So...how many times have you used THAT  phrase?  I myself am guilty of using it once or twice...or several times.  But, in the world of I.T. "doing it yourself", while seemingly sounding like a good idea financially, may be costing you money in the long run.

We are experiencing an epidemic.  "Hacking" or Data Breaches have become commonplace...and that's dangerous.

As the frequency of hackings has increased, so is the likelihood that you will also be involved.  You may feel that you're a sitting duck in this scenario, because, after all, even though you have been most responsible and have put every security measure of which you are aware in place, you still have no control if your data is breached due to cyber criminal activity involving a third party (EX: Target or Blue Cross).

That is not exactly accurate.

I have really gotten into researching the importance of "Business Continuity Planning", and the psychology behind it.  So, let's start with what a "Business Continuity" or "BC" Plan is...

"A business continuity plan is a plan to continue operations if a place of business is affected by different levels of disaster which can be localized short term disasters, to days long building wide problems, to a permanent loss of a building".

The first word in that paragraph that strikes a fearful chord in the hearts of many is "disaster".  No one wants to think about a disaster striking them or their loved ones, but with over 600 disasters, natural or technical, happening worldwide annually, the odds are likely that you'll be involved in one in your lifetime.

In researching the information for this article, it occurred to me that quite a few folks still had a limited understanding of what "The Cloud" or "Cloud Computing" really was.  So we'll start off with a basic definition...

In the simplest terms, "Cloud Computing" means storing and accessing data and programs over the Internet instead of your computer's hard drive.

I am often surprised how the smallest of technological troubles often times create quite an issue with time management and of course, with stress management...I.E. non efficiency.  None of us have time to waste...yet, I confess, I am one of those people who get caught up trying to figure out a minor problem and waste an inordinate amount of time doing so, or plug along executing a procedure, when there exists a more efficient way of accomplishment.

Hitting the road with your computer opens the doors to a whole world of potential security problems, both physical and software-based, but don't worry. They're all manageable. Remember, the weakest link in your security will usually be you—as long as you don't put yourself, your computer, or its data at undue risk, you should be just fine even if you have to work from a library or a coffee shop, or connect to whatever Wi-Fi you find to get some work done.

They’re everywhere: in cars, shopping malls, and restaurants, even at family and professional sporting events.  They are so common place these days, I'm not sure I know anyone who doesn't own one...the "attached at the hip" CELL PHONE!!  Have you noticed, though, how often a wireless phone isn’t being used to actually talk to another person.

Unless you're a hermit, you are out and about every day, sometimes several time a day.  And each time you venture outdoors, whether it's to a meeting, the grocery store, a concert, sporting event, or on vacation, it's an occasion for something to happen to your mobile phone or the information in it.

"Cloud Computing" is definitely the buzzword "De Jour"...but there are very few of us who really understand what this is and how it works.  So here is a little "Cloud 101" to hopefully allow a little better understanding of this phenomenon.

"Cloud Computing"  means that instead of all the computer hardware and software you're using sitting on your desktop, or somewhere inside your company's network, it's provided for you as a service by another company and accessed over the Internet, usually in a completely seamless way.

Internet usage is growing dramatically, but the vast majority of internet users don’t have any security backgrounds. Neither do a large majority of companies care about information security and the severity of any attack that could harm the valuable assets of these companies.