews and ratings!

Have some old PCs sitting around your house or the office that is taking up space and collecting dust? How would you like to help aspiring students who may not be able to afford their own? Through its successful Computers for Student Success program, Tidewater Community College’s Computer Club refurbishes and updates older or in-need-of-repair PCs donated by companies and individuals. The group also has given re-worked units to elementary school students’ families, college students from other schools, high school students attending classes at the Advanced Technology Center, Portsmouth Social Services’ Employment Services for their clients seeking work, as well as a Montessori school to replace outdated machines.

Ntegra IT Solutions supports the TCC Computer Club by collecting our client’s old workstations, monitors, printers, and peripherals and donating them to the club. If you have some equipment you would like to donate and would like to schedule a pickup:  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

With the 2011 tax season in full swing, we are seeing a large amount of "phishing" emails in our spam filters supposedly originating from the IRS. Please be aware that the IRS does not initiate taxpayer communications through email. Unsolicited email claiming to be from the IRS, or from an IRS-related component such as EFTPS, should be reported to the IRS at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . The IRS's Tax Scams/Consumer Alerts page will provide you additional information on the scams that  may take place through e-mail, fax or phone. If you have any questions or concerns that you think we may be able to help you with, feel free to contact us: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

The Home Use Program is a Software Assurance benefit, available as part of Microsoft's Volume Licensing program. Through this offering, you can purchase copies of Microsoft Office Professional Plus 2010 through the digital bulk ordering (DBO; minimum order of 20) process for your employees, for only $9.95 each. This is a terrific benefit because it enables your employees to use the same Microsoft Office software at home that they use at the office, helping to boost employee productivity, enhance job satisfaction, and maximize return on software investment. For more information on how to enroll in or take advantage of your current benefit: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Another stellar 5 star rating and review from a long time customer! Check it out…..

“W. F. Robins, III, P.C., CPA has found Ntegra to be responsible, responsive, competent, and dependable. Ntegra takes excellent care of us, and has done so for over 6 years. From planning to implementation to follow-up, they handle every project professionally and take great care to schedule around our operating hours. They eliminate I T as an area of concern, allowing us to concentrate on our business. We highly recommend them.”

--Willard F. Robins III, Owner, W.F. Robins III, P.C., CPA

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Just received another stellar review from another NtegraCare customer!

“Steve West of Ntegra IT Solutions just recently completed installation of new servers as well as reconfiguring multiple ongoing problems we had for years. We have 15 workstations. I would highly recommend Steve, and look forward to a long relationship with his company.”

-- Allen Alewine, Owner, Servpro of Chesapeake

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We just announced the NtegraNation Referral Rewards Program which rewards our customers up to $100 for each referral they make! Continue reading to review the announcement and find out how you can earn money just by referring Ntegra IT!

Due to the floods in Thailand, hard drive prices have more than doubled over the past two weeks:

Reuters - Prices for hard drives are jumping as flooding in Thailand creates a shortage of the major component used in personal computers and one big customer is complaining of price gouging.

Digital Trends - 1TB hard drive prices skyrocket 180 percent due to Thailand floods

So far Google+ has focused on connecting people with other people. But Google wants to make sure you can build relationships with all the things you care about—from local businesses to global brands—so today Google rolled out Google+ Pages worldwide.
For businesses and brands, Google+ pages help you connect with the customers and fans who love you. Not only can they recommend you with a +1, or add you to a circle to listen long-term. They can actually spend time with your team, face-to-face-to-face. All you need to do is start sharing, and you'll soon find the super fans and loyal customers that want to say hello.

Keep up-to-date and in touch with Ntegra IT on our Google+ Pages: https://plus.google.com/102101692450512191694

Earlier today, Jason Cornwell, Google User Experience Designer, posted a new blog post announcing Gmail’s new look with several other usability enhancements. If you are one of our Google Apps customers, the new look is available to you and we recommend that you review the blog post and watch the announcement video as well to get a better idea of the new features. If you are ready to give the new look and features a try, you can do so by clicking on the “Switch to the new look” link/button in the bottom-right of your Gmail window.

Ntegra IT is now a member of the Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association (AFCEA)  which will allow them new opportunities to network with decision makers while expanding their support and services into government and military channels.

During the ramp up of the 2011 hurricane season, Hurricane Irene is bearing down on the East Coast. Small to Medium-sized Businesses (SMBs) should already be prepared for business continuity; however, if they are not, Ntegra IT Solutions® is ready to help SMBs implement a sound disaster recovery and business continuity plan.

It is looking more and more certain that eastern North Carolina and Hampton Roads will feel the brunt of Hurricane Irene this weekend. Between now and Friday, Ntegra IT technicians will be making their rounds to help our customers prepare their networks for the coming storm. We will be testing battery backups, verifying data backups, checking physical locations of equipment, and making recommendations. Please review and implement the following recommendations to help protect your data and network infrastructure:

Protecting your data:

1. Make backup copies of your data
2. If you have removable media, store your backups offsite and in a secure location - secure against both weather threats and those from human intruders.
3. If you are using a onsite backup solution such as an external hard drive, at the close of business prior to the storm, take it with you.

Protecting your devices:

1. First step and most important  is to unplug power from all devices.
2. Move devices away from windows and other vulnerable areas. 
3. Locate devices under a sturdy desk or piece of furniture that could withstand the effects of falling debris (such as from a collapsing ceiling). 
4. If possible, especially on the ground levels, keep equipment off the floor in case of flooding.
5. Wrap devices in heavy-gauge plastic bags, if available, or in plastic trash bags to reduce rain/water damage. 

After the storm:

1. Be cautious about using devices, even if power is available and your devices are entirely undamaged. 
2. Do not plug in devices that have been exposed to water or other contaminants. 
3. Remember that your safety comes first.