@Profile October 2019 - Sparkling Updates This Autumn!

Welcome to our bonfire themed quarterly @Profile newsletter. Here we'll be providing you with the hottest updates you need to know heading into this winter! We'll be kicking things off with some sparkling news on the new modules that are being added to Opera 3 SQL SE and how they can benefit your business. Then we'll be swiftly running you through the potential changes Brexit could have on you, the best ways to save putting your old PCs on the bonfire and how to not get burnt by unsupported hardware. And finally, we'll conclude by introducing you to one of our key engineers and how they keep your businesses running smoothly.

Hot New Modules Added To Opera 3 SQL SE

Being able to operate your business with full confidence, using a SQL Database, makes the processes that would usually slow you down, a walk in the park. You'll be able to continue your everyday activities whilst the SQL Database performs processes in the background, ensuring your business doesn't come to a halt. Additionally, businesses will now have the opportunity to work with the Payroll & HR module having full assurance of the high security that Opera 3 SQL SE can offer you. Service-side processing guarantees higher levels of efficiency as integral processes can be scheduled out of work hours, allowing your organisation to continue running at all times.

In addition to Payroll, the recently released Pegasus XRL module empowers advanced intelligence that works for you. With vast reporting power and an easy to use-platform, this allows organizations to create bespoke reports and analysis based on live Opera 3 SQL SE data, with just a few clicks. The perks of these modules are clear indicators as to how they can assist and benefit the day-to-day running of your business - For more information on moving forward with either of these, please contact your Account Manager. 

Don't Throw Your Old PC's On The Bonfire... Recycle Them Instead!

As a business, you have the responsibility to dispose of your IT and Telecommunications Equipment in the correct manner... No more trips to the skip! From January 2019, a wider array of products and equipment was covered by the directive of disposing of your items in the correct manner. This directive was labelled the WEEE Scheme, also becoming a specialist part of the waste and recycling industry. Every year an estimated 2 million tonnes of WEEE items are discarded by companies in the UK -  WEEE includes most products that have a plug or need a battery. Here at Profile, we have the ability to handle the complete process for you and save you the time in handling everything. With 40% of all WEEE items being IT or Telecommunications it's clear everyone needs to comply with the regulations in place. With the upcoming end of support for Microsoft Windows 7, the likelihood is the vast majority of businesses across the UK will be upgrading or replacing their old, out-dated PC's. If you found yourself with a large number of Windows 7 PC's that are no longer compatible, please don't hesitate to contact the Profile Team.

 Don't Get Burnt By Unsupported Hardware

At Profile, we are always hot on making sure our customers are not left behind using outdated or unsupported hardware/software. It's easy to become complacent and not feel like you need to upgrade or update, but using unsupported "abandonware" can have disastrous consequences for businesses.

Microsoft has formally announced that they are ending extended support in January 2020 for:

• Windows 7
• Windows Server 2008 R2
• SBS 2011

What does this mean for your business? Well, using outdated software means you are not protected by security patches and won't get the latest features and updates. This might seem like a minor annoyance but could have drastic consequences for your business. Your business is more at risk of being targeted by malicious spyware or crypto lock, and you won't have any defences to protect you. If you're still using Windows 7 or Windows Server 2012 (or anything older), you should be thinking about updating to Windows 10 and Windows Server 2019 before January. This will future-proof your business and ensure you are receiving the latest features, security updates and patches. You can check out the hardware solutions that we offer by clicking here. 

Alternatively, you could consider moving your business to a hosted server to get all the benefits of working in the cloud. To find out more about hosted servers and why they are beneficial to your business's infrastructure and security, visit our website.

 Meet The Team - Wakar 

Yet again, it's time to meet another crucial member of the team and dig deeper into what sets Wakar alight! Wakar Arif is a key component of our award-winning ENS support team and has over 16 years of experience within the industry and has been involved at Profile for just over 3 months - so I decided to sit down with him get a little insight into his day-to-day activities to share with our customers.

 Why did you choose to come to Profile?

"My passion for IT, led to me wanting to be around similar ambitious minded people within the office."

What's one thing that you think Profile does better than anyone else?

"I believe we pay extra attention to customers in many areas that other company's don't."

What makes Profile Support Service superior to others?

"Our entire department has an ultra-fast response time and I feel we are all very efficient when we're communicating."

And finally, What will you be doing this bonfire night?

"Taking the kids to watch the fireworks."

- The Profile Team