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The difference between a microsite and a website

December 11, 2018 by

You hear the term microsite a lot, but what is the real difference? A website is your regular website that contains all the information you want to present to your visitors. A microsite is a site that you create for a specific purpose, be it marketing or for focus. You will probably host them in the same place, your Los Angeles data center. Here are some of the main criteria when defining a microsite:

A microsite is usually a temporary construct that only exists for the period of its purpose. If there is a marketing campaign that is focusing on a niche or product, it is often a good idea to create an accompanying microsite for the duration of the campaign. Please remember that a microsite is not a landing page and has more information.

The microsite also does not need to be small. The micro component of the name is more about its purpose than its size. It is as big as it needs to be. It might be a

subdomain or a subfolder of the main site but has to function as a standalone site and should only have a cursory reference to the main site.

You will also find that microsites have its own social media profiles, email address, and forms. According to Rack Alley, even video and text content will exist purely for the microsite, for the duration of the campaign, or as a permanent resource for the niche.

Filed Under: Web Development and Hosting

Ergonomic Furniture Can Improve Operator Efficiency

December 10, 2018 by

Summary: Ergonomic furniture can help operators work at a more efficient rate.

Running a command center comes with its caveats. For one, you’ll have to ensure that your operators are engaged at all times – not to mention ready to handle any emergency situations. One approach you can take to help improve efficiency in your EOC building is to invest in ergonomic furniture.

Helping Posture and Increased Comfort

Ergonomic chairs are designed for those that require a more comfortable chair and can help keep their spine aligned and postured. Simple furniture pieces like these can have a direct impact on performance. For instance, if an operator is suffering from chronic back pain due to those cheap office chairs, swapping out to an ergonomic alternative can help mitigate this pain, and in turn, improve the worker’s efficiency.

Boosting Morale

A psychological factor that can impact efficiency is making your employees feel special and welcome. If they are treated fairly and given even an ergonomic piece of furniture, it can improve their productivity and they may also feel like their owner cares for them. Studies have shown that happier employees are more efficient when working on the job.

While it’s great to provide your employees with a gift or two every once in a while, be sure to consider the limitations as well. The purchase isn’t going to turn your command center into an industry-leading command center, but the gesture definitely helps. Listening and changing the environment around your employees can improve productivity and may even reduce the feeling of sluggishness and resentment.

Filed Under: Technology

Factors to Consider When Buying a Portable Power Supply

September 28, 2018 by

Generally speaking, it’s not difficult to sell most people on the benefits of a portable power supply. The versatility and convenience of various types of power supplies and generators speak for themselves. Before springing for just any old model, you need to ask yourself a few questions. Be sure to mull the following when making any auxiliary power unit purchase.

Source of Power

Firstly, you should think about where your power supply’s juice will ultimately come from. Some portable generators use gasoline while others rely on diesel fuel. Quite a few models are diesel-electric hybrids. Some units are merely compact arrays of lithium batteries that store energy generated elsewhere. A few even create their own electricity using photovoltaic panels.

Type of Current

Without a doubt one of the most important decisions you can make in regards to a portable power unit is whether it’ll deliver AC power, DC power or both. Most portable power pack models are DC-only. Larger generator-style power supplies tend to give users the option of outputting either AC or DC power on demand.

Voltage & Power Output

A power supply is only as good as its ability to meet the demands of any given job. Popular models range from 12 volt jump-starters all the way up to 28 volt power supplies that can deliver up to 2,000 peak amps. Ensure that your chosen power supply can deliver the wattage you need at the right voltages.

Intended Usage & Compatibility

In the portable power supply arena, compatibility with a variety of gear is a critical concern. Most generators and power supplies boast standard sockets that will be compatible with most tools and appliances. If you need a power supply for a specialized purpose such as jump-starting aircraft, you’ll need to pay close attention to connector compatibility.

Size and Mobility

Nowadays, external power supplies come in all shapes and sizes. Where you plan on taking a power supply will inform your decision to a great extent. Clearly, smaller power packs can be taken pretty much anywhere. Larger, high-output models must be equipped with wheels and handles to provide an acceptable level of mobility.

Something for Everybody

If you’re looking for a portable power supply, your decision won’t hinge on a single factor. You’ll need to take all of the aforementioned considerations into account when weighing the pros and cons of any given option. Fortunately, the perfect power supply unit for your purposes is out there if you do your research.

Filed Under: Technology

How Emergency Management Activities Are Structured

March 3, 2018 by

Summary: EOCs are designed to facilitate ongoing high-risk events and manage them quickly and effectively.

 

EOCs exist in a variety of forms – similar to that of a NOC design. There is no single organizational structure that can define an Emergency Operation Center. Each jurisdiction requires a variation of an EOC that fits the need. The key is to maximize the staff’s efforts in decision making at the lowest practical level.

 

An EOC needs to be organized with the intent of facilitating a smooth operation with documenting, collecting data, and making executive decisions to ensure public confidence. This is done through efficiency, organization, and flexibility.

 

Management Activities Structure

 

The organizational structure of EOCs vary based on design and community need. For instance, one of the more utilized management activities structure comes in the form of an emergency management operations group, which houses representatives from any agency that handles a specific incident for a tactical assignment such as fire, law enforcement, public works, medical services, and more. The advantage to using this model is that the organizational structure is relatively simple – straight lines of communication.

 

The Pros of an Emergency Management Activities Structure

Additionally, using this model, key problem solvers and representatives from participating agencies can contribute to making key decisions and allocating resources to wherever necessary. Most custom manufacturers designer will look to address what specific type of station the EOC will be before starting work on it. By doing so, the appropriate space for foot traffic and equipment can be considered when creating the entire center. This is an important task that must be considered

Filed Under: Technology

Top 5 Tips for NOC/SOC Collaboration

January 16, 2018 by

Summary: NOC and SOC teams must work in tandem to mitigate and eliminate any potential security threats.

This guide is designed to showcase how NOCs and SOCs can collaborate to improve a company’s overall efficiency.

  1. Aligning Your IT With Your Business Goals

One of the most important tasks for a company is obtaining a consolidated view of the entire IT operations data so that it aligns with one’s business goals. Now, there there are numerous executive dashboards each of them in the current market but staying true to your business goals will allow you to thrive.

  1. Security Lies in Visibility

If your IT team is unable to identify the problem, how are they going to secure it? Look for a single vendor that can provide integrated tools to solve your IT issues. It starts with a centralized approach to managing all of the important data.

  1. Log Management

With the emergence of new data management, you’ll need to analyze every single event or piece of data that comes your way to maximize security. By using comprehensive log management solutions to manage your system, you’ll enhance the overall level of efficiency.

  1. Utilize Event Correlation Tools

You’ll want to connect users with their roles, responsibilities, and access controls to maintain a balanced, well-rounded IT environment. Without any direction or organization, your IT team is less likely to secure your network.

  1. Network Tools

Every IT operation requires network monitoring tools to prevent and minimize any damage done by intruders. Utilizing certain intrusion prevention systems that integrate these tools with log management is one positive step towards efficient network security management. Be sure that the tools you’re using are capable of handling every aspect of securing your network.

 

Filed Under: Business Services, Technology