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Quercus IT has been serving the Edmonton area since 2005, providing IT Support such as technical helpdesk support, computer support, and consulting to small and medium-sized businesses.

How to Lock Your Screen in a Flash

How to Lock Your Screen in a Flash

You may leave the house door wide open when you step out to grab the mail. Sounds reasonable, but if a stray cat were to wander in, that was the risk you ran. The same logic applies to your digital life. Locking your computer, tablet, or phone screen is one of the simplest yet most effective steps you can take to protect your privacy and security.

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Protect Your Business from Stolen Credentials with Multi-Factor Authentication

Protect Your Business from Stolen Credentials with Multi-Factor Authentication

The scariest threats out there are the ones that can crack your network without you even realizing it. That’s right, they’re using stolen credentials that they tricked your employees into handing over through a phishing attack. The good news, though, is that a simple multi-factor authentication solution (MFA) can be a significant step forward for your network security, and the simple act of having one makes your business much safer and less prone to cybersecurity breaches.

If you haven’t yet implemented MFA, here are three logical steps you can take to move in the right direction.

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Innovation Coming Quick: The Three Pillars Driving Today's IT Revolution

Innovation Coming Quick: The Three Pillars Driving Today's IT Revolution

As an IT professional, I'm used to dealing with change. It's the nature of the job. What we're experiencing now isn't just change, it's an exponential acceleration of innovation. The rate at which new technologies are emerging, maturing, and disrupting entire industries is faster than ever before. This velocity shift isn't a random event, it’s driven by three key factors coming together in perfect harmony. This month, we will take a look at them.

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The Tech Truths Every Young Entrepreneur Needs to Hear

The Tech Truths Every Young Entrepreneur Needs to Hear

So, you’re starting a business, and every dollar goes toward growth, marketing, and making your product awesome. Technology is probably just that thing you need to check emails and run Wi-Fi.

That mindset is dead wrong.

If you treat technology as an afterthought, you're stacking the deck against yourself. Your business runs on technology, and it can either be your secret weapon or your silent killer. This month, we go into four brutal, non-technical truths you must accept about your business tech right now.

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The Endpoint: Your Network's First Line of Defense

The Endpoint: Your Network's First Line of Defense

We see the endpoint—that includes every laptop, desktop, server, mobile device, and IoT gadget connected to your network—as the front line of your defense. Failing to secure every single one of these points is not just a risk; it's an invitation. You need to identify all the endpoints on your network and work to secure them. Here’s why, and how.

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Maximize Your Windows On Launch

Maximize Your Windows On Launch

Have you ever noticed how, by default, Windows might not open your programs in the maximized state? That’s because the normal state that it defaults to doesn’t fill the entire screen. While you could always just maximize the window yourself, wouldn’t it be helpful if the windows simply defaulted to opening in their maximized state?

Well, you can, and it’s as easy as can be through the Properties menu.

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7 Ways to Spot a Phishing Email Fast

7 Ways to Spot a Phishing Email Fast

From the classic Nigerian Prince emails to the cleverly crafted fake invoice, malicious digital correspondence is a constant, evolving threat to any business. It's not just about losing a few dollars, either. A successful phishing attack can cripple your operations, compromise sensitive data, and even lead to devastating financial and reputational damage.

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Don’t Look Now: More Cybercrime

Don’t Look Now: More Cybercrime

Technology unlocks incredible potential, but is also constantly stalked by an increasingly sophisticated adversary: cybercrime. For businesses of all sizes, threats are changing faster than ever, driven by new technologies and a highly organized criminal industry.

To protect your profits, reputation, and continuity, your business can no longer rely on yesterday’s defenses. You need to understand the evolution of the threat and implement a proactive, multi-layered strategy.

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Boost Compliance and Security with Email Archiving

Boost Compliance and Security with Email Archiving

When you send someone within your business an email, the expectation is that they will read it and respond accordingly. Unfortunately, messages can sometimes slip through the cracks, especially for small businesses with limited staff and an impossible workload to keep up with. If you primarily use email to communicate with your team, you need an email archiving system that can help ensure lost emails aren’t setting your business up for disaster.

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What is Failover and Do You Need It?

What is Failover and Do You Need It?

If your business relies on its digital infrastructure—and nearly every modern business does—you know that downtime isn't just an inconvenience; it's a direct hit to your revenue, reputation, and productivity.

Have you ever wondered how major online services stay operational even when a server crashes or a major event occurs? The secret is failover.

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Tip: Identifying Opportunities

Tip: Identifying Opportunities

We've all heard the saying, “Opportunity knocks only once." While it sounds like something a wise man would say, it’s not always true. For business owners, opportunity is everywhere, but it doesn’t stand on a corner spinning a flashy sign. The real skill is learning how to identify it and, more importantly, how to take advantage of it.

If you're ready to stop waiting and start creating your own luck, here are a few tips to help you get started.

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Why Multi-Factor Authentication is a Big Part of Your Data Security

Why Multi-Factor Authentication is a Big Part of Your Data Security

Passwords are an important part of ensuring your IT infrastructure remains safe, but they are far from the most effective security solution. It’s not necessarily the fault of the password, either; it’s just that hackers and scammers have gotten a lot better at cracking passwords in recent years, even reasonably complex ones. We recommend you implement multi-factor authentication as a secondary precaution against breaches—and here’s why.

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4 Ways Technology Helps Pinpoint and Solve Inefficiencies

4 Ways Technology Helps Pinpoint and Solve Inefficiencies

Inefficiency is a common and frustrating problem for many businesses, but it doesn't have to be. Modern technology offers powerful solutions to help you identify and eliminate these productivity problems. By finding the right technology, you can transform how your business operates and achieve a higher level of performance. Here are four effective ways to use technology to find and fix inefficiencies within your organization.

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The Hidden Dangers of Vendor Data Access

The Hidden Dangers of Vendor Data Access

Every business relies on vendors for a lot: software, services, you name it. They’re a huge part of our businesses’ ability to meet the market’s demands. The way business is done today, in order for them to do their job, they often need access to our data; but, just like you wouldn’t hand over your house keys to a stranger, you shouldn’t just hand over the keys to your data to every vendor without a second thought. When you give vendors broad, indiscriminate access, you're opening the door to some seriously bad situations.

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The Power of Your Pocket Office

The Power of Your Pocket Office

Smartphones have evolved from simple communication devices into powerful, portable command centers that are fundamentally changing the way businesses operate. In today’s fast-paced, mobile-first world, they are no longer a luxury but a critical tool for success.

Here are three ways smartphones are essential for business.

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How to Prevent AI from Harming Your Business

How to Prevent AI from Harming Your Business

AI is all over business and offers immense potential, but like any other technology, its misuse (including over-reliance) can lead to serious problems. To prevent AI from hurting your business, you need to understand the key pitfalls and thoroughly manage governance. Think of AI as a powerful, specialized tool that requires careful handling.

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Best Practices to Deal with Your Tech Troubles

Best Practices to Deal with Your Tech Troubles

Navigating the unpredictable waters of business technology can feel like that game you’d find in an old arcade: Whack-a-mole. One moment, everything's running smoothly, and the next, your critical systems are down, leaving you in a bind. This month, we wanted to talk about how your reaction to problems can go a long way toward determining the end result of your experiences. 

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A Lot of Your Business’ Issues May Be Linked to Old Tech

A Lot of Your Business’ Issues May Be Linked to Old Tech

You know that friend that is still rocking a cracked iPhone 6? It works, but it's slow, the battery dies in two hours, and it can't run the latest apps. Now, imagine a whole company doing that, but with every piece of their tech. That's a recipe for disaster.

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The End of Busywork: How to Streamline Your Business Operations

The End of Busywork: How to Streamline Your Business Operations

The day-to-day work of running a business can feel overwhelming. With overflowing inboxes, endless to-do lists, and scattered information, it's easy to get lost in the details. With the right tools, however, you can turn those tedious tasks into streamlined workflows, giving you and your team more time and clarity. This month, let's explore some of the technology that can help take the stress out of your daily grind.

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Protecting Your Business in a Remote-First World

Protecting Your Business in a Remote-First World

Technology has dramatically reshaped the way we work, with remote teams becoming not just a convenience but often a strategic imperative. With every door that opens, however, a new set of challenges emerges, particularly concerning the often-underestimated cornerstone of remote operations, the security of your systems and data.

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We are absolutely thrilled and proud to announce that Brandi Bartlett has been recognized as one of the 2025 Business in Edmonton LEADERS! This prestigious honor is a true testament to her years of dedication, insightful approach, and impactful leade...
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