August 2018 – Naga Technologies

Pi-hole: Central Solution for Ad-free Experience on All Devices

August 17, 2018

Many internet users are annoyed by online advertising. When ads are additionally exploited for the dissemination of malware, significant threats come to users. Therefore, it is not surprising that Ad blockers are increasingly used. These are browser plugins that filter out advertising and trackers. However, ads are also increasingly being used in apps where Ad blockers do not work. Anyone who wants to banish ads from their computer, smartphone, or smart TV once and for all will appreciate the benefits of Pi-hole.

An Ad Blocker for All Devices

Pi-hole is a free software solution that is installed on a Linux-operated Raspberry Pi. Only one command is needed for the installation, after which the system can be adjusted via a graphical interface. The Raspberry Pi then acts as a filter between the internet and the end devices in the household or office. A major advantage of the solution is the simple, centralized operation: With Pi-hole, ads and trackers can be blocked on a DNS level throughout the network.

DNS and How Pi-Hole Works

The Domain Name System (DNS) is one of the most important services on the World Wide Web. It is used to translate domain names and IP addresses. If you enter a domain in the browser, it is first translated by a DNS server into an IP so that the website can be accessed. For this to work smoothly, the addresses of the DNS servers are usually automatically stored by the provider in the router. Ads that are placed on websites or in apps also rely on the same principle: In order for advertising to be displayed, it must first be loaded from a specific domain. A DNS server must first translate the domain into an IP address. Pihole prevents exactly this. The software is based on dnsmasq and a list of more than 100,000 domain names that deliver advertising or track users. If the Raspberry Pi with Pi-hole is used as a DNS server instead of a router, the system can prevent connection attempts to the listed domains, so that no more advertising is displayed. This applies to browsers and apps on all devices connected to the Raspberry Pi.

Basis for Ad-free Surfing and Supplement to Security

The central filtering concept of Pi-hole is an outstanding solution for all those who use multiple devices such as computers, smartphones, tablets, or smart TVs in the house and want to surf ad-free. Nevertheless, the Pi should not function as the only protective mechanism. Wherever possible, an advanced ad blocker should continue to be used to ensure that such nasties are filtered out, which Pi-hole cannot detect. In addition, good antivirus software is necessary because Pi-hole is not designed to detect viruses or spyware. Those who also want to surf the internet anonymously need a VPN service. A VPN can be used to mask the real IP address, so that websites can be deceived with a false location.

Pi-hole offers the advantage of central ad filtering. When used in conjunction with all other security solutions such as antivirus on end devices and VPN, the user can enjoy a comfortable and secure web experience.

If you want to enjoy the benefits of Pi-hole quickly and inexpensively, you can order a complete system directly from us. Just use our contact form: www.nagatech.eu/contacts

Acronis Data Backup: Enhanced Data Security for Businesses

admin

August 17, 2018

Blog

Datensicherheit

Digitally stored information is a valuable asset. Economic existence or personal success often depends on data stored on hard drives. Unfortunately, it is often forgotten that hard drives, SSDs, and other storage media do not last forever and are always threatened by external factors. Unpredictable power outages, voltage spikes, or viruses can damage storage media and destroy stored information. Acronis Backup offers more data security and protection against such problems. This software solution allows businesses and households to create automated backups and restore them as needed.

Acronis Protects Against Numerous Threats

Regular backup copies protect against annoying data loss. Software like Acronis takes on this task with adjustable and automated backup plans. You can select specific files and folders such as documents, photos, videos, drafts, emails, and other important information or backup the entire storage media. The extensive setting options of the software are particularly a boon for companies. Companies are legally required to store electronic correspondence and invoices in a revision-proof manner. If the hard drive on which such information has been stored fails, all data is likely to be lost. This, in turn, means an illegality, which can end with high fines. However, if a backup was created beforehand with Acronis, the data can be easily restored from the backup copy. The same applies if data is destroyed by a virus or made inaccessible by ransomware. Not to be underestimated is also the weakest link in any security concept: the human. Sometimes files are overwritten or deleted by mistake. In these cases, a backup copy pays off – regardless of whether the computer is used by private individuals or as part of a company.

Threats at a glance:

Power failures and voltage spikes
Hardware failures due to wear and tear
Hardware theft
Viruses
Ransomware
Human error

How Acronis Data Backup Works

Acronis Data Backup offers tailor-made backup plans and smooth restoration. After installation, you have to choose which data should be backed up. Once files, folders, partitions, or complete data carriers have been selected, a target drive is selected. For the backup to serve its purpose, it must be stored on a different data carrier than the source drive. In addition to selecting local data carriers such as USB hard drives, network drives, FTP, or cloud services are also a storage option. Acronis also offers encryption. Once the target drive has been determined, an automated backup plan can be created. This way, it is defined how often backups take place. An intelligent automatic system can also perform backups when the computer is not being used, which saves resources.

The more often a backup is carried out, the more up-to-date the data status is. To avoid having to back up already backed up, unchanged data over and over again, Acronis offers two additional options besides full data backup. A full backup is always necessary as the first backup. Here all selected data are copied to the target data carrier. If such a complete backup is already available, two other types of backup can be carried out to save storage space and time. If you choose a differential backup, it builds on the status of the full data backup and only copies new or changed data. For this reason, it is also faster than a complete backup. Another option is incremental backups. These also based on the full backup and only include new or changed data. But the second incremental backup and further backups of this type no longer build on the complete backup, but compare the status with the last incremental copy. This saves resources, but older data can only be restored taking into account the increments. If a file is changed multiple times and taken into account in an incremental backup, the original version probably cannot be restored.

Buy and Set Up Acronis Backup

A backup solution like Acronis is indispensable both at home and in the company. If you want to enjoy data security and wish for reliable backup software, you can turn to our experts. If you want to buy Acronis Data Backup in Trier or want a tailor-made setup, use our contact form: www.nagatech.eu/contacts

We look forward to hearing from you!

Month: August 2018