IT Trends Blog for the Latest Tech News and Updates

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.

5 IT Mistakes That Reset Your Progress (And Your Profits)

5 IT Mistakes That Reset Your Progress (And Your Profits)

Did you know that industry data suggests that the average small business loses over $10,000 per year simply by making “common-sense” IT decisions that lack a long-term strategy? In fact, most IT decision-makers look at technology as little more than a utility, like water or electricity, rather than a competitive advantage. IT is not a cost to be minimized; it’s a way to get ahead (and stay ahead), and it’s time to fix the mistakes you’ve made in the past.

Continue reading

Why Your Business Needs an IT Roadmap Today

Why Your Business Needs an IT Roadmap Today

Let me pose a (hopefully) hypothetical scenario: your business has relied on your server since 2019. Each and every day, it handles every request that your business has had of it, but on an otherwise uneventful Tuesday, it suddenly conks out, dead as a doornail. So, what do you do?

This is just one example of why an IT roadmap is a non-negotiable need for modern organizations. That still leaves an important question… what should this roadmap include?

Continue reading

Focusing on Value is the Sure Path to Better IT

Focusing on Value is the Sure Path to Better IT

For many business owners, modern technology feels like a high-maintenance treadmill: you keep running faster and spending more money just to stay in the same place, without ever actually moving forward. If you have ever felt like you are buying software just to keep up rather than to get ahead, you are not alone.

The goal should not be to buy more IT. The goal is to capture value. Here is how to bridge the gap between technical complexity and business growth.

Continue reading

Efficiency is (Too Often) the Enemy of Security

Efficiency is (Too Often) the Enemy of Security

We all have that one person. The "rockstar." They answer emails at 11 p.m., they juggle four projects at once, and they never say "that’s not my job." They move fast, they break things, and they get results.

They are also the person most likely to bankrupt your company before lunch.

Continue reading

6 Critical Steps when Dealing with Passwords

6 Critical Steps when Dealing with Passwords

It is 2026, and while we were promised flying cars, we mostly got smarter toasters and AI that can write poetry. Unfortunately, malicious actors got an upgrade, too. With AI-driven brute-force attacks now able to crack simple passwords in seconds, this technology just doesn't cut it anymore.

Your security is always our priority, but we are only half of the equation. You need to know how to protect yourself. Here is a quick refresher on the best practices for password creation and management to keep your digital life locked down tight.

Continue reading

Beyond the Vault: The Business Case for Password Manager Integration

Beyond the Vault: The Business Case for Password Manager Integration

The password has long been the most important security tool because it is the most widely used. From a backend perspective, integrating a password manager isn't just as a digital vault, it helps build a comprehensive security framework.

This month, we thought we’d explain why the password manager is a must-have for your business and how to integrate one effectively.

Continue reading

Why Percussive Maintenance Isn’t Magic (or Good)

Why Percussive Maintenance Isn’t Magic (or Good)

“Persuasion.” “Percussive Maintenance.” Whatever you call hitting your computer to make it work, we get it. We’ve all been there. Your Wi-Fi router drops the signal for the third time during a meeting, or your TV remote decides to go on strike. In a fit of frustration, you give it a firm slap; and miraculously, it starts working again.

Continue reading

From Pay-As-You-Go to Paying Too Much

From Pay-As-You-Go to Paying Too Much

When businesses first migrate to the cloud, the promise is almost always the same: limitless scalability, faster innovation, and lower upfront costs. Unfortunately, that pay-as-you-go dream can quickly turn into a pay-more-than-you-thought nightmare. Recent industry data suggests that organizations typically overspend by 25-to-35 percent on their cloud resources. Without visibility, you aren’t just paying for what you use; you’re paying for what you forgot you were using.

Continue reading

Technical Non-Negotiables for a Multi-Site Network Rollout

Technical Non-Negotiables for a Multi-Site Network Rollout

When a workforce spans multiple geographic regions, the network transitions from a standard utility to the company’s core nervous system. If the architecture is fragmented, the business becomes latent. From a systems engineering perspective, expansion requires a shift toward a resilient, software-defined framework.

Here is the technical breakdown of the non-negotiables for a multi-site rollout.

Continue reading

Back Up Your Data (Or Regret It)

Back Up Your Data (Or Regret It)

Most businesses don’t have what it takes to survive a hardware failure or natural disaster, and we don’t mean in terms of “grit.” What we mean is in the sheer technological capacity to recover their data and continue operations. It’s bizarre, too, how easy data backup can be, provided you follow these three key tenets. With a little help from a qualified backup professional, your business can stay resilient even in the worst of times.

Continue reading

The Rise of Agentic AI Could Create a Crisis of Authenticity

The Rise of Agentic AI Could Create a Crisis of Authenticity

With the new year just around the corner, you’re probably wondering what the latest cybersecurity threats will have in store for small businesses like yours. One such threat is the rise of agentic AI, which capitalizes on the weakest link in any business’ cybersecurity infrastructure: its human elements. If you already have a hard time figuring out if the person on the other end of the phone line is human, just wait… It’s only going to get worse.

Continue reading

Recycling Your Business’ Old Tech is Extremely Important

Recycling Your Business’ Old Tech is Extremely Important

So, one of your devices—let’s say it’s a computer monitor—finally gives up the ghost and dies on you. What do you do?

Too many people would answer this question by simply tossing the offending monitor into the trash, even though that would be precisely the wrong move. Let’s go over how to properly dispose of your old technology and review the many reasons it is essential to do so.

Continue reading

Clean Up That Inbox Now (Before You Regret It)

Clean Up That Inbox Now (Before You Regret It)

Your email inbox is one of your most accessed business resources, which means that it cannot get clogged up with useless messages that have little to no value, i.e., spam. If you want to make the most out of your workday, that means mastering your inbox and getting it under control. Today, we have three great tips to help you do just that.

Continue reading

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.

Continue reading

How to Store a Hard Drive (Safely)

How to Store a Hard Drive (Safely)

Data storage is an evergreen issue for businesses, and the best solution seems to change with every new innovation. That said, the principles behind effective data storage seem to be fairly cut and dry. Today, we want to share some data storage best practices that transcend time.

Continue reading

How to Calculate Your Next IT Project’s ROI

How to Calculate Your Next IT Project’s ROI

Depending on the sector your business falls into, you’ll want to implement technology solutions designed to help you be successful in the context of that sector. Part of that means investing in new solutions that can yield a satisfactory return on investment, or ROI. But how do you know if a solution can yield a good ROI, and most important of all, what kind of math goes into ensuring you’re not overspending on IT that doesn’t produce results?

Continue reading

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.

Continue reading

Tip of the Week: How to Boot Your PC In Safe Mode

Tip of the Week: How to Boot Your PC In Safe Mode

Diagnosing issues with your PC can be challenging, and that’s because an operating system is inherently a complicated piece of technology. If you’re looking for a way to isolate the problem and diagnose it, we typically recommend you work with a managed service provider (like us) to make it happen. If you’d like to try things out for yourself, however, you can use Safe Mode to examine your PC in its base form to see if you can find the root cause of the issue.

Continue reading

The IT Safety Lecture

The IT Safety Lecture

The more IT you use, the more conscientious you have to be to ensure that an action you—or your staff—takes doesn’t unwittingly put your business at risk. Today, we’ll go through some ways for you to do your best to stay secure. Let’s get started.

Continue reading

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. 

Continue reading
Request a Consultation

Quercus IT strives to provide the best comprehensive IT, Computer, and Networking services to small businesses. We can handle all of your organization's technology challenges.

Contact Us
Contact Us

Learn more about what Quercus IT can do for your business.

2-15015 123 Ave NW,
Edmonton, Alberta T5V 1J7

Call us: (780) 409-8180

News & Updates
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...
Web Analytics