Category Archives: IT Services

IT Support Lincoln, Lincolnshire – Business IT Support Experts

Are you a business based in Lincoln, Lincolnshire requiring IT support?

All modern businesses rely heavily on computers.  IT support requirements and dependency have increased dramatically over the past decade.  Needing quick access to files and e-mails has become so important.  Servers and networks need to have as close to 100% uptime as possible.  So choosing the right IT support company in Lincoln or Lincolnshire is vitally important.

When you Google “IT Support Lincoln”, or “IT Support in Lincoln” or “Business IT Support in Lincoln”, you will be presented with a variety of results.  No doubt, by searching one of these terms, this is how you’ve ended up reading this blog article!  There are a few IT support companies in Lincoln that offer good IT support for businesses.  Maybe I’m biased, but I would highly recommend contacting Lincoln IT Solutions Ltd!  Thinking objectively however, and from an outside perspective, you need to be sure that you’re making the right decision regarding your external IT support company.  Whoever you entrust to support you over the coming years needs to be trustworthy, reliable and dependable.

We know that we can meet all of your requirements and surpass them, but we’ll leave you to come to that conclusion on your own.

New business start-up or existing business?

Starting a business can be challenging and daunting.  We know all too well, as 4 years ago, we were in the same position!  Fortunately, our business have thrived because of our passion to provide the highest quality of IT support service in Lincoln.  Most of our clients come from referrals and all of our existing clients are happy to provide testimonials and case studies of our work.  That should speak volumes!

If you are starting a new business in Lincoln, Lincolnshire and are unsure how you can have secure centralised storage of your files, remote access to your e-mails and a modern VoIP telephone system then look no further.  We can take away the hassle and worry and provide you with a reliable IT server and network infrastructure that will last for years to come.  And it doesn’t have to cost the Earth!  All of our IT solutions are scalable, so you can start small and end up a multi-national multi-million pound turnover company!

If you are running an existing business and already have a server, PC’s and network in place, then we offer a free health check and quote to look after your systems for you.  Simply contact us via our helpdesk on 01522 282120 or via our online form and one of our friendly staff will talk you through the process.

Lincoln IT Solutions Ltd was formed in 2010.
Our aim is to use expert skills and knowledge to help local businesses get the best out of their IT.

Upgrading from Windows XP and Small Business Server 2003

Do I need to upgrade?

WindowsXP-SmallBusinessServer2003

As you may already be aware, Microsoft Windows XP and Small Business Server 2003 (or SBS 2003) reached their end-of-life in April 2014. (http://windows.microsoft.com/en-gb/windows/end-support-help). So what does this mean?  Well, both operating systems will continue to function but Microsoft will no longer be providing updates or security patches for these operating systems.  This can be a concern for businesses that want to keep their data safe and secure.

Typically, a PC that is running Windows XP or a server that is running Small Business Server 2003 will not be capable of running the latest operating systems due to aging hardware.  Therefore, we would recommend that you budget for a complete upgrade of the hardware and software in your office.

Will this cost a lot of money and involve lots of downtime and disruption for my business?

No, we can source new PC’s and server hardware at reduced rates and our daily consultancy rate is very competitive.  Therefore, you can upgrade all of your critical business systems at a very reasonable cost.  Just give us a call and we would be happy to provide you a free, no obligation quotation.

We have a great deal of experience in upgrading our clients systems and have developed many techniques over the years to reduce the amount of disruption involved.  Don’t take our word for it.  We can provide you with testimonials from our existing clients to see what they thought of the process to give you peace of mind.

Windows 7 Professional or Windows 8.1 Professional?

Windows 7 or Windows 8.1?

This question will likely raise its head during the upgrade process.  We have some clients who prefer to stick with Windows 7 Professional and some who like to use the very latest Windows 8.1 Professional operating system.  The reasons can vary and sometimes you will be limited by specialist third-party software you may be running.  However, you can have the confidence that support for Windows 7 will not run out until January 14th 2020 (http://windows.microsoft.com/en-gb/windows/lifecycle).  Most of the systems we provide that come with Windows 7 pre-installed, also come with a free upgrade to Windows 8.1 should you wish to upgrade in the future.

Small Business Server 2011 (SBS 2011) or Microsoft Server 2012 Essentials?

Windows Small Business Server 2011 or Windows Server 2012 Essentials?

This question will also likely raise its head during the upgrade process.  Microsoft have made the decision to discontinue the “Small Business Server” family of server products.  The advantage of that family of server products were that it included all of the business components that a small business would need out of the box.  Microsoft Exchange for on-site e-mail capability.  Microsoft Sharepoint for on-site collaboration tools.

From the 2012 server family onwards, Microsoft recommend that small businesses use the Microsoft Server 2012 Essentials operating system.  It doesn’t include Microsoft Exchange or Microsoft Sharepoint anymore but the price reflects this.  Instead, Microsoft want small business to start using their Microsoft Office 365 on-line e-mail and collaboration platform.  This is a subscription based service rather than the on-site service of previous generations.

Based on your unique and bespoke requirements, we will recommend either Small Business Server 2011 or Microsoft Server 2012 Essentials when upgrading your server.  Our recommendations will be fully explained in non-technical jargon so you understand the reasons behind the decision.

In summary

Our goal is to “simplify your IT”!  We understand how cruicial your business systems are and how reliant on technology even the smallest of businesses have become.

Contact us today to discuss your requirements and arrange your free initial consultation.

Remember, we provide the highest available level of business IT support and business network support in Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire.  Trust the experts and leave your IT Support needs in our capable hands.

VoIP – Voice over Internet Protocol

Welcome to our first blog on VoIP!

What is VoIP you may ask and what are the benefits?  Well I’m glad you are asking those questions as that’s what I’m here to explain.   First let’s examine what currently happens to your phone call and then we can fully appreciate what VoIP is and how we can fully utilize it in the work place.

We all know that traditional phone calls go over 2 wires to the green box in the street that in turn connect the telephone exchange that connects the bigger wider telephone world and that sounds all good and dandy.  But and this is a big but, what happens when things break and or you want to travel and want to do anything useful with your phone or you want to move house or office…that’s where the issues start.  How can VoIP help?

What is VoIP?

Well the basics are this rather than your voice travelling over 2 wires your voice in voip_phoneconverted into data and sent over the internet that’s it really and there are plenty of examples of this think of skype as the main one so that’s what VoIP is, So how can we use it here are just some of the benefits:

  • Multiple calls on one number
  • Follow me
  • Voicemail on every line
  • Music on hold and advertising while on hold
  • Call Screening
  • IVR and Department Menus
  • Conferencing and Meetings
  • Do not Disturb

These are just a few of the benefits of using a VoIP phone system so if you think that these would help your business going forward and would enable you to get more out of your phone system then please contact us.

If you want a demonstration of this system please let us know and we can set one up for you free of charge.

For more information visit our VoIP Business Systems support page: http://www.lincolnitsolutions.co.uk/services/voip-business-systems.html

Or contact our friendly staff on 01522 282120 or via e-mail: info@lincolnitsolutions.co.uk