Total Technology Solutions Blog

What We're Reading: TTS Summer Reading Recommendations

Wed, 16 May 2012 00:00:00 -0400

As summer approaches, we at TTS would like to share recommendations for summer reading. Several employees have shared a favorite book or the book they’re currently reading. ENJOY!

-Cathy: Cathy is currently reading “Mythical Man-Month” by Frederick P. Brooks, Jr. The book is a collection of essays on computer engineering.

-Steve: The last “book” Steve “read” was “The Avengers” movie, starring Thor, the Incredible Hulk, Captain America, Nighthawk, Nick Fury, Iron Man, and Black Widow. He highly recommends it.

-Liz: Liz is currently reading “The Chronicles of Narnia” series by C.S. Lewis. She just completed “Prince Caspian” and is looking forward to the next book. Liz is also reading “Lies My Teacher Told Me” by James Loewen. The book details common misconceptions and inaccuracies in school history textbooks.

-Ken: Ken recommends the new Avengers and X-Men comic books.

-Grant: Grant is currently reading “Sir Elton: the Definitive Biography” by Phillip Norman. Grant describes the book as “a very detailed account of the life of Sir Elton John beginning with his childhood in Essex, his lonely teen years, the struggle to find fame with his first band Bluesology, and finally his discovery by DJM honcho Dick James. The book chronicles his personal life on and off stage, the circumstances surrounding the writing, recording and performing of his music, important people in his life, and delves into the enigmatic yet shy young man who became the greatest pianist and biggest pop star in the world.”

-David: Right now, David is studying for his HIT-001, or Healthcare IT Technician, Exam. The only book he’s reading right now is his test prep book for the exam. It’s a real page-turner!

-Jenna: Jenna is currently reading “Catching Fire” on her Kindle. “Catching Fire,” by Suzanne Collins, is the second book in the wildly popular Hunger Games trilogy. One question remains: Are you Team Peeta or Team Gale, Jenna?

-Nick: Nick recently read “A Pigeon and a Boy” by Meir Shalev. The book is a love story.

-Evan: Evan is currently reading the Sprawl trilogy by William Gibson. Evan has given the following description: “The Sprawl Trilogy by William Gibson consists of the science fiction novels “Neuromancer” (1984), “Count Zero” (1986) and “Mona Lisa Overdrive” (1988). Gibson coined the term “cyberspace” and Neuromancer brought the cyberpunk genre into mainstream sci-fi. The setting is a future Earth where capitalism has outpaced all forms of government and übercorporate power holds far more influence than the remains of government. The theme of technological evolution and artificial intelligence is pervasive throughout the series. Also, “Neuromancer” was the first novel to win the Nebula, Phillip K. Dick, and Hugo awards. I struggle to put into words the enjoyment that reading these novels has given me, but, if you like sci-fi, you should probably check out William Gibson.”

What are you reading?

TTS Technicians Working to Become A+ Certified

Mon, 14 May 2012 00:00:00 -0400

Two of our stellar technicians, Jenna and Grant, are currently studying for their CompTIA A+ certification exams. The A+ certification exam is a two-part test. The first part assesses understandings of general hardware knowledge, while the second part tests how a tech would troubleshoot a computer issue with a client. The A+ certification is the initial certification technicians get and is considered a stepping stone to more certifications. Jenna has completed the first part of the exam and will be scheduling the second part very soon. Grant will be taking the exam towards the middle of May. Wish these two luck as they study and prepare for this exam! Go get ‘em, guys!

ConGRADulate the Graduates

Thu, 10 May 2012 00:00:00 -0400

We are proud to announce that we have several new graduates in our midst at Total Technology Solutions. First, one of our lead technicians, Ken, recently completed another associate’s degree from Athens Technical College. He is now considered a networking specialist. With this degree, Ken also received three TCCs (Technical Certificates of Credit); these include the Comp TIA A+ Certification Preparation, PC Repair and Network Technician, and CompTIA A+ Certification Technician Preparation certificates. In addition to this degree, Ken also has a degree in Java Programming. Join us in congratulating this accomplished technician!

We also have several May or summer graduates of the University of Georgia at TTS. One of our techs, Grant, graduates with bachelor’s degrees in Theatre and Biology. He will be with TTS through the summer, after which he will move to Seattle to pursue his computer technician and piano-rock dreams. Liz is also graduating from UGA with her Master of Arts in Teaching in Social Studies Education. She is planning on pursuing a career teaching high school in the Atlanta area. Finally, another one of our techs, Nick, will graduate over the summer with his bachelor’s degree in Computer Science. He hopes to acquire a full-time position as an IT software consultant. We heartily say “congratulations!” to these new graduates and wish them all the best in their future endeavors.

The Very Unlikely Couple: Enjoy It While It Lasts

Thu, 05 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0400

We’ve all seen it before—the very unlikely couple. A supermodel woman with a rat looking boyfriend. Or the underwear model man with the unprepossessing woman. The really sweet woman with the big jerk boyfriend. It’s one of life’s little mysteries. And it gets most of us thinking… “What could bring these two together?”… “What keeps them together?” “ Is it love?” Or is it something less virtuous… perhaps money? While it’s true that love can be blind, and I agree that it should be, we have all known someone who was with the other person for the wrong reason. And we all know where that ends. Maybe not today, maybe not next week, but for all those who are together for the wrong reasons, they share a common fate—dissolution. This is a universal truth that transcends all boundaries such as age, space, and time. Some would say this is simply a matter of nature doing its job—separating things not meant to be together, like water and oil.

Oddly enough I see this same mystery in some business relationships. A professional organization with 100 employees and some guy in a pickup truck for IT support! The dude has a $20 website and his wife is his administrative assistant. What could bring these two together…and keep them together? Since love is no longer an option, that leaves us with the only possible answer—a low ball quote for support that’s actually going to result in a loss of profit for the IT company (if it’s really as big as it claims to be), and a service agreement that traps the customer into having to keep the bad support. I see this every day, but I already know where this is going—frustrated employees who can’t work because the network is jacked up, frustrated customers that cant check in or make an appointment because the computers are down, and amateur IT support that actually creates more problems than it solves. Those self-righteous and self-serving claims about being in business for 25 years, or having 1,000 certifications between the three techs they have on staff are now exposed for what they really are—entry level, cheap IT support with a clever website. In fairy tales when you kiss the frog you have a happy ending, but when you are choosing an IT company to help keep your network going, kissing the frog does not have a happy ending. Unfortunately, in this situation, the frog remains a frog with a support contact you can’t get out of.

Here at TTS we don’t need a clever website, or low-ball price quotes to do business. Unlike some of our competitors, our staff is not made up of relatives or spouses making us look bigger than we really are on the website. Being in business for 30 years doesn’t make you a great company if you only have six employees after all that time, and your yellow book ad has complete strangers photo-shopped into your picture (making you look like you have twenty employees)! I would like to suggest that when you consider an IT company, you talk to the owner of that company face to face and decide for yourself if this is the kind of person you want to have your business depending on. A business can only be as good as its owner. If the owner sends a “business development manager” with a great smile and a jar of honey to pour into your ear instead of showing up himself, you should be concerned. If the quote you get to support your network is half the price of everyone else, you may want to ask “why is that?” Sure you can always buy a cheaper engagement ring, but why is it cheaper? Because it’s not as good! And should you really base that type of decision on price? The answer is clearly no. For some things in life, you get what you pay for and IT support is one of them. So if people are looking at you and asking themselves “Why did they go with that IT company?”, if you and your IT support look like that unlikely couple that causes people to stare and question the motivation behind the relationship, if you got together for all the wrong reasons, sooner or later you will meet the same fate as everything else that does not belong together. The only question that remains is, “When it will end?”. How many customers do you have to lose before your cheap IT support is revealed to be what it always was—cheap IT support. How many hidden fees and out of scope invoices will you pay before you say “enough is enough”? TTS wants you to know when that day comes, and it will, we will be there for you—ready to get you back on track and out of this situation you were tricked into. We are the real thing. And while we may not be the cheapest IT support, the real thing never is.

Windows 8 Consumer Preview Now Available

Thu, 01 Mar 2012 00:00:00 -0500

Today Microsoft let consumers start trying out its upcoming Windows 8 operating system, which, according to MSN.com, aims to power a new wave of computer tablets and traditional PCs designed to counter Apple’s big gains in the market through its Macs and iPads.

Steve is trying it out on some of our systems right now. We’ll keep you updated on how everything goes. We’re hoping for a smooth transition.

We're Hiring: Full-Time Network Engineer

Fri, 24 Feb 2012 00:00:00 -0500

Total Technology Solutions Inc. is hiring a full-time network engineer.

Athens largest and fastest growing managed IT support provider is looking for a technician with an intermediate to advanced skill set. This is NOT an entry level position. You will need to demonstrate your ability to perform common network and workstation tasks in a professional and timely manner. Experience in active directory, exchange, routers, and other common network hardware is required. Mastery of workstations required, such as RAM installs / upgrades, hard drive replacement, processor replacement etc. You will be required to install scanners, network printers, and other network hardware as needed.

Other responsibilities include but are not limited to: 1. Manage network hardware, supporting systems and network additions, upgrades and changes. 2. Frequently interact with vendor/manufacturer on complex issues. 3. Internal technical expert that may interact with data network staff on network issues. 4. Responsible for providing a high level of technical expertise. May introduce new technologies and solutions to business problems by working directly with internal and external customers. 5. Perform engineering work and applied research, development and design of network layout. 7. Research, document and communicate technical issues, products and vendors. 8. Performs additional related duties as assigned.

Requirements: 1) You must past a background check, and a driver history check. 2) You must have reliable transportation with valid proof of insurance and driver license. 3) Must be able to lift 40 lbs. repeatedly throughout your shift. 4) Must be able to work from a ladder. 5) Must be able to come in early and stay late as needed. TTS does what it takes to help our customers, and we need an employee that shares that view. If you have an inflexible schedule due to your personal life, this is not the job for you. 6) Must be able to type 40 wpm or better. You will be tested. 7) Must be detailed oriented, able to work with minimal supervision, and great with people. If you are shy, timid, or can’t work well with several people looking over your shoulder, this is not the job for you. 8) Must work well under pressure. 9) You will need a good reference from one or more previous employers. 10) Need to have your A+ certification or be able to obtain it within 120 days of your hire date. 11) Network +, Security +, MCP preferred or at least be willing to obtain shortly after your hired.

How to apply:

The preferred method would be for you to come to our office and fill out our brief application and drop off a copy of your resume. Our address is 160 Winston Dr. Suite #10, Athens Ga. 30607. We are open Monday – Friday from 8am till 5pm. If you are unable to fill out an application in person please feel free to email us your resume. You can email us at hr@ttsathens.com. Please include your salary requirement with any application or resume. No phone calls please. Priority consideration will be given to those who make the effort to come in and fill the application out.

TTS is a diverse and progressive IT company. All qualified individuals are welcome to apply. For more information about us, please visit our website at www.ttsathens.com.

"Winter" 2012

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 00:00:00 -0500

Am I the only one who is frustrated with this crazy Georgia “winter”? The decision to dress for warm weather or cold weather in the morning is no longer the easy decision that it used to be. Gone are the days when we could check the temperature and dress accordingly. These days it can be 30 degrees at 8:00 a.m. only to be a blazing 72 degrees by 1:00 p.m. (which isn’t enjoyable when you’re wearing jeans, boots, a sweater, a scarf, and a ski jacket).

There was a thick sheet of ice on my windshield Monday morning and tomorrow it’s supposed to be 75 degrees! It doesn’t make sense, but here at TTS, we’re taking advantage of this wacky weather by grilling out—hamburgers, hotdogs, and possibly even some kabobs.

This time last year we may have been battling with snow and icy roads, but this year we’re enjoying an extremely mild winter by grilling out in the sunshine with the rest of the TTS crew.

I guess it’s short sleeves for me tomorrow! Pictures to come.

A Tablet: The Perfect Valentine's Day Gift

Tue, 14 Feb 2012 00:00:00 -0500

Did you struggle this Valentine’s Day to decide which tablet to purchase for your significant other? With over 30 choices in 2012, it would be a tough decision for anyone. We’ve decided to help you out by comparing four of the hottest tablets right now: the Apple iPad 2, the Amazon Kindle Fire, the Asus Transformer Prime, and the Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus. Better late than never, right?

The most popular of these choices is definitely the Apple iPad 2. With and overall rating of 4.3/5.0 by www.tabletcomparison.net, this tablet is of great quality. With a 9.7 inch display and a battery life of 10 hours, the iPad 2 is well worth the steep price of $519.00.

Another popular choice, the Amazon Kindle Fire received the rating of 4.0/5.0 by www.tabletcomparison.net. This tablet doubles as an e-reader, has a display of 7 inches, and a battery life of 7.5 hours. It may fall a little short of the iPad 2, but for almost $300.00 cheaper at $199.00, it’s a great product for the price.

Next up is the Asus Transformer Prime with an overall rating of 3.6/5.0 by www.tabletcomparison.net. The large display of 10.1 inches and battery life of 10 hours make this tablet make this tablet noticeable, but is it worth the $649.00? At over $100.00 more expensive than the iPad 2 and a lower overall rating, we’re unsure.

The last of our choices is the Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus. With an overall rating of 4.3/5.0 by www.tabletcomparison.net, it ties with Apple’s iPad 2. It has a smaller display (7.0 inches) and a lesser battery life (8 hours), but it’s also almost $200.00 cheaper, for the price of $369.00. Like the Kindle Fire, this tablet has a lot of bang for your buck.

In conclusion, Apple’s iPad 2 is my top pick. If you picked one of these up for your Valentine today, you made a good choice! For those who want to add the extra personal touch, order yours online and have it engraved.

Windows 8--What Will Change?

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 00:00:00 -0500

Windows 8, the newest operating system from Microsoft, is what many have deemed the easiest operating system yet. Although the new system will come with many changes, Windows 7 fundamentals, such as speed, reliability, security, and compatibility will remain.

Rumored to be released in April 2012, Windows 8 will have a new, self-proclaimed “metro user interface”. This interface will embrace simplicity, personalizing the layout and only showing the information that is important to the user. According to Microsoft’s “Windows 8 Preview” the new start screen will place all of the apps in front of the user for immediate access. Most importantly, it is built for touch, making every task efficient and fluid.

Also, Microsoft smart phones share the same look and functionality as Windows 8, giving the user all of the same features as will be available on desktops, laptops, and tablets. Upon the release of the beta version of Windows 8, TTS will be immersed in in-house testing of the system, ensuring compatibility with medical apps such as SRS, Cedara, Allscripts, Greenway, and more.

For more information on Windows 8, visit http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows-8/preview.

We're Growing!

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0500

We are pleased to announce that Bryce Helsel and Evan Housely have joined as the newest members of our team here at TTS.

Helsel, a native of Cumming, Ga., holds the position of Medical Technology Specialist. He graduated from the University of Georgia, where he was a varsity co-ed cheerleader, with a Bachelor of Arts in religion.

Housely, an Athens, Ga. local, holds the position of Network Engineer. He graduated from Athens Tech in June 2011 where he sharpened his extensive computer networking, hardware and software skills.