For local businesses in Onoway, data is the backbone of daily operations. From customer records and inventory lists to sales data and accounting files, your information is critical to your success. In an age where cloud storage is heavily promoted, many small businesses automatically gravitate towards it. However, at AS Computer Solutions, we often recommend a different, often more beneficial, approach for local shops: self-hosted storage solutions.
While cloud services offer convenience, they come with their own set of considerations, particularly for small businesses that prioritize control, speed, and long-term cost-effectiveness. Let’s delve into why keeping your data close to home can be the smartest move for your business.
✅ Reason 1: Unparalleled Data Control and Security
When your data resides on your premises, you have complete command over it. This is a fundamental advantage that cloud storage simply cannot match.
🔄 Ownership and Access
You Own the Hardware: With self-hosted storage (like a Network Attached Storage – NAS device), you own the physical drives and the enclosure. This means you know exactly where your data is and who has direct access to it.
No Third-Party Access: Unlike cloud providers who, by necessity, have access to their servers and thus potentially your data, a self-hosted solution means your data isn’t sitting on someone else’s server farm. This minimizes exposure to external breaches and privacy concerns.
Compliance: For businesses handling sensitive customer information (e.g., healthcare, financial data), self-hosted storage can make it easier to meet local and industry-specific compliance regulations, as you maintain full control over data residency and security protocols.
🔐 Enhanced Local Security
Physical Security: You control the physical security of your storage device. It’s in your shop, protected by your locks and security systems.
Direct Control over Encryption: You decide the encryption methods and key management for your data, without relying on a third-party’s practices.
Reduced Internet Reliance for Access: While cloud solutions need constant internet access to retrieve data, your local storage doesn’t. This can be crucial in areas with unstable internet.
🛠️ Reason 2: Speed and Performance
For day-to-day operations, the speed at which you can access and save your data is paramount. This is where self-hosted storage often shines for local businesses.
📌 Scenario 1: Fast Local Network Access
LAN Speed: Accessing files over your local area network (LAN) is significantly faster than downloading them from the internet, especially when dealing with large files like high-resolution images, video clips, or large databases.
No Internet Bottlenecks: Your workflow won’t be slowed down by your internet service provider’s bandwidth limits or general internet congestion. This is vital for point-of-sale systems, quick inventory checks, and multi-user access to shared documents.
⚡ Direct System Integration
Direct Access for Software: Applications running on your local computers can interact with a self-hosted server or NAS with minimal latency, leading to snappier performance for everything from accounting software to customer relationship management (CRM) tools.
Quicker Backups: Backing up your local computers to a self-hosted NAS is much faster and more reliable than backing up large amounts of data to the cloud, making daily backups practical and less disruptive.
✅ Reason 3: Cost-Effectiveness and Predictability
While there’s an initial investment in self-hosted hardware, the long-term cost can be surprisingly lower and more predictable than recurring cloud subscriptions.
💰 Upfront vs. Ongoing Costs
One-Time Investment: You buy the hardware once. After that, your primary costs are electricity and occasional drive replacements (which are infrequent).
No Escalating Subscriptions: Cloud storage fees often increase with data volume or the number of users. With self-hosted, you typically pay for capacity and then own it, without monthly surprises.
Scalability on Your Terms: You can add more drives to your NAS as your business grows, often at a lower per-terabyte cost than expanding cloud storage plans.
🔄 Long-Term Value
Asset Ownership: The hardware itself becomes an asset for your business, not an ongoing operational expense with no tangible return.
Customization: You can tailor your self-hosted solution precisely to your business’s needs, optimizing for capacity, speed, or redundancy (RAID configurations for data protection).
Mouse or Keyboard Not Working? Try These Quick Fixes Before Calling for Help
Few things are more frustrating than a suddenly unresponsive mouse or keyboard—especially when you’re right in the middle of something important. Whether you’re replying to emails, working on a spreadsheet, or just Browse, losing control of your input devices can grind your entire workflow to a halt.
At AS Computer Solutions here in Onoway, we get calls about this issue all the time. The good news? You might not need a new mouse or keyboard—or even a service call. Most of the time, the fix is quick and simple. So before you panic or start shopping for replacements, try these easy steps first.
✅ Step 1: Rule Out the Basics
Let’s start with the obvious (but often overlooked):
🔄 Reboot Your Computer
It sounds cliché, but a quick restart often clears up temporary bugs or software glitches affecting input devices.
🔌 Check the Connections
For Wired Devices:
Unplug and reconnect the USB cable.
Try a different USB port—especially one directly on the back of your desktop or laptop.
For Wireless Devices:
USB Receiver (Dongle): Make sure it’s securely plugged in. Try another port if needed.
Power Switch: Double-check that it’s turned ON.
Batteries: Swap in fresh batteries—even if the old ones were “just replaced.”
Re-pairing (Bluetooth): You may need to re-sync the device to your computer. Refer to the manual for instructions.
🛠️ Step 2: Targeted Troubleshooting
Depending on what’s acting up, here’s what to do next:
📌 Scenario 1: Only the Mouse or Keyboard Isn’t Working
When one device works but the other doesn’t, it’s likely a fault with the device itself or its connection.
Try This:
Test the device on another computer.
If it works there, your original system may have a driver or port issue.
If it doesn’t, the device might be faulty.
For Windows Users:
Press Windows + X, select Device Manager.
Expand Keyboards or Mice and other pointing devices.
Look for any ⚠️ yellow exclamation marks or ❌ red Xs.
Right-click the affected device and select:
Update driver
Or Uninstall device → then reboot to reinstall it automatically.
For Bluetooth Devices:
Windows: Settings > Bluetooth & Devices → Make sure Bluetooth is on. Remove and re-pair the device.
macOS: System Settings > Bluetooth → Remove and re-add the device.
⚠️ Scenario 2: Neither Mouse nor Keyboard Is Working
This can be tricky since you can’t easily navigate menus.
Try This:
Unplug everything except power and monitor. Restart the system.
Then plug in just the mouse or keyboard one at a time.
Test multiple USB ports—front and back. Try both USB 2.0 and USB 3.0 if available.
Boot into Safe Mode:
On Windows: Hold Shift during restart, or tap F8 repeatedly during boot (older systems).
On Mac: Hold Shift immediately after powering on.
If things work in Safe Mode, a software or driver conflict is likely.
Inspect cables, connectors, and ports for physical damage.
🔄 Scenario 3: Mouse Works, Keyboard Doesn’t (or Vice Versa)
This often indicates a driver issue or hardware failure in the non-working device.
Follow the steps under “Check Device Manager” and test the faulty device on another computer to isolate the issue.
🧰 Still No Luck? Bring It to the Pros
If none of the above fixes do the trick, don’t stress—AS Computer Solutions is here to help.
We can:
Run advanced diagnostics to identify system or driver conflicts
Repair or replace damaged ports or input devices
Check for underlying issues like malware or system corruption
Recommend reliable replacement options that suit your needs
🏡 Local. Reliable. Ready to Help.
Serving Onoway and surrounding communities, AS Computer Solutions is your go-to for friendly, affordable tech support.
Don’t let input issues slow you down. Try the steps above first, and if you’re still stuck, give us a shout. We’ll get your mouse, keyboard—and your productivity—back on track.
Call or visit us today:
📞 (780) 967 0215
📍 Onoway, Alberta
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