Darien Graham-Smith
Darien began his IT career in the 1990s as a systems engineer, later becoming an IT project manager. His formative experiences included upgrading a major multinational from token-ring networking to Ethernet, and migrating a travelling sales force from Windows 3.1 to Windows 95.
He subsequently spent some years acting as a one-man IT department for a small publishing company, before moving into journalism himself. He is now a regular contributor to IT Pro, specialising in networking and security, and serves as associate editor of PC Pro magazine with particular responsibility for business reviews and features.
You can email Darien at darien@pcpro.co.uk, or follow him on Twitter at @dariengs.
Latest articles by Darien Graham-Smith
Can you use an SSD in a NAS?
By Darien Graham-Smith last updated
In-depth A quick guide on how to use an SSD in a NAS drive, and whether it's a good idea
What is a bare metal server?
By Darien Graham-Smith published
In-depth Anyone looking to precisely tune hardware to suit specific workloads should consider bare metal
How to change the DNS address in Windows 10 and 11
By Darien Graham-Smith published
How To Switching to a different DNS can offer faster performance and tighter security – here is how
How to check your SQL Server version
By Darien Graham-Smith published
In-depth If you're building a new database application, you'll want to know which version of SQL Server you're using
What is an FTP server?
By Darien Graham-Smith published
Explainer ITPro's guide to everything you need to know about the global standard for sending and receiving digital data – FTP servers
How to configure Hyper-V on Windows 10 and 11
By Darien Graham-Smith published
How-to From setup and configuration to the most useful features and settings, here is everything you need for Hyper-V on both Windows 10 and 11
Best business video conferencing software 2024
By Darien Graham-Smith last updated
Best We round up the best free and paid-for cloud-based video conferencing apps for mobile and desktop
Zoom review: Easy video conferencing, plus plenty of clever features and add-ons
By Darien Graham-Smith last updated
Reviews With integrated calendaring and messaging, a smart AI Companion, and a huge library of extensions, Zoom has much to offer businesses of all sizes
Best business antivirus
By Darien Graham-Smith last updated
Best To help you find the ideal antivirus platform for your company, we analyzed some of the best business antivirus platforms of today
Cisco WebEx review: A powerful high-end videoconferencing solution with useful AI features
By Darien Graham-Smith last updated
Reviews Wide-ranging platform support and numerous advanced features make Webex a strong choice for companies that place a high value on communications
Google Meet review
By Darien Graham-Smith published
Reviews A simple but fully functional service that comes with a low price and neat integration with Google Workspace
Bitdefender Ultimate Small Business Security review
By Darien Graham-Smith published
Reviews With a broad range of security functions, Bitdefender Ultimate Small Business Security is a strong choice for small teams
Eset Protect antivirus review
By Darien Graham-Smith published
Reviews An impressive security suite with extensive management options and reliable all-round protection
Avast Business Security review: Strong, affordable protection for smaller businesses
By Darien Graham-Smith published
Reviews With an excellent antivirus engine and easy management, Avast Business Security is a great solution for SMBs wanting to shore up and centralize their protection
Best rackmount NAS 2024: Find the rack storage solution that’s right for you
By Darien Graham-Smith last updated
Best Seeking out the best rackmount NAS for your business can unlock a range of long-term benefits - here are six of the best options available
D-Link DMS-1100-10TP network switch review: A very affordable way to deliver a speed boost
By Darien Graham-Smith published
Reviews This 2.5GbE PoE+ switch is ideal for smaller businesses on a budget
What is Bluetooth and how does it work? Everything you need to know
By Darien Graham-Smith published
In-depth We examine how the different Bluetooth standards compare, and how users can get the most from their Bluetooth devices
What's the difference between ARM and x86?
By Darien Graham-Smith published
In-depth Apple, AMD, and Intel take significantly different approaches to building CPUs, with varied processor designs carrying significant implications for performance
Chrome vs Firefox vs Microsoft Edge
By Darien Graham-Smith last updated
Vs Firefox vs Edge vs Chrome - discover which comes out on top in the ultimate battle to crown the very best browser
Netgear Nighthawk RAXE300 review
By Darien Graham-Smith published
Reviews The Nighthawk RAXE300 is not quite as powerful as its top-of-the-range sibling, but still a hugely fast and versatile Wi-Fi 6E router
Netgear Orbi RBK863S review: A fine mesh three years ago
By Darien Graham-Smith published
Reviews A decent Wi-Fi 6 mesh, but the only thing that's exceptional about this Orbi system is the price
Linksys Hydra Pro 6E review: An overpriced and middling router
By Darien Graham-Smith published
Reviews Strong hardware specs sadly don't translate to real-world performance, on either Wi-Fi 6 or 6E
Why Ethernet will always beat Wi-Fi
By Darien Graham-Smith published
In-depth Although Wi-Fi has some advantages, if you’re looking for a fast, reliable network, there’s still nothing better than good old-fashioned cables
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