Information Technology Articles

Leapfrog's newsletter, FrogTalk, features articles to help companies monitor information technology trends and manage their IT.

Internet Explorer 7: Ready for Prime Time?

Released in the late fall of 2006, Microsoft's IE7 promised an improved web browsing experience and additional security features. The new release also brought some compatibility concerns with some applications, causing some individuals and companies to delay upgrading. If you haven't upgraded yet, this article provides some guidelines to the new features, and explains some of the compatibility issues. It originally appeared in the January, 2007 issue of FrogTalk.

Portable Data: Increased Portability Means More Caution When Electronic Files leave the Office

Laptops, PDAs, smartphones, and USB memory sticks make it easy to take your data with you. This opens up a real security risk when confidential data leaves the office. By using encryption, passwords, and user authentication, you limit your risk in case of loss or theft. This article originally appeared in the October, 2006 issue of FrogTalk.

Power Management: Ready for Summer Storms?

Damage caused by a power failure can extend to more than spoiled food in your refrigerator. Fluctuations in power or power loss can seriously damage your computer and the data it holds. You can prepare for power problems with a surge protector, or uninterruptible power supply, as this article explains. This article originally appeared in the July, 2006 issue of FrogTalk.

Prepare for Disaster with Business Continuity Planning

What would happen if you suddenly lost all your computer data due to a natural disaster or massive hardware failure? If history is any guide, there would be a good chance that you would be out of business. With proper business continuity planning, this need not happen to you. This article originally appeared in the December, 2005 issue of FrogTalk.

The BlackBerry Boom

Research In Motion's BlackBerry has become one of the most widely used PDAs, as executives are using the devices to stay in touch at all times. Their wide deployment and use for transmitting and storing critical business information has raised a number of security concerns. This article originally appeared in the May, 2005 issue of FrogTalk.

Spam and Spyware - Uninvited Guests

By now, most computer users have learned to install antivirus software to be protected from computer viruses. Far fewer have installed protection against spyware and malware that threaten to send personal information over the Internet, or take over the user's computer. This article originally appeared in the March, 2005 issue of FrogTalk.

Email Spoofing: "Why Would They Send Me That?"

Maybe it's happened to you. An email arrives from an official looking address, but the content doesn't make sense. Learn more about email spoofing, and why a person sending email isn't always who they claim to be. This article originally appeared in the July, 2003 issue of FrogTalk.

Centrino: The New Mobile Platform from Intel

People shopping for laptop computers will begin seeing the new mobile chip from Intel -- the Centrino. Find out more about its new features. This article originally appeared in the July, 2003 issue of FrogTalk.

Developing a Disaster Recovery Plan

What would happen if a hard disk failed and you lost all the data? Data backups, particularly if they use off-site storage, are a critical part of disaster recovery planning. This article originally appeared in the September, 2002 issue of FrogTalk.

Security Concerns of Corporate Wireless Networking

802.11 Wireless networks provide convenience to users, but can be a security nightmare for the IT department. Make sure your company reduces its exposure. This article originally appeared in the December, 2002 issue of FrogTalk.

The Business Value of Information Technology

How do you determine the ROI of your next IT investment? With a bit of planning, you can ensure that your next IT project doesn't turn into an expensive nightmare. This article originally appeared in the January, 2003 issue of FrogTalk.

Spam Filtering

Unwanted e-mail wastes time and bandwidth. By installing a spam filter, you can block many of these messages and make your network safer, too. This article originally appeared in the August, 2002 issue of FrogTalk.

Email Security: The Weakest Link in the Network

You've set up a firewall and created a DMZ to protect your corporate data from hackers. What are the chances that your email will be intercepted? Here are several ways to reduce the risks. This article originally appeared in the October, 2002 issue of FrogTalk.

What IT Managers Need to Know about P2P Networks like KaZaA

Every IT manager should know why services like KaZaA can compromise network security, attract hackers, and possibly violate the law. Four key reasons are explored in this article on peer-to-peer networks. This article originally appeared in the March, 2003 issue of FrogTalk.

Don't Forward Hoax Email

They look legitimate, but they waste time and money. If you follow their advice, you could even damage your computer. Here's how to identify hoaxes. This article originally appeared in the August, 2002 issue of FrogTalk.

You've Got (Too Much!) Mail

Are you suffering from e-mail packrat syndrome? You think you might need an email message in the future, so you never delete anything. Then one day, your mail file fills up the hard disk. We list some easy ways to clean out some of the old junk. This article originally appeared in the December, 2002 issue of FrogTalk.

Are Computers a Health Hazard?

Make sure that working at your computer doesn't cause problems like carpal tunnel syndrome or eyestrain. Here are some helpful tips to avoid health problems. This article originally appeared in the September, 2002 issue of FrogTalk.

Instant Messaging in the Workplace

Your employees may be using instant messaging to communicate with co-workers, partners, and friends. Can these conversations go out to the public? Be aware of the risks. This article originally appeared in the October, 2002 issue of FrogTalk.