Warranty support: what is it and who will benefit from it?

Hello friends! Today we will talk about something without which comfortable and productive work in the cloud can not happen - about high-quality technical support. If you've probably already heard about our basic support and server administration , then warranty support is a new support solution that we will introduce you to now.

To begin with, let's take a closer look at what each of the three types of our technical support technician.

Free basic support . This is a free option, in which we do not have access details to the system, and we have no right to interfere with its work. In this case, we maintain the system's operability and advise clients to resolve issues related to the operation of the virtual machine. Well, if our direct intervention is required, there is an option to activate the server administration option both on an ongoing basis and hourly.

Extended support (aka server administration ). With this level of support, our services take the server on a special account to constantly monitor the state of the system. Unlike basic support, here we have access rights to the system, so we can not only advise, but also carry out work to resolve certain issues. As already mentioned, server administration can be activated not only on a monthly basis (from 30 euros / month), but also for several hours (20 euros / hour), if you need one-time help, and not constant monitoring.

Warranty support . This service is relatively new, so it makes sense to dwell on it in more detail. Basically, you get the same level of technical support as when administering servers, but for free. However, there are three prerequisites for this.

A new virtual machine, from which we have never transferred administrator rights to the client.

Only we have administrator rights, the client can use the server only as a user.

A system based on ISPmanager, VestaCP and BitrixVM is installed on the server from our templates, sharpened exclusively for hosting websites, e-mail, domains and files.

What's the point? This is comparable to buying a TV: the manufacturer will repair it for free, but if you decide to fit in with a screwdriver yourself - do not blame me, the further serviceability of the TV is already under your responsibility. Unless, unlike a TV, there is no fixed period of validity of our warranty support, it will be valid exactly as long as we are the only owners of administrator rights.

If you suddenly need all the rights - no question, we will immediately provide them to you. But this will automatically be considered the end of the warranty support. Then you can use either basic or extended technical support.

Cloud remote? Give two! [UPD]

Hello friends!

Let's go on vacation and the server is still running? Need an urgent reboot while you're on the road? The office is bursting with tours of the comedian corpse "Masks", and it would be nice to turn off the server out of harm's way?

Then we have two news - good and very good.

Let's start with the first one. Now you can manage the server directly from your phone. We are still launching a mobile application to make it even more convenient to steer virtual machines.

And the very good news is that this thing is incredibly easy to use. Look here.

1. Launch the application

2. Log in with your account details

The application will automatically remember the entered data.

3. Choosing the right car

In the window that opens, you can quickly peep the necessary information about the virtual machine: contract number (in the domain field), IP address, configuration. Here are the magic buttons On / Off. and Reboot . Everything is simple and convenient what are entry level it jobs

Tucha Client app will be available for free download from Google Play, App Store and Microsoft Store. We will announce the release date in more detail soon, it is not far off.

Well, if you still have questions and wishes about the application, or you want to learn more about other cloud utilities, please contact us for 24/7 advice .

How to create and where to store a strong password

Cybersecurity is one of the most pressing issues in the modern world. Since each of us uses social networks, email, instant messengers and various online services, it is important to know how to reliably protect your data. And for owners of websites, online stores, blogs, secure access to accounts is an integral part of the successful existence of a business.

The main assistant in the fight for cybersecurity is a password that is difficult for hackers. We are sharing with you how to create a strong password, where and how to store it correctly, and what measures must be taken to ensure that it provides stable protection against intruders.

password-100

Why is it important to store passwords correctly?

Using passwords is an important part of working with any software or resource. Moreover, passwords are an integral part of the company's information security. They protect user accounts, user data, and access to it. Using a weak password can lead to unauthorized persons gaining access to the data. It can also disrupt the operation of information systems of other companies (for example, a hosting provider).

Therefore, company employees, suppliers, contractors or visitors - all users who have access to the company's information systems are responsible for the secure creation of passwords and their protection.

What are weak and strong passwords

Each of us uses passwords for many purposes. The most common of them are logging into a computer, e-mail, authorization on various web resources, and the like. With only a few exceptions, there are systems with one-time passwords. Mostly we use passwords multiple times, so every user should know the requirements for creating strong passwords help desk it jobs.

Let's take a closer look at what a secure password should be and what combinations should be avoided.

Signs of a weak password:

contains less than 12 characters;

word from the dictionary;

a word used in everyday life, for example, the names or surnames of friends, colleagues, actors or fairy-tale characters, animal nicknames;

computer term, command, site name, hardware or software;

variations of company name or brand name;

birthday or other personal information, such as address, phone number, etc .;

regular sequences of characters and numbers, for example, 111111, abcde, qwerty, and the like;

any of the above in reverse;

any of the above with the addition of a digit at the beginning or at the end.

For example, among the most common passwords around the world, the following combinations and words have remained for many years: 123456, 123456789, 123123, 123321, 111111, password, qwerty, qwerty123, iloveyou, princess, admin. Passwords often contain names of sweets or car brands, for example, cocacola, snickers, mercedes, ferrari. Heroes from films and cartoons, in particular superman and spiderman, as well as the names of popular world groups (for example, metallica), are also in the lead. Unfortunately, in 2019, the trend remains unchanged. The list has just been replenished with No less used words, for example, football, monkey, donald, charlie.

Now let's look at what elements a strong password should consist of.

Characteristic features of a strong password:

contains large and small letters;

contains large and small letters;

contains numbers and symbols;

more than 8 characters long;

is not a word in any of the languages, dialects, jargons, slang;

is not based on personal information.

Also, a secure password should not be stored in paper or electronic form without appropriate media protection.

Meet the updated version of TuchaClient!

We are pleased to announce that an updated version of the TuchaClient mobile application is now available. This means that working with Tucha cloud services has become even easier and safer!

We remind you that TuchaClient is an application for managing one or several Tucha virtual machines. With its help, from your phone you can turn on or off the machine at any time, reboot it, and also get data about it: configuration, IP address, contract number, etc.

What's new in TuchaClient?

First of all, the ability to save the details of access to multiple accounts has been added. This feature will be especially useful for partners who cooperate with several clients with different accounts at once.

In addition, user authentication using FaceID and TouchID has become available. Therefore, access to and use of the application has become even more secure technical support jobs near me.

You can install the updated version now for Android and IOS.

Download the TuchaClient app and see that managing virtual machines is now even easier!

How much does the migration of a Bitrix24 box to the cloud cost?

About data security

All our facilities are located in data centers that meet the security level of Tier 3 and higher. In such data centers, the main communication channels are duplicated, for example, the Internet, sources of electricity, etc. This means that the system will be available even during repair work in the data center itself.

Backups, which will also be stored in the cloud, will help to strengthen the solution and additionally protect data from loss. The TuchaBackup service will help with this . It will securely place backups on remote servers outside of Ukraine (mainly in Germany). The minimum configuration of the service includes 50 GB of cloud storage and costs 5 € / month. In the future, if necessary, the storage capacity can be easily expanded.

And if you need even more security

In this case, we recommend using additional information protection tools. Some of them are already provided in our services. For example, as already mentioned, for all clients of TuchaFlex + and TuchaBit services, we store the last two full snapshots of the virtual machine disks. If you need to create and store a larger number of images, this can be easily done for an additional fee, simply by contacting us with such a request.

You can also connect other useful tools, for example: Help desk support job description

Additional dedicated IP-addresses with geolocation in Ukraine or abroad.

Ready-made server templates with disk encryption enabled.

The ability to encrypt communication channels.

Panic buttons.

Is it possible to test the services

Before purchasing, our customers can test the services TuchaFlex + and TuchaBit for free for 7 days. This period is usually enough to evaluate the convenience of working on virtual servers and the quality of Tucha's technical support. Already at the testing stage, we will provide consulting support, and, if necessary, we will help to transfer data and existing settings to the cloud.

About technical support

It is important for each client that his server runs without downtime and is available 24 × 7 even during heavy loads. Tucha's technical support service works around the clock and does everything to ensure that the system works smoothly. There are 4 types of technical support to choose from:

Basic. We provide it for free.

Permanent server administration - 50% of the server cost, but not less than 30 euros / month.

Hourly server administration. The cost of this type of technical support is 20 euros / hour.

Warranty support. We provide it free of charge under certain conditions. 

You can find out more about what opportunities you get with each type of support here . 

About payment for services and closing documents

Despite the fact that prices for all our services are tied to euros, payment is made in hryvnia. At the same time, the course is quite humane, since the cost is fixed for the whole month at the NBU rate on the first day of each month. The price already contains VAT (for those who are payers of this tax). When paying for services in Ukraine, the following options are available: 

checking account;

payment by credit card through the Privat24 application or PrivatBank terminals;

online payment using LiqPay.

For each client, we prepare all the necessary closing accounting documents: acts of completion, tax invoices, original invoices, etc. We prefer electronic document management, but we are still close friends with postal services, so if you need documents on analog media, we will definitely provide.

Legal Issues

The basis of cooperation with us is a public contract (offer) . If the client needs a paper version of the document, we will promptly prepare an application for joining the offer agreement.

conclusions

Hosting a boxed version of Bitrix24 in the Tucha cloud is convenient, reliable and profitable. The data is stored on remote servers, and access to them is possible 24 × 7 from anywhere in the world. At the same time, the technical support team is always in touch and ready to help in transferring data and settings to our cloud.

EaseuS Todo Backup

Powerful and functional program for creating backups for Windows.

system-clone

Cost : there is both a free version with limited functionality and paid options (from $ 29 per license)

Languages : support for 6 languages, no Ukrainian and Russian

Operating system support : Windows XP / Vista / 7/8 / 8.1 / 10

Interface : intuitive, simple, there are "wizards" for performing basic operations - creating a backup copy, restoring data, preparing a boot disk, etc. Ample opportunities to customize the software.

Key features :

automatic and manual creation of backups. Scheduled launch can be configured for a specific day, time;

creating both a complete copy of the disk and separate partitions / directories / files. There is also the possibility of sector-by-sector disk copying to save the entire file structure (for example, to switch to an SSD or a new hard disk);

support for various file systems, RAID, UEFI, WinPE;

copies can be stored locally, saved to a removable drive, uploaded to a remote server via FTP or cloud storage ( TuchaBackup , Google Drive, OneDrive or Dropbox);

creating a bootable disk or flash drive that will allow you to boot the computer and restore its state, including installed programs and settings, if the primary media fails.

Disadvantages:

the free version lacks the ability to launch on an event (for example, after a Windows update);

no support for Ukrainian and Russian languages;

free and home versions lack remote control of the program;

old operating systems and third-party operating systems are not supported.

Conclusions : EaseuS Todo Backup is a powerful and efficient utility for creating backups for Windows. Despite the limitations in the free version, it is suitable for various use cases.

FBackup

A simple but effective and functional utility that can create backups and full copies of PC disks.

main-window

Cost : Free

Languages : support for over 20 languages, there is Russian and Ukrainian

Operating system support : Windows XP / Vista / 7/8 / 8.1 / 10

Interface: exists in two versions - simple for inexperienced users, which allows you to perform basic actions in a few clicks, and advanced - with a lot of settings.

Key features :

creation of backups in manual and automatic mode, support for running on a schedule at a specific hour / day, on a timer, when starting or shutting down the computer;

creating exact copies of a disk, volume, partition, folder or set of files. Even archiving of open files and running programs is supported thanks to the use of shadow copying;

support for plugins that add new functionality to the program. There are add-ons for working with popular programs - browsers, antiviruses, instant messengers, games, office and graphics software, archivers, download managers, etc. Thus, you can make backup copies of application profiles, anti-virus databases, game saves and other working files and easily transfer them to other computers or restore if necessary;

creating compressed backups to save disk space;

two modes of operation - simple for all users and advanced - for those who need additional features;

built-in ability to check the integrity of a backup or individual files in it;

Create bootable disks / flash drives for system crash recovery.

Disadvantages:

there is no way to upload backups to a remote server or save in the cloud;

management of the program via the network or the Internet is not supported;

third-party operating systems are not supported.

Conclusions: FBackup is a simple and convenient utility for working with backups under Windows, but its use is limited due to the lack of support for network operations. The functionality is significantly expanded by third-party plugins.

Comodo BackUp

A powerful and very functional program for working with backups from a well-known manufacturer.

largeImg

Cost : Free (there is a paid version for commercial use)

Languages : support for several European languages, no Ukrainian and Russian

Operating system support : Windows XP / Vista / 7/2008

Interface: rather complex, overloaded interface, which is not easy for a beginner to understand. There are many settings for professionals.

Key features : IT support jobs description

creating backups in manual and automatic mode. There is a built-in task scheduler that allows you to flexibly configure the time for creating backups;

support for saving copies on a local or network drive, on an FTP server or your own cloud storage;

informing the user by E-mail about completed operations;

support for copying the entire disk, individual partitions, files or folders, including in the shadow mode;

the ability to encrypt a backup and protect it with a password;

support for scripts to set complex backup parameters.

Disadvantages:

no version for other OS;

no translation into Ukrainian and Russian;

the program has not been updated since 2014, there is no official support for Windows 8 and older;

confusing interface for beginners.

Conclusions: Comodo Backup is a functional backup utility suitable for advanced users and IT professionals. It has not been updated for a long time, which limits its use on new systems.

Aomei backupper

A modern and functional program for working with backups, which is distinguished by its speed of work and support for new technologies.

system-clone

Cost : free in the Standart version with limited functionality, there are paid advanced versions

Languages : support for several European languages, no Ukrainian and Russian

Operating system support : Windows XP / Vista / 7/2008/8 / 8.1 / 10

Interface: simple and intuitive, suitable for both beginners and advanced users. Basic functions can be performed from the main screen with a few clicks.

Key features :

full, partial or incremental (updates only) copying of files;

work in manual mode or on a schedule;

the ability to save a disk sector by sector, copy individual volumes and partitions;

saving backups locally and to a network drive;

protection of archives with encryption and password;

support for shadow copying to save open files;

checking the integrity of the created backup;

creating bootable disks for Windows and Linux.

Disadvantages:

no version for other OS;

no translation into Ukrainian and Russian;

stripped down functionality in the free version;

no cloud storage support.

Conclusions: Aomei Backupper is a convenient and functional software for various options for data backup and quick recovery. Use by beginners is difficult due to the lack of translation into Ukrainian / Russian. For maximum functionality, you need to purchase a license.

conclusions

As you can see, there are many tools, there is plenty to choose from. Focus on your tasks and current ideas about beauty. And remember: whatever program you choose to collect and process backups, you need to keep them in a safe place. We know one such thing . :) See reviews  about our work and ask  for competent advice. Protect your data and yourself!

Support issues you probably have

Lack of training is another problem. Yes, in a company where there is technical support (well, or just any customer service), formal training is always carried out: somewhere this is a course for a young fighter, somewhere a lecture for a couple of hours, somewhere a strict boss who broadcasts rudely for 15 minutes the fact that the company should be called exclusively Astroservice Technologies Group Elesi Company, and the client's name should be mentioned at least 7 times in a conversation, the rest is not so important. This, of course, is all wrong. There are several best practices for training helpdesk / service personnel, among which the most universal can be distinguished. 

Perfect option. After recruiting a group of specialists, a mentor from among experienced employees is assigned to every 2-3 support personnel, who conducts detailed desk training and immediately consolidates knowledge in practice. This way the information is absorbed as quickly as possible and it is possible to avoid discrepancies.

An acceptable option. Classroom training is carried out in several runs, and the senior specialist only answers questions that arise and periodically analyzes calls / letters / chats with newcomers after the fact. In this situation, the likelihood that a newbie will screw up is higher.

Option "well, at least something." As in the two previous cases, you have formed a knowledge base, which contains typical cases and problems (well, or simply there is access to old tickets) and the new employee analyzes the situations for a couple of weeks, and then passes something like an exam. Of course, something will remain in my head, but the effect is similar to reading Stroustrup's book without a computer and IDE in front of my nose and credit on a piece of paper. Therefore, the junior sees the compiler and is afraid of it. So here too - a telephone headset or a letter will put the novice operator into a stupor. 

What is technical support

As great as the company is, technical support will always be the unit with the highest turnover. Therefore, selection and training must initially be put on a professional track, otherwise everything will be worse and worse.

Endless and boring scripts

Total "scripting" is another scourge of technical support and, in general, any customer service. The speech of specialists is sometimes so scripted that even we, IT specialists, have a suspicion that a robot with an unfinished intellect is on the other side. Of course, certain tips for different situations are urgently needed, but communication should take place in human language. Compare the two dialogues.

1.

- Hello. Welcome to the Astroservice Technologies Group Elesi Company support service. We are glad to hear from you. What is your problem?

- Hello. I can't log into the admin area on your site to complete a purchase. Writes that the login does not exist.

- We are very glad to receive your request and are ready to answer your questions. Answer the question, when did you register on our site?

- About three years ago. Yesterday it went fine.

- Thanks for the detailed answer. What is your login?

- hellboy.

- Thanks for the detailed answer.

2.

- Good afternoon, Astroservice company, my name is Vasily. How can I help you?

- Hello. I can't log into the admin area on your site to complete a purchase. Writes that the login does not exist.

- When did you register on our site? How long has this problem been?

- About three years ago. Yesterday it went fine. 

- What is your login?

- hellboy.

- So, now we'll figure it out. I'm looking at your username, yeah, you've run out 

More specifics, less irritation and words, after which the topic of the conversation is already blurred. By the way, this also applies to sales.

Referral by specialists is sometimes a necessary and even correct measure - it is much better to wait a minute for a response from a specialized specialist than to try to get something from the first line. However, when the chain acquires several links, each of which needs to repeat all the information about the problem, you want to quit communication and go to Google. And if, in the event of an urgent appeal to a bank or, for example, a clinic, such a readdressing with explanations is justified, then in the case of a written solution of the issue in the mail, chat or messenger, this is at least indecent.

Information about the client's problem must be quickly and accurately recorded and saved in order to convey it to the performer, without forcing the client to retell for the tenth time how his warm floor did “pshshsh, then a crack-crack, then trrrr and shibanul oo as and for sure because the cat- I did pick a corner and confused it with a tray. " This can be done in any form, for example, in a separate chat, as a note to a card in a CRM system, or directly in a ticket inside the helpdesk. This is how it is implemented in the ZEDLine Support cloud helpdesk: there is a description of the task from the client, the operator can clarify the information, request screenshots and files, and then simply delegate the task to a colleague competent in this matter. At the same time, the client himself on the client portal will see who is engaged in his task and at what stage. And since versionZEDLine Support 2.2 , which is already available, now has internal messages in the system - operators can discuss a task among themselves, and the client will not see those comments that he does not need to see.